This past weekend I finished my 2020 Bible reading plan (a bit early). My final reading was Job 40-42 and Psalm 150 from the Old Testament, and Rev. 22 from the New Testament. Two words that came to mind as I finished reading the Bible were grace and glory.
“The Lord blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning” (Job 42:12). Job’s experience at the end of his life will be our lot as God’s children throughout eternity. In his great mercy, God saved us “so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus” (Eph. 2:7). Jesus’ final words in the New Testament constitute a promise: “Surely I am coming soon” (Rev. 22:21). For the believer, the Second Coming of Christ will be a Day of unspeakable glory.
So as I completed my final scheduled Scripture readings for this year — about Job’s latter days being better than the beginning (Job 42) … about our glory in heaven and the certainty of Christ’s return (Rev. 22) … and the Psalmist’s exhortation to “praise the Lord … tell of his excellent greatness” (Ps. 150), the words grace and glory were foremost on my mind.
In commenting on the words, “the Lord will give grace and glory” (Ps. 84:11), Charles Spurgeon wrote,
The Lord gives; there is nothing freer than a gift, and there can be nothing freer than that greatest of all the gifts of God, eternal life. That expression, "eternal life," sums up these two things, grace and glory. "The Lord will give grace and glory." It is His glory to give His grace; and because of His graciousness, He gives glory. Glory never comes without grace coming first, but grace never comes without glory coming last; the two are bound together, and "what God hath joined together, let not man put asunder."
Grace is God’s goodness toward those who deserve only judgment. Glory is the manifestation of God’s infinite perfections, infinite greatness, and infinite worth. This double-blessing is ours in Christ. That’s why, after reading the words of Psalm 150:2, “praise him according to his excellent greatness,” I sang the hymn, Praise Him! Praise Him! Jesus our blessed Redeemer!
The Spirit of God uses
the Word of God to bless
the people of God,
which results in
praise to God!
That’s why I encourage everyone to read through the Bible in its entirety. Although I recommend doing so in a single year, with daily readings from both the Old and New Testaments, there are numerous Bible reading plans from which to choose. You can find a list of options by clicking here.
Choose a plan, any plan! Then stick with it. But even if you fall behind, don’t get discouraged. Keep moving forward until you have finished reading the Holy Scriptures in their entirety.
As Mellissa Kruger points out in her article, Daily Bread: 8 Reasons Why You Need It More Than You Think, the word of God is able to:
Make you wise for salvation
Grow your relationship with God
Help you fight temptation
Provide revival, wisdom and joy
Nourish your soul
Provide comfort
Transform you to look like Christ
Bless you to be a blessing
Why deprive yourself of all these benefits? Read the Scriptures and relish God’s grace and glory!