And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one (John 17:22).

 

There are Christians who say God won’t share His glory with another. Some have said it for so long that they now believe it’s scriptural, but it’s not. They misunderstood what God said in Isaiah 42:8 and use it to buttress their position. There, the Lord said, “I am the LORD: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images.”

 

If you understand Isaiah’s prophetic ministry and his expressions, you’d understand that he portrays a dual communication of the same truth in most of his prophecies. For instance, what he refers to as “another” is also, spiritually, what he refers to as “graven images.”

 

You’ll observe the same thing in Isaiah 48:11 where the Lord says, “For mine own sake, even for mine own sake, will I do it: for how should my name be polluted? and I will not give my glory unto another.” How’s God’s name polluted? It’s by mixing the worship of God with idolatry. Every time the Lord talked about not giving His glory to another, He was referring to idols, not human beings.

 

It was always God’s plan from the beginning to share His glory with human beings; He always wanted to do it. When He made man, He glorified man, but when man sinned, he fell short of the glory of God: “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).

 

It was sin that took man out of the glory of God. But when Jesus came, He restored man to the glory of God: “To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Colossians 1:27). This is the revelation and essence of Christianity.

 

We’re not trying to take glory from God; He gave us His glory. Every day of your life, thank Him that you’re in the glory. That’s what He’s given to you; and that’s what He’s made you: you’re the glory of God! Hallelujah!