I quoted the lyrics of the Revelation Song. This is for you, the reader, to have a proper frame of mind. The song points directly to the Apostle John’s experience on Patmos. He was called up to heaven and had the privilege of seeing the throne of God. He described it like this:

Immediately I was in the Spirit. And there was a throne set in heaven with One sitting on the throne! And He who sat there appeared like a jasper and a sardius stone. There was a rainbow around the throne, appearing like an emerald.

Revelation 4:2–3

John was not the first to see this. Ezekiel had a vision of the throne of God. He wrote down a similar observation.

There was a voice from the expanse that was over their heads whenever they stood still and let down their wings. Above the expanse that was over their heads was the likeness of a throne, as the appearance of a sapphire stone. And on the likeness of the throne was the likeness as the appearance of a man on it high up. Then I saw as glowing metal, as the appearance of fire all around within it, from the appearance of His loins and upward; and from the appearance of His loins and downward I saw as it were the appearance of fire, and there was a brightness around Him. As the appearance of the rainbow that is in the cloud on a day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness all around.

Ezekiel 1:25–28

Yes, I am going to talk about the rainbow again. You can follow the tag cloud to find other things I have written on that. But of late, the Revelation Song has been rattling through my mind. It is a great and beautiful thing, too. There is reason to ponder what the song embraces from the truth of God’s Word.

The first thing I want to share is a photo I took a few years back flying home from Milwaukee, Wisconsin. I wanted to capture the shadow of our jet moving on the clouds. When looking at the image later, I was shocked to discover something. I don’t recall if I saw the rainbow or not, but the significance is that rainbows are circles. We usually experience just the curved bow ending at the horizon. Look closely at the image, it is clear that the brightest colors are closest to the center and fade as the concentric bands show. There are at least two more faint rainbow circles. I think this adds some clarity to the splendor of what John and Ezekiel both conveyed to us.

There is always more than we can imagine.

Anisotrophic Splendor

I want to introduce something very relevant to this discussion. It is a principle known as Anisotropy. As defined by Wikipedia, it is the structural property of non-uniformity in different directions, as opposed to isotropy. Yeah, that is big talk. But think of it as a uniform direction as opposed to being omnidirectional (all directions.) Wood is anisotropic, as the grain goes in one direction.

Light, as we encounter it in this physical world every day, is isotropic. Its waves propagate in all directions. When on me applies a polarizing filter, the light that passes through the filter has waves in one direction. The filter strains out all the diverse propagation and allows only light oriented in one direction. Sometimes it is easier to see things through polarized light because it tends to remove scattering reflections. Wearing polarized sunglasses allows me to look into a body of water without the myriad reflections that would make things less clear.

The peculiarities of light have fascinated humans for centuries, as science shows. Experiments are performed where light is purified. That is, it is filtered to remove the propagating diffractions. There is one that most people are taught in school. It is Double-Slit Experiment and the controversial things it upended and exposed. I will leave that rabbit-hole for your edification. But in my opinion, the findings of that one experiment demonstrate that there may be an intelligence that controls the minutiae of our universe.

Using this methodology in this experiment led to others and the use of cross-polarization. Pure cross-polarized light is created by using two polarizing filters oriented perpendicularly to each other. These filters block the mirror-like reflections from surfaces. This leaves only the diffuse component of the light, which reveals the true surface color and texture of the subject. Some call this pure light.

I cannot help but think, why cross-polarization? Is there something about the cross-filtered light that reveals truth? Is it just a coincidental play on words? Tell me what you think in the comments.

Back to the good stuff.

Applying this kind of light to gemstones has revealed something far more splendid than just the symmetry of grain. It gives rise to a new classification of gemstones. They can be classified as either isotropic or anisotropic. Consider those gems God chose to use in New Jerusalem.

The foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all kinds of precious jewels. The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, chalcedony; the fourth, emerald; the fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolite; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, topaz; the tenth, chrysoprase; the eleventh, jacinth; and the twelfth, amethyst.

Revelation 21:19-20

When we look at these gems with ordinary physical light, they appear rather plain. Our first reaction might be why these?

Our physical light has waves going in different directions that seem chaotic. Most of those gemstones do not exhibit any real radiance or even clarity. Diamonds and rubies sparkle translucently in this kind of light. They are highly prized for this beauty.

The pure light reveals the true surface color and properties of the gems. Diamonds and rubies become black and opaque in cross-polarized light. However, when cross-polarized light is used on those gems mentioned in Revelation for New Jerusalem, their true beauty and splendor are revealed. The image below shows how each of these gems appears in this cross-filtered pure light.

Look back up to how John described the light emanating from the throne of God. He used the words jasper and sardius as descriptions for the appearance of God. I would say he was seeing these with pure light just by the descriptions he uses. John is seeing what is True, without the noise we see with our eyes in the physical light we experience.

I do wear two jasper bracelets on my wrist. The jasper beads are red. There is real beauty in that. I see just the red stone with little shine. But it is a daily reminder of the blood of Jesus that bought my freedom. I also wear a lapis lazuli one, which brings to mind the tekhelet blue adorning priestly garments. There are also two strands of amethyst. Purple is the color of royalty and my King.

Sardius is also red. It, too, is not overtly stunning in natural light. Yet, like other anisotropic gems in pure light, they fluoresce with brilliant rainbow colors!

There are resources to help understand. This one, Revelation Handout Pages, from River of Life Fellowship, can help with understanding. (Last two pages of the handout.) There are additional links in that material to help with the science.

New Jerusalem is going to glow with spectacular brilliance and color. It will be very much like the throne of God, with the pure light emanating from the Light of the World.

Glory of God

In his first epistle, Peter exhorts us Christian’s on how to comport ourselves in this world. We are not to live like the Gentiles, but live a life of love, grace, mercy, and hospitality to all. In so doing, we become living epistles to a watching world.

Therefore, since Christ has suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, so that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh serving human desires, but the will of God. For in earlier times of our lives it may have sufficed us to do what the Gentiles like to do, when we walked in immorality: lusts, drunkenness, carousing, debauchery, and abominable idolatries. They are surprised that you do not join them in the same excess of wild living, and so they speak evil of you. They will give account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. For this reason the gospel was preached also to those who are dead, so that even though they might be judged according to men in the flesh, they might live according to God in the spirit.
The end of all things is near. Therefore be solemn and sober so you can pray. Above all things, have unfailing love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins. Show hospitality to one another without complaining. As everyone has received a gift, even so serve one another with it, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone serves, let him serve with the strength that God supplies, so that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

1 Peter 4:1–11

There is a lot in the instructions that lends itself to the discussion at hand. Peter is reiterating the two great commands Jesus gave to believers. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind. You shall love your neighbor as yourself. Imagine the directions of this love, vertically for God, and horizontally for others. These two things are crossed perpendicularly to each other. Perhaps that is just a coincidence, but in this discussion of pure light has the same principle. Why does this appear to direct us to the cross of Jesus?

Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that is taking place among you to test you, as though some strange thing happened to you. But rejoice insofar as you share in Christ’s sufferings, so that you may rejoice and be glad also in the revelation of His glory. If you are reproached because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. On their part He is blasphemed, but on your part He is glorified. Let none of you suffer as a murderer, or a thief, or an evildoer, or even as a busybody. Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God because of it.

1 Peter 4:12–16

Wait…

If we behave like Jesus and Peter have instructed us to do it is going to bring suffering. Yet in that suffering, His glory is revealed! This is just like the principle of pure light revealing the true glory of gems, pure love (the cross-filtered kind) reveals the true glory of God.

There is more there. Peter says that this Spirit of God is the Spirit of Glory that rests on us. He blesses us. Though the world blasphemes Him, He is glorified in you and me. That is the work of the Spirit of Glory. He reveals the glory of God.

The Crown of Glory

There is also a promised reward to those who live well and shepherd the flock. This should be the goal of every believer to shepherd the flock they have been given. Not because we have to do it, but to be faithful in our charge as examples to them. These reveal the glory of God to their flock.

I exhort the elders who are among you, as one who is also an elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ as well as a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed: Shepherd the flock of God that is among you, take care of them, not by constraint, but willingly, not for dishonest gain, but eagerly. Do not lord over those in your charge, but be examples to the flock. And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive a crown of glory that will not fade away.

1 Peter 5:1–4

These are partakers in His glory; They are taking His glory! Their ultimate reward is a crown of glory. One that will not fade away. It necessitates that the glory being discussed here is God’s glory.

The Spirit of Glory

This Spirit of Glory did the same with Jesus. This is going to rely on the last few days of Jesus’ life in a physical body as recounted by John. I challenge you to take the time to read it all, now. You may encounter things there you have not seen before.

To start, Jesus was outlining this vertical and horizontal relationship we are to have with God and others. He is speaking of the suffering He is to endure. He is also sharing that they would indeed suffer in like manner. As the world hated Him and it will hate believers. He also introduced the coming Helper we now know is the Spirit of Glory.

“But when the Counselor comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will bear witness of Me. And you also will bear witness, because you have been with Me from the beginning.

John 15:26–27

Things for His friends are going to get bad, really bad. Jesus says He is going away. He will return again in a little while. This is one of those things the disciples did not quite grasp. His death, and more to the point, His resurrection. Jesus’ leaving would make way for the Spirit of Truth. He will by a Helper to them.

“I have yet many things to tell you, but you cannot bear them now. But when the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all truth. For He will not speak on His own authority. But He will speak whatever He hears, and He will tell you things that are to come. He will glorify Me, for He will receive from Me and will declare it to you. All that the Father has is Mine. Therefore I said that He will take what is Mine and will declare it to you.

John 16:12–15

They didn’t understand. The sudden coming death of Jesus was not the point of contention. The resurrection was. It was not expected at all by them. Yet by the Spirit of Truth, it will be revealed to all that Jesus Christ has overcome the world.

He said the Spirit glorifies Him. In this text, it is obvious that the role of the Holy Spirit is intimately connected with revealing the glory of God.

In all of this discussion with His friends, Jesus then prays.

When Jesus spoke these words, He lifted His eyes toward heaven and said:
“Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son may also glorify You. As You have given Him authority over all flesh, He will give eternal life to all whom You have given Him. This is eternal life: that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom You have sent. I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work You have given Me to do. And now, O Father, glorify Me in Your own presence with the glory which I had with You before the world existed.

John 17:1–5

What Jesus says mirrors everything we have learned about glory. It is revealed in suffering. Jesus again promises the gift of eternal life. It is that discussion of glory that draws attention. I will speak to that in a bit. Jesus speaks in the shared suffering His friends experience because of their belief. As Jesus suffers, it glorifies God. As His chosen ones suffer, it glorifies Jesus. He is praying for His friends. He goes further…

“I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word, that they may all be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You. May they also be one in Us, that the world may believe that You have sent Me.

John 17:20–21

I do not take these words lightly. That is us, our Savior is praying for us, modern-day believers. The truth is, it is through the words of His chosen ones that we have come to believe. The blessings on them are also for all believers. Even those who come to believe some 2,000 years later.

Don’t skip over the part where Jesus asks that we are one. It’s not just a unity of purpose, but a unity in all things. It is worth it to take some time to contemplate the entire prayer of Jesus. But… How does that unity happen?

Jesus began explaining that back in John 15. He promised the Comforter, in Greek, that is the Paraclete. The word literally means a counselor, like a lawyer. One that comes alongside to help. The coming Spirit of Glory will be the One Who unifies believers. That is, God will live in each of those who believe.

The disciples will be scattered. Suffering will come. That sorrow will turn into joy because of this Helper. And He came to those believers for the first time in a unique way. I can imagine that the gathering of disciples was rather somber until this happened.

When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like a mighty rushing wind came from heaven, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. There appeared to them tongues as of fire, being distributed and resting on each of them, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues, as the Spirit enabled them to speak.

Acts 2:1–4

As Peter taught, this is the glory of God resting on them. Not only is the glory of God resting on them, but He is in them.

I Will not Share My Glory

This idea may come to the forefront of the minds of some. The Bible tells us that God will not share His glory with another.

You have heard; see all this.
And will you not declare it?
I have shown you new things from this time,
even hidden things, and you did not know them.
They are created now and not from the beginning;
even before the day when you did not hear them,
lest you should say,
“Yes, I knew them.”
You have not heard, you have not known,
indeed, from long ago your ear has not been open.
For I knew that you would deal very treacherously,
and that from birth you have been called a rebel.
For My name’s sake I will defer My anger,
and for My praise I will restrain it for you
so that you are not cut off.
See, I have refined you, but not with silver;
I have chosen you in the furnace of affliction.
For My own sake, even for My own sake, I will do it;
for how can My name be polluted?
And I will not give My glory to another.

Isaiah 48:6–11

In the context of what Isaiah is saying, it is God speaking of the stubbornness of Jacob. How He has told them the beginning from the end, so they could not ascribe the things that belong to God to the carved images with which they stumbled. From the beginning, God told them what He was doing. There were things hidden from them, purposefully. It makes me want to delve more into the Tanakh. There are plenty of hidden treasures. Treasures that are for Israel. Yet they rebelled… A lot… And for a long time.

His patience with them is to protect His name. It’s for His praise that Israel was not cut off. Instead, through the furnace of affliction, they are purified. It’s the same for us Christians, just as Peter says. It seems that the glory of God is also revealed in praise to Him. Something He will not share with others.

When God says He will not give His glory to another, it is clearly in the context of sharing with idols and carved images. But many teach that He doesn’t share His glory at all. Because of that, it becomes one of those apologetic things to prove Jesus is Jehovah. Which brings us right back to those last days before the cross above, and the thing I promised to point out later. In the last sentence I quote, it is self-evident that Jesus is indeed Jehovah. “And now, O Father, glorify Me in Your own presence with the glory which I had with You before the world existed.”

From Glory to Glory

The radiant glory rainbow around the throne of God is representative of the Spirit of God. There is no coincidence that there are seven colors in the rainbow: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet. These colors come from white light. The brilliance of a rainbow is staggering when encountered. We get this hint of glory as a promise from God. It marked His promise not to wipe out the race with a global flood. (Yeah, I said global.)

There will also be an angel that comes in the future.

Then I saw another mighty angel coming down from heaven, clothed with a cloud and a rainbow on his head. His face was like the sun, and his feet like pillars of fire.

Revelation 10:1

It seems that this angel is clothed in those things associated with the Spirit of God. His head glows with a rainbow, and his feet are like pillars of fire. Fire, just like when the Holy Spirit came upon those believers after the ascension of Jesus. He is likened to tongues of fire that rested upon those there. We commemorate this day as Pentecost.

Could it be that we get just these small glimpses of glory?

That angel seems to be clothed in the same splendor that comes from the throne of God.

Can I tell you something?

There is enough evidence here for something spectacularly mind-boggling. God does share His glory with others. He gives it to us. It comes with the Holy Spirit that is part of us forever.

He is the One who reveals the visible glory of God shown in the patient suffering of His saints. I am telling you that if you have the Holy Spirit in you, then you are already clothed from the inside out with the splendor of God. He has placed His Mark on you forever.

Don’t believe me.

Seeing then that we have such hope, we speak with great boldness, not as Moses, who put a veil over his face, so that the children of Israel could not look intently at the end of what was fading away. Instead, their minds were blinded. For until this day the same veil remains unlifted in the reading of the old covenant, the veil which was done away with in Christ. But even to this day, when Moses is read, the veil is in their hearts. Nevertheless when anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. Now the Lord is the Spirit. And where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, seeing the glory of the Lord with unveiled faces, as in a mirror, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory by the Spirit of the Lord.

2 Corinthians 3:12–18

We have to take this all by faith in His Word. These are what He says He does. We are not stealing God’s glory. He lavishes it on us with His Spirit. Such things are never wasted. No, they are not wasted with God.

That’s why we fast. We learn to suffer with joy and contentment in Jesus Christ. We don’t share this with others, not letting anyone know. It is supposed to be an intimacy between us as individuals and God. We learn to endure suffering with patience and joy, relying on the Lord just as Jesus wanted to share with us in His prayer in John 17.

When This is That

I cannot help but think about how the glory of God is revealed in believers of today. It is one of those things that makes Israelites who know their Tanakh jealous. Knowing that these promises are theirs but are given to another people, not called His people, but who are now called His people. It is not a bad thing. Anyone can believe and have this.

All that rainbow splendor cannot really be ours, can it?

Well, John told us that God is Love. Paul wrote a treatise on true love. The kind God not only has, but is. It is in 1 Corinthians 13, and should be familiar to many.

Love suffers long and is kind; love envies not; love flaunts not itself and is not puffed up, does not behave itself improperly, seeks not its own, is not easily provoked, thinks no evil; rejoices not in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things.

1 Corinthians 13:4

That is my God. He is yours, too. From the citation above from Isaiah 48, it is clear that almost all of these things Paul says love is are quite apparent in God’s relationship with Israel. He says, “For My name’s sake I will defer My anger.” Love is patient, kind, loyal, gentle, and meek.

He endures all things. Even when His people prostitute themselves to other gods and give those gods the glory due to Him. That is what it means when God does not share His glory. It is not some attribute He distributes, but is the very essence of Who He is, and is demonstrated in a reciprocal relationship. Just like that of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit have.

I think we mistake all those pretty colors and emanations from the throne of God as glory. Upon closer examination, it appears that the glory lies in the relationships God has. Even the relationships He has with His people. It is not just for the Israelites, either. It is in the praise and worship we give to Him in the purity of love, because He first loved us—even when we refused Him. Because He suffers and bears all things just for us.

Love never fails. But if there are prophecies, they shall fail; if there are tongues, they shall cease; and if there is knowledge, it shall vanish. (, MEV)

1 Corinthians 13:8

God never fails. Not Even once.

For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. ¹⁰ But when that which is perfect comes, then that which is imperfect shall pass away.

1 Corinthians 13:9–10

The imperfections in this world will eventually disappear for good.

When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, and I thought as a child. But when I became a man, I put away childish things.

1 Corinthians 13:11

It’s time to grow up. Which means we are going to have to acknowledge God’s steadfast and loyal love for us and react appropriately. Because there is a day approaching that will reveal all.

For now we see as through a glass, dimly, but then, face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know, even as I also am known.

1 Corinthinas 13:12

From glory to glory. We are going to see one day that those who love God will radiate the same brilliance as that which comes from God’s throne. That is the promise to every believer. The truth will be revealed.

My hope is that you share in my joy and praise to God. I have typed through some tears. My hope extends to everyone, don’t be of those who do not radiate that splendor in true light. Fix that, now!