To the praise of the glory of His grace … That we should be to the praise of his glory … unto the praise of His glory. Ephesians 1:6, 12, 14 KJV
To the praise of the glory of His grace… we who were the first to hope in Christ would be to the praise of His glory… to the praise of His glory. Ephesians 1:6, 12, 14 NASB
Every chapter in the Word of God is important. There is no chapter, even those containing genealogies, which are unimportant. And yet, having said that, there are some chapters that reveal such a wealth of truth that they stand out like Mt. Everests along the timeline of revelation. Such a chapter is Ephesians 1.
Guided by the Spirit of God, the apostle surveys the activity of the Triune God in the planning, procurement, and possession of all that the heart of God eternally desired to bestow upon humanity. It is often pointed out that we have the activity of God the Father in vv 3—10, of the Son in vv 11-12, and of the Spirit of God in vv 13-14.
Noteworthy as well, is that each section ends with a similar expression, “the praise of His glory.” So whether we are considering His eternal counsels and purposes, the Work of the Lord Jesus to effect those purposes, or the giving of the Spirit of God to guarantee the blessings, each is to provoke us to the “praise of His glory.”
But what exactly does that statement mean? In what sense do we praise His glory? God’s glory is all that He is in Himself – the sum total of all His attributes and virtues. As we survey the chapter and begin to tabulate, not only the totality of our blessings, but the motivation and character of God which has been the prime motivation for all, we should be stirred to worship.
His grace, wisdom, kindness, love, mercy, sovereignty, and goodness are all involved in the counsels and will of the God Who has brought such incredible blessing to humanity. In contemplating His character, we are moved to worship His “glory.” God’s purpose in all His self-revelation is to produce worshipers, our highest privilege and occupation, from those who were once rebels.
For this reason, Paul brought the believers before the throne of God in intercession. But his request begins with a desire that they might receive “the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of” God. He is praying that they might know God better. Three requests follow this, but it is important to see that his primary request is for them to have a deeper and fuller knowledge of God.
As we know God better, we become better worshipers of God. Knowing God more intimately provides a richer fund of material upon which to draw for worshiping Him.
Since eternity is going to find us, not only serving God, but worshiping Him, our souls ought to covet a deeper knowledge of Him. An Old Testament saint with limited revelation once wrote of God as his “exceeding joy” (Ps 43:4). It would be a sad commentary on my growth in the knowledge of God if an O. T. believer with the limited light they possessed, knew God better than I who stand in the full blaze of divine revelation.
Consider:
As you read the Word of God this week, try to learn something fresh of God which you can use in your public worship. Express it privately first and allow it to increase as the week proceeds. You and I were created and redeemed, that we might be “to the praise of His glory.”