How Did Christ Get His Glory?
Isaiah 53:12
Our Savior's divine glory, the glory which
he possesses as God the Son, the second Person of the Holy Trinity, that glory
which is essential to the Divine Being is underived. Like himself,
it is eternal. He who is God over all and blessed forever is infinitely,
immutably, and unapproachably glorious (I Tim.6:14-16).
However, the glory which the Lord Jesus
Christ, the incarnate God, now possesses as a man, as the God-man Mediator, our
Covenant Surety is a derived glory (John 17:2, 5; Rom. 14:9; Phil. 2:8-11; Heb.
1:1-3). What is that glory and how did he get it? Isaiah 53:12 answers those
questions.
CHRIST'S MEDIATORIAL GLORY IS A TWOFOLD
GLORY. It is the glory of his exaltation and the glory of his saving power.
First, our Savior's glory is the glory of his sovereign dominion over all the universe. "Therefore will I divide him a
portion with the great." God the Father promised
his Son a great portion of mankind as the reward of his obedience to him. He
promised to make him higher than the kings of the earth and to give him an
elect multitude to be his portion forever. And he has done it! Christ is
exalted (Rev. 5:9-10). Second, our Savior's glory is to be seen in the
sovereign exercise of his saving power and grace. "And he shall divide the
spoil with the strong." Christ Jesus led captivity captive in the mighty
conquests of his death (Psa. 68:18; Eph. 4:8; Col. 2:14-15). And when he sends
his Spirit to sinners in saving grace,he delivers his redeemed ones from the
captivity of sin and satan into the glorious liberty of the sons of God (Lk.
11:22). How did he get such glory? Why does he have these spoils of victory,
these trophies of grace, to show forth his praise?
THESE EXTRAORDINARY GLORIES HAVE BEEN
EARNED AND WON BY OUR GOD-MAN MEDIATOR, AND HAVE BEEN GIVEN TO HIM BY GOD THE
FATHER BECAUSE OF HIS CONNECTION WITH SINNERS IN THIS WORLD IN THE
ACCOMPLISHMENT OF REDEMPTION - "Because he hath poured out his soul unto
death; and was numbered with the transgressors;and he bare the sin of many, and
made intercession for the transgressors."
Don Fortner