1 Kings 6:4 “And he made for the house windows with recessed frames.”
The words above are an excerpt from the description of Solomon’s temple. It’s telling us that there were windows in it. It’s something that God wants us to know. The King James Version translates the description of these windows as “windows of narrow lights.” As I think about this, my thoughts go to the question of what are windows for? One of the most obvious answers is that they let the light in. But another thing they do, as anyone knows who has driven by a house in the dark of night, they give us glimpses of the light that is within. That would have been true for the temple. It was the priests who could enter the inner part of the temple to where the candlesticks were. They could see within. But for those on the outside, their view of this light would have been limited to what they saw emanating from the windows. It was by way of the windows that they would see glimpses of the glory that was within.
And so my thoughts turn to the spiritual temple of which Solomon’s temple was a type. One thing this temple pointed to was the Lord Jesus Christ. Revelation 21:22 describes heaven in the following way: “its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb.” Indeed, Jesus is the Light of the world. He is filled with the glory of God, but few people on this side of heaven have had the privilege of seeing this in all its radiance. Paul was one, as his eyes were blinded by the glory of Jesus when he saw Him on the road to Damascus. Peter, James, and John likewise saw this glory in full display at the Transfiguration. But for the most part, man has been privileged to see only glimpses of that glory, as through a window.
For example, when the disciples found themselves in the midst of a great storm on the Sea of Galilee while Jesus slept in the bottom of the boat, they cried out in fear “’Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?’ And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, ‘Peace! Be still!’ And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. He said to them, ‘Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?’ And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, ‘Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?’’’ (Mark 4:38-41). Similarly, they saw glimpses of His glory when He turned water to wine, healed the lame, gave sight to the blind, and raised the dead. It was all veiled behind His humanity, but the glory peeked out to display itself, glimpses of the glory that was within. And they saw it in His teaching, words that astonished all who heard. His awesome wisdom was revealed as He answered the questions of His believers and critics alike. Time after time as He walked this earth, glimpses of glory followed after Him.
And so today we are told that “Now (we) know in part” (1 Corinthians 3:12). We are told that it is not until we reach heaven that “(we)shall know fully, even as (we) have been fully known.” And where do we go to see such things in part? One place is the Word of God. Though we will never know everything that this infinite book reveals about our glorious God, we see more and more wonderful glimpses of Him the more we look into it. And as we do this, “we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit” (2 Corinthians 3:18). It’s such a wonderful truth.
But then we are told that our own bodies as believers are individually, as well as corporately as the Church, temples of the Holy Spirit that dwells within us. It is such a glorious truth that the glory of God lives within us. But how often this glory is veiled. It is as we live our lives day to day in this world, filled with the Spirit and walking with our God, that there will be glimpses of this glory revealed to the world. It is as we forgive as we’ve been forgiven, love as we’ve been loved, comfort as we’ve been comforted, and speak the Word of God that we’ve heard that these glimpses of glory are seen by the world. And it is as this truth is displayed that those who don’t yet know Christ will be drawn to this glory within and be moved to ask questions about it. So, our Lord has told us to “always be. . . prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect” (1 Peter 3:15).
So does this describe you? Is this what others see as they view your life? Do the windows of our soul reveal the glory within, or are we showing the world something else? May God help us to draw ever nearer to Him, listen to Him, and obey. As Jesus told us “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 5:14-16). May it be such glimpses of glory that the world sees emanating from the windows of our life.
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