Glory in the LORD

"Thus says the LORD: "Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, let not the mighty man glory in his might, nor let the rich man glory in his riches; ²⁴ but let him who glories glory in this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the LORD, exercising lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth. For in these I delight," says the LORD."

Jeremiah 9:23-24

Man has a thing for self-promotion and seeking his own glory.  Whether it is an obvious boast, a humblebrag, belittling others or showing off for attention, it seems we cannot help ourselves.  We can be proud about how much we have or proud of how difficult things have been.  Our pride can manifest itself in rejoicing in accomplishment through perseverance or quitting and still being successful.  Man's tendency to glory is often by comparison to other people, and the command of God through the prophet is to make God the One in Whom we glory.

Everything we have has been received by the goodness and grace of God, and this includes knowledge of Him.  God instructed the wise man not to glory in his wisdom, the mighty man in his strength or the rich man in his riches.  We could extend this list as much as we wanted:  let not the Instagram influencer glory in their followers, the youtube content creator glory in likes or shares, the educated to glory in degrees, the celebrity in their popularity, the Super Bowl champion in his rings, the musician in her mastery of an instrument, or the pastor in the number of people attending a Sunday gathering or prayer meeting.  Instead we are to glory in that we understand and know God, that He is the LORD over all.

This privilege of knowing God is made available to all people by God's grace, mercy and goodness.  The LORD God today is exercising lovingkindness, judgment and righteousness in the earth because He delights in them.  God's love is unchanging, revealed in His covenant through the shed blood of Jesus to atone for lost sinners.  He chose to freely offer Himself as the payment for sin so forgiveness could be justly provided.  Through the Gospel the righteousness of Christ is imputed to believers so we can know and understand God.  As we interpret scripture with scripture we plainly see Jesus Christ is the LORD of glory we ought to make our boast in.

1 Corinthians 1:26-31 says, "For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. ²⁷ But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; ²⁸ and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, ²⁹ that no flesh should glory in His presence. ³⁰ But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God--and righteousness and sanctification and redemption--³¹ that, as it is written, "He who glories, let him glory in the LORD."  It is all by God's grace and goodness Peter could conclude his epistle with the exhortation to believers in 2 Peter 3:18:  "...but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen."

David's song is a good conclusion to this post and also an invitation to start making our boast in the LORD continually from now on in Psalm 34:1-3:  "I will bless the LORD at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth. ² My soul shall make its boast in the LORD; the humble shall hear of it and be glad. ³ Oh, magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt His name together."  When it is revealed we are boasting in ourselves, our accomplishment or our possessions, let us repent of our sins and exercise lovingkindness, wise judgment and righteousness to glory in the LORD.  Such are those who will grow in the grace and knowledge of our LORD Jesus Christ.