Christ’s Glory; So Much Higher Than the Swiss Alps
Commentary
Chapter 1 – a beautiful fragrance
Truly, this book carries the sweet fragrance of the sacrifice of propitiation. It should be the desire of all our hearts to be so captivated by the love of Christ that we remain restless until we behold His glory. Already on page 5, we are introduced to one of the most powerful themes woven throughout this book: faith. It is by faith—and by no other means—that this privilege is granted. Faith is a weighty word, a monumental peak throughout the majestic landscape of this book.
Chapter 2 – a breathtaking vision
Key themes include sight and blindness, desire, and beholding the beautiful fingerprints of God in creation—from flowers to the Swiss Alps. My experience of sharing the gospel on benches throughout Switzerland has brought a mixture of emotions: anger, frustration, sadness, and even tears. People often fail to see the Creator’s fingerprints displayed in such majestic beauty right before their eyes. It is truly mind-blowing.
Chapter 3 – a satisfying fountain
How wonderfully stated: “let us fix our eyes and minds upon the glory of Christ in His divine-human person. There is no truth more noble, beneficial, or worthy of our meditation.” Page 30 is perhaps the most marked-up page in my book. The question is asked: What do people think about most of the time? The light of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ is the only good that can truly satisfy and keep me fulfilled. Everything else is melting, foolish cotton candy.
Chapter 4 – a captivating humility
Sadly, this chapter reminded me how far I fall short of Philippians 2, one of the most glorious chapters describing the humility of Christ. There is only one way to obtain true spiritual vision: to meditate upon the wonderful and majestic Mediator of our souls: “He became what He was not, but He did not cease to be what He always was.” What an incredible display of divine love.
Chapter 5 – a delight before the foundation of the world
I am especially thankful for page 51 and this beautiful statement: “The second act of the love of Christ toward the elect was that of delight. Christ saw that it was possible for the elect to be redeemed and saved, and His love delighted to undertake the great work of their salvation for the glory of God.” Amen.
Chapter 6 - an umblemished obedience
Christ’s obedience beautifully reveals the holiness of God. The Ten Commandments, written on tablets of stone, were Part 1 of God’s magnum opus; Part 2, The Gospel. How much more glorious is the law written upon the hearts of believers, which for the elect leads to Holy Spirit infused faith that results in belief, trust, and repentance.
Chapter 7 – a peace in the valley
If we truly value His love and understand what He has suffered for the church, we cannot help but rejoice in His present glory. What a privilege it is to walk the journey of faith with the indwelling Holy Spirit and the living Word of God speaking to us regularly.
Chapter 8 – a shadow of things to come
The glory of Christ was revealed throughout the Old Testament in His appearances to the leaders of God’s people. How wonderful it is to see Christ throughout the Old Testament. It is sad when theologians dismiss this truth and deny Christ’s presence there. How can anyone overlook passages such as Isaiah 53?
Chapter 9 – a mysterious providence
It is both wonderful and humbling that we do not fully understand God’s ways. He chooses what He chooses to do, and we must accept His loving and sovereign decisions. From our perspective, some things may not seem just or fair, but who are we to critique God or sit in judgment over His wisdom?
Chapter 10 – a purchased promise
One of the best quotations in the book appears on page 88: “A gift of Christ was promised in the gospel, so that all who receive Him and believe in Him become partakers of the blessings He has secured for them.” God creates faith in the souls of all the elect by His almighty power. Hallelujah—I love that truth.
Chapter 11 – a perfect Helper
Page 98 is truly staggering. The Holy Spirit assigns glory to Christ, describing Him as “the brightness of the Father’s glory and the exact imprint of His nature,” upholding all things by His power. It is astonishing to consider that the Holy Spirit Himself delights to exalt Christ in this way.
Chapter 12 – a matchless faith
This chapter returns us to one of the book’s central themes: faith. We walk by faith, not by sight. It is only through faith that we presently behold the glory of Christ. This vision is vastly different from what we will experience when we finally see Him face-to-face. It is deeply saddening that many do not long for the sight of Christ’s glory as their highest joy. Such people remain spiritually blind. We must pray that God opens their eyes.
Chapter 13 – a higher gift
Biblical faith requires no assistance from images, crucifixes, or pictures. These things are lifeless and powerless. Get the fire ready! May God help all of us to say, like the man in Scripture, “I believe; help my unbelief.” (Mark 9:24) We desperately need the daily strengthening of our faith. May God grant us that gift—far greater than any Christmas present we could ever receive.
Chapter 14 – a glorious transformation
Our eyes were made to behold the Redeemer, and our senses were created to receive all that He communicates to us according to their capacity. Oh, how I long for that glorious transformation, with new sights, colors, sounds, smells, and experiences. “Truly, I shall be satisfied when I awake in Your likeness.” (Psalm 17:15)
Chapter 15 – a call to awaken
How can anyone be comfortable living outside of God’s provision? Believers stand beneath the umbrella of salvation. It is terrifying to think of those who willfully remain outside God’s protection and eternal grace. This chapter is directed toward unbelievers, calling them to experience the awakening work of the Holy Spirit. It serves as a warning: do not trust worldly assumptions. They deceive the soul.
Chapter 16 – a prize to be violently contended for
Possibly my favorite chapter.
Believers should continually receive the heavenly, life-giving sap that flows from Christ Himself. As we feed upon the Word of God, we should flourish, grow strong, and present a glorious witness to the world. May our trees be full and ripe with abundant spiritual fruit. Yes, there are seasons of spiritual drought, but we must be careful not to neglect the spiritual life God has graciously given us. Spiritual growth requires diligence. It is as essential as breathing, eating, sleeping, and exercising!
Chapter 17 – a Savior who will hold us fast
How thankful are we for the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit. He graciously makes us aware of spiritual decline and exposes sinful patterns of thinking. He reminds us that ultimately the Christian life is not sustained by endless religious striving, but by continually looking to Christ in faith. As we behold His glory, He transforms us, strengthens us, and causes us to thrive for His glory alone. Hallelujah!
Amen!!!
Structure of the Book
The book is divided into 17 short chapters:
Seeing Christ’s Glory
Christ’s Glory as God’s Representative
The Glory of Christ in His Person
The Glory of Christ’s Humbling Himself
The Glory of Christ’s Love as Mediator
The Glory of Christ’s Work as Mediator
The Glory of Christ’s Exultation
The Glory of Christ under the Old Testament
The Glory of Christ’s Union with the Church
The Glory of Christ’s Giving Himself to Believers
The Glory of Christ in Restoring All Things
The First Difference between Beholding the Glory of Christ by Faith and by Sight
The Second Difference Between Our Beholding the Glory of Christ by Faith and by Sight
Othe Third Difference between Beholding the Glory of Christ by Faith and by Sight
Exhortation to Unbelievers
How to Recognize Spiritual Decay in the Soul
How the Soul May Be Recovered from Spiritual Decays
Five Key Quotes
“Only a sight of His glory, and nothing else, will truly satisfy God’s people. The hearts of believers are like a magnetized needle which cannot rest until it is pointing north. So also, a believer, magnetized by the Love of Christ, will always be restless until he or she comes to Christ and beholds his glory.”
“The glory of Scripture is that it is the great, indeed, the only outward means for us to know the glory of Christ.”
“Only as we understand His sufferings and glory do we really grasp the message of Scripture … In Christ, sufferings went before glory. And so it must be with us. Satan and the world both offer immediate glory, but this glory will be followed by eternal suffering.”
“Let us then examine ourselves. Do we long and desire to see the reality of Christ’s glory in heaven? Are we meditating on that perfect image of Christ’s glory given to us in the gospel? Or are we too filled with this world and its concerns?”
“As for your pleasures, the truth is, you have never yet known real pleasure and will not until you come to Christ. For only in Christ are true pleasures to be found. A few moments with Christ are to be preferred to an eternity with the cursed pleasures of this world.”
Recommended Complementary Reading
Christ Set Forth by Thomas Goodwin
A Perfect Redeemer by William Perkins
The Christian’s Great Interest by William Guthrie
Where to Buy the Book
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