The glory of God is the object and end of all God’s dealings with men. Prophecy is the revelation of God’s ways for accomplishing His glory in Christ. All prophecy has for its object the glory of Christ, except so far as it relates to His sufferings. The right understanding of what is due to Christ’s glory unlocks prophecy. Where the affections to Christ are right, the understanding of what is due to Him becomes clear. When the eye is simple, the whole body is full of light. If we regard Christ as God regards Him, prophecy becomes sanctifying to the soul. If we regard prophecy apart from Christ’s glory, the mind is filled with unwholesome speculation. The Jews and the Gentiles are subjects of prophecy, but not the object of it. Christ is the object. The various subjects become important as they radiate to or from Him, the center. The calling of Israel was with a view to showing forth Christ’s glory on earth. The calling of the church was to show forth Christ’s glory in the heavens. The church’s relation to Christ and Israel’s relation to Christ open out different spheres of Christ’s glory. To confound them is to falsify both and to nullify Christ’s glory in each. God has purposed in Himself for the administration of the fullness of times to head up all things in Christ, heavenly and earthly.
Adapted from J. N. Darby