Show Me Your Glory: The Glory of God in the Old Testament

By Rebecca G. S. Idestrom

What does Scripture mean when it speaks of the glory of God? The answer to this question is not as straightforward as we might think! In Show Me Your Glory, Rebecca Idestrom invites the reader on a journey to discover what the Old Testament teaches us about God's glory. While exploring this biblical theme, she examines various scriptural passages about the glory of the LORD within their larger narrative context in each biblical book. She also considers the different key words used for glory as well as the many diverse images and themes connected to God's glory. This thematic investigation demonstrates that the Old Testament Scriptures present a deeply profound and multifaceted portrait of the glory of God. Although it is impossible to fully capture what the Bible says about God's majestic glory, Show Me Your Glory yields many wonderful insights into its depiction, meaning, and significance, resulting in a deep and rich biblical theology of divine glory.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Pickwick Publications
• Release date: Feb 10, 2023
• ISBN: 9781498217965

Rebecca G. S. Idestrom

Rebecca G. S. Idestrom is Professor of Old Testament at Tyndale University in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. She has a PhD in Biblical Studies/Old Testament from the University of Sheffield in England. Dr. Idestrom joined the faculty of Tyndale Seminary in 2001, after having taught at Summit Pacific College in Abbotsford, British Columbia for five years. In addition to having published her most recent book Show Me Your Glory: The Glory of God in the Old Testament (Eugene, OR: Pickwick Publications, 2023), Idestrom has authored commentaries on Habakkuk and Zephaniah in The Book of the Twelve, edited by John Christopher Thomas (Leiden: Brill, 2020), and published her doctoral dissertation, entitled From Biblical Theology to Biblical Criticism: Old Testament Scholarship at Uppsala University, 1866-1922 (Stockholm: Almqvist & Wiksell, 2000). She has also published a number of articles, essays, and book reviews. In 2007, Idestrom was awarded the Research Scholar Award from the Centre of Mentorship and Theological Reflection in Toronto, and in 2004, the Mentoring Award from the SBL Committee on the Status of Women in the Profession at the Society of Biblical Literature Meeting in San Antonio, Texas. Originally from Sweden but who has lived most of her life in Canada, Rebecca Idestrom is also musical and enjoys singing.

Book preview

Show Me Your Glory

The Glory of God in the Old Testament

Rebecca G. S. Idestrom

To my family,

with love and gratitude

Manne and Lois

Niclas, Tina, and Annika

Henric, Robin, and Jeremiah

Zachariah

Table of Contents

Title Page

Permissions

Preface

Acknowledgments

Abbreviations

Chapter 1: Show Me Your Glory

Chapter 2: Glory Language in the Old Testament

Chapter 3: God’s Glory in Redemption

Chapter 4: God’s Glory in the Wilderness

Chapter 5: God’s Glory in the Temple

Chapter 6: God’s Glory in Song

Chapter 7: God’s Glory in Zion

Chapter 8: God’s Glory in Exile

Chapter 9: God’s Glory in Restoration

Chapter 10: The Multifaceted Portrait of God’s Glory

Bibliography

Permissions

Unless otherwise stated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Scripture quotations marked NASB are taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. www.lockman.org.

Scripture quotations marked ESV are taken from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), Copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked NIV are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The NIV and New International Version are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™

Scripture quotations marked NJPS are taken from the TANAKH: The Holy Scriptures, The New JPS Translation According to the Traditional Hebrew Text (NJPS). Copyright © 1985 by The Jewish Publication Society. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked KJV are taken from The Authorized (King James) Version. Rights in the Authorized Version in the United Kingdom are vested in the Crown. Reproduced by permission of the Crown’s patentee, Cambridge University Press.

Quotations marked NETS are taken from A New English Translation of the Septuagint, ©2007 by the International Organization for Septuagint and Cognate Studies, Inc. Used by permission of Oxford University Press. All rights reserved.

Rebecca G. S. Idestrom, Psalm 96: Declare His Glory Among the Nations, in Between the Lectern and the Pulpit: Essays in Honour of Victor A. Shepherd, edited by Rob Clements and Dennis Ngien (Vancouver, BC: Regent College Publishing, 2014), 292–303. Used by permission.

Rebecca G. S. Idestrom, ‘Show Me Your Glory’ (Exod 33:18): An Exegetical Analysis of Moses’s Request in the Context of Exodus 32–34, in Exploring the Glory of God: New Horizons for a Theology of Glory, edited by Adesola Joan Akala (Lanham, MD: Lexington/Fortress, 2021), 1–13. Used by permission.

Preface

To study is to pray! One of the Dominican fathers at the world-renowned École biblique et archéologique française in Jerusalem shared this profound statement with me in 2007, when I spent the summer at the École biblique doing research for this book. I heartily agree with him! To study God’s Word can truly be a form of prayer and worship to God.

I was reminded of this truth as I was reflecting upon the many years of study that I have dedicated to this important topic. This journey has been very long and arduous, with numerous challenges, trials, and blessings along the way. I began this research project back in 2007, and it has taken fifteen years to complete. There are a number of reasons why it has taken so long, including two major health crises. While I was waiting to undergo major surgery, during my second health crisis, I remember praying and asking God to heal me and to help me fully recover so that I could complete the book. I did not want all those years of study to have been in vain! I am grateful that I am now able to say that the Lord has answered my prayer.

To study what the Scriptures say about God’s glory has been a wonderful privilege and joy. This undertaking has not simply been a rigorous, scholarly endeavor, although it has certainly been that; it has also been personally and spiritually challenging and impactful. As a Christian, I approach the Scriptures expecting to encounter the Lord and to hear him speak to me through his Word. Consequently, the two prayers that have inspired and guided me along this journey of discovery are: Show me your glory (Exod 33:18) and transform me by your glory (2 Cor 3:18). These prayers have shaped how I have approached this work.

Although I have spent many years studying this profound and glorious topic, I still have the sense that the journey of discovery has only just begun. I am fully aware that so much more could be said about the portrayal of God’s glory in the Bible. When I first began this research project, my late uncle Nils Lundqvist in Stockholm, Sweden said to me at the time: That is an impossible task! We can never fully understand God’s glory.¹ Of course he was right. It is truly an impossible task! This is because to study God’s glory is, in a sense, an attempt to study God himself! How can one fully comprehend who this great, awesome, and incomparable God is (Isa 40:12–31)?! I appreciate the truth expressed in the words of the apostle Paul: For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known (1 Cor 13:12 NIV). And, O the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! (Rom 11:33). Even though it is impossible to capture fully what the Scriptures have to say about God’s glory, we can still catch magnificent glimpses of his glorious majesty and splendor in these sacred texts.

Although this study remains partial and incomplete, it is my humble attempt to share what I have discovered. I can truly say that I have learned a tremendous amount about the glory of the Lord. The Old Testament presents a wonderfully rich, diverse, and multifaceted picture of YHWH’s majestic glory and splendor. The Lord is truly the all-glorious one, who is worthy of all glory, honor, and praise!

Although this book is written from a distinctly Christian faith perspective, it is my hope that those readers who do not share my convictions or faith commitment may still glean helpful insights from this study, just as I, too, have gained much from reading the works of others. There is much we can learn from one another.

On a practical note, although I have employed Hebrew and Greek throughout the book, I have also included a simplified form of transliteration to aid the non-specialist reader in pronunciation. Where the Hebrew verse numbers differ from the verses in the English translations of the Bible, I have indicated this by putting the Hebrew Scripture reference in square brackets after the verse reference as found in the English Bible.

As we begin this journey of discovery, may the Lord reveal his glory to us in new and fresh ways.

1

. My uncle Nils said this to me in Swedish so I am paraphrasing his words. Sadly, he passed away before I finished writing this book.

Acknowledgments

In March of 2003, I heard Professor Gordon Fee speak at Tyndale about the importance of reading and studying the Bible within the context of community in a lecture he gave on biblical interpretation.² This is so true! There is so much more we can learn from one another when we study the Bible together than when we only study it alone. Although writing a book can be a very arduous and lonely experience, I am deeply grateful for the community of family, friends, and colleagues who have cheered me on and supported me with their love, encouragement, prayers, and in countless other ways too numerous to list here. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to a number of people who have helped me in various and significant ways, making it possible for me to complete this project.

I want to begin by thanking my Tyndale community, the faculty, staff, and students of Tyndale University in Toronto. So many of you have supported and encouraged me along the way while I have been working on this book. Although it is impossible to mention everyone by name, there are a few people I need to thank in particular.

I would like to thank Dr. Gary Nelson and Dr. Brian Stiller, former presidents of Tyndale University, and the board of governors, for granting me two sabbaticals (2007–8, 2014–15) in order for me to have focused time away to work on the book. These sabbaticals were invaluable for my research and writing. I give thanks for the vision and leadership of our current president, Dr. Marjory Kerr, and our provost, Dr. Beth Green, and for their desire that the Tyndale faculty be engaged in scholarship for the sake of the academy and the church. I am grateful to my seminary dean, Dr. Arnold Neufeldt-Fast, and my former dean, Dr. Janet Clark, for all their encouragement and support of me and of this project over the years. I am deeply indebted to the Tyndale University library, to Hugh Rendle, our head librarian, and to his staff, especially Leah Vetro and Petra Halonen, who helped track down and scan sources for me, particularly during the lockdown restrictions of the COVID-19 pandemic.

I am deeply grateful for my faculty colleagues, for their collegiality and friendship, and especially for my colleagues in the Biblical Studies department of Tyndale Seminary, Drs. John Kessler, Ian Scott, and Duncan Reid. In addition, I want to thank Drs. Dennis Ngien, Victor Shepherd, Yau Man Siew, Marilyn Draper, Ava Oleson, Genie Kim, Arthur Boers, Brian Cunnington, and Donald Goertz for all their encouragement and prayers. Many students have also been a great support over the years. Here I want to especially express my deep gratitude to my former student Joy Kwai-Pun. At her own initiative, Joy organized a group of Tyndale students, prayer warriors who committed to pray for me every day during my second sabbatical (2014–15). Each student chose a different day of the week to pray for me so that I would be covered with prayer while I was away in Cambridge, England working on the book. A huge thank you goes out to all the students who prayed for me! You know who you are, and the Lord knows; he has seen your labor of love! I am truly humbled and honored by everyone’s love and faithfulness expressed in these beautiful ways.

I want to express my appreciation to Tyndale University for the funding support I received through the Tyndale Faculty Internal Research Grants. In addition, I need to express a special thanks to the anonymous donor(s) of the Biblical Studies Enrichment Fund at Tyndale Seminary, whose generous gift helped support me with my research and writing. I am also grateful to my two Research Assistants, Iris Tam and Aloma Jonker, who assisted me with my research early on in the project.

I am deeply grateful to Dr. Dennis Ngien, and for the Research Scholarship I received from his Centre for Mentorship and Theological Reflection. This scholarship helped fund my research, especially during my first sabbatical (2007–8) at Tyndale House in Cambridge, England. It was a tremendous help. Dennis Ngien’s unwavering support and faithful prayers over the years have meant so much. I also want to thank the Canadian Friends of the École Biblique for awarding me a scholarship that funded my time of research at the École biblique et archéologique française in Jerusalem, where I spent two wonderful months in the summer of 2007 doing research in their excellent library. I am grateful to Drs. Marion Taylor, John Kessler, and Janet Clark, who all wrote reference letters to support my applications for various scholarships.

I want to also express my deep appreciation and thanks to Dr. Peter Chu and Dr. Hyon Kim for generously lending me their cottage on a number of occasions so that I could get away and write and also receive needed times for rest and refreshment. What a blessing those times at their cottage have been for me!

During my time of working on this book, I made several trips across the pond to England to spend time at Tyndale House in Cambridge to use their wonderful library. In fact, I was privileged to spend both my sabbaticals at Tyndale House, besides taking a number of additional trips to spend the summer months writing there. I wish to express my deep gratitude to Dr. Peter Williams, principal of Tyndale House, Dr. Dirk Jongkind, vice-principal, Simon Sykes, vice-principal and librarian, Dr. Elizabeth Magba, the former librarian, as well as to the other members of the Tyndale House staff, whose hospitality extended to me over these years has been deeply appreciated. I am also grateful for all my fellow Readers using the Tyndale House library, both doctoral students and visiting scholars from around the globe, whom I met while I have stayed at Tyndale House. We had many wonderful and stimulating conversations about God’s glory and many other topics as well. Many life-long friendships have been formed as a result of these happy times together. I am especially grateful that I met Ruth Norris there, whose friendship and prayer support continue to be such a gift and blessing!

While in Cambridge, I had the privilege of getting to know the late Professor John Emerton (1928–2015), Emeritus Regius Professor of Hebrew at the University of Cambridge, and his late wife Dr. Norma Emerton (1932–2018), Emeritus Fellow of Wolfson College, Cambridge. John Emerton read some of the chapters of my book and gave me helpful feedback early on in the project. I was also blessed to get to know Professor Robert Gordon, who also holds the title of Emeritus Regius Professor of Hebrew at the University of Cambridge. It was Robert Gordon who pointed me to a dictionary article he had published on God’s goodness, which also contained wonderful insights into God’s glory. His article significantly shaped my thinking about God’s glory and its multifaceted portrayal in the Old Testament. I have enjoyed many wonderful dinners in Robert and Ruth Gordon’s home over the years and am grateful for their gracious hospitality and friendship.

A number of friends and colleagues have read various chapters of the manuscript, each giving me invaluable feedback. These include John Rogerson, John Emerton, Mark Boda, John Kessler, Ian Scott, Lissa Wray Beal, Rhoda Carpenter, Peter Chu, Aloma Jonker, Terry McWhirter, Patricia Klassen, and Charles Meeks. Sadly, John Rogerson, John Emerton, and Rhoda Carpenter all passed away before seeing the final completion of the book. Both Dr. Rhoda Carpenter (1947–2022) and Professor John Rogerson (1935–2018), Emeritus Professor of Biblical Studies at the University of Sheffield and my former doctoral supervisor, read several chapters of the book. In addition, John and Rosalind Rogerson hosted me in their home in Sheffield on numerous occasions when I came to England to work on the book. During these times together, John and I would talk extensively about God’s glory and he would share his thoughts and ideas with me. A number of John Rogerson’s insights have found a place within the pages of this book.

I have had the privilege of presenting material from my research on God’s glory on various occasions. The feedback I received on these occasions has been invaluable and has contributed to my reflections on the topic. I presented a paper on God’s Glory in the Book of Ezekiel at the Tyndale Seminary Biblical Studies Symposium in 2012. At the Society of Biblical Literature (SBL) Annual Meeting in 2016 in San Antonio, Texas, I gave a paper entitled, The Whole Earth is Full of His Glory: Its Meaning and Significance in the Context of Isaiah’s Vision (Isaiah 6:3). In addition, I presented a paper entitled, Show Me Your Glory (Exod 33:18): An Exegetical Analysis of Moses’ Request in the Context of Exodus 32–34, on three different occasions: first, at the SBL Annual Meeting in 2009 in New Orleans, Louisiana, and then at the Tyndale Seminary Biblical Studies Symposium in 2010. The third time was when Dr. Adesola Akala invited me to present the paper at the Exploring the Glory of God conference in July 2016, held at St. John’s College at Durham University, England. Thanks to the diligent work of Dr. Akala, my paper was published in an edited collection of essays on the glory of God: Adesola Joan Akala, ed., Exploring the Glory of God: New Horizons for a Theology of Glory (Lanham, MD: Lexington/Fortress, 2021). I also had the privilege of contributing an essay on Ps 96 in a Festschrift to honor my dear friend and colleague Dr. Victor Shepherd, where I examined the topic of God’s glory in the psalm. This essay, entitled, Psalm 96: Declare His Glory Among the Nations, was published in Between the Lectern and the Pulpit: Essays in Honour of Victor A. Shepherd, edited by Rob Clements and Dennis Ngien (Vancouver, BC: Regent College Publishing, 2014).

I am profoundly grateful to Patricia Klassen, who carefully read and painstakingly edited nine chapters of the book and shared her excellent questions, observations, and feedback with me. She has been such a tremendous help to me for many years during the course of this project. Her friendship, support, and prayers have been a constant source of encouragement. I am also deeply thankful for Dr. Charles Meeks’s wonderful editing expertise and meticulous eye for detail. Charles aided me with the final editing and formatting stages of the book, helping me reach the finish line.

I want to express my heartfelt thanks to Wipf and Stock Publishers for accepting my book manuscript for publication with Pickwick Publications, an imprint of Wipf and Stock. In particular, I want to thank Dr. Robin Parry, my editor, for all his patience, help, and for all his quick and timely answers to my many questions along the way. I am also indebted to Matthew Wimer, the managing editor at Wipf and Stock, for his support, help, and understanding. He graciously gave me extensions (especially needed and welcomed when I was recovering from a major health concern), while he waited patiently for my manuscript to be completed. It is a joy and blessing to work with the good people at Wipf and Stock Publishers and to have my book published with them.

I am deeply grateful for all my dear friends and faithful prayer partners, for their constant encouragement and prayer support over the years. There are too many to name here, but each one of you knows who you are! I am so blessed by your love and friendship.

I am profoundly grateful for the love and care of my family, who has faithfully encouraged me, prayed for me, and waited patiently for me to complete this book. I dedicate this book to them: my dad Manne, Lois, Niclas, Tina, Annika, Henric, Robin, Jeremiah, and Zachariah. Thank you for being there with me through the ups and downs of life, during times of great difficulty and hardship and in times of deep joy and countless blessings. I love you all so very much!

Finally, I give thanks to God and want to give him all the glory. With the psalmist I joyfully proclaim: O give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever (Ps 136:1). His steadfast love and sustaining grace have truly helped me persevere and keep going, especially in those times when I sometimes despaired and wondered if I would ever complete the book. Because of God’s unfailing love and faithfulness, these many years of study have not been in vain. He answered my cry for help and helped me reach the finish line. May God receive all the glory, honor, and praise (Ps 115:1).

Rebecca Idestrom

Toronto, June

2022

2

. Professor Gordon Fee came to Tyndale University College & Seminary (as our institution was then called) and gave a lecture series on Reading the Bible in a Postmodern World, March

4

–

5

,

2003

.

Abbreviations

ANE Ancient Near East

Ant. Josephus, Jewish Antiquities

Ascen. Isa. Ascension of Isaiah

BDB Brown, Francis, S. R. Driver, and Charles A. Briggs. A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament. Oxford: Clarendon, 1906, reprint 1951.

CD Barth, Karl. Church Dogmatics. Translated by G. T. Thomson et al. Edinburgh: T. & T. Clark, 1936–77.

DCH Clines, David J. A. The Dictionary of Classical Hebrew. 9 vols. Sheffield: Sheffield Academic, 1993–2016.

DSS Dead Sea Scrolls

1 En. 1 Enoch

HALOT The Hebrew and Aramaic Lexicon of the Old Testament. Ludwig Koehler, Walter Baumgartner, and Johann J. Stamm. Translated and edited under the supervision of Mervyn E. J. Richardson. 4 vols. Leiden: Brill, 1994–99.

J.W. Josephus, Jewish War

Let. Aris. Letter of Aristeas

LXX Septuagint

m. Mishnah

2 Macc 2 Maccabees

MT Masoretic Text

NIDOTTE New International Dictionary of Old Testament Theology and Exegesis. 5 vols. Edited by Willem A. VanGemeren. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1997.

NRSV New Revised Standard Version

NT New Testament

OT Old Testament

Q Qumran

1QM The War Scroll

Sir Sirach

T. Levi Testament of Levi

TDNT Theological Dictionary of the New Testament. 10 vols. Edited by Gerhard Kittel and Gerhard Friedrich. Translated by Geoffrey W. Bromiley. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1964–76.

TDOT Theological Dictionary of the Old Testament. 14 vols. Edited by G. Johannes Botterweck and Helmer Ringgren. Translated by Geoffrey W. Bromiley et al. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1974–2004.

Tg. Jon. Targum Jonathan

Tg. Neof. Targum Neofiti

Tg. Onq. Targum Onqelos

Tg. Ps.-J. Targum Pseudo-Jonathan

TLOT Theological Lexicon of the Old Testament. 3 vols. Edited by Ernst Jenni and Claus Westermann. Translated by Mark E. Biddle. Peabody, MA: Hendrickson, 1997.

TWOT Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament. 2 vols. Edited by Laird Harris, G. L. Archer, and Bruce W. Waltke. Chicago: Moody, 1980.

Wis Wisdom of Solomon

Show Me Your Glory

The Glory of God in the Old Testament

Copyright ©

2023

Rebecca G. S. Idestrom. All rights reserved. Except for brief quotations in critical publications or reviews, no part of this book may be reproduced in any manner without prior written permission from the publisher. Write: Permissions, Wipf and Stock Publishers,

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paperback isbn: 978-1-4982-1795-8

hardcover isbn: 978-1-4982-1797-2

ebook isbn: 978-1-4982-1796-5

Cataloguing-in-Publication data:

Names: Idestrom, Rebecca G. S. [author].

Title: Show me your glory : the glory of God in the Old Testament / by Rebecca G. S. Idestrom.

Description: Eugene, OR: Pickwick Publications,

2023

| Includes bibliographical references and index.

Identifiers:

isbn 978-1-4982-1795-8 (

paperback

) | isbn 978-1-4982-1797-2 (

hardcover

) | isbn 978-1-4982-1796-5 (

ebook

)

Subjects: LCSH: Glory of God—Christianity | God—Biblical teaching | Bible—Old Testament—Theology | Bible—Criticism, interpretation, etc.

Classification:

bs543 i34 2023 (

print

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ebook

)

02/08/23

Chapter 1

Show Me Your Glory

The Journey Begins

Moses said: Show me your glory, I pray. (Exod

33

:

18

)¹

As a Christian, I am part of a faith community that often speaks about the glory of God. In church we sing songs about God’s glory, and we desire that he will be glorified as we worship him. We boldly pray the prayer of Moses, Show us your glory, and we declare that Yours is the kingdom, the power, and the glory forever and ever, amen as we conclude the Lord’s Prayer. But how often do we stop and really consider what is meant by the glory of the Lord? Although we appropriate the glory language of Scripture, we may only have a vague or imprecise understanding of the Bible’s notion of divine glory. What is the glory of God and how do we define it? More specifically, what does the Bible mean when it speaks of the glory of the Lord?² To answer this question we need to turn to Scripture. In the Old Testament, the glory of YHWH is first revealed to his chosen people Israel in the context of the exodus from Egypt. Moreover, the term glory is prevalent, occurring in many books of the Old Testament. This study considers the following related questions: How was the divine glory manifest to God’s people, and what role or function does it play in the biblical narrative? What does God’s glory reveal about his character, ways, and actions? What themes are associated with the glory of the Lord in the various texts about divine glory? In developing a biblical theology of the glory of the Lord we will carefully consider the story of God’s people as narrated in the Old Testament.

In this introductory chapter, I will outline my methodology, and the goal, scope, and limitations of this study. In addition, I will address some challenges related to the topic, especially in terms of defining God’s glory. The chapter will conclude with an invitation and challenge to the reader.

Methodology, Goal, and the Scope of the Study

In the following section I outline my methodology in the book. Readers who wish to skip this more technical discussion may do so and still benefit from the book’s insights. Such readers could skip to the invitation found at the end of the chapter or proceed directly to the next chapter.

In order to determine its role and function in the biblical text, this study adopts an exegetical and biblical theological approach by focusing on the theme of divine glory as it is presented in the Old Testament.³ While tracing this theme, I will consider each Old Testament passage about God’s glory within its larger narrative context within each biblical book. I will examine key Hebrew terms for glory, related concepts, as well as imagery associated with God’s glory. This study will also consider the unifying and diverse themes connected with the glory of the Lord within the Old Testament; the emerging observations and themes will then be summarized in each chapter. The study will focus on texts that speak of divine glory rather than human glory or the glory of nations, although there will be times when I will touch on these topics when relevant. My primary interest is theological, to see what the biblical texts about divine glory reveal about the character, ways, and purposes of God. I will consider what we have learned from each passage about the glorious character and actions of the Lord in order to expand our understanding of God’s nature and ways.

This study will demonstrate that the Old Testament presents a rich and multifaceted portrait of the glory of God. Robert Gordon has compared the revelation of God’s glory to Moses at Sinai to that of light shining through a glass prism, reflecting various colors of light, and thus revealing various aspects of YHWH’s character and actions.⁴ Similarly, James Hamilton states that God’s glory is like a many-faceted gem, which reflects and refracts light in ever-new, ever-unexpected ways as it is admired.⁵ We will discover that many strands or colors of the light of God’s glory are reflected and emphasized in the various biblical texts depending on the context, book, or genre of literature.⁶ Different aspects of the divine glory are seen as the history of God’s covenant people unfolds, from the exodus from Egypt and the wilderness journey, to the settlement of the Promised Land and the establishment of a kingdom, to the experience of divine judgment and exile, and the eventual return and restoration in the land. In addition, the Psalms and Prophets add their distinct voices or colors to the overall revelation of the multifaceted nature of the glory of the Lord.

Each Scripture passage and biblical book that speaks of the glory of YHWH contributes to a theology of God’s glory. We will listen to both their individual and collective voices.⁷ This means we will discern unity and diversity, as well as continuity and discontinuity in the portrayal of glory. Mark Boda defines the concepts of continuity and discontinuity in a helpful way: Continuity refers to the ways the theological witness of the particular passage echoes the theological witness of other passages within the canon, while discontinuity refers to ways the theological witness of particular passages contrasts the theological witness of other passages. In most cases one discerns points of continuity and discontinuity simultaneously.⁸ For example, in certain contexts God’s glory is seen by all the people and at other times it is concealed or seen by only a few.⁹ Like the voices of a choir with soloists, each voice is heard both separately and together, bringing all the distinct voices together as a unified whole. This phenomenon of unity and diversity in the biblical witnesses within the canon of Scripture contributes to the fullness and richness of the Bible and its portrayal of God’s glory.

Since this study follows the story of Israel as narrated in the Old Testament in its final canonical form,¹⁰ I am adopting a narrative approach for doing biblical theology, following the biblical account of Israel’s experience of God’s glory.¹¹ I will begin by examining the narratives in the Pentateuch followed by the Historical Books, then the Psalms and the Prophets. Because the chapters in the book follow the order of the biblical books as found in the Christian Scriptures, rather than following the order in the tripartite structure of the Hebrew Masoretic Text (MT),¹² this means I discuss the books of Samuel, Kings, and Chronicles together,¹³ and examine the Psalms before the Prophets. Among the prophetic books, Isaiah, Ezekiel, Habakkuk, Haggai, and Zechariah will be studied in more detail.¹⁴

The main reason for organizing the book in this way has to do with the topic under consideration. Since this study is tracing the larger grand narrative of the biblical story as it relates to God’s glory, it makes sense to consider Chronicles’ portrayal of God’s glory filling the temple alongside Kings’ depiction of the same event, even though the account of Chronicles is written from a different historical perspective. When considered alongside each other, one can observe more easily the similarities and differences between the accounts.

Furthermore, the majority of Scripture passages about God’s glory are found in the Pentateuch, in the Psalms, and in the Prophets, especially in Isaiah and Ezekiel.¹⁵ As a result, the study focuses more extensively on these books. Moreover, it is interesting to note that there are hardly any references to God’s glory in the wisdom literature of the Old Testament.¹⁶ Although glory terms do occur in these texts, most of them refer to human honor or to the glory of the temple, and so forth. For example, apart from one explicit reference to the glory of God in Prov 25:2, the majority of occurrences of the term glory in Proverbs refer to human glory/honor.¹⁷ The most common Hebrew term for glory (כָּבוֹד, kavod) is not applied to God in the book of Job, only to humans (Job 19:9; 29:20).¹⁸ Instead, God’s glory is described with the synonym majesty (הוֹד, hod) in Job 37:22. In Lam 2:1, the synonym splendor/beauty (תִּפְאֶרֶת, tipheret) refers to the temple, or perhaps Jerusalem.¹⁹ Consequently, this study will concentrate on the biblical books where the topic of God’s glory is prevalent.²⁰

Furthermore, because of the immensity of the topic, this study will not examine the literature of Second Temple Judaism or the New Testament, although I do comment on them at times when relevant. Although they are all very important texts that contribute to our understanding of God’s glory, they are beyond the scope of this study.²¹ By limiting this examination to the Old Testament, I am fully cognizant that for Christians a biblical theology of God’s glory is incomplete without considering what the New Testament teaches about glory, especially since it speaks of the revelation of God’s glory in Jesus Christ (John 1:14; 17:1–26; 1 Cor 2:8; 2 Cor 4:6; Heb 1:3). The New Testament certainly addresses this topic extensively, containing a rich theology of glory. Nevertheless, an in-depth study of the New Testament lies outside the scope of this study.²²

Reasons for focusing more on the Old Testament than the New are too numerous to elaborate upon here.²³ Most importantly, I believe that the Old Testament is divinely inspired Scripture and speaks with authority, power, and relevance today just as it did for the Jewish community and the early church (Ps 19:7–11; Neh 8:1–18; Rom 15:4; 2 Tim 3:14–17).²⁴ Thus what it teaches about God’s glory is significant and relevant. Moreover, since the Old Testament was the Bible of Jesus and the early church, the New Testament writers’ view of God’s glory was informed and shaped by the Old Testament. Therefore, to develop a biblical theology of divine glory, we need to begin with the Old Testament Scriptures, where God first revealed his glory to his people. There we will find a beautiful, rich, and multifaceted portrait of God’s glory.

Defining Glory: Challenges and Limitations

How does one begin to capture the meaning of the glory of God as presented in Scripture? The interpreter faces a number of challenges. One of these is the sheer size and nature of the topic itself. It is a really big topic on so many levels. First of all, it is a hugely important topic because the subject matter is God. To study the glory of the Lord is to investigate the nature of God, who God is, his ways and actions. Like Moses, the interpreter is standing, as it were, on holy ground, and must approach the subject carefully in reverence and humility, recognizing that his or her vision and comprehension will be limited and incomplete. Secondly, not only are there many biblical texts to consider, but also the sheer volume of secondary literature, both scholarly and popular, written on the subject, makes it impossible to be comprehensive and to incorporate everything one has read and learned.²⁵

One of the main challenges relates to definition. What is the glory of YHWH and how does Scripture define it? The answer is not so straightforward. While reading through the secondary literature one discovers a variety of definitions, demonstrating various perspectives and approaches to the topic. This diversity adds to the complexity and challenges involved in the task of interpretation.

On the general macro-level, one can make a case that everything in the Bible is ultimately about God’s glory. The creator of the universe is the God and king of glory (Ps 24:7–10), and all of creation was created for God’s glory and exists to glorify him (Isa 43:7; Ps 19:1 [2]). As Jonathan Edwards wrote, "All that is ever spoken of in the Scripture as an ultimate end of God’s works, is included in that one phrase, the glory of God."²⁶

By taking a more general macro-level approach, the glory of God becomes an all-encompassing concept, which serves as an interpretive lens by which one can read everything in Scripture as ultimately related to his glory. The glory of the Lord becomes the central theme of Scripture.²⁷

Staying with a broader definition one could also argue that every manifestation of God in Scripture is a revelation of his glory. Tremper Longman states it this way: In one sense, since God is inherently glorious, we might speak of God’s glory whenever he appears or is described. Since he manifests glory, all of his works are glorious.²⁸ This is a slightly narrower definition, although it is still quite broad in its scope.

The challenge of definition is further related to the question of explicit versus implicit references to glory. Is our understanding of God’s glory informed by biblical texts that do not explicitly mention his glory, but may implicitly reference it? Or do we limit it to texts that only explicitly mention divine glory? The question of definition is related to the approach one takes. The broader view, or macro-level, discussed above allows interpreters to see glory implied in many passages of Scripture.²⁹ Others may limit their perspective to texts that only explicitly speak of divine glory.³⁰

A related question and challenge is how to determine when God’s glory is implied in a biblical text where key glory terms are not explicitly used. For example, did Moses encounter God’s glory at the burning bush even though the text does not explicitly mention divine glory (Exod 3)? Did Elijah experience his glory when he was on Mount Horeb (1 Kgs 19)? I would argue that contextual clues or other indicators in the biblical text, like certain visible phenomena (e.g., cloud, fire, light), imagery, metaphors, related concepts, or descriptions associated with theophany, can help us identify whether or not the passage is speaking about God’s glory. I will consider some of the clues that we may look for in the next chapter.³¹ On the whole, this study will take a narrower approach by focusing on the biblical texts that explicitly speak of divine glory. However, at times we will consider biblical passages where there are indicators that God’s glory may be implied.

Ultimately the meaning of words, phrases, and concepts is ascertained and best understood contextually. This applies to all forms of communication and is an important hermeneutical principle of interpretation. It is also another challenge to interpretation! Although a word or phrase may have many nuances, the specific nuance of a word is determined by how it is used in its specific context. Therefore, the main approach taken in this study will be to exegete and interpret each Scripture reference to God’s glory within its larger literary context in order to determine its meaning and function, with the goal to answer the question, what is the glory of God and how does Scripture define it? As we will see, the answer will vary depending on the context of the passage of Scripture under examination. The end result is a rich and multifaceted portrait of God’s glory.

An Invitation

At Mount Sinai Moses prayed a very bold prayer: Show me your glory (Exod 33:18). His prayer was a request to truly experience God’s glory, to have a personal divine encounter. That he certainly received, a truly profound encounter! I have adopted Moses’ prayer for the title of this book because it is also my prayer, not only to gain more knowledge about God’s glory, but also to encounter the Lord of glory on a personal and experiential level. I do not simply want to be an observer, but also a participant.³² This deep desire is rooted in my Christian conviction that the Bible is not just an ancient book, but rather is the Word of God and as such it continues to speak with life-giving power, authority, and relevance in my life and in the life of the community of faith today. Paul spoke of its transformative power when he wrote: And all of us, with unveiled faces, seeing the glory of the Lord as though reflected in a mirror, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another; for this comes from the Lord, the Spirit (2 Cor 3:18). The ultimate purpose in contemplating God’s glory is to be transformed into his likeness. This transformation, however, can only happen through the work of the Spirit of God.

I would like to invite the reader to join me on a journey of discovery where we begin to explore what the Scriptures reveal about God’s glory. May this become a journey with God’s covenant people Israel where we recognize that Israel’s story is also our story, and that we too can become participants in that story by God’s Spirit. May the Spirit of the Lord enlighten the eyes of our hearts and minds so that we can experience his glory (Eph 1:15–23; 2 Cor 4:6). May we too humbly pray, Show us your glory, and as we contemplate his glory, may we be transformed into his likeness. I offer this work to the Lord, praying that it will bring him glory.

1

. Unless otherwise noted, I have cited the NRSV translation of the Bible throughout the book.

2

. These were common questions that I was asked while I was working on this topic.

3

. See Mark Boda’s study of the theology of sin and its remedy as a good example of a biblical theological and thematic approach: Boda, A Severe Mercy.

4

. In linking the glory with divine goodness in Exod

33

:

18

–

19

, Gordon writes: "In the disclosure that is given in the next chapter (

34

:

6

–

7

), it is as if the light of the glory/goodness of God is passed through a prism to reveal the variegated attributes of deity (Gordon, טוב,"

355

). Robert Gordon shared this insight with me over lunch in Cambridge, referring me to his article.

5

. James Hamilton adopts this metaphor of a many-faceted gem in his book: Hamilton, God’s Glory in Salvation through Judgment,

59

.

6

. As Bernard Ramm points out: "The use of kabod is not uniform in the Old Testament canon but reveals different emphases by different authors" (Ramm, Them He Glorified,

11

). Nahum Sarna also argues that the glory of God is multifaceted in meaning, its precise significance determined by the context (Sarna, Exodus,

87

).

7

. Here I follow Mark Boda’s approach: A biblical theological reading of the Old Testament means primarily a reading of the text within the broader canonical witness of that text. It seeks to discern the ways in which an individual text or a biblical book contributes to and participates within the broader theological witness of the Bible (Boda, Biblical Theology,

132

).

8

. Boda, Biblical Theology,

149

.

9

. Exod

16

:

10

;

24

:

17

;

33

:

18

–

23

;

34

:

5

–

7

.

10

. Although I acknowledge that there was a long and complex history involved in the compilation of the biblical text, this is not the primary focus of this study. Our focus is on the collection of books received as canonical and authoritative for the Jewish community and the church. In addition, I should clarify that when I speak of the biblical canon in its final form, I am aware that there are differences between the Greek and Hebrew canons of Scripture in terms of the number of books, their order within each canon, the wording, and so forth.

11

. See John Goldingay’s first volume of his Old Testament Theology, Israel’s Gospel, for an example of a narrative approach to doing biblical theology. Old Testament faith expresses itself initially in a narrative. The main bulk of the Old Testament is a narrative account of Israel’s story and God’s involvement with it (Goldingay, Israel’s Gospel,

28

). Furthermore, he writes, I try to infer the theological significance of the Old Testament narrative itself, to analyze its discussions of complex theological questionings, and to see what the stories tell us of who God is and who we are. Our task is to tease out their theological significance without totally abandoning their narrative way of doing theology (ibid.,

41

).

12

. The Hebrew Bible is divided into three parts: the Torah, the Prophets, and the Writings.

13

. In the Christian canon of Scripture, Chronicles follows Kings, whereas in the Hebrew Masoretic Text, Chronicles is found in the third part of the Hebrew canon.

14

. Throughout this study I have examined the Hebrew Masoretic Text (MT) for each passage under consideration. At times I have also checked the Septuagint rendering of a text, although the Septuagint has not been the primary focus of this study. The Septuagint (abbreviated as LXX) is the Greek translation of the Old Testament.

15

. There are very few references to glory in the book of Jeremiah (e.g., Jer

2

:

11

;

14

:

21

;

17

:

12

). That is why I do not include a chapter on Jeremiah. I briefly comment on Jer

2

:

11

along with Hos

4

:

7

in a footnote when I discuss the meaning of Ps

106

:

20

.

16

. This is also the case for most of the books found in the Writings, the third part of the Hebrew canon, with the exception of Psalms and Chronicles.

17

. De Vries also includes Lady Wisdom in his discussion of glory in Proverbs (Prov

3

:

16

;

8

:

18

; De Vries, Kābôd of YHWH,

216

–

19

).

18

. De Vries, Kābôd of YHWH,

215

.

19

. The book of Lamentations is not considered to be part of Wisdom literature, but it is found among the Writings in the Hebrew canon, where the theme of divine glory is not very prominent (except in the book of Psalms). See de Vries for a more detailed discussion of glory in the Writings (De Vries, Kābôd of YHWH,

215

–

32

).

20

. Although this study of God’s glory in the Old Testament is quite extensive, it is by no means exhaustive.

21

. There are a number of studies that have been done on glory in texts from the intertestamental period. A few examples are Newman, Paul’s Glory-Christology; Aitken, ‘Glory’ in Ben Sira; Burton, Semantics of Glory. Marilyn Burton’s study includes Ben Sira and the non-biblical texts of the Dead Sea Scrolls.

22

. Many studies on God’s glory in the New Testament have already been published.

23

. Since I teach the Old Testament in a seminary, it is my passionate desire and goal that my students will come to love the Old Testament as God’s Word and will recognize its life-giving power to speak into their lives.

24

. Of course, the Hebrew Bible is the Bible of the Jewish community, and it continues to have authority and relevance for them today. Although the church affirms that the Old Testament is the Word of God, unfortunately in practice there is a tendency to neglect the Old Testament in some circles of the Christian church today, seeing it as less relevant and more as background information to the New. This study hopes to remind the reader of the enduring significance and relevance of the Old Testament for Christians.

25

. Besides the more popular works, there are numerous articles, essays, PhD dissertations, and monographs written on the subject, within the various disciplines, including Old and New Testament studies, intertestamental literature, and systematic theology. The following are some of the more recent publications on the subject: De Vries, The Kābôd of YHWH in the Old Testament; Burton, Semantics of Glory; Balthasar’s seven volumes on The Glory of the Lord; Mettinger, Dethronement of Sabaoth; Newman, Paul’s Glory-Christology; Brueggemann, Ichabod Toward Home; Morgan and Peterson, eds., The Glory of God; Hamilton, God’s Glory in Salvation through Judgment; Wagner, Gottes Herrlichkeit; Akala, ed., Exploring the Glory of God. Although wide reading of the secondary literature written on the topic has significantly shaped my thinking and approach, I am unable to include all the helpful insights in the book that I have gained along the way.

26

. Edwards, The End for Which God Created the World,

242

; emphasis by Piper. Originally published in

1765

; see reprint in Piper, God’s Passion for His Glory. For example, Edwards argues that the ultimate end, goal, and purpose of creation, is the glory of God. This includes the concepts of God acting for his glory, creation being made for his glory, and God being honored and glorified through his creation (Isa

43

:

7

;

48

:

11

;

60

:

21

;

61

:

3

; Rom

11

:

36

). Consequently, all creation praises and glorifies God in response (ibid.,

191

–

95

,

218

–

20

). Furthermore, the concept of God’s glory includes his divine attributes. Edwards writes, "where we read of God glorifying himself, or of his being glorified, that one thing, directly intended, is making known his divine greatness and excellency" (ibid.,

238

).

27

. See James Hamilton’s work as an example of seeing the glory of God as a central theme in the Bible, and finding it present in almost every book of the Bible (Hamilton, God’s Glory in Salvation through Judgment). His main thesis is as follows: "This glory of God is a saving and judging glory—an aroma of life to those being saved and death to those perishing (

2

Cor.

2

:

15

–

16

), and this saving and judging glory is at the center of biblical theology" (ibid.,

39

). See also his article, Hamilton, Glory of God,

57

–

84

.

28

. Longman, Glory of God,

50

.

29

. For example, there are those who argue for the presence of God’s glory in the creation texts of Gen

1

–

2

even though there is no explicit reference to it. See Kline, Images of the Spirit,

13

–

20

; Hamilton, God’s Glory in Salvation through Judgment,

50

.

30

. For example, there are studies that focus only on biblical texts where the exact nominal phrase the glory of YHWH (כְּבוֹד יְהוָה, kevod adonai) occurs, and not on Scriptures that speak of the glory of God (אֱלֹהִים, elohim), or his glory, or the glory, or contain synonyms of glory (כָּבוֹד, kavod). This study will include these other texts.

31

. Of course, I acknowledge that there is a certain level of subjectivity involved in determining which markers or clues to include as indicators, and that this will vary with the interpreter.

32

. See John McKay’s article, When the Veil Is Taken Away,

17

–

40

, where he challenges biblical interpreters to not just remain observers, simply watching the biblical drama unfold, but rather to become participants in the drama as witnesses sharing in the experiences of God’s people in Scripture. It is the Spirit of God who helps us participate and become witnesses. He concludes by referring to Rev

22

:

17

and asserting: Our calling is not so much to receive understanding as to receive life (ibid.,

40

).

Chapter 2

Glory Language in the Old Testament

Nuances, Imagery, and Related Concepts

To understand the concept of God’s glory in the Old Testament we need to begin by considering glory terminology. Not only do glory terms aid us in identifying passages that explicitly speak of God’s glory, but also the language of glory gives us a window into the concept of divine glory in Scripture. In addition to glory terminology, images of glory help us envision and see in our mind’s eye what Israel saw; the imagery provides a means by which we can enter into the narrative and experience the revelation of the glory of the Lord. Together, key glory terms, imagery, and concepts create word views. Mark Boda defines the concept of word views as a theological theme expressed through a variety of lexical, imagistic, and conceptual frameworks, what I call ‘word views’ of the many Old Testament books.³³ The word view will vary depending on the biblical book. Together they fill out our horizon and broaden our conceptual world of understanding God’s glory and help us develop a biblical theology of glory. Through glory language and imagery we are given a framework or lens by which we are able to picture what God’s people experienced as they encountered God’s glory. We too can enter into the story of God’s glory. Therefore, before turning to the biblical narrative in the Pentateuch, we will consider the key terms, imagery, and concepts that are related to glory.

Nuances, Imagery, and Related Concepts

Although we determine the specific meaning of a word from its use in context, it is helpful to begin by discussing some general nuances of key terms for glory. Although there are related words and synonyms within the semantic domain of glory, by far the most important Hebrew term for glory is כָּבוֹד (transliterated as kābôd but pronounced as kavod).³⁴ There are two hundred occurrences of כָּבוֹד in the Old Testament,³⁵ of which about ninety to one hundred refer specifically to God’s glory.³⁶ The majority of these references are found in the Pentateuch, Isaiah, Ezekiel, and Psalms. In addition to the noun, there are adjectival and verbal forms of כבד (kbd).³⁷ There is a range of possible nuances, but the specific meaning of each occurrence of the noun, verb, or adjective depends on their usage in context. Here are a few examples: The adjective (כָּבֵד, kaved) has the basic meaning of being heavy. For example, Eli the priest is described as old and heavy (1 Sam 4:18); see also Moses’ hands feeling heavy (Exod 17:12). Other nuances of the adjective and the verb include the meaning of severe or intense, as in the famine was severe (Gen 12:10), a severe plague (Exod 9:3), or a fierce battle (Judg 20:34; 1 Sam 31:3). It can also mean burdensome, as in the heavy yoke placed on the people by Solomon and Rehoboam (1 Kgs 12:4, 11), or the burden caused by sin (Ps 38:4 [5]; Isa 1:4; 24:20). It is used to express the unresponsive, hardened heart of Pharaoh (Exod 7:14; 8:15 [8:11]; 8:32 [8:28]; 9:34; 10:1), and physical challenges such as in Jacob’s poor (dull) eyesight in his old age (Gen 48:10), and Moses’ speech, which was described as slow of mouth and slow of tongue (Exod 4:10).

The semantic range of meanings of glory³⁸ also includes the notion of substance, as in describing a person of wealth and abundance (Jacob’s wealth; Gen 31:1; Abraham was very rich; Gen 13:2; Joseph’s splendor; Gen 45:13). A person of substance can also be a noteworthy, impressive person with significant status, gravitas, prestige, reputation, and authority, deserving of respect and honor, such as the prophet Samuel (1 Sam 9:6). To honor someone is to acknowledge their worth and high status, and to give them their due respect. This applies to honoring one’s parents (Exod 20:12; Mal 1:6), the king (1 Sam 15:30), and most often, God (Pss 29:1–2; 96:7–8; 115:1; Prov 3:9; Jer 13:16). The verb כבד (kbd) is often rendered to honor or glorify as in glorify the Lord (Pss 22:23 [24]; 86:9, 12).³⁹ YHWH deserves all honor and glory. To glorify the Lord is to honor and revere him as God, the sovereign Lord, the king of glory, and the God above all gods (Pss 24:7–10; 86:9, 12; 102:15 [16]; 113:4; 145:10–13). Therefore, there is an emphasis on God’s glory in the context of worship and prayer (Pss 138:5; 145:5).

Glory can also carry an aesthetic meaning of someone or something being beautiful, glorious, impressive, and majestic. For example, the glory of Lebanon is its majestic and impressive forests and trees (Isa 35:2; 60:13). This nuance of kavod may also be applied to lands and kingdoms (Isa 8:7; 10:18; 16:14; 17:3–4) and to God’s kingdom (Ps 145:11–12). They shall speak of the glory of your kingdom, and tell of your power (Ps 145:11).

There are times when the glory of YHWH (כְּבוֹד יְהוָה, kevod adonai) refers to the manifestation of God’s presence in a theophany, often visible in a spectacular, awe-inspiring way. This is how God’s glory appears in the account of the exodus from Egypt, at Mount Sinai, and when the divine glory fills the tabernacle (Exod 16:7, 10; 24:15–18; 40:34–35; Lev 9:6, 23). God manifests his presence in majestic splendor and power among his people through the appearance of his glory.⁴⁰ In this context, the glory is physically seen, and likened to a fire often concealed by a cloud (Exod 16:10; 24:16–17).⁴¹ Here the glory of the Lord is expressed concretely, physically, visibly, and powerfully as God’s active presence revealed to his people.

However, in certain biblical passages, the glory of YHWH expresses a more intangible or perhaps more abstract notion of divine glory, which is associated with God’s nature and character. When Moses asks to see God’s glory on Mount Sinai, YHWH proclaims his divine name and reveals his goodness, mercy, compassion, patience, steadfast love,