A Magnificent Day

By Gabi Silva

“For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.”—Habakkuk 2:14 (NKJV)

If you’ve ever watched the movie classic Titanic, then you’ve watched the might and fury of ocean waters as they engulf everything in their path. Water is a powerful element that knows no bounds. In today’s passage, ocean waters are compared to the Lord’s power and might.

Habakkuk receives a revelation from God concerning their enemy, Babylon. God declares that Babylon will overtake Israel, yet their hunger for power will be their demise. God promises to judge Israel’s enemies for their bloodshed and injustice. God’s mighty work of judgment over His enemies and restoration of His chosen nation is what will fill the earth with the knowledge of His glory. And as surely as the waters cover the sea, so will it be with the Lord’s power. It cannot be contained; it will seep into every sphere.

The promise spoken in today’s verse was not confined only to Habakkuk’s immediate context. It also alluded to a time that was yet to come. No other place is this more evident than on the cross. Jesus’ death was God’s way of bringing justice to His enemies and restoration to all humankind. This act of redemption was His ultimate revelation of glory and splendor. For what King could exercise both grace and judgment by taking on everyone’s sins other than our God? Jesus’ triumph over death made our sins null and void, bestowing upon us the right to be called children of God and securing for us every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realm (Ephesians 1:4). The knowledge of God’s glory fills the earth as every human heart discovers the riches of God’s grace.

God’s promise has yet a final appointment. We believers await the day when our Lord and Savior will return triumphantly to judge His enemies once and for all. Jesus’ return as King will be a glorious sight—every knee will bow in heaven, on the earth, and under the earth. Every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father (Philippians 2:10). There will be a day when every creature will behold as the splendor and majesty of our Maker cover the earth in a way no eye has seen before. What a magnificent day!

How then should we respond? In praise for His faithfulness and with songs of gratitude! For God’s Word is true, and His promise has been fulfilled in Christ. May our hearts be filled with awe as we ponder Christ’s death and resurrection, and may our hearts hold fast to the promise that soon we will see Him face to face. And on that day, His glory will be revealed like the flood of wild waters.

Pause: How has God fulfilled His promises in your life in the past? How does that impact how you wait for other promises to unfold?

Practice: Look up the word “glory” in the dictionary. How does that meaning help you better understand God’s promise to fill the earth?

Pray: God, You are glorious! Your glory was displayed on the cross when Your Son Jesus died for my sins. God, let me not grow apathetic to this truth, but keep my heart tender, to be in awe of Your love and grace. Lord, teach my heart to wait in hope for Your return. Amen.