The Honor (Kabod or Doxa) of God
Dr. Evertt W. Huffard is Professor Emeritus at Harding School of Theology. This post is an excerpt from his book The Honor Of God: More About Character Than Reputation Or The Radiance Of Glory (WestBow Press, 2026).
To understand the kabod of the LORD revealed to Moses on Mount Sinai as the honor of God as much as the glory of God will open the reader to discover many other examples of kabod as honor in the OT. It has not been as obvious for English readers when “glory” carries all the semantic load, explaining how honor and shame have been blind spots in biblical and theological studies in the West.
Neither the authors of the Bible nor the translators of the English Bible considered “glory” and “honor” synonymous or interchangeable. If they had, the disparity in usage would not be as great as it is and references to the radiance and presence of God (glory) could likely be cut in half. In doing so, the reader would gain a greater awareness and appreciation of the goodness and honor of God. It would certainly help readers of the English Bible in Africa and Asia feel more at home and see the Bible as an Eastern book.
When Samuel thought Eliab looked like a good candidate for the next king of Israel, God had to coach him with these words: “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the LORD sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart” (1 Sam. 16:7). Human fascination with the glory of God more than the honor of God continues to confirm God’s assessment of humanity: radiance impresses them more than character, glitter more than substance. We would rather see God than listen to God.
The terms the LORD used for himself in his first response to Moses (Exodus 33:19–20) all point to his intrinsic character: goodness, good name, mercy, and compassion. Since these descriptors all refer to the character of the LORD, the word in English that would more effectively communicate the qualities of kabod would be “honor.” The next day, God revealed his honor (kabod) to Moses on top of Mount Sinai. The best English term to describe what passed by Moses on the mountain would also be the “honor” of God. (I recognize some will argue for “holiness,” but there is another term for “holiness” in Hebrew, and it is not used in this text or context.) The power of this revelation in our lives will be lost if kabod is not understood as the noble character, the essence, the image—the honor of God.
resources for Majority World ministry
This is an excellent book (see the foreword I wrote at the beginning) and deserves to be read. I love Huffard’s work because it is important not only for Western missionaries working in non-Western parts of the world, apt to misunderstand local ways of conceiving honor and God’s honor, but also for Western churches and theology. With all the emphasis that the magisterial Reformers, and particularly Calvin, gave to the “Glory of God,” the valence and depth of biblical meaning that Huffard brings out fill in much of what those early Protestant leaders actually missed. Super important work for the global church.