Clete--God is not vain like we humans. If you will notice, His making His name known is interchangable with His glory; and that is because in ALL that He is, He is glorious; glorious in ALL His attributes.
You cannot rightly consider His first purpose being His own glory until you first link the WAY He gets that glory which is RIGHTLY due Him without realizing the direct link between His glory and Him making His name known.
And there is another connection you MUST ACKNOWLEDGE if you aim to honor God in the consideration of His first purpose being His own glory: that connection is another direct link between His glory (again by making His name known) AND His people concerning whom the Father and Son COVENANTED TOGETHER to redeem before the foundation of the world. And that direct link is seen the words of the Psalmist, "They who know your name will put their trust in you." The Apostle asked, "how can they believe in him of whom they have not heard?" and Jesus said, "take my yoke upon you and LEARN OF ME, and you shall find rest for your soul." NOW--that course Jesus recommended would redound greatly to His glory, because every bit about Him is glorious; but can you charge Him with having "selfish" intent in bidding men to LEARN OF HIM? (caps mine)
That is the key to proper evangelism which seems to have been lost in this age of easy-believism when men talk to men about themselves more than they talk to men about God.
Therefore your accusation against God for having His own glory as His highest end is based on lack of knowledge of the FACT that making His glory (His name) known is THE KEY TO THE DELIVERING OF LOST SOULS FROM PERDITION. Now--you call that selfish if you like, but I would not dare tread where you have been treading by accusing Him of being "selfish" for having His own glory as His highest end. It is as if you dare to think that God thinks as men do; BUT the fact that God's first end is His own glory DOES NOT MEAN He strives for glory selfishly (as if He were a man) as you have charged. Why, Clete, do you think the apostle's admonition was, "In all that you do, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do ALL (caps mine) to the glory of God. Clete!!! Align yourself with the Word of God!!
Oh. One other point: why do you think that the first thing which was on the mind of Jesus as He began praying to the Father in Gethsemane just prior to offering Himself up was, "Father, I have glorified thee upon the earth. Now glorify thou me with the glory which I had with thee before the world was." That was first in His order of prayer because throughout His earthly ministry it had been His highest motivation. Do not fail to see the link between that and the joyous proclamation on the day of His advent--"GLORY TO GOD IN THE HIGHEST, AND ON EARTH, PEACE AND GOODWILL TO MEN." Again, this proclamation was the sum of the meaning of His birth and ministry. AGAIN-- do not fail to notice the LINK between "Glory to God" and "peace and goodwill to men."
Clete--after the scriptures I have just called to your attention, if you post in response that the request Jesus made to the Father was "selfish," every time I see your name on the forum, it will effect the way I view that name. Only god's name ALWAYS redounds to His name and gives to Him that glory which is His due!! The names of men do not do so for them. You remember that and NEVER dare try praying in your own name, on the basis of who YOU are or on the basis of what YOU have done. Seek refuge in the GLORIOUS NAME OF JESUS. Unless you come before the Father in that gloroius name, YOUR PRAYER WILL NOT BE HEARD. All that having been said, Clete, you have as good Lord's day tomorrow!!
