In order to help understand the
specific manifestations of God's glory it is important to understand the
frequently used term, Shekinah.
Shekinah is a transliteration of a Hebrew word meaning “the one who dwells”
or “that which dwells”. This specific word is not used in Scripture
but the root word
shakan
(07931) (to dwell) and the related word
mishkan
(04909) (tabernacle) are both frequently used and both are
associated with the presence of God (and His glory) dwelling with man. The
meaning of the word Shekinah (the One Who dwells) reminds us that
we did not seek to dwell with God but He with us and this truth should
evoke continual thanksgiving in those who have been brought into covenant
with Him under the shelter of His wings. And so in Exodus, we see that it
was God Who first expressed His desire to dwell among men, instructing
Moses to tell the people to
construct a sanctuary for Me,
that I may dwell (shakan) among them. According to all that I am going
to show you, as the pattern of the tabernacle (mishkan
from shakan) and the pattern of all its furniture, just
so you shall construct it." (Ex 25:8; 25:9)
Shekinah originally was used in the
Jewish
Targums (Aramaic translation of Hebrew
Bible) and rabbinic literature whenever the Hebrew text would mention the
presence of God in a way that implied certain human limitations. The
Targum Onkelos for example paraphrases Ex 25:8 as
And they shall make before me a sanctuary and I
shall cause my
Shekinah to dwell among them.
In summary, the term
Shekinah as commonly used describes the visible manifestation of
God's presence and glory usually in the form of a cloud as
discussed below under
Past
Glory.
The picture of the Shekinah cloud of
glory dwelling
on the Temple has a parallel "fulfillment" in the New Testament (obviously
written by Jews familiar with the Shekinah in the Old Testament) where
John writes that
the
Word became flesh, and dwelt (tabernacled) among us,
and we beheld His
glory,
glory
as of the Only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.
(John 1:14)
(Spurgeon's
sermon on -- John 1:14 The Glory Of Christ - Beheld)
Christ is the
Shekinah of God...
the radiance of His glory (Heb
1:3-note)
Paul adds
that
it was the
Father's good pleasure for all the fulness to
dwell
in Christ (see note
Colossians 1:19)
and that in Christ
all the fulness of Deity
dwells
in bodily form (Col 2:9-note)
Paul writes that Christ is "the Lord of
glory"
(1Cor 2:8).
This same Shekinah glory now rests (dwells) upon all those who are
in Christ. Thus Paul records that God made
known the riches of
His glory
upon vessels of mercy, which He prepared beforehand for
glory
(Ro 9:23-note)
He prays for the
Ephesian saints that
the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you may know what is
the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the
glory of His inheritance in
the saints" (Ep 1:18-note)
He reminds the
Colossian saints that
God willed to make known what is the riches of
the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ
("dwelling") in you, the
hope of glory.
(Col 1:27-note)
The presence of the
Holy Spirit is also a representation of the Shekinah
as when the Spirit descended and remained on Jesus (Jn 1:33) and at Pentecost the Spirit came down and rested on the
120 disciples appearing
to them tongues as of fire distributing
themselves, and they rested on each one of them” (Acts 2:3)
William Barclay
adds an interesting note regarding Shekinah writing that
There are two words totally
different in meaning but similar in sound which in early Christian thought
became closely connected. Skēnē is one; and the Hebrew shechinah, the
glory of God, is the other. SKĒNĒ—SHECHINAH—the connection in sound
brought it about that men could not hear the one without thinking of the
other. As a result, to say that the skēnē of God is to be with men
immediately brought the thought that the shechinah of God is to be with
men. In the ancient times the shechinah took the form of a luminous cloud
which came and went. (Barclay,
W: The Daily Study Bible Series. The Westminster Press
or
Logos)
Some sermons by C
H Spurgeon related to God's glory...
Exodus 14:19,20, Isaiah 58:8, Isaiah 52:12 The Glory
In The Rear
John 1:14 The Glory Of Christ - Beheld
Exodus 33:18 A View Of God's Glory
ENTHRONED
ABOVE THE CHERUBIM
2Samuel 6:2 And David arose and
went with all the people who were with him to Baale-judah, to bring
up from there the ark of God which is called by the Name, the very
name of the LORD of hosts Who is enthroned above the cherubim.
2Kings 19:15 And Hezekiah prayed
before the LORD and said, "O LORD, the God of Israel, Who art
enthroned above the cherubim, Thou art the God, Thou alone, of
all the kingdoms of the earth. Thou hast made heaven and earth.
1Chronicles 13:6 And David and all
Israel went up to Baalah, that is, to Kiriath-jearim, which belongs
to Judah, to bring up from there the ark of God, the LORD Who is
enthroned above the cherubim, where His name is called.
Ps 80:1 (For the choir director;
set to El Shoshannim; Eduth. A Psalm of Asaph.) Oh, give ear,
Shepherd of Israel, Thou who dost lead Joseph like a flock; Thou
Who art enthroned above the cherubim, shine forth!
"Thou that dwellest between
the cherubims, shine forth." The Lord's especial presence was
revealed upon the mercyseat between the cherubim, and in all our
pleadings we should come to the Lord by this way: only upon the
mercyseat will God reveal his grace, and only there can we hope to
commune with him. Let us ever plead the name of Jesus, who is our
true mercyseat, to whom we may come boldly, and through whom we may
look for a display of the glory of the Lord on our behalf. Our
greatest dread is the withdrawal of the Lord's presence, and our
brightest hope is the prospect of his return. In the darkest times
of Israel, the light of her Shepherd's countenance is all she needs.
(see
Spurgeon's note)
Ps 99:1 The LORD reigns, let the
peoples tremble; He is enthroned above the cherubim, let the
earth shake!
He sitteth between the cherubims.
In grandeur of sublime glory, yet in nearness of mediatorial
condescension, Jehovah revealed himself above the mercy seat, whereon
stood the likeness of those flaming ones who gaze upon his glory,
and for ever cry, "Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of hosts." The Lord
reigning on that throne of grace which is sprinkled with atoning
blood, and veiled with the covering wings of mediatorial love, is
above all other revelations wonderful, and fitted to excite emotion
among all mankind, hence it is added,
Our friend Mr. Charles
Stanford, in his delicious work, "Symbols of Christ," has
beautifully brought out the connection between Mt 23:37 and Mt
23:38. The house was left desolate because Christ, who was set forth
by the symbol of shelter, was rejected by them, and was not
permitted to cover them with his wings. It was customary for the
Jews to say of a proselyte, "He has taken refuge under the wings of
the Shekinah." We now see that to take shelter under the wings of
the Shekinah is to hide beneath the wings of Christ. Beneath that
living shield which beats back the destroying stroke, and is broad
enough to canopy a fugitive world, we take shelter, and there the
promise is fulfilled, "He shall cover thee with his feathers, and
under his wings shalt thou trust."
(see
Spurgeon's note)
Ps 132:8 Arise, O LORD,
to Thy resting place; Thou and the ark of Thy strength.
In essence we have here a prayer
by the psalmist for Jehovah to descend in the Shekinah (the
glory cloud) and dwell above the ark of the covenant. Spurgeon
comments that...
In these three verses we see
the finders of the ark removing it to its appointed place, using a
formula somewhat like to that used by Moses when he said, "Rise up,
Lord", and again, "Return, O Lord, unto the many thousands of
Israel." The ark had been long upon the move, and no fit place had
been found for it in Canaan, but now devout men have prepared a
temple, and they sing, Arise, O Lord, into thy rest; thou, and the
ark of thy strength. They hoped that now the covenant symbol had
found a permanent abode -- a rest, and they trusted that Jehovah
would now abide with it for ever. Vain would it be for the ark to be
settled if the Lord did not continue with it, and perpetually shine
forth from between the cherubim. Unless the Lord shall rest with us
there is no rest for us; unless the ark of his strength abide with
us we are ourselves without strength. The ark of the covenant is
here mentioned by a name which it well deserved; for in its
captivity it smote its captors, and broke their gods, and when it
was brought back it guarded its own honour by the death of those who
dared to treat it with disrespect. The power of God was thus
connected with the sacred chest. Reverently, therefore, did Solomon
pray concerning it as he besought the living God to consecrate the
temple by his presence. It is the Lord and the covenant, or rather
say the covenant Jehovah whose presence we desire in our assemblies,
and this presence is the strength of his people. Oh that the Lord
would indeed abide in all the churches, and cause his power to be
revealed in Zion.
Isa 37:16
"O LORD of hosts, the
God of Israel, Who art enthroned above the cherubim, Thou art
the God, Thou alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth. Thou hast
made heaven and earth.
A devotional comment from F B
Meyer on the Shekinah...
It should never be forgotten
that nothing can afford to us protection and succor but vital union
with Christ. We must hide in His secret place if we would
abide under His shadow. We must dwell in the most holy place if we
would be shadowed by the wings of the Shekinah. There must be
nothing between us and God, if we are to walk together, and enjoy
fellowship with the Father, and with His Son, Jesus Christ.
Dost thou know the hope of His
calling to a life within the veil, with the veil behind thee, and
the light of the Shekinah ever on thy
face?
Additional Notes
on Shekinah...
From
Nave's Topic...
SHEKINAH, the visible sign of God's
presence on the ark of testimony in the Holy of holies, Ex 25:22;
Lev 16:2; 2Sa 6:2; 2Ki 19:14, 15; Ps 80:1; Isa 37:16; Eze 9:3;
10:18; He 9:5.
From
the International Standard Bible Encyclopedia...
SHEKINAH - she-ki'-na (shekhinah, "that
which dwells," from the verb shakhen, or shakhan, "to dwell,"
"reside"): This word is not found in the Bible, but there are
allusions to it in Is 60:2; Mt 17:5; Lk 2:9; Ro 9:4.
It is first found in the Targums.
