WHY STUDY THE GLORY OF THE LORD?
WHAT SHOULD BE OUR RESPONSE AS WE STUDY HIS GLORY?
MEDITATE ON WHAT SCRIPTURE INSTRUCTS US TO DO...
(Words Highlighted in
Red are commands in Hebrew)
Sing
to Jehovah, all the earth;
Proclaim
good tidings of His salvation from day to day.
Tell
of His glory among the nations,
His wonderful deeds among all the peoples.
For great is Jehovah, and greatly to be praised;
He also is to be feared above all gods.
For all the gods of the peoples are idols,
But Jehovah made the heavens.
Splendor and majesty are before Him,
Strength and joy are in His place.
Ascribe
to Jehovah, O families of the peoples,
Ascribe
to Jehovah glory and strength.
Ascribe
to Jehovah the glory due His name;
Bring
an offering, and come
before Him;
Worship
Jehovah in holy array.
Tremble
before Him, all the earth;
Indeed, the world is firmly established, it will not be moved.
Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice;
And let them say among the nations, “Jehovah reigns.”
(1Ch 16:23, 31).
GLORY IN THE GARDEN OF EDEN
Gen 3:8 And they
heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the
day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence
(Hebrew = appearance, face, form or characteristics of something as
seen, the personal existence of something in a particular place or
space, that usually interacts with objects around it) of the LORD
God among the trees of the garden.
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Why did they hide? Why were they ashamed?
Millennia later the apostle Paul wrote that
"all have sinned and fall short of
the
glory of God"
(Ro 3:23)
John
MacArthur commenting on Genesis 3:8 writes that "God
appeared, as before, in tones of goodness and kindness, walking in some
visible form (perhaps Shekinah light as He later appeared in
Ex 33:18; 40:34).
He came not in fury, but in the same condescending way He had walked with
Adam and Eve before."
Although it is conjectural, the Romans passage
does suggest
that Adam and Eve experienced the presence of the Shekinah glory of God that
had given them great delight, but now caused them great dread and shame
because of their sin which made them fall short of His
glory.
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GLORY BEFORE MOSES AT THE BURNING
BUSH
Ex
3:2-3 And the angel of the
LORD appeared to him (Moses) in a blazing fire from the midst of a
bush; and he looked, and behold, the bush was burning with fire, yet the
bush was not consumed. So Moses said, "I must turn aside now, and see this
marvelous sight, why the bush is not burned up."
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Although the
Shekinah glory is not stated in this verse, it is notable that
the Hebrew word for “bush” occurs in only one other passage,
Deut 33;16, where we find the phrase “Him who
dwelt in the
bush” where the word for “dwelt” is “shakan“,
the root word of Shekinah. Thus while one cannot be
absolutely dogmatic, this parallel description of the Moses' bush
experience would support that the Shekinah glory was displayed to
the wondering eyes of Moses. So just as the “the angel of God"
manifested in the Shekinah-glory in guiding and guarding Israel in
their wilderness wanderings (see Scriptures that follow), here we
see Moses' initial encounter with the Shekinah glory of the “Angel
of the Lord” who is none other than the Lord Jesus in visible
manifestation. (Angel
of the LORD)
Before Moses was to be sent forth on his important mission he was
called first to behold the ineffable glory of the Lord. Beloved, the
principle is inescapable, that every servant of Jehovah who would
serve acceptably must work with an eye singly set upon God’s glory.
Have you taken time to gaze upon His glory? It was so here with
Moses. It was thus with Isaiah (Isaiah
6). It was the same in
the case of the apostle Paul (Acts
9). Make no mistake
fellow co-laborer, a vision of the glory of God is an essential
prerequisite if we are to serve Him acceptably. Today we see His
glory most completely in His holy word (e.g., we see some of the
fringes of God's glory in
His Names
and
His Attributes) Paul writes "But
we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the
Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory,
just as from the Lord, the Spirit."
(2Cor 3:18) |
GLORY AFTER ISRAEL'S EXODUS FROM
EGYPT
1Co r10:1
For I do not want you to be unaware, brethren, that our
fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea
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Paul in warning the Corinthians to exercise
personal discipline and self control and not to let happen to them what
happened to ancient Israel, reminds them (and all believers) that
one of the advantages Israel had was the constant supernatural guidance by
God in the form of the Shekinah Glory Cloud
("were all under the cloud"
see see Ex13:21,22).
The reference to "our
fathers" refers
foremost to Abraham who was the father of all the faithful.
Therefore in this sense Paul’s reference to "our
fathers" applies to
believing Gentiles as well as believing Jews for they are both spiritual
descendants of Abraham.
(Romans
4; Gal 3:7, 29) (Hint: Hold mouse
pointer over any link in
blue
for pop up verse or note -- to keep it open, slowly wiggle the mouse
side to side over the link - it works!) |
Ex 13:20-22 Then
(the children of Israel) set out from
Succoth
and camped in Etham on
the edge of the wilderness. And the LORD was going before them in a
pillar of cloud
by day to lead them on the way, and in
a pillar of fire
by night to give them light, that they
might travel by day and by night. He did not take away the
pillar of cloud
by day, nor the pillar of fire
by night, from before the people.
(cf Ps78:14, 105:39)
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Jehovah
symbolized by the
Shekinah glory-cloud guided Israel: "Cloud"
is the Hebrew word 'anan,
the same noun was used in first Kings where we read that when Solomon's Temple was finished and the
priests had brought the ark of the covenant of Jehovah into the
inner sanctuary, the most holy place, under the wings of the
cherubim, that "it came about when the priests came from the holy
place, that the cloud filled the house of the LORD, so that the
priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud, for the
glory of the LORD filled the house of the LORD. Then Solomon said,
"The LORD has said that He would dwell (shakan
meaning to settle down = root word from which "Shekinah" is
derived) in the thick
cloud. ('anan)" (1Ki 8:10, 11, 12).
In this context, "cloud" ('anan) is clearly a reference to the
Shekinah cloud, symbolic of the glory of Jehovah dwelling in the
most holy place in the midst of His people Israel.
It should be
noted as we trace the Old Testament Scriptural appearances of the Shekinah glory-cloud
in the history of Israel, there is
no specific reference made to the glory-cloud once Joshua led Israel into the promised
land. The next specific reference is in first Kings but there is an
indirect reference to Ichabod (the
glory has departed)
after the reference to 1Sa 4:21
(click here) |
Ex 14:19
And the
Angel of God,
who had been going before the camp of Israel, moved and went behind them;
and the pillar of cloud
moved from before them and stood behind
them. 20 So it came between the camp of Egypt and the camp of Israel; and
there was the cloud
along with the darkness, yet it gave light at night. Thus the one did not
come near the other all night.
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Jehovah symbolized by the
Shekinah glory-cloud
guarded Israel: Moses and the children had been released from
Egyptian bondage and were following the Shekinah glory-cloud but soon
realized they were being hotly pursued by the Egyptians. (Parenthetically
teaching that being in the center of God's will does not assure absence of
trials!) They became very frightened and cried out to the LORD.
(Ex 14:8, 9, 10) Moses
calmed them with these words:
"Do
not fear. Standby and see the salvation of the LORD which He will
accomplish for you today..." (Ex 14:13)
In this context we see the appearance of
the Shekinah glory-cloud ("the pillar of cloud"), the Angel
of the LORD. From this Scripture
we see that the "pillar
of cloud...and fire" that
was going before the people (Ex
13:21
"the LORD was going
before them"), protected
them from the Egyptian army and that this is was not just any "angel" but
was "the Angel of God"
(click for more
discussion) which is
without a doubt a reference to the pre incarnate Messiah. Earlier Moses
records that "the
Angel of the Lord appeared to him in a blazing fire from the midst of
a bush; and he looked, and behold, the bush was burning with fire, yet the
bush was not consumed...God called to him from the midst of the
bush..." (Ex
3:2,4).
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Ex 16:7,10 (In the context of
Israel grumbling because of no food Moses declared that) "in the
morning you will see the glory
of the LORD, for He hears your
grumblings against the LORD; and what are we, that you grumble against
us?"...10 And it came about as Aaron spoke to the whole congregation of
the sons of Israel, that they looked toward the wilderness, and behold,
the glory of the LORD
appeared in the cloud.
|
MacArthur
comments that "In seeing the start of the provision of daily bread
on the next day, Israel would also see the Lord’s glory, an
appropriate term to use because what He did showed His presence with
them. “Glory” typically refers to God’s manifested presence, which
makes Him impressive and leads to worship." (MacArthur, J. J. The
MacArthur Study Bible. Nashville: Word Pub) |
GLORY ON MT. SINAI
Ex 24:16 And the
glory of the LORD
rested
(Hebrew = shakan, root of "Shekinah")
on Mount Sinai, and the
cloud covered it for six days;
and on the seventh day He called to Moses from the midst of the
cloud.
17 And to the eyes of the sons of Israel the appearance of the
glory of the LORD
was like a consuming fire on the mountain top. 18 And Moses entered the
midst of the cloud
as he went up to the mountain; and Moses was on the mountain forty days
and forty nights.
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This event
occurred during the first of 2 (40 day and 40 night) trips by Moses
to Mt Sinai. The awesome sight of God’s Shekinah glory cloud
resting on the mountain was meant to deeply impress all Israel
(e.g., see Deut 4:9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16).
What is so amazing is that even in the visible presence of the
Shekinah glory on Mt Sinai (= Mt Horeb), even like a consuming fire,
Israel stubbornly proceeded to make a golden calf to worship, thus
corrupting themselves. |
GLORY IN THE WILDERNESS
TABERNACLE
Ex 25:8
"And let them construct a sanctuary for Me, that I may dwell (shakan)
among them." 9 "According to all that I am going to show
you, as the pattern of the tabernacle and the pattern of all its
furniture, just so you shall construct it. (the intervening verses describe the construction of the Ark)
...20 And the cherubim shall have their wings spread upward, covering the
mercy seat with their wings and facing one another; the faces of the
cherubim are to be turned toward the mercy seat. 21 And you shall put the
mercy seat on top of the ark, and in the ark you shall put the testimony
which I shall give to you. 22 And there I will meet with you; and from
above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim which are upon the ark
of the testimony, I will speak to you about all that I will give you in
commandment for the sons of Israel."
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Moses uses
five synonymous terms/phrases for the wilderness tabernacle:
(1)
Sanctuary (miqdas)
which means "place of holiness", a place set apart as sacred and
holy as opposed to the secular, common and profane;
(2) Tent,” (ohel) denotes a temporary or collapsible
dwelling.
(3) Tabernacle (miskan) means "dwelling place"
and is derived from the verb shakan, which means to settle
down, to dwell or to pitch a tent. God is “pitching His tent”
among men. The Shekinah glory cloud between the cherubim symbolized
God's abiding presence with His people.
(4) Tabernacle of meeting (moed) where “meeting”
means a deliberate prearranged rendezvous or appointment and not a
casual accidental meeting, reflecting God's design and desire to
meet with man.
(5) Tabernacle of the testimony (edut) emphasizes that
the structure was the repository of God's Law especially the
testimony of the Ten Words on the tables as a solemn divine charge. |
Ex 33:9 And it came about, whenever
Moses entered the tent, the
pillar of cloud would descend
and stand at the entrance of the tent; and the LORD would speak with
Moses.10 When all the people saw the
pillar of cloud
standing at the entrance of the tent, all the people would arise and
worship, each at the entrance of his tent.
Ex 33:18
Then Moses said, “I pray Thee, show me Thy
glory!”
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Moses wanted to know God in His essence,
a nuance that is better captured in
the Greek Septuagint (LXX) translation which in English reads
“Manifest Thyself to me”.
The Greek has no word for "glory" but
replaces it with "Thyself".
It is interesting that the Jewish Publication Society's version
known as the Tanakh translates this verse as follows "Oh,
let me behold Your Presence!" much like the Greek
Septuagint. |
Ex 40:34 Then the
cloud
covered the tent of meeting, and the
glory of the LORD
filled the tabernacle
(miskan from shakan = settle down). 35 And Moses was not able to enter the tent
(describes a mobile structure)
of
meeting (of "appointment" - designates a determined time and place)
because the
cloud
('anan)
had settled (shakan = root of Shekinah)
on it, and the
glory
of the LORD filled the
tabernacle. 36 And throughout all their journeys whenever the
cloud
was taken up from over the tabernacle, the sons of Israel would set out;
37 but if the cloud
was not taken up, then they did not set out until the day when it was
taken up. 38 For throughout all their journeys, the
cloud
of the LORD was on the tabernacle by day, and there was
fire
in it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel.
| This was the final confirmation for Moses and the
people that all the work for setting up God’s dwelling place had been
properly done and all the tedious instructions obediently followed.
The Shekinah glory-cloud was the ever present guide in the wilderness.
Today He is Christ in us the hope of glory and as the indwelling
Spirit of Christ is our constant guide in the wilderness of this lost
and ever increasingly corrupt generation. Beloved, are you obedient to
His guidance, setting out when He gives you clear indicators (using
His Word, trusted counselors, prayer, circumstances), and not setting
out on your own path in those times when He indicates you should not
move out? |
Lev 9:23 And Moses and Aaron went into
the tent of meeting. When they came out and blessed the people, the
glory of the LORD
appeared to all the people.
Num 12:5
Then the Lord came down in
a pillar of cloud
and stood at the doorway of the tent,
and He called Aaron and Miriam. When they had both come forward,
Ex
33:9 And it came about, whenever Moses entered
the tent, the pillar of cloud
would descend and stand at
the entrance of the tent; and the Lord would speak with Moses.
Ps 99:6-7: Moses and Aaron
were among His priests, and Samuel was among those who called on His name.
They called upon the Lord, and He answered them. He spoke to them in the
pillar of cloud. They kept His testimonies, and the statute that He gave
them.
| In the preceding passages,
the Shekinah Glory Cloud was the "platform" from which God spoke.
|
Num 14:10 But all the congregation
said to stone them with stones. Then the
glory of the LORD
appeared in the tent of meeting to all the sons of Israel.
Nu 16:19 Thus Korah assembled all the congregation against them at
the doorway of the tent of meeting. And the
glory of the LORD
appeared to all the congregation.
Nu 16:42 It came about, however, when the congregation had
assembled against Moses and Aaron, that they turned toward the tent of
meeting, and behold, the cloud covered it and the
glory
of the LORD
appeared.
Nu 20:6 Then Moses and Aaron came in from the presence of the
assembly to the doorway of the tent of meeting, and fell on their faces.
Then the glory of the LORD
appeared to them;
1Sam 4:21
And she called the boy
Ichabod, saying, “The
glory
has departed from Israel,” because the ark of God was taken and because of
her father-in-law and her husband
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Summary of
the movement of the glory of God:
The
glory
of the LORD had initially dwelt in the finished tabernacle in the
wilderness
(Ex 40:34 Ex 30:34, 35, 36, 37,
38).
Apparently, the glory
of God departed when
the Philistines captured the Ark of the Covenant, which God allowed
because of Israel’s sin.
In the next Scriptural occurrence God’s
glory
came into the temple of Solomon upon completion and consecration (1
Ki 8:10). (See youtube video of
Solomon's Temple) Then, as
depicted schematically on the
previous page the
glory of the LORD
progressively departed the Temple, in preparation from the
destruction of the nation of Israel which had
turned irrevocably to the worship of abominable idols. (click
for chart).
God had
clearly declared "I
am the LORD, that is My name; I will not give
My
glory
to another, nor My praise to graven images."
(Isa 42:8).
The Temple
that was rebuilt after Judah's seventy years of exile in Babylon did
not possess the Shekinah glory of the LORD.
For a brief
moment in Israel's history, the glory
did return to the Temple and the land of Israel in the incarnation
of Jesus Christ (John 1:1, 14), but His
glory
"departed" when the nation nailed the
glorious
One to a Cross. |
1 Ki 8:10 And it came about when the
priests came from the holy place, that the
cloud
filled the house of the LORD, 11 so that the priests could not stand to
minister because of the cloud, for the
glory of
the LORD
filled the house of the LORD.
|
As Warren Wiersbe has commented "Solomon’s temple was a place of
glory. However, despite its extraordinary beauty, it was just
another building until God moved in and consecrated it
(cf Ex 40:34).
So it is with our lives (1Cor 6:19, 20)
and our assemblies (1Cor 14:23, 24, 25). The
presence of God is the important thing. A. W. Tozer aptly stated,
“If God were to take the Holy Spirit out of this world, much of what
the church is doing would go right on, and nobody would know the
difference.” (Wiersbe, W. W. With the word Bible commentary.
Nashville: Thomas Nelson) |
1Ki 8:27 “But will God indeed
dwell
on the earth? Behold, heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain You,
how much less this house which I have built!
2 Chr 7:1 Now when Solomon had
finished praying, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt
offering and the sacrifices; and the
glory of the LORD
(this is the Shekinah glory, the same glory that had filled the Tabernacle
in the wilderness)
filled the house. 2 And the priests could not enter into the house of the
LORD, because the
glory of the
LORD filled the LORD'S house. 3
And all the sons of Israel, seeing the fire come down and the
glory of the LORD
upon the house, bowed down on the
pavement with their faces to the ground, and they worshiped and gave
praise to the LORD, saying, "Truly He is good, truly His lovingkindness is
everlasting."
Isaiah 6:1 In the year of King Uzziah's death, I saw the Lord sitting on a
throne, lofty and exalted, with the train of His robe filling the temple.
2 Seraphim stood above Him, each having six wings; with two he covered his
face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. 3 And one
called out to another and said, "Holy, Holy, Holy, is the LORD of hosts,
The whole earth is full of His
glory."
John 12:41 These things Isaiah said, because he saw
His glory,
and he spoke of Him."
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In Isaiah 6 the prophet was
described as seeing the
glory of God.
John explains that Isaiah saw and spoke of Christ and His. Thus
John's commentary is an important link in the Scriptural evidence
that the Man Jesus Christ was God in the flesh. In this verse John
repeats what he had declared in the prologue, that Christ is the
glory
of the Father unveiled for human eyes (John 1:14). |
The glory of the LORD in Ezekiel
Ezek 1:28 As the appearance of the rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day,
so was the appearance of the surrounding radiance. Such was the appearance
of the likeness of the
glory of the LORD. And when I saw it, I fell on my
face and heard a voice speaking.
Ezek 3:12 Then the Spirit lifted me up, and I heard a great rumbling sound
behind me, "Blessed be the
glory of the LORD
in His place."
Ezek 3:23 So I got up and went out to the plain; and behold, the
glory of
the LORD
was standing there, like the glory which I saw by the river
Chebar, and I fell on my face.
Ezek 10:4 Then the
glory of the LORD
went up from the cherub to the
threshold of the temple, and the temple was filled with the cloud, and the
court was filled with the brightness of the glory of the LORD.
Ezek 10:18 Then the
glory of the LORD
departed from the threshold of the
temple and stood over the cherubim.
Ezek 11:23 And the
glory of the LORD
went up from the midst of the city, and stood over the mountain which is
east of the city.
Weeping over the Departed glory
of the LORD
Ezra 3:12 Yet many of the
priests and Levites and heads of fathers’ households, the old men who had
seen the first temple (see note below on this, the "second"
temple), wept with a loud voice when the
foundation of this house was laid before their eyes, while many shouted
aloud for joy;
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Although the ark was gone,
even more disappointing was the absence of the Shekinah Glory Cloud. And
those who had seen the Shekinah ("the
old men")
wept. The first temple had been destroyed 50 years earlier. The old
men, who would have been about 60 years or older, knew that this
second temple did not begin to match the splendor of Solomon’s
temple nor did the presence of God reside within it. Those who
shouted for joy had never seen the Shekinah Glory in Solomon's'
Temple. In Haggai (Hag 2:3)
we read "'Who is left among you who saw this temple in its former
glory? And how do you see it now? Does it not seem to you like
nothing in comparison?" Then note the comfort the prophet Haggai gives in
(Hag 2:9)
Note that The term
“second temple” as commonly used refers to
both the restoration temple and the Herodian temple that followed
it. The second temple underwent changes occasionally, the major
changes taking place as a result of Herod’s renovations. These
improvements were still in progress in our Lord’s day (John 2:20). This second
temple stood from about 515 B.C. until the Romans destroyed it in
A.D. 70. |
Acts 7:2 And he said, "Hear me, brethren and fathers! The
God of glory
(a title God used only one other time
Ps 29:3) appeared
to our father Abraham when he
was in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran,
Ro9:4 who
are Israelites, to whom belongs the adoption as sons and the
glory
and the covenants and the giving of the Law and the temple service and the
promises,
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Paul states
that the Shekinah glory
cloud that symbolized
God’s presence had blessed Israel. The children of Israel are the
only people who have ever experienced the unique and inexplicable
visible presence of God dwelling in their midst. |
Luke 2:9
And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the
glory of the Lord
shone around them; and they were terribly frightened.
John 1:14
And the Word became flesh, and dwelt (Young's Literal = "tabernacled")
among us, and we beheld
His
glory,
glory
as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.
|
The Messiah, the eternal "Logos" ("the Word") became flesh (human nature, physical not a
reference to man's sinful nature, elsewhere referred to as our "flesh
nature") and lived in a tent among us, the tent
being His physical body. Dwelt is the Greek word
skene
which is used in the Septuagint (Greek
translation of
the Hebrew OT) to translate the Hebrew word
miskan or "tabernacle". So just as the Angel of
Jehovah (a Christophany) manifests Himself to Israel as the Shekinah
glory-cloud which tabernacled with them in the wilderness, in the
tent of meeting and then in Solomon's Temple, so here we see the
long awaited Messiah "tabernacle" among men. One day in the future
the Lord of lords will tabernacle with all believers in heaven (Rev
21:3-note)
Paul (using a derivative of
skene) speaks of our present physical body as
a tent or temporary residence in (2Cor 5:1). The Jewish NT translates this
verse "The Word became a human being and lived with us and we saw his
Shekhinah, the Shekhinah of the Father’s only Son, full of grace and truth."
The prophecy in Haggai 2:9
is partially fulfilled in this verse but awaits complete fulfillment
in the "FUTURE GLORY". |
John 2:11 This beginning of His signs
Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and manifested
His
glory,
and His disciples believed in Him.
|
The point is that
Jesus' miracle of turning water to wine gave a proper opinion that He was
God in the flesh. |
John 2:19
Jesus answered and said to them, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I
will raise it up."
|
Instead of the Shekinah glory dwelling in the Temple, it dwells in Jesus
who is the true "Temple" as John amplifies with his comment that Jesus
"was speaking of the temple of His body." (Jn 2:21) |
Acts 1:9 And after He had
said these things, He was lifted up while they were looking on, and a
cloud
received Him out of their sight. 10 And as they were gazing intently into
the sky while He was departing, behold, two men in white clothing stood
beside them;11 and they also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand
looking into the sky? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into
heaven, will come in just the same way as you have watched Him go
into heaven.”
|
The Second Coming of Christ and the establishment
of His kingdom will occur the same way Jesus ascended: physically,
visibly, and in the Shekinah cloud of glory.
I love J
Vernon McGee's comment on this verse
"The ascension of the Lord Jesus Christ is an important and significant
miracle in the ministry of the Lord. This is especially true for our space
age when eyes are turned aloft and we are talking about travel in space.
Space travel isn’t really new. The Lord Jesus took off, and He didn’t need
a launching pad or a space suit or a missile. There was a cloud to receive
Him. What kind of a cloud was that? Was it a moisture cloud? No, this was
the same Shekinah glory cloud that had
filled the tabernacle. In His high priestly prayer He had prayed: “And
now, O Father, glorify Thou Me with Thine Own self with the glory which I
had with Thee before the world was” (Jn
17:5). When He was born into
this world, He was wrapped in swaddling clothes. When He left this earth,
He was wrapped in glory clouds. This is the way He returned to the
Father’s right hand."
(Acts
1:9 Mp3)
The cloud that received
Christ upon His ascension was not merely a cloud of condensed vapor but
was a symbol of the Shekinah glory which represents the glorious presence
of God (Comment adapted from
Wycliffe Bible Commentary). As the
cloud received Him out of their sight, the Lord was once again restored to
the glory which He had with the Father before the world began (Jn 17:4, 5). "A cloud appeared after he began to ascend,
and hid Jesus from their gaze. The apostles may well have remembered that
during the transfiguration of Christ it was a
cloud
which enveloped them, covering the brilliance of his glory
(Lk 9:34, 35, 36). The
appearance of such a
cloud also sparks memories of
Old Testament accounts of the nation of Israel being led in the wilderness
by the cloud from which the
voice of God was heard (Ex
40:34)
or the temple filled with
the cloud of God’s glory (1Ki8:10,
11).
(Gaertner, D: Acts. The College Press NIV commentary:
College Press)
IVP NT Commentary adds that "Immediately after
Jesus gives this command, as the disciples are watching, he is taken up
from the earth, and a
cloud so envelopes him that the
disciples can no longer see him. The cloud probably refers to the Shekinah
glory, which at once manifests
and hides the divine presence
(Ex 40:34).
It may also point to Christ’s return
(Da 7:13; Mt24:29, 30).
(Larkin, W. J., Briscoe, D. S., & Robinson, H. W. (1995). Vol. 5: Acts.
The IVP New Testament commentary series. Downers, Ill., USA: InterVarsity
Press.)
The Life Application Commentary adds "After
giving this important charge, Jesus was lifted up, and a cloud took him
out of their sight. This cloud symbolized the glory of God. In the Old Testament, we read
that a cloud led the Israelites through the wilderness
(Ex13:21, 22)
and that God made his presence known to the people by appearing in a
cloud (Ex 16:10; Ex 40:34,
et al). (Barton, B. B., & Osborne, G.
R. Acts. Life application Bible commentary. Wheaton, Ill.: Tyndale
House)
|
John 17:22
"And the glory
which Thou hast given Me I have given to them; that they may be one, just
as We are one
2 Cor 3:18 But we all, with unveiled
face beholding as in a mirror the
glory of the Lord,
are being transformed into the same image from
glory
to glory,
just as from the Lord, the Spirit.
1Cor 10:31
Whether, then, you eat or
drink or whatever you do, do all to
the glory of God.
32 Give no offense either to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God;
33 just as I also please all men in all things, not seeking my own
profit, but the profit of the many, that they may be saved.
|
God created man to glorify Himself, and that is
man’s purpose in life. Fallen man cannot purpose to glorify God, because
he does not know God or have a godly nature through Jesus Christ. Redeemed
man, however, is able to glorify the Lord, and he will glorify Him if he
is faithful. The Westminster Shorter Catechism asks “What is the chief
end of man? Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy Him forever.”
MacArthur writes "The catechism is right in declaring that the pinnacle of
man’s being is glorifying and enjoying God. The highest purpose any
individual can have is to be totally absorbed in the person of God, and to
view all of life through eyes filled with His wonder and glory. That is
the perspective of the true worshiper, the one who truly glorifies God."
The "glory of God" is a practical truth: The context
of this verse is "Christian liberty" -- and the rule we must follow is
that whatever we do gives a proper opinion of (glorifies) God. Ryrie
(Ryrie Study Bible) comments that Paul gives us an all inclusive principle
stating that believers are to "Test all conduct by whether or not it
manifests the characteristics of God. Other principles for guiding the
believer's conduct in this book are (1) is it beneficial (1Cor 6:12)?
(2) is it enslaving (1Cor 6:12)?
(3) will it hinder the spiritual growth of a brother (1Cor 8:13)?
(4) does it "edify" (build up, 1Cor 10:23)? "
MacDonald adds that "Christian young
people are often faced with decisions as to whether a certain course of
action would be right or wrong for them. Here is a good rule to apply: Is
there any glory for God in it? Can you bow
your head before you participate in it and ask the Lord that He will be
magnified by what you are about to do?"
Beet adds that "Since your conduct and
the worth of your religion will be estimated by others according to its
effect upon themselves, so act in all the details of life that your action
may show forth the splendor of God, the Author of all human excellence,
and thus exalt Him in the eyes of men." This conveys a solemn lesson. The
practical impression made upon men by the revealed character of God is
determined very much by the conduct of His people, even in little things,
and especially by the degree to which they take into account the effect of
their conduct upon the well-being of others."
|
2Cor 4:16
Therefore we do not lose
heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being
renewed day by day. 17 For momentary, light affliction is producing for us
an eternal weight of glory
far beyond all comparison
Ro 5:1-2
(note)
Therefore having been
justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this
grace in which we stand; and we exult in
hope
(absolute assurance of the reality of
future good - so this refers primarily to present hope regarding
our future glory)
of the glory of God.
Eph 5:25-27 (note) Husbands, love your wives,
just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her; that
He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with
the word, that He might present to Himself
the church in all her glory,
(when? difficult to be dogmatic but presumably after the rapture and
before the onset of the millennial kingdom, this presentation probably
occurring in heaven)
having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she should be holy
and blameless.
Eph 1:18
(note)
I pray 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 (this refers
primarily to "future glory" - our glorified bodies, basking in the
presence of His glory)
in the saints, and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who
believe.
Ro 2:7
(note) to those who by perseverance in doing good seek for
glory
and honor and immortality, eternal life
|
Superficially this
verse seems to suggest that by "perseverance in doing good," one could
obtain eternal life, without regard to one's relation to Christ. Good
works do not save (Eph 2:8, 9, 10,
Note by W. Barber) but are evidence of a changed life.
|
Luke 9:29 (THE
TRANSFIGURATION) And while He was praying,
the appearance of His face became different, and His clothing became white
and gleaming. 30 And behold, two men were talking with Him; and they were
Moses and Elijah, 31 who, appearing in
glory,
were speaking of His departure which He was about to accomplish at
Jerusalem. 32 Now Peter and his companions had been overcome with sleep;
but when they were fully awake, they saw
His
glory
and the two men standing with Him.
33 And it came about, as these were parting from Him, Peter said to Jesus,
“Master, it is good for us to be here; and let us make three tabernacles:
one for You, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah”—not realizing what he
was saying.34 And while he was saying this, a cloud formed and
began to overshadow them; and they were afraid as they entered the
cloud. (compare this picture with the presence of Jehovah
symbolized by the Shekinah glory-cloud in the Old Testament) 35 And a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is My
Son, My Chosen One; listen to Him!” 36 And when the voice had spoken,
Jesus was found alone. And they kept silent, and reported to no one in
those days any of the things which they had seen.
|
This disclosure
of Jesus' glory was accompanied
by a cloud, the combination clearly paralleling the Shekinah
glory-cloud described above in "Past
Glory". |
Luke 19:37 And as He was
now
(When is now? The beginning of the week which ended in His crucifixion and
resurrection) approaching (JERUSALEM), near the descent of the Mount of
Olives (just East of the Temple), the whole multitude of the disciples began to praise God joyfully
with a loud voice for all the miracles which they had seen, 38 saying,
"BLESSED IS THE KING (Quoting Ps118:38
which had "one" instead of "king") WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD; Peace in heaven
and
glory
in the highest!"
Ro 1:20-25
(note) For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His
eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood
through what has been made, so that they are without excuse. 21 For even
though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God, or give thanks; but
they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was
darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, 23 and exchanged the
glory
of the incorruptible
God
for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed
animals and crawling creatures. 24 Therefore God gave them over in the
lusts of their hearts to impurity, that their bodies might be dishonored
among them. 25 For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and
worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed
forever. Amen.
Heb 1:3
(note) And He (Jesus Christ) is the
radiance of His (the Father's)
glory
and the exact representation
of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He
had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the
Majesty on high
1Thes 4:13-18:
(note) But we do not want
you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, that you may
not grieve, as do the rest who have no hope.14 For if we believe that
Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have
fallen asleep in Jesus.15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord,
that we who are alive, and remain until the coming of the Lord, shall not
precede those who have fallen asleep.16 For the Lord Himself will descend
from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the
trumpet of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise first.17 Then we who are
alive and remain shall be
caught up together with them in the clouds
to meet the Lord in the air, and thus
we shall always be with the Lord.18 Therefore comfort one another with
these words.
THE GLORY
OF THE LORD RETURNS
AT END OF GREAT TRIBULATION
AT BEGINNING OF THE MILLENNIUM
Zech 2:10
"Sing for joy and be glad, O daughter of Zion; for behold
I am coming and I will dwell in your midst," declares the LORD.
|
The verb "dwell" is shakan,
from which Shekinah is derived, which in its fullest
expression is a reference to the glory of the
LORD. It is not inconceivable that Zechariah's prophecy in part alluded to
Messiah's first coming but the complete fulfillment can only be when He
returns a second time and takes returns to Jerusalem and dwells in His
glory in the
Temple in the midst of His people. |
Ro 8:18
(note) For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not
worthy to be compared with the
glory
that is to be revealed to us 19 For the anxious longing of the creation
waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God. 20 For the creation
was subjected to futility, not of its own will, but because of Him who
subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself also will be set free
from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the
glory
of the children of God.
Mt 16:27 For the Son of Man is going to come in the
glory of His Father
with His angels; and WILL THEN RECOMPENSE EVERY MAN ACCORDING TO HIS DEEDS.
Acts 1:11 And after He had
said these things, He was lifted up while they were looking on, and a
cloud
received Him out of their sight. 10 And as they were gazing intently into
the sky while He was departing, behold, two men in white clothing stood
beside them;11 and they also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand
looking into the sky? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into
heaven, will come in just the same way as you have watched Him go
into heaven.”
| Jesus will physically return in
glory (see Mt 24:29) on a cloud to Mt of Olives. |
Daniel 7:13 “I kept looking in
the night visions, and behold, with the
clouds
of heaven One like a Son of
Man was coming, and He came up to the Ancient of Days and was presented
before Him.
Rev 1:7 (note) Behold, He is
coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who
pierced Him; and all the tribes of the earth will mourn over Him. Even so.
Amen.
|
John MacArthur notes that this verse "echoes
the promise of Daniel: The Son of Man will come with the clouds of heaven
(Da 7:13)—not
ordinary clouds but clouds of glory.
In the OT, God often manifested Himself in an energized, blazing
light, called the Shekinah
or glory cloud.
No one could see it fully and live (Ex. 33:20), so it had to be veiled. But when Christ returns,
the glory will be completely visible. (Mt
24:29, 30; 25:31) |
Isa 40:5 Then the
glory of the LORD
will be revealed, and all flesh will see it together; for the mouth of the
LORD has spoken."
|
Always be
alert to the word "then" which is an
Expression of Time.
and should prompt you to ask "When is 'Then'"? The first half of this
prophesy was partially fulfilled (in interpreting prophecy remember that
many OT prophecies have two fulfillments, a partial and a full or
final fulfillment) when the glorious One, the Lord Jesus
Christ, stepped down from His throne to take on our humanity (John 1:14). The second
half ("all flesh will see...") will not be fulfilled until He returns at
the end of this present age to inaugurate His Millennial reign on earth in
His Temple in Jerusalem (e.g., see Rev 1:7-note
, Mt 24:29, 30, Zech 12:10). |
Mt 24:29
"But immediately after the tribulation of those days
(the "great tribulation", the last 3.5 years of Daniel's 70th week,
the 7 year period marked by Antichrist making a "firm covenant" with
Israel and breaking it in the middle of the seven years, marking the
inception of the "great tribulation", the time of Jacob's distress or
trouble) THE SUN WILL BE
DARKENED, AND THE MOON WILL NOT GIVE ITS LIGHT, AND THE STARS WILL FALL
from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken, 30 and then
the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes
of the earth will mourn (see Zech 12:10), and they will see the SON OF MAN COMING ON THE
CLOUDS OF THE SKY with power and
great glory.
|
"Three things," said the Rabbis,
"are sudden--the coming of the Messiah, a discovery, and a scorpion."
John Walvoord says that ''Commentators make this reference to the sign
unnecessarily difficult when a simple answer is the best. The sign to
conclude all the preceding signs is the blaze of glory in the heavens when
Jesus Christ comes back from heaven. The whole world will see His glory.
Every eye will see Him (Rev1:7,cp Zec12:10). It will be a universal
revelation..'' |
Isa 58:8 "Then (When is
"then"? Context of verses 1-7 is an address to rebellious, hypocritical
Israel and suggests that this "then" will come about when they properly
"fast", bowing their hearts so to speak, not just their heads - referring
to Israel) your light will break out
like the dawn (light dispels physical darkness, and "spiritual light"
dispels the even more dreadful spiritual darkness [cf Malachi 4:2] - beloved are
you walking in the light today? 1John 1:6, 7, 8, 9), and your recovery will speedily spring forth;
and your
righteousness will go before you. The
glory of the LORD
will be your rear
guard (cf Ex 14:19; Isaiah 52:12)."
Isa 60:1 "Arise, shine; for your light has
come, and the
glory
of the LORD
has risen upon you.
|
John MacArthur
comments: "Addressing Zion, Isaiah told the city and thus the
nation Israel that her light has come, putting her in contrast with
the rest of the darkened world. This expressed the
glory
of Jerusalem during the millennial kingdom."
(MacArthur, J. J. The MacArthur Study Bible Nashville: Word
Pub) |
Ezek 43:1-5 Then he led me
to the gate, the gate facing toward the east; (see
diagram) and behold,
the glory of the God of Israel
was coming from the way of the
east. And His voice was like the sound of many waters; and
the earth shone with His glory.
And it was like the appearance of the vision which I saw, like the vision
which I saw when He came to destroy the city
(see
departure of glory).
And the visions were like the vision which I saw by the river Chebar; and
I fell on my face. And the
glory of the LORD came into
the house by the way of the gate facing toward the east.
(cf Ezek 10:19, 11:23) And the Spirit lifted me up
and brought me into the inner court; and behold,
the glory of the Lord filled the
house." (cf Hag 2:9)
Ezek 44:4 Then He brought me by way of the north gate to the front of the
house; and I looked, and behold, the glory of the LORD filled the house of
the LORD, and I fell on my face.
Mt 25:31
"But when the Son of Man comes
in His glory, and all the angels with Him,
then He will sit on His glorious throne. 32 "And all the nations will be
gathered before Him; and He will separate them from one another, as the
shepherd separates the sheep from the goats; 33 and He will put the sheep
on His right, and the goats on the left.
Mk 8:38
"For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful
generation, the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him when
He comes in
the glory of His Father with the holy angels."
Mk 10:37 And they said to Him, "Grant that
we may sit in Your glory, one on Your right, and one on Your left."
Hag 2:9 "The
latter glory of this house
(the Millennial Temple) will be greater than the former (Solomon's
Temple),' says the LORD of hosts, 'and in this place I shall
give peace,' declares the LORD of hosts."
|
Haggai's prophecy is given
after the destruction of Solomon's Temple in
586BC, after the 70 year Babylonian Exile and after the return of the Jews
to Israel in about 536. The foundation of the Temple had been laid in
536BC but then about 16 years of spiritual apathy set in with no work on
the so-called "second" Temple. Haggai gives this prophecy in about 520BC.
Haggai's prophecy cannot be a reference to the restored, post-exilic
temple for there is no record
in Scripture that it ever manifested the
glory of the LORD.
The context of
Haggai's prophecy is clearly tied to the return of Christ, at the end of
the Great Tribulation. The LORD of
hosts declared “Once more in a little while,
I am going to shake the heavens and the earth (such a worldwide
shaking has yet to occur), the sea also and the dry land. ‘And I will
shake all the (Gentile) nations (this has not yet
been fulfilled but will be consummated at His triumphant return at the end
of Daniel's Seventieth Week [often referred to as "The Tribulation"
- see
Great Tribulation] as
described in Rev 19:11, 12, 13,
14, 15, 16-note) and they will come with the wealth of all nations
and I will fill this house (Temple of God) with
glory, ‘says the Lord of hosts." (Hag
2:6, 7)
The
glory
of the millennial temple is Christ Himself and in Hag 2:9 referred to
as
the latter,
will far surpass the grandeur of Solomon’s temple (the
former) as described in
glorious detail in Ezekiel (Ez
40–48).
As beautiful as it was
externally, the only time Herod's Temple had true "glory"
was when the Son of God and of Glory (Jn1:14),
entered the Temple Mount area. In a sense one might argue that Jesus'
entrance was a partial fulfillment of Haggai's prophecy. In support of this interpretation we
have Jesus' own claim in Mt 12:6 "that something greater than the Temple is here."
In addition in Jn 2:19 in answer to His disciples
query for a sign He declared "Destroy this temple and in 3 days I will
raise it up." John goes on to explain that Jesus was "speaking of
His body." (Jn 2:21)
So clearly Jesus presents His physical body as a picture of the physical
Temple and stated that this "Temple" had "something greater." Taking these Scriptures together, one can see how Jesus' "Temple" manifested greater glory than Solomon's Temple.
The ultimate
fulfillment of Haggai's prophecy however awaits Messiah's Second Coming, when
He returns and enters the Temple to reign on His Throne in the Millennial Temple
in Jerusalem (see Ezek 43:1, 2, 3, 4, 5,
Ezekiel 40-48).
As additional support that Haggai is referring primarily to the
Millennium, the phrase "I
shall give peace"
will only be completely fulfilled in the
"Prince of Peace"
in whose kingdom " there will be no end to the increase...of peace" (Isa
9:6, 7)
|
Hab 2:14 "For the earth will be filled With the knowledge of the
glory of the LORD,
as the waters cover the sea.
|
Although not
everyone agrees, the consensus is that this prophecy is most
completely fulfilled in the Millennial Kingdom when Messiah Himself
rules from Jerusalem and the same interpretation applies to the
passage below. |
Num 14:21 but indeed, as I live, all the earth will be filled with the
glory
of the LORD.
Phil 3:20-21
(note)
For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a
Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; Who will transform the body of our
humble state into conformity with
the body of His
glory,
by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to
Himself.
Col 1:27
(note)
to whom God willed to make known what is
the riches of the glory of
this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the
hope of glory.
|
Since "hope"
is the absolute certainty of future good, "hope of glory"
is the certainty that believers will see and experience the fullness
of God's glory which once dwelt in the form of the Shekinah
glory-cloud in the midst of His people. |
Col 3:4-5
(note)
When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed
with Him in
glory.
(truth which should motivate every believer to) therefore consider the
members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion,
evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry.
|
As believer's our absolute assurance of future glory should motivate
our present choices to be such that they give the world a proper
opinion of Who God is (i.e., that our actions glorify God)
|
John 17:24 "Father, I desire that
they also, whom Thou hast given Me, be with Me where I am, in order that
they may behold My glory,
which Thou hast given Me; for Thou didst love Me before the foundation of
the world.
|
God will surely answer
this prayer of His beloved Son and we can be absolutely sure that, if we
truly belong to Christ through faith in Him, we shall one day "see the
king in His beauty" and "shall behold the land that is very far off"
(Isaiah 33:17). And then, "when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for
we shall see him as he is" (1John 3:2). |
Isa 35:2 1 The wilderness
and the desert will be glad, and the Arabah will rejoice and blossom, like
the crocus. It will blossom profusely and
rejoice with rejoicing and shout of joy. (Why will the wilderness and
desert be glad?) 2 The glory of Lebanon will be
given to it, the majesty of Carmel and Sharon. They will see the
glory of the LORD,
the majesty of our God. 3
Encourage the exhausted, and strengthen the feeble
(faint, staggering and about to fall) 4 Say to those with anxious
heart, "Take courage, fear not. Behold, your God will come
with vengeance (see Rev 19:11ff-note). The recompense of God
will come, but He will save you (see Ro 11:26, 27-note)."
|
Isaiah 35 is one of the great
descriptions of the 1000 year reign of Messiah on earth (the "Millennium")
when all shall see the glory of the LORD reigning as
the King of kings on the throne of David in His holy Temple in Jerusalem.
Paul tells us that now all of creation (presumably this includes the
"wilderness and the desert" Isaiah writes about above) is groaning and travailing in pain
(Ro 8:22), while Isaiah
prophesies that in the renewed glory of the Millennium all creation will
rejoice. Lebanon, Carmel, and Sharon were three of the most fruitful and
beautiful places in the land, and yet the desert would become more
fruitful and beautiful than the three places put together! This aspect of "glory" is
clearly good news and so Isaiah exhorts the people of his time (the
remnant of believing Jews) to encourage one another in light of this
sure and steadfast hope and certain promise of future good -- good advice
for believers in any age who might currently be depressed, discouraged or
fearful...hold on for you will see
the glory of the LORD!
|
Zechariah 2:1-5 (esp verse 5) "1 Then I lifted up my eyes and
looked, and behold, there was a man with a measuring line in his hand.2 So
I said, “Where are you going?” And he said to me, “To measure Jerusalem,
to see how wide it is and how long it is.”3 And behold, the angel who was
speaking with me was going out, and another angel was coming out to meet
him,4 and said to him, “Run, speak to that young man, saying, ‘Jerusalem
will be inhabited without walls, because of the multitude of men and
cattle within it.5 ‘For I,‘ declares Jehovah, ‘will be a wall of fire
around her, and I will be the
glory
in her midst."
|
These conditions have never been historically
fulfilled in Jerusalem. Therefore this section predicts the
restoration and rebuilding of Jerusalem in the coming Messianic kingdom. Jerusalem
will not need walls because Messiah Himself will be her protection even as
He (the Angel of God) protected
Israel from the Egyptian army. (Ex. 14:19, 20) The "wall of
fire" parallels the pillar of
fire in Exodus (Ex. 13:21)
(See also Isa 4:4, 5, 6) |
Isa 40:4-5 "Let every
valley be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; and let the
rough ground become a plain, and the rugged terrain a broad valley. Then
the glory of the Lord
will be revealed, and all flesh
will see it together; for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”
|
The remnant of Israel could
remove obstacles from the coming Messiah’s path through repentance from
their sins. John the Baptist reminded his listeners of this necessity (Mt
3:2), as did Jesus (Mt 4:17; Mk 1:15). Eastern monarchs would send
heralds before them to clear away obstacles, make causeways,
straighten crooked roads and valleys, and level hills (cf. Isa 45:1,
2). Raising the valleys and lowering the mountains refer in
hyperbole to workmen leveling or smoothing out the roads on which a
dignitary would travel when he came to visit an area. Today an
equivalent is, ”roll out the red carpet.“ In Isaiah’s day he was
calling Israel to be ”smoothed out“ so that the Lord could come to
the nation and rule. This was emphasized by all the
prophets-ethically the nation must be righteous. .John the Baptist
had the task of getting people ready for Messiah’s arrival.
Jerusalem’s misery is to end and the Lord’s glory to replace it, so
comfort will come to the city (Isa 40:2), and every person will see
God’s glorious salvation (cf. Isa 52:10) in Messiah’s future kingdom
(Hab 2:14 ; Rev 21:23). |
Rev 5:12
(note) saying with a loud voice, "Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to
receive power and riches and wisdom and might and honor and glory and
blessing." 13 And every created thing which is in heaven and on the earth
and under the earth and on the sea, and all things in them, I heard
saying, " To Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, be blessing and
honor and glory and dominion forever and ever."
Isa 4:4
When the Lord has washed
away the filth of the daughters of Zion, and purged the bloodshed of
Jerusalem from her midst, by the spirit of judgment and the spirit of
burning, then (when?) the Lord will create over the whole area of Mount Zion and
over her assemblies a cloud by day, even smoke, and the
brightness of a flaming fire by night; for over all the
glory
will be a canopy.6 And there will be a shelter to give shade from the heat
by day, and refuge and protection from the storm and the rain.
|
When Messiah returns Jerusalem in
the Millennium will enjoy the Lord’s protective care and covering manifest
as the Shekinah glory cloud on Mt. Zion (Jerusalem). Ezekiel’s prophecy
records the return of the Shekinah to the temple (Ezek 43:2, 3, 4, 5). And
so in the future, we too will see God’s Shekinah glory just as was
visible to Israel in the Exodus from Egypt (Ex 13:20, 22) God’s
Shekinah glory, like a tent, will provide shelter, refuge and protection,
not only for Israel but for all the redeemed. |
Rev 21:3 (note) And I heard
a loud voice from the throne, saying, “Behold, the tabernacle (skene
= tent, dwelling & in Septuagint is the Greek word used to translate
the Hebrew word
miskan or "tabernacle") of God is among men, and He shall dwell (skenoo
= tabernacle, settle, dwell take up residence) among (meta
= a marker of placement, with, in company with) them, and they shall be
His people, and God Himself shall be among them"
|
In Rev 7:15-note
we have a parallel verse where
John records that the redeemed "are before the throne of God; and they
serve Him day and night in His temple; and He who sits on the throne
shall spread His tabernacle (skenoo)
over (or upon) them." Here we see the Lord Jesus in
the body of His glory, dwelling in the same tent He lived in while on
earth, but in that tent glorified. God the Son will live in that tent, His
glorified human body, all through eternity, with the saved of the human
race, who like Him will live in their earthly tents glorified. One has the
picture that believers are forever encompassed in the Shekinah glory of
the Lord.
Beloved, whatever
affliction, trial or sorrow you are experiencing or will experience, be
encouraged by the awesome truth....
Saved sinners
sheltered forever in the shade of their Savior!
D H Stern
writes that "This important verse tells the final fulfillment of one of
the most frequently repeated covenant promises in the Tanakh, that God
will dwell with His people and be their God, with full fellowship restored
as in the Garden of Eden." (Jewish New Testament commentary)
God dwelling among
men was the purpose of the tabernacle of old (cf. Ex 25:8, 9); indeed, it
was the object of the incarnation (cf. Jn 1:14),
Immanuel (God with us) in the most universal and complete sense
The verb
skenoo,
‘to tabernacle,’ is only found in John's writings and as discussed in
these notes is used in referring to the Shekinah or the Word
(Jesus, the perfect God-Man) tabernacling among men (Jn 1:14). The
tabernacle had always symbolized God’s dwelling among His people (Ex 25:8,
9; Ex 29:45; 1 Ki 6:12,13); God had also promised to “dwell” among
his people as part of His covenant
(Lev 26:11 12) and in fact the
Septuagint translates verse 11 "I will set my covenant among you, and my
soul shall not abhor you". The Hebrew word for "dwelling " is (mishkan)
which we have discussed above as related to the concept of the Shekinah.
(cf Ezek 37:24, 25, 26, 27, 28; Ezek 43:7, 8, 9, 10; Zech 2:11).
Life Application
Bible notes that "God had promised that one day, “I will live
among you, and I will not despise you. I will walk among you; I will be
your God, and you will be my people” (Leviticus 26:11, 12 nlt). What
has been foreshadowed in God’s presence in the Tabernacle (Exodus
40:34, 35), in the Temple (1Kings 8:10, 11), and in the bodily presence
of God himself in Jesus (John 1:14) will become a reality in the new
Jerusalem. As God had walked with Adam and Eve in the Garden (Genesis
3:8), so he will live with his people. God’s people will live within the
Shekinah glory of God. The presence of God among his people fulfills all
the longing of the entire Bible. The Old Testament prophets had foreseen
this great day:
• “I will make you my own special people, and I will be your God” (Ex 6:7
nlt).
• “I will live among you, and I will not despise you. I will walk among
you; I will be your God, and you will be my people” (Lev 26:11, 12 nlt).
• “For you are a holy people, who belong to the Lord your God. Of all the
people on earth, the Lord your God has chosen you to be his own special
treasure” (Deut 7:6 nlt).
• “I will put my laws in their minds, and I will write them on their
hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people…. Everyone, from
the least to the greatest, will already know me” (Jer 31:33, 34 nlt).
• “My dwelling place will be with them; I will be their God, and they will
be my people” (Ezek 37:27 niv).
• “I will bring them back to live in Jerusalem; they will be my people,
and I will be faithful and righteous to them as their God” (Zech 8:8 niv).
This desire to be in the presence of God should be our strongest desire
here on earth and the focus of all our worship."
John MacArthur adds
that " God will pitch His tent among His people; no longer will He be far
off, distant, transcendent. No more will His presence be veiled in the
human form of Jesus Christ, even in His millennial majesty, or in the
cloud and pillar of fire, or inside the Holy of Holies. The amazing
reality that “the pure in heart … shall see God” (Mt 5:8-note) will come to
pass. Christ’s prayer, recorded in John 17:24, will be answered: “Father,
I desire that they also, whom You have given Me, be with Me where I am, so
that they may see My glory which You have given Me” (cf. John 14:1, 2, 3; 1Th 4:13,
14, 15, 16, 17-note). There will be “no temple in [heaven], for the Lord God
the Almighty and the Lamb are its temple” (Rev 21:22-note). Their presence will
permeate heaven and will not be confined to one place of manifestation. So
staggering is this truth that the heavenly voice repeats it several ways.
To the mind-boggling reality that the tabernacle of God is among men he
adds the statement that God will dwell among them, and they shall be His
people, and God Himself will be among them (cf. Rev 22:3, 4-note).
This will be a manifestation of God’s glorious presence to His people like
no other in redemptive history and the culmination of all divine promise
and human hope.
|
“My Savior First
of All,
by Fanny Crosby
Click to play hymn |
When my life work is ended and I cross the swelling tide,
When the bright and glorious morning I shall see,
I shall know my Redeemer when I reach the other side,
And His smile will be the first to welcome me.
Thru the gates to the city, in a robe of spotless white,
He will lead me where no tears will ever fall,
In the glad song of ages I shall mingle with delight—
But I long to meet my Savior first of all. |
Rev 7:15
(note) For this reason, they
are before the throne of God; and they serve Him day and night in His
temple; and He who sits on the throne shall spread His tabernacle over
them.
Rev 21:10 (note) And he carried me away in
the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the holy city,
Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, 11
having the glory of God. Her brilliance was like a very costly stone, as a stone of crystal-clear
jasper.
Isa 60:19
"No longer will you have the sun for light by day,
Nor for brightness will the moon give you light; But you will have the
LORD for an everlasting light, and your God for your
glory.
20 "Your sun will set no
more, neither will your moon wane; for you will have the LORD for an
everlasting light, and the days of your mourning will be finished. 21
"Then all your people will be righteous; They will possess the land
forever, the branch of My planting, the work of My hands, that I may be
glorified."
|
Isaiah is describing the light
of the glory of God that will come to Israel when her Messiah Himself
returns to reign in Jerusalem. Then “the earth shall be filled with the
knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea” (Hab.
2:14). This passage has been interpreted by some as a description of the
New Jerusalem (in the age following the Millennial reign) especially
because of the statements about no long having the sun which seems to
parallel John's description in Rev 21. However in context it appears more
likely that Isaiah is describing a restored Jerusalem with Messiah
reigning. It should not surprise us that Isaiah's description of the
Millennial conditions overlaps with that of John's description of the New
Jerusalem, for the presence of God is the dominant figure in both. |
Rev 22:3 (note) And there shall no longer
be any curse; and the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and
His bond-servants shall serve Him; 4 and they shall see His face, and His
name shall be on their foreheads. 5 And there shall no longer be any
night; and they shall not have need of the light of a lamp nor the light
of the sun, because the Lord God shall illumine them; and they shall reign
forever and ever.
IN LIGHT OF THE INCREDIBLE
REVELATION OF THE SHEKINAH GLORY OF JEHOVAH
PAST, PRESENT AND THROUGHOUT ETERNITY
LET ALL GOD'S PEOPLE WITH GRATEFUL HEARTS PROCLAIM...
"Oh, the depth of the riches
both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His
judgments and unfathomable His ways! For WHO HAS KNOWN THE MIND OF THE
LORD, OR WHO BECAME HIS COUNSELOR? Or WHO HAS FIRST GIVEN TO HIM THAT
IT MIGHT BE PAID BACK TO HIM AGAIN? For from Him and through Him and to
Him are all things.
To Him be the glory forever.
Amen"
(Ro 11:33-36)
