“The priests could not stand to minister by reason of the cloud, for the glory of the Lord had filled the house of God.” 2 Chronicles 5:14
Dear Ones:
When Israel was being brought out of Egypt, God showed the nation the “way” by leading them in the day time with the sight of a “cloudy pillar.” When the tabernacle had been constructed “in the wilderness (desert,)” and Moses would go to worship there, “…the cloudy pillar descended, and stood at the door of the tabernacle.” (Exodus 33:9) When Solomon had finished building the Temple, and the day of its consecration had arrived, “…the house was filled with a cloud, even the house of the Lord; so that the priests could not stand to minister by reason of the cloud for the glory of the Lord had filled the house of God.” (2 Chronicles 5:13,14) That which is consistently revealed in these passages is that God manifested His presence, His fullness, in a very demonstrative way. When we come to the New Testament, where Scripture tells us that the believer IS a temple of God, we are faced with the same issue of the consistent revelation of God’s glory. First, it was demonstrated in the life of Christ, who would declare: “….he that hath seen Me hath seen the Father,” and also, “…I am in the Father, and the Father in Me.” (Jn. 14:10,11) How do we reconcile the revelation of God in the Old Testament to that of the New Testament? And how can we apply the teaching to our lives?
In a most remarkable declaration by the Apostle Paul to the believers in Corinth, he writes: “…for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, ‘I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.” (2 Cor. 6:16) What is He saying here? The same glory that was in the tabernacle and temple of the Old Testament, is IN the living temple of every believer in Christ. The same God resides in the heart. Paul writes in Ephesians 3:17 that He (Christ) is to dwell in the heart BY FAITH. How do we apply this matter of the “glory of God” as revealed throughout Scripture? The greatest revelation of the nature of God to mankind is that in the person of Jesus Christ, God in the flesh. It is in the revelation of His nature, specifically His love, that the “glory” is most unveiled. The ancient “cloud” may speak of His sovereignty, power, and wisdom, but the crucified Christ will declare His eternal, unchanging love.
“Lord Jesus Christ, we seek Thy face; within the veil we bow the knee; Oh, let Thy glory fill the place, And bless us while we wait on Thee.” (Alexander Stewart)
Dear Father, give us to see how holy is our calling, and what a privilege it is that we should be Thy dwelling place by the Spirit. Take these cups of our lives, cleanse them, and fill them with Thyself. Give us to be filled with the love of God, in all wisdom and spiritual understanding, abounding in thanksgiving as we live by Thy Son’s faith. Reveal Thy glory TO us, and THROUGH us, that the world may know that Thou art GOD and that Thou art GOOD, worthy to be trusted fully, and forever. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Love, Dad[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]