“Then the glory of the God of Israel rose up from between the cherubim, where it had rested, and moved to the entrance of the Temple” (Ezekiel 9:3, NLT).
In the Old Testament, the presence of God was manifested by a cloud symbolizing the fullness of His glory. The cloud of glory – the Shekinah of God – had come to live among His people in the Tabernacle (Ex. 40:34) and later in the temple (1 Kings 8:10-11). In Ezekiel, however, there is a graphic warning. In a vision, Ezekiel saw God’s glory departing from Israel because of the nation’s sin (Ezek. 9:3).
While here on earth, Christ showed Peter, James, and John a little glimpse of His glory when He was transfigured before them (Matt. 17:1-6). God’s glory becomes part of our life through the Holy Spirit, who takes up residence in us when we accept Christ as our Savior. The Holy Spirit is our assurance that we will share in Christ’s glory. But we need to “be filled with the Holy Spirit” (Eph. 5:18). This command is in the present tense, indicating our need to constantly be filled and controlled by the Spirit. Far from being a once-and-for-all act, being filled with the Spirit is an ongoing experience for the believer. As His children, we ought to reflect His glory as we allow God to transform us into His image.
You may be a believer, but are you filled with the fullness of God’s glory? Do you even know whether God’s glory is present in your life? May the blessing of the fullness of the glory of the Lord be ours! May the fullness of His glory shine out and draw others to Him!
PRAYER
Lord, thank You for revealing Your glory to us. Thank You for the assurance that You are here among us. Help me to grasp the great truth that Your Holy Spirit dwells in me. Let Your Spirit control me as I am transformed into Your image. Amen.
