We understand that the Glory of the Lord came into the temple during Solomon’s dedication of the temple. We also know that the Glory of the Lord left the Temple at the time of Ezekiel. To gain an overview of this subject we will do a lot of reading so that we can understand the importance of the Day of Pentecost. The Glory is the manifested presence of the Holy Spirit, who is the reflection of Yahweh. This is a thirty thousand foot view of the Glory of Yahweh. Our struggle today is that we have many denominations that do not believe in the ministry of the Holy Spirit and do not understand the gifts of the Spirit, which is why we have a lot of division on this subject. The Lord allowed Solomon to build the temple as the ark of the covenant was simply under a tent in the City of David (Zion). The altar of sacrifice was at Gibeon. David spent a lot of time praying and worshipping in Gibeon and Solomon sacrificed in Gibeon as well. Since David had brought the ark to the City of David the temple was a consolidation of worship and rituals. The people were simply worshipping Yahweh on high places, while the priests were ministering in the City of David where the ark was and at Gibeon where the altar of sacrifice was. When the temple was constructed and the Glory of Yahweh filled the temple, the priests could not stand in the face of the Elohim. But after many years of defilement the Glory of Yahweh left. Let’s explore.
From the Exodus we see the Glory of Yahweh appear from time to time. The Glory appeared in Moses’ tabernacle as well, but it was not a permanent fixture in Israel or among the Israelites. Solomon was to build a temple for a permanent dwelling of Yahweh and the Glory of Yahweh resided there from 1004 BCE to 597 BCE which is around 407 years. Solomon died in 976 BCE which allowed defilement to enter into the temple. (See JR Church’s timeline of the missing 243 years.) This tells us that the Holy Spirit resided alongside the idols, the male and female prostitution booths, and the child sacrifices for about 379 years. Or we could say that the Holy Spirit dwelt in the temple purely, without defilement, for 28 years.
Solomon tells us about the Spirit of Wisdom who is the Glory of the Almighty.
Wis 7:22 For wisdom, which is the worker of all things, taught me: for in her is an understanding spirit holy, one only, manifold, subtil, lively, clear, undefiled, plain, not subject to hurt, loving the thing that is good quick, which cannot be letted, ready to do good,
Wis 7:23 Kind to man, steadfast, sure, free from care, having all power, overseeing all things, and going through all understanding, pure, and most subtil, spirits.
Wis 7:24 For wisdom is more moving than any motion: she passeth and goeth through all things by reason of her pureness.
Wis 7:25 For she is the breath of the power of God, and a pure influence flowing from the glory of the Almighty: therefore can no defiled thing fall into her.
The word “influence” is also translated “emmanation”, meaning that she, wisdom, is purity that flows from the Glory of the Almighty and she flows by reason of her pureness. She has power and oversees all things. The Glory is the manifested presence of the Holy Spirit, who is the reflection of Yahweh. Solomon prays.
Wis 9:1 O God of my fathers, and Lord of mercy, who hast made all things with thy word,
Wis 9:2 And ordained man through thy wisdom, that he should have dominion over the creatures which thou hast made,
Wis 9:3 And order the world according to equity and righteousness, and execute judgment with an upright heart:
Wis 9:4 Give me wisdom, that sitteth by thy throne; and reject me not from among thy children:
Wis 9:5 For I thy servant and son of thine handmaid am a feeble person, and of a short time, and too young for the understanding of judgment and laws.
Wis 9:6 For though a man be never so perfect among the children of men, yet if thy wisdom be not with him, he shall be nothing regarded.
Wis 9:7 Thou hast chosen me to be a king of thy people, and a judge of thy sons and daughters:
Wis 9:8 Thou hast commanded me to build a temple upon thy holy mount, and an altar in the city wherein thou dwellest, a resemblance of the holy tabernacle, which thou hast prepared from the beginning.
Wis 9:9 And wisdom was with thee: which knoweth thy works, and was present when thou madest the world, and knew what was acceptable in thy sight, and right in thy commandments.
Wis 9:10 O send her out of thy holy heavens, and from the throne of thy glory, that being present she may labour with me, that I may know what is pleasing unto thee.
Wis 9:11 For she knoweth and understandeth all things, and she shall lead me soberly in my doings, and preserve me in her power.
Wis 9:12 So shall my works be acceptable, and then shall I judge thy people righteously, and be worthy to sit in my father's seat.
Solomon asks for the Spirit of Wisdom, which was at the Lords throne of Glory, to work with him. It is rather humbling of Solomon to admit that he needs help in judgment. Today, people judge according to their own opinions rather than by the opinions of God.
Wis 9:17 And who shall know thy thought, except thou give wisdom, and send thy holy Spirit from above:
Wis 9:18 And so the ways of them that are upon earth may be corrected, and men may learn the things that please thee?
Wis 9:19 For by wisdom they were healed, whosoever have pleased thee, O Lord, from the beginning.
Solomon rightly concludes that we cannot know God’s thoughts unless we are given Wisdom. Solomon asks the Lord to send the Holy Spirit. Solomon was sacrificing in Gibeon and Yahweh appeared in a dream.
1Ki 3:2 Only the people sacrificed in high places, because there was no house built unto the name of the LORD, until those days.
1Ki 3:3 And Solomon loved the LORD, walking in the statutes of David his father: only he sacrificed and burnt incense in high places.
1Ki 3:4 And the king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there; for that was the great high place: a thousand burnt offerings did Solomon offer upon that altar.
1Ki 3:5 In Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream by night: and God said, Ask what I shall give thee.
1Ki 3:6 And Solomon said, Thou hast shewed unto thy servant David my father great mercy, according as he walked before thee in truth, and in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart with thee; and thou hast kept for him this great kindness, that thou hast given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is this day.
1Ki 3:7 And now, O LORD my God, thou hast made thy servant king instead of David my father: and I am but a little child: I know not how to go out or come in.
1Ki 3:8 And thy servant is in the midst of thy people which thou hast chosen, a great people, that cannot be numbered nor counted for multitude.
1Ki 3:9 Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people?
Again we see Solomon’s humility. He regards his age as young, and he himself in need of help. Solomon builds the temple and goes back to the City of David as that is where the ark and the tent were.
1Ki 9:1 And it came to pass, when Solomon had finished the building of the house of the LORD, and the king's house, and all Solomon's desire which he was pleased to do,
1Ki 9:2 That the LORD appeared to Solomon the second time, as he had appeared unto him at Gibeon.
1Ki 9:3 And the LORD said unto him, I have heard thy prayer and thy supplication, that thou hast made before me: I have hallowed this house, which thou hast built, to put my name there for ever; and mine eyes and mine heart shall be there perpetually.
1Ki 9:4 And if thou wilt walk before me, as David thy father walked, in integrity of heart, and in uprightness, to do according to all that I have commanded thee, and wilt keep my statutes and my judgments:
1Ki 9:5 Then I will establish the throne of thy kingdom upon Israel for ever, as I promised to David thy father, saying, There shall not fail thee a man upon the throne of Israel.
1Ki 9:6 But if ye shall at all turn from following me, ye or your children, and will not keep my commandments and my statutes which I have set before you, but go and serve other gods, and worship them:
1Ki 9:7 Then will I cut off Israel out of the land which I have given them; and this house, which I have hallowed for my name, will I cast out of my sight; and Israel shall be a proverb and a byword among all people:
Here we see the conditions that Yahweh established before Solomon. The promise for worshipping other gods was that Israel would be cut off from the land. Remember, during the exodus the people were worshipping the cherubim on the ark and naming them. When they entered the land under Joshua, they fell into worshipping idols and were under the captivity of the Philistines several times. The Philistines are the mixed tribes of the heirs of the Nephilim. David rose up and did so much damage to the tribe of the Philistines that they didn’t rise up against Israel until the Babylonian captivity.
2Ch 5:5 And they brought up the ark, and the tabernacle of the congregation, and all the holy vessels that were in the tabernacle, these did the priests and the Levites bring up.
2Ch 5:6 Also king Solomon, and all the congregation of Israel that were assembled unto him before the ark, sacrificed sheep and oxen, which could not be told nor numbered for multitude.
2Ch 5:7 And the priests brought in the ark of the covenant of the LORD unto his place, to the oracle of the house, into the most holy place, even under the wings of the cherubims:
2Ch 5:8 For the cherubims spread forth their wings over the place of the ark, and the cherubims covered the ark and the staves thereof above.
2Ch 5:9 And they drew out the staves of the ark, that the ends of the staves were seen from the ark before the oracle; but they were not seen without. And there it is unto this day.
2Ch 5:10 There was nothing in the ark save the two tables which Moses put therein at Horeb, when the LORD made a covenant with the children of Israel, when they came out of Egypt.
2Ch 5:11 And it came to pass, when the priests were come out of the holy place: (for all the priests that were present were sanctified, and did not then wait by course:
2Ch 5:12 Also the Levites which were the singers, all of them of Asaph, of Heman, of Jeduthun, with their sons and their brethren, being arrayed in white linen, having cymbals and psalteries and harps, stood at the east end of the altar, and with them an hundred and twenty priests sounding with trumpets:)
2Ch 5:13 It came even to pass, as the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the LORD; and when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of musick, and praised the LORD, saying,…. G1843 Make acknowledgment G3588 to the G2962 lord G3754 for G18 he is good, G3754 for G1519 into G3588 the G165 eon G3588 G1656 is his mercy! G1473 G2532 And G3588 the G3624 house G1705 was filled up G3507 of the cloud G2532 and G1391 of the glory G2962 of the lord .
14 G2532 And G3756 [3were not able G1410 G3588 1the G2409 2priests] G3588 G2476 to stand G3008 to officiate G575 before G4383 the face G3588 of the G3507 cloud, G3754 for G1705 [3filled up G1391 1 the glory G2962 2 of the lord] G3588 the G3624 house G3588 G2316 of God
Upon worshipping, there was a cloud that filled the temple that was the doxa, glory, splendor, brightness, renown, or honor, of Yahweh. The priests could not minister or publicly serve from the face or countenance of the cloud. They were not strong enough or capable enough because the glory of Yahweh filled the house of the Elohim. There had been a cloud that led the people out of Egypt, and now a cloud filled the temple.
Moses’ two tablets were the only thing in the ark.
2Ch 6:1 Then said Solomon, The LORD hath said that he would dwell in the thick darkness.
2Ch 6:2 But I have built an house of habitation for thee, and a place for thy dwelling for ever.
2Ch 6:3 And the king turned his face, and blessed the whole congregation of Israel: and all the congregation of Israel stood.
2Ch 6:4 And he said, Blessed be the LORD God of Israel, who hath with his hands fulfilled that which he spake with his mouth to my father David, saying,
2Ch 6:5 Since the day that I brought forth my people out of the land of Egypt I chose no city among all the tribes of Israel to build an house in, that my name might be there; neither chose I any man to be a ruler over my people Israel:
2Ch 6:6 But I have chosen Jerusalem, that my name might be there; and have chosen David to be over my people Israel.
2Ch 6:7 Now it was in the heart of David my father to build an house for the name of the LORD God of Israel.
2Ch 6:8 But the LORD said to David my father, Forasmuch as it was in thine heart to build an house for my name, thou didst well in that it was in thine heart:
2Ch 6:9 Notwithstanding thou shalt not build the house; but thy son which shall come forth out of thy loins, he shall build the house for my name.
2Ch 6:10 The LORD therefore hath performed his word that he hath spoken: for I am risen up in the room of David my father, and am set on the throne of Israel, as the LORD promised, and have built the house for the name of the LORD God of Israel.
2Ch 6:11 And in it have I put the ark, wherein is the covenant of the LORD, that he made with the children of Israel.
We see that Solomon is praying while the house is filled with a cloud. Solomon had made a scaffolding, so that he could kneel and be seen by the people when he prayed.
2Ch 6:12 And he stood before the altar of the LORD in the presence of all the congregation of Israel, and spread forth his hands:
2Ch 6:13 For Solomon had made a brasen scaffold, of five cubits long, and five cubits broad, and three cubits high, and had set it in the midst of the court: and upon it he stood, and kneeled down upon his knees before all the congregation of Israel, and spread forth his hands toward heaven,
2Ch 6:14 And said, O LORD God of Israel, there is no God like thee in the heaven, nor in the earth; which keepest covenant, and shewest mercy unto thy servants, that walk before thee with all their hearts:
2Ch 6:15 Thou which hast kept with thy servant David my father that which thou hast promised him; and spakest with thy mouth, and hast fulfilled it with thine hand, as it is this day.
2Ch 6:16 Now therefore, O LORD God of Israel, keep with thy servant David my father that which thou hast promised him, saying, There shall not fail thee a man in my sight to sit upon the throne of Israel; yet so that thy children take heed to their way to walk in my law, as thou hast walked before me.
2Ch 6:17 Now then, O LORD God of Israel, let thy word be verified, which thou hast spoken unto thy servant David.
2Ch 6:18 But will God in very deed dwell with men on the earth? behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how much less this house which I have built!
2Ch 6:19 Have respect therefore to the prayer of thy servant, and to his supplication, O LORD my God, to hearken unto the cry and the prayer which thy servant prayeth before thee:
2Ch 6:20 That thine eyes may be open upon this house day and night, upon the place whereof thou hast said that thou wouldest put thy name there; to hearken unto the prayer which thy servant prayeth toward this place.
2Ch 6:21 Hearken therefore unto the supplications of thy servant, and of thy people Israel, which they shall make toward this place: hear thou from thy dwelling place, even from heaven; and when thou hearest, forgive.
2Ch 6:22 If a man sin against his neighbour, and an oath be laid upon him to make him swear, and the oath come before thine altar in this house;
2Ch 6:23 Then hear thou from heaven, and do, and judge thy servants, by requiting the wicked, by recompensing his way upon his own head; and by justifying the righteous, by giving him according to his righteousness.
2Ch 6:24 And if thy people Israel be put to the worse before the enemy, because they have sinned against thee; and shall return and confess thy name, and pray and make supplication before thee in this house;
2Ch 6:25 Then hear thou from the heavens, and forgive the sin of thy people Israel, and bring them again unto the land which thou gavest to them and to their fathers.
2Ch 6:26 When the heaven is shut up, and there is no rain, because they have sinned against thee; yet if they pray toward this place, and confess thy name, and turn from their sin, when thou dost afflict them;
2Ch 6:27 Then hear thou from heaven, and forgive the sin of thy servants, and of thy people Israel, when thou hast taught them the good way, wherein they should walk; and send rain upon thy land, which thou hast given unto thy people for an inheritance.
2Ch 6:28 If there be dearth in the land, if there be pestilence, if there be blasting, or mildew, locusts, or caterpillers; if their enemies besiege them in the cities of their land; whatsoever sore or whatsoever sickness there be:
2Ch 6:29 Then what prayer or what supplication soever shall be made of any man, or of all thy people Israel, when every one shall know his own sore and his own grief, and shall spread forth his hands in this house:
2Ch 6:30 Then hear thou from heaven thy dwelling place, and forgive, and render unto every man according unto all his ways, whose heart thou knowest; (for thou only knowest the hearts of the children of men:)
2Ch 6:31 That they may fear thee, to walk in thy ways, so long as they live in the land which thou gavest unto our fathers.
2Ch 6:32 Moreover concerning the stranger, which is not of thy people Israel, but is come from a far country for thy great name's sake, and thy mighty hand, and thy stretched out arm; if they come and pray in this house;
2Ch 6:33 Then hear thou from the heavens, even from thy dwelling place, and do according to all that the stranger calleth to thee for; that all people of the earth may know thy name, and fear thee, as doth thy people Israel, and may know that this house which I have built is called by thy name.
2Ch 6:34 If thy people go out to war against their enemies by the way that thou shalt send them, and they pray unto thee toward this city which thou hast chosen, and the house which I have built for thy name;
2Ch 6:35 Then hear thou from the heavens their prayer and their supplication, and maintain their cause.
2Ch 6:36 If they sin against thee, (for there is no man which sinneth not,) and thou be angry with them, and deliver them over before their enemies, and they carry them away captives unto a land far off or near;
2Ch 6:37 Yet if they bethink themselves in the land whither they are carried captive, and turn and pray unto thee in the land of their captivity, saying, We have sinned, we have done amiss, and have dealt wickedly;
2Ch 6:38 If they return to thee with all their heart and with all their soul in the land of their captivity, whither they have carried them captives, and pray toward their land, which thou gavest unto their fathers, and toward the city which thou hast chosen, and toward the house which I have built for thy name:
2Ch 6:39 Then hear thou from the heavens, even from thy dwelling place, their prayer and their supplications, and maintain their cause, and forgive thy people which have sinned against thee.
Solomon’s prayer is not for him. Solomon’s prayer is for the people. The temple was the place people were to come to repent and receive forgiveness of sin. Solomon prays for Yahweh to hear the people pray because he knows that everyone will sin, and he knows Yahweh will punish the nation if they turn away from him. The temple was the central point of their nation so that the people could connect with Yahweh.
2 Chronicles 6:40 G2532 And G3568 now, G2962 O lord G3588 G2316 God, G1510.5 let [3be G1211 1indeed G3588 G3788 2your eyes] G1473 G455 open, G2532 and G3588 G3775 your ears G1473 G1907.1 attentive G1519 to G3588 the G1162 supplication G3588 G5117 of this place! G3778
41 G2532 And G3568 now, G450 rise up G2962 O lord G3588 G2316 God G1519 in G3588 G2663 your rest, G1473 G1473 you G2532 and G3588 the G2787 ark G3588 G2479 of your strength! G1473 G3588 G2409 Your priests, G1473 G2962 O lord G3588 G2316 God, G1746 shall clothe themselves G4991 in deliverance, G2532 and G3588 G3741 your sacred ones G1473 G2165 shall be glad G1722 in G18 good things .
42 G2962 O lord G3588 G2316 God, G3361 you should not G654 turn G3588 the G4383 face G3588 G5547 of your anointed one. G1473 G3403 Remember G3588 the G1656 mercies G* of David G3588 G1401 your servant! G1473
“Yahweh Elohim listen and see the petition of this place. Rise up Yahweh Elohim into your downward rest you and the sacred ark of your strength. The priests put on salvation and the holy people delight in Yahweh Elohim’s good nature. Yahweh Elohim do not turn away from the face of your anointed.”
Solomon fully expected the presence of Yahweh Elohim to abide in the temple. He asks Yahweh Elohim to regard his prayer.
2Ch 7:1 Now when Solomon had made an end of praying, the fire came down from heaven, and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices; and the glory of the LORD filled the house.
2Ch 7:2 And the priests could not enter into the house of the LORD, because the glory of the LORD had filled the LORD'S house.
2Ch 7:3 And when all the children of Israel saw how the fire came down, and the glory of the LORD upon the house, they bowed themselves with their faces to the ground upon the pavement, and worshipped, and praised the LORD, saying, For he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever.
First there was a cloud, now there is the Glory of Yahweh filling the temple. The Glory of Yahweh completely filled the temple. The priests couldn’t go in and the people fell on their faces on the pavement and made obeisance and praise to Yahweh. What a spectacular event the dedication of the temple was. The people worshipped Yahweh, the offerings were consumed, the Glory filled the temple and the priests could not enter in. There was singing and praying and worshipping. This was Israel’s connection to Yahweh. That very place was the place to meet Him. We remember the meeting in the wilderness where the people got scared and told Moses to go up the mountain and come back and tell them what Yahweh said, but this time Yahweh met with the people. This was a long celebration. After the people went home, Yahweh spoke to Solomon.
2Ch 7:12 And the LORD appeared to Solomon by night, and said unto him, I have heard thy prayer, and have chosen this place to myself for an house of sacrifice.
2Ch 7:13 If I shut up heaven that there be no rain, or if I command the locusts to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among my people;
2Ch 7:14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
2Ch 7:15 Now mine eyes shall be open, and mine ears attent unto the prayer that is made in this place.
2Ch 7:16 For now have I chosen and sanctified this house, that my name may be there for ever: and mine eyes and mine heart shall be there perpetually.
2Ch 7:17 And as for thee, if thou wilt walk before me, as David thy father walked, and do according to all that I have commanded thee, and shalt observe my statutes and my judgments;
2Ch 7:18 Then will I stablish the throne of thy kingdom, according as I have covenanted with David thy father, saying, There shall not fail thee a man to be ruler in Israel.
2Ch 7:19 But if ye turn away, and forsake my statutes and my commandments, which I have set before you, and shall go and serve other gods, and worship them;
2Ch 7:20 Then will I pluck them up by the roots out of my land which I have given them; and this house, which I have sanctified for my name, will I cast out of my sight, and will make it to be a proverb and a byword among all nations.
2Ch 7:21 And this house, which is high, shall be an astonishment to every one that passeth by it; so that he shall say, Why hath the LORD done thus unto this land, and unto this house?
2Ch 7:22 And it shall be answered, Because they forsook the LORD God of their fathers, which brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, and laid hold on other gods, and worshipped them, and served them: therefore hath he brought all this evil upon them.
Israel did become a byword, or a parable and a tale, among the nations. When people would pass by the temple they would be amazed that Yahweh Elohim forsook them for worshipping other gods. The kingdom split after Solomon’s death. The ten northern tribes were ruled by Jeroboam, and the southern tribes (Judah and Benjamin) ruled by Rehoboam.
1Ki 14:21 And Rehoboam the son of Solomon reigned in Judah. Rehoboam was forty and one years old when he began to reign, and he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city which the LORD did choose out of all the tribes of Israel, to put his name there. And his mother's name was Naamah an Ammonitess.
1Ki 14:22 And Judah did evil in the sight of the LORD, and they provoked him to jealousy with their sins which they had committed, above all that their fathers had done.
1Ki 14:23 For they also built them high places, and images, and groves, on every high hill, and under every green tree.
1Ki 14:24 And there were also sodomites in the land: and they did according to all the abominations of the nations which the LORD cast out before the children of Israel.
Judah built high places. Remember that before the temple, people worshipped Yahweh in the high places. Now they worshipped images and made sacred groves on every high hill. The “sodomites in the land” is known as a “bonding together” meaning a physical union of men. These were booths of male prostitutes made in the house of Yahweh. There were also booths of female prostitutes made in the house of Yahweh. There were good kings and bad kings. Hezekiah tried to clean up the temple and the southern kingdom, he even held a passover.
2Ki 21:1 Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign, and reigned fifty and five years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Hephzibah.
2Ki 21:2 And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, after the abominations of the heathen, whom the LORD cast out before the children of Israel.
2Ki 21:3 For he built up again the high places which Hezekiah his father had destroyed; and he reared up altars for Baal, and made a grove, as did Ahab king of Israel; and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served them.
2Ki 21:4 And he built altars in the house of the LORD, of which the LORD said, In Jerusalem will I put my name.
2Ki 21:5 And he built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of the LORD.
2Ki 21:6 And he made his son pass through the fire, and observed times, and used enchantments, and dealt with familiar spirits and wizards: he wrought much wickedness in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger.
2Ki 21:7 And he set a graven image of the grove that he had made in the house, of which the LORD said to David, and to Solomon his son, In this house, and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all tribes of Israel, will I put my name for ever:
2Ki 21:8 Neither will I make the feet of Israel move any more out of the land which I gave their fathers; only if they will observe to do according to all that I have commanded them, and according to all the law that my servant Moses commanded them.
2Ki 21:9 But they hearkened not: and Manasseh seduced them to do more evil than did the nations whom the LORD destroyed before the children of Israel.
Even after Josiah took 14 years to clean up the southern kingdom, also holding a passover, people eventually went back to their multitude of sins.
Eze 1:1 Now it came to pass in the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, in the fifth day of the month, as I was among the captives by the river of Chebar, that the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God.
Eze 1:2 In the fifth day of the month, which was the fifth year of king Jehoiachin's captivity,
Eze 1:3 The word of the LORD came expressly unto Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the river Chebar; and the hand of the LORD was there upon him.
Eze 1:4 And I looked, and, behold, a whirlwind came out of the north, a great cloud, and a fire infolding itself, and a brightness was about it, and out of the midst thereof as the colour of amber, out of the midst of the fire.
Ezekiel sees the Cherubim and the Ophanim. Ezekiel was one of the first group of people captured by Babylon just before the fall of the entire kingdom.
Eze 1:25 And there was a voice from the firmament that was over their heads, when they stood, and had let down their wings.
Eze 1:26 And above the firmament that was over their heads was the likeness of a throne, as the appearance of a sapphire stone: and upon the likeness of the throne was the likeness as the appearance of a man above upon it.
Eze 1:27 And I saw as the colour of amber, as the appearance of fire round about within it, from the appearance of his loins even upward, and from the appearance of his loins even downward, I saw as it were the appearance of fire, and it had brightness round about.
Eze 1:28 As the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud in the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness round about. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. And when I saw it, I fell upon my face, and I heard a voice of one that spake.
Ezekiel is told to be a watchman and speak to the children of Israel, but they won’t listen.
Eze 3:12 Then the spirit took me up, and I heard behind me a voice of a great rushing, saying, Blessed be the glory of the LORD from his place.
Eze 3:13 I heard also the noise of the wings of the living creatures that touched one another, and the noise of the wheels over against them, and a noise of a great rushing.
Eze 3:14 So the spirit lifted me up, and took me away, and I went in bitterness, in the heat of my spirit; but the hand of the LORD was strong upon me.
Eze 3:15 Then I came to them of the captivity at Telabib, that dwelt by the river of Chebar, and I sat where they sat, and remained there astonished among them seven days.
The Holy Spirit took Ezekiel up, and he heard a voice saying “Blessed be the Glory of Yahweh from out of his place”. Ezekiel is taken like a meteor to the river Chebar. It was a violent experience. Ezekiel sees the same Glory again.
Eze 3:22 And the hand of the LORD was there upon me; and he said unto me, Arise, go forth into the plain, and I will there talk with thee.
Eze 3:23 Then I arose, and went forth into the plain: and, behold, the glory of the LORD stood there, as the glory which I saw by the river of Chebar: and I fell on my face.
Eze 3:24 Then the spirit entered into me, and set me upon my feet, and spake with me, and said unto me, Go, shut thyself within thine house.
Eze 3:25 But thou, O son of man, behold, they shall put bands upon thee, and shall bind thee with them, and thou shalt not go out among them:
Eze 3:26 And I will make thy tongue cleave to the roof of thy mouth, that thou shalt be dumb, and shalt not be to them a reprover: for they are a rebellious house.
Eze 3:27 But when I speak with thee, I will open thy mouth, and thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; He that heareth, let him hear; and he that forbeareth, let him forbear: for they are a rebellious house.
The Holy Spirit came on Ezekiel and stood him up. Ezekiel is told that the Israelites would not listen to him and that they would bind him, but when Yahweh Elohim wants to say something, Ezekiel will speak. As we know, Judah does not listen.
Eze 8:1 And it came to pass in the sixth year, in the sixth month, in the fifth day of the month, as I sat in mine house, and the elders of Judah sat before me, that the hand of the Lord GOD fell there upon me.
Eze 8:2 Then I beheld, and lo a likeness as the appearance of fire: from the appearance of his loins even downward, fire; and from his loins even upward, as the appearance of brightness, as the colour of amber.
Eze 8:3 And he put forth the form of an hand, and took me by a lock of mine head; and the spirit lifted me up between the earth and the heaven, and brought me in the visions of God to Jerusalem, to the door of the inner gate that looketh toward the north; where was the seat of the image of jealousy, which provoketh to jealousy.
Eze 8:4 And, behold, the glory of the God of Israel was there, according to the vision that I saw in the plain.
Eze 8:5 Then said he unto me, Son of man, lift up thine eyes now the way toward the north. So I lifted up mine eyes the way toward the north, and behold northward at the gate of the altar this image of jealousy in the entry.
Eze 8:6 He said furthermore unto me, Son of man, seest thou what they do? even the great abominations that the house of Israel committeth here, that I should go far off from my sanctuary? but turn thee yet again, and thou shalt see greater abominations.
Eze 8:7 And he brought me to the door of the court; and when I looked, behold a hole in the wall.
Eze 8:8 Then said he unto me, Son of man, dig now in the wall: and when I had digged in the wall, behold a door.
Eze 8:9 And he said unto me, Go in, and behold the wicked abominations that they do here.
Eze 8:10 So I went in and saw; and behold every form of creeping things, and abominable beasts, and all the idols of the house of Israel, pourtrayed upon the wall round about.
Eze 8:11 And there stood before them seventy men of the ancients of the house of Israel, and in the midst of them stood Jaazaniah the son of Shaphan, with every man his censer in his hand; and a thick cloud of incense went up.
Eze 8:12 Then said he unto me, Son of man, hast thou seen what the ancients of the house of Israel do in the dark, every man in the chambers of his imagery? for they say, The LORD seeth us not; the LORD hath forsaken the earth.
Eze 8:13 He said also unto me, Turn thee yet again, and thou shalt see greater abominations that they do.
Eze 8:14 Then he brought me to the door of the gate of the LORD'S house which was toward the north; and, behold, there sat women weeping for Tammuz.
Eze 8:15 Then said he unto me, Hast thou seen this, O son of man? turn thee yet again, and thou shalt see greater abominations than these.
Eze 8:16 And he brought me into the inner court of the LORD'S house, and, behold, at the door of the temple of the LORD, between the porch and the altar, were about five and twenty men, with their backs toward the temple of the LORD, and their faces toward the east; and they worshipped the sun toward the east.
Eze 8:17 Then he said unto me, Hast thou seen this, O son of man? Is it a light thing to the house of Judah that they commit the abominations which they commit here? for they have filled the land with violence, and have returned to provoke me to anger: and, lo, they put the branch to their nose.
Eze 8:18 Therefore will I also deal in fury: mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity: and though they cry in mine ears with a loud voice, yet will I not hear them.
As we see that the abominations continued even after Hezekiah and Josiah tried to rid Judah of all these practices. We know that people tend to worship evil beings for the immediate result, rather than the eternal result. What Yahweh did next was to mark those who mourned for all the evil the priests were doing. Those people were spared. The rest were killed.
Ezekiel then sees the Cherubim and Ophanim take the glory away from the temple. Isn’t it interesting that the priests turned their spiritual worship of the devil into a secret ritual behind closed doors? The people didn’t know what their spiritual leaders were worshipping.
Eze 10:15 And the cherubims were lifted up. This is the living creature that I saw by the river of Chebar.
Eze 10:16 And when the cherubims went, the wheels went by them: and when the cherubims lifted up their wings to mount up from the earth, the same wheels also turned not from beside them.
Eze 10:17 When they stood, these stood; and when they were lifted up, these lifted up themselves also: for the spirit of the living creature was in them.
Eze 10:18 Then the glory of the LORD departed from off the threshold of the house, and stood over the cherubims.
Eze 10:19 And the cherubims lifted up their wings, and mounted up from the earth in my sight: when they went out, the wheels also were beside them, and every one stood at the door of the east gate of the LORD'S house; and the glory of the God of Israel was over them above.
The glory of Yahweh left the temple and then left Judah.
Eze 11:22 Then did the cherubims lift up their wings, and the wheels beside them; and the glory of the God of Israel was over them above.
Eze 11:23 And the glory of the LORD went up from the midst of the city, and stood upon the mountain which is on the east side of the city.
Eze 11:24 Afterwards the spirit took me up, and brought me in a vision by the Spirit of God into Chaldea, to them of the captivity. So the vision that I had seen went up from me.
Eze 11:25 Then I spake unto them of the captivity all the things that the LORD had shewed me.
The Glory of Yahweh never entered the temple again. The Glory, which is the manifested presence of the Holy Spirit, who is the reflection of Yahweh, never resided in any building again. The Nehemiah temple, then the refurbished Herod temple, were never filled with the Glory. The temple became the place of ritual service without the Lord. It was considered defiled when Jonathan Apphus was appointed a High Priest by the Hasmoneans as a political move. The temple became the place where the Pharisees then practiced evil against Israel. They added crazy stipulations to the Laws of Moses. They ignored the Laws that they didn’t like. They burdened the people by demanding tithes, while they themselves lived in luxury and wore expensive purple garments. They still practiced prostitution in the temple’s inner courts, and even tried to condemn a women who they had all slept with. The Law stated they should be stoned as well as the woman, which is why Jesus called them out too.
If we remember from 2 Chronicles 6, the Lord is quoted as saying: “Since the day that I brought forth my people out of the land of Egypt I chose no city among all the tribes of Israel to build an house in, that my name might be there; neither chose I any man to be a ruler over my people Israel: But I have chosen Jerusalem, that my name might be there; and have chosen David to be over my people Israel.” It would be safe to conclude that once there was an established place for a king and the temple, then evil converged on that place and overtook the righteous.
The Holy Spirit still infilled those people who were holy, like the prophets and the Zadok Priests, who by Jesus’ time were all living elsewhere. But the new thing that took place on Pentecost made the infilling of the Holy Spirit available to many people due to the cleansing of sin by Jesus’ blood. This is opposed to a singular place being filled. Today we are the temple of the Holy Spirit. More next week.
