Shekinah

An interesting idea was proposed about the Shekinah Glory of God. We understand the Shekinah as a visible manifestation of God indicating that He was “dwelling” with His people. The Shekinah was pictured as resident in the Tabernacle and specifically above the mercy seat of the Ark of the Covenant. Two cherubim, one one each side of the mercy seat arched their wings toward each other producing an arch of sorts. The shining glory is said to shine out from that circle.

This was not God, Himself, but merely a representation to remind the people that He was indeed dwelling among them. Most of the time, the Ark was covered. When it was transported, a covering was over it, and when it was inside the tabernacle, only the priests would be able to see it.

The Ark was meticulously purified and sanctified to denote the absolute purity and holiness of God. This reminded the people that holiness was demanded to approach God. That, in and of itself, is interesting, but a new interpretation was suggested the other day. This began with Genesis 2:25
And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed.

We often explain this as Adam and Eve, being pure, without sin, had no sinful attitudes or impulses that now accompany mutual nakedness. This innocence is reproduced in the marriage bond when couples are unashamed to appear before each other without clothes. Incidentally, this also appears in children as they cavort innocently in the nude.

The alternative interpretation referenced above to Adam and Eve, is that their bodies were cloaked or “clothed” in the Shekinah glory. As long as they remained pure, God’s presence was “with” and around them. But when they sinned, the Glory left. That would certainly explain their instinctive act at concealment, as they realized that God would know that they were no longer pure. (He knew anyhow, but they either were unaware of that, or ignored it.)

Genesis 3:10 reports that Adam answered God’s inquiry as to why he was hidden.
“I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid myself.”
Adam and Eve could not “see” their loss of purity, even though they knew it. But the absence of the visual evidence of the Spirit’s covering would definitely justify their “hiding,” and then crafting a fig leaf substitute in an attempt to conceal their condition.

Our analysis now shifts to Revelation 3:4
But you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their garments; and they will walk with Me in white, for they are worthy.
The “walk with Me in white,” is a promise to the overcomers, those who believe in Jesus. Our “clothes” in heaven will consist of righteousness–His righteousness provided for us. Remember the parable of the wedding feast where one guest did not wear the provided garments? Matthew 22

The guest without proper clothing, provided by the host, was ejected from the assembly. Those invited to the “wedding supper of the Lamb” must appear in the proper attire–the righteousness of the Host, the Lamb. Hypothetically this could be the Shekinah Glory. What a thought.

And how does that apply to us, today? The Glory of God, dwelling in the midst of the people, was an indication that God was with them. Ezekiel saw a vision of the Glory of God leaving the temple through the eastern gate in Ezekiel 10. This represented the fact that God had “left” His people, as they had left Him. Then Ezekiel saw another vision of that gate being closed. (Ezekiel 44) The prophesy continued with the King, God’s glory, returning through that same gate.

Are you ready for this? The eastern gate, today, is bricked shut. Check it out on line by that name or by “Golden Gate.” But Ezekiel foresaw the Lord returning through that gate. So keep you eyes on that. It’s gonna get good. It will happen.

So what? Or as my sister said as a toddler, “What’s the i-big-dee-uh?” We do not have to wait until the Lord comes back to Jerusalem to resume dwelling with His people. Jesus promised that He would send Someone to live in us. The Paraclete, or Comforter is the Holy Spirit. He now does not just dwell with us, He dwells within us. (John 14:26, 1 Corinthians 6:19) In fact, Paul notes that we are now the temple in which the Holy Spirit lives. In that sense, we are now clothed in the Glory of God. Think of that. The Glory of God is living within us!

And the good news is that He will never leave us. The Holy Spirit was given as the non-refundable down payment, or earnest of our salvation. (Ephesians 1:14) The fact that God will never leave us nor forsake us was reiterated in Hebrews 13:5. “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

So did the Church supplant Israel in God’s economy? As Paul said in Romans 11:2, God has not, nor will He forsake His people, the Jews. Add to that the prophesy in Ezekiel that He is coming back to His temple, through the eastern gate, to rule over His people, and you get an iron-clad promise. Better yet, it is a Spirit-clad promise. The Glory of God is dwelling in His Church and will be resident in His people, the Jews. What a promise for us to anticipate. The Millennium is coming.

During the Millennium, the Holy Spirit will indwell every person. No wonder it will be perfect. The Holy Spirit cannot lie to Himself; He cannot cheat Himself; in short, He cannot sin against Himself. The Garden of Eden, the presence of God, will cover the entire earth. That is what will make it so special. The physical environment will be flawless, but that will pale in the realization that God, Himself, is with us!

We can declare with my college pastor, who, instead of saying “amen” exclaimed, “Glory!” What a future for us with the Shekinah Glory of God leading and directing not only us personally, but the entire world. (Note: We are not differentiating between the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. They are all one, but different manifestations of God’s essential nature. God did not reveal Himself like this to confuse us, but to help us, finitely limited beings, to glimpse infinity, Infinity.) Again, “Glory!”

I can’t wait. “Even so, come Lord Jesus.” (Revelation 22:20)