Nov. 17 Shekinah Glory

November 17 - Shekinah Glory!

Do you remember the scene in the first Indiana Jones movie where they uncovered the Ark and everyone that had their eyes open died? Did you shake your head at the audacity of it? Well, maybe a little bit?

Let's look at a few verses. I think that Steven Spielberg might not have been as far off as we believe.

Exodus 40:34-35. "Then the cloud covered the Tent of Meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. Moses could not enter the Tent of Meeting because the cloud had settled upon it, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle."

Leviticus 16:2. "The Lord said to Moses: 'Tell your brother Aaron not to come whenever he chooses into the Most Holy Place behind the curtain in front of the atonement cover on the ark, or else he will die, because I appear in the cloud over the atonement cover."

Sounds a little ominous, doesn't it?

You see, God promised that He would meet Moses there.

Exodus 25:21. "Place the cover on top of the ark and put in the ark the Testimony, which I will give you. There, above the cover between the two cherubim that are over the ark of the Testimony, i will meet with you and give you all my commands for the Israelites."

God planned to show up there. This is called the mercy seat.

Look at 1 Kings 8:10, "When the priests withdrew from the Holy Place, the cloud filled the temple of the Lord. And the priests could not perform their service because of the cloud, for the glory of the Lord filled his temple." (also 2 Chronicles 5:13)

The Psalmist knows that the Lord resides there. "Hear us, O Shepherd of Israel, you who lead Joseph like a flock; you who sit enthroned between the cherubim, shine forth ..." (Psalm 80:1)

Isaiah 37:16, "O Lord Almighty, God of Israel, enthroned between the cherubim, you alone are God over all the kingdoms of the earth."

Ezekiel 9:3, "Now the glory fo the God of Israel went up from above the cherubim, where it had been, and moved to the threshold of the temple."

When God spent time on earth, He did so from between the cherubim on the lid of the Ark of the Covenant. The word "Shekinah" comes from the Hebrew root meaning 'to dwell.' It is translated as the 'presence of God.' God's presence in the cloud - His glory fills the temple. He is present.