"Where" Is "The Glory of the God of Israel"?

"Afterward he brought me to the gate, the gate that faces toward the east.  And behold, the glory of the God of Israel came from the way of the east.  His voice was like the sound of many waters; and the earth shone with His glory." (Ezekiel 43:1,2)

Our text today speaks of the, "glory of the God of Israel," returning through, "the gate that faces toward the east."  In correlation, there is nothing more sobering than the report of the glory of God departing Jerusalem in chapter 10.  Here is the progression:

v. 4, 5: "Then the glory of the Lord went up from the cherub, and paused over  the threshold of the temple; and the house was filled with the 

cloud, and the court was full of the brightness of the Lord's glory.   And the sound of the wings of the cherubim was heard even in the outer court, like the voice of Almighty God when He speaks."     

v. 18, 19:  "Then the glory of the Lord departed from the threshold of the temple and stood over the cherubim.  And the cherubim lifted their wings and mounted up from the earth in my sight."

Now for the dichotomists who separate the Old and New Testaments, and who believe this does not happen in the "Church Age," there is the warning to the Ephesian Church in Revelation 2:5, "Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place-- unless you repent."  And none of this violates the Ever-Presence of the Lord Jesus Christ.  It is, however, an indication that fellowship is greatly impaired, if not broken because of disobedience------------ as in the case of Israel.

Ezekiel does not seem to speak of any personal or "national repentance" prior to the discourse in chapters 39 and 43.  But the Holy Spirit does tell us in 39:25ff, "Therefore thus says the Lord God: 'Now I will bring back the captives of Jacob, and have mercy on the whole house of Israel; and I will be jealous for My Holy Name-- after they have borne their shame, and all their unfaithfulness in which they were unfaithful to Me, when they dwelt safely in their own land and no one made them afraid.... Then they shall know that I am the Lord their God, who sent them into captivity among the nations, but also brought them back to their land, and left none of them captive any longer....For I shall have poured out My Spirit on the house of Israel,' says the Lord God."  Ezekiel 43 records the "return" of, "the glory of the God of Israel," to His Temple, and chapter 39 speaks of His "Heart" for His Covenant People.  Notice a very deep Biblical Principle here:  Our sin/disobedience drives Him away; but it is His mercy and grace which "brings" Him back.  

There are sovereign purposes which our Lord Jesus Christ has for Israel and The Land, "the City of the Great King," Jerusalem, the Church, purposes of which we still know so very little.  Maybe we could call them "the great scheme of things."  Whatever you may make of our text and my "insight," don't miss anything!

Father, in Jesus' Name, convict me of any time I presume on Your mercy and grace.  I so want to be a part of Your "great scheme of things."  Amen.

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Unreached People Group of the Day:  www.apfunreachedpeoples.blogspot.com

When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"

"Looking unto Jesus"
Hebrews 12:2

Huh, Excuse Me, Grandpa

"For whoever is joined with all the living, there is hope; surely a live dog is better than a dead lion."  (Ecclesiastes 9:4, NASB) 

Okay, I'm interrupting this devotional "to bring you a special message."  I was working on some great prophetic piece, when our youngest granddaughter (17 months on July 2) just came up to me holding out a book.  First, heart melts, then, "I have to get this done because we already have other plans for the day," then, "But how can I refuse this?!?"  One thing about multiple Bible readings is that there is always something which will speak right to the situation; hence, my "Wisdom Literature" reading for the day.

Too many of us over the years have pursued, given too much time and energy to, "a dead lion," rather than, "a living dog."  Yes, I know the text is really not speaking of lions and dogs, but it is speaking of what Job described, "things too wonderful for me...."  Now as far as I can tell, the word, "wonderful," is not in the Hebrew text.  It just seems to say, "things too......."  Too what?  Well, just, "too."  The dictionary says that one of the meanings of the word "too" is, "to an excessive extent or degree, beyond what is desirable."  In other words, Job just got into too much, "too," as in too much, too beyond him, too big, or could it be just what we think is so important we can't take time to-------- whatever.  Maybe Job should have done what our text says; stay with what you have; enjoy it; work with it, receive it as what you have rather than always attempting to go for something bigger, "better."  Oh, how well I know "faith" people will be saying, "What do you mean?  We need to press on to higher things, better things, stretch ourselves."  Right.  But I also know that, "a living dog is better than a dead lion."  I wonder if this applies here:  "A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush." 

One thing which "glares" at me from the Gospel accounts it that our Lord Jesus always had time, time for the "big" and the "small."  Maybe it was that he didn't see the difference, "And He must needs go through Samaria"; a lonely outcast was awaiting the "appointment."  I have often wondered how many opportunities I have walked right past over the years because I was always looking for, "a dead lion."

Maybe a devotional "Thought For the Day:"  Take time to not only "smell the roses," but enjoy those around you who love you, want you, depend upon you, and you the same toward them.

Father, in Jesus' Name, thank You so much for life's lessons, opportunities----- and pure joy!  Amen.

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Radical "Egyptian-Americans:" www.jerberwash.blogspot.com

Unreached People Group of the Day: www.apfunreachedpeoples.blogspot.com 

When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"

"Looking unto Jesus"
Hebrews 12:2

"King of Nations"

"Persia, Ethiopia, and Libya are with them, all of them with shield and helmet; Gomer and all its troops; the house or Togarmah from the far north and all its troops-- many people...."  (Ezekiel 38:5, 6)

I remind you that my devotionals come from my daily reading schedule.  Part of my "Major Prophets" reading for today includes our text, a passage which speaks of God's dealing with nations in the "end time."  Notice some of the nations mentioned in our text.  Someone once pointed out that Genesis 10 mentions "the 70 original tribal groups,..The Table of Nations."  From these all the nations of the globe today came forth.  The remainder of Scripture is a history of God's dealing with those nations, directing, delivering, saving, and offering to them entrance into His Kingdom.  

Since the three services in which I will be preaching, July 1 (Westville, Ohio), July 8 (CCE Greensburg, PA) and July 15 (Amsterdam, Ohio) are around America's July 4th celebration, I plan to speak about "The King of Nations;" should be an interesting "treatise."  I intend to show in a Biblical overview that God deals with kings and nations.  No non-agenda reading of the Bible can escape this.  I intend to show how Jesus Christ was directing events which led to the founding of the United States of America, and that the "ministry" of the Church in any generation has been to affect the total life of all people groups, "Go....make disciples of all the nations."  My premise is that "beyond" the Church is the Kingdom.  The Church is the "Community of the Redeemed," the "twice born," those whom people call Christians.  But beyond the Church, Jesus continues to deal with "the 70 original tribal groups," their descendants, their life styles, morality, education, governments, yes He does.  A reading of the Biblical Prophets reveals warnings to the nations of the cost of rejecting the reign of God.   

Across that desk today, that room, that city, and your nation is the reign of God.  It may not always seem so to us, but no King, President, Prime Minister, Congress, Parliament or any other thing or person can keep out King Jesus. "And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written:  KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS."  The first public declaration of John the Baptist and our Lord Jesus Christ was, "Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand."  Jesus' teachings reveal that, "The Kingdom of Heaven," rules over, "the kingdoms of this world."  And He right now rules over kings and lords, over nations, over governments.  You know the statement, "History is His story;" it is.  And you and I are a part of that "story," integrally a part, in the very working out of His purposes throughout history, right up to the day of, "His appearing."  The concluding Book of the Bible, The Revelation, reveals just where the history of the nations is heading, and while fearful, it is also very exciting.

Father, in Jesus' Name, forgive me if I ever try to "keep" you "out" of anything, and forgive those who think You are only God of the religious.  Amen.
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I sent a copy of one of Dietrich Bonhoeffer's devotionals to our New Blog-- Genius
www.jerberwash.blogspot.com

When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"

"Looking unto Jesus"
Hebrews 12:2