God has searched us and knows us. He knows when we sit and when we rise. He perceives our thoughts from afar and is familiar with all of our ways. Before a word is on our tongue, He knows it already. The Bible teaches that God takes inventory of our lives today just as He did the people during Ezekiel’s day. In business, auditors “open the books” to see if the business is ‘solid’ in meeting obligations relative to taxes, share holders, assets, liabilities, etc. When God “audits” our lives, what does He find? He told the people of Israel that the Temple was Holy as it was filled with the Shekinah Glory – the visible sign of God! He had demonstrated His Majesty and Holiness in many ways – His appearance to Moses, his orchestration of the Exodus from Egypt, and His Glory in a pillar of fire as He led the people to the Promised Land.
God audited His people during Ezekiel’s time and the people failed. The people had replaced God in their lives with idols and pagan worship! King Manasseh had actually placed an idol of Asherah, the Syrian goddess of fertility, in the Lord’s Temple! The people believed that Asherah was the mother of another 70 ‘gods’ and here, in God’s Holy Temple, was an idol for the people to worship!! God’s people were surrounded by pagans. The pagan temples were full of idols, prostitutes, and many perversions that God had told His people to stay away from. God had warned the Israelites not to associate with these peoples because He had set them apart as His own. But the people ignored God’s warnings and as a result, the sins of the people reached such proportions it was impossible for God’s Glory to remain in the Temple.
The Shekinah Glory – the physical manifestation of God’s Glory that rested on the ark of testimony between the mighty Cherubim in the Temple’s Holy of Holies – must have been an indescribable, wonderful sight! To the Jewish people, ‘Shekinah’ was an interchangeable word for ‘God’. The Shekinah Glory indicated that God ‘rested upon’ the people who warranted His favor. In my simple mind, I cannot understand how these people – who had the Shekinah Glory with them – the visible indication of God’s Glory – could have done these horrible things!
In spite of God’s tremendous patience with the people of Israel, He departed. God’s Glory – the Shekinah – a manifestation of God’s character – rose and moved out of the Temple. There were some faithful people who were mourning the sins of the people were marked and much like the Passover prior to the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt, were spared. But the fury of the Lord came to all others – men, women, and children, young and old alike. The people left God no choice but to punish them and send many into exile. The people broke God’s heart.
God departed the Temple but the Bible teaches us that God is with us on a personal basis. What an awesome privilege we have! Why were we created? Deep question but simply put, we were created to reflect God’s Glory! We can reflect God’s Glory so that those who do not believe can see God in us and turn to Him. That is an awesome privilege and responsibility. When things are going bad do we exhibit the faith of a believer or try and resolve our problems without God’s guidance? When those around us need help, care, or assistance, do we show the same mercy to them that God shows to us or do we pretend not to notice and go our own way? There are many scenarios that could be listed here but I believe you get the point. We choose to reflect God’s Glory or mankind’s ways.
Today, just as in Ezekiel’s day, idols (golf, fishing, hunting, shopping, television, etc.) have replaced God in our lives. Anything that we prioritize in our life above God, we make an idol! Is God’s Glory being manifested through you or is God’s Glory absent?
Be encouraged because just as God did not totally abandon His people, He will not abandon us now. We who are children of God must remember that God’s Glory is reflected by us until God elects to return “in blazing Glory from the Eastern sky” and gathers His people home for all of eternity. God’s Glory departed the Temple but God’s Glory lives in us today. Are you reflecting the Shekinah Glory or reflecting what your society embraces? We must study God’s Word, understand what God’s Glory is, and openly and actively represent God in today’s world. Stand firm, be encouraged and know that the Glory of the Lord will return again for all to see!! God will never abandon His people and when the Shekinah Glory “falls” again with the second coming of Jesus, we will fall at the feet of Jesus and forever give Him the praise and worship that He deserves!
Papa Joe Mac's Commentary:
God has searched us and knows us. He knows when we sit and when we rise. He perceives our thoughts from afar and is familiar with all of our ways. Before a word is on our tongue, He knows it already. The Bible teaches that God takes inventory of our lives today just as He did the people during Ezekiel’s day. In business, auditors “open the books” to see if the business is ‘solid’ in meeting obligations relative to taxes, share holders, assets, liabilities, etc. When God “audits” our lives, what does He find? He told the people of Israel that the Temple was Holy as it was filled with the Shekinah Glory – the visible sign of God! He had demonstrated His Majesty and Holiness in many ways – His appearance to Moses, his orchestration of the Exodus from Egypt, and His Glory in a pillar of fire as He led the people to the Promised Land.
God audited His people during Ezekiel’s time and the people failed. The people had replaced God in their lives with idols and pagan worship! King Manasseh had actually placed an idol of Asherah, the Syrian goddess of fertility, in the Lord’s Temple! The people believed that Asherah was the mother of another 70 ‘gods’ and here, in God’s Holy Temple, was an idol for the people to worship!! God’s people were surrounded by pagans. The pagan temples were full of idols, prostitutes, and many perversions that God had told His people to stay away from. God had warned the Israelites not to associate with these peoples because He had set them apart as His own. But the people ignored God’s warnings and as a result, the sins of the people reached such proportions it was impossible for God’s Glory to remain in the Temple.
The Shekinah Glory – the physical manifestation of God’s Glory that rested on the ark of testimony between the mighty Cherubim in the Temple’s Holy of Holies – must have been an indescribable, wonderful sight! To the Jewish people, ‘Shekinah’ was an interchangeable word for ‘God’. The Shekinah Glory indicated that God ‘rested upon’ the people who warranted His favor. In my simple mind, I cannot understand how these people – who had the Shekinah Glory with them – the visible indication of God’s Glory – could have done these horrible things!
In spite of God’s tremendous patience with the people of Israel, He departed. God’s Glory – the Shekinah – a manifestation of God’s character – rose and moved out of the Temple. There were some faithful people who were mourning the sins of the people were marked and much like the Passover prior to the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt, were spared. But the fury of the Lord came to all others – men, women, and children, young and old alike. The people left God no choice but to punish them and send many into exile. The people broke God’s heart.
God departed the Temple but the Bible teaches us that God is with us on a personal basis. What an awesome privilege we have! Why were we created? Deep question but simply put, we were created to reflect God’s Glory! We can reflect God’s Glory so that those who do not believe can see God in us and turn to Him. That is an awesome privilege and responsibility. When things are going bad do we exhibit the faith of a believer or try and resolve our problems without God’s guidance? When those around us need help, care, or assistance, do we show the same mercy to them that God shows to us or do we pretend not to notice and go our own way? There are many scenarios that could be listed here but I believe you get the point. We choose to reflect God’s Glory or mankind’s ways.
Today, just as in Ezekiel’s day, idols (golf, fishing, hunting, shopping, television, etc.) have replaced God in our lives. Anything that we prioritize in our life above God, we make an idol! Is God’s Glory being manifested through you or is God’s Glory absent?
Be encouraged because just as God did not totally abandon His people, He will not abandon us now. We who are children of God must remember that God’s Glory is reflected by us until God elects to return “in blazing Glory from the Eastern sky” and gathers His people home for all of eternity. God’s Glory departed the Temple but God’s Glory lives in us today. Are you reflecting the Shekinah Glory or reflecting what your society embraces? We must study God’s Word, understand what God’s Glory is, and openly and actively represent God in today’s world. Stand firm, be encouraged and know that the Glory of the Lord will return again for all to see!! God will never abandon His people and when the Shekinah Glory “falls” again with the second coming of Jesus, we will fall at the feet of Jesus and forever give Him the praise and worship that He deserves!