When the Glory of God is Removed

O. T. #1872  "When the Glory of God is Removed"

Feb. 1, 2021

Ezekiel 10

LET IT GLOW

Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who is and was and is to come.

Folks, I am so unworthy to say anything about this chapter and the events Ezekiel saw in his vision. It is a humbling picture of the Shekinah glory of God, Jehovah.

Look what Paul wrote in Romans 9:26b, There shall they be called the children of the Living God.

And in verse 23, Paul said, And that He might make known the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy, which He had afore prepared unto glory. 

Not only does God call Jews to salvation, but also us Gentiles. We have obtained righteousness by faith in Jesus Christ. (verse 30)  Glory to God in the highest! May these words draw us closer to Him and be to His glory.

Earlier, in chapter 1, Ezekiel saw in a vision a similar vision. The glory of God was revealed to him in a whirlwind, the cherubim, the wheels, the firmament, and the rainbow. All of this was written so they shall know that I am the Lord, which is a phrase that appears 70 times in this book.

What do we learn about God's glory?

1.  Keep in mind, the glory of God was over the Mercy Seat in the Holy of Holies of the Temple in Jerusalem. God's presence was with Israel/Judah while there.

2. In another vision, Ezekiel saw how the Jews were worshiping idols in God's Temple. Thus, the glory of God could not remain in such a wicked place, so it moved above the threshold. (9:3)

It was only the first step in a sad journey of abandonment by a holy God who could no longer live among a sinful people. (Tony Evans)

The throne of glory was empty and it became a throne of judgment.

3. The glory of God moved with the cherubim off the threshold to the eastern gate of the Temple. (verses 18-19)

4. Finally, in 11:22-23, the glory moved out of the Temple to the top of the Mount of Olives. This is where Jesus prayed before going to the cross, "Not my will but Thy will be done." It is a grove of olive trees, high up on a hill, located just above the Temple area. When we visited it, I was so humbled that I had to bow on my knees and pray with tears there. To be in the same place that the Savior had knelt in prayer where He sweet drops of blood in such tension and stress was overwhelming.

What can we take away from this? God removed His glory because He will not and cannot share His glory with another. The idols and sins of the people had driven Him away. Today, God will remove His glory and His blessing from our lives unless we serve Him faithfully with honest and pure hearts.

[Resource: Wiersbe's Expository Outlines on the Old Testament] 

LET IT GROW

Friends, God must be first place in our lives.  There is good news, in chapters 40-48, the prophet sees the future restoration of Israel and her glory in the kingdom. In chapter 43, the glory of God returns to the Temple. (The faithful remnant will rebuild God's Temple after 70 years of captivity in Babylon.)

Jesus Christ is the glory of the Lord. We are to glorify God in our bodies (1 Cor. 6:19-20), magnify Him in all we do (Phil. 1:20-21), and with our good works (Matt. 5:16). We must be careful to not grieve the Spirit (Eph. 4:30). God will never leave us (Eph. 1:12-14). However, sin can result in our not bringing Him glory.

It is time to ask God to look into our hears and to reveal if there is something in our life that is not bringing glory to Him.

LET IT GO

Jesus, thank You for being our Mercy Seat for our sins.

Pleas forgive us when we fail to give You glory.

And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men. (Colossians 3:23)

Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. (Col. 3:2)