The Temple is Filled with God's Glory

Are we satisfied with our church meetings? A few songs, a nice "sermon" and a couple of handshakes? Do we really think that's the point of the Church? 

In 2 Chronicles 5, the glory of God fills the Temple at the pinnacle of its completion. Solomon has built the outer casing of the Temple, he has consigned work to be done on the instruments to fill the Temple, and now in this chapter, the process to complete the Temple occurs as the Levites make their way into the Temple with the Ark to worship and serve the Lord.

2 Chronicles 5:2 (ESV) Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel and all the heads of the tribes, the leaders of the fathers’ houses of the people of Israel, in Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of the covenant of the LORD out of the city of David, which is Zion.
2 Chronicles 5:4 (ESV) And all the elders of Israel came, and the Levites took up the ark.

Solomon is careful not to make the same mistake as David when transporting the Ark. He has the Levites which were set apart for such service transport the ark and accompanies the transport with untold numbers of sacrifices:
2 Chronicles 5:6 (ESV) And King Solomon and all the congregation of Israel, who had assembled before him, were before the ark, sacrificing so many sheep and oxen that they could not be counted or numbered.

Following the sacrifices, the singers assigned by David and the instrumentalists started to sing and worship while the 120 priests holding trumpets praised God in unison.
2 Chronicles 5:12-13 (ESV) and all the Levitical singers, Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun, their sons and kinsmen, arrayed in fine linen, with cymbals, harps, and lyres, stood east of the altar with 120 priests who were trumpeters; 13 and it was the duty of the trumpeters and singers to make themselves heard in unison in praise and thanksgiving to the LORD), and when the song was raised, with trumpets and cymbals and other musical instruments, in praise to the LORD, "For he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever,"

The result? Glory.

2 Chronicles 5:13b-14 (ESV) the house, the house of the LORD, was filled with a cloud 14 the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud, for the glory of the LORD filled the house of God.

So much glory from God the very people called to worship and minister before him could not stand!

Do we want to experience that in our churches today? Or are we satisfied with a few nice songs and a good sermon? I don’t know about you but I want to experience God’s glory. It is the glory of God that we are made to experience. I know this because Romans 3:23 describes our problem with sin as “falling short of the glory of God.” 

What is our hope for glory? Jesus. He is the true King, Priest and Temple. He ushers us into the glory of God because He has fulfilled the commands of scripture for us and made a way for us to know the presence of the Lord anywhere we are. This is why Christianity has no "home base". I know Catholics will disagree, but even many of them will not make it to the Vatican at any point. The glory of the Lord can be felt where YOU are, right now through faith in Christ. Look to Him, seek His goodness for you and experience the glory God wants to give you. 

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