glory of God

The visible, weighty presence of God among his people. The Hebrew kavod carries the sense of heaviness or significance. In Exodus, God's glory filled the tabernacle (Exodus 40#40:34). Solomon saw it fill the temple (1 Kings 8#8:10-11). Ezekiel watched it leave (Ezekiel 10#10:18-19) and later return to a restored temple (Ezekiel 43#43:1-5). The New Testament transfers this presence to Jesus (John 1#1:14) and to the church as God's dwelling (2 Corinthians 3#3:18, Ephesians 2#2:21-22).

The departure-and-return arc in Ezekiel is one of Scripture's most striking narrative threads. God's glory leaves because of Israel's idolatry, but God promises to dwell again among a people given a new heart. Revelation closes the story: the New Jerusalem needs no temple because God himself is its light (Revelation 21#21:22-23).

Key Passages

Exodus 33#33:18-23, Exodus 40#40:34, 1 Kings 8#8:10-11, Ezekiel 10#10:18-19, Ezekiel 43#43:1-5, Habakkuk 2#2:14, John 1#1:14, 2 Corinthians 3#3:18, Revelation 21#21:22-23

Vault Notes

• 2020-11-24 Glory of the Lord Leaves the Temple — Ezekiel 10
• 2020-11-24 Ezekiel 10 Glory Departing the Temple
• 2020-12-12 Glory of the Lord Returns to the Temple — Ezekiel 43
• 2020-12-12 New Jerusalem Named The Lord Is There — the final destination of God's presence
• 2020-12-12 River from the Temple Brings Healing — life flows from where God dwells
• 2020-12-08 Church-Future-Temple-Ez-1Pe — the church as the new locus of God's presence
• 2019-10-20 Meditating on Attributes of God
• 2021-11-25 Beale - we are the new temple

References

• The temple and the church's mission — traces the temple/glory theme from Eden to Revelation
• God dwells among us — the storyline of God dwelling with his people
• Biblical theology — the glory theme in OT redemptive history