Feb 2 Exodus 39-40

Exodus 39-40
More details again......I certainly would have been tempted to say, "and they made it just like God said" rather than recounted the details over and over. I'm sure there is a reason for it.

Anyway, so they did everything exactly as instructed (yeah!) and Moses inspected it and then blessed them.

Then comes the best part of all- Ex 40:34 the glory of the Lord filled filled the tabernacle. Ancient Rabbis called this the Shekina Glory ( not a term actually used in the Bible but is from two Hebrew words meaning "to dwell" and "tabernacle"). It  (He) manifests itself differently but it is most often seen as a large glowing cloud. One of the most beautiful revelations in scripture is that God desires to dwell with his people. Ever since Adam and Eve's fall, He has desired to restore that fellowship.

What a jaw dropping, weak in the knees experience it must have been to SEE the glory of God.

This got me thinking more about the Shakina Glory. A few instances I could think of (and there are probably many more)

•  the burning bush
•  "pillar of cloud by day and fire by night"
• thick cloud around Mt Sinai (when Moses went up and also when the 70 elders were there)
•  in the Holy of Holies

The MOST interesting thing to me was thinking of Jesus and wondering if He manifested this "Shekina Glory." Well I didn't have to think too hard before I remembered the transfiguration Mat 17:2.

 Then I started thinking of some more interesting instances of the Glory of the Lord in the New Testament (with the help of google)

• Luke 2:9 The shepards saw the glory of the Lord!! The lowest on the social ladder!
• John 1:14 Speaking of Jesus, John states, "The word became flesh and dwelt (tabernacled- is the literal meaning) among us and we beheld His glory...."
• Romans 3:23 When you get a little glimps of this glory, it gives new meaning to this verse about how we all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God! We are SO in need of a Saviour!
• John 17:22 Before Jesus leaves the earth He gives believers His glory!!! WOW (I'm guessing this is one of the reasons that art often depicts Jesus and others with those glowing rings around their head. I always have found that annoying but this makes sense) No wonder we are to be the light of the world!

The next time you recite the Lord's Prayer and say 'Thine is the Kingdom and power and the glory forever', you can more fully realize what that glory is when you think about the Shekina Glory.

And there is more glory yet to come. Certainly in heaven, but also in the New Jerusalem after Christ comes back to gather His followers and the rest are sent to eternal punishment and there is a new heaven and a new earth God will permanently dwell with His people and there will be no need of sun or moon because the Glory of the lamb will be the light. Rev 21:22-23