glory, glory, sayonara? (Pt. 2)

(by Pastor Joe)

The Word for today: Ezekiel 43:13- 44:31

Well we are back to talking about glory again. Seems fitting, seeing as the Glory of God is the number 1 theme of Ezekiel. We've waded through God's Glory calling Ezekiel, commissioning Ezekiel, revealing truth to Ezekiel, and just plain wrecking Ezekiel. (1)

We have also witnessed the biggest heartbreak found in Ezekiel, the Glory of God departing the Temple (see May 23rd's blog). We saw how the Glory left in stages, from the Holy of Holies to the threshold; from the threshold to the Cherubim, with the Cherubim to the Mount of Olives. (2)

But very fittingly, thanks to these final chapters of Ezekiel, we know that "Ichabod" is NOT the final word and that God is NOT finished with His people. In the beginning of chapter 43, we encounter the Glory of God returning, as it were, in stages:
1. From the East (v. 2)
2. Through the gate (v. 1)
3. Into the Temple outer court (v. 4)
4. Into the inner court (v. 5)

That sounds vaguely familiar.

In today's passage, we read how the God promises to once again fill the Temple with His Glory. Of course all of this causes Ezekiel to promptly perform a face plant. That sounds vaguely familiar too.

For Ezekiel this is the greatest possible news and joy. After all the hard messages he delivered, after all the parables he had to live out, after all the heartbreaking visions, after witnessing the hardness of people's hearts, finally he gets to know that there is hope. His life and message was not in vain.

From first to last, this whole book has been about the Glory of God: speaking truth, calling sin for what it is, departing in response to idolatry. We cannot escape that side of God's Glory. But the message of chapters 43 & 44 is one of unparalleled joy! God is NOT done with us, and despite all our rebellion and sin and idolatry - He reigns supreme and His plan cannot be thwarted (3).

Do you fall short of God's Glory? Have you felt like the glory has left your life too? Are you overwhelmed by the evil and lostness of our dying world? Are you overwhelmed by the wickedness within your own heart?

Today's message tells us to take cheer, because it directs us to Jesus Christ- the only reason the Glory of God could return to the Temple. It tells us that there is light in our darkness, there is knowledge in our ignorance and even in our shame, Jesus Christ can transform that into glory by His power. Just remember that it is God, not you who brings this about.

For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. (4)

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(1) See Ezekiel 1:28, 3:12- 15, 8:4
(2) See Ezekiel 9:3, 10:4, 11:22-23
(3) Job 42:2
(4) 2 Corinthians 4:6