House of God With Extra Cloud Filling

And when the priests came out of the Holy Place (for all the priests who were present had consecrated themselves, without regard to their divisions, 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; 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 house, the house of the LORD, was filled with a cloud, so that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud, for the glory of the LORD filled the house of God.

(2 Chronicles 5:11-14 ESV)

While my wife and I are still using the Chronological Bible reading plan ... we are not very good at consistency and staying on target.  I often am ashamed of myself, as I do have a passion and love for God's written Word, yet I often neglect the daily reading of said Word.    Terribly too often.  I seek forgiveness for this and strive to discipline myself in study, so that I may know what God has definitely said through his Word.

The passage quoted above really captured my eye, as I continue through 2 Chronicles. 

This was a notable time in Israel's history, as a nation and as the covenant people of YHWH God.  God, keeping his covenant promise to Abraham, was making a great nation. He had brought them out of Egypt, sovereignly, displaying his mighty works in a number of ways.  He bestowed ten plagues against Egypt on account of Pharaoh and the pagan beliefs of that region - showing that YHWH is above all other gods.  He parted the sea for his people, and yet used that same means of the sea to bring judgement on those against whom God's wrath burned. He provided both bread and water to the Israelites while in the wilderness, showing that He is the provider and sustainer of life.  God settled His people in the land he promised to give them.  

Now, having established the wisest of kings, Solomon, son of David, the king leads the people to build a house for the worship of God, that he may dwell amongst the people. True, he previously tabernacled with his people in the days of the exodus and conquest in a tent. It seems, though, that David wanted a permanent home for the Ark of the Covenant.  (It seems unclear to me, at this point, whether or not God actually wants a temple... though I am very open to correction on this point.)  David could not build it because of his warmongering (of sorts), and this was passed on as a work for his son Solomon to do before the Lord.  

So, when finally the Temple is built, Solomon has the Ark brought to the Temple from Bethlehem.  This is a great ordeal, to be sure.  The Ark represented the promise of God to the people of Israel that he would be their God and they would be his people.  The mercy seat of the Ark is where God dwelt when among the people.  Such an occasion would, by necessity, spark a tremendous worship of God for who He is and what He has done!  He is the Mighty God, the Ultimate Military Commander against whom no nation could hope to stand.  And he is AMONG US!  What a time to celebrate for those who are his covenant people!

And celebrate the people did:  "For he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever."  God is good.  He doesn't do good, merely.  He is good.  He is goodness.  Anything and everything God does is good and right; not because he has to obey a standard outside of himself that describes what is good and right, but because everything God does is good and right, as it flows from his nature of being good and right.  God is good.  God is loving. His steadfast love he has for his (elect) covenant people is a lasting one.  Though at one time an enemy of God, we, who repent and trust in Christ's work alone to save us,now experience peace with God.  This is astounding.  Peace.  No more war; no more wrath against us - even though we do deserve the wrath of a Holy God.  Our law-breaking has earned us the reward for such behavior: death and Hell.  But through the rich love and mercy of God, we now have peace with this same God.  Amazing love!

During this worship of God for who He is and what he has done, something spectacular happens.  The glory of God manifests itself in a physical sensory fashion.  The Temple is filled up with an enormous cloud, such that the temple priests could not stand to minister.  This cloud is the physical presence of the glory of YHWH.  That God would physically make himself known to the people is an amazing act of condescension.

Today, if I go to the local Presbyterian church, the sight of smoke will be immediately followed by the fleeing of the congregation - because the church would be burning down.  God does not manifest himself physically in a smoke any longer.  We have no one physical temple at a specific geographic location.  Some may initially lament this.  Instead it should be seen as a blessing.  We have something better.  We need not go to the Near East to see the dwelling place of God: we, the Church universal, ARE the dwelling place of God!  1 Corinthians 3:16.  God dwells among us gathered together.  It is not the church building which is the replacement of the Temple.  It is the Church - the people.  This is a far more intimate knowing and closeness than that of the Temple on earth, which could only really be known the most by those members of the Levitical priesthood.  

We, as Christians, have the Holy Spirit.  Gathered, we are the dwelling place of God.  We have a personal, intimate relationship with God, as a bride has a relationship with her husband.  We've been redeemed and have his dwelling amongst us now.  This is a reason to rejoice and stand in awe that God would step down from Heaven and be among a sinful people to redeem them and conform them to the image of his Son.

God's holiness and love are everlasting and amazing.