How does Ezekiel 10:18 connect to God's presence in the New Testament? The Departing Glory: Ezekiel 10:18 “Then the glory of the LORD moved away from the threshold of the temple and stood above the cherubim.” • In Ezekiel’s vision, God’s manifest glory—His tangible presence—literally rises and leaves Solomon’s temple. • The departure signals judgment: persistent idolatry has driven the Holy One from the very house built for His name (2 Chronicles 7:16; 2 Kings 23:27). • From this point forward, Israel waits for the glory to return. Glory Returns in Jesus the Messiah • John 1:14: “The Word became flesh and tabernacled among us. We observed His glory…”—the same glory Ezekiel saw now walks Israel’s dusty roads. • John 2:19-21: Jesus calls His body “the temple.” The presence that once left a stone building now fills a living one. • Colossians 2:9: “For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells bodily.” God’s glory has not merely visited; it has permanently taken up residence in Christ. The Veil Torn: Access Restored • Matthew 27:51: “At that moment the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.” • Hebrews 10:19-20 explains this veil-rending as the opening of “a new and living way” into God’s presence. • What Ezekiel saw leaving, Calvary makes available again—this time to everyone who comes through Jesus. Glory Shared by the Spirit • Acts 2:1-4: The Spirit descends with wind and fire, echoing Old Testament glory-manifestations (Exodus 40:34-35; 1 Kings 8:10-11). • 1 Corinthians 3:16: “Do you not know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?” • 1 Corinthians 6:19 and Ephesians 2:21-22 further affirm that believers, together and individually, now house the presence Ezekiel watched depart. Looking Ahead: Eternal, Undeparting Glory • Revelation 21:3: “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man…” No more departures, no more distance. • Revelation 21:22-23: “I saw no temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple… The glory of God illuminates it, and its lamp is the Lamb.” Bringing It Together • Ezekiel 10:18 shows glory leaving because of sin. • The Gospels reveal glory returning in Jesus, who becomes the true temple. • The torn veil and giving of the Spirit extend that presence to every believer. • The New Jerusalem promises uninterrupted, face-to-face fellowship forever. God’s glory once withdrew; in Christ and through the Spirit, it has come back for good—and one day we will live within it eternally. |
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