What lessons can we learn from God's glory leaving the city in Ezekiel? Setting the Scene Ezekiel, exiled in Babylon, receives a series of visions showing God’s glory progressively moving out of the temple (Ezekiel 9:3; 10:4, 18-19) until, finally, “the glory of the LORD went up from within the city and stood above the mountain east of the city” (Ezekiel 11:23). The departure is literal, historical, and deeply theological. A Sobering Vision • God’s manifest presence had once filled the tabernacle (Exodus 40:34-35) and Solomon’s temple (1 Kings 8:10-11). • In Ezekiel 11 the same glory cloud—shekinah—rises, pauses, and then leaves for the Mount of Olives. • The people continue daily routines, yet the most vital reality has just exited the city. Lessons About Sin and Holiness • Persistent idolatry and injustice drive out blessing. Ezekiel 8 catalogs the abominations in the temple courts; Ezekiel 11:12 explains, “You have not walked in My statutes.” • God’s holiness is non-negotiable. He will not coexist with unrepentant sin (Habakkuk 1:13). • Judgment begins with the household of God (1 Peter 4:17). Israel’s covenant privilege did not guarantee immunity from discipline. Lessons About Leadership Responsibility • Ezekiel 11:1-13 indicts “twenty-five men” who devise wicked counsel. When leaders normalize rebellion, the entire community suffers. • Shepherds answer to the Chief Shepherd (Ezekiel 34:1-10; 1 Peter 5:4). God holds pastors, parents, and public servants to account for the spiritual climate they cultivate. Lessons About God’s Reluctant Departure • The slow, step-by-step withdrawal shows divine patience. God warns before He judges (2 Peter 3:9). • Even in departure He lingers nearby—on “the mountain east of the city” (traditionally the Mount of Olives). His heart remains toward Jerusalem, ready to return when repentance comes. Lessons About Mercy and Future Hope • The same chapter promises a new heart and Spirit (Ezekiel 11:19-20). Discipline prepares the way for renewal. • Ezekiel 43:1-5 records the glory returning to a restored temple—God’s covenant faithfulness on display. • The pattern anticipates Christ. John 1:14: “The Word became flesh and tabernacled among us, and we beheld His glory.” The glory leaves, then returns in resurrection power, and will fill the new Jerusalem (Revelation 21:23). Connections to the New Testament • Jesus weeps over the city and departs the temple, declaring, “Your house is left to you desolate” (Matthew 23:38). • He ascends from the Mount of Olives—the very hill where Ezekiel saw the glory pause (Acts 1:9-12). • His promised second coming is to the same location (Zechariah 14:4), completing the prophetic arc. Personal Application Today • Guard the temple of the Holy Spirit—our bodies and congregations (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). Cherish holiness so His presence is welcomed, not grieved. • Do not assume past blessings guarantee present favor. Daily obedience matters. • When God disciplines, He aims to restore. Return quickly; He stands, like in Ezekiel’s vision, just outside the gates, ready to re-enter a repentant heart. |
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