Connect Ezekiel 43:4 with other scriptures about God's presence in the temple. Setting the Scene • Ezekiel is shown a future, restored temple after the glory had long since departed (Ezekiel 10). • In Ezekiel 43:4 the prophet writes, “The glory of the LORD entered the temple through the gate facing east.” Echoes of Glory in the Wilderness • Exodus 40:34-35 – “Then the cloud covered the Tent of Meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. Moses could not enter the Tent of Meeting because the cloud had settled upon it, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.” • God’s visible presence authenticated the tabernacle, assuring Israel that He truly dwelt among them. Solomon’s Temple and the Cloud of Glory • 1 Kings 8:10-11 – “When the priests came out of the Holy Place, the cloud filled the house of the LORD so that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud; for the glory of the LORD filled the house of the LORD.” • 2 Chronicles 5:13-14 repeats the scene, emphasizing that divine glory makes worship possible—but also overwhelming. The Painful Departure • Ezekiel 10:18-19 pictures the glory lifting and pausing at the east gate before leaving the temple completely. • Israel’s sin drove away what made them distinct: God’s manifest presence. • Ezekiel 43:4 answers that tragedy. The same east gate that once witnessed departure now welcomes return. The Living Temple Fulfilled in Christ • John 1:14 – “The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” • John 2:19-21 – Jesus speaks of His body as the true temple, promising resurrection glory. • Matthew 12:6 – “I tell you that something greater than the temple is here.” • In Jesus, the glory that filled stone structures walks among people in human form. The Spirit-Filled Church • Acts 2:1-4 – The Spirit descends with sound, wind, and fire, recalling Sinai and temple imagery. • 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 – “Your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you.” • God’s presence now indwells believers corporately and individually, expanding “temple” beyond any single location. Looking Ahead to Glory Unveiled • Ezekiel’s millennial vision anticipates a time when Israel and the nations will witness God’s glory on earth once more (Ezekiel 43:7). • Revelation 21:22-23 – “I saw no temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, because the glory of God illuminates the city, and the Lamb is its lamp.” • The final state surpasses even Ezekiel’s temple: God’s presence saturates all creation, erasing every barrier. Key Takeaways • God desires to dwell among His people; every stage of redemptive history showcases some form of His “temple presence.” • Ezekiel 43:4 stands as a literal promise that what sin drove away, grace will restore. • Christ embodies, fulfills, and exceeds the old temple, and by His Spirit He makes believers living temples today. • The story concludes not with a building but with the unhindered, eternal glory of God and the Lamb shining over a new heaven and earth. |
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