What is the meaning of Ezekiel 10:18? Then the glory of the LORD • “Glory” points to God’s visible, awe-inspiring presence, the same radiant cloud that filled the tabernacle (Exodus 40:34-35) and Solomon’s temple (2 Chronicles 7:1-3). • In Ezekiel 1 and 3 this glory appears beside the Kebar River; now it is inside the temple, affirming that what Ezekiel sees is no dream but the real, holy presence of God. • The phrase “Then” ties back to the nation’s unrepentant sin (Ezekiel 8) and the prior warning when “the glory of the LORD rose up from the cherub to the threshold” (Ezekiel 9:3). Judgment is in motion, yet God still moves deliberately, giving opportunity for recognition and repentance—echoing His patient nature seen in 2 Peter 3:9. Moved away from the threshold of the temple • The “threshold” is the entry between the Holy Place and the courtyard, where people would normally approach. God’s glory pausing there (Ezekiel 10:4) signaled that fellowship was being suspended. • Now it “moves away,” a solemn step in the withdrawal sequence: – From the inner sanctuary to the threshold (Ezekiel 9:3) – From the threshold to above the cherubim (Ezekiel 10:18) – Finally, out to the Mount of Olives (Ezekiel 11:23) • This measured departure underlines that exile and temple destruction are not random political events; they are the outworking of covenant curses foretold in Deuteronomy 28:15-68 and illustrated earlier when “Ichabod” was declared—“The glory has departed from Israel” (1 Samuel 4:21-22). and stood above the cherubim • “Cherubim” here are the living creatures first described in Ezekiel 1, not the carved figures atop the ark. They serve as God’s throne-bearers, mirroring Psalm 18:10—“He mounted a cherub and flew.” • The glory moving onto this mobile throne shows God is not confined to bricks and mortar; He remains sovereign while the earthly temple faces ruin (Acts 7:48-50). • For the faithful remnant, this scene carries hope: the same glory that departs can return. Indeed, Ezekiel later sees it reenter a restored temple (Ezekiel 43:1-5), foreshadowing Christ—“The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory” (John 1:14). summary Ezekiel 10:18 records the heartbreaking yet purposeful retreat of God’s manifest presence. Because Judah persisted in idolatry, the LORD’s glory leaves the threshold and stations itself on the cherubim, ready to depart entirely. The movement confirms pending judgment while also revealing that God’s rule travels with His people into exile and will one day return in mercy. |
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