When the priests came out of the holy place, the could filled the Lord’s temple, and because of the cloud, the priests were not able to continue ministering, for the glory of the Lord filled the temple.
1 Kings 8:10-11
There’s nothing quite like putting up a Christmas tree in your home. It changes the feel of whatever room it’s placed as the festive glow fills the whole space. There might be other decorations, but nothing else has the radiance, or the glory, of the tree full of lights. When it finally comes down after Christmas, there’s always a sense of emptiness.
After seven years of building, and great expense, the temple that Solomon commissioned was complete. This was a temple that his dad, David, had hoped to build, but instead the Lord had promised David that his descendant would always reign in an everlasting kingdom.
This temple was exquisitely built by master craftsmen, plastered with gold and engraved with flowers, trees and animals. It was filed with tools, basins for washing, and altars for sacrifices.
When the works were complete, Solomon assembled the crowds of Israel, and the priests took the ark of the covenant, carrying the two stone tablets God gave Moses, into the most holy place - the centre of the temple.
’…the glory of the Lord filled the temple…’
1 Kings 8:11
I can only imagine the incredible sight that they all witnessed as the priests left the most holy place.
God’s glory filled the temple.
This wasn’t just a wee glimpse of glory. It wasn’t the glow of a candle. It wasn’t the radiance of a Christmas tree.
It was the consuming glory of the Lord God Almighty and it filled the whole temple to the extent that everyone had to simply down tools and stand in awe and worship.
Solomon then led all Israel in prayer; praising God, celebrating promises kept, and asking that this temple might be a place where God’s people might constantly turn to him.
But will God indeed live on earth?
even heaven, the highest heaven, cannot contain you,
much less this temple I have built.
1 Kings 8:27
God’s cloud of glory filling this temple was simply a picture of the reality that God had promised to be with his people. Solomon knew that this temple, though a house of worship, could never house the Lord. Even the monumental sight of his glory filling the temple was just a flicker of the fullness of the glory of the Almighty God.
Generations later, God’s glory departed the temple, after God’s people continually turned to sin rather than worship of their worthy Lord.
The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact expression of his nature, sustaining all things by his powerful word.
Hebrews 1:3
The most impressive of buildings, even the fullness of creation, could not contain the full weight of the glory of the Lord, and yet, in Jesus, the radiance of this glory could be seen. Born in a wee, overlooked town and placed in a rickety manger, nothing much to notice. But not far away, hosts of angels praised God as they announced the glory of God to often overlooked shepherds.
God’s glory is still seen as we come to see Jesus shine through the pages of God’s word. We see his might and his gentleness, his wisdom and his patience, his truth and his love, his sacrifice and his resurrection. When Jesus returns, all people of all time will see the fullness of his glory and will bow before him.
Let’s not settle for the radiance of trees, or any of the other Christmas glories that impress us.
Instead, let’s look and find the glory of Emmanuel, who is uniquely glorious and truly awesome, and let’s bow in awe and worship.
Rejoice!
Written by Pete Bell
A thought to remember: Emmanuel is uniquely glorious
A bit more to read: 1 Kings 8
A question to ask: In what ways have you seen the glory of Jesus?
A song to sing: Behold Him