BLESSED GLORY OF THE LORD.

Ezekiel 10:4 says “THEN THE 'GLORY' OF THE LORD WENT 'UP' FROM THE CHERUB, AND 'STOOD' OVER THE THRESHOLD OF THE HOUSE; AND THE HOUSE WAS 'FILLED' WITH THE CLOUD, AND THE COURT WAS 'FULL' OF THE BRIGHTNESS OF THE LORD’S GLORY!”

Beloved Believers, I Have Had “3” People in the Last "24" Hours 'Message' me, Inquiring about Ezekiel 10:4! Therefore, I Dedicate today’s 'Devotional' time to this Text! Now, What we Have here is called a “THEOPHANY”, or “CHRISTOPHANY!” It’s a Pre-Incarnate 'Appearance' of the "SECOND PERSON" of the GODHEAD! Now, Remember, in chapter 1, the Prophet 'sees' the Approaching "GLORY" of GOD, Seated Upon a 'THRONE', Carried by 'Angelic' Cherubim, 'Transported' as it were, in All HIS "MAJESTY!" And the 'APPEARANCE' WAS AS THE 'APPEARANCE' OF A "MAN" (THE GOD-MAN)! Now, Listen, for “9” chapters, THE "VOICE” of MESSIAH Has Been 'SPEAKING' to him, Concerning the 'Idolatry' of HIS People, "ISRAEL!" And it is Absolutely 'Essential', that we Understand the 'Chronological' Setting Here! Listen, 'Nebuchadnezzar' is On His Way to "Destroy" JERUSALEM! The Children of ISRAEL 'will' Go Into "Captivity" in Babylon for “70” Years, "AS GOD HAD SAID!" So, with all this in Mind, let’s Examine “6” Particulars from our Verse today:

First, Notice “WHEN” this Occurred: He writes “THEN!” What? Then? "When?" Listen, the 3rd, and Final “Deportation” is about to take Place! There will 'Not' be One Stone left 'Standing' upon another, because the 'Armies' of the Babylonian Empire 'Will' Annihilate 'Everything' in Sight! Why? It’s Because of "SIN!" Listen to me, 'GOD' Will Put up with a 'Lot' from HIS Children, but HE will "NOT" STAND FOR “THE” SIN OF "IDOLATRY!" Over and Over and Over, GOD Had "Warned" HIS People, 'Not' to Engage in the "Idolatry" of the 'Heathen' that Surrounded them! In Fact, the Very 'First' Commandment Clearly Said, "THOU SHALT HAVE 'NO' OTHER GODS BEFORE ME!!!" So, Ezekiel Says, “THEN” THE LORD’S 'GLORY' WENT! Listen, 'Read' II Chronicles 36:11-21, Concerning the 'Final' Deportation, and See if you Can’t “IDENTIFY” The ONE 'SIN' that Caused the "70 Year" Captivity (hint: vs 14)! Ezekiel Says, “THEN”, When "ALL ELSE" FAILED, GOD’S WRATH "FELL!"

But Secondly, Notice “WHAT” Happened Then: Ezekiel writes “THEN, THE 'GLORY' OF THE LORD WENT 'UP' FROM THE CHERUB!” What? Wait a Minute Ezekiel, 'Why' Would the 'Shechinah' GLORY OF GOD Rise “UP”, From Dwelling 'Between' the Cherubim? Listen Closely Now, for “900” Years, THE "SHECHINAH GLORY" Had Dwelt “IN” the HOLY OF HOLIES “IN” the 'Tabernacle' and 'Temple' of GOD in "JERUSALEM!" But 'Now', Something “UNKNOWN” to ISRAEL, is About to Take Place: THE "GLORY" OF THE LORD GOD OF ISRAEL is “DEPARTING!!!” Ichabod, is about to be 'Written' Over the Door of the "House!" So, Ezekiel Says, “THEN” THE GLORY 'OF' THE LORD 'WENT' UP “FROM” THE CHERUB! Listen Dear One, the Year is 594 BC, and "THAT GLORY CLOUD" Has Been “SITTING” On That "MERCY SEAT" Since 1491 BC!!! That's "9" Centuries! But 'Now' (THEN) THE 'GLORY' GETS “UP!” See, in Exodus 40:34, 'after' Moses Had Completed the Tabernacle, it says, “THEN, A CLOUD 'COVERED' THE TENT OF THE CONGREGATION, AND THE 'GLORY' OF THE LORD 'FILLED' THE TABERNACLE!” And HE Was "WITH" ISRAEL All 'through' their Wilderness Wanderings, All 'through' their Campaigns of War, All 'through' their Generations, But "Now", HIS GLORY 'STANDS', as HE 'PREPARES' TO “DEPART!” Are You Getting the 'Impact' of the Picture Here???

Thirdly, Notice “WHAT” HE Does: Ezekiel writes “THEN, THE 'GLORY' OF THE LORD WENT 'UP' FROM THE CHERUB, AND 'STOOD' OVER THE THRESHOLD OF THE HOUSE!” What? Did You 'Hear' That? Are You 'Following' What’s Going on here Beloved? Watch, THE 'GLORY' OF GOD “ARISES” TO 'DEPART', BUT HE “STOPS”, AND “STANDS” AT THE 'THRESHOLD' OF THE HOUSE! "Why?" Listen to me: it’s Because HIS 'HEART' IS “BREAKING!!!” Just 'Like' a Faithful 'Husband' who’s Wife Has Stepped 'Out' on Him, HIS "HEART IS BROKEN", and HE “STILL” LOVES HER!!! Beloved, this text 'Boggles' My Mind, Because We’re talking about the "CREATOR" OF THE "UNIVERSE!" And Yet, HE “HESITATES”, as if HE’S Still "Pleading" For HER "LOVE!!!"

But Fourthly, Notice “WHAT” They 'HAD': He writes “AND THE HOUSE WAS 'FILLED' WITH THE CLOUD!” Oh Glory! Listen Carefully, THE "PRESENCE" OF GOD WAS “STILL” IN THE HOUSE, and 'Until' HE “DEPARTS”, They 'HAD' HIS GLORY “WITH” THEM!!! You Know it Absolutely 'Amazes' Me, When I think of some of the 'Vain' Things that GOD’S 'People' Will Trade HIM “FOR!” Let Me 'Ask' You Dear One today: What is it, That You Are 'Willing' to Put “Before” the 'GLORY OF GOD' in Your Life? Some Christians 'Trade' HIM in for 'Money', some for a 'Bottle', some for Unlawful Sexual 'Gratification', others for some Unregenerate "Person!" But "Whatever" the Replacement Might Happen to be, You can 'Know' for sure, That it Will "NEVER" SATISFY, and it Will NEVER "REPLACE" HIM! And That's Because "NOTHING" In The 'UNIVERSE' Can "COMPARE TO HIM!!!"

But Fifthly, Notice “WHAT” HE IS: Ezekiel writes “AND THE COURT WAS 'FULL' OF THE 'BRIGHTNESS' OF THE LORD’S GLORY!” Oh Me Oh My Beloved, Wow!! Question: Do You Know "What" You 'Have' today? Listen, if You are 'Born Again', Saved, 'Regenerated' by the "SPIRIT" OF JESUS CHRIST, You 'HAVE' THE “BRIGHTNESS” of the LORD’S GLORY “IN YOU!!!” Did You 'Hear' Me??? Listen, Just as the "HOLY TEMPLE" of JERUSALEM 'Had' the LORD’S "GLORY", So too, Do YOU & I "Have" HIS 'GLORIOUS' PRESENCE “WITHIN!” Hebrews 1:3 says of JESUS CHRIST “WHO 'BEING' THE 'BRIGHTNESS' OF HIS GLORY!” Oh We’re So "Blessed" My Fellow-Believers today! And We HAVE THIS "TREASURE" IN EARTHEN "VESSELS!!!"

But in Closing, Sixthly, Notice “WHAT” Happened to ISRAEL: vs 22 says “THEN DID THE CHERUBIMS LIFT 'UP' THEIR WINGS, AND THE WHEELS BESIDE THEM; AND THE 'GLORY' OF THE GOD OF ISRAEL WAS 'OVER' THEM ABOVE; AND THE 'GLORY' OF THE LORD WENT UP 'FROM' THE MIDST OF THE CITY, AND 'STOOD' UPON THE 'MOUNTAIN' WHICH IS ON THE EAST SIDE OF THE CITY!” What? Did Anyone 'Hear' That? Listen, THE "SHECHINAH GLORY" Walks 'From' HIS MERCY SEAT “to” the 'Threshold' of the House, then 'From' the Threshold of the House “to” HIS THRONE “OVER” THE LIVING CREATURES, and Then “to” the Mount of Olives!!! "Why" is that Significant? Oh Listen Carefully: THE 'GLORY' OF GOD “ONLY” DEPARTED 'FROM' ISRAEL “FOR A SEASON!” But Guess What? IT’S "COMING BACK" SOON & VERY SOON!!! And Zechariah 14:4 says that THE "LORD" SHALL STAND IN "THAT DAY" UPON THE "MOUNT OF OLIVES", WHICH IS BEFORE JERUSALEM ON THE "EAST!" And Guess What? HIS "FEET" WILL "SPLIT" THE MOUNTAIN IN "HALF" AS HE "TOUCHES" DOWN TO SAVE HIS "ELECT" NATION "ISRAEL!!!" Beloved, My Word to You today is simple: "LITTLE CHILDREN, KEEP YOURSELVES FROM IDOLS!!!" Don’t Make the Same 'Mistake' that ISRAEL Made! "2500" Years is a 'Long Time' to Wait, But HE’S "COMING!!!" Blessings to All, and Shalom.

A BEAUTIFUL PRAYER TO START YOUR JOB EVERYDAY

God our Loving Heavenly Father, as I enter this workplace, I bring your presence with me. I speak your peace, your grace, your mercy and your perfect order into this office/place. I acknowledge your power over all that will be spoken, though, decided and done within these walls.
Lord, I thank you for the gifts you have blessed me with. I commit to using them responsibly in your honour. Give me a fresh supply of strength to do my job. Anoint my projects, ideas, and energy, so that even my smallest accomplishment may bring you glory.
Lord, when I am confused, guide me. When I am weary, energize me. When I am burned out, infuse me with the light of the Holy Spirit. May the work that I do and the way I do it bring faith, joy and a smile to all that I come in contact with today. And oh Lord, when leave this place, give me traveling mercy. Bless my family and home to be in order as I left it.
Lord, I thank you for everything you have done, everything you are doing and everything you are going to do. In the name of Jesus, I pray, with much love and thanksgiving…Amen.