Bible Study: The Glory of The Lord 09.13.10

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Today is Monday September 13, 2010 and we are reading through the Bible in a year. Today's message comes from the reading of the Book of Ezekiel, chapters 43-45. If you would like to read the chapters along with us here online you can Click Here to read them or copy & paste this link onto your browser: http://www.imfollowingjesus.com/bible-september-13

Today's Message: The Glory Of The Lord
On Sunday's, most holiday's, and perhaps one day during the week many Christians go to church or some kind of building that resembles a church to worship God. While the world would view worshiping God as something more liken to slavery, worshiping God actually means simply to honor God, we usually do that by song, prayer, reading, and learning a little about His Word. It is truly a wonderful thing to come together, fellowship, and hear some good preaching. It seems that these preachers know just what to say to revive us and get us going for the week and revive us during the week when we are drained spiritually. So, what happens once we get out of those doors? Do you take God with you and apply what you have learned or do you leave Him at the door and continue to go on with life as if you were never there? The truth is this, God does not just dwell in a room with four walls, God is everywhere and inside of every person who knows Jesus Christ as their Savior, through the Holy Spirit. Praise God! “Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.” -II Corinthians 3:17,18. It is only when we allow the Holy Spirit to work in us that we will see the glory of the Lord and when we see the glory of the Lord we will apply what we have learned when we get out the door and see His glory shine even more through us.

Okay, so what is the glory of the Lord? The word glory means, something of great importance, honor, beauty, and or to boast about. In other words, the glory of the Lord means to honor God by recognizing the importance of Him being in and working in our lives. The more we allow God to work through us, the more we are blessed. The more we are blessed, the more we boast about Him, the more we boast about Him, the more beautiful He looks to others as God's glory shines through us. “For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” - II Corinthians 4:6.

Before Jesus came, God did not dwell in anyone, but over the Temple that king Solomon built. In a vision, Ezekiel had witnessed the departure of the glory of the Lord from the magnificent, but now destroyed, Temple (Ezekiel 10:4-19). Jerusalem and the once-glorious kingdom of Israel were only memories. The Israelites had chosen to ignore God's Word and were actually worshiping idols, the sun, and all sorts of creatures in the Temple that had been dedicated to God alone. However, in a new vision Ezekiel saw a new Temple being built and God coming in by the very way through which He had departed from the old Temple. The Eastern Gate led straight to the Temple entrance of the eternal King, “Afterward he brought me to the gate, even the gate that looketh toward the east: And, behold, the glory of the God of Israel came from the way of the east: and his voice was like a noise of many waters: and the earth shined with his glory. And it was according to the appearance of the vision which I saw, even according to the vision that I saw when I came to destroy the city: and the visions were like the vision that I saw by the river Chebar; and I fell upon my face. And the glory of the LORD came into the house by the way of the gate whose prospect is toward the east. So the spirit took me up, and brought me into the inner court; and, behold, the glory of the LORD filled the house.” - Ezekiel 43:1-5. The physical Temple had foreshadowed the life and ministry of Christ. In the millennium there will be no need for types or symbols because God the Father and Jesus Christ, whom the symbols represented, will be present. Our concern should not be how and when the prophecies will be fulfilled, but that our body, mind, and spirit be prepared for the His return.

Ezekiel's vision also foreseen Jesus as the prince who would be in charge of the new Temple, “Then he brought me back the way of the gate of the outward sanctuary which looketh toward the east; and it was shut. Then said the LORD unto me; This gate shall be shut, it shall not be opened, and no man shall enter in by it; because the LORD, the God of Israel, hath entered in by it, therefore it shall be shut. It is for the prince; the prince, he shall sit in it to eat bread before the LORD; he shall enter by the way of the porch of that gate, and shall go out by the way of the same.” - Ezekiel 44:1-3. Jesus will be sent to restore Israel. “Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins. And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him.” - Acts 5:31,32. Today, all who call on Christ as their Savior are witnesses, through the Holy Spirit that indwells in us.

God is always with you, so, let all the burdens, guilt, or shame go and give it all to Him. Never stop allowing God to work in you, He is the key to all the blessings in our lives, even the struggles. The more we allow the glory of the Lord to work in us the easier we will be able to handle future struggles as well as see the blessings through all of them. More importantly we have the amazing Christ in us to strengthen us, guide us, and lead others to the glory of the Lord as well, which is the most important thin we can do for someone who is not saved. “For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.” - Psalm 84:11. Praise God!

Enjoy the rest of your day/night and have an awesome week.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina

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