The Glory of the Lord Episode 5 The Shekinah Glory and Omnipresence of God.pptx

THE FIRE OF GOD'S PRESENCEPTUK June 29, 1899, page 406By comparing Isaiah 33:14-16 with Psalm 15:1-5 and 24:1-5, it will be seen that the people who dwell with the devouring fire and the everlasting burnings, are the same people that "ascend into the hill of the Lord," and abide in His tabernacle. Thus it must be that the everlasting, devouring fire is in the tabernacle, the secret place, of God. That is exactly the case. Let us collect a few texts of Scripture that show this.
Verse 11 of this chapter, according to Lowth's reading, says, "My Spirit, like fire, shall consume you." This agrees with Isaiah 11:4: "He shall smite the earth with the rod of His mouth, and with the breath of His lips shall He slay the wicked," and 2 Thessalonians 2:8, which says that the Lord shall consume "that wicked" "with the Spirit of His mouth."
"Our God is a consuming fire." Hebrews 12:29. He descended on Mount Sinai in fire (Exodus 19:18), and spoke to the people "out of the midst of the fire." Deuteronomy 4:12; Verse 22. "From His right hand went a fiery law for them." Deuteronomy 33:2.
The Lord "sitteth between or upon the cherubim." Psalm 99:1. When He drove Adam and Eve out of the garden of Eden, "He placed at the east of the garden of Eden cherubim and a flaming sword, which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life." Genesis 3:24. This was the indication of His own presence; to this place Adam and his family came to worship, and from here Cain went out from the presence of the Lord.
The Lord reigns in righteousness, and "a fire goeth before Him, and burneth up His enemies round about," and the hills melt like wax at the presence of the Lord. Psalm 97:1-5. So when Christ comes, it is "in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ." 2 Thessalonians 1:8. So at the last, when the wicked are all gathered together to do battle against God and His people, fire comes down from God out of heaven, and devours them. Revelation 20:8, 9. In Isaiah 30:33 we have read that "the breath of the Lord, like a stream of brimstone" kindles Tophet.
God covers Himself with light as with a garment (Psalm 104:2), and dwells in light that no man can approach unto. 1 Timothy 6:16. When Isaiah saw the Lord, sitting on His throne, "the house was filled with smoke" (Isaiah 6:4.), indicating the presence of fire; and this is still further indicated by the fact that the beings that stand above His throne are the "Seraphim," that is, "the burning ones." Remember also that God went before Israel, to guide them, in a pillar of fire by night and a pillar of cloud by day.
In this Presence, amid this fire, the saints of God will dwell throughout eternity, but in order that they may do this, they must here become accustomed to the glory of God, of which the whole earth is full. By beholding it they become changed into the same image "from glory to glory," even by the Spirit of the Lord. 2 Corinthians 3:18. The presen

1. The G l o ry o f t h e L o r d i n t h e S a n ctuary E p i s ode 5 : The S h e k i n a h G l o ry a n d The O m n i p r e s e n c e o f God

2. P r a y e r

3. V i s i o n s a n d I n s i g h ts f r o m t h e M o s t H o l y P l a c e Many who embraced the third message had not had an experience in the two former messages. Satan understood this, and his evil eye was upon them to overthrow them; but the third angel was pointing them to the most holy place, and those who had had an experience in the past messages were pointing them the way to the heavenly sanctuary. Many saw the perfect chain of truth in the angels' messages, and gladly received them in their order, and followed Jesus by faith into the heavenly sanctuary. These messages were represented to me as an anchor to the people of God. Those who understand and receive them will be kept from being swept away by the many delusions of Satan EW 256.2

4. H e r m eneutics Search the Scriptures," was the injunction of the Master. Many have lost much because they have neglected this duty. When we search the word of God, angels are by our side, reflecting bright beams of light upon its sacred pages. The Scriptures appeal to man as having power to choose between right and wrong; they speak to him in warning, in reproof, in entreaty, in encouragement. The mind must be exercised on the solemn truths of God's word, or it will grow weak. We have the truth brought out in publications, but it is not enough to rely upon other men's thoughts. We must examine for ourselves, and learn the reasons of our faith by comparing scripture with scripture. Take the Bible, and on your knees plead with God to enlighten your mind. If we would study the Bible diligently and prayerfully every day, we should every day see some beautiful truth in a new, clear, and forcible light.— CSW 22.2

5. G l o r y o f Christ Our Redeemer will ever bear the marks of His crucifixion. Upon His wounded head, upon His side, His hands and feet, are the only traces of the cruel work that sin has wrought. Says the prophet, beholding Christ in His glory: "He had bright beams coming out of His side: and there was the hiding of His power." Habakkuk 3:4, margin. That pierced side whence flowed the crimson stream that reconciled man to God—there is the Saviour's glory, there "the hiding of His power." "Mighty to save," through the sacrifice of redemption, He was therefore strong to execute justice upon them that despised God's mercy. And the tokens of His humiliation are His highest honor; through the eternal ages the wounds of Calvary will show forth His praise and declare His power DD 60.4

6. God's G l o ry i n t h e F a c e o f a n g e l s And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven." Clothed with the panoply of God, this angel left the heavenly courts. The bright beams of God's glory went before him, and illuminated his pathway. "His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow: and for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead men." DA 779.2

7. R e s u r r ection “Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.” — Romans 6:4 (KJV) “But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.” — Romans 8:11 (KJV)

8. B a p t i sm Never before had angels listened to such a prayer as Christ offered at his baptism, and they were solicitous to be the bearers of the message from the Father to his Son. But, no; direct from the Father issues the light of his glory. The heavens were opened, and beams of glory rested upon the Son of God, and assumed the form of a dove, in appearance like burnished gold. The dove-like form was emblematical of the meekness and gentleness of Christ. While the people stood spell-bound with amazement, their eyes fastened upon Christ, from the opening heavens came these words: “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” The words of confirmation that Christ is the Son of God was given to inspire faith in those who witnessed the scene, and to sustain the Son of God in his arduous work. Notwithstanding the Son of God was clothed with humanity, yet Jehovah, with his own voice, assures him of his sonship with the Eternal. In this manifestation to his Son, God accepts humanity as exalted through the excellence of his beloved Son. - 2SP 60.2

9. S p i r it o f G o d a t B s p t i s m Matthew 3 (KJV) ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ ¹⁶ And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: ¹⁷ And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

10. C h r i s t s G l o ry F i l l s t h e e a r t h Christ Himself was the Lord of the temple. When He should leave it, its glory would depart—that glory once visible in the holy of holies over the mercy seat, where the high Priest entered only once a year, on the great day of atonement, with the blood of the slain victim (typical of the blood of the Son of God shed for the sins of the world), and sprinkled it upon the altar. This was the Shekinah, the visible pavilion of Jehovah. It was this glory that was revealed to Isaiah, when he says, "In the year that king Uzziah died, I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple. Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face; and with twain he covered his feet; and with twain he did fly. And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory. And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke." Isaiah 6:1-4. "That the saying of Esaias the prophet might be fulfilled which he spake, Lord, who hath believed our report? and to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed? Therefore they could not believe, because that Esaias said again, He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them. These things said Esaias, when he saw his glory, and spake of him." John 12:38-41. 12LtMs, Ms 71, 1897, par. 21 - 12LtMs, Ms 71, 1897, par. 22

11. T h r o n e o f G o d Daniel 7 (KJV) ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ ⁹ I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire. ¹⁰ A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened.

12. E v e r l a s ting b u r n i ngs Isaiah 33 (KJV) ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ ¹⁴ The sinners in Zion are afraid; fearfulness hath surprised the hypocrites. Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings? ¹⁵ He that walketh righteously, and speaketh uprightly; he that despiseth the gain of oppressions, that shaketh his hands from holding of bribes, that stoppeth his ears from hearing of blood, and shutteth his eyes from seeing evil;

13. F i r e : God's G a r m e n ts Ezekiel 1 (KJV) ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ ⁴ And I looked, and, behold, a whirlwind came out of the north, a great cloud, and a fire infolding itself, and a brightness was about it, and out of the midst thereof as the colour of amber, out of the midst of the fire. … ¹² And they went every one straight forward: whither the spirit was to go, they went; and they turned not when they went. ¹³ As for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was like burning coals of fire, and like the appearance of lamps: it went up and down among the living creatures; and the fire was bright, and out of the fire went forth lightning. … ¹⁹ And when the living creatures went, the wheels went by them: and when the living creatures were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up. ²⁰ Whithersoever the spirit was to go, they went, thither was their spirit to go; and the wheels were lifted up over against them: for the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels. … ²⁶ And above the firmament that was over their heads was the likeness of a throne, as the appearance of a sapphire stone: and upon the likeness of the throne was the likeness as the appearance of a man above upon it. ²⁷ And I saw as the colour of amber, as the appearance of fire round about within it, from the appearance of his loins even upward, and from the appearance of his loins even downward, I saw as it were the appearance of fire, and it had brightness round about.

14. Light : God's G a r m e n t Psalms 104 (KJV) ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ ¹ Bless the LORD, O my soul. O LORD my God, thou art very great; thou art clothed with honour and majesty. ² Who coverest thyself with light as with a garment: who stretchest out the heavens like a curtain: ³ Who layeth the beams of his chambers in the waters: who maketh the clouds his chariot: who walketh upon the wings of the wind: ⁴ Who maketh his angels spirits; his ministers a flaming fire:

15. E J W G a r m e n t o f G o d His train filled the temple." The word rendered "train" is the same that in Jeremiah 13:22, 26, and other places is translated "skirts," and in Exodus 28:33, 34; 39:24, 25, 26, is translated "hem." The hem or skirt of His garment filled the temple. What is this garment? Here is the answer: "O Lord my God, Thou art very great; Thou art clothed with honour and majesty. Who coverest Thyself with light as with a garment; who stretchest out the heavens like a curtain." Psalm 104:1, 2. The light and glory of the Lord is His clothing; His train, that filled the temple, was His glory. "The whole earth is full of Thy glory." That is, the garment with which the Lord covers Himself is the fulness of the earth. Not only the temple in heaven, but the whole earth is filled with the hem of His garment. Now remember that when Jesus was here in the flesh, all that was needed for the healing of a poor, afflicted woman was that she should "touch the hem of His garment." So wherever we are, we are to reach of the hem of that garment which brings life and health and salvation PTUK January 26, 1899, page 66.10 - PTUK January 26, 1899, page 66.12

16. S h e k i n a h = P a v i l i o n = G a r m e n t In that thick darkness God's presence was hidden. He makes darkness His pavilion, and conceals His glory from human eyes. God and His holy angels were beside the cross. The Father was with His Son. Yet His presence was not revealed. Had His glory flashed forth from the cloud, every human beholder would have been destroyed. And in that dreadful hour Christ was not to be comforted with the Father's presence. He trod the wine press alone, and of the people there was none with Him. JNN 209.4

17. C o n t d Christ was "despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief." By wicked hands he was taken and crucified. Speaking of his death, the psalmist writes: "The sorrows of death compassed me, and the floods of ungodly men made me afraid. The sorrows of hell compassed me about: the snares of death prevented me. In my distress I called upon the Lord, and cried unto my God: he heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry came before him, even into his ears. Then the earth shook and trembled: the foundations also of the hills moved and were shaken, because he was wroth. There went up a smoke out of his nostrils, and fire out of his mouth devoured: coals were kindled by it. He bowed the heavens also, and came down: and darkness was under his feet. And he rode upon a cherub, and did fly: yea, he did fly upon the wings of the wind. He made darkness his secret place; his pavilion round about him were dark waters and thick clouds of the skies." RH July 17, 1900, par. 11

18. C o n t d Christ Himself was the Lord of the temple. When He should leave it, its glory would depart—that glory once visible in the holy of holies over the mercy seat, where the high Priest entered only once a year, on the great day of atonement, with the blood of the slain victim (typical of the blood of the Son of God shed for the sins of the world), and sprinkled it upon the altar. This was the Shekinah, the visible pavilion of Jehovah. It was this glory that was revealed to Isaiah, when he says, "In the year that king Uzziah died, I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple. Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face; and with twain he covered his feet; and with twain he did fly. And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory. And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke." Isaiah 6:1-4. "That the saying of Esaias the prophet might be fulfilled which he spake, Lord, who hath believed our report? and to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed? Therefore they could not believe, because that Esaias said again, He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them. These things said Esaias, when he saw his glory, and spake of him 12LtMs, Ms 71, 1897, par. 21 - 12LtMs, Ms 71, 1897, par. 22

19. Earthly t a b e r nacle “And Moses was not able to enter into the tent of the congregation, because the cloud abode thereon, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.” — Exodus 40:35 (KJV)

20. E a r t h : c o s m i c t a b ernacle Numbers 14 (KJV) ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ ²¹ But as truly as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the LORD. ²² Because all those men which have seen my glory, and my miracles, which I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and have tempted me now these ten times, and have not hearkened to my voice;

21. S h e k i n a h a n d S e c o n d c o m i n g Habakkuk 3 (KJV) ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ ² O LORD, I have heard thy speech, and was afraid: O LORD, revive thy work in the midst of the years, in the midst of the years make known; in wrath remember mercy. ³ God came from Teman, and the Holy One from mount Paran. Selah. His glory covered the heavens, and the earth was full of his praise. ⁴ And his brightness was as the light; he had horns coming out of his hand: and there was the hiding of his power.

22. C o n t d “And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:” — 2 Thessalonians 2:8 (KJV)

23. S w o r d m o u t h Revelation 19 (KJV) ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ ¹⁵ And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. … ²¹ And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh.

24. S p i r i t o f f i r e t o d e s t roy s i n n e r s of this chapter, according to Lowth's reading, says, "My Spirit, like fire, shall consume you." This agrees with Isaiah 11:4: "He shall smite the earth with the rod of His mouth, and with the breath of His lips shall He slay the wicked," and 2 Thessalonians 2:8, which says that the Lord shall consume "that wicked" "with the Spirit of His mouth." PTUK June 29, 1899, page 406.8

25. T h e t h e o l o gy o f t h e F i r e Shekinah THE FIRE OF GOD'S PRESENCEPTUK June 29, 1899, page 406By comparing Isaiah 33:14-16 with Psalm 15:1-5 and 24:1-5, it will be seen that the people who dwell with the devouring fire and the everlasting burnings, are the same people that "ascend into the hill of the Lord," and abide in His tabernacle. Thus it must be that the everlasting, devouring fire is in the tabernacle, the secret place, of God. That is exactly the case. Let us collect a few texts of Scripture that show this. Verse 11 of this chapter, according to Lowth's reading, says, "My Spirit, like fire, shall consume you." This agrees with Isaiah 11:4: "He shall smite the earth with the rod of His mouth, and with the breath of His lips shall He slay the wicked," and 2 Thessalonians 2:8, which says that the Lord shall consume "that wicked" "with the Spirit of His mouth." "Our God is a consuming fire." Hebrews 12:29. He descended on Mount Sinai in fire (Exodus 19:18), and spoke to the people "out of the midst of the fire." Deuteronomy 4:12; Verse 22. "From His right hand went a fiery law for them." Deuteronomy 33:2. The Lord "sitteth between or upon the cherubim." Psalm 99:1. When He drove Adam and Eve out of the garden of Eden, "He placed at the east of the garden of Eden cherubim and a flaming sword, which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life." Genesis 3:24. This was the indication of His own presence; to this place Adam and his family came to worship, and from here Cain went out from the presence of the Lord. The Lord reigns in righteousness, and "a fire goeth before Him, and burneth up His enemies round about," and the hills melt like wax at the presence of the Lord. Psalm 97:1-5. So when Christ comes, it is "in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ." 2 Thessalonians 1:8. So at the last, when the wicked are all gathered together to do battle against God and His people, fire comes down from God out of heaven, and devours them. Revelation 20:8, 9. In Isaiah 30:33 we have read that "the breath of the Lord, like a stream of brimstone" kindles Tophet. God covers Himself with light as with a garment (Psalm 104:2), and dwells in light that no man can approach unto. 1 Timothy 6:16. When Isaiah saw the Lord, sitting on His throne, "the house was filled with smoke" (Isaiah 6:4.), indicating the presence of fire; and this is still further indicated by the fact that the beings that stand above His throne are the "Seraphim," that is, "the burning ones." Remember also that God went before Israel, to guide them, in a pillar of fire by night and a pillar of cloud by day. In this Presence, amid this fire, the saints of God will dwell throughout eternity, but in order that they may do this, they must here become accustomed to the glory of God, of which the whole earth is full. By beholding it they become changed into the same image "from glory to glory," even by the Spirit of the Lord. 2 Corinthians 3:18. The presence of the Lord consumes everything that is evil, and so their dwelling with God in this time fits them for His unveiled glory. The sunlight, which destroys disease germs, is a daily proof to us of the fact that the glory of God consumes evil. But those who refuse to recognise God as He is now revealed, will not be able to abide the day of His coming, and will be consumed. So it is indeed eternal fire that consumes the wicked, but it is not fire specially created for that purpose, nor does the fact that it is eternal prove that those who suffer from it will live eternally, but just the opposite. All, both saints and sinners, will be in the midst of it, so that all will be treated alike, and God cannot be accused of injustice; but the nature of the individual will determine how the fire will affect him. Only those who have become transformed into the likeness of God, who have His life as their life, so that they are partakers of the Divine nature, sharers of the glory, will be able to come through the fire unscathed, and, in fact, to continue dwelling in it. They are of the same nature as the devouring flame, and hence can dwell in it and not be consumed. All others will perish. The mercy of God endures for ever, and that which perpetuates the existence of those who become assimilated to it, ends the existence of the rebellious. How pertinent, therefore, the message, "Fear God, and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment is come PTUK June 29, 1899, page 406 - PTUK June 29, 1899, page 407.5

26. C o n t d PAVILION , n. pavil'yun. L. papilio, a butterfly, and a pavilion.NWAD PAVILION.11. A tent; a temporary movable habitation NWAD PAVILION.1 - NWAD PAVILION.2 A covering; a canopy; figuratively, the sky. ▲ hide

27. P a v i l ion “And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.” — Revelation 21:3 (KJV) “ And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them.” — Exodus 25:8 (KJV)

28. R a b b i n i c r e p l a cement s And I saw the holy city, the New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘See, the Shekinah of God is among mortals. He will dwell with them.”ii

29. T a r g u m r e p l ace m e n t The name Shekinah first appeared in material found in the Onkelos Targum, which dates from the first-second century CE. This text, by an unknown author, was misnamed during the medieval period after Onkelos the Proselyte (35-110 CE), who translated the Bible into Aramaic. In the Onkelos Targum the term Shekinah is used to illustrate a divine presence which is separate from Yahweh, as in the paraphrase of Exodus 25:8;  “And they shall make before me a sanctuary and I shall cause my Shekinah to dwell among them.”

30. God's P u r p ose f o r t h e human S o u l God's plan for man contemplated, not the overlooking of sin in man but the removal of sin from man, and his complete restoration to the image of God, a change of character or nature, that we might "be partakers of the Divine nature." But since man who was at the first and by creation "a noble vine, wholly a right seed" (or seed of truth), had through sin "turned into the degenerate plant of a strange vine," and had lost the Divine nature so that "there is none righteous, no not one," it was necessary, in order to make it possible for him to receive "the engrafted Word" for his restoration, that the Word should be made flesh, and not merely that it should be made flesh, but that it bear the same kind of flesh. And so God sent His own Son "in the likeness of sinful flesh" that thus the scion or graft might be prepared, so nearly related to us that it might be possible for us to receive the "engrafted Word" and bring forth fruit after the Divine nature. Since it was man who was to be saved, and sinful man too, the Son of God became the Son of man, not laying aside His divinity but clothing it with our humanity, that He might be able to reach man where he was. This was the only way in which the Divine nature could come in actual contact with sinful man as a means of salvation, since the unveiled glory of God could result only in destruction to sinners. "For our God is a consuming fire." Heb. xii. 29. PTUK March 17, 1898, page 162.6 - PTUK March 17, 1898, page 162.7