Exodus 40:34 NASB95 Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.
Imagine the glory of the Lord. We can't even imagine.
The other day, I was driving through town. It was a cloudy day, kind of gray looking, but as I came around a curve, up ahead, I saw light rays from the sun breaking through the clouds and putting streaks of light like a halo with a veil of lights from the sky to the earth. Even a completely cloudy day can not stop the glory of the sun from lighting the earth. I am speaking only of the sun. Try to imagine if it was the glory of God. Once again, no matter how hard we try, we can not even imagine. In Exodus 40, scripture speaks of all the different parts of the Tabernacle that must be set up perfectly to provide a place holy enough for the Lord to enter in. Yet when mankind had succeeded by the power of the Lord to do exactly as God had commanded, it still was not holy enough. So God veiled himself in a thick pillar of cloud as He entered this place. God still had to bring His own covering to help hide His Glory so man could still live. Even His covering of a pillar of cloud still did not completely hide His glory. Exodus 40:35 NASB95 Moses was not able to enter the tent of meeting because the cloud had settled on it, and the glory of the LORD filled the Tabernacle.
The glory was just too much. The cloud was too thick, and Moses was not able to enter.
With all of this said God chooses to live inside of the temple of the body of His followers. Through this, we do good works and reveal the glory of the Lord. Yet when we don't, then we succeed in doing what all the Tabernacle curtains and veils and a pillar of cloud couldn't do. We hide the glory of God. This is a success that I don't want and am not proud of. In fact, it is something I am ashamed of. How vile we must be, to be able to hide the glory of the Lord. This is something we should contemplate daily and make an effort not to do. God Almighty indwells us to guide us in showing the world His Glory. How exhausting it is to live a life as a Christian veiling the Glory of the Lord! Yet how peaceful it is to know that all we have to do is follow the guidance of His Spirit inside of us, and His Glory is unveiled for all the world to see!
Now please don't misunderstand me. We are not capable of completely blocking the glory of God. After all, He is God.
When we completely block His Glory in us it still shows bright in others.
He is God and His Glory will be revealed. Romans 1:20 NASB95 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.
He is God and His Glory is indescribable! However, how awful it is to know we have blocked His Glory from being revealed to the world through us, simply because of our lack of good works. Matthew 5:16 NASB95 “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.
Praise the Lord we still have an opportunity to do this because He never leaves us once He indwells us! Romans 8:37-39 NASB95 But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Let's conquer this Glory-blocking veil of vile sin by doing good works in His power and glorifying our Father who has saved us through His Son!
Exodus 40:34 NASB95 Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.
Let's not do what the Tabernacle and the cloud couldn't do! Let's let the Glory of God shine through us!
Love Bro. Scott