There’s something about the glory of God that when you get a glimpse of it . . . when you sense something of the essence of His name . . . not only are you struck with awe . . . but you are also made keenly aware that “there’s more where that came from” . . . that what “meets the eye” is only a foretaste of something greater . . . that whatever you think you understand about the glory of God only serves to make it clear that you understand so little of the glory of God.

Reading in 1Kings 8 this morning . . . the temple is finished . . . the priests have brought in the holy furnishings that were in the tabernacle which served them in the wilderness . . . and then they bring in the ark of the covenant of the LORD into the inner sanctuary of the temple, to the Most Holy Place, under the wings of the cherubim. And then it happens . . .

And when the priests came out of the Holy Place, a cloud filled the house of the LORD, so that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud, for the glory of the LORD filled the house of the LORD.    (1Kings 8:10-11 ESV)

The glory of God, seen in the cloud, fills the magnificent temple built by Solomon. What a sight!!!

All Israel stood around the temple in absolute amazement and awe!! I can’t imagine the stirring of their heart to be “that close” to God . . . to behold His glory. And Solomon gets on his knees, spreads out his hands toward heaven, and prays . . . and isn’t far into his prayer before he asks . . .

But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain You; how much less this house that I have built!    (1Kings 8:27 ESV)

Solomon gets it. This display of the glory of God on earth is just an indicator of that glory which cannot be contained. When I start thinking that I “get” the glory of God . . then I’ve lost sight of it.

The glory of God evokes wonder, awe, humility. The glory of God drives people to their knees. The glory of God causes people to understand that there is so much more . . . and stirs within people the intense desire to see more . . . to know more . . . to experience more . . .

“Will God indeed dwell on the earth?” Yes!!!! And again, Yes!!! But not in temples of stone . . . instead in hearts of flesh . . in and through the church . . . a building being fitted together . . . a holy temple in the Lord . . . a dwelling place of God in the Spirit . . . to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in heavenly places!! (Eph. 2:21-22, 3:10) But this too is a but a shadow of the glory that is His who is enthroned in heavenly majesty.

Oh that something of the glory of God would be known in and through His people . . . not that we, as the but the vessel, might be noticed . . . but that the world might see Him and something of His glory and desire more.

The earth can’t contain Him . . . the temple couldn’t contain Him . . . the church can’t contain Him . . .but we can reveal Him . . . just a glimmer of glory.

Show us Your glory O God!!! Reveal Your glory in and through us, Lord!!! . . . “that all the peoples of the earth may know that the LORD is God; there is no other” (8:60). Amen.