The History of the Shekinah
Glory
The Shekinah Glory in the Wilderness
Exodus 13:17-20. And it came to pass, when Pharaoh had let the
people go, that God led them not by the way of the land of the
Philistines, although that was near; for God said, Lest
peradventure the people repent when they see war, and they return
to Egypt: but God led the people about, by the way of the
wilderness by the Red Sea: and the children of Israel went up
armed out of the land of Egypt. And Moses took the bones of Joseph
with him: for he had straitly sworn the children of Israel,
saying, God will surely visit you; and ye shall carry up my bones
away hence with you. And they took their journey from Succoth, and
encamped in Etham, in the edge of the wilderness. And Jehovah went
before them by day in a pillar of cloud, to lead them the way, and
by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light, that they might
go by day and by night.
Exodus 14:19-26. And the angel of God, who went before the camp of
Israel, removed and went behind them; and the pillar of cloud
removed from before them, and stood behind them: and it came
between the camp of Egypt and the camp of Israel; and there was
the cloud and the darkness, yet gave it light by night: and the
one came not near the other all the night. ... And the Egyptians
pursued, and went in after them into the midst of the sea ... and
it came to pass in the morning watch, that Jehovah looked forth
upon the host of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and of
cloud, and discomfited the host of the Egyptians ... so that the
Egyptians said, Let us flee from the face of Israel; for Jehovah
fighteth for them against the Egyptians. And Jehovah said unto
Moses, Stretch out thy hand over the sea, that the waters may come
again upon the Egyptians.
The Shekinah Glory Comes to the Tabernacle
Exodus 40:33-38. And he reared up the court round about the
tabernacle and the altar, and set up the screen of the gate of the
court. So Moses finished the work. Then the cloud covered the tent
of meeting, and the glory of Jehovah filled the tabernacle. And
Moses was not able to enter into the tent of meeting, because the
cloud abode thereon, and the glory of Jehovah filled the
tabernacle. And when the cloud was taken up from over the
tabernacle, the children of Israel went onward, throughout all
their journeys: but if the cloud was not taken up, then they
journeyed not till the day that it was taken up. For the cloud of
Jehovah was upon the tabernacle by day, and there was fire therein
by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel, throughout all
their journeys.
Number 9:15-22. And on the day that the tabernacle was reared up
the cloud covered the tabernacle, even the tent of the testimony:
and at even it was upon the tabernacle as it were the appearance
of fire, until morning. So it was alway: the cloud covered it, and
the appearance of fire by night. ... Sometimes the cloud was from
evening until morning; and when the cloud was taken up in the
morning, they journeyed: or if it continued by day and by night,
when the cloud was taken up, they journeyed. Whether it were two
days, or a month, or a year, that the cloud tarried upon the
tabernacle, abiding thereon, the children of Israel remained
encamped, and journeyed not; but when it was taken up, they
journeyed.
The Shekinah Glory Leaves the Tabernacle
1 Samuel 4:1-22. The elders of Israel said, ... Let us fetch the
ark of the covenant of Jehovah out of Shiloh unto us, that it may
come among us, and save us out of the hand of our enemies. ...
And the Philistines fought, and Israel was smitten, ... And there
ran a man of Benjamin out of the army, and came to Shiloh the same
day, ... And when he came, lo, Eli was sitting upon his seat by
the wayside watching; for his heart trembled for the ark of God.
... And he that brought the tidings answered and said, Israel is
fled before the Philistines, and there hath been also a great
slaughter among the people, and thy two sons also, Hophni and
Phinehas, are dead, and the ark of God is taken. And it came to
pass, when he made mention of the ark of God, that Eli feel from
off his seat backward by the side of the gate; and his neck brake,
and he died: for he was an old man, and heavy. And he had judged
Israel forty years. And his daughter-in-law, Phinehas' wife, was
with child, near to be delivered: ... And about the time of her
death the women that stood by her said unto her, Fear not; for
thou hast brought forth a son. But she answered not ... And she
named the child Ichabod, saying, The glory is departed from
Israel; because the ark of God was taken.
The Shekinah Glory Comes to the Temple of Solomon
2 Chronicles 5:1-13. Thus all the work that Solomon wrought for
the house of Jehovah was finished ... And the priests brought in
the ark of the covenant of Jehovah unto its place, into the oracle
of the house, to the most holy place, even under the wings of the
cherubim. ... And it came to pass, when the priests were come out
of the holy place, ... when the trumpeters and singers were as
one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking
Jehovah; and when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and
cymbals and instruments of music, and praised Jehovah, saying, For
he is good; for his lovingkindness endureth for ever; that then
the house was filled with a cloud, even the house of Jehovah, so
that the priests could not stand to minister by reason of the
cloud: for the glory of Jehovah filled the house of God.
The Shekinah Glory Leaves the Temple of Solomon
Ezekiel 9:3. And the glory of the God of Israel was gone up from
the cherub, whereupon it was, to the threshold of the house.
Ezekiel 10:3-5. Now the cherubim stood on the right side of the
house, when the man went in; and the cloud filled the inner court.
And the glory of Jehovah mounted 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 Jehovah's
glory. And the sound of the wings of the cherubim was heard even
to the outer court, as the voice of God Almighty when he speaketh.
Ezekiel 10:18-19. And the glory of Jehovah went forth from over
the threshold of the house, and stood over the cherubim. And the
cherubim lifted up their wings, and mounted up from the earth in
my sight when they went forth, and the wheels beside them: and
they stood at the door of the east gate of Jehovah's house; and
the glory of the God of Israel was over them above.
Ezekiel 11:23-24. Then did the cherubim lift up their wings, and
the wheels were beside them; and the glory of the God of Israel
was over them above. And the glory of Jehovah went up from the
midst of the city, and stood upon the mountain which is on the
east side of the city.
The Shekinah Glory Comes to the Messianic Kingdom
Temple
Ezekiel 43:1-5. 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 the
sound of many waters; and the earth shined with his glory. ... And
I fell upon my face. And the glory of Jehovah came into the house
by the way of the gate whose prospect is toward the east. And the
Spirit took me up, and brought me into the inner court; and,
behold, the glory of Jehovah filled the house.
Ezekiel 44:1-4. Then he brought me back by the way of the outer
gate of the sanctuary, which looketh toward the east; and it was
shut. And Jehovah said unto me, This gate shall be shut; it shall
not be opened, neither shall any man enter in by it; for Jehovah,
the God of Israel, hath entered in by it; therefore it shall be
shut. As for the prince, he shall sit therein as prince to eat
bread before Jehovah; he shall enter by the way of the porch of
the gate, and shall go out by the way of the same. Then he brought
me by the way of the north gate before the house; and I looked,
and, behold, the glory of Jehovah filled the house of Jehovah: and
I fell upon my face.
Ezekiel 46:1-10. Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: The gate of the
inner court that looketh toward the east shall be shut the six
working days; but on the sabbath day it shall be opened, and on
the day of the new moon it shall be opened. And the prince shall
enter by the way of the porch of the gate without, and shall stand
by the post of the gate; and the priests shall prepare his
burnt-offering and his peace-offerings, and he shall worship at
the threshold of the gate: then he shall go forth; but the gate
shall not be shut until the evening. And the people of the land
shall worship at the door of that gate before Jehovah on the
sabbaths and on the new moons. ... And when the prince shall
enter, he shall go in by the way of the porch of the gate, and he
shall go forth by the way thereof. But when the people of the land
shall come before Jehovah in the appointed feasts, he that
entereth by the way of the north gate to worship shall go forth by
the way of the south gate; and he that entereth by the way of the
south gate shall go forth by the way of the north gate: he shall
not return by the way of the gate whereby he came in, but shall go
forth straight before him. And the prince, when they go in, shall
go in in the midst of them; and when they go forth, they shall go
forth together.
Isaiah 4:3-6. And it shall come to pass, that he that is left in
Zion, and he that remaineth in Jerusalem, shall be called holy,
even every one that is written among the living in Jerusalem; when
the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of
Zion, and shall have purged the blood of Jerusalem from the midst
thereof, by the spirit of justice, and by the spirit of burning.
And Jehovah will create over the whole habitation of mount Zion,
and over her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day, and the shining
of a flaming fire by night; for over all the glory shall be spread
a covering. And there shall be a pavilion for a shade in the
day-time from the heat, and for a refuge and for a covert from
storm and from rain.