Fill Me With Your Glory

Fill Me With Your Glory

My mind is sifting through pictures of splendour, pomp, ceremony, fervour, grandeur, great rejoicing and worship....worship...and  the presence of God.

1 Kings 8:1- 10

Now Solomon assembled the elders of Israel and all the heads of the tribes, the chief fathers of the children of Israel, to King Solomon in Jerusalem, that they might bring up the ark of the covenant of the Lord from the City of David, which is Zion.Therefore all the men of Israel assembled with King Solomon at the feast ....  So all the elders of Israel came, and the priests took up the ark.  Then they brought up the ark of the Lord, the tabernacle of meeting, and all the holy furnishings that were in the tabernacle. The priests and the Levites brought them up.  Also King Solomon, and all the congregation of Israel who were assembled with him, were with him before the ark, sacrificing sheep and oxen that could not be counted or numbered for multitude. Then the priests brought in the ark of the covenant of the Lord to its place, into the inner sanctuary of the temple, to the Most Holy Place, under the wings of the cherubim. ..... And it came to pass, when the priests came out of the holy place, that the cloud filled the house of the Lord, so that the priests could not continue ministering because of the cloud; for the glory of the Lord filled the house of the Lord.

At the appointed time the hosts of Israel, with richly clad representatives from many foreign nations, assembled in the temple courts. The scene was one of unusual splendor. Solomon, with the elders of Israel and the most influential men among the people, had returned from another part of the city, whence they had brought the ark of the testament. .....In bringing to the temple the sacred ark containing the two tables of stone on which were written by the finger of God the precepts of the Decalogue, Solomon had followed the example of his father David. Every six paces he sacrificed. With singing and with music and with great ceremony, "the priests brought in the ark of the covenant of the Lord unto his place, to the oracle of the house, into the most holy place." 2 Chron 5: 7. As they came out of the inner sanctuary, they took the positions assigned them. The singers --Levites arrayed in white linen, having cymbals and psalteries and harps--stood at the east end of the altar, and with them a hundred and twenty priests sounding with trumpets. See verse 12.

"It came even to pass, as the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and

thanking the Lord; and when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of music, and praised the Lord, saying, For He is good; for His mercy endureth forever: that then the house was filled with a cloud, even the house of the Lord; so that the priests could not stand to minister by reason of the cloud: for the glory of the Lord had filled the house of God." Verses 13,14.” P&K p 38

Do I want the glory of the Lord to fill  me,the temple of God with His glory? Do I want my worship to be acceptable like it was with Solomon?

I see several important things that God is calling me to. God is calling me to a life of obedience but obedience under the blood of Jesus Christ...His righteousness. The great sacrificing of the animals by Solomon were all a token of the blood of Jesus Christ. 

I recall the story of Uzzah and when King David first moved the ark of the Covenant. He was filled with a godly zeal, he desired the occasion to be one of great rejoicing and imposing display. It was a scene of solemn gladness and triumph as all the people worshiped God. There was music and singing of praises to God. Yet it all went so badly as God smote Uzzah as he puts his hand on the ark. ( 2 Samuel 1-8) David had failed to do two things. He had failed to follow God’s divine direction for the moving of the ark and he failed to place the ceremony under the righteous blood of Jesus Christ.

Even if my motives are overflowing with joy and holy zeal...even if I am filled with praises to God, He asks first of me to be washed in the blood of Jesus Christ and in that washing that His works of obedience may be carried forth. God can manifest His presence, His glory, in my life when I am fully surrendered and covered with His righteousness.

“ But we are all like an unclean thing,

And all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags..” Isa 64:6

“Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost” titus 3:5

“ Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.” Heb 10:22

“....the fullness of Him who fills all in all.” Eph 1:23

“ And to know the love of Christ, which passes knowledge, that you might be filled with all the fullness of God.” Eph 3:19

“ But we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.” 2 Cor 3:18

Lord wash me and cleanse me and give me your righteousness that my heart may be prepared for your in filling of your presence and glory.