Unveiled

Unveiled

I kings 8:11-13 “... the priests could not continue ministering because of the cloud; for the glory of the Lord filled the house of the Lord. Then Solomon spoke:

“The Lord said He would dwell in the dark cloud. 

I have surely built You an exalted house,
And a place for You to dwell in forever.”

A cloud of darkness? God’s glory? How can that be? So often I have seen paintings, pictures and in my mind’s eye when I think of God’s glory being seen I think of brightness, shining light...all darkness being dispelled. How can it be in darkness? 

I realise my thought processes are wrong they are not in line with The Word. I have deep down the concept of Ying and Yang of light and dark of good and evil. Yet this is not God. In God their is no evil only goodness...always and only goodness. So what is the darkness?

Ps 97 2-6 “Clouds and darkness surround Him;Righteousness and justice are the foundation of His throne.A fire goes before Him,And burns up His enemies round about.His lightnings light the world;The earth sees and trembles.The mountains melt like wax at the presence of the Lord,At the presence of the Lord of the whole earth.The heavens declare His righteousness,And all the peoples see His glory..”

Here we see God’s throne...we see clouds..... darkness yet there is fire and lightnenings and His glory is seen.

Ex 24:15-18 “Then Moses went up into the mountain, and a cloud covered the mountain.Now the glory of the Lord rested on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it six days. And on the seventh day He called to Moses out of the midst of the cloud. The sight of the glory of the Lord was like a consuming fire on the top of the mountain in the eyes of the children of Israel.  So Moses went into the midst of the cloud and went up into the mountain. And Moses was on the mountain forty days and forty nights.

EGW tells us “The thick cloud opened in the sight of of Israel and the glory of the Lord broke forth like a fire.”

Again I see clouds of darkness yet a bright light of fire breaking forth from it. That mixture..darkness yet brightness.

Ex 40:34-38 Then the cloud covered the tabernacle of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.  And Moses was not able to enter the tabernacle of meeting, because the cloud rested above it, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. Whenever the cloud was taken up from above the tabernacle, the children of Israel would go onward in all their journeys.  But if the cloud was not taken up, then they did not journey till the day that it was taken up.  For the cloud of the Lord was above the tabernacle by day, and fire was over it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel, throughout all their journeys.”

Eze 10:4 “Then the glory of the Lord went up from the cherub, and paused over the threshold of the temple; and the house was filled with the cloud, and the court was full of the brightness of the Lord’s glory.”

Ps 18:11 ".He made darkness His secret place;His canopy around Him was dark waters And thick clouds of the skies,  From the brightness before Him

Psalm 139:12  "Indeed, the darkness shall not hide from You, But the night shines as the day; The darkness and light are both alike to You."

The darkness is not about God hiding from me. The darkness is a veil...it hides the brightness that I can behold Him in my sinfulness. So that I can start to see Him. In the darkness and in the clouds I can behold His glory.I can start to see Him. In the sanctuary a veil was between the holy place and the most Holy, in which was the mercy seat and the presence of God. The veil is my protection. It allows me to start to see God’s glory for even in the darkness His glory is made manifest.

Luke 23:45 And the sun was darkened , and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst.

At the cross the veil was torn. God wants me to step past the darkness of His glory that I can behold in my sinfulness. He has opened the way for me being able to see the brightness of His glory. It is through the cross...through forgiveness and cleansing that I can see the brightness of His glory. 

Heb 6:19:20”This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the Presence behind the veil, where the forerunner has entered for us, even Jesus, having become High Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.”

Christ’s righteousness in me and through me and covering me enables me to step beyond the darkness of His glory into the brightness of His glory.... to see Christ more fully.

2 Cor 3:18 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.

Step me O Lord from the darkness of beholding your glory, through the blood of Jesus Christ, and into the brightness of your glory. May I be changed into your image as I behold you glory moment by moment.