2 Chron.5:11-14 – 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.
In the Old Testament what separated the nation of Israel from all of the other nations was the unmistakeable glory of God. It was God’s glory that appeared the very day Israel came out from Egypt. It was his glory that led them in their journey for forty years and it was the glory that caused their enemies to flee in terror before them. In today’s passage we see the glory appearing in the temple and it was the same glory that fell on the church on the Day of Pentecost. If you pay close attention you can clearly see the parallel to the Lord filling the temple with glory and then filling His church with the same glory. Just as Israel was separated from the world by the glory, today the church is also set apart by God’s glory. Matthew Henry described the worship in the temple and connected it to glory, we also are brought into this presence when we enter into worship.
“It was when they were all agreed, when they were as one, in unison, making one sound. The holy God came on the apostles when they all met together (Ac 2:1 – 4). Where unity is, the LORD commands the blessing (Ps 133). It was when they were, in their praises, celebrating the eternal mercy and goodness of God. As there is no single saying more often repeated in Scripture than this, his mercy endureth for ever— so also there is none more especially acknowledged by heaven, for when the glory of God appeared, it was this plain song, He is good, and his mercy endureth for ever, that the priests were singing, not the expression of some rapturous flights of ecstasy. God’s goodness is his glory, and he is pleased when we give him the glory of it.’
I believe the church is approaching the day when experiencing God’s glory consistently in our gatherings will be considered essential. This presence marks us as the people of God. It satisfies our hearts with His goodness. It changes us into other people. It fills us with power to reach our generation. It produces in us a purity that flows from the love of God. His presence answers all things, we are truly people of His presence.
