Today's Reading: 1 Kings 8

God's Radiant Outshining

Here we read about the cloud, the symbol of the Divine glory and presence. At the inauguration of the Temple and the first service there, the cloud appears to have filled not only the Holy of Holies, but the whole Temple, courtyard, porch and all. It was visible and was evident to all the people who had gathered for this sacred event. By this, Solomon knew that God had honored the place with His presence, and had taken up residence therein.

This was the cloud of glory, seen often in the Old and New Testaments, sometimes called the cloud of “Shekinah” glory. Shekinah Glory is a visible manifestation of God on earth. The word Shekinah is a Hebrew name meaning “dwelling” or “one who dwells.” Shekinah Glory means “He caused to dwell,” referring to the divine presence of God.

This Shekinah is the cloud that: stood by Israel in the wilderness (Exodus 13:21-22); the cloud from which God met with Moses and others (Exodus 19:9); the cloud that stood by the door of the Tabernacle (Exodus 33:9-10); the cloud from which God appeared to the High Priest in the Holy Place inside the veil (Leviticus 16:2); the cloud of Ezekiel’s vision, filling the temple of God with the brightness of His glory (Ezekiel 10:4); the cloud of glory that overshadowed Mary when she conceived Jesus by the power of the Holy Spirit (Luke 1:35); the cloud present at the transfiguration of Jesus (Luke 9:34-35); the cloud of glory that received Jesus into heaven at His ascension (Acts 1:9); and this is the cloud that will display the glory of Jesus Christ when He returns in triumph to this earth (Luke 21:27).

What an amazing spectacle! Think of it! A cloud filled the house of the Lord with His glory. “For the glory of the Lord filled the house of the Lord.” (V11). The word “glory” in this verse means honor, splendor, glory, magnificence, brilliance, grandness. It is a word that expresses the impressiveness of God and His holy presence. It is hard to define the glory of God, but we could call it the “radiant outshining” of His character and presence.

In this incidence, the cloud’s presence was so overwhelming that the priests could not continue ministering because of the cloud. The extreme presence of the glory of God made normal service impossible. The sense of the presence of God was so intense that the priests felt it was impossible to continue in their ministry.

The Lord your God is living and powerful and He wants to show you His Shekinah Glory. Perhaps not as a visible spectacle or an overwhelming cloud, but if you prayerfully seek Him, He will reveal His extreme presence and radiant outshining in your life.