Scripture Daily

Context No. 4278 of 4322 · Ezekiel

Context · Reflection

Ezekiel 43:1-5: in context

1Afterward he brought me to the gate, even the gate that looks toward the east. 2Behold, the glory of the God of Israel came from the way of the east. His voice was like the sound of many waters; and the earth was illuminated with his glory. 3It was like the appearance of the vision which I saw, even according to the vision that I saw when I came to destroy the city; and the visions were like the vision that I saw by the river Chebar; and I fell on my face. 4The LORD’s glory came into the house by the way of the gate which faces toward the east. 5The Spirit took me up and brought me into the inner court; and behold, the LORD’s glory filled the house.

Earlier in his prophecy, Ezekiel had seen the terrible sight of God's glory departing from the temple because of the people's sin. Now, in the vision of the restored temple, he sees the reverse: the glory of the God of Israel returns from the east, his voice like the sound of many waters, the earth shining with his glory, and the glory of the LORD fills the house. What had departed comes back; the empty temple is filled again with the presence of God.

What stands out is this return and filling. The glory that had left because of sin returns in mercy, entering the temple and filling it. The house is not meant to stand empty; its whole purpose is to be filled with the presence of God. And here, in the vision of restoration, that is exactly what happens: the glory returns and the house is full.

God's design is to fill his temple with his presence, and Scripture tells us that his people are now his temple. Where sin may have emptied us of a vivid sense of his presence, God delights to return and fill his house again. The glory that filled Ezekiel's temple points to the God who fills his people with his Spirit, whose desire is not to leave us empty but to fill us with himself.

Do I long, like the temple that was filled when the glory returned, to be filled with the presence of God, trusting that his design for his people is not to leave us empty but to fill his house again with himself?

Sources