The
Glory of God is Seen by Man:
Let's look at some other passages from scripture
where people beheld the glory of God:
"Then
the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory
of the LORD filled the tabernacle. And Moses was not
able to enter the tent of meeting because the cloud
had settled on it, and the glory of the LORD filled
the tabernacle. And throughout all their journeys
whenever the cloud was taken up from over the
tabernacle, the sons of Israel would set out; but if
the cloud was not taken up, then they did not set
out until the day when it was taken up. For
throughout all their journeys, the cloud of the LORD
was on the tabernacle by day, and there was fire in
it by night, in the sight of all the house of
Israel." Exodus 40:34-38 (NAS)
"And Moses said, "This is the
thing which the LORD has commanded you to do, that
the glory of the LORD may appear to you."...
And Moses and Aaron went into the tent of meeting.
When they came out and blessed the people, the glory
of the LORD appeared to all the people. Then fire
came out from before the LORD and consumed the burnt
offering and the portions of fat on the altar; and
when all the people saw it they shouted and fell on
their faces." Leviticus 9:6, 23-24 (NAS)
"But all the congregation said
to stone them with stones. Then the glory of the
LORD appeared in the tent of meeting to all the sons
of Israel... 14 and they will tell it to
the inhabitants of this land. They have heard that
Thou, O LORD, art in the midst of this people, for
Thou, O LORD, art seen eye to eye, while Thy cloud
stands over them; and Thou dost go before them in a
pillar of cloud by day and in a pillar of fire by
night." 21 but indeed, as I live, all the
earth will be filled with the glory of the LORD.
"Surely all the men who have seen My glory and My
signs, which I performed in Egypt and in the
wilderness, yet have put Me to the test these ten
times and have not listened to My voice," Numbers
14:10, 14, 21-22 (NAS)
"Thus Korah assembled all the
congregation against them at the doorway of the tent
of meeting. And the glory of the LORD appeared to
all the congregation. Then the LORD spoke to Moses
and Aaron, saying, "Separate yourselves from among
this congregation, that I may consume them
instantly." Numbers 16:19-21 (NAS)
"It came about, however, when
the congregation had assembled against Moses and
Aaron, that they turned toward the tent of meeting,
and behold, the cloud covered it and the glory of
the LORD appeared." Numbers 16:42 (NAS)
"And you said, 'Behold, the
LORD our God has shown us His glory and His
greatness, and we have heard His voice from the
midst of the fire; we have seen today that God
speaks with man, yet he lives. 'Now then why should
we die? For this great fire will consume us; if we
hear the voice of the LORD our God any longer, then
we shall die. 'For who is there of all flesh, who
has heard the voice of the living God speaking from
the midst of the fire, as we have and lived?"
Deuteronomy 5:24-26 (NAS)
"And it came about when the
priests came from the holy place, that the cloud
filled the house of the LORD, so that the priests
could not stand to minister because of the cloud,
for the glory of the LORD filled the house of the
LORD." I Kings 8:10-11 (NAS)
"...when they praised the LORD
saying," He indeed is good for His lovingkindness is
everlasting," then the house, the house of the LORD,
was filled with a cloud, so that the priests could
not stand to minister because of the cloud, for the
glory of the LORD filled the house of God." 2
Chronicles 5:13-14 (NAS)
"Now when Solomon had finished
praying, fire came down from heaven and consumed the
burnt offering and the sacrifices; and the glory of
the LORD filled the house. And the priests could not
enter into the house of the LORD, because the glory
of the LORD filled the LORD'S house. And all the
sons of Israel, seeing the fire come down and the
glory of the LORD upon the house, bowed down on the
pavement with their faces to the ground, and they
worshiped and gave praise to the LORD, saying,
"Truly He is good, truly His lovingkindness is
everlasting." 2 Chronicles 7:1-3 (NAS)
"The LORD reigns; let the earth
rejoice; let the many islands be glad. Clouds and
thick darkness surround Him; righteousness and
justice are the foundation of His throne." Fire goes
before Him, and burns up His adversaries round
about. His lightnings lit up the world; the earth
saw and trembled. The mountains melted 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 have seen His
glory." Psalm 97:1-6 (NAS)
"...then the LORD will create
over the whole area of Mount Zion and over her
assemblies a cloud by day, even smoke, and the
brightness of a flaming fire by night; for over all
the glory will be a canopy. And there will be a
shelter to give shade from the heat by day, and
refuge and protection from the storm and the rain."
Isaiah 4:5-6 (NAS)
"And one called out to another
and said, "Holy, Holy, Holy, is the LORD of hosts,
the whole earth is full of His glory." Isaiah 6:3
(NAS)
"Therefore the Lord, the GOD of
hosts, will send a wasting disease among his stout
warriors; and under his glory a fire will be kindled
like a burning flame. And the light of Israel will
become a fire and his Holy One a flame, and it will
burn and devour his thorns and his briars in a
single day." Isaiah 10:16-17 (NAS)
"Now above the expanse that was
over their heads there was something resembling a
throne, like lapis lazuli in appearance; and on that
which resembled a throne, high up, was a figure with
the appearance of a man. Then I noticed from the
appearance of His loins and upward something like
glowing metal that looked like fire all around
within it, and from the appearance of His loins and
downward I saw something like fire; and there was a
radiance around Him. As the appearance of the
rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day, so was the
appearance of the surrounding radiance. Such was the
appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD.
And when I saw it, I fell on my face and heard a
voice speaking." Ezekiel 1:26-28 (NOTE: this is a
vision or dream that Ezekiel had - see Ezekiel 1:1
-- NAS)
"Then the glory of the LORD
went up from the cherub to the threshold of the
temple, and the temple was filled with the cloud,
and the court was filled with the brightness of the
glory of the LORD." Ezekiel 10:4 (NOTE: this
is a vision or dream that Ezekiel had - see Ezekiel
1:1-- NAS)
"and behold, the glory of the
God of Israel was coming from the way of the east.
And His voice was like the sound of many waters; and
the earth shone with His glory." Ezekiel 43:2 (NOTE:
this is a vision that Ezekiel had - see Ezekiel 1:1
-- NAS)
Question:
According to these Old Testament Scriptures, what
did people generally experience when the glory of
God was present?
- A regular human figure.
- A carved or graven image.
- Shining light, fire, cloud or thick smoke.
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