December 9
The Glory of the Lord Appeared Above the Temple
The priests could not enter the temple of the Lord because the glory of the Lord filled it. When all the Israelites saw the fire coming down and the glory of the Lord above the temple, they knelt on the pavement with their faces to the ground, and they worshiped and gave thanks to the Lord, saying, “He is good; his love endures forever.” 2 Chronicles 7:2-3
Could anyone imagine a better moment in Israel’s history? Nothing was wrong. King Solomon reigned in Jerusalem. The borders extended far and wide. Gold and silver flowed like water. The temple of the Lord stood, steadfast and strong, and the glory of the Lord filled the temple. The people praised God’s goodness and love.
But . . . we all know the history. The line of David failed. The nation crumbled. The riches, taken away. The temple, destroyed. The glory of the Lord departed. The Israelites could not walk in the way of the Lord; they turned to other gods.
Sadly, this mirrors our own life. We fail to walk in God’s commands. We inherit a rotten heart from our parents. Our patience crumbles too soon. We spend our wealth without thinking of God and his church. Our will to honor God is destroyed at the first inconvenience of the day. We turn away from God to follow our own sinful desires. The glory of the Lord ought to depart from our hearts and leave us exiled in darkness and despair.
But it doesn’t. There is one thing that happened in 2 Chronicles 7 that didn’t fail: “He is good; his love endures forever.”
On that Christmas day in Bethlehem, his goodness and love appeared. A son was born. A true man to live and die in our place. A true God whose blood covers the whole world. A Savior to forgive sin, conquer death, and grant eternal life. The Word become flesh to bring glory to God.
That day in Israel, with faces bowed down, the Israelites saw only a glimpse of God’s glory. Today, we look intently into the Word of God and see God’s full glory. We behold God exactly as he wants to be seen: Jesus Christ crucified for us.
This is God’s glory. This is God’s goodness. This is God’s love. This endures beyond all ages: Jesus Christ crucified and risen for us.
Keep us always in your gracious love and goodness, O Lord. Grant us hearts that bow down and worship your glory and grace for ages without end. Amen.
Rev. Orie Thomford serves Martin Luther College as an instructor and dormitory supervisor.
