John 1:41
(41) He first findeth his own brother Simon, and saith
unto him, We have found the Messias,
which is, being interpreted, the Christ.
Luke 24:27
(27) And beginning at
Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the
things concerning himself.
Christ, Messiah, (John 1:41)
is found in all Scripture (Luke 24:27).
The book of Ezekiel, being
Scripture, must also be filled with Christ the Messiah.
To find Him there, so we
believe, the key is found in the New Testament Scriptures.
2 Corinthians 4:6
(6) For God, who
commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to [give]
the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
Colossians 1:15
(15) Who is the image
of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:
John 1:18
(18) No man hath seen
God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he
hath declared [him].
John 1:14
(14) And the Word was
made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the
only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
Romans 3:23
(23) For all have
sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
2
Corinthians 4:6: “For God, who
commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to
give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus
Christ.”
God who is invisible (Colossians 1:15), whom “no man hath
seen at any time” (John 1:18) has
been revealed in Christ the Messiah.
John
1:14, “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld His
glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the father,) full of grace
and truth.”
Romans 3:23 “For all have sinned, and
come short of the glory of God”.
These Scriptures teach that the
glory of God is not a thing but a person, and that person is none other
than Christ Messiah.
In the Book of Ezekiel, we
find a number of verses referring to the glory of the Lord.
Ezekiel 1:27-28
(27) And I saw as the colour of amber, as the appearance of fire round about
within it, from the appearance of his loins even upward, and from the
appearance of his loins even downward, I saw as it were the appearance of fire,
and it had brightness round about.
(28) As the appearance
of the bow that is in the cloud in the day of rain, so was the appearance of
the brightness round about. This [was] the appearance of the likeness of the
glory of the LORD. And when I saw [it], I fell upon my face, and I heard a
voice of one that spake.
Ezekiel 2:1
(1) And he said unto
me, Son of man, stand upon thy feet, and I will speak unto thee.
Ezekiel
1:28 “As the appearance of the bow
that is in the cloud in the day of rain, so was the appearance of the
brightness round about. This was the
appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord. And when I saw it, I fell upon my
face, and I heard a voice of one that spake.”
Observe that in verse 27, “his
loins” are mentioned twice. Then
in Chapter 2: 1, “he
said.” Thus in the context of verse 28,
the glory
of the Lord is a person.
Ezekiel 3:12, 23
(12) Then the spirit
took me up, and I heard behind me a voice of a great rushing, [saying], Blessed
[be] the glory of the LORD from his place.
(23) Then I arose, and
went forth into the plain: and, behold, the glory of the LORD stood there, as
the glory which I saw by the river of Chebar: and I
fell on my face.
Ezekiel
3:12 “Then the spirit took me up,
and I heard behind me , a voice of a great rushing, saying, Blessed be the
glory of the Lord from his place.” I suggest you insert the words “Blessed be
Christ the Messiah.”
Ezekiel
3:23 “Then I arose, and went forth
into the plain: and, behold, the glory of the Lord stood there,
as the
glory which I saw by the river of Chebar: and
I fell on my face.”
Ezekiel 8:2-4
(2) Then I beheld, and
lo a likeness as the appearance of fire: from the appearance of his loins even
downward, fire; and from his loins even upward, as the appearance of
brightness, as the colour of amber.
(3) And he put forth
the form of an hand, and took me by a lock of mine head; and the spirit lifted
me up between the earth and the heaven, and brought me in the visions of God to
Jerusalem, to the door of the inner gate that looketh
toward the north; where [was] the seat of the image of jealousy, which provoketh to jealousy.
(4) And, behold, the
glory of the God of Israel was there, according to the vision that I saw in the
plain.
Ezekiel 9:3
(3) And the glory of
the God of Israel was gone up from the cherub, whereupon he was, to the
threshold of the house. And he called to the man clothed with linen, which [had]
the writer's inkhorn by his side;
Ezekiel 10:4
(4) Then the glory of
the LORD went up from the cherub, [and stood] over the threshold of the house;
and the house was filled with the cloud, and the court was full of the
brightness of the LORD'S glory.
Ezekiel 10:18-19
(18) Then the glory of
the LORD departed from off the threshold of the house, and stood over the cherubims.
(19) And the cherubims lifted up their wings, and mounted up from the
earth in my sight: when they went out, the wheels also [were] beside them, and [every
one] stood at the door of the east gate of the LORD'S house; and the glory of
the God of Israel [was] over them above.
Ezekiel 11:23
(23) And the glory of
the LORD went up from the midst of the city, and stood upon the mountain which [is]
on the east side of the city.
Ezekiel
8:2-4”Then I beheld, and lo a likeness as the appearance of fire: from the
appearance of his loins even downward, fire; and
from his
loins even upward, as the appearance of brightness, as the colour of amber. And
he
put forth the form of an hand, and took me by a lock of mine head; and the
spirit lifted me up between the earth and the heaven, and brought me in the
visions of God to Jerusalem, to the door of the inner gate that looketh toward the north; where was the seat of the image
of jealousy, which provoketh to jealousy, And, behold, the
glory of the God of Israel was there, according to the vision that I
saw in the plain”. (The vision seen in chapter one)
Ezekiel
9:3 “And the glory of the God of
Ezekiel
10:4 “Then the glory of the LORD,
went up from the cherub, and stood over the threshold of the house; and the
house was filled with the cloud, and the court was full of the brightness of the
LORD’S glory”. Is not this Christ, the Messiah?
Ezekiel
10:18 “Then the
glory of the LORD departed from the threshhold
of the house, and stood over the cherubims.”
Ezekiel
10:19 “And the cherubims
lifted up their wings , and mounted up from the earth in my sight: when they
went out, the wheels also were beside them. And every one stood at the door of the east
gate of the LORD’S house; and the glory of the God of
Ezekiel 11:23 “And the
glory of the LORD went up from the midst of the city, and stood upon
the mountain which is on the east side of the city.” That mountain of course is the
In the light of the New
Testament events, one can see that in his vision Ezekiel saw certain aspects of
the First Advent of Christ the Messiah. (By “Advent” we mean Christ’s first
coming to this earth). Ezekiel saw the glory
of the God of
Haggai 2:9
(9) The glory of this
latter house shall be greater than of the former, saith
the LORD of hosts: and in this place will I give peace, saith
the LORD of hosts.
We note that when the Second
Temple was being built the prophet declared that “the glory of this house would
be greater than the glory that filled Solomon’s temple. (Haggai 2:9).
John 2:16
(16) And said unto
them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father's house an house of merchandise.
That prediction
was fulfilled when Jesus came to that Temple and called it “my father’s house” (John 2: 16).
Matthew 23:37-38
(37) O Jerusalem,
Jerusalem, [thou] that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I
have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth
her chickens under [her] wings, and ye would not!
(38) Behold, your
house is left unto you desolate.
Ezekiel
also
saw the
glory of the God of Israel depart from the Temple. In the historical account, when Jesus left the
Temple for the last time he said, “your
house” is left unto you desolate” (Matthew
23:37-38).
Then
Ezekiel saw this same glory go to the
Acts 1:9-11
(9) And when he had spoken these things, while they
beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.
(10) And while they
looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up,
behold, two men stood by them in white apparel;
(11) Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this
same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like
manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.
Surely a vision of the final
ascension of Christ-Messiah as described in Acts 1:9-10. Remember it was
at the time of ascension that the announcement was made that this same
Jesus would return in like manner as they saw Him go away (Acts 1:10-11).
Acts 1:3, 6-8
(3) To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible
proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to
the kingdom of God:
(6) When they
therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at
this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?
(7) And he said unto
them, It is not for you to know the times or the
seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.
(8) But ye shall
receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be
witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and
unto the uttermost part of the earth.
Acts
1:3
the resurrected Christ, for forty days had been speaking to the disciples of
things pertaining to the
Acts
1:7 Jesus did not say
“there is no such thing”, but rather “it is not for you to know the times and
the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.”
Acts
1:8 the Holy Ghost would come upon
them and they would become witnesses to the whole earth. It was left to two men
to tell them how the promises of the restoration of the Kingdom would be
fulfilled. This same Jesus will return.
That is the answer. That is the
time.
Thus the vision of the appearing
glory
in Ezekiel had to do with the first Coming of Jesus Christ. His vision was literally fulfilled by events
when Jesus came 2000 years ago.
The glory of the God of Israel
is not mentioned again until we come to Ezekiel
39:21-22.
Ezekiel 39:21-22
(21) And I will set my glory among the heathen, and all the heathen
shall see my judgment that I have executed, and my hand that I have laid upon
them.
(22) So the house of Israel shall know that I [am] the LORD their God
from that day and forward.
And in those verses as being
yet future “I will” not “I have” set my glory….So read on.
Ezekiel 43:1-7
(1) Afterward he
brought me to the gate, [even] the gate that looketh
toward the east:
(2) And, behold, the
glory of the God of Israel came from the way of the east: and his voice [was]
like a noise of many waters: and the earth shined with his glory.
(3) And it [was]
according to 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
upon my face.
(4) And the glory of
the LORD came into the house by the way of the gate whose prospect [is] toward
the east.
(5) So the spirit took
me up, and brought me into the inner court; and, behold, the glory of the LORD
filled the house.
(6) And I heard [him]
speaking unto me out of the house; and the man stood by me.
(7) And he said unto
me, Son of man, the place of my throne, and the place of the soles of my feet,
where I will dwell in the midst of the children of Israel for ever, and my holy
name, shall the house of Israel no more defile, [neither] they, nor their kings,
by their whoredom, nor by the carcases of their kings
in their high places.
Ezekiel
43:1 “Afterward he brought me to
the gate, even the gate that looketh toward the east
( The Eastern gate, The golden gate, The shut gate Ezekiel 44:1-4).
Ezekiel
43:2 “And, behold, the
glory of the God of Israel came from the way of the east” (East of Jerusalem is the Mount of Olives) Zechariah
14:1-5 fills in more of the details.
Zechariah 14:1-5
(1) Behold, the day of
the LORD cometh, and thy spoil shall be divided in the midst of thee.
(2) For I will gather
all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the
houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into
captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city.
(3) Then shall the
LORD go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of
battle.
(4) And his feet shall
stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which [is] before Jerusalem on the
east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east
and toward the west, [and there shall be] a very great valley; and half of the
mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south.
(5) And ye shall flee [to]
the valley of the mountains; for the valley of the mountains shall reach unto Azal: yea, ye shall flee, like as ye fled from before the
earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah: and
the LORD my God shall come, [and] all the saints with thee.
Christ left from the Mount
of Olives and He will return to the Mount of Olives. The language could not be
plainer!
Ezekiel
43:2, the verse continues “ and his voice was like a noise of many waters: and the
earth shined with his glory.”
Habakkuk
2:14, “For the earth shall be
filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD as the waters
cover the sea.”
This verse has nothing to do
with a world-wide revival now, but it has everything to do with the Second
Advent of Christ,
Ezekiel
43:3, “And it was according to 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 upon my face.”
Ezekiel
43:4, “And the glory of the LORD came into the house by the way of the
gate whose prospect is toward the east.”
Later, when we consider
chapters 40-42 we shall see that the prophet predicts another temple.
As surely as Zechariah 9:9
was fulfilled by Christ riding into Jerusalem upon an ass, and upon a colt the
foal of an ass, so surely will He ride into that same city again. He will break through the gate, (Ezekiel 44:1-3) on the eastern wall of
the city. This is not something
fictional, fanciful or mystical. The
gate is in the wall and sealed up for all to see. When it is opened, Israel’s Messiah will have
returned to Jerusalem.
Remembering that the
glory of the LORD is none other than Christ, it will be His presence
that once again will fill the temple with glory.
Ezekiel
43:5 “So the spirit took me up,
and brought me into the inner court; and, behold, the glory of the LORD
filled the house.”
Ezekiel
43: 6-7 “And I heard him speaking unto me out of the house; and the man stood
by me. And he said unto me, Son of man,
the place of my throne, and the place of the soles of my feet, where I will
dwell in the midst of the children of Israel for ever, and my holy name, shall
the house of Israel no more defile, neither they, nor their kings, by their
whoredom, nor by the carcases of their kings in their
high places.”
When all of this is
fulfilled, then we will fully realize the purpose of the
So from this section of our
study we have learned that Ezekiel foresaw and foretold some of the events of
Messiah’s First and Second Comings.
Ezekiel 44:1-4, 7, 9, 11,
15-16
(1) Then he brought me
back the way of the gate of the outward sanctuary which looketh
toward the east; and it [was] shut.
(2) Then said the LORD
unto me; This gate shall be shut, it shall not be opened, and no man shall
enter in by it; because the LORD, the God of Israel, hath entered in by it,
therefore it shall be shut.
(3) [It is] for the
prince; the prince, he shall sit in it to eat bread before the LORD; he shall
enter by the way of the porch of [that] gate, and shall go out by the way of
the same.
(4) Then brought he me the way of the north gate before the house: and I
looked, and, behold, the glory of the LORD filled the house of the LORD: and I
fell upon my face.
(7) In that ye have
brought [into my sanctuary] strangers, uncircumcised in heart, and
uncircumcised in flesh, to be in my sanctuary, to pollute it, [even] my house,
when ye offer my bread, the fat and the blood, and they have broken my covenant
because of all your abominations.
(9) Thus saith the Lord GOD; No stranger, uncircumcised in heart,
nor uncircumcised in flesh, shall enter into my sanctuary, of any stranger that
is among the children of Israel.
(11) Yet they shall be
ministers in my sanctuary, [having] charge at the gates of the house, and ministering
to the house: they shall slay the burnt offering and the sacrifice for the
people, and they shall stand before them to minister unto them.
(15) But the priests
the Levites, the sons of Zadok, that kept the charge
of my sanctuary when the children of Israel went astray from me, they shall
come near to me to minister unto me, and they shall stand before me to offer
unto me the fat and the blood, saith the Lord GOD:
(16) They shall enter
into my sanctuary, and they shall come near to my table, to minister unto me,
and they shall keep my charge.
Ezekiel 44:4 Now the prophet sees
the glory
of the Lord as filling the house of the Lord.
Notice verses 7,9,11,15,16 It is now
“my sanctuary”.
2
Chronicles 5:14
(14)
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.
What took place when Solomon
dedicated the temple 2 Chronicles 5:14 is only a shadow of what is to come.