The Glory of God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit

Precept Acts Part 1 - Lesson  2

 Acts Chapter 2

 

Acts chapter 2 was all about Pentecost and when the Holy Spirit came and indwelt the believers.  So I started thinking about where the Holy Spirit was – because the Bible said that the Holy Spirit couldn’t come until Jesus ascended. (John 16:7).  Then I started thinking about The Glory of God.  Then I started thinking about how they were all interconnected and to see if I could lay it out visually.  Then see, by looking at it in chart form, if I could discern anything.

 

Arnold Fruchtenbaum defines Shechinah Glory as…

the visible manifestation of the presence of God. It is the majestic presence or manifestation of God in which He descended to dwell among men. Whenever the invisible God becomes visible, and whenever the omnipresence of God is localized, this is the Shechinah Glory.

 

	Location	Bible Verse
The Spirit of God	At creation	The earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the waters. Gen 1:2
The Glory	God appeared as a smoking oven and flaming torch to make a covenant with Abram	It came about when the sun had set, that it was very dark, and behold, there appeared a smoking oven and a flaming torch which passed between these pieces. 18 On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram… Genesis 15:17-18a
The Glory	Pillar of smoke by day, pillar of fire by night that led the Israelites from Egypt until they reached the Promised Land.	The Lord was going before them in a pillar of cloud by day to lead them on the way, and in a pillar of fire by night to give them light, that they might travel by day and by night. Exodus 13:21
The Glory	The light on the mercy seat of the Ark of the Covenant.  The Ark was in the Holy of Holies in the Tabernacle while the Israelites were wandering for 40 years in the Wilderness.	Let them construct a sanctuary for Me, that I may dwell among them. 9 According to all that I am going to show you.  Exodus 25:8   There I will meet with you; and from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim which are upon the ark of the testimony, I will speak to you about all that I will give you in commandment for the sons of Israel. , Exodus 25:22
The Glory	The Ark of the Covenant was moved to Solomon’s Temple	It happened that when the priests came from the holy place, the cloud filled the house of the Lord, 11 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. 1 Kings 8:10
The Glory	The Glory leaves the Ark of the Covenant and the Temple before 586bc – when Solomon’s Temple is destroyed by the Babylonians.	18 Then the glory of the Lord departed from the threshold of the temple and stood over the cherubim. 19 When the cherubim departed, they lifted their wings and rose up from the earth in my sight with the wheels beside them; and they stood still at the entrance of the east gate of the Lord’s house, and the glory of the God of Israel hovered over them. Ezekiel 10:18   22 Then the cherubim lifted up their wings with the wheels beside them, and the glory of the God of Israel hovered over them. 23 The glory of the Lord went up from the midst of the city and stood over the mountain which is east of the city. Ezekiel 11:22-23
Silence	400 years of silence when God did not speak through the prophets.  Last prophet was Malachi (430bc).  Next Word from God came Gabriel’s announcement of John the Baptist’s birth to Zechariah.	Behold, days are coming,” declares the Lord God, “When I will send a famine on the land, Not a famine for bread or a thirst for water, But rather for hearing the words of the Lord. 12 “People will stagger from sea to sea And from the north even to the east; They will go to and fro to seek the word of the Lord, But they will not find it. Amos 8:11-12
Spirit of God	Spirit descends on Jesus at the start of Jesus’ ministry	After being baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove and lighting on Him.  Matthew 3:16
Glory of God/Jesus	The picture of the glory of God in the Temple (shekinah glory) had a future fulfillment in Jesus.   Shekinah (Shechinah) is a transliteration of a Hebrew word meaning “the one who dwells” or “that which dwells	And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.  John 1:14
Glory of God/Jesus	Christ is visible presentation of the Shekinah Glory or the radiance of His glory.	And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power.  Hebrews 1:3
God/Jesus	God dwelt in Jesus while on earth	19 For]it was the Father’s good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him, 20 and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross;  Colossians 1:19   For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, Colossians 2:9
Holy Spirit	The promise of the Holy Spirit to those who believe in Jesus	I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; 17 that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you. John 14:16   8 but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.”  Acts 1:8
Cloud/Jesus	The transfiguration of Jesus – God speaks through a cloud	5 While he was still speaking, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and behold, a voice out of the cloud said, “This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well-pleased; listen to Him!”  Matthew 17:5
Holy Spirit	The Holy Spirit cannot come until Jesus ascends	“But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you.  John 16:7
Jesus/Holy Spirit	Jesus ascends (along with Holy Spirit indwelling in Him)	And after He had said these things, He was lifted up while they were looking on, and a cloud received Him out of their sight  Acts 1:9
Holy Spirit	Holy Spirit indwells believers at Pentecost	When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. 2 And suddenly there came from heaven a noise like a violent rushing wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 And there appeared to them tongues as of fire distributing themselves, and they rested on each one of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit was giving them utterance. Acts 2:1-4

 

So in summary what I learned from this:

 

Before Jesus, The Glory of God was in the temple and seen only by the high priest of the House of Aaron;  After Jesus, the Glory of God is seen by all believers through the Holy Spirit that dwells in them.  And we are all priests unto God.