THE RETURN OF THE SHECHANIAH GLORY OF CHRIST

The word means "the Presence" as the Presence of the Lord. Actually, the Hebrew Lexicon says the word should be translated "to be intimate with Jehovah" as if dwelling with Him. The word means "to cause to dwell." It is speaking of the Messiah dwelling with His people, and/or, His people dwelling with Him.    The word comes from descriptions especially drawn from the building of the messianic temple in Ezekiel 40-48. This has to be about Christ, His dwelling with the Jewish people at the temple site in the millennial Jerusalem. For example, we read in Ezekiel 43: "The glory of the Lord came into the house ..." (v. 4), and "the Spirit lifted me up and brought me into the inner court; and behold, the glory of the Lord filled the house (the temple)" (v. 5).    The Messiah said to Ezekiel: "This is the place of My throne and the place of the soles of My feet, where I will dwell among the sons of Israel forever. And the house of Israel will not again defile My holy name" (v. 7). Also, "I will dwell among them forever" (v. 9b).    Because of the sins of Israel, the Shechaniah (the Divine Presence) of Christ left the temple in Ezekiel's days. "The glory of the Lord went up from the midst of the city, and stood over the mountain which is east of the city" (11:23), that is, over the Mount of Olives. Unger says, "Ezekiel saw the glory returning and heard the all-glorious voice of God; he saw the earth being illuminated with His glory."    "The prophet saw envisioned the glory of the Lord entering the house." "Ezekiel heard the Lord Himself (the preincarnate Christ) declaring to him as the son of man, … the divine glory takes up His residence in the Kingdom Temple, … The Lord's manifested presence there will make it the executive focal point of the whole earth."    We are getting closer to the days of the coming of Christ!   -- Dr. Mal Couch (1/11)