1 Kings 8:11

The priests placed the ark in the holiest of all and came out. At once the cloud of God's glory filled the house of the Lord (v.10). So God was showing His presence, approving of the temple as His dwelling place among Israel. At that time the priests could not minister in the temple (v.11). The glory of the Lord was paramount, and man's work must then cease.

There are seemingly two occasions when the glory filled the house so that the priests could not minister. The first (2 Chronicles 5:11-14) is before Solomon's prayer. The trumpeters, singers, and all join with one voice saying, or singing, "For He is good, for His steadfast love endures forever," and then the house was filled with a cloud. The cloud appears as an answer to their shout of praise. Jehovah steps down from the heaven of heavens, His dwelling place, to His throne on earth. He comes to receive the praise of His people, and He reveals His presence by a cloud. On the second occasion (2 Chronicles 7:3), after Solomon had finished praying, the fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offerings and the sacrifices, and the glory of the Lord filled the house.

A striking picture of what could not be obtained even under the most glorious arrangement of the law. God's presence excluded that of the priests. In the heavenly sanctuary the priests can stand in the presence of His glory. They can dwell there and have their part there.

The way of approach was not yet revealed. The arrangement of the temple at Jerusalem was the same as that of the tabernacle. The veil, even if it is not mentioned here, still remains.

Suddenly a violent wind is felt, filling all the house where they sat. It is like the cloud that filled the temple, so that the priests could not enter there (1 Kings 8:11). But now men themselves made up the tabernacle where God did not refuse to dwell. The blood of Jesus had purified them, and made them fit to be the habitation of God through the Spirit (Eph. 2:22)... instead of driving away the priests by His presence, God, in grace, makes us His habitation! What a contrast between the law and the gospel!

Like Moses, when the tabernacle was set up, the priests cannot stay where God's glory dwells. Man under law cannot bear the brightness of God's glory. It is very different now under grace. We can gaze into the glory in the face of Jesus, and His presence will be our dwelling place for evermore.

It was called God's House, and His glory filled it. Anyone in that day who sought God had to go to that Temple — that was where He was to be found... Failure, sin, and idolatry had come in. God had disowned His earthly people and left His House, the Temple. Ezekiel tells us how His glory began to depart. It had filled the House of the Lord so wonderfully in Solomon's day. It was very reluctant to go, and moved from the cherubim to the threshold, then to the east side of the city, on the Mount of Olives. Then it went up and away, and God's House was empty. Was it refilled? Never; it was burned by Nebuchadnezzar.