2 Chronicles 7:2

There seem to be two occasions when the glory filled the house so that the priests could not minister. The first (2 Chron. 5:11-14) is before Solomon's prayer... the cloud appears as an answer to their shout of praise. The second was after Solomon had finished praying (2 Chron. 7:3). Fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offerings and the sacrifices, and the glory of the Lord filled the house. The same two facts are recorded as on the first occasion. The priests could not enter the temple because of the glory. And the people worship and repeat the same words: "For He is good; for His mercy endures forever."... This scene is the high point of their blessedness, the very heart of their glory. From then on the glory declines; the fine gold grows dim.

There was the burnt offering offered up, and God signified His acceptance of it by sending fire down from heaven. That was a picture of Christ offering Himself as the true burnt offering. God has shown His acceptance of it, and His delight in it, by putting Christ at His own right hand in glory.

God has always filled His house with glory. He did it with the tabernacle set up in the wilderness (Ex. 40), the temple in the kingdom (2 Chr. 5:14), and the church at Pentecost (Acts 2)... But what makes up the "glory"? It is the Lord's own presence — the sign of which was the cloud, both in the tabernacle and Solomon's temple. The glory of the Lord is the display of what He is, of the sum and excellence of all His attributes, whether seen with the eye or seen by faith. And so He fills His house with every perfection of His own spiritual being made visible.

A striking picture of what no one could reach, even under the law at its most glorious. God's presence excluded that of the priests. In the heavenly sanctuary the priests are able to stand in the presence of His glory, to dwell there, and to have their part there. And indeed what we already have in spirit now cannot be matched in the temple of the thousand-year reign.

I have looked into how these two buildings worked, and so far I have not found a record of a priest serving in the most holy place in the temple. When Solomon had dedicated the temple and the cloud covered it, this is what was said: "And the priests could not enter the house of the LORD, because the glory of the LORD filled the LORD's house" (2 Chr. 7:2). It strengthens the thought that the temple was more for the display of the glory of the LORD... while the tabernacle has approach to God more in view.

When the Temple of God is built in the thousand-year reign... then the glory of God will once more fill the house. The LORD will be in His holy Temple; His glory will be revealed, and all flesh will see it together.

So now, if we want the house of God filled with the glory of God, we must keep the lessons taught here. These things are foundation principles. A crucified, risen, and glorified Christ. Christ holding His own proper place of authority, in gathering and in rule. The hearts of His people as one in giving thanksgiving, praise, and blessing. Then the glory of the presence of the Lord will be known among us.