The glory of the Lord filled the temple through the eastern gate. The Spirit transported me into the inner court, revealing that the house of the Lord was awash in glory. I was struck with awe when I heard a voice emanating from the temple, accompanied by a man who stood beside me. He inquired, “Son of man, have you seen the place of my throne and of my footstool, where my name will reside among the people of Israel forever?” (Ezekiel 43:4-7). These words come from the prophetic vision where Ezekiel recounts the magnificent temple.
To enhance understanding, let us briefly outline the main aspects of this visionary experience. The temple of Jerusalem, devastated by the Babylonians, lay in ruins, and Ezekiel found himself in Babylonian captivity. On a particular day, he noted that "the hand of the Lord was upon him" (Ezek. 40:1), and he was mysticaly transported to the land of Israel. There, he saw the city and temple as though they were being constructed anew. An individual appeared to measure the various sections of the temple. Following this portion of the vision, wherein he was shown the design and sanctification of the forthcoming temple, Ezekiel was led out through the eastern gate, through which the glory of the Lord entered. The Spirit then guided him back into the temple, where he witnessed the house of the Lord overflowing with glory. A voice resonated from within the temple, asking Ezekiel, “Son of man, have you seen where My throne is positioned?”
It is evident that the happenings in our current temple bear resemblance to Ezekiel's prophetic vision, perhaps intentionally so. It is likely that the divinely inspired leaders of the Church sought to affirm that the consecration of this temple is distinctly a Divine act, mirroring the sequence in Ezekiel's vision. Instead of physically measuring the parts of this new temple, we marked each section with the holy cross, the universal measure of the Church of Christ. After the Spirit's unction led us out from the temple, the "procession of the King of glory" was proclaimed (Ps. 23:7), and the glory of the Lord, the magnificence of Jesus, who was crucified, entered the temple—not through the gates leading to the East as in the past, but through the gate that opens toward the East. This signifies a shift in the New Testament Church, which no longer awaits a visit from above as the Old Testament Church did, but rather advances toward the East in pursuit of the heights, emulating the footsteps of "Him who ascended into the heaven of heavens" (Psalm 67:34), beckoning to a new, supreme revelation of His glory.
Therefore, if anyone possessed the perception of Ezekiel, he would undoubtedly recognize that "the house of the Lord is full of glory" here as well. Visualize, O beholder of this newly unveiled house of the Lord, the Lord who infuses this place with His Divine splendor, prompting you, like Ezekiel, to ponder: "Son of man, have you seen the place of My throne?" But why should I suggest “visualize”? As though we encourage you toward something that isn’t truly there. We approach you not of our own volition but to clarify; this "voice" emanates from the temple, its very core, its essence.
If the rite of consecration is more than a sequence of empty rituals but instead an action infused with the Spirit of the Lord; if the temple of God is not merely a structure of human ingenuity, but rather a dwelling place for the Spirit of the Lord, then He clearly communicates to you: "Son of man, have you seen the place of My throne?"
Some might ask, "What purpose does this question serve?" I respond: God's inquiry to the Prophet was never empty. Each individual is called to introspect and discern whether they see with their spirit and feel, as they ought to, the presence of God's glory within His temple. No one can claim the absence of this need, as the glory of God is indeed invisible and unfathomable. It is apparent to many that this notion resides within them, much like a soft slumber upon which they rest within the temple, remaining inattentive and unresponsive.
Let us see if the brilliance of His glory, which they deem invisible, might awaken them. Examine how it manifested in the tabernacle crafted by Moses and the temple erected by Solomon. "And Moses completed all the works," says Exodus, "the cloud covered the tabernacle of the testimony, and the tabernacle was filled with the glory of the Lord. And Moses could not enter the tabernacle of the testimony, for the cloud overshadowed it, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle" (Ex. 40:33-35). "The priests brought the ark of the covenant of the Lord to its designated place within the temple, in the holy of holies, beneath the wings of the cherubim. And when the priests departed from the sanctuary, the cloud filled the temple of the Lord. The priests could not perform their service due to the cloud, for the glory of the Lord had filled the temple" (1 Kings 8:6-11).
In this way, the glory of the Lord resided in both the tabernacle and the temple from the moment of their consecration, and since then, it has remained steadfast, allowing true worshippers of God to enter these holy spaces to witness His glory and embrace His presence, finding nothing more desirable than to bask in this blessed awareness. "In holy things have I appeared unto Thee," David exclaims, "to behold Thy power and Thy glory" (Psalms 62:3). He also prayed, “One thing I ask of the Lord, this I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and visit His holy temple” (Psalm 26:4).
What then, might one inquire, was the glory of the temple and tabernacle compared to those structures? Did Divinity manifest more profoundly in the sanctuary of the Old Testament than in the Church of Christ? It cannot be true! As the Apostle elaborates, the entire "law" of Moses offered merely "the shadow... of good things to come, and not the very image" (Hebrews 10:1) of heavenly things: therefore, the sanctuary of the Old Testament did not exhibit the unrestricted radiance of God's glory but rather a mere shadow of that glory, appearing as a "cloud."
"But for us," declares the Apostle, “God has chosen us to be servants of the new covenant, not of the written word, but of the Spirit; for the written code kills, but the Spirit gives life" (2 Corinthians 3:6). He continues to assert that the glory of the New Testament ministry far exceeds that of the Old: “If the ministry of death was accompanied by glory, so that the children of Israel could not look at the face of Moses because of the glory that was fading away, will not the ministry of the Spirit be even more glorious?” (2 Corinthians 3:7-8). He emphasizes that not only can we behold the Lord's glory, but we are also able to partake in it and be progressively transformed into its likeness: "But we all, with unveiled faces, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, as by the Spirit of the Lord" (2 Corinthians 3:18).
Thus, do not succumb to the delusions of blindness that argue you cannot witness the sun in the sky, asserting that all is blind before it. It is true even the clearest vision is obscured by its brilliance, yet it becomes blind not from lack but from an abundance of illumination. Do not be deceived by a mind that, blind to God’s glory, attempts to escape the confession of its blindness by claiming faith sees no more than it perceives in the Church. Do not believe the slothful flesh that, unwilling to awaken from its stupor, wishes to comfort itself with dreams that those who walk in the Spirit are just as asleep.
Before the eye of faith, there lies a mysterious vision of God’s invisible glory in the temple; the spiritual sense perceives a vivid awareness of God’s presence. Therefore, dear Christian, if the state of faith is desirable to you, if you cherish the assurance that you are on the path of the Spirit, then rigorously apply this Divine test: do you witness the glory of God? Do you perceive the presence of God in the temple?
“To have seen the place of My throne?” Some may evade this unsettling inquiry. Is it reasonable to expect everyone to perceive what the Prophet witnessed? Oh, if only this dark shelter they wish to create on Tabor could be constructed purely for humility, rather than as a concealment for the slumbering flesh amidst Tabor’s light!
Much like Peter’s proposal to build tabernacles on Tabor for himself, his disciples, and the Transfigured Savior, neglecting to include Moses and Elijah who stood “in glory” yet unaware of his words (Luke 9:31-33), these individuals remain uninformed. They seek to construct a dark pile of ignorance amid the radiance of the glory of God, believing it is "good for them to be” (Luke 9:33) in such a state.
Why believe that in this midday or perhaps evening illumination of Christianity, it is acceptable to hide from the revelation of God’s glory, which even the patriarchs and prophets of old yearned to see and rejoiced in upon witnessing (John 8:56)? The visitation from on high, the incarnation of the Son of God, unveiled more than what the prophets experienced; as He assured His Apostles, “Blessed are the eyes that see what you see. For I tell you that many prophets and kings desired to see what you see and did not see; to hear what you hear and did not hear” (Luke 10:23-24).
The cloud that "received Him from their sight" (Acts 1:9) posed no barrier to their faith or ours. What the Apostles were blessed to witness endures even after Christ's ascension, remaining vividly present within His glorious promises: "Behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the age" (Matthew 28:20); “For where two or three are gathered in My name, there I am among them" (Matthew 18:20).
Therefore, the Apostle does not reserve the vision of God’s glory solely for the prophets and apostles but extends it to all true and worthy Christians: “We…are being transformed…” (2 Corinthians 3:18). Take heed, Christian; recognize that it is not prophetic dignity needed from you, but the shared quality demanded of every faithful Christian when confronted with the question, “Do you see the glory of God in the temple? Have you seen the place of My throne?”
No evasion, no excuses. Either share what you perceive, and we shall proclaim to you, “Blessed are the eyes that see!” (Luke 10:23), or confess your inability to see and then seek a remedy to anoint your eyes so that you may gain sight (Revelation 3:18). Should you neglect this, know that darkness awaits your blindness.
Let us engage in the process of the spiritual examination together. To assist those lacking spiritual experience and discerning abilities, let us first reflect not upon the condition of seeing and feeling spiritual matters, which may be unfamiliar to some, but rather upon the common state of being unable to see and feel—an affliction shared by our carnal nature and often encountered even among those striving for the Spirit.
Recall that three hours prior, this place was merely a composition of stone, wood, and metal, and any spirit present was only that of the artisans and builders. Now, however, as Jacob, the seer of God declared, “This is the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven” (Genesis 28:17). Let us ponder the sentiments with which we previously regarded mere human handiwork and juxtapose them with the reverence we ought to now feel when contemplating the sanctuary of God, newly sanctified through Divine mystery.
THEOSIS