The glory of the Lord filled the temple, entering through the gate facing the east. The Spirit guided me into the inner court, revealing that the house of the Lord was overflowing with glory. Then I heard a voice coming from the temple, and a man near me asked, “Son of man, have you seen the place of My throne and the footstool where My name will dwell among the house of Israel forever?” (Ezekiel 43:4-7). These words are part of the account where the prophet Ezekiel shares his profound vision of the temple. For clarity, let us outline the significant aspects of this vision and restate the message we have just read. The temple in Jerusalem had been devastated by the Babylonians, and the prophet was in exile in Babylon. One day, as he expressed it, “the hand of the Lord was upon him” (Ezek. 40:1), and he was transported in a divine vision to the land of Israel. There, on a mountain, he witnessed the construction of the city and temple as if it were emerging before him. A figure appeared to measure the temple in all its components. Following this part of the vision, in which the Prophet is shown the design and creation of the new temple to come, he is presented with another vision regarding the consecration of the temple. The Prophet was taken out through the eastern gate, and the glory of the Lord entered through that same gate. The Spirit then brought the prophet back into the temple, revealing that "the house of the Lord is full of glory." To conclude the vision and clarify what he beheld, a voice emerged from the temple, with the Lord of the temple addressing the prophet, asking, “Son of man, have you seen the place of My throne?” It is noticeable that the current events taking place in this temple bear a resemblance to this prophetic vision, which may not be purely coincidental. Perhaps the wise leaders of the Church aimed to inspire that the consecration of the temple is indeed a divine act, and thus followed the structure of Ezekiel’s divine vision in the consecration service. Instead of measuring all the components of the temple, we marked all its parts with the holy cross, which serves as the universal standard for the entire structure of the Church of Christ. After the Spirit, through the mystery of actions, led us from the temple, "the procession of the King of glory" was declared (Ps. 23:7), and the glory of the Lord—the glory of Jesus, crucified and symbolized on the Cherubic chariot—rested invisibly on the sacred relics of the martyrs who suffered for Him. It entered the temple, not through the gates looking to the east but by the gate leading toward the east. The Church of the New Testament does not await a visitation from above to the east as the Old Testament Church did; instead, she herself journeys to the higher east, following the path of "Him who ascended into the heaven of heavens to the east" (Psalm 67:34), to a new and higher revelation of His glory. Therefore, if anyone possessed the insight of Ezekiel, they would certainly recognize that "the house of the Lord is full of glory." Picture yourself, then, dear observer of this newly revealed house of the Lord, and hear the question echoing, as it was asked of Ezekiel: "Son of man, have you seen the place of My throne?"
But why suggest you imagine this as if we require you to conceive of something non-existent? We are not attempting to perplex you; our aim is to provide clarity. This "voice" arises "out of the temple," from its deepest essence. If the consecration rite is not a mere sequence of meaningless acts, but a sacred action inspired by the Spirit of the Lord; if the temple of God is more than just a crafted building, but indeed the Spirit of the Lord genuinely breathes life into it, then the Almighty truly beckons you, asking, “Son of man, have you seen the place of My throne?”
Why, you may wonder, is this question posed? The inquiry God made to the Prophet cannot be without purpose. Each individual should rigorously and honestly assess whether they discern and feel the presence of God’s glory within the temple. Few would say that such a self-examination is unnecessary, for the radiance of God's glory is often unseen and unfathomable. I do not know if this sentiment has crossed anyone's mind, but it appears to reside in many hearts like a soft head resting in slumber, neglecting all attentiveness and awareness in holy spaces, remaining unmoved by their languor and insensitivity. Let us then see if they cannot be stirred from such sleep by the clear light of this very glory, which they believe to be entirely unseen. Observe how it was clearly visible in the tabernacle of Moses and in Solomon’s temple. "And Moses completed," as noted in Exodus, "all the work. Then the cloud covered the tabernacle of the testimony, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. And Moses was not able to enter the tabernacle of the testimony because the cloud overshadowed it, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle" (Ex. 40:33-35). "And the priests brought the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord to its place in the inner sanctuary of the temple; and when the priests came out of the holy place, the cloud filled the house of the Lord, 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 8:6-11). Thus, the glory of the Lord remained in the tabernacle and temple at their consecration, continuing to dwell without desolation, allowing true worshippers of God to enter these sacred spaces to witness the glory of the Lord and experience His presence, finding no greater joy than being within this sacred atmosphere. "In the holy place have I appeared unto thee," as David expressed to God, "to see Thy power and Thy glory" (Psalms 62:3). In another psalm, he states: “One thing I have asked of the Lord, that will I seek after: to dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in His temple” (Psalm 26:4).
What, then, does the glory of the tabernacle and the temple conclude? Did the Divine presence manifest more in the sanctuary of the Old Testament than in the Church of Christ? It cannot be so! For the entire “law” of Moses, as described by the Apostle, "had only the shadow of the good things to come, and not the very image of the things" (Hebrews 10:1); therefore, in the sanctuary of the Old Testament, the full illumination of God’s glory was not visible—only its shadow, appearing in the form of a "cloud." "But we," stated the same Apostle, “have been made ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter, but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life" (2 Corinthians 3:6). He further concludes that the glory of the New Testament ministry far exceeds that of the Old: “For if the ministry of death, in letters engraved on stones, came with glory, so that the children of Israel could not look intently at the face of Moses because of the glory of his face, which was fading away, how will the ministry of the Spirit not be even more glorious?" (2 Cor. 3:7-8). Finally, he asserts that we can not only perceive the glory of the Lord, but we can also partake in it and be gradually transformed into its likeness: "But we all, with unveiled face, 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).
Therefore, do not succumb to the deceptive blindness that claims one cannot perceive the sun in the sky, suggesting everyone is blind to it; although it is true that even the clearest eye may fail to see it, the reason is not a lack of vision, but an overwhelming abundance of it. Do not believe the fallacious mind that, despite being spiritually blind to the glory of God, hesitates to acknowledge its blindness, asserting that faith sees nothing more than its own experience in the Church. Do not give heed to the indolent flesh, which, unwilling to shed its sensual slumber, comforts itself with the notion that those who walk in the spirit are as unaware as it. Within the temple lies a mysterious vision of the invisible glory of God for the eye of faith; there resides a vivid awareness of God’s presence for the spiritually attuned. Therefore, if you, Christian, find the state of faith desirable, if the assurance that you tread the path of the spirit is precious to you, engage with earnestness in this divine assessment: do you see the glory of God? Do you perceive His presence in the temple? “Hast thou seen the place of My throne?”
I recognize another escape some might seek to avoid this rigorous assessment. They might argue that it is unreasonable to expect everyone to have the same vision as the Prophet. Oh, if this dark cave meant to serve as a humble abode, would not be a mere refuge for laziness but rather a place inviting an encounter with the divine light? As Peter proposed, setting up tabernacles on Tabor for himself and his disciples—not for Moses and Elijah who were “in glory,” yet unrecognized by him (Luke 9:31-33)—so too do those who wish to encircle themselves with darkness during the midday of Christianity seek a similar ignorance, presuming it is "good for them to be here" (Luke 9:33). Why believe that, amid the midday brilliance of Christianity, it is acceptable to retreat from witnessing the glory of God? The patriarchs and prophets yearned to see this glory even during the darkness of the Old Testament, and yet they rejoiced when they glimpsed it (John 8:56). The visitation from high revealed through the incarnation of the Son of God provided a clearer vision than what the prophets experienced. As Christ said to 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 it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it" (Luke 10:23-24). The cloud that lifted Jesus from before the eyes of the Apostles did not diminish the fulfillment of their faith or ours. That which blessed the Apostles' eyes remains visible in His glorious promises: “Behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20); “For where two or three are gathered together in My name, there I am in the midst of them” (Matthew 18:20). Hence, the Apostle does not restrict the vision of the Lord's glory to prophets and apostles but extends it to all true and worthy Christians: "We... all, with unveiled face behold the glory of the Lord, being transformed into the same image" (2 Corinthians 3:18).
Take care, Christian, to realize that it is not prophetic stature that is expected of you, but a shared quality desired of all true Christians when they are asked, "Do you see the glory of God in the temple? 'Hast thou seen the place of My throne?'" There is no refuge, no excuse here. Testify to what you perceive, and we shall respond, "Blessed are the eyes that see!" (Luke 10:23). Or confess your inability to see, and then seek "the salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see" (Revelation 3:18). Should you neglect this, be forewarned that darkness awaited your blindness.
THEOSIS