And Later What?
The first visit of the Glory of God to this world was when GOD chose a family to become a people, to become a nation—the nation of Israel. With this nation God personally dwelled. To this people He displayed Himself in Power (Deut. 4:37).
He took them out of Egypt by Power.
He led them and fed them for forty years through a great wilderness, and brought them into a promised land by Power (Psa. 105:39-45).
The Glory of God appeared in the most magnificent temple ever to grace this earth, in the days of the great King Solomon (2 Chron. 7:1).
But through indifference to God's Presence in Power and Glory among them, through disobedience to His personally written laws, through despising the pleasant land (Psa. 106:24), and through turning away from God to heathen idols (Hos. 1:6), the Glory of God reluctantly, haltingly returned to heaven (Ezek. 1:28, 1-25).
This departure was not forced, but because it could find no rest on this polluted earth, the Glory returned to heaven. An interval of about 500 years followed.But the Glory returned to this earth in the Person of Jesus Christ, God Himself. This was a visitation of Grace! This Glory and Grace were in lowly gentleness and love. The world's only hope lay in the Son of God becoming a Man (Isa. 4:5, 6; 7:14). And He did!
Alas, that Glory in Christ was also rejected. But this time forcibly put out of this world in the shame, rejection, and violence of the cross. Once more God took His leave and returned to heaven.
The mysteriously silent heaven has continued now for 1900 years. (But more later!)
Then there will be a third return of the Glory, formally in the Person of the Lord Jesus. This time it will return to reign over this earth in all judgmental power, prosperity, and peace—the 1000-year millennial age. Heaven and earth will be attached, as it were, by a ladder and righteousness will reign (Hos. 2:19-23). Please read it.
But, wonder of wonders, a great mystery exists between the second and third visits to this earth; an unseen, secret, and personal arrival of that Glory, the Person of the Holy Spirit into the heart and body, today, of each believer in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Through the death, shed blood, resurrection, and ascension of the Son of God, the way has been opened for the redeemed body of believers today to enjoy to the full the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, individually and collectively.
But more! At any moment now, we believers in Christ, together with the Holy Spirit, will be raptured, translated to that Glory itself, with and like the beloved Son of God, to bask in that unstained, eternal Glory forever (1 Chron. 29:10-13).
N. Berry