Worship in Heaven – Part 5, Shekinah

David W Palmer

God’s House Filled with Smoky Cloud

(Isaiah 6:1–4 NKJV) “In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the temple. {2} Above it stood seraphim; each one had six wings: with two he covered his face, with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. {3} And one cried to another and said: ‘Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; The whole earth is full of His glory!’ {4} And the posts of the door were shaken by the voice of him who cried out, and the house was filled with smoke.”

When the Seraph declared the revelation he received at God’s throne, not only did it shake the doorposts, but it also led to the “house” being filled with “smoke.” What is this smoke? Why did it come? And what is so significant about it?

First, we see that the manifestation of smoke is not limited to the heavenly temple. In truth, the same thing happened in the earthly one:

(2 Chronicles 5:13–14 NKJV) “Indeed it came to pass, when the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the LORD, and when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of music, and praised the LORD, saying: “For He is good, For His mercy endures forever,” that the house, the house of the LORD, was filled with a cloud, {14} so that the priests could not continue ministering because of the cloud; for the glory of the LORD filled the house of God.”

Note again that this happened in the presence of praise, praise music, thanksgiving, and dare I say, worshipping hearts. This passage says that the cloud was in manifestation because God’s glory had filled his [earthly] house/temple. We receive great encouragement from this; if the cloud of God’s glory was so manifested in the Old Testament praise, imagine what is possible in our New Testament praise when, unlike them, we are all born again and filled with the Holy Spirit.

This was not the first time the smoky cloud was seen. Previously, both Abraham and Moses saw it:

(Exodus 19:18 NKJV) “Now Mount Sinai was completely in smoke, because the LORD descended upon it in fire. Its smoke ascended like the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mountain quaked greatly.” (See also: Gen. 15:17)

Where there’s smoke, there’s fire! The Lord descended in fire on Mount Sinai—speaking of his glory and power. As a result, the whole mountain was completely enveloped in smoke, and it shook greatly. Wow! God is big, overwhelming, and powerful. What’s more, his glory is magnificent, unassailable, and all encompassing; everything shakes in his presence. This same glory is potentially available to the church today. What is our part?

For us in the New Testament, everything centers around and in Jesus—the living word of God.

(John 1:14 KJV) “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.”

Jesus is full of glory, but did it ever come into manifestation?

(Matthew 17:5–8 NKJV) “… behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them; and suddenly a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!” {6} And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their faces and were greatly afraid. {7} But Jesus came and touched them and said, “Arise, and do not be afraid.” {8} When they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only.”

Jesus and his three closest disciples were having a mountaintop encounter with God. The cloud of God’s glory “overshadowed” them, and they heard God’s voice together. This was so awe-inspiring that the disciples were “greatly afraid.” Jesus assured them: “do not be afraid.” This is comforting for us too; we have a hunger for God and his glory, but also a fleshly dread that we will be exposed and unacceptable to God. But thanks to Jesus, we are accepted in him (Eph. 1:6). Now we can look forward to God’s cloud, his fire, and his voice.

Just prior to his death on the cross, in his High Priestly prayer, Jesus made this remarkable statement:

(John 17:22–23 NKJV) “And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: {23} I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me.”

Did you see that? Jesus gave us the glory that Father gave him. The purpose?—so that we may be one. That is, that we may be unified. In the Old Testament, when the people unified themselves in heart, as reflected in their praise, God’s glorious cloud was manifested. In a liberating twist, Jesus gave it to us the other way around; our objective should be to praise him and to worship humbly at his throne. When we do, his glorious cloud will manifest and envelope us; our flesh will be covered, so to speak; and God’s unity will eclipse our differences. This will not work for us the other way round—by us trying to unify ourselves—as that would mean God’s glory would have to be manifested as a result of man’s efforts.

Today, I encourage you: aim for praise and worship at God’s throne. Do it with others where possible. Focus on God and his glory. Leave the rest up to him. We really do hold the key for the manifestation of God’s glory on earth:

(Colossians 1:27 NKJV) “To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.”