“Then he led me to the gate, the gate facing east. And behold, the glory of the God of Israel was coming from the east. And the sound of his coming was like the sound of many waters, and the earth shone with his glory.”
[Ezekiel 43:1-2]
Last time I left off with the Lord Jesus — the King of Glory — leading His army of holy ones in triumphal procession from Sinai to the Sanctuary in Zion. Yeshua is Yahweh — the full embodiment of the divine nature and eternal power — in the form of a man — Immanuel — God with us.
Psalm 68 must be the most beautiful description and most vivid account of the Day of the LORD and the return of the King of Glory. It is well worth an in-depth study of its own but for now will serve as the backdrop to this post.
“Your procession is seen, O God, the procession of my God, my King, into the sanctuary— the singers in front, the musicians last, between them virgins playing tambourines: Bless God in the great congregation, the LORD, O you who are of Israel’s fountain!”
[Psalm 68:24-26]
God’s word never ceases to amaze me. When I consider, that in His infinite wisdom, the LORD has provided the true testimony and historical record of the past as well as the clear view and prophetic vision of the future. This is what qualifies the Bible unique among all other writings — both sacred or secular. The Bible is no mere human invention. It is a supernatural phenomenon.
Try to envision for a moment this divine procession in the future. Do you see Moses and Elijah? Abraham and Peter? Jacob and Paul? King David and Queen Esther? Michael the Archangel? They are all there!
Can you see the mighty ones — the angel armies — lifting their swords? Can you hear the people weeping tears of joy and the children singing songs of praise? Can you see a multitude that no man can count, from every tribe and nation, following their Savior King and shouting in victory?
Can you see the glorified Christ? Wrapped with inapproachable light … riding His chariot of fire on a cloud.
It is more amazing still that God provides multiple viewpoints for the same future events. David was given one perspective in Psalm 68, as a participant in the procession. Ezekiel was given an altogether different vision from the holy city Jerusalem. Let’s take a closer look.
Coming from the East
Just as the sun rises in the east and the morning light dawns over the horizon, the Son of righteousness will arise upon the earth on that Day and shine in the brightness of His glory. As the Spirit of God carried Ezekiel to the Eastern Gate of Jerusalem, he was given a glimpse of this beautiful procession coming from the east.
Ezekiel saw what we all long to see … “the glory of the God of Israel was coming from the east” [Ezekiel 43:1]. He could hear this multitude moving across the earth like the sound of many waters. An awesome sight to behold.
David helps further explain the tumult.
“O God, when you went out before your people,
[Psalm 68:7-8]
when you marched through the wilderness, Selah
the earth quaked, the heavens poured down rain,
before God, the One of Sinai,
before God, the God of Israel.”
The dawn imagery prevails throughout the Scriptures!
“Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD has risen upon you. For behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the peoples; but the LORD will arise upon you, and his glory will be seen upon you. And nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising.
[Isaiah 60:1-3]
Arise, O LORD, and go to your resting place, you and the ark of your might. Let your priests be clothed with righteousness, and let your saints shout for joy. For the sake of your servant David, do not turn away the face of your anointed one … For the LORD has chosen Zion; he has desired it for his dwelling place: “This is my resting place forever; here I will dwell, for I have desired it.”
[Psalm 132:8-10, 13-14]
“God came from Teman,
[Habakkuk 3:3-4]
and the Holy One from Mount Paran. Selah
His splendor covered the heavens,
and the earth was full of his praise.
His brightness was like the light;
rays flashed from his hand;
and there he veiled his power.”
Even the Apostle Peter echoes this in his second epistle.
“And we have the prophetic word more fully confirmed, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.”
[2 Peter 1:19]
Open the Gates!
As the LORD leads His procession toward Jerusalem — you can hear the shouts growing louder, the praises being lifted higher, and see the light shining brighter. And one can only imagine the collective voices of God’s saints all proclaiming in unison … “Open the Gates! Open those ancient doors! So that the King of Glory may come in!”
David was given another glimpse into the future moment when the LORD of Glory enters the Eastern Gate in Jerusalem.
“Lift up your heads, O gates!
And be lifted up, O ancient doors,
that the King of glory may come in.
Who is this King of glory?
The LORD, strong and mighty,
the LORD, mighty in battle!
Lift up your heads, O gates!
And lift them up, O ancient doors,
that the King of glory may come in.
Who is this King of glory?
The LORD of hosts,
he is the King of glory!”Selah
[Psalm 24:7-10]
Once King Jesus enters the city, He will make way to His royal throne in the Temple of God — the Sanctuary.
“As the glory of the LORD entered the temple by the gate facing east, the Spirit lifted me up and brought me into the inner court; and behold, the glory of the LORD filled the temple. While the man was standing beside me, I heard one speaking to me out of the temple…”
[Ezekiel 43:4-6]
Next the LORD will take His rightful place as King of kings and sit down on the throne of David to declare final victory and rest from all our enemies.
“Son of man, this is the place of my throne and the place of the soles of my feet, where I will dwell in the midst of the people of Israel forever. And the house of Israel shall no more defile my holy name, neither they, nor their kings, by their whoring and by the dead bodies of their kings at their high places.”
[Ezekiel 43:7]
Kingdom and Power and Glory Forever
At the moment Jesus Christ sits down on His throne, His rule and reign as King of the Universe shall begin. The whole world will be astonished at the presence of the glory of God Almighty! For the kingdom and the power and the glory are His forever. Amen.
“O kingdoms of the earth, sing to God;
sing praises to the Lord,Selah
[Psalm 68:32-35]
to him who rides in the heavens, the ancient heavens;
behold, he sends out his voice, his mighty voice.
Ascribe power to God,
whose majesty is over Israel,
and whose power is in the skies.
Awesome is God from his sanctuary;
the God of Israel—he is the one who gives power and strength to his people.
Blessed be God!”
And the exciting part at this point is … His reign will have just begun!
Days of Noah 