The Great Second Advent Movement: Its Rise and Progress

God’s Presence Manifest in the Shekinah and the Cloud

Later in the history of the Israelites, when Solomon had finished the erection of the temple, which he said must be exceedingly “magnifical,” the shekinah of God’s glory took its position between the cherubim over the mercy-seat. The record says that at the dedication of the temple, as 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 had filled the house of the Lord.” ⁵⁵ The presence of the Lord in this temple was manifest to the eyes of the people in the cloud of glory. The Lord responded to the prayer of Solomon on this occasion, and said unto him, “I have heard thy prayer, and have chosen this place to myself for an house of sacrifice.” ⁵⁶ GSAM 50.4

The people sinned,—went into idolatry,—and consequently their city and sanctuary were in ruins for seventy years. After the captivity, the temple was rebuilt under the hand of Zerubbabel. Although inferior in splendor to the one built by Solomon, yet the Lord said of it by his prophet, “The glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the former.” ⁵⁷ This house was beautified by Herod, and in its courts the Savior taught. The former house had a cloud of glory representing the Lord, but into the second came the Saviour himself, the Maker of all things. GSAM 51.1