God’s Glory
II Chronicles 7:1-14
07/06/2025
As we have just celebrated Independence Day as a nation, we find that we are “Blessed.” Last week we looked at how we are “Blessed.” This morning as we dive into the Word of God, we will be looking into II Chronicles 7 as we discover “God’s Glory.”
1. God’s Glory (1-3)
* SHEKINAH [shuh KIGH nuh] (dwelling) - a visible manifestation of the presence of God. Although the word is not found in the Bible, it occurs frequently in later Jewish writings. It refers to the instances when God showed Himself visibly, as, for example, on Mount Sinai (Ex 24:9-18) and in the Holy of Holies of the tabernacle and in Solomon's Temple. The Shekinah was a luminous cloud which rested above the altar in the place of worship and lit up the room. When the Babylonians destroyed the Temple, the Shekinah glory vanished!
Exodus 13:21-22 (ESV) “And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead them along the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, that they might travel by day and by night. 22.The pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night did not depart from before the people.
Exodus 24:15-18 (ESV) “Then Moses went up on the mountain, and the cloud covered the mountain.16.The glory of the Lord dwelt on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it six days. And on the seventh day he called to Moses out of the midst of the cloud.17. Now the appearance of the glory of the Lord was like a devouring fire on the top of the mountain in the sight of the people of Israel. 18. Moses entered the cloud and went up on the mountain. And Moses was on the mountain forty days and forty nights.”
Exodus 40:34-38 (ESV) “Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. 35. And Moses was not able to enter the tent of meeting because the cloud settled on it, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. 36. Throughout all their journeys, whenever the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the people of Israel would set out. 37. But if the cloud was not taken up, then they did not set out till the day that it was taken up. 38. For the cloud of the Lord was on the tabernacle by day, and fire was in it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel throughout all their journeys.”
Luke 2:9 (ESV) “And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear.”
Acts 1:9 (ESV) “And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear.”
Acts 2:1–4 (ESV) 1 When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. 2 And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. 3 And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.
I desire to see the visible manifestation of God. I want complete filling in my life from the Holy Spirit. I want the church (You and I) to experience the Shekinah Glory.
Fire was a sign of acceptance of King Solomon’s prayers.
Israel realizes the Divine presence of God and bowed before Him and worshipped a Holy God.
2. Sacrifice (4-10)
If we are wanting to see a move of God in our life, we have to be willing to give a sacrifice to God and surrender all the junk that is keeping us from Him.
Sacrifice is an act of offering to God on something precious. It’s destruction or surrender of something for the sake of others, something given up.
Solomon consecrated the middle of the courtyard.
3. Turn from Evil (11-14)
What will prayer and turning from your sin do for you?
II Chronicles 7:13-14 (MSG) “If I ever shut off the supply of rain from the skies or order the locusts to eat the crops or send a plague on my people, and my people, my God-defined people, respond by humbling themselves, praying, seeking my presence, and turning their backs on their wicked lives, I’ll be there ready for you: I’ll listen from heaven, forgive their sins, and restore their land to health”
If is one of the smallest words, that have one of the largest impact upon us. If means on condition that; in case that; whether, a supposition If is a conjunction. If, and, but are all conjunctions that are allowing people to slide into hell because of these conjunctions.
II Chronicles 7:14 Do an about face and walk the opposite way. The Greek word for turn is * Shuwb (Shoob) to back away from, transfer, not to return to the starting point, to retreat, reverse, withdraw or refresh.
Called means * qara (Kawraw) here really means cry out, proclaim. Is not God calling each and every one of us to follow Him?
The word humble means having or showing awareness of one’s defects (not proud) or low in condition or rank or to lessen the pride of. Greek humble means * Kana (kaw-nah) to bend the knee, bring down into subjection, under, subdue. We need to really come to God with a broken attitude and lose the pride we have. We need to spend time with God every day in prayer not asking for anything but just in fellowship with Him. God really wants us to seek Him. To seek means searching for.
Leave the old lifestyle behind. Romans 12:2 (ESV) “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect
We need to seek the face of God and ask Him to bring forgiveness into our lives and then into our nation which we really have walked away from God. Sin is anything that separates us from God.
I Corinthians 6:9-11 (ESV) “Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God. Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, 10. nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God 11. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.
In chapter 6 of 2 Chronicles, Solomon had asked God to make provisions for the people when they sinned. God answered with four conditions for forgiveness: (1) Humble yourselves by admitting your sins. (2) Pray to God asking for forgiveness. (3) Seek God continually. (4) Turn from your sinful behavior. True repentance is more than talking, it is a behavior change or a life change.
Shekinah Glory
1) Seek the face of God.
2) Leave the old lifestyle behind.
3) Humble ourselves.
4) Pray.
* All Greek and Hebrew terminology used comes from college books, notes, other sermons I've heard, or the internet, and therefore is not my original work.
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
The Message (MSG)
Copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson
