As early as the Book of Exodus there is the revelation that God desires to be not a transcendent, distant God but a God who is immanently presence with his people. At first, Yahweh’s presence is manifested through the signs and wonders that eventually forced Pharaoh to release the Israelites from the bondage of slavery. Then to show that God was with the people throughout their journey a column of cloud during the day and a column of fire at night went before them.

But God wanted to reveal more of his plan to his chosen people. God instructed Moses to set up a Meeting Tent in which the Ark of the Covenant, a sign of God’s presence and the people’s covenanted relationship with God, would be placed. Whenever Moses would “entered the tent, the column of cloud would come down and stand at its entrance while the Lord spoke with Moses.”

Still God’s desire was more!  Later, when the Temple was constructed and dedicated by Solomon we read in 2 Chronicles: “When the trumpeters and singers were heard as a single voice praising and giving thanks to the LORD, and when they raised the sound of the trumpets, cymbals and other musical instruments to ‘give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his mercy endures forever," the building of the LORD'S temple was filled with a cloud.’ The priests could not continue to minister because of the cloud, since the LORD'S glory filled the house of God” (2 Chron 5:13-14).(To be continued)