Zechariah 2:5

APPLES OF GOD’S EYE

(October 28, 2023) Robert McQuillan shares most sincerely…

Currently the eyes of the world are on the Middle East, especially Israel. There are fears that has happened, is happening, will spread involving several countries in war. Even nations endeavouring to support disadvantaged trapped victims with supply of badly needed food, water and medical supplies – or to fly people home – could become entrapped in whatever happens next.

The unfolding crisis has affected nations globally – for example here in Australia we’ve had protest rallies, a ‘significant contingent’ of troops and two aircraft being dispatched to the Middle East, increased fuel prices, cost of living threatened. In short, many people are looking for answers.

More importantly, souls everywhere need to discover Jesus, the coming king of peace and comfort who has all the answers, primarily salvation!

God can be trusted
Without sounding superspiritual, some weeks back I was reminded of David’s Psalm 122:6 that calls for prayer regarding Jerusalem… and I did so, including all Israel, in my general daily prayers. Now, like so many others, I too am deeply saddened by what has been happening in the Middle East.

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SHEKINAH GLORY

(March 21, 2023) Dr Robert McQuillan shares…

‘Shekinah Glory’ has been often thought of as the remarkable change in Moses that the Israelites beheld when he came down from Mount Sinai, after having been up there so long in the presence of God. Exodus 34:29ESV reads, ‘… Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone because he had been talking with God.’

NIV says, ‘… he was not aware that his face was radiant…’ Verse 30 tells that all the Israelites ‘were afraid to come near him.’

Remember Charlton Heston playing Moses in the 1956 The Ten Commandments? He looked so different after being in God’s presence when he started down ‘God’s mountain’ to find ungrateful, sinning Israelites.

Moviegoers, including myself, an impressionable teenager, were immediately struck by the change in his face, his hair and beard.

But ‘Shekinah Glory’ is more than that! The presence of God highlighted above is the key!

May we know God’s presence
Now the Bible doesn’t mention the term ‘Shekinah Glory’ at all in either the Old or New Testament… it was introduced by rabbis in their writings in the period between the two testaments. Their reasoning? To explain the very presence of God in certain contexts and associated with a visible manifestation more evidently apparent at certain times.

‘Shekinah’ is from the Hebrew word shākan, which means ‘to reside or permanently stay.’ And so literature by rabbis used the term shekinah to descriptively explain the following scriptures to the Jewish people:

  • God’s presence among His people (Exodus 19:16-18; Exodus 40:34-38; I Kings 6:13).
  • God’s glory dwelling in the temple (2 Chronicles 7:1).
  • God’s dwelling in the mountain (Psalm 68.16-18; Joel 3:17).
  • God’s divine appearance on earth!

This last ‘description’ was depicted in the following seven ways as a…

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