When the Glory Packs Its Bags: A Quiet Exit from the Temple
Today I read Ezekiel 9 through 12, and one thread that caught my attention was the movement of God's glory. Specifically, the way it's described as leaving the temple.
In Ezekiel 10, there's this image of the divine presence lifting from the inner sanctuary and slowly departing. First from the inner room, then to the threshold, then out over the east gate. It’s not abrupt. It unfolds in stages, almost like a farewell.
Can Sacredness Be a Temporary Lease?
I don’t usually think of sacredness as something that can move. The temple is supposed to be the center of divine presence, right? But here, the presence leaves. The place remains, but its meaning is altered. It makes me wonder: can a space still be considered holy once whatever made it holy is gone?
The idea that something can lose its purpose while still physically standing feels familiar. A church, a school, a home—these spaces carry meaning because of what happens inside them. But if the values or people or energy that once animated them disappear, what are we left with? Are we just walking through shells?
The Glory Relocates (No U-Haul Mentioned)
In chapter 11, Ezekiel watches as the glory of God departs from the temple and settles on a nearby mountain. It doesn't vanish into the sky. It relocates. That feels symbolic. Almost like saying: the presence isn’t erased, but it’s no longer where it used to be.
This makes me think less about ancient temples and more about modern institutions. What does it mean when an organization or community keeps going, but the spirit that gave it purpose has moved on? How do we know when that shift has happened?
When No One Notices the Exit
I also noticed that no one seems to react to the departure. There’s no crowd mourning outside the temple. No one cries out. Maybe they didn’t even realize what had changed. That part sticks with me. What if the most meaningful losses are the quiet ones—the kind that happen so gradually we don’t register them until much later?
There’s a verse in chapter 11 that says, “Then the glory of the Lord went up from the city and stopped above the mountain to the east” (Ezekiel 11:23, NLT). It sounds so calm. Not angry, not vengeful. Just... done.