the HOPE of His glory

Hawaii is the most beautiful place
I have every been.

It has some of the most
beautiful visions
I have ever cast my eyes upon.

These, all the magnificent
creations of our God.

And as beautiful as they are...
they clearly pale in comparison
to what we will see
the day we enter the heavens.

How do I know?
Simply from reading this...
Then the angel led me to the gate,
the gate that faces toward the east.
And behold, the glory and
brilliance of the God of Israel was coming
from the way of the east;
and His voice was like
the sound of many waters, and
the earth shone with His glory.
Ezekiel 43:1-2 AMP

Can you imagine...
an angel leading you to see
the very glory of the Lord
while you are still alive
here on earth?

Then you would live
to tell of it... to write of it?
AMAZING!

Probably really scary...
but still amazing.

So he continues...
And it was like the appearance
of the vision which I saw,
beside the River Chebar, near Babylon;
and I fell face downward.
Ezekiel 43:3

I would imagine doing the same.
Face down, unable to look fully
at all the magnificence of God.

But Ezekiel saw Him
and I want to know more.

But that, for this chapter
is where he stops describing.
For it must be too wonderful
a sight for words to contain.

I do remember, though
reading of this River Chevar.
So we can go back
to the first time he saw it.

Back to the references
of his first encounter
there on the shores of the River Chebar...
Now stretched over the heads
of the living beings (cherubim)
there was something like an expanse,
looking like the terrible and
awesome shimmer of icy crystal.
I also heard the sound of their wings
like the sound of great, rushing waters,
like the voice of the Almighty,
the sound of tumult,
like the noise of an army camp.

And there was a voice
above the expanse
that was over their heads;
whenever they stopped,
they lowered their wings.

Now above the expanse
that was over their heads
there was something resembling a throne,
it appeared like it was made
of sapphire or lapis lazuli; and
seated on that which looked like a throne,
high up, was a figure
with the appearance of a man.

Now upward, from that
which appeared to be His waist,
I saw something like glowing metal
that looked like it was filled with fire
all around it; and downward,
from that which appeared to be His waist,
I saw something like fire; and
there was a brightness
and a remarkable radiance
like a halo around Him.
As the appearance of the rainbow
in the clouds on a rainy day,
so was the appearance
of the surrounding radiance.

This was the appearance
of the likeness of the glory and
brilliance of the Lord.
And when I saw it,
I fell face downward and
​I heard a voice of One speaking.
Ezekiel 1:22,24-28

I am certain the human imagination
cannot do justice to the appearance
of the glory of God;
His brilliance and radiance
indescribable,
these colors and images
only likened to things of this earth
because we have no other way
to convey them.

But oh, to only imagine a glimpse.
I too would fall face down.
Listening only to
the voice of the Almighty,
like rushing waters.

Word of God
train me today...
To anticipate Your glory, always.
To take in the beauty of Your creation, daily.