Page 35 - BV13

Why do you fume with envy, you mountains of many peaks? This is the mountain [Sinai]
which God desires to dwell ["shakan"] in; yes, the LORD [YEHOVAH] will dwell in it
forever. The chariots of God are twenty thousand, even thousands of thousands; the
LORD is among them as in Sinai, in the Holy Place. You have ascended on high, you
have led captivity captive; you have received gifts among men, even among the
rebellious, that the LORD GOD might dwell ["shakan"] there. -- Psalm 68:16-18.

Later, as we have seen, the physical "Shekinah" presence of YEHOVAH took up residence
in the newly completed Tabernacle and was apparent to the whole nation of Israel.

There are a number of other occasions when the direct intervention of YEHOVAH was
manifest in a "Shekinah" presence to Moses. At the time of the setting up of the Tabernacle (before
it was finished) YEHOVAH God spoke to Moses out of the cloud and Moses realized the "Sheki-
nah" was a VEHICLE and NOT YEHOVAH Himself. As we see in Exodus 33, Moses asked for
more -- to actually "see" YEHOVAH -- and YEHOVAH allowed him to see A LARGER POR-
TION of His PHYSICAL "Shekinah" presence. Notice --

And the LORD [YEHOVAH] said to Moses, "I will also do this thing that you have
asked; for you have truly gained My favor and I have singled you out by name." He
[Moses] said, "Oh, let me behold Your Presence!" [He was speaking to Yehovah's voice
coming from the "Shekinah."] And He [YEHOVAH] answered, "I will make all My
goodness pass before you, and I will proclaim before you the name LORD [YEHOVAH,
YHVH], and the grace that I grant and the compassion that I show. But," He said, "you
cannot see My face, for men may not see Me and live."

After Israel entered the Promised Land, YEHOVAH's presence was manifested spiritually
in the Tabernacle -- but not often in a physical manner. YEHOVAH's actual presence was always
accepted by the Israelites as being in the Tabernacle (and later in the Temple), but was not always
physically confirmed by the visible "Shekinah." However, there were occasional renewals of mi-
raculous appearances of the "Shekinah" -- such as when the Temple of Solomon was dedicated.
There was an initial appearance in a vision when the LORD (YEHOVAH) promised that He
would "shakan" or dwell in the house that Solomon was building. Notice I Kings 6:11-13:

Then the word of the LORD [YEHOVAH] came to Solomon, "With regard to this House
[Temple] you are building -- if you follow My laws and observe My rules and faithfully
keep My commandments, I will fulfill for you the promise that I gave to your father
David: I will abide ["shakan"] among the children of Israel, and I will never forsake My
people Israel."

Later, when the construction of the Temple was finished and the day of dedication was at
hand, the holy "Shekinah" manifested itself in a very physical way --

When the priests came out of the sanctuary -- for the cloud ["Shekinah"] had filled the
House of the LORD and the priests were not able to remain and perform the services be
cause of the cloud ["Shekinah"], for the Presence of the LORD filled the House of the
LORD -- then Solomon declared: "The LORD has chosen to abide ["shaken"] in a thick

35