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The prophets were thinking back to the time of Moses and the unprecedented events at
Mount Sinai, when YEHOVAH God dramatically judged the nation of Egypt and freed the Israel-
ites from slavery. There, at Mt. Sinai, all Israel experienced the awesome, visible, dramatic, mani-
festation of the Presence (literally, "face") and GLORY OF YEHOVAH. Explains James Tabor,
"The Torah is most explicit regarding this unprecedented experience. Nothing like this had ever
happened before, or has happened since. YEHOVAH Himself appeared to the people in a fiery
cloud-like pillar; they actually heard His voice and saw His Glory (Exodus 19:18-19; 20:18-21;
40:34-38; Numbers 14:14). The very purpose of the Tabernacle (literally, "dwelling place") was
to provide a locus for this extraordinary manifestation of YEHOVAH" (The LORD (YHVH) God
and His Messiah).

We have seen Ezekiel report that this Presence ("Glory") of YEHOVAH departed shortly
before the Exile. Ezekiel understood this in the most LITERAL way -- actually describing the
cloud-like "Shekinah" moving through the Eastern Gate of Jerusalem, up the Mount of Olives, and
away (Ezekiel 10:18-19; 11:22-23). In Deuteronomy 31:17 this "departure" is called the "hiding of
the Face of YEHOVAH." To fully understand this teaching of Scripture, I have endeavored to
show the DISTINCTION between the general presence of God (which is always with His crea-
tion) and this VERY SPECIFIC, literal, awesome, visible, manifestation of the Divine Glory or
"Shekinah."

In that sense YEHOVAH departed from this planet, and in that sense all the prophets (in-
cluding John) tell of His return. In other words, they clearly point to and predict a visible, earth-
shaking, LITERAL, manifestation of the holy "Shekinah" (Glory of YEHOVAH) once again. For
the righteous this will bring great rejoicing, but for all the wicked this will cause terror and the
fear of judgment.

I have also tried to point out that the Scriptures show a definite focus on the EAST. On the
EAST side of Jerusalem is the EASTERN gate of the Temple Mount, and EAST of that gate -- the
Mount of Olives. From this sacred area the holy "Shekinah" (Glory of YEHOVAH) departed, and
it is HERE that it will return. This clearly connects to the passage in Zechariah that predicts "on
that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives" (14:4). This area -- EAST from the Temple
Mount and including the Mount of Olives -- is evidently the El Bethel (not the northern town of
Bethel) where the patriarch Jacob had his vision of the ladder going up to heaven. He identified
this place as awesome and sacred, and none other than the portal or "gate of heaven." Evidently
Jacob was lying on the Temple Mount area and facing EAST, looking in his dream at the summit of
the Mount of Olives (Genesis 28:17; 35:5-8).

YEHOVAH the Father Himself will return to Zion in His Shekinah glory -- acting person-
ally and directly to punish the wicked and rule as King over all nations. This is the day pictured in
Revelation 19 -- that we should be waiting for with increasing expectations and excitement. Let's
retrieve YEHOVAH GOD from the dust bin and give Him His rightful place in the scheme of
things, as well as the greater praise and adoration that is His due -- not forgetting to stay awake for
the earlier return of His first-born Son and Servant Yeshua the Messiah.

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