Seeing God's Glory in Exile and Adversity

Apr 12, 2026

Devotional

Day 1: God's Presence Is Not Limited to Sacred Places

God can reveal Himself anywhere, not just in designated holy sites. He is not confined by geography or human expectations. Often, we assume we must go to a specific location to find God, but His presence transcends our limitations. He meets us in the most unexpected places, even in our moments of exile and disorientation. The heavens can open right where we are, revealing His glory in our everyday circumstances. [40:10]

Ezekiel 1:1 (NIV)
In my thirtieth year, in the fourth month on the fifth day, while I was among the exiles by the Kebar River, the heavens were opened and I saw visions of God.

Reflection: Where in your life have you perhaps unconsciously placed limits on where you can encounter God? What would it look like this week to intentionally seek His presence in a place or situation you consider ordinary?

Day 2: Adversity Can Strip Away Our False Securities

Our comfort and routines can sometimes lead us to rely on things other than God. We may trust in our rituals, our routines, or our own strength instead of Him. Adversity has a way of breaking our dependence on these empty things. It shifts our attention back to what truly matters, forcing us to focus on God alone. In these moments, God often becomes our sanctuary in a way we never experienced in times of ease. [48:28]

Ezekiel 11:16 (NIV)
“Therefore say: ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Although I sent them far away among the nations and scattered them among the countries, yet for a little while I have been a sanctuary for them in the countries where they have gone.’”

Reflection: What is one "false security" — a routine, a possession, or a habit — that you have been relying on for comfort or stability? How might God be inviting you to release your grip on it and find your true sanctuary in Him during this season?

Day 3: God's Plans Often Unfold in Unexpected Ways

God's ways are higher than our ways, and His plans can be surprising. What looks like judgment or abandonment from our perspective might actually be His protection and preservation. He sees the full picture when we only see a fragment. His timing is perfect, even when it involves a period of waiting or difficulty. We can trust that His good promises will be fulfilled in His time, according to His perfect wisdom. [54:00]

Jeremiah 29:10 (NIV)
This is what the LORD says: “When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my good promise to bring you back to this place.”

Reflection: Can you identify a situation in your life that felt like a setback or a period of exile that, in hindsight, you can see God used for your protection or growth? How does this perspective help you trust Him with a current challenge?

Day 4: We Are Called to Contemplate the Lord's Glory

We are invited into a transformative relationship with God. As we spend time in His presence, we are changed. This happens through prayer, meditating on His Word, and worshiping in fellowship with others. We are not meant to remain the same; we are being renewed into His image. This is a progressive journey of becoming more like Christ, reflecting His character and glory to the world. [01:08:30]

2 Corinthians 3:18 (NIV)
And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.

Reflection: What is one practical way you can increase your "exposure" to God's glory this week? Is it by setting aside specific time for prayer, engaging with Scripture in a new way, or prioritizing fellowship?

Day 5: We Are Being Transformed to Reflect God's Glory

Our identity as believers is rooted in being image-bearers of God. This is not about our own perfection but about His ongoing work in us. The transformation is a process of being shaped from one degree of glory to another. It is a journey of grace, not of self-achievement. Our lives are meant to be a reflection of His character, pointing others toward His goodness and love. [01:08:59]

2 Corinthians 3:18 (NIV)
And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.

Reflection: As you consider your own spiritual journey, in what specific area of your character have you noticed God's transformative work? How can you cooperate with His Spirit to see that growth continue this week?

Sermon Summary

Ezekiel’s opening vision reframes where and how God reveals himself. Exile did not mark God’s absence; it exposed Israel’s false securities and redirected attention to divine presence in unexpected places. The covenant promised blessing for obedience and judgment for unfaithfulness, but ritual observance alone did not guarantee God’s favor. The temple had become an assumed safe harbor, yet prophets like Jeremiah and Ezekiel insist that external rites cannot substitute for faithful hearts. Babylon’s conquest fulfilled covenantal warning, but exile also preserved a remnant from utter destruction and set the stage for renewal.

In Babylon, Ezekiel encountered a theophany: wind, brilliant light, cherubim, and a moving throne that signaled God’s sovereignty beyond territorial bounds. The vision emphasizes that Yahweh rules over all nations and cannot be confined to a building or a people’s assumptions. Biblical theology draws a line from these visions to the claim that God’s radiance—his kavod—is visible in ways humans can bear: not the unmediated essence of God, but his glory made present. The New Testament locates that visible glory in the incarnate Word; Jesus embodies what prophecy and visions foreshadowed.

Transformation emerges as a practical and spiritual demand. Regular exposure to God’s presence—through Scripture, prayer, worship, and community—reshapes the image of God in people and moves believers “from glory to glory.” Adversity can strip away false securities and concentrate the heart on what truly matters, turning exile into a venue for encounter and formation. The call asks for disciplined attention: small, consistent practices of prayer and devotion cultivate receptivity to God’s radiance and enable lives that visibly reflect divine glory.

Key Takeaways

1. God appears beyond sacred places Exile in Babylon proves that divine presence does not confine itself to a temple or a territory. God moves sovereignly into the margins and shows that worship cannot be reduced to location. Recognition of God’s presence requires attention, not merely ritual attendance; God can break through the ordinary where people least expect it. [40:32]
2. Exile can preserve and refine Punishment and dislocation carry a corrective aim: to remove false securities and preserve what would otherwise be lost. Exile redirected attention from institutional ritual to relational fidelity and prepared a people for future restoration. Hard circumstances can therefore function as a merciful discipline that exposes reliance on appearances and cultivates deeper dependence on God. [49:07]
3. Worship without holiness is hollow Temple ritual became a cover for ongoing injustice and idolatry; outward devotion did not mask inward unfaithfulness. God judges perfunctory worship that grows detached from repentance and ethical life, because true presence demands integrity. Prayer and sacrifice without transformed hearts create a false sense of safety and invite judgment, not blessing. [45:11]
4. Exposure to God's glory transforms Repeated, intentional exposure to God—through Scripture, prayer, worship, and holy fellowship—reshapes human character toward the divine image. Transformation proceeds gradually and progressively; believers reflect more of God’s radiance as they remain in his presence. Spiritual growth therefore depends less on dramatic experiences and more on steady practices that increase proximity to God’s glory. [67:41]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[39:35] - When was the last encounter?
[40:32] - Ezekiel’s vision in Babylon
[41:42] - Covenant: blessings and judgment
[44:44] - The temple: false security exposed
[49:07] - Exile as preservation and purpose
[52:10] - Jeremiah’s letter to the exiles
[56:39] - Cherubim and visionary imagery
[60:07] - The glory (kavod) explained
[64:09] - Jesus as the visible glory
[71:11] - From glory to glory: transformation
[74:38] - Practical steps and closing prayer

Bible Study Guide

Bible reading
Ezekiel 1:1, 4, 26–28 (ESV)
In the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, on the fifth day of the month, as I was among the exiles by the Chebar canal, the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God. [...] As I looked, behold, a stormy wind came out of the north, and a great cloud, with brightness around it, and fire flashing forth continually, and in the midst of the fire, as it were gleaming metal. [...] And above the expanse over their heads there was the likeness of a throne, in appearance like sapphire; and seated above the likeness of a throne was a likeness with a human appearance. And upward from what had the appearance of his waist I saw as it were gleaming metal, like the appearance of fire enclosed all around. And downward from what had the appearance of his waist I saw as it were the appearance of fire, and there was brightness around him. Like the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud on the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness all around. Such was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord.

Observation questions

Where was Ezekiel when he received this vision, and why was that location significant?
What are the key elements Ezekiel describes in his vision (wind, cloud, fire, throne, etc.)?
How does Ezekiel describe the one seated on the throne, and what does he call what he saw?
According to the sermon, what did the people of Israel assume about God’s presence before the exile? [44:13]

Interpretation questions

Why do you think God chose to reveal Himself to Ezekiel in such a powerful way during a time of exile and defeat?
How does the vision of God’s throne-chariot challenge the idea that God is limited to a specific place or building? [59:29]
In what ways can hardship or “exile” serve as a means of God’s preservation and refinement rather than merely punishment? [48:28]
The sermon mentioned that “exposure to God’s glory transforms.” What spiritual practices help believers remain consistently exposed to God’s presence? [01:10:13]

Application questions

Have you ever experienced a season that felt like a spiritual “exile”—a time of disorientation, loss, or feeling distant from God? What false securities did that season expose in your life? [48:28]
How can you intentionally create space this week to “expose” yourself to God’s presence through prayer, Scripture, or worship—even in the middle of a busy routine? [01:14:38]
In what areas of your life might you be trusting in religious routine or minimal engagement with God rather than cultivating a faithful heart? [47:03]
Who in your life reflects God’s glory in a way that encourages you? How can you spend more time with people who help you grow in Christ? [01:10:41]
What’s one practical step you can take to turn a place of struggle or adversity into an opportunity to encounter God rather than a reason to doubt Him? [01:12:53]

Sermon Clips

35s

#ExileToEncounter

“Here's the question. What if the place that you thought God left is the very place he's trying to reveal himself? If you feel that you are in exile right now, you are undergoing a a tragedy or sickness or adversity, what if that is your exile? And what if that exile doesn't mean the evidence of God's absence, but a preparation for an encounter with God? See, Ezekiel was in Babylon, and he said, heavens broke open, and I saw God.”

31s

#ExposureShapesYou

“The more you spend time with God, the more you spend time with godly people. The more you spend time doing godly things, you increase God's image in you. But the more you move away from God, the more you spend less time meditating on his word, spend less time in prayer, skip coming to church and fellowship, you also decrease the exposure to his glory. Here here's the big idea. Whatever you consistently expose yourself to will shape who you become.”

44s

#GodBeyondTemple

“What does it mean? This is not random imagery. God is showing to Ezekiel that Babylon might have won the battle, but God is still on the throne reigning as king, and he's not stuck in Jerusalem. The people in Jerusalem were assuming that as long as we offer sacrifices, God stays in Jerusalem and nowhere else. But when Ezekiel saw the vision of God, he knows God is not in Jerusalem anymore. God is there in an unlikely place in Babylon. In Babylon.”

42s

#YouCantContainGod

“Here's why I think Israel broke their covenant with God. It's because Israel believed that as long as they have the temple, they pay their taxes, the tithes goes to the temple, the priests continue to offer sacrifices, they are secure regardless of how they live. They didn't just believe in God. They believed also that they had God contained, secured. That as long as they have the temple running, God must stay. It's part of the covenant. As long as they have the temple running, God is there, not as lord, but as hostage.”

27s

#AdversityFocusesFaith

“They were sent away from Jerusalem, but not from the presence of God. They are temporarily in exile, but it doesn't mean that God is not with them. See, in Jerusalem, they have the temple, but their focus was not on God. In Babylon, they don't have the temple and yet their focus was on God. What happened? It's the condition of being in exile. Adversity helps us focus on God.”

37s

#SparedInExile

“Think about this. The people who thought they are safe because they remain in Jerusalem are the very ones who are in danger of being destroyed, totally destroyed. But the people in exile who thought God has abandoned us were actually the people whom God has spared and has plans for them. I mean, maybe for a while, temporarily, you are in exile. You feel like you identify with the people who are in exile and God doesn't care, God has abandoned you, but the truth is God has a way of preserving you from something.”

34s

#SufferingSparesUs

“That means those in exile, they may have to suffer for a while, but that suffering was meant to spare them from total destruction. It was their protection. In fact, in history, in May, Nebuchadnezzar went back the third time to Jerusalem, burned the temple, and killed the people. Those in exile, they were they were spared. Those in exiles were the ones Jeremiah was writing, build houses, live in them, marry your children, be prosperous, pray for the city. You are good.”

35s

#EverydayEncounter

“Now I don't know what's what it looks like what your week looks like Monday through Saturday. But even in ordinary things, God may reach out to us. We may have an encounter with God. All we have to do is to open our eyes. We may get distracted from from many things, but try to spend time with God. Maybe this week, your commitment should be, I will spend more time with God. Will spend ten minutes of prayer.”

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Seeing God's Glory in Exile and Adversity

Devotional

Day 1: God's Presence Is Not Limited to Sacred Places

Day 2: Adversity Can Strip Away Our False Securities

Day 3: God's Plans Often Unfold in Unexpected Ways

Day 4: We Are Called to Contemplate the Lord's Glory

Day 5: We Are Being Transformed to Reflect God's Glory

Sermon Summary

Key Takeaways

Youtube Chapters

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips

Seeing God's Glory in Exile and Adversity

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