The reaction to the glory of God coming down would not lessen if you saw it a million times. The word the Jews used to describe God’s glory is Shekinah. This word is not found in the Bible but in rabbinic literature. Just as the words trinity and rapture are not found in the Bible but are conceptually understood, the Shekinah, the brilliance of God’s presence, is understood. The words for glory translated in the Bible are: (Hebrew) kabod and (Greek) doxa. They carry with them the meanings of splendor, reverence, honor, brightness, magnificence.
In the Bible, the visible signs of the glory of God being displayed before men include brilliant and almost blinding light, an engulfing cloud, and a burning fire that does not consume.
In Scriptural accounts, when the glory of God comes down or is in the presence of men, the people react with their entire beings. Remember, each of us is created in the image of God. God is a triune being. God reveals Himself as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; three distinct persons, yet one true God. In His image, God made each of us a triune being; spirit, soul, and body are one complete person. When the glory of God is manifested, each facet of our being reacts to it that glory in worship. Our bodies react by going prostrate, a physical act of worship. Our souls (minds, will, and emotions) react by crying out in awe and wonder, a mental and emotional act of worship. And our spirits react in reverence and fear, a spiritual act of worship. Some of the examples of God’s glory coming down and men’s reactions to that glory are seen in Exodus 40:34-35 (Moses and the Tabernacle), 2 Chronicles 7:1-3 (dedication of the Temple), Luke 2:9 (announcement of Jesus’ birth), Mark 9:1-7 (Jesus’ transfiguration), and John 11:40-45 (Jesus Himself as He displayed His power over all things, including death itself, and men believed in Him).
