7 And the priests took the ark of the Lord's agreement and put it in its place, in the inner room of the house, in the most holy place, under the wings of the winged ones. 8 For their wings were outstretched over the place where the ark was, covering the ark and its rods. 9 The rods were so long that their ends were seen from the holy place before the inmost room; but they were not seen from outside; and there they are to this day. 10 Nothing was in the ark but the two flat stones which Moses put there at Horeb, where the Lord made an agreement with the children of Israel when they came out of Egypt.
11 Now when the priests had come out of the holy place, (for all the priests who were present had made themselves holy, not keeping to their divisions; 12 And the Levites who made the music, all of them, Asaph, Heman, Jeduthun, and their sons and brothers, robed in fair linen, were in their places with their brass and corded instruments at the east side of the altar, and with them a hundred and twenty priests blowing horns;) 13 And when the players on horns, and those who made melody in song, with one voice were sounding the praise and glory of the Lord; with loud voices and with wind instruments, and brass and corded instruments of music, praising the Lord and saying, He is good; his mercy is unchanging for ever: then the house was full of the cloud of the glory of the Lord, 14 So that the priests were not able to keep their places to do their work because of the cloud; for the house of God was full of the glory of the Lord.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on 2 Chronicles 5:7-14
Commentary on 2 Chronicles 5:1-10
(Read 2 Chronicles 5:1-10)
The ark was a type of Christ, and, as such, a token of the presence of God. That gracious promise, Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world, does, in effect, bring the ark into our religious assemblies, if we by faith and prayer plead that promise; and this we should be most earnest for. When Christ is formed in a soul, the law written in the heart, the ark of the covenant settled there, so that it becomes the temple of the Holy Ghost, there is true satisfaction in that soul.
Commentary on 2 Chronicles 5:11-14
(Read 2 Chronicles 5:11-14)
God took possession of the temple; he filled it with a cloud. Thus he signified his acceptance of this temple, to be the same to him that the tabernacle of Moses was, and assured his people that he would be the same in it. Would we have God dwell in our hearts, we must leave room for him; every thing else must give way. The Word was made flesh; and when he comes to his temple, like a refiner's fire, who may abide the day of his coming? May he prepare us for that day.