Middle-Aged Ezekiel
Opening Prayer
Father, help me to see and understand the many good things that You have prepared for those who love You.
Read EZEKIEL 43:1-12
[1] Then the man brought me to the gate facing east, [2] and I saw the glory of the God of Israel coming from the east. His voice was like the roar of rushing waters, and the land was radiant with his glory. [3] The vision I saw was like the vision I had seen when he came to destroy the city and like the visions I had seen by the Kebar River, and I fell facedown. [4] The glory of the LORD entered the temple through the gate facing east. [5] Then the Spirit lifted me up and brought me into the inner court, and the glory of the LORD filled the temple. [6] While the man was standing beside me, I heard someone speaking to me from inside the temple. [7] He said: “Son of man, this is the place of my throne and the place for the soles of my feet. This is where I will live among the Israelites forever. The house of Israel will never again defile my holy name-neither they nor their kings-by their prostitution and the lifeless idols of their kings at their high places. [8] When they placed their threshold next to my threshold and their doorposts beside my doorposts, with only a wall between me and them, they defiled my holy name by their detestable practices. So I destroyed them in my anger. [9] Now let them put away from me their prostitution and the lifeless idols of their kings, and I will live among them forever. [10] “Son of man, describe the temple to the people of Israel, that they may be ashamed of their sins. Let them consider the plan, [11] and if they are ashamed of all they have done, make known to them the design of the temple-its arrangement, its exits and entrances-its whole design and all its regulations and laws. Write these down before them so that they may be faithful to its design and follow all its regulations. [12] “This is the law of the temple: All the surrounding area on top of the mountain will be most holy. Such is the law of the temple. Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. All rights reserved throughout the world. Used by permission of International Bible Society.
Reflect
What extraordinary experience did Ezekiel have here (4,5)?It is 25 years since Ezekiel was deported and 14 years since Jerusalem was destroyed in 587 BC (40:1). How do you evaluate all the spiritual, historical and political changes you have seen in your lifetime?
As Ezekiel had seen the glory of the Lord depart from the east gate of the old temple in Jerusalem (10:18,19), so he now has a vision of the return of the glory of the Lord to a new temple in Jerusalem. What’s more, there is a promise that God will live among his people forever and sin will be a thing of the past (7-9). This must have been a great source of encouragement as Ezekiel described and wrote down the details for his fellow exiles (10,11).
It is also good to set this apocalyptic vision alongside that given to another exile, John, in the book of Revelation. In the Spirit, he also saw a new Jerusalem shining with the glory of God, with God reigning and with practicing sinners excluded (Rev. 21:1-8). However, in the new city there will be no temple because the Father and Son will themselves be the temple (Rev. 21:22).
Apply
What is your vision of heaven and God’s glory as you live with him there? Praise God for it now!
Closing prayer
Lord, help me spend time learning from the past, living in the present and anticipating the future.
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