THE RETURN
Opening Prayer
Lord, never permit Your glory to leave us.
Read EZEKIEL 43:1–12
God’s Glory Returns to the Temple
43 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[a] 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 people of Israel will never again defile my holy name—neither they nor their kings—by their prostitution and the funeral offerings[b] for their kings at their death.[c] 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 funeral offerings for 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 its perfection, 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[d] 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.
Footnotes:
a Ezekiel 43:3 Some Hebrew manuscripts and Vulgate; most Hebrew manuscripts I
b Ezekiel 43:7 Or the memorial monuments; also in verse 9
c Ezekiel 43:7 Or their high places
d Ezekiel 43:11 Some Hebrew manuscripts and Septuagint; most Hebrew manuscripts regulations and its whole design
New International Version (NIV)
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Meditate
“Almighty God, have mercy upon me, forgive me my sins, confirm and strengthen me in all goodness… through Jesus Christ my Savior, who lives and reigns with you” (David Adam, Walking in the Light, 32).
Think Further
The previous three chapters describe the rebuilding of the temple, including details of room sizes, design, content and purpose. Ezekiel has been transported to a high mountain near Jerusalem, where he encounters an angelic figure who conducts him around the temple precinct, measuring everything with a builder’s rod. Today’s reading is the pinnacle of that experience. Nineteen years have elapsed since Ezekiel has witnessed the glory of the Lord leaving the temple (Ezek. 10:18–22; 11:22–24). Now with an awesome sound and a brilliant radiance, the fullness of his glory returns. No wonder Ezekiel is on his face!
As God draws near, the angelic figure is replaced by the Spirit, who lifts Ezekiel to a vantage point that provides an aerial view of the glorious event. “The dark days of divine abandonment are over. The King has come home” (Christopher Wright, The Message of Ezekiel, 334). Then God speaks directly to Ezekiel from within the temple (6–27). He begins with a declaration of his permanent return (7–9) and continues with instructions to Ezekiel concerning what he is to tell the exiles and why (10,11).
The first announcement begins and ends with the commitment that God himself will live among the Israelites forever. This points to the coming of Jesus as Immanuel, followed by the Holy Spirit inhabiting believers, the heart of the new community of the church, and the ultimate vision of the new creation (Matt. 1:23; 2 Cor. 1:21,22; 1 Cor. 12:7–13; Rev. 21:22—22:3). However, then as now, if God were to dwell with his people permanently, there would need to be changes in their behavior (7–9), borne out by a heartfelt effort to serve God in practice and not just in name. Finally, the exiles are offered yet another opportunity to repent (9–11), God again taking the initiative to draw his people back to himself.
Apply
Imagine that you’re telling a spiritual director about your relationship with God. How is the relationship doing? What needs to change and happen for it to improve?
Closing prayer
Lord, we thank You for making us the temple of the Holy Spirit. Fortify our resolve to walk as though we actually believe it.
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