Sunday
We continue on in today’s reading with more of Ezekiel’s vision.
Throughout these chapters we have seen the restoration of the Temple and the land. We are given descriptive images of the Temple area, the gates, the outer courts, the Temple’s general architecture and the rooms in which the priests were to reside and do their work. Our reading ends today with a depiction of the return of God’s Glory. (43:1-12)
Ezekiel is able to witness the Glory of the Lord filing the Temple. Wow. What an amazing sight that must have been. But why was Ezekiel given this vision? God answers this question for us. 43:10 says, “Son of man, describe to the people of Israel the Temple I have shown you so they will be ashamed of all their sins.” And then verse 12 says “And this is the basic law of the Temple: absolute holiness!”
God wants our undivided attention. After the first temple was built, the people started doing detestable things in it. They would set up altars to false gods and idols and worship them in the same place where God was. This seems hard for us to imagine how anyone could be so blind, so stupid. But then we have to ask ourselves, if our bodies are considered temples “
Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore, honor God with your bodies” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20).
How often do we subject ourselves to worshiping other things besides the Lord God? Do we try to walk the fence between Christianity and worldliness? Do we do things that we know are wrong, and yet try to make them seem right? Have we set Jesus aside on Sunday mornings to worship at the sports arenas? Do we put harmful, addictive drugs into our systems? Do we take God’s name in vain? Do we covet what our neighbor has? Are we disrespectful to our parents? You see where this is going right? If God’s temple is to be “absolute holiness” and we are temples, shouldn’t we strive to live holy lives? Just sayin’
Sharing God’s Word
Pastor Kathy