Kathleen's thoughts
First of all I do apologize for the past 6 days of not being here for those who visit this site. Health issues seemed to have over ridden the PC times I spend here in the word. But hopefully with guidance and love for the word I will catch up and be on track. God bless you!
Ezekiel 42: 1-20, 43: 1-27, 44: 1-31
Two buildings near the Temple
Measurements of the Temple area
The Lord returns to the Temple
The altar
Consecration of the altar
Use of the east gate
The priests
It was a beautiful reading today as God showed and gave Ezekiel the entire measurements of the temple and what it looks like and the instructions to the priests who descended from Zadok. They are the ones who may enter My sanctuary and draw near to My table to serve Me. They will keep My mandate.
He gave the instructions to the Levites saying "they must not approach Me to serve Me as priest or come near any of My holy things or the most holy things. Yet I will make them responsibel for the duties of the temple for all its work and everything done in it"
The Lord gave instructions about their clothing and who they were to marry. A priest may not come near a dead person so that he becomes defiled.
God says "This will be their inheritance; I am their inheritance.
Tithing "The best of all the first fruits of every kind and contribution of every kind from all your gifts will belong to the priests. You are to give your first batch of dough to the priest so that a blessing may rest on your homes".
The Lord returns to the temple. This must have been such a awesome sight for Ezekiel to see the glory of the Lord.
Ezekiel 43: 1-12...The glory of the Lord entered the temple by the way of the gate that faced east. Then the Spirit lifted me up and brought me to the inner court, and the glory of the Lord filled the temple.
He said to me; "Son of man, this is the place of My throne and the place for the soles of My feet, where I will dwell among the Israelites forever.
The house of Israel and their kings will no longer defile My holy name by their religious prostitution and by the corpses of their kings at their high places.
Whenever they place their threshold next to My threshold and their doorposts beside My doorposts, with only a wall between Me and them, they were defiling My hold name by the abominations they committed.
This is the law of the temple; all its surrounding territory on top of the mountain will be especially holy, Yes, this is the law of the temple.
The altar's steps face east.
So we can see here that the Lord enters the temple from the east and also the altar's steps face east as well.
Here is another interesting fact.
44: 1-3 The man then brought me back toward the sanctuary's outer gate that faced east, and it was closed. The Lord said to me; "This gate will remain closed. It will not be opened, and no one will enter through It because the Lord,. the God of Israel, has entered through it. Therefore it will remain closed. The prince himself will sit in the gateway to eat a meal before the Lord. He must enter by way of the portico of the gate and go out the same way.
The thought and contemplation
Make a point today of reflecting that, in these New Testament times, God's glory does not dwell in temples made with hands, but in the hearts of those who truly own Him as Lord. Are you one of them?
Do you not know that your body is a sanctuary of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God/ You are not your own, for you were bought at a price, therefore glorify God in you body.
1 Cor. 6: 19-20
Blessings
Kathleen.
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