Ezekiel
44 – Laws Governing Priests.
Once
the Lord has entered the temple through the gate that faces the east, the gate
is to be closed permanently. The shut gate is a symbol of the Lord’s presence.
The
identity of the prince is not known, but clearly it is not the Messiah, since this
prince needs to make a sin offering for himself and is said to have children.
This prince or leader carries out many of the duties that the high priest of OT
days formerly handled.
The
glory of the Lord will fill this temple as it did in Moses’ day (Ex. 40:34,35)
Solomon’s day (I Kings 8:10-12). Ezekiel had said that the glory of the Lord
left the first temple before its destruction, and so the glory of the Lord was
not said to fill the rebuilt temple in Haggai’s day. That new filling awaits
the construction of the Millennial temple.
Somebody
must serve in the new temple, so God gave Ezekiel instructions concerning the
Levites and priests and the manner of worship He wanted. The emphasis is on the
word (My); My sanctuary, My food, My covenant, My holy things, etc. One reason
the temple was destroyed is that the priests and Levites forgot it was the
house of God, and they did whatever they pleased.
It
is a privilege to minister for the Lord! Never lose the wonder of belonging to
God and being asked to serve Him.
Unfaithfulness
in service can lead to loss of privileges, but faithfulness can mean being able
to draw near to serve the Lord. The priests had to be careful what they wore,
what they ate and drank and how they looked. How could they teach the people to
have discernment if they did not practice discernment.
The
prince will only worship at the threshold of the gate and the people only at
the entrance, but we have the privilege today of entering into the presence of
God (Heb. 10:19-25)/
Please
read the chapter listed so that you can understand God’s Word better.
If
you have missed any lessons, you can go to: God Plans For You at https://sherrysouthard.blogspot.com.
J.
Vernon McGee Commentary and Nelson’s Quick Reference Commentary.
Dr.
David Jeremiah, J. Vernon McGee Through the Bible
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