Ezekiel 44 - Laws Governing Priests.

 

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

 

 

Ezekiel 41-43 - Heaven is a Motivation

 

Ezekiel 41, 42 – Heaven is a Motivation

 

Ezekiel’s vision describes the main room of the temple, sometimes called the holy place (Exodus 26:33). There is little said about the temple decorations, other than windows and carvings of palm trees and cherubim (I Kings 6:15). While the text does not give the significance of either the palm trees or the cherubim, ever since the Maccabean revolt, palm trees signified political independence to the Jews, and cherubim were usually connected to the holiness of God.

 

Ezekiel’s temple set aside an enormous amount of land for the sanctuary, almost a square mile in area.

 

Ezekiel 43 – The Glory Returns

 

The temple will be a place of sacrifice and singing and a place where God’s glory will dwell. Ezekiel had described how the glory left the old temple, and now he describes how the glory returns and fills the house.

The sacrificial offerings were memorial offerings. They did not atone for sin but looked to the future work of Christ (John 1:29). The beauty and grandeur of the temple mean nothing if God is not present.

 

Today, the bodies of God’s people are His temple (I Cor. 6:19-20), and so is His church (ph. 2:19-22). Just as God has a beautiful plan for His future temple in Jerusalem, so He has a plan for His people individually (Eph 2:10) and His church collectively. We are to be a holy temple, dedicated to Him alone, we are to radiate the glory of God.

The whole millennial temple is designed to broadcast the holiness and grandeur of God; it is built on a grand scale to impress those who see it and use it that they serve and worship a God who is far greater than any enticement to sin. The structure itself is designed to help them remember the past but also to glory in God, and in the good present He has brought about.

The millennial sacrifices will constitute a memorial of Jesus’ death, much as observing the Lord’s Supper is a reminder of His death (Luke 22:19). Also, just as the Old Testament sacrifices looked forward symbolically to Christ’s death, so the sacrifices of the millennial kingdom will look back in remembrance to His sacrifice on the cross.

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.Nelson’s Quick Reference Commentary.

Dr. David Jeremiah Study Bible, J. Vernon McGee Through the Bible

Ezekiel 40 - A New City, A New Temple

 

Ezekiel 40 – A New City, a new Temple

 

The center of worship in the Millennium will be the temple. This will be an altogether new temple constructed especially for use during the thousand-year reign of Christ.

 

Ezekiel received this vison a little over a third of the way through the 70 years of captivity prophesied by Jeremiah (Jer. 29:10). A dozen years after the destruction of Jerusalem the exiles needed a fresh word of hope to keep them focused in a positive way on the future. They needed a reminder that God would indeed return them to the Promised Land, and Ezekiel’s vision of a staggering new temple brought encouragement to their hearts.

 

It is very likely the temple Ezekiel saw belongs to the period of the Millennium and is in Jerusalem (Isa. 2:2; Micah 4:1).

 

A divine messenger, a being, who had the appearance of bronze served as Ezekiel’s tour guide for the temple. The messenger made it very clear that the prophet was to pay attention to everything he saw and heard in the vision, and then communicate everything in the vision with care to the countrymen. While the wealth of detail may not seem very important or interesting to us, it communicated to the exiles that God had very meticulous and expansive plans for the nation of Israel, despite the present captivity.

 

One day the scattered people would be regathered, and the defiled people cleansed. The land would be restored to beauty and fruitfulness, and there would be a new city, a new temple, and a new priesthood serving the Lord in holiness.

 

This vision was to be declared to the people so that they would repent their sins. The assurance of a glorious future helps to sustain God’s people during the trials of life (John 17:22-24)

 

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.

Nelson’s Quick Reference Commentary.

Dr. David Jeremiah Study Bible

J. Vernon McGee Thru the Bible

Ezekiel 39 - Gog's Armies Destroyed

 

Ezekiel 39 – Gog’s Armies Destroyed

 

Ezekiel tells the people that the Lord will knock his weapon out of Gog’s left hand, implying that not even a little battle with Israel will take place. God will strike dead the invading hordes wherever they enter Israel, whether from the plains or the mountains. He will also send fire on the homeland of Gog and his allies, thus demonstrating that He is the God of the whole earth.

 

The armies that unsuccessfully invade Israel will be so massive that it will take seven years for the Israelites to burn the weapons left behind. This seven-year period refers to the tribulation period spoken of in Daniel 9:27 and Revelation 11:3; 13:5, placing the battle just after the Rapture and early in the tribulation.

 

The massive number of corpses left behind by Gog’s obliterated armies requires the people of Israel to engage in an unprecedented burial operation, a marvel that takes seven months to complete. This enormous operation prevents travelers from moving freely in the region for a time and requires both volunteer and professional help to complete.

 

After having dealt in judgment against the invading enemy from the north, allows the antichrist to be the world ruler for the remainder of the tribulation period. Then the Lord Jesus will come to the earth to establish His kingdom (Rev. 19).

 

Liars should stop lying, thieves should stop stealing, the lawless should become law-abiding, and righteousness should prevail in the city. Only then, God will acknowledge it and rain blessings on His people. God never blesses that which is wrong. Mankind is not going to escape judgment. We might think we will get away with our sin, but we will not. (Heb. 2:3). God’s Holy name will be vindicated.

 

He has loved us enough to give His Son, but if we reject His mercy and grace He will reject us. This is His universe, this is His earth, and He is running it according to His perfect plan. We need to get in step with Him.

 

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

 

Ezekiel 38 - Gog and Allies Attack Israel

 

Ezekiel 38 – Gog and Allies Attack Israel.

 

Ezekiel’s prophecy begins with a list of proper names. Many of these names Identify certain grandchildren and great-grandchildren of Noah who were the fathers of nations that for a time bore their names (Gen. 10). These nations which today no longer have those original names, will ultimately form a coalition that will march against Israel.

 

Gog, the leader of a massive confederation of pagan forces, sees Israel as a great undefended treasure to be taken by force. He thinks the invasion is his own idea, but in fact he acts according to the purposes of God, who will use Gog’s arrogance and defeat to glorify His own name in front of the whole world, much as He did with Pharaoh of the Exodus (Ex. 7:1-5; 14:4, 17,18).

 

The prophet tells us that the invasion of Israel will take place at a time when Israel is dwelling safely and in peace and not involved in conflict with other nations. When will there be such a time? The only period in Israel’s life likely to meet this requirement comes immediately following the Rapture of the church when the Antichrist makes a treaty with Israel to guarantee her peace and security.

 

God Himself will defeat the enemy with fire, earthquake, hailstones, and disease. The victory will be so complete, overwhelming, and so obviously supernatural that the remaining nations of the earth will recognize that God’s sovereign, omnipotent hand rests upon Israel for her blessing and protection.

 

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.

Nelson’s Quick Reference Commentary.

Dr. David Jeremiah Study Bible.

J. Vernon McGee Through the Bible

 

Ezekiel 37 - Dead Bones

 

Ezekiel 37 – Dead Bones

 

God gives to Ezekiel a real living parable and to do so He takes him to the valley of the dead bones. They were very dry and scattered. He is looking out on this valley filled with dead bones, and he’s to speak to them.

 

A preacher speaks to those who are saved and those who are unsaved. For any preacher who understands the real state and condition of those who are lost recognizes his own helplessness in speaking to them.

 

Ezekiel speaks to the bones and gradually they come together, and the sinews and flesh come upon them. They are no longer bones, but bodies with flesh upon them. Then God breathed life into them. The appearance of life is there, the promise of life is there, but life does not come until God Himself breathes His own life into them. These human beings were the house of Israel. The vision is given to them to let them know they have hope, and it is for the whole house of Israel.

 

The nation Israel was buried and scattered in the nations of the world, and was dead to God, dead to the things of God. They had all the material things, but not spiritual life.

 

In joining the two sticks, one labeled Judah and the other labeled Ephraim, into one stick, God was promising to gather His people back and join them into one nation, instead of two. There will be no more northern kingdom (Israel) and a southern kingdom (Judah), but one nation known as Israel.

 

He promises a new covenant with Israel and He does this so that “all the nations will know that I, the Lord, sanctify Israel, when My sanctuary is in their midst forevermore.”

 

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.

Nelson’s Quick Reference Commentary.

Dr. David Jeremiah Study Bible

Ezekiel 36 - Judged and Forgiven

 

Ezekiel 36 – Judged and Forgiven

 

Ezekiel focuses on reinhabiting the land, rebuilding the temple, and restoring the kingdom to the glory of God.

 

In His grace, God will bring the land from desolation to delight, and His people from dispersion to regathering and from defilement to cleansing. God will remove the disgrace of the people and bring great glory to His name. “I am for you!” says the Lord; and “if God is for us, who can be against us?” Rom. 8:31.

 

There is no future for those who persist in their sins, but those who confess and forsake their sins shall always find mercy with God. (Prov. 28:13).

 

The old covenant (Mosaic law) made demands on the people but did not empower them to obey God.  This new covenant would enable people to obey. (Jer. 31:31-33). It begins with forgiveness and cleansing as God transforms His people through the Holy Spirit.

 

The Lords blessings never comes because someone earns it, but because the Lord is gracious and generous and desires to show the whole world the bounties of His Love and grace. When God restores the Israelites to their land, He will do it for the sake of His name and glory so that He can bless all nations.

 

When God restores both the physical and spiritual fortunes of His people, He will do so not only to bless His redeemed sons and daughters, but also to show the nations that He is a gracious and loving God who always keeps His promises. God means for His glory to cover and bless the whole earth (Isa. 11:9), so that all creation will know and experience the splendor of His majesty (Rom. 8:19, Eph. 2:7, I Pet. 1:1).

 

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