SCRIPTURE: Ezekiel 42
OBSERVATION/APPLICATION:
So he measured the area on all four sides. It had a wall around it, five hundred cubits long and five hundred cubits wide, to separate the holy from the common. [Ezekiel 42:20]
To highlight the separation between a holy God and a sinful humanity, God set up the symbolism of holy places, people, objects and activities.
God did not create this separation, it is the result of human selfishness and immorality.
The whole law of Moses stresses this separation, to make the point: we are not the way we’re supposed to be, we have fallen far short of the glory of God.
What we consider ordinary or common in this world is actually unholy, because it is polluted by sinful, selfish human nature.
“Woman,” Jesus replied, “believe me, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. [John 4:21-22]
This woman thinks in terms of holy and unholy places; Jesus does not deny that at one time these distinctions were revealed to the Jews, but they are not God’s ultimate plan.
Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.” [John 4:23-24]
God’s desire is not to be separate from His people, but to separate them from sin so that they can fellowship with Him from the heart, with integrity.
God is holy, and we ought to be too; this is how we were created; through Jesus, we are separated from sin and restored to God.
The time has come; Jesus has dealt with the unholy through His holy sacrifice.
The curtain that separated humanity from the Most Holy Place was torn.
Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings… [Hebrews 10:19-21]
There are no longer separate holy places or persons or objects or activities; anyone and everyone is now holy before the Lord, and needs to live that way.
This is not an excuse to sin, nor a denial of unholy practices; but it does speak against setting apart holy places (sanctuaries) or holy people (pastors/priests) or holy objects (crosses) or holy activities (worship) from the common.
Now all places, people, objects and activities, flowing from a sin-rescued heart, are holy to the Lord, when they are devoted to Him.
PRAYER:
Lord, show me how everything I do needs to be done with You for You, in spirit and in truth. Help me to inscribe ‘holy to the Lord’ on all things [Zechariah 14:20-21].
The passage describes more of the temple and the priest service. The many rooms in the temple reminds me of the many rooms in my Father’s house. He is preparing a place for His people, His children. What a thought!
The second thought or highlight was that the priests had to wear different clothing when they came out. Their ‘holy clothes’ stayed in the temple. Yet they ministered outside. All of life is holy to the Lord – not only when we are in the temple but wherever we are. His temple, His house of worship is everywhere since this is His world. We are always in His presence and therefore need open eyes to see Him wherever. Our world belongs to God and we must show that in our lives of thanksliving. We are always in His presence. What a thought! Come let us worship and bow down.
Make a joyful noise unto the Lord,
All ye, all ye lands.
Serve the Lord, the Lord with gladness
Come before his presence with singing
Know ye that the Lord is God,
It is he that hath made us,
And not we, we ourselves
We are the people and the sheep of his pastures.
Enter into his gates with thanksgiving,
And into his courts with praise
Be thankful unto him
Am
And bless his holy name
And bless his holy name.
For the Lord, the Lord is good,
And his mercy is everlasting
His truth, His truth endureth
Endureth to all generations
Praise the Lord (lower voices)
Hallelujah, Glory halleluhah (higher voices) (4x)
Thankyou Jesus, Thanks you thank you, Jesus (4x)
Hallelujah, Glory halleluhah. Amen