SCRIPTURE: Ezekiel 44
OBSERVATION/APPLICATION:
They are to teach my people the difference between the holy and the common and show them how to distinguish between the unclean and the clean. [Ezekiel 44:23]
God is reissuing His calling on the priests, reminding them of their duty to show people the difference between holy and common, clean and unclean [See Leviticus 10:9-11].
Do these distinctions still apply, are we still supposed to separate between clean and unclean (kosher or unkosher), holy and common?

Again Jesus called the crowd to him and said, “Listen to me, everyone, and understand this. Nothing outside a person can defile them by going into them. Rather, it is what comes out of a person that defiles them.” [Mark 7:14-15]
When the disciples asked Jesus to clarify, He replied “Don’t you see that nothing that enters a person from the outside can defile them? For it doesn’t go into their heart but into their stomach, and then out of the body.” (In saying this, Jesus declared all foods clean.) [Mark 7:17-19]
Notice how Mark interprets Jesus words: In saying this, Jesus declared all foods clean.

But why did God make these laws, and then end them with Jesus?
Think of the law like parental rules for young children before they can care for themselves: ‘don’t touch the stove’, ‘don’t talk to strangers’, don’t get out of bed until the clock says 7:00’ (we had this rule in our house).
These are not forever, they are temporary until old enough to know better.
So the law was our guardian until Christ came that we might be justified by faith. Now that this faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian. [Galatians 3:24-25]
The old testament law was a temporary measure until Jesus came, dealt with sin, and gave us His Spirit to help us live and choose wisely.

The real problem is within us, our sinful, selfish human nature: “What comes out of a person is what defiles them. For it is from within, out of a person’s heart, that evil thoughts come—sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. All these evils come from inside and defile a person.” [Mark 7:20-23]
Jesus is like a priest, living in the temple of our heart by His Spirit, helping us to discern good from evil, holy from unholy.
He is doing well what the old testament priests failed to do.
As we walk by the Spirit, the Spirit leads us away from the acts of the sinful nature, and towards the fruit of the Spirit.
Like the people of Israel needed the priests to help them discern clean from unclean, we need the Spirit to help us discern holy from unholy.
Jesus is our faithful high priest; the Spirit is our guide and advocate, helping us to live the way God created us to live.

PRAYER:
Lord, help me listen to Your voice today, and choose what is good and holy.