Ezekiel Chapter 41 Verses 1 – 4
• I love this picture of the representative of heaven escorting Ezekiel into the sanctuary, the holy place, and even into the area of the Most Holy Place and what’s incredible about this whole scene is that Ezekiel is permitted to be there. Ezekiel is just a man, just like you and I. Flawed and entirely imperfect. Not one element or inch of him is perfect or holy and yet here he is, welcomed and even escorted into the Most Holy Place.
• This can be the result of only one thing. That the sins of man have been atoned. It can’t be that Ezekiel is a good man in and of himself. Has done good things throughout his life to appease God…to be where he is at, in the Most Holy Place, and not defile it simply by his presence, means that sin has somehow not just been outweighed by good works, but has been entirely absolved.
• Hebrews 9:24-26 says, “For Christ has not entered the holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us; not that He should offer Himself often, as the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood of another— He then would have had to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now, once at the end of the ages, He has appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself.”
• That word for “put away” is athetesis and it literally means to disannul. What does that mean? To cancel! This is the power of what Jesus has done for you and for me. Not this, “Well, there’s the sin…but look there’s the covering blood,” no! Much more powerful than that…the accusation of evil against you and against me which is justified by our works has been cancelled, case dismissed, because of the justification in His blood! It’s like someone has written a long dissertation about how bad I am and then Jesus came and clicked the little “X” in the corner and cancelled it all. And now it is as is written in Hebrews 4:16 that we therefore come boldly to the throne of grace…
• There’s no veil in this temple…no separation between the place of the earthly priests and the presence of God…and Ezekiel is brought into and shown things in the Most Holy Place. Why is this so important to understand? Because this is the weight of salvation. The power of the blood of Jesus. That in Him, your sins and my sin has been forgiven. Paid for, atoned, absolved and overcome by man fulfilling the law in the Person of Jesus Christ. And now through Him we are made holy. Nothing else. Nothing more…because there is nothing more. Everything else is universally less…and inferior!
Ezekiel Chapter 41 Verses 5 – 7
• That is different and new compared to the temple design of the past. This one, as the walls went upward, widened due to the ledges and the chambers. What does it mean? No really, I’m asking, what does it mean, because I don’t know, ha! In fact, there are lots of subtle, and several not so subtle, differences between this Millennial Temple and the design given previously in the Old Testament for the temple construction. If you’re into that sort of thing then dive in…but God doesn’t explicitly give us the reasons for any of the differences.
Ezekiel Chapter 41 Verses 8 – 17
• Just a couple of things here…first, notice the wood paneling from the ground to the windows. Not very fancy. Paneling was popular like in the 70s, ha! What was the construction of the previous temple? Wood…overlaid with gold all around. This temple is much more humble, simple…not so flashy. Again, we’re not told why but perhaps it is because the treasure is no longer the house but the owner Himself.
• He’s there. In Person, in sight, in presence, incredible. And I like this…if the Lord is there, then it doesn’t necessarily have to be impressive outwardly, He Himself is what is impressive. Beauty fades…did you know that? I think we all do…and what is so important to us is how we look, come across, our beauty…when truly, even to others around us…what’s really important is who’s home in our hearts. Who’s there. Is it the Lord? Or is it the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and/or the pride of life…?
• God doesn’t need anything fancy. He brings the fancy with Him. And you would be 1000 times more beautiful and attractive and wonderful to others in their perception of you if you received that truth.
• I also want to say, Ezekiel started in Chapter 40 on the outside. Measuring with great tedious measurements and recordings the things on the outside…but because he didn’t grow weary of it all…now he is measuring the inside. Perhaps that is just a word for me…but I’ll give it to you as well…
• Galatians 6:9 says, “Let us not grow weary in doing good, for in due time we will reap, if we do not lose heart.” I have many times grown weary with ministry and in the ministry with specific things and people…but that is where worship and faithfulness and discipline come in…and I know…that in order to receive what God has for me then (future), I have to be willing to receive what God has for me now…
• That’s true in ministry, its true in vocation, its true in relationship, its true in marriage, its just true. And one more thing on that…I know that as I groan…I make others groan as well…and I’m not willing to go there. Entirely unlike Christ when I find myself there…and I begin to claw out immediately. I mean, you have it hard enough…I just think about others around me like Scott or Dave or Lindsey or April…those that are in the battle of ministry, front lines…and they see me groaning…I might as well tie a millstone around their necks the weight I’m putting on them. Unacceptable. And even worse, I’ll miss the interior measurements of the future…better to just serve the Lord today, no matter where I am…
Ezekiel Chapter 41 Verses 18 – 20
• This is one of the not-so-subtle differences from the previous temple. The previous temple, there were four faces on each cherub. What’s missing here is the eagle and the ox. Why? Yo no se. (No clue!) HA! But I do like the symbology here of the heavenly being and the palm trees. Palm trees as we spoke of last week have heavy symbology of life, strength, beauty and peace. While the cherubim represent the heavenly man…one part man, one part lion…the true character of the Godly, surrounded, (encompassed if you will), in enduring life, strength, beauty and peace.
Ezekiel Chapter 41 Verses 21 – 26
• No Table of Showbread, no candlestick…those elements aren’t needed because the source of both are there. The Table of Faces…the people are there with the Lord and the Lord Himself is the light…these pictures and types given in the previous temple of the representation of what was to come, God reunited with His creation…is now come to pass. God’s faithfulness and grace complete in this final temple…
• And I want to leave you with one more critically intriguing point. This temple is thousands of years after the law was given and priests were appointed. Thousands…its yet still ahead and so we don’t know exactly how many thousands but we know its at least 3000 years after the law was given. Why do I bring that up?
• Back in Chapter 40 we were told in verse 46 that the priests that come near to minister to the Lord are the sons of Zadok. Zadok was a Levite priest during the time of King David. When Absalom conspired against his father, David was forced to flee from Jerusalem rather than go to war with his son and kill him.
• Zadok went with David and he led the procession of Levites who carried the Ark of the Covenant. Zadok would return to Jerusalem at the command of David to spy (if you will) on Absalom and keep David apprised of what was happening there in the city. Zadok at one point becomes the reason why David was not killed by Absalom.
• Years later, Adonijah, another of David’s sons, sets himself up as king. While some supported Adonijah, Zadok remained faithful to David and anointed Solomon as king. While the supporters of Adonijah were ultimately stripped of their positions and responsibilities, under Solomon, Zadok became high priest. Why tell you all of this…?
• Here we are…3,000 plus years later and God still remembers the faithfulness of Zadok. That, for me, is entirely awesome and eternally inspiring.
• And what’s more, Zadok’s faithfulness is rewarded upon his sons. There are so many reasons to discipline your flesh, grow in the spirit, and walk with God…so many reasons to become and remain faithful…and one of them, enough for me perhaps since as a boy I never had anyone that cared enough about me to not serve themselves…one of the rewards that is enough for me is that my kiddos and kiddos kiddos will be rewarded, set up in positions and opportunities of reward…because God does not forget faithfulness towards Him…not even after thousands of years…