Year 3, Day 173: Ezekiel 47

Water of Life

As we continue through this chapter, we hit another section that will cause us to pause and consider how we should take these verses.  Ezekiel tells us about a stream that will flow out of the temple and through the land.

Obviously, if taken literally we have an issue.  This water has never flowed.  The regions of Engedi and Eneglaim (on the coast of the Dead Sea) have remained salt water and never turned to fresh water.  The trees in the region continue to produce a harvest in cycles rather than all year round as Ezekiel predicts.  Thus, I find it difficult to take this passage literally.

Symbolically, however, this passage can make much sense.  The water flowing out of the temple can be a clear image of true life coming from God to the people.  After all, does not Jesus Himself even speak of living water to the woman at the well in John 4?  As the water leaves the temple, it becomes more and more deep.  This is symbolic of the plentiful nature of God to be able to refresh all who come to Him seeking life.

Symbolically speaking, there is a neat understanding happening when the waters near Engedi and Eneglaim turn to fresh water.  Of course, we know that the Dead Sea is the saltiest sea in the world on a consistent basis.  {Some lakes report higher salinity seasonally.}  The salinity level of the Dead Sea is roughly 33.7%, over 8 times saltier than the ocean.  The reason it is called the Dead Sea is because life is incredibly difficult in this harsh environment.

Yet, when the Lord God comes to the land, even the places where life is next to impossible will teem with life.  Symbolically, Ezekiel is saying that with the Lord, life flourishes.  With the Lord, harsh environments become palatable.

However, if I may be allowed some theological license, I would love to think the symbolism goes even more deeply here.  When Jesus came, He took fisherman and made them fishers-for-men (disciple-makers).  We are told that fishermen will stand at the banks of the Dead Sea and spread their nets.  Although I realize that I am out on a theological limb here, I find it a neat idea to think that if Ezekiel is speaking symbolically then he could very well be envisioning the living water that is to come through Christ and all of the fishers-for-men who will be discipled by Him and His disciples.

We are also told that upon the banks of the river are trees.  The leaves of these trees are for the healing of the nations.  The fruit comes year round.  Symbolically, we know that the fig tree represents Israel.  It could be that Ezekiel is seeing here how as the Word of God pours out in a new way from the temple that not only the Hebrew people (fig tree) but other people groups (other fruit trees) will be a part of God’s plan for healing the nations.  Their message of a call to repentance (fruit) will not fail.  They will be able to fruit all year because they are fed by the living water that flows from the temple.

Of course, I realize that I am simply giving one possible interpretation of this passage.  But given all that we have studied in the past few days, it seems to me that a symbolic interpretation is warranted.  I think it is reasonable to see the preparations for the coming of Christ and the living water of life that comes through Him as the fulfillment of this passage.

Boundary of the Land

I honestly don’t find too much inspiring about the boundaries of the land.  However, I did find something inspiring as we get to the very end of this chapter.  God is quick to make sure that Ezekiel understands that sojourners are welcome.  Anyone who comes into the land in order to be in a relationship with God shall be welcome among the Hebrew people.   God even says that their inheritance should be allotted accordingly.  They shall be as though they are full-blood children of Abraham.

I think this is a really cool part of scripture.  If my earlier hypothesis is correct and these last chapters of Ezekiel speak symbolically to the spiritual preparations made among the people for the coming of Christ, then it is entirely possible to read these passages as preparing the people for the Gentiles.  I think that’s a downright awesome possibility to consider.

We know from Peter’s vision in Acts 10 that it is God’s plan to include the Gentiles.  We know that God’s plan all along was to provide salvation for all those in the world that would receive it.  Here in this chapter in Ezekiel we hear God preparing the Hebrew people for sojourners to come among them.  God prepares the Hebrew people to be ready to accept those who have no bloodline connection to Abraham.

God tells Ezekiel that their inheritance should be included among the Hebrew people.  They aren’t different.  They aren’t special.  These sojourners are full card-carrying members of God’s family.  They aren’t second class citizens.  They aren’t some sort of servant class among the true-bloods.  They are full heirs.

Amen.  I like that understanding. 

Sojourner among God’s people. 

Gentile. 

Full Heir.

Praise be to God.

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Year 3, Day 172: Ezekiel 46

Worship within the Temple

In this chapter we can see that God was serious a few chapters back about saying that the east gate should be shut and used by nobody except His princes.  There is no western door to the temple.  Thus, the temple could be entered by the north and by the south only.

As long as we’re talking about coming into the temple, note that the people who come in from the south gate are to go out by the north gate.  The people who come in by the north gate are to go out the south gate.  God intends for there to be an order within the movement of His people.  God is a God who brings order into our lives of chaos.

However, I believe that there is more than just order at work in this passage.  I believe God is telling us that when we come into His presence we do not return the way we came.  When we encounter God, we inevitably strike out on a new path.  An encounter with God changes the trajectory of our life in one way or another.  Therefore, the people who come into the temple from one gate do not return by the same gate.  The go through another gate to symbolize that God has put them back on a new path.

I really like this symbolism in the worship life of the people.  I like the idea that the people are to make such a simple gesture as a part of their worship.  There is a depth in the symbolism that is unexpected in such a simple act.

As a bit of an aside, this is something that I have really come to enjoy about worshiping in a liturgical style.  Yes, some of the things we do are often rote and perhaps even seem mundane from time to time.  When they do, shame on us!  But even in the mundane there is a deep symbolism in our actions.  There is a process and an order.  There are things being achieved and accomplished symbolically when we gather.  What is important is that we do not lose sight of them.  It is when we lose sight of the symbolism that liturgical worship becomes rote and mundane.

Generosity

When we look at the sacrifices that are to be made, note that there is a specification as well as an opportunity for generosity from the prince.  There is a specific amount of bulls and rams and oil that are to be offered.  However, when the time comes for the grain offering the amount is flexible.  The amount depends on how much could be spared.

Again, I think this is a really neat dimension to worship of God as well as atoning for our sins.  There are certain thresholds that must be met.  But there is also flexibility.

In worship we must proclaim God’s Word.  We must point to God and not ourselves.  We must remember the forgiveness of our sin.  We must give something back to God.  However, there are also some thresholds in which we have flexibility.  Do we sing one song or ten?  Do we sing humbly or robustly?  How much of our resources do we give?  Do we meet for an hour or three hours?

With respect to atonement for our sins, the same thing is true.  There are thresholds that must be met.  Christ had to die.  We must repent (confess & change).  We must make an effort to make amends.  However, there are areas of flexibility as well.  How do I come before the Lord repentantly – do I sit in prayer or genuflect and bow before the altar?  Do I make a simple apology to those I offend or do I make a grand motion?  How much effort do I put towards making amends?  How much effort do I put towards making my change visible to others?  God gives us flexibility so long as we meet certain thresholds.

Transmitting Holiness

A few days back, when we were talking about the priestly chambers, we heard in Ezekiel a precaution regarding the transmission of holiness to the people.  Here in this chapter we have another mention of this.  To a New Testament people, this description sounds strange.  Why is holiness something that is to be avoided giving to the people?

As you probably expect, this is something that comes because the position of this vision is one that does not take into account the work of Christ on the cross.  You see, as New Testament Christians we are concerned with only righteousness/sin.  But in Judaism, they are concerned with both righteousness/sin and clean/unclean.  For the Jew, the holy should never come in contact with the unclean or common.  Should holiness ever come in contact with the common (the proper word there is profane or secular), it would be bad.  It would be like matter meeting anti-matter.  The profane would be destroyed because the presence of the holy is just so great.  Therefore, we can see that such a comment is made for the benefit of the people.

It is good to be a New Testament Christian.  Through Christ, all things are made clean.  We no longer need to worry about where holiness is transmitted.  Where God’s Spirit goes before us, we can go with confidence.  God has made us holy; we simply need to live out in that promise.

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Year 3, Day 171: Ezekiel 45

Division of the Land

As we move from the temple and the priests and Levites who will serve within the temple, we come across a fairly plain section speaking about the division of the land.  Since most of us are not fluent in cubits, let’s translate those dimensions out of their Hebrew form.  25,000 cubits is a little under 8.5 miles.  20,000 cubits is a little over 6.5 miles.  If we add it the 5,000 cubits for the people we get a square plot 25,000 cubits on each side.  Therefore, we can see that the temple area in the vision is to encompass about 55 square miles and the city proper will encompass just under 80 square miles.

The land is to have a division among it.  The area surrounding the temple is to be given to the priests.  The area beside the priestly area is to be given to the Levites who will be servants in the temple.  The area that is left is to be given for the city and the workings of the city.

Obviously, once again we can see separation in how this land is distributed.  We can see that God is using the priests and the Levites to set up a barrier between Himself and the people.  God does intend to be the God of the people, but this reading continues to assume that the personal relationship with God through Christ is not in effect.  This passage reads as though the prevailing way that God will relate to the people is by having the priests and the Levites be His buffer as representatives.  We continue to see that this chapter is best seen as being interpreted as occurring at a time when the relationship gained through Christ is unknown to the people.

Moving beyond that continued theme in these ending chapters, there is something that is fairly potent that we can see about the division of the land of Jerusalem.  Note that 80% of the division of the land is for religious purposes.  Of the 25,000 x 25,000 cubits city, the temple and land for the servants of the temple will take up 25,000 x 20,000 cubits.  I think God’s point is clear.  Jerusalem is to be His holy city.  The point of Jerusalem is not to be the capitol of the Jews.  The point of Jerusalem is to point to God as the author of life, the creator of the world, and source of truth in this life.

It makes me wonder.  I live on an acre.  According to my belief, I am a part of God’s temple.  How much of my acre and my life is devoted to God?  How much of my life am I devoting to proclaiming God to those around me?  Is my acre my kingdom – or God’s?

Just Rule

Having set the priority in Jerusalem as the center for proclaiming the greatness of God, the Lord now turns to non-religious government.  God assigns a portion of the land for the princes (kings).  They will receive their land in order to rule over the people.

However, there is a clear message here.  God tells the princes that He has had enough of their human rule.  He is tired of people who use unbalanced scales to do business and change money.  He is tired of people who skimp and cheat in order to make a profit.  He is tired of leadership that looks at the people as a means to their own end rather than a part of the creation that God has made.

We do see that in God’s economy the people support the prince.  They are to give some of their possessions and flocks to the princes.  However, the princes will bear the burden of making sure that the sacrifices are done.  This is a dramatic change from the way it was done prior to the exile.  Now, the princes of Jerusalem will take the sacrifices for the people out of their own flocks and herds.  Of course, these are flocks and herds that the princes received from the people to begin with.  So this only seems fair.

However, we can see that it is the governmental leader – the prince – who will be responsible for making sure that the sacrifices continue in the temple.  The privilege to rule comes with a heavy duty.  It is the job of the prince to assure that the desires of the Lord are maintained.

Festivals

As we come to the close of this chapter, we see that there is mention of the festivals.  The altar and the temple will need to be atoned.  Passover will need to be celebrated.  The Feast of the Tabernacles will continue. 

God’s point in all of this is that while we do look forward to life with God, we should remember what God has done for us.  God is a gracious and merciful God.  We would be wise to not forget and neglect the remembrance of those facts.

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Year 3, Day 170: Ezekiel 44

Falling on His Face

In the last chapter, one of the things that Ezekiel did that I didn’t get a chance to comment upon was that he fell upon his face when He saw the coming of the Lord.  Fortunately, we get an opportunity to see it here in this chapter.  Ezekiel sees the glory of the Lord filling the temple and he falls upon his face.

This is really the only proper response to the Lord.  The presence of the Lord inspires fear and awe.  When we are in the presence of the Lord, the only true response is humble submission.  There just simply isn’t any room for any response except for complete and utter submission.  Only when lifted up by the Spirit of God can we stand.  Only when addressed by the voice of God Himself can we do anything other than demonstrate complete and utter submission.

Prohibition Against Foreigners

As we move through chapter 44, we come across the Lord stressing some rules with Ezekiel.  One of the most interesting ones is that the Lord tells Ezekiel that He has had enough of their abominable practices.  Among those practices is allowing foreigners {the uncircumcised} into the presence of God.  At first, this doesn’t sound at all as though it should come from the same God as who told Peter that “all things have been made clean.”

We need to be careful that we make sure we read the words in context, not just the words.  God has an issue with the foreigners in so much as it leads to abominable practices within His presence.  Remember the vision of the temple of Jerusalem before the fall?  Chief priests were worshipping other gods within the temple.  Worshippers were coming in and having times of giving glory to other gods besides the one true God.  God is tired of the abominable practices occurring within the temple.

It is not the foreigners that are the problem as much as it is their practices.  Those who are circumcised in heart are welcome to come into the presence of the Lord.  Those who are circumcised in heart are welcome to come and worship God.  But they must be prohibited from doing anything else while they are in the presence of God.  The temple is for the purpose of worshiping God alone.

That last sentence is one that struck me as I wrote it.  The temple is for the worship of God alone.  It sounds so simple.  It sounds like such a no-brainer.  Yet, according to the New Testament we who believe in Christ and have the Holy Spirit within us are the temple of God.  So as I wrote the last sentence of the prior paragraph I couldn’t help but wonder.  Is my temple – my body, my mind, my being – solely for the worship of God?

It would seem I’ve found another chapter to lead me into a time of repentance.

Rules for the Levites

In the verses that make up the middle of this chapter we have a set of rules for the Levites.  Prior to the fall of Judah to Babylon, the Levites were allowed to have fairly extensive duties within the temple.  However, because they were part of the reason that the people were led astray, they will bear the punishment.  After the exile, the Levites will only be allowed to be gatekeepers and sacrifice slayers.  They will be allowed to serve in the temple, but they will not be allowed to perform priestly duties deeper within the temple.

What can we learn from this?  There are consequences to sin.  Even though God forgives the sin and the iniquity of the people, there are still consequences.  Some of those consequences last for quite a long time.  God does not look lightly upon people who lead others astray.  God does not look lightly upon people who point in a direction other than Him.  I am reminded about Jesus’ teaching about people who lead others astray and a millstone being hung around their neck.  {See Mark 9:42}

However, we also have a set of rules for the Levites of Zadok.  These were a line of Levitical priests who did keep the faith.  Just as there is a consequence for prolonged sin, there is a reward for prolonged faithfulness.  God remembers those who work against Him as well as those who work with Him.

Looking to these priests of Zadok, we see a number of duties.  Many of those duties again point us to a time that does not seem to recognize the sacrifice of Christ upon the cross.  Moving beyond those, we see a rather interesting set of duties proscribed to the Levitical priests of Zadok.

The priests of Zadok are charged with teaching the people.  They are to teach the people about righteousness versus unrighteousness.  But they are to do more than just teach the people.  They are to live out their teaching.  They are to be an example.  This is spiritual dwelling with God.  Spiritual leaders who dwell with God teach with their mouth as well as with their deeds.  Spiritual leaders live a life that is worthy of being an example to others.

What do these priests get for their trouble?  They get the greatest gift that could ever be received.  These priests of Zadok receive the Lord as their inheritance.  They dwell with God.  They partake of the offerings given to God.  They are – at least from an inheritance perspective – family.

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Year 3, Day 169: Ezekiel 43

A Return to the Familiar

After Ezekiel gets a tour of the temple, he is taken out to receive yet another vision.  This vision brings us completely and totally full circle in the story of Ezekiel.  Ezekiel sees the glory of the Lord coming.  Ezekiel remembers the first vision that he had by the Chebar canal.  {See Ezekiel 1}

The Lord comes in an identical fashion.  It has been several years – two decades, to be fair – since that first vision.  Yet Ezekiel remembers it like it was yesterday.  Encounters with God are not easily forgotten, that’s for sure.

However, there is something very interesting in the way that Ezekiel phrases the coming of the Lord.  He says that the coming of the Lord this time is “just like when He came to destroy the city.”  Here’s the weird truth about God.  God is so holy and so righteous that His coming in celebratory glory and His coming for absolute destruction look the same.

Some people may argue that Ezekiel isn’t talking about the actual appearance of the Lord.  Rather, some people may think that Ezekiel is talking about the manner in which the Lord comes.  Personally, I think Ezekiel is talking about everything.  When the Lord comes, He comes in the same manner and looks the same.

Now, you might be thinking that this is pretty weird.  Why would the coming of the Lord in glory and the coming of the Lord in destruction look the same?  After all, when we come into a space to celebrate we look different than when we come into a place with the intent of making heads roll.  I think the answer is found in a phrase that I have spoken about elsewhere in this blog.  We often hear the phrase “the fear of the Lord.”  We understand this word fear to mean more than a phobia-type fear, although that is certainly part of it.  The fear of the Lord does have an aspect of terror to it.  Yet, the fear of the Lord also has a dimension of awe in it as well.

When the Lord comes, it is terrifying.  When the Lord comes, it is awe-inspiring.  Whether the Lord comes to do a blessing or to lay out judgment, the Lord will inspire fear within us.  I believe this is why Ezekiel tells us that when the Lord comes to fill His temple in this chapter it looks the same as when the Lord came to lay judgment against the Hebrew people.

Dwelling in the Presence of God

As we move forward in this chapter, we hear the Lord tell Ezekiel something about what it means to dwell with God.  First, there is a call to put aside our idolatry.  Again, note that the Lord uses a sexual word – whoring – to describe this sin.  To God, our lust after other gods is spiritual adultery.  When we dwell with God, we need to put aside our patterns of looking for other gods and things to follow that are not God’s ways.

Second, notice that the Lord tells Ezekiel to put away their bodies of their dead kings.  Yes, this is absolutely a reference to the fact that it was largely through the kings that the people were led astray.  So God is telling Ezekiel that it is time to put aside the ways of the world.  But I think there is more to it than this.  The dead kings would represent a time of looking backwards into a past.  The dead kings would speak to a feeling of nostalgia about a “better day.”  God is telling Ezekiel that the past does not contain a “better day.”  The future contains our time with God.  There is where we will find a “better day.”  We should be looking to the future with God rather than looking back on our life or our genealogy with nostalgia.

Third, notice that there is a promise contained within the words of the Lord.  God tells Ezekiel that He will dwell in the midst of His people forever.  This is another reason to look to the future rather than be nostalgic about the past.  When we submit to God and enter into His presence it never has to end.

The Sins of the People

As we move to the end of the chapter, we here Ezekiel’s guide tell Ezekiel to tell the people about this temple.  The goal of sharing this temple is to cause the people to see their sin and change.  The telling of this temple will help solidify the repentance process within the Hebrew people.

This naturally leads us into the talk about the altar.  Of course, hopefully you noticed the talk about the sacrifices being offered up for sin.  Once more we see that this vision does not presume Christ.  This vision presumes a time when people will still need to do sacrifices in order to find atonement for their sins.

That being said, there is a message in here.  Just because the Hebrew people “do their time” in captivity doesn’t mean that they are accepted back by God.  The people will still have to demonstrate obedience.  They will still have to make sacrifices and abide by God’s direction.

I love this passage for that very truth.  We all know that just because a person goes to jail doesn’t make them reform.  Just because you send your child to their room doesn’t mean they learned their lesson and it really doesn’t mean that they won’t do it again.  Putting in one’s time does not equate to repentance and reform.  In order to truly believe a person or a group of people have reformed there must be evidence.  In the New Testament we call that fruit.  In order for the people to truly be acceptable to God they must bear fruit.  The must demonstrate their willingness to be obedient to His words.

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Year 3, Day 168: Ezekiel 42

The Temple Chambers

After touring the temple proper, we see that the guide takes Ezekiel on a tour of the priestly chambers.  Again, there is not too much terribly exciting going on.  Ezekiel takes a tour of rooms for the priests.  It would seem that one of the most exciting parts of this chapter is that the second and third floors are respectively smaller than the first floor.  This is unlike the temple, where the second and third floors were larger than the bottom floor.

However, we can notice something as we close out this opening section.  There is a special place for the priests who go before the presence of the Lord.  They have special rooms to eat the food sacrificed to God.  This was permissible according to the Law.  There was a special place for the priests to hang their priestly garments so that they didn’t become profaned by coming in contact with normal people.

Hopefully you already catch my drift here.  Again we see the assumption that there will be a separation between the high priests, the normal priests, and the common people.  A casual reading of this passage presupposes that Christ has not made all things yet clean {See Acts 10: Peter’s visit with Cornelius.}  This passage presupposes that there is still a division among the people.  Perhaps even most importantly, this chapter presupposes that direct access to God is still limited to a very special few.  In this chapter we do not have an understanding that God will dwell among His people as He does now.  We still have the understanding that God will dwell in His special place and only be visited by a few special people.

This is actually supported by the idea that sacrifices will still be made.  Specifically, notice the mention of the sin offering and the guilt offering.  These are offerings of atonement.  A casual reading of this chapter seems to indicate no acknowledgement of Christ and His sacrifice once-for-all.

Of course, this makes sense.  Ezekiel lived prior to Christ and would have no knowledge of Christ.  However, if this was a vision from God about a time after Christ, you would think that God would have knowledge of Christ and His atoning sacrifice on the cross.  Therefore, I believe that this chapter is yet more evidence to think of this concluding vision here in Ezekiel as a prophecy to the Hebrew people who will come back from exile.  The worship system will continue.  God will not abandon them to the Babylonians.

In fact, as we get to the closing verses of this chapter we can see that there is painstaking effort to talk about the empty space around the temple.  Ezekiel tells us that there is a space around the temple that is 500 x 500 cubits.  That’s roughly 750 x 750 feet.  Another way of saying this is 562,500 square feet.

What is the purpose of this space?  This space is there to draw a clear separation from the holy and the common.  Once more we see the need to draw the religious distinction between that which is of God and that which has the capability of profaning the stuff of God’s temple.  Here we see a clear attempt to keep the barriers in place between the temple and the world.

Of course, I don’t mean to sound as though I am second-guessing God.  Actually, the truth is that as I read through these chapters I find myself more and more encouraged about the fact that I live in an era where I can know Christ.  I feel blessed to live in an era where I can know God personally regardless of my “credentials.”  I feel blessed to be able to know the feeling of the Holy Spirit within me.  I feel blessed to know that I do not need a bishop or someone holier than me to intercede with God on my behalf.

As I read through these chapters, I simply feel blessed.  I know God personally.  I feel His imprint upon my life.  I feel His breath within me.  There is no need for me to feel distant from God.  I rather enjoy that feeling.  All praise and glory for that feeling should be directed solely to Him.

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Year 3, Day 167: Ezekiel 41

Movement in the Inner Parts of the Temple

The opening four verses of this chapter have some really neat minor details.  The first one is easy to miss, because in a chapter on measurements the numbers can get confusing quickly.  However, notice that as the guide leads Ezekiel through the temple that the doorways get smaller and smaller.

You might think that this makes sense with respect to construction, and it does.  The inner parts of a building are confined by the outer parts.  Typically, the inner parts can be smaller because fewer people have access to the innermost parts.  This was a common method of designing worship spaces in ancient Judaism.  Only a few special people could have access to holiest of places.

This point is furthered by the idea that Ezekiel is brought to the nave of the temple but only the guide goes into the Holy of Holies to measure it.  See verse 3 in this chapter.  Ezekiel, being a priest, can come to the edge of the Holy of Holies.  However, because he is not a high priest, direct access to God’s dwelling place on earth is not permitted.

For me, both of these observations point me to seeing this vision as a symbolic vision of the life of the Hebrew people prior to the coming of Jesus Christ.  There will come a time when all people have equal access to God; but that time is not here in this vision.  There will come a time when God will dwell among His people and not in a special Most Holy Place; but that time is not here in Ezekiel 41.  Ezekiel is speaking a symbolic spiritual message to the people in exile.  There is a time for captivity and learning lessons.  But there will come a time when that shall end.

The Temple, Part 2

Again, there isn’t much to be said about this chapter as it is mostly descriptions of the temple.  There are rooms.  There are even stories within the temple.  There is a side building whose purpose is unknown.  It is a large place.

However, there is something that we can take note here.  There is a remarkable absence of furniture in the holy places.  We had mention yesterday of the tables for sacrificing near the gates to this temple.  But inside the temple we only find one object mentioned.  In fact, Ezekiel himself does not seem too sure about what it is.  Ezekiel calls it something made of wood that resembles an altar.

But one needs to ask a few questions.  Where is the Ark of the Covenant?  Where is the table for the Showbread?  Where is the lamp stand?

It is impossible to know the answers to these questions – just like it is truly impossible to know whether this is a symbolic representation of the temple built after the Babylonian captivity or a very real temple that is yet to be built.  At best, we can make hypotheses.

So, here is my hypothesis about the lack of furniture.  I find it unlikely that Ezekiel simply left out the other furniture.  Rather, I believe what we see here is God moving His people to a worship based on relationship rather than items.  God is moving His people to worship God not in the implements but rather in spirit.  Worship of God will happen in the people who fill the space rather than the tools and the implements that carry out the process.

To put this in a modern perspective, it makes one wonder.  If we have an organ, is our worship better than if we only have a piano?  If we have beautiful dark wooden pews is our worship better than if we have folding chairs?  If we have carpet on the floor, is our worship better than if we have the wood floor of a gymnasium?  Is it the stuff we fill our space with what makes our worship powerful?

In the Christian era, the answer is clearly “no.”  Worship happens within people, not within an object.  Worship happens in the Spirit, not in the stuff.  I hypothesize that this is the point God is making through Ezekiel. 

There will come a time to worship God again.  The Babylonian captivity will end.  And when it does, God will refocus His people once more.   He will desire them to find that which brings about true relationship with Him.

That’s pretty much always the trick, isn’t it?

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Year 3, Day 166: Ezekiel 40

Future Plans

 The rest of the book of Ezekiel is dedicated to looking towards the future.  Ezekiel is given directions by God about what the future of the Hebrew people will be.  In the next four chapters we talk about the temple.  The following three chapters will deal with the life around the temple.  The final two chapters of this book will deal with a new land division for the Hebrew people.

There are two things that need to be understood as we look at this chapter.  First, we must note that the plans given by God to Ezekiel are not the plans that the Hebrew people follow when the temple is rebuilt after the exile.  So, we must decide whether these chapters are largely symbolic or if they reference a temple to be built at a later time.  Unfortunately, compelling cases for either can be made.  So we shall investigate that question as we read.

The second thing that should be understood is that regardless of whether these chapters are symbolic or literal the fact remains that the first thing God talks about when it comes to the true restoration of His people is the temple.  In fact, of the remaining nine chapters in Ezekiel, seven of them will relate to the temple and the spiritual lives of God’s people.  I’m pretty sure this analysis is making the point that we need to hear.  God’s people take the worship of God and their life with God seriously when they are truly obedient to His call.  In fact, I think this analysis implies that it is fair to say that the worship of God is central to God’s people when they are truly being obedient to His call.

Ezekiel’s Guide

Ezekiel meets a man who appears as bronze (also interpreted as copper or brass).  In this description we have many things to consider.  I believe all of these things point us to understand this figure as Christ.

First of all, if we remember back to the first chapter of Ezekiel, we hear that when Ezekiel receives his theophany he sees God as though he were gleaming metal.  Therefore, it is not uncommon for Ezekiel to envision God as though having the image of metal.  Thus, it is no stretch to see this being as being God, not a divine angel.

Second, we note that Ezekiel says that the guide was a man.  Ezekiel has painted incredible images of angels in prior chapters.  In this chapter, Ezekiel tells us that it is a man.  Ezekiel, who was familiar with visions, would surely have known the difference between an angel and a man and I believe he would have told us.

Third, the subject of the tour was the temple.  Who would be better suited to give a tour of God’s temple than God Himself?   I realize that this is not an argument of Bible or logic but of rationalism.  But there is a point to it, even if it is a small one.

The Temple

As we look into the description, I’m going to be pretty honest.  It is measurements.  There isn’t a lot of exciting reading happening in this chapter.  However, we do have two important descriptions to consider.

First, note that the temple is “seen.”  This is likely a reference to a genuine temple.  As we think about which temple, we should understand that it is not likely that Ezekiel is seeing a vision of the eternal dwelling with God.  We know from the book of Revelation that in the days of our eternal dwelling with God that there will be no temple because God will be the temple.  (See Revelation 21:22)  Therefore, as we look to what this temple might be, we can eliminate a structure in eternity.

Second, notice that the temple envisioned here has altars and implements to receive sacrifices.  As Christians, we understand that Christ is the final sacrifice.  Christ is the one who takes away the sin of mankind.  When Christ died on the cross, He became the great sacrifice.  There is no other need for sacrifices in Christ.  Therefore, this temple can likely be seen as something that represents a time prior to Christ.

Third, and perhaps the most convincing argument, is that there are specific rooms allocated to the priests.  Furthermore, there is a limitation on who can go and serve in what capacity.  When Christ came and gave His Holy Spirit to all who believe in Him, His followers all became priests to serve God.  When Christ died on the cross, the temple curtain that kept the Holy of Holies separated from the rest of the temple was torn.  This is why the concept of the priesthood of all believers is such a significant portion of our Christian theology today.  If Christ truly instituted the priesthood of all believers, why would there be a need for specific rooms for specific priests?  Why would there be restrictions on what priests or Levites could come into the presence and into certain areas of the temple?  This point therefore pushes us to an understanding that this vision is to be seen as something prior to the coming of Jesus Christ.

So far, it seems most appropriate to interpret these final chapters of Ezekiel as occurring prior to the coming of Jesus Christ.  However, because we know that the measurements do not actually represent the actual design and size of the temple that is rebuilt, it leads us to believe that Ezekiel is receiving a symbolic vision of the time to come in the lives of the Hebrew people prior to Christ.  There will be a time when people worship God in Jerusalem again.  There will be a time when the Hebrew people will be restored.

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Year 3, Day 165: Ezekiel 39

Outcome Of The War Against God’s People

God tells Ezekiel to prophecy against the nations who would rise up against His people and attack them.  It is God who will take their weapons out of their hands.  It is God who will gives their bodies over to the scavenging birds.  It is God who will not only destroy the armies sent against His people but who will also turn and destroy their own countries with fire.

Again, though, we hear the reason why.  All of this will happen so that people will see what happens to those who profane the name of the Lord.  When the Lord turns away the world that comes against Him, everyone shall know who is the Lord.  In that day, His glory will be irrefutable.

I find this reality sad.  If one believes the Word of God to be true, then one has to recognize the greatness and glory of God.  One also has to recognize the truth of this passage.  All will come to be humbled in God’s presence.  Which begs the question – if you are going to be humbled before God, isn’t it best to do it voluntarily rather than by His force?  Is it not better to submit by choice than to submit by mandate?

However, I completely realize the “chicken and the egg” scenario created by this question.  Clearly, if one does not believe the Word of God one doesn’t believe that they will ever be humbled before God.  So if one doesn’t have that belief, then a person can continue in their brash arrogance against God.  The only way that voluntary submission to God makes any sense is if a person is willing to confess God and their need for Him.  A person can really only come to God honestly when that person is willing to recognize that neither themselves nor the human endeavor is the center of the universe.  We must realize that something else occupies that position.

We must all be willing to hear the call of God to see our humanity for what it is.  God is always calling.  He is always trying to speak that truth into our life.  We need just listen.  Once we listen, submission comes naturally as the next step.

Burial of the Dead

The battle with God will be so great that it will take seven months to bury all the dead.  The implements of warfare against God will be so great that it will take seven years to burn all the weaponry that is crafted against God.  I cannot even truly grasp the scope of this passage.  I simply know that it sounds like a lot of work and more than enough cleansing needing to be done.

What I think is sad is the finality of it all.  Those people who rise up against God and His people in the end will know of their failure only as it is too late.  They will see their error as they are dying.  There will be no time for repentance and change.  They will die in the greatest mistake of their life.

As a person who does believe in the Word of God, I find this is another place for a gut-check moment.  I do not want to be among those who find out only too late that they have aligned with the wrong side.  Passages like this only serve to impress upon me the importance of coming into a relationship with God now.  Passages like this only serve to impress upon me the importance of telling others about my relationship with God, too.

The End Result

God indicates that there will be three direct results of this conflict with Gog and Magog.  First, people will know that He is Lord.  Second, the nations will recognize His glory.  Third, His people will return to Him.

Again, we see the focus upon the recognition of God’s presence as Lord.  This continues to be one of the prominent themes in the book of Ezekiel.  I continue to be brought face to face with this expression.  I believe it is absolutely timely.  I live in a world and a culture that does not recognize this fact.    We do not respect God.  We do not look to Him first.  As a people and as a culture, we are in the same position as the people to whom Ezekiel is speaking.

Second, the nations will recognize God’s glory.  They will see how God has chastened the Hebrew people because of their iniquity.  They will see how God has victoriously defeated those who violently come against Him.  The nations – Gentiles – will have some among them who do wake up and recognize God’s hand at work.

Finally, God’s people will return to Him.  They will see their iniquity.  The will see the power of God.  They too will turn in repentance to their God.  They will be restored.  God will no longer hide His face from them.

As with almost everything in the Bible, in the end it comes back to relationships.  Are we in relationship with Him?  Do we see His relationship with others?  Are we submitting to Him?  Are we watching as He works through the lives of others and teaches them?

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Year 3, Day 164: Ezekiel 38

Gog, Magog, and the Chief Prince of Meshach and Tubal

There is no way to approach this chapter except through utter honesty.  Most scholars clearly do not fully understand this chapter.  There have been a number of attempts to understand this chapter, but the reality is that once you get past generalities you can only say you are speculating at best.  So as you read this chapter, understand that dynamic.

The problem is that we don’t know exactly what Gog, Magog, and the chief prince of Meshach and Tubal represent.  The word “Gog” appears in the Bible in 1 Chronicles 5:4 as a descendant of Reuben.  It would seem this reference is of no help.  The word appears all over in Ezekiel 38-39.  The only other place in the bible that the word appears is in Revelation 20:8.  We’ll get to that in a few paragraphs.

As for Magog, the word literally means, “From Gog.”  Magog is listed in Genesis 10 as the second son of Japeth, the son of Noah.  In fact, Meshach and Tubal (as well as Gomer) are also listed as sons of Japeth.  Magog is also listed in 1 Chronicles 1:5, which mirrors the account from Genesis.  Magog appears in Ezekiel 38-39 and in the aforementioned verse from Revelation.

Biblically speaking, Gomer, Meshech, and Tubal are significant to gaining an understanding of these names.  Meshech, Gomer, and Tubal were all tribes of people (later nations) who were in the Caucasus region surrounding the Black Sea.  Thus, it is likely that the reference to Gog, Magog, Meshech, and Tubal are all speaking of the regions we call northern Turkey, Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia in the modern day.  To add validity to this interpretation, the people of those regions often claim history to Japeth through Gomer, Meshech, and Tubal.

It is actually in the Revelation 20:8 reference that I believe we arrive at truth as to what Gog and Magog might represent.  Notice that in Revelation 20:8 the reference to Gog and Magog simply seems to give a name to “the nations at the corners of the world.”  In other words, from the Hebrew mindset you have the Promised Land, all of the adjacent powers (Edom, Syria, Lybia, Tyre, Sidon, Egypt, Babylon, Persia, Cush, Put, Philistia, Ammon, etc), and then you have “the rest of the world – most of which is not known to us” (Gog and Magog).  Therefore, in Ezekiel 38-39 when I read about Gog and Magog I don’t think of a particular land as much as I conceptualize “the people unknown to the Hebrew people at the time of the writing of Ezekiel.”

There is one more word that needs to be dealt with.  Among the references to Gog, Magog, Meshech, and Tubal we have a reference to the “chief prince.”  In Hebrew, the word for chief is “rosh.”  It is unknown if this is a proper name or an adjective.  The ESV and many translations treat this as an adjective giving us the translation “chief prince.” 

However, there was a pair of kings – grandfather and grandson – in the regions of the Caucasus whose name was Rusa.  They were king of a people called the Urartu.  They were defeated by the Assyrians and Babylonians, so clearly they would have been in the ballpark of being contemporaries of Ezekiel and perhaps being known by him.  It could be that instead of “chief prince” that this passage is meant to read “Rusa, prince of Meshech and Tubal.” 

Of course, there are some modern people who see the word rosh and know of the general geography and thus want to make Ezekiel 38-39 be about Russia attacking the Hebrew people.  Personally, I believe this interpretation is to be avoided at all costs.  It makes far too many linguistic assumptions that Ezekiel would simply not have had access to at the time of this writing.

Thus, as we go through the next two chapters I believe what Ezekiel is trying to say is that there will come a day when the “rest of the unknown world” will rise up against God.  That is the general truth that I believe we can hear when we study this passage.  When we go too far beyond this truth it is important that we understand that we are speculating at best.

War Against God’s People

What can we learn from this chapter?  Ezekiel talks about a time in the “latter days” when Gog, Magog, and all its allies of Cush (Egypt), Persia (Iran), and Gomer (Turkey) will come against Israel.  Geographically, note what Ezekiel is saying.  I don’t think he is being specific to countries as must as he is being specific to geography.  The people of the far reaches of the world will ally with the neighbors of Israel to the east, southwest, and north.  Keep in mind that the west and south/southeast are water, so there is nobody with whom to ally there.  Essentially, Ezekiel is saying that a time will come in the latter days when Israel will be attacked from all sides, far and near.  God’s people – God himself – will be challenged by the whole world.  As Ezekiel says, in that day the world will devise an evil scheme and come against God.

Why will this happen?  Verse 14 tells us the answer.  The people of God will be living securely.  This doesn’t mean that they will be safe behind walls.  It means that they will be living the way God wants them to live.  They will be at peace with one another.  They will be forgiving one another.  The society of God’s people will be … secure!  And the world will hate it.  The world will want to take it and steal it.  The world will come to war with God’s people simply because it cannot stand that God’s people will live securely.

I find this a sad prophecy.  Living securely in God is first and foremost about submission.  Yet the people of the world will come by force to take it.  Security in life is not gained by throwing your weight around.  Security in life is about understanding that with God, you don’t have to.  Security in life begins by knowing that “God is Lord.”

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Year 3, Day 163: Ezekiel 37

Valley of the Dry Bones

Finally!  We come to about the only chapter that I was familiar with in Ezekiel prior to working on my blog.  I may have been familiar with snippets of other chapters, but this is really the only other chapter that I had any recollection of reading prior to this 3 year study of scripture.

In a vision, God takes Ezekiel out into the wilderness in a valley where there are bones.  God begins to lead Ezekiel through the bones and God asks Ezekiel a difficult question: Can these bones live again?  Ezekiel punts.  He says what any non-eternal and non-omniscient person should say when they are in the presence of an eternal omniscient God.  Ezekiel says, “Only you know.”

So God tells Ezekiel to prophesy over the bones.  As Ezekiel speaks, the bones begin to rattle.  Then they rise up.  Suddenly they are covered with sinew and then flesh.  Then Ezekiel is told to prophesy to the winds.  Ezekiel does, and suddenly the bodies come to life.  They appear as a great army unto the Lord.

Here’s the thing about this chapter that I absolutely love.  This chapter can absolutely be taken on two levels.  The first level is the literal level.  God is giving a literal vision to Ezekiel about the restoration of the Hebrew people. In this sense, Ezekiel 37 is the vision to the words Gods gave to Ezekiel in the previous chapter.  This chapter is absolutely a vision to help Ezekiel know the promise of God.

However, this chapter is true on an entirely different level as well.  This chapter is true on an eternal level.  God asks if these bones will live again.  God doesn’t ask if the offspring of these bones will live.  God asks if these very bones will live again.  God is planting the seed of the theology surrounding the resurrection of the dead within Ezekiel.  God is showing Ezekiel that through God, even death is not the end.

This chapter shows so much promise to God’s people – whether Jew or Gentile.  Just because you are in a place of judgment doesn’t mean God cannot raise you up.  Just because your life may not be everything you ever dreamed doesn’t mean that God can’t bring you into eternal life which will be a fulfillment of everything we’ve ever dreamed and so much more.

But there’s one more really neat element to be found in this story.  Ezekiel is told to prophesy over the bones.  The dead find life through proclamation.  What is it that Paul says in Romans?  Faith comes by hearing.  The proclamation process is absolutely important in the Kingdom of God. 

We have a job to do.  Some days that job seems so hopeless and fruitless.  But quite literally, proclaiming Christ to the world is a job that brings life to the lifeless.  How great is it for us to know that God has invited us into that very task!

Two Sticks

God then gives Ezekiel another visual in order to teach the people in captivity.  Ezekiel is to take two sticks, bind them together, and then hold the joint so that they look like one stick.  This object lesson is to be a sign to the Hebrew people that God will indeed take the two Hebrew nations and remake them into a single nation.  As with the vision of the dry bones, this object lesson has a literal interpretation in the restoration of Israel.

However, this is not the only interpretation.  As with the valley of the dry bones, there is a deeper Messianic message within the object lesson.  God tells Ezekiel that a single king – a son of David – shall rule over them.  Clearly this is a reference regarding the Messiah.

Remember the history of the Hebrew people?  Josiah was the last good king and three of his sons reigned.  Jehoahaz reigned for three months before Pharaoh Necco put his brother Jehoiakim in charge.  When Jehoakim died, his son Jehoiachin reigned for three months before Nebuchadnezzar put Zedekiah – Josiah’s third son – in charge.  Zedekiah was captured by Nebuchadnezzar and his sons were killed.  The line of kings through Josiah was terminated.

Therefore, in order for a son of David to reign upon the throne he would have to come from God.  Ultimately, this passage finds truth in Jesus Christ.  Jesus, of the lineage of David, would reign in a way that could not be expected.  Jesus would teach people to live according to God’s ways.  Jesus would give the Holy Spirit to live within people so that they could abide in God’s ways.  Jesus would be the prince of David who would reign forever.  Through Jesus, humanity would be at peace with God.

They Will Know…

Then the nations will know that He is God.  Again we see that it comes back to God.  Even Jesus’ coming to redeem those who would be found in Him would be about knowing that He is God.

I am surprised by how often this phrase appears in Ezekiel.  I think there is a lesson here as well.  God is incredibly interested in the world knowing that He is God.  I think it is time that I consider that if it is God’s focus, then it needs to be my focus as well.  Proclaiming God to the world needs to be my priority, not just something I do when an opportunity presents itself.

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