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Dear Heavenly Father, Praise My heart leapt when Ezekiel looked out the eastern gate and saw you coming: “Behold, the glory of the God of Israel was coming from the east. And the sound of his coming was like the sound of many waters, and the earth shone with his glory” (Ezek 43:2). Ezekiel fell on his face, for who can stand in the presence of the mighty Lord of hosts? I fall on my face before you today and worship you as the King of kings. Fill my heart like you filled your temple, and let my life shine with your glory! Praise the Lord! Today in Your Word Today you shared with me the first part of Ezekiel’s vision of the Millennial temple. It was the twenty-fifth year of the exile, and thirteen years had passed since you last spoke to your people (chs. 34–39). Now, through a vision of the future, you revealed to them the beauty and glory of the coming kingdom of your Son. You brought Ezekiel to the top of a very high mountain and showed him the temple complex that would one day be built in Jerusalem. An angel took him on a guided tour of the buildings, carefully measuring each section so that he could remember and “declare it to the house of Israel” (Ezek 40:4). When they reached the eastern gate, Ezekiel looked and saw your glory returning to the temple! You declared, “This is the place of my throne and the place of the soles of my feet, where I will dwell in the midst of my people Israel forever…Now let them put away their whoring and the dead bodies of their kings far from me, and I will dwell in their midst forever” (Ezek 43:7–9). You wanted this vision to convict the people’s hearts and make them ashamed of their past wickedness: “As for you, son of man, describe to the house of Israel the temple, that they may be ashamed of their iniquities” (Ezek 43:10). This teaches me that you cannot dwell in a place that is defiled by idolatry and sin. In the same way that persistent, unrepentant wickedness caused you to leave the house of which you told Solomon, “My eyes and my heart will be there for all time” (1 Kgs 9:3), it will cause you to leave the life of a person who will not remain loyal and obedient to you (1 Kgs 9:6–9). It also teaches me that your revelation of the future is meant to stir my heart with desire. It should motivate me to reject temptation and cling to you in love, for who wouldn’t want to be a part of what you have in store! Reflection As I walked through the buildings in the temple complex, I could sense the excitement you have about the future. In the same way that people enjoy showing others their homes, you enjoy showing me your Millennial home (so much that you couldn’t wait, you had to show me now)! Request Father, I want more than anything to one day stand in Jerusalem and behold your temple with my own eyes. Help me to run my race with endurance and finish by faith! Thanksgiving Thank you for the privilege of being your child! How wondrous the thought that you will dwell among the sons of Israel forever. Even so, come Lord Jesus! In Jesus’ name, Amen. Suggested Hymn: “The Eastern Gate” — Isaiah G. Martin. Meditation Verse: Ezekiel 43:2. |