Absolute Holiness!

This year, I've decided to read through my Bible slowly, prayerfully, taking the time to let God's Word absorb into my heart, meditating and pondering each passage. Tonight I read from the Book of Ezekiel, Chapters 39 through 40.  Chapter 40 begins a three chapter long description of the New Temple.  Ezekiel describes every measurement for every aspect of the New Temple in painstaking detail.  As I read the long, entailing description of the Temple, I asked God why was there a need to record so many of these details.  I asked Him to reveal to me the meaning of what I reading, what relevance did it have.  I mean, I know that Ezekiel is writing prophecies and visions concerning the future.  Knowing these details is important in that way.  But I wanted to know if there were anything more to these passages beyond that of the description of the future Temple.  Quite frankly, these passages are difficult for me to read - it's simply a verbal description of a blueprint. 

But as I pressed on through these chapters,  the answer to my question appeared quite subtly at first.

 "Then the man told me, 'These rooms that overlook the Temple from the north and south are holy.  Here the priests who offer sacrifices to the Lord will eat the most holy offerings.  And because these rooms are holy, they will be used to store the sacred offerings - the grain offrings, sin offerings, and guilt offerings. When the priests leave the santuary, they must not go directly to the outer courtyard.  They must first take off the clothes they wore while ministering, because these clothes are holy.  They must put on other clothes before entering the parts of the building that are open to the public."  (Ezekiel 42:13-14) 

As this passage marinated in my heart and mind, I realized it was a testimony to God's holiness.  It encapsulated how we are to approach our most holy God - in reverence and awe.  We are not to take Him for granted. God is holy.  Approaching Him is not to be taken lightly.  The great care the priests took in remaining holy may symbolize the holy hearts we are to have when we approach our most holy God.  I pondered if this was a part of the answer to my question concerning why the details of the New Temple were so carefully recorded.

Excited about this finding, I continued to read on into Chapter 43.  And Bam!  There it was, the complete answer to why Ezekiel recorded such a detailed decription of the Temple.  You know what his reason was?  Because God told him to do so!

"Son of man, describe to the people of Israel the Temple I have shown you, so they will be ashamed of all their sins.  Let them study its plan, and they will be ashamed of what they have done.  Describe to them all of the specifications of the Temple - including its entrances and exits - and everything else about it.  Tell them about its decrees and laws.  Write down all of these specifications and decrees as they watch so they will be sure to remember and follow them.  And this is the basic law of the Temple:  absolute holiness!  The entire top of the mountain where the Temple is built is holy.  Yes, this is the basic law of the Temple."  Ezekiel 43: 10-12

So, there it is.  Not only did Ezekiel record these details because God told Him to,  but the reasons why were also explained.

• So the people would be ashamed of what they had done ( remember, Israel had turned against God at this point in time and were facing judgement and exile.)
• To tell God's people these specifications, decrees, and laws and write them down.
• So the people would remember and follow these specifications and decrees.
• So all will know GOD is ABSOLUTELY HOLY and is to be approched with a heart of holiness!

So, how do we have a heart of holiness?  First, by admitting that we are a sinner and asking God to forgive us of our sin. By believing Jesus Christ is the Son of God, that He died on the cross to pay for our sins, and that He rose on the third day defeating sin and death!  By confessing Him as Lord and Savior over your life.

Remember, God is not to be taken for granted nor taken lightly.  Approach Him with a heart of holiness, a heart of worship, a heart full of desire and love for Him!
Grace and peace, friends! 

In His Love, Cathy