KJB Daily Devotion – Following Jesus Through Every Chapter
Date: Friday, September 09, 2016
Chapters: Ezekiel 43-45
Message: One Kingdom
Hello My Friend,
Between the Books of Ezekiel and Revelation there is plenty of evidence that the Bible has one message, redemption for sinful man. The Bible is written for all mankind, not just a select few, no matter what time you came from, the same message applies to all, salvation only comes from the LORD. Perhaps the difference between the two books is that while Ezekiel goes into great detail about what will happen when Christ returns to this earth to establish His Kingdom, Revelation goes into detail about the dreadful time in which the earth will be completely destroyed (while the saved are brought to safety) to make room for the new heaven and earth and One Kingdom under Christ. Let me tell you, in this day and age Christianity is declining rapidly, world religions are taking over, our only safety net is Christ Himself, He does not care what color we are or what family we belong to, all He cares is that we join Him in His Kingdom before it is too late.
“For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” – Romans 10:10-13.
When you first start reading the visions that God gave Ezekiel about the third temple, it can be a little confusing, especially after Jesus was to come and eliminate the need for animal sacrifices, but something comes to mind as you actually think about what is being said. God took Ezekiel into another area, one where He himself would dwell.
“And he said unto me, Son of man, the place of my throne, and the place of the soles of my feet, where I will dwell in the midst of the children of Israel for ever, and my holy name, shall the house of Israel no more defile, neither they, nor their kings, by their whoredom, nor by the carcases of their kings in their high places. In their setting of their threshold by my thresholds, and their post by my posts, and the wall between me and them, they have even defiled my holy name by their abominations that they have committed: wherefore I have consumed them in mine anger. Now let them put away their whoredom, and the carcases of their kings, far from me, and I will dwell in the midst of them for ever. Thou son of man, shew the house to the house of Israel, that they may be ashamed of their iniquities: and let them measure the pattern.” – Ezekiel 43:7-10
“and I will dwell in the midst of them for ever.” God dwells in every receiver of Christ in the form of the Holy Spirit, we may not see Him, but we can certainly feel Him if we have a personal relationship with Him. If we are saved and have no relationship with Christ apart from our salvation His presence is not prominent. Oh, it is there because He will nudge us with afflictions and that conscious of ours, but pride often keeps us from admitting that it is actually Him. We can never see God when we are full of pride, but when we humble ourselves before Him, we can see Him clearly.
“Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy? But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.” – James 4:5-10.
When Christ returns it will sort of be like the way things were before His first coming, which is why the temple is set up to mimic Solomon’s temple, only this time there will only be one High Priest, who also happens to be the King. And God continues given Ezekiel visions of the new temple, he sends him to another gate, one that only one man will be able to enter.
“Then said the LORD unto me; This gate shall be shut, it shall not be opened, and no man shall enter in by it; because the LORD, the God of Israel, hath entered in by it, therefore it shall be shut. It is for the prince; the prince, he shall sit in it to eat bread before the LORD; he shall enter by the way of the porch of that gate, and shall go out by the way of the same. And thou shalt say to the rebellious, even to the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord GOD; O ye house of Israel, let it suffice you of all your abominations, In that ye have brought into my sanctuary strangers, uncircumcised in heart, and uncircumcised in flesh, to be in my sanctuary, to pollute it, even my house, when ye offer my bread, the fat and the blood, and they have broken my covenant because of all your abominations. And ye have not kept the charge of mine holy things: but ye have set keepers of my charge in my sanctuary for yourselves.” – Ezekiel 44:2-3,6-8.
“uncircumcised in heart, and uncircumcised in flesh,” No stranger, meaning person uncircumcised in heart and flesh, shall enter into His sanctuary. This does not mean that we need to be physically circumcised, uncircumcised flesh is a symbol of being unclean, in the flesh, since sin makes us unclean in the flesh until we are cleansed of our sins we are strangers to God. Until Christ came and gave His life, animal sacrifices gave temporary redemption so that a person could be recognized by God, today all we need to do is receive Him as our Saviour, He alone removes the sin and makes us clean, and recognizable to God.
“And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power: In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ: Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead. And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;” – Colossians 2:10-13.
“having forgiven you all trespasses;” Praise God and Halleluiah! We are redeemed and saved from our sins once and for all by grace through faith. I do not know why He does, but once we are saved it is forever, and there is nothing we can do to lose our salvation. Let me tell you, when you are faithful to God you are always provided for, I do not know how He does it, but He takes care of us, it may not be the way we envision, but He never leaves nor forsakes us. Now, God directs His focus on the provisions of those who would serve Him in the new temple and out of it as well.
“Concerning the ordinance of oil, the bath of oil, ye shall offer the tenth part of a bath out of the cor, which is an homer of ten baths; for ten baths are an homer: And one lamb out of the flock, out of two hundred, out of the fat pastures of Israel; for a meat offering, and for a burnt offering, and for peace offerings, to make reconciliation for them, saith the Lord GOD. All the people of the land shall give this oblation for the prince in Israel. And it shall be the prince’s part to give burnt offerings, and meat offerings, and drink offerings, in the feasts, and in the new moons, and in the sabbaths, in all solemnities of the house of Israel: he shall prepare the sin offering, and the meat offering, and the burnt offering, and the peace offerings, to make reconciliation for the house of Israel.” – Ezekiel 45:14-17.
“All the people of the land shall give this oblation for the prince in Israel.” In the period here foretold, the worship and the ministers of God will be provided for, the princes will rule with justice, under the power of Christ, and the people will live in peace, ease, and godliness. During this time Israel will honor God with portions of land set apart for the work of Christ, sin offerings will be offered according to God’s commands, and while sin will be suppressed, the tendency to sin will not be removed until the new heaven and new earth is established. Our concern right now should not be when these prophecies will be fulfilled, but that our body, mind, and spirit are prepared for it.
“The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.” – II Peter 3:9-13.
Jesus Christ Magnified: “It is for the prince; the prince, he shall sit in it to eat bread before the LORD; he shall enter by the way of the porch of that gate, and shall go out by the way of the same.” – Ezekiel 44:3.
Today’s Prayer: God, We cannot remain neutral, we must stand for what is good or we will fall for what is evil. Help us, as believers, to cling to You, even when it comes as a great sacrifice. We look to You alone, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved than Your Son, Jesus Christ. Lead us and guide us, give us Your power to live by faith and not our circumstances. With the aid of Your Holy Spirit dwelling in and guiding us, we will be able to overcome every situation that comes our way. Watch over us and keep us safe as the days are drawing near of your return. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
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