King James Bible Study – [Mark 8:34 And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.]
Date: Thursday, September 09, 2021
Chapters: Ezekiel 40-42
Message: Whole Armor of God
Hello My Friend,
My power went out last night due to a storm and it was not restored until 2:45 in the morning So, needless to say, I was not very alert this morning when I began reading the chapters for today and started thinking how in the world I was supposed to write about these complex chapters being half asleep. Well, I suppose we do our best work through the Holy Spirit as He guides us in the reading of His Word. The Book of Revelation tells us, [Revelation 20:4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.]
Well, Ezekiel actually gives us an actual glimpse of what will take place when Jesus returns during that time, which we will come to be known as the millennial age, which will begin when Jesus returns and will end at Armageddon. After this, a new world will appear, one that all saved, born again believers of Christ will dwell forever. As we continue in the reading of Ezekiel, it has been twenty-five years since Judah was taken captive into Babylon, Ezekiel receives a vision from God. This great and beautiful temple to be set up in Jerusalem.
[Ezekiel 40:1-4 In the five and twentieth year of our captivity, in the beginning of the year, in the tenth day of the month, in the fourteenth year after that the city was smitten, in the selfsame day the hand of the LORD was upon me, and brought me thither. 2 In the visions of God brought he me into the land of Israel, and set me upon a very high mountain, by which was as the frame of a city on the south. 3 And he brought me thither, and, behold, there was a man, whose appearance was like the appearance of brass, with a line of flax in his hand, and a measuring reed; and he stood in the gate. 4 And the man said unto me, Son of man, behold with thine eyes, and hear with thine ears, and set thine heart upon all that I shall shew thee; for to the intent that I might shew them unto thee art thou brought hither: declare all that thou seest to the house of Israel.]
[Son of man, behold with thine eyes,] This is Jesus, and He wants Ezekiel to see the size of the new temple, which is enormous, and said to be the size of the entire earth. It also includes the altar, tables for the animal sacrifices, and the holy place, which is where God, in the form of the Holy Spirit, dwelt in the tabernacle and temple until the exile of Judah. It is said that these last eight chapters of Ezekiel are by far the most difficult to understand, even Bible scholars pass it up, and the Jews will not even allow anyone to read it until they are thirty years old, even then, they vainly tell them they are to wait for Elias to explain it when he comes. Well, even Jesus mentions this, [Matthew 17:10-13 And his disciples asked him, saying, Why then say the scribes that Elias must first come? 11 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Elias truly shall first come, and restore all things. 12 But I say unto you, That Elias is come already, and they knew him not, but have done unto him whatsoever they listed. Likewise shall also the Son of man suffer of them. 13 Then the disciples understood that he spake unto them of John the Baptist.]
Jesus was referring to John, the Baptist, who was the first prophet to speak about God for four hundred years. To get a better understanding of God’s Word, especially with something so complex, we do have to set our heart upon it, and ask the Holy Spirit to explain what it means. And while some things are more complex than others, we must not take away the simplicity of the Gospel, even though we read in this next passage about the inner court in which the sacrifices will be reinstated.
[Ezekiel 40:28,36-39 And he brought me to the inner court by the south gate: and he measured the south gate according to these measures; 36 The little chambers thereof, the posts thereof, and the arches thereof, and the windows to it round about: the length was fifty cubits, and the breadth five and twenty cubits. 37 And the posts thereof were toward the utter court; and palm trees were upon the posts thereof, on this side, and on that side: and the going up to it had eight steps. 38 And the chambers and the entries thereof were by the posts of the gates, where they washed the burnt offering. 39 And in the porch of the gate were two tables on this side, and two tables on that side, to slay thereon the burnt offering and the sin offering and the trespass offering.]
[to slay thereon the burnt offering and the sin offering] The reinstated offerings must be viewed as strictly symbolical as they were done away with at the Calvary. These symbols being of the Mosaic ordinances are not at all taking the place of what Jesus has done on the cross. These ordinances had within themselves a hidden meaning and are intended to symbolize the dwelling place of Jesus among His people. The priesthood, symbolizes the mediation between God and man, the monarchy symbolizes His sovereignty, the people are symbolized as the saints of God, and the location symbolizes their inheritance. Christ is both our Altar and our Sacrifice, to whom we must look upon with all all our heart, and by faith, in all approaches to God, and are to be looked unto from all four quarters, [Psalms 74:12 For God is my King of old, working salvation in the midst of the earth.]
Now, after the man showed Ezekiel the two inner courts of the temple he took him inside the temple to show him the holy and most holy place. Remember, the most holy place is the innermost room where the God’s presence would actually dwell.
[Ezekiel 41:1,4,12,18-19,22 Afterward he brought me to the temple, and measured the posts, six cubits broad on the one side, and six cubits broad on the other side, which was the breadth of the tabernacle. 4 So he measured the length thereof, twenty cubits; and the breadth, twenty cubits, before the temple: and he said unto me, This is the most holy place. 12 Now the building that was before the separate place at the end toward the west was seventy cubits broad; and the wall of the building was five cubits thick round about, and the length thereof ninety cubits. 18 And it was made with cherubims and palm trees, so that a palm tree was between a cherub and a cherub; and every cherub had two faces; 19 So that the face of a man was toward the palm tree on the one side, and the face of a young lion toward the palm tree on the other side: it was made through all the house round about. 22 The altar of wood was three cubits high, and the length thereof two cubits; and the corners thereof, and the length thereof, and the walls thereof, were of wood: and he said unto me, This is the table that is before the LORD.]
[and every cherub had two faces;] The face of a man is symbolic of those who were redeemed by the blood of Christ, and the face of a lion, symbolic of the strength of the Gospel His minsters have to do their work in defending the Gospel. The closer we get to Christ’s return the more difficult it will be to reach people with the Gospel, it will take the strength of Christ, the wisdom of the Holy Spirit, and the power of the Father all working within us to see it through, which can be all summed up as the whole armor of God, [Ephesians 6:13-17 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. 14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; 15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:]
[This is the table that is before the LORD.] The day will come when all of Christ’s saints will join Him at His table, and it will be a great feast, but until then we must invite him to come in, [Revelation 3:20-21 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. 21 To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.]
Old Testament saints were frequently put to death for their faith, or exposed to the persecutions of men, which often resulted in death. New Testament saints have been put to death for their faith in Christ and His Gospel. The suffering death of God’s people is noted through all the ages, but we are more than conquerors through our faith because we will be with Christ always and forever in His Kingdom. Now, the man showed Ezekiel the outer court before the holy place, this was the holy of hollies, where the priests would eat.
[Ezekiel 42:1,12,14 Then he brought me forth into the utter court, the way toward the north: and he brought me into the chamber that was over against the separate place, and which was before the building toward the north. 13 Then said he unto me, The north chambers and the south chambers, which are before the separate place, they be holy chambers, where the priests that approach unto the LORD shall eat the most holy things: there shall they lay the most holy things, and the meat offering, and the sin offering, and the trespass offering; for the place is holy. 14 When the priests enter therein, then shall they not go out of the holy place into the utter court, but there they shall lay their garments wherein they minister; for they are holy; and shall put on other garments, and shall approach to those things which are for the people.]
[there shall they lay the most holy things,] The meat (bread), sin, and trespass offering, which all Christ’s saints lay before Him, are a picture of Christ, who is the most holy thing. Jesus is the bread of life, He sustains and keeps us safe in this world, He is also the blood that gives us life and sustains our soul for the new world [John 6:35]. He is also the atonement for our sin, and the one and only sacrifice needed to redeem our soul once and for all.
[Hebrews 10:1,8-10,14 For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect. 8 Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law; 9 Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second. 10 By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. 14 For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.]
Jesus Christ Magnified: [Ezekiel 40:3 And he brought me thither, and, behold, there was a man, whose appearance was like the appearance of brass, with a line of flax in his hand, and a measuring reed; and he stood in the gate.]
Today’s Prayer: God, It is just amazing to look up in the sky and see just what an amazing God You are, I cannot help, but praise You and thank You every time I see the sun, knowing it is something You made. It is truly amazing, and a blessing to be able to see with my eyes all Your magnificent work. As different as You have made each and every one of us we all have one thing in common, vision, a vision that we will get to see Jesus face to face and live with Him eternally in His Kingdom. Lord, give us Your power, mercy, and grace, lead us and guide us, and keep us in Your Word so that we never stop seeing the vision You have for us nor lose sight of the prosperity You bring just for us living in and through Your Word. I ask these things in Your name, Jesus. Amen.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
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