A Citizen of God

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King James Bible Study – [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. – Mark 8:34]

Date: Wednesday, September 11, 2024
Chapters: Ezekiel Chapters 46-48
Message: A Citizen of God

Hello My Friend,

There has been a great deal of controversy over illegal aliens living in the country, many believe that they ought to be able to cross the border and instantly have the same rights as citizens, others believe that they ought to be caught and deported instantly, yet others believe that they ought to be confined or detained. All one has to do to understand why it is important for those who want to live in any country that is not your own or become a citizen is to understand the Gospel of Christ. Jesus said it this way.

[John 10:1-2,9-10  Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.  2  But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. 9  I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.  10  The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.]

In other words, anyone who wants to be a citizen of God, needs to come to Him through His Son. While Jesus welcomes anyone to visit His churches, there does come a time when they must accept Him as their Saviour, and without doing so will result in their being deported, [Matthew 7:21-23  Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.  22  Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?  23  And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.]

Now, put that in layman’s terms in regards to anyone who wants to have the same privileges as citizens in any country, unless they have the documents to prove it, they are illegal and therefore have no privileges. One can play the part of being a Christian, but sooner or later they will get caught, and no one can play Jesus and get away with it as He knows every heart, [Hebrews 4:12  For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.]

It does not matter what country you attempt to live in, if you are not a natural born citizen, married to a natural born citizen, or a legal citizen, then any kind of privileges will be limited. Those who are truly sincere about living in the country will take the proper steps to become legal in order to gain certain privileges and if they want full privileges, they will take the proper steps to becoming a citizen. The same is true for being a citizen of God. In the last few chapters of Ezekiel, we have been learning about the millennial age and what will take place when Jesus returns. As we come to the end of the reading of Ezekiel, we are given a glimpse into the ordinance regarding a weekly feast that would take place at the temple every Sabbath and new moon.

[Ezekiel 46:2-4,6  And the prince shall enter by the way of the porch of that gate without, and shall stand by the post of the gate, and the priests shall prepare his burnt offering and his peace offerings, and he shall worship at the threshold of the gate: then he shall go forth; but the gate shall not be shut until the evening.  3  Likewise the people of the land shall worship at the door of this gate before the LORD in the sabbaths and in the new moons.  4  And the burnt offering that the prince shall offer unto the LORD in the sabbath day shall be six lambs without blemish, and a ram without blemish. 6  And in the day of the new moon it shall be a young bullock without blemish, and six lambs, and a ram: they shall be without blemish.]

[the prince shall enter by the way of the porch] The prince will enter the inner court by the way of the porch of the gate and stand by the post of the gate while the priests shall prepare his burnt offering and peace offerings, and he shall worship at the threshold of the gate before going through the gate. Likewise the people of the land shall worship at the door of this gate before the LORD in the sabbaths and in the new moons. Now, when the prince shall enter by the gate he shall go out through the same gate, but as for the people, they cannot go back the way they came in.

[Ezekiel 46:8-10  And when the prince shall enter, he shall go in by the way of the porch of that gate, and he shall go forth by the way thereof.  9  But when the people of the land shall come before the LORD in the solemn feasts, he that entereth in by the way of the north gate to worship shall go out by the way of the south gate; and he that entereth by the way of the south gate shall go forth by the way of the north gate: he shall not return by the way of the gate whereby he came in, but shall go forth over against it.  10  And the prince in the midst of them, when they go in, shall go in; and when they go forth, shall go forth.]

[he shall not return by the way of the gate whereby he came in,] While Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever, His convert ought not to be. Those who accept and receive Him as their Saviour are not to return to the life they lived before they got saved, but move forward toward a new life with Christ. Now, God does not expect His new citizens to walk away from everything, but He does expect them to walk in the newness of the life that Christ has given them, [Romans 6:4  Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.]

By doing this, the price had a full view of the priests and their performances at the altar as they were preparing the sacrifices, then the prince would enter in the temple, while the saints would follow. Now, every once in a while if the price saw fit to have a special day outside the Sabbath and new moon to offer up offerings to God then he would do what was called voluntary burnt and peace offerings.

[Ezekiel 46:12-15  Now when the prince shall prepare a voluntary burnt offering or peace offerings voluntarily unto the LORD, one shall then open him the gate that looketh toward the east, and he shall prepare his burnt offering and his peace offerings, as he did on the sabbath day: then he shall go forth; and after his going forth one shall shut the gate.  13  Thou shalt daily prepare a burnt offering unto the LORD of a lamb of the first year without blemish: thou shalt prepare it every morning. 14  And thou shalt prepare a meat offering for it every morning, the sixth part of an ephah, and the third part of an hin of oil, to temper with the fine flour; a meat offering continually by a perpetual ordinance unto the LORD. 15  Thus shall they prepare the lamb, and the meat offering, and the oil, every morning for a continual burnt offering.]

[every morning for a continual burnt offering.] Remember, these are symbolical offerings and are not trespass or sin offerings, they are burnt offerings, which was a ram wholly burnt, to the honor of God, after the sin offering was made [Exodus 29:15-16,18  Thou shalt also take one ram; and Aaron and his sons shall put their hands upon the head of the ram.  16  And thou shalt slay the ram, and thou shalt take his blood, and sprinkle it round about upon the altar. 18  And thou shalt burn the whole ram upon the altar: it is a burnt offering unto the LORD: it is a sweet savour, an offering made by fire unto the LORD.]

As God continues to give Ezekiel this amazing vision, He tells him of an incredible gift that the prince has for His children. They would be given an inheritance, but it will not be forced upon them, it will be received upon all who wanted to receive it, but once they receive it it was theirs forever.

[Ezekiel 46:16-18  Thus saith the Lord GOD; If the prince give a gift unto any of his sons, the inheritance thereof shall be his sons’; it shall be their possession by inheritance.  17  But if he give a gift of his inheritance to one of his servants, then it shall be his to the year of liberty; after it shall return to the prince: but his inheritance shall be his sons’ for them.  18  Moreover the prince shall not take of the people’s inheritance by oppression, to thrust them out of their possession; but he shall give his sons inheritance out of his own possession: that my people be not scattered every man from his possession.]

[but his inheritance shall be his sons’ for them.] Those who are not citizens of God may receive temporary blessing so that they might turn to Him, but they will not last unless they receive Christ as their Saviour. Nevertheless, the second one does, they are literally given an inheritance they will never lose, [1 Peter 1:4-5  To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,  5  Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.]

Jesus, bared the cross that should have been rightfully ours, and it is of His good pleasure to give a part of His inheritance to those who do accept His gift of eternal life solely upon their faith in Him. Now, just as I mentioned that none of these offerings were for sin we learn of something strange, Ezekiel, is brought to another court, the place which appears to be the priests very own living quarters.

[Ezekiel 46:19-21,24  After he brought me through the entry, which was at the side of the gate, into the holy chambers of the priests, which looked toward the north: and, behold, there was a place on the two sides westward.  20  Then said he unto me, This is the place where the priests shall boil the trespass offering and the sin offering, where they shall bake the meat offering; that they bear them not out into the utter court, to sanctify the people.  21  Then he brought me forth into the utter court, and caused me to pass by the four corners of the court; and, behold, in every corner of the court there was a court. 24  Then said he unto me, These are the places of them that boil, where the ministers of the house shall boil the sacrifice of the people.]

[they bear them not out into the utter court, to sanctify the people.] This is actually symbolic of the Lord’s Supper, those who receive Christ as their Saviour are to observe this as a reminder that Christ gave His life in place of these sacrifices. One who is not saved cannot partake of the Lord’s Supper otherwise, they will bring damnation to themselves, [1 Corinthians 11:27-30  Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.  28  But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.  29  For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body.  30  For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep.]

Think about what this means, there are so many people pretending to be citizens of God that they are sick and dying, but if they would only open their eyes they would see that they truly need Jesus. Now, Ezekiel was led back to the door of the temple, then something weird begins to happen, water comes gushing from underneath the door, the man that had the measuring line was there measuring how deep it was getting.

[Ezekiel 47:1,3,5-6  Afterward he brought me again unto the door of the house; and, behold, waters issued out from under the threshold of the house eastward: for the forefront of the house stood toward the east, and the waters came down from under from the right side of the house, at the south side of the altar. 3  And when the man that had the line in his hand went forth eastward, he measured a thousand cubits, and he brought me through the waters; the waters were to the ankles. 5  Afterward he measured a thousand; and it was a river that I could not pass over: for the waters were risen, waters to swim in, a river that could not be passed over.  6  And he said unto me, Son of man, hast thou seen this? Then he brought me, and caused me to return to the brink of the river.]

[the waters came down from under from the right side of the house,] This fountain of water came directly from the threshold of the door of the most holy place where the glory of the LORD (Holy Spirit) dwelt, this was also in reference to what John had seen, [Revelation 22:1  And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.]

[Son of man, hast thou seen this?] Here Ezekiel is swimming in this water and yet the man asks him if he had seen it. Well, think about it, how many people see things that are right before their eyes yet pay no mind to it. Nevertheless, the man proceeds to tell him what the waters were and what they were for.

[Ezekiel 47:8-9,11-12  Then said he unto me, These waters issue out toward the east country, and go down into the desert, and go into the sea: which being brought forth into the sea, the waters shall be healed.  9  And it shall come to pass, that every thing that liveth, which moveth, whithersoever the rivers shall come, shall live: and there shall be a very great multitude of fish, because these waters shall come thither: for they shall be healed; and every thing shall live whither the river cometh. 11  But the miry places thereof and the marishes thereof shall not be healed; they shall be given to salt. 12  And by the river upon the bank thereof, on this side and on that side, shall grow all trees for meat, whose leaf shall not fade, neither shall the fruit thereof be consumed: it shall bring forth new fruit according to his months, because their waters they issued out of the sanctuary: and the fruit thereof shall be for meat, and the leaf thereof for medicine.]

[every thing that liveth, which moveth…shall live:] Jesus, is that living water, [John 4:10  Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.] [the marishes thereof shall not be healed; they shall be given to salt.] The miry places and marshes of the land represent those whom have not come to the healing waters of the Gospel that is the only thing capable of giving them life. Salt, is not only used to cure and preserve, it is also used to dry things out and this is what happens to every heart that are reprobates. God, will dry out that heart, [Romans 1:28  And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;]

[neither shall the fruit thereof be consumed:] This is the tree of life, it will miraculously produce a different fruit every month and will never be without fruit on it, [Revelation 22:1-3  And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.  2  In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.  3  And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him:]

Remember, we just learned about the inheritance that the sons (and daughters) of the prince will receive? Now, we come to the division of the land, each tribe will get when they get their land back.

[Ezekiel 47:13-14,22-23  Thus saith the Lord GOD; This shall be the border, whereby ye shall inherit the land according to the twelve tribes of Israel: Joseph shall have two portions.  14  And ye shall inherit it, one as well as another: concerning the which I lifted up mine hand to give it unto your fathers: and this land shall fall unto you for inheritance. 22  And it shall come to pass, that ye shall divide it by lot for an inheritance unto you, and to the strangers that sojourn among you, which shall beget children among you: and they shall be unto you as born in the country among the children of Israel; they shall have inheritance with you among the tribes of Israel.  23  And it shall come to pass, that in what tribe the stranger sojourneth, there shall ye give him his inheritance, saith the Lord GOD.]

[which shall beget children among you: and they shall be unto you as born in the country] There will be no more shunning of mixed families because both Jew and Gentile believers will be one nation of people. And who will be their Father? God Himself, [John 10:16,28-30  And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd. 28  And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.  29  My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.  30  I and my Father are one.]

It does not matter what family we came from, how well we were treated or how bad we treated someone, every person born has a soul that needs to be saved, and every soul has the same opportunity to get saved. Jesus, gave His life for every soul, and every soul that does believe in the Gospel of Christ and accepts Him as their Saviour will receive a part of the inheritance of the twelve tribes. Now, further account is given of each of the portions of land Israel, not for only the twelve tribes of Israel, including the cities in which God and His ministers will dwell. The temple and prince will be right in the midst.

[Ezekiel 48:1,6-8  Now these are the names of the tribes. From the north end to the coast of the way of Hethlon, as one goeth to Hamath, Hazarenan, the border of Damascus northward, to the coast of Hamath; for these are his sides east and west; a portion for Dan.  6  And by the border of Ephraim, from the east side even unto the west side, a portion for Reuben.  7  And by the border of Reuben, from the east side unto the west side, a portion for Judah.  8  And by the border of Judah, from the east side unto the west side, shall be the offering which ye shall offer of five and twenty thousand reeds in breadth, and in length as one of the other parts, from the east side unto the west side: and the sanctuary shall be in the midst of it.]

[the sanctuary shall be in the midst of it.] Notice that all of the tribes will be in the state of Israel this time an even the Levites will receive a portion of land of their own, but only the ones who remained faithful to God when the rest of the Levites followed the others will reside in the temple chambers.

[Ezekiel 48:11-12,14,18-19  It shall be for the priests that are sanctified of the sons of Zadok; which have kept my charge, which went not astray when the children of Israel went astray, as the Levites went astray.  12  And this oblation of the land that is offered shall be unto them a thing most holy by the border of the Levites. 14  And they shall not sell of it, neither exchange, nor alienate the firstfruits of the land: for it is holy unto the LORD. 18  And the residue in length over against the oblation of the holy portion shall be ten thousand eastward, and ten thousand westward: and it shall be over against the oblation of the holy portion; and the increase thereof shall be for food unto them that serve the city.  19  And they that serve the city shall serve it out of all the tribes of Israel.]

[they shall not sell of it, neither exchange, nor alienate the firstfruits] This is in regards to the Law of Moses, [Exodus 22:29-31  Thou shalt not delay to offer the first of thy ripe fruits, and of thy liquors: the firstborn of thy sons shalt thou give unto me.  30  Likewise shalt thou do with thine oxen, and with thy sheep: seven days it shall be with his dam; on the eighth day thou shalt give it me.  31  And ye shall be holy men unto me: neither shall ye eat any flesh that is torn of beasts in the field; ye shall cast it to the dogs.]

Since everything we are given comes from God He rightfully deserves the first portion of it, regardless of what it is, and not the scraps. This is why God would not accept Cain’s offering, [Genesis 4:5-7  But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell.  6  And the LORD said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen?  7  If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.]

Many believe that God did not accept Cain’s sacrifice because it was not a blood sacrifice, but I disagree with that, I believe it had to do with his intent, which is why God responded the way that He did. God, will never deny anyone unless they were not sincere in their coming to Him. Now, after everything is divided, the prince will receive a portion as well, his portion will in the center of the city so that he will be able to be the guardian and preserver of them all.

[Ezekiel 48:21-22,29,35  And the residue shall be for the prince, on the one side and on the other of the holy oblation, and of the possession of the city, over against the five and twenty thousand of the oblation toward the east border, and westward over against the five and twenty thousand toward the west border, over against the portions for the prince: and it shall be the holy oblation; and the sanctuary of the house shall be in the midst thereof.  22  Moreover from the possession of the Levites, and from the possession of the city, being in the midst of that which is the prince’s, between the border of Judah and the border of Benjamin, shall be for the prince. 29  This is the land which ye shall divide by lot unto the tribes of Israel for inheritance, and these are their portions, saith the Lord GOD. 35  It was round about eighteen thousand measures: and the name of the city from that day shall be, The LORD is there.]

[Moreover from the possession of the Levites,] In other words, just like in the beginning when the Levites were not given an inheritance in the land because God was their inheritance and given portions within the other tribes to dwell this will be the case for the prince. Jesus, is the inheritance of every person who receives Him and dwell in the center of their heart and soul, [Colossians 3:23-24  And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;  24  Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.]

Jesus Christ Revealed/Magnified: [Ezekiel 46:8  And when the prince shall enter, he shall go in by the way of the porch of that gate, and he shall go forth by the way thereof.]

Today’s Prayer: God, It is NO mystery to every believer that Your Son is the only way to become Your citizen. We thank You for those who assist us in our mission, and for those who will join us further along in our journey. We pray for our combined labors that unbelievers will open their eyes and ears to receive the Gospel and the promised inheritance awaiting them as we have awaiting us. Lord, Give us Your power, mercy, and grace, ignite our faith by letting us know that You are near. Help us to remain faithful in planting Your seed of salvation to those who have not yet received Your Son. Give us Your strength to keep going through the trials, if we fall down, help us to get back up, and let us always be welcoming to You in our own homes as we feast and fellowship with You. I ask these things in Your name, Jesus. Amen.

God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina

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