Wed.’s Devo - The Faithful

Read: Ezekiel 44:1-45:12; 1 Peter 1!-12; Psalm 119:17-32; Proverbs 28:8-10
God took Ezekiel to the eastern gate and told him that this gate was to remain shut because the Lord had entered through it. The prince would be the only one who could eat inside and he would do this in the presence of the Lord. He was also the only one who would exit the gate he entered. Everyone else was to exit the opposite door they entered. Only Jesus entered the world without sin and exited it the same way. We came to Christ through the past of our sin and exit through the gates of righteousness.
They were reprimanded for bringing foreigners into the temple along with their sacrifices. This is like us bringing all our unrepented sin before the Lord and praying as if our sacrifices are enough to gain God’s favor. The Levites who had rebelled would have to pay the consequences of their sin but then be put in charge of the duties of the temple and its work. The Levites who remained faithful would be able to minister in the presence of the Lord and enter God’s sanctuary. Just like the Levites who went astray, we must bear the consequences of our sin. The reward for faithfulness is God’s presence. The faithful priests were to wear linen garments so that they wouldn’t sweat because sweat is the result of work. Those who are faithful to the Lord are invited to enter into God’s rest where work is a joy and there is no sweat involved. The faithful priests had more rules to abide by because they were an example of the holiness of God to the people. These priests were not to associate with dead things or sin. They were to be a picture of Jesus, our priest.
For their reward, they got the best of the offerings - the best of the grain, the fruit, the oil, the meat. They even got the best land but everything was a gift and not something they worked to earn or that they could call their own.
It was not theirs but temporarily theirs. Their permanent inheritance was the Lord, himself.
This is to be our attitude toward what we own and all our stuff. If we see it as God’s, it will be so much easier to give away. Our inheritance is God, himself. With him you get the best so it shouldn’t be a hard trade.
Peter explains that we are strangers in the world. They were scattered all around the known earth just as the Levites were given towns in every tribe. God has scattered his body all over the world so that everyone will have a chance to hear the good news.
Lord, thank you for grace. Help us to not take it for granted but cherish the blood that paid for it.