Thurs.’s Devo - The Eastern Gate

Read: Ezekiel 44:1-45:12; 1 Peter 1:1-12; Psalm 119:17-32; Proverbs 28:8-10
God brought Ezekiel to the eastern gate which was to shut and was to remain that way because God had entered through it. That was the custom of eastern monarchs. The king had his own gate and out of respect, no one else could use it. Jesus will return through the eastern gate.
God told Ezekiel to pay attention to the entrances and exits of the temple because we are to pay attention to the way we enter into the presence of the Lord and how we exit. They had entered the temple with foreigners who had not been circumcised in heart or flesh. This is a picture of how we shouldn’t enter the presence of God. We can have no sin (foreigners) and our hearts must be totally the Lord’s (circumcised in heart) and flesh (our flesh needs to honor God.)
The priests of Zadok stand for the set apart ones that didn’t turn from the Lord when the people and other priests did. They would be allowed to minister to the Lord and serve him. They are to wear linen so that they wouldn’t sweat. We are not to toil in our worship to the Lord.
They weren’t to shave their heads which means they were to have a covering which our covering is the blood of Jesus. They weren’t to let their hair grow long because long hair was a picture of sin. All of the regulations of the priests had spiritual meanings that we as priests must do. The main office of the priest was to represent God to the people and teach the people about him. The reward of the priests was God himself. They would enjoy the things of God and everything offered to him - food and land.
Peter spoke of this inheritance for the set apart ones - the priests of the Lord. This inheritance through Jesus can never perish, spoil, or fade but it is kept in heaven for us.
Lord, let your set apart ones realize the inheritance that is ours.