Thurs.’s Devo - The North and South Entrances

Read: Ezekiel 42:1-43:27; James 5:1-20: Psalm 119:1-16; Proverbs 28:6-7
The priests who entered the north door of the temple to serve lived right outside the north entrance in priest’s quarters. The priests who entered the south door lived outside the south door in priest’s quarters. In those quarters they would eat the meat from the sacrifices.
Once them ministered they were not to go out without changing their garments and putting on their other clothes.
The priests who ministered from the north entrance represented the believers whose ministry is from heaven to earth. The ones from the south represent those who minister from earth to heaven. God’s priests in heaven have their abode in heaven and earthly worshipers have their abode on earth. We both attend to God’s house.
At the eastern gate, Ezekiel saw the glory of God enter and fill the temple. This is the gate that Jesus will enter when he returns. The Muslim know this prophecy and have walled up this gate to keep him out. Rocks have never intimidated Jesus. When the Spirit came and filled the entire temple the angle proclaimed that this was the place of God’s throne and where he would dwell with his people forever. He was speaking of the temple within us and God’s temple in heaven. The people of Israel would not be able to profane this temple again.
The angel gave Ezekiel instructions to tell the people all the measurements of the temple because it was all symbolic. He said that the very layout of the temple should keep them from wanting to sin. The measurements are a mystery that we are suppose to understand. God hides things for us, not from us. I have to admit that I haven’t figured out the mystery but it is solvable or he wouldn’t have given it to us.
The law of the temple was holiness. Then he told them they would once again sacrifice in this temple. We are the temple of the Holy Spirit and our sacrifice is praise.
James rebukes the rich for hoarding their wealth instead of being generous. They needed to realize that their wealth was not their own but they were stewards of God’s money. James encouraged them to wait patiently for Jesus’ return and face persecution and suffering with perseverance and grace. We do that by staying repentant and walking in righteousness.
Lord, unlock the mysteries hidden in your Word that we might be more powerful against sin and our enemy the devil. All we have and are belongs to you so we offer ourselves daily as a sacrifice of praise.