Sat.’s Devo - God’s Holiness

Read: Ezekiel 42:1-43:27; James 5:1-20; Psalm 119:1-16; Proverbs 28:6-7 Today, the angel led Ezekiel out the northern gate to the Temple courtyard where there were a row of rooms along the north wall of the inner courtyard. One block of rooms face the inner courtyard and the others looked out onto the pavement of the outer courtroom. They were both three levels high like a ziggurat getting smaller as they got higher. This was to allow for walking on the roof below since there were no columns to hold up the next level. That was on the north side of the Temple. On the south side there were blocks of rooms just like on the north side. These rooms on both sides were where the priest were to offer sacrifices to the Lord would eat the most holy offerings. They would store the excess sacrifices in the rooms. They were to take off their holy clothes before exiting the building to be with the people. Then Ezekiel was taken outside to measure the outside of the temple. It was a 500 reed square. He was taken to the east gateway and suddenly the glory of the Lord appeared from the east with the sound of a rushing mighty wind and the whole landscape shone with his glory. It entered the eastern gate and filled the Temple. God spoke and told Ezekiel that this was the place where his throne and where He would rest his feet. He declared that no longer would his Temple be defiled by evil kings or other idolatrous gods. God wanted Ezekiel to take the measurements back to the people and tell them all that he saw. All of the numbers spoke of complete holiness. God hoped that it would cause the people to want to become holy. He gave Ezekiel the measurements of the altar and the instructions for sprinkling the blood on the altar to purify it for the time being. It would be the picture of the altar of Jesus Christ. In James, he rebuked the rich who spent their lives in luxury at the expense of the poor. Their treasures would testify against them. But to his brothers and sisters in the Lord who were waiting for Jesus’ return, he told to be patient. He reminded them of Job’s suffering and his end which was so rewarding. God is full of tenderness and mercy. He admonished them to sing praises, pray, anoint with oil and to pray in Jesus’ name. Confess their sins to one another and pray because the prayers of the righteous are very strong. We are to bring back the ones who have wandered away and bring them to repentance and forgiveness. Lord, thank you for reminding us that you are a holy God who requires us to be holy. You have equipped us to be able to live a holy life by the power of the resurrection of Jesus.