Fri.’s Devo - God’s Regulations

Read: Ezekiel 44:1-45:12; 1 Peter 1:1-12; Psalm 119:17-32; Proverbs 28:8-10 Ezekiel was led back to the eastern gate and saw that it was closed. The Lord told him that this gate must remain closed. Only the prince could sit inside this gateway to be in the Lord’s presence. *** He was taken back to the front of the Temple and saw that the glory of the Lord filled the Temple. It was so awesome, he fell to the ground. The Lord spoke to him and told him to pay close attention to everything he saw and heard about the regulations for the Temple. He was to notice the procedures for using the entrances and exits. He was to tell the rebels of Israel that they had brought uncircumcised foreigners into his sanctuary which had no heart for him. They had defiled God’s Temple with their sacrifices and sins. They had broken their covenant with the Lord and hired foreigners to take over his Temple. *** God gave them some rules: no foreigners could enter the sanctuary without being circumcised and surrendered to the Lord. The men from the tribe of Levi who abandoned the Lord and served idols could only be Temple guards and gatekeepers and aide with the sacrifices, but they could not approach the Lord to minister as priests. They could serve as caretakers, maintenance men and perform general duties in the Temple. *** The Levitical priests from the family of Zadok continually worshiped the Lord and didn’t abandon the Lord to worship idols so they could serve as God’s ministers. They could stand in his presence and offer sacrifices to the Lord. They were to wear linen so they wouldn’t perspire and change before the left so they wouldn’t transmit holiness to the people through their clothing. *** They were to shave their heads and keep their hair trimmed. They could not drink wine before they entered the inner courtyard and could choose wives only from the virgins of Israel or a widow of a priest. They were to be examples of holiness and teach it to the people through their lives. *** A priest could only be in the presence of a dead person if they were close to kin. They were not to own property because God was their possession. They were fed by people’s first fruits given to the Lord. *** God gave Ezekiel a plan for the land. Area for the Temple and around it was to be determined first. Then land for the priests, the Levites, the people and last of all the prince. He was to have land on the east and west and he was to stop oppressing the people and robbing them of their land. Their was to be a set standard for measuring and it was to be used by all so all would be fair in business. *** Peter wore a letter to God’s Rosen people living in the provinces of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia. He reminded them of the great things they had to look forward to. They had a priceless inheritance that was being kept in heaven that was beyond decay. As they endured their trials, Peter wanted them to have the hope of the day Jesus would be revealed to the whole world. The greatest thing they had to look forward to was the salvation of their soul. The prophets had prophesied about this and wondered about what it all meant. They had seen Christ’s suffering and then his great glory. They knew it wasn’t for them but for a generation yet to come. And now, they are the ones to receive it. Even the angels rejoiced to see it come to pass. *** Lord, thank you that we are living in the promise of your salvation. Thank you for the promise of great things ahead.