Tues.’s Devo - The Glory Leaves the Temple

Read: Ezekiel 10:1-11:25; Hebrews 6:1-20; Psalm 105:16-36; Proverbs 27:1-2 We read yesterday where the Lord came down and showed Ezekiel all the evil spiritual adultery that was going on in the Temple. Now, God was sending his four living creatures to cleanse the Temple before he took his Spirit from it. It was just like Jesus did when he walked the earth. He cleansed the Temple of the sellers on Passover. When they asked him what kind of sign were they showing him by doing this and Jesus answered, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” In the same way, the cherubim took coals from the living creatures and scattered them around the city then they took the glory from the Temple because they were going to destroy it. *** God took Ezekiel in the Spirit to where the 24 elders were meeting and planning to tell the people that the city was like an iron pot and they were safe inside the city. They should plan to build houses because all would be well with them. God said that the people were like pieces of meat in their pot. They were victims of their evil schemes but God would soon drive these false teachers out of Jerusalem and judge them. *** While Ezekiel was telling them this, one of the evil ones fell dead. Ezekiel fell on his face asking if God was going to kill them all. *** God revealed to Ezekiel that there was an evil plan to take all the land of those carried off into exile since they weren’t there to claim it. God said he would bring them back to claim their land and they would have a heart to know and worship him. But those who long for their idols would be punished severely. Then the glory of the Lord left the city and stopped above the mountain to the east. The Spirit carried Ezekiel back to Babylon where he know lived. *** In Hebrews, the writer is wanting them to grow beyond salvation and the basic truths of the Word and be a doer of the Word and not just a hearer. He encouraged them to keep loving others and not to become spiritually dull or indifferent, but to endure in their faith. *** There is no other name as powerful as the name of God. He used his own name to promise Abraham his inheritance. Because we know God cannot lie, everything he promised to Abraham is now ours as children of God. Everything he said will be done. *** Jesus is now our High Priest and he has gone through the curtain to God’s Holy of Holies and he leads us there with him. *** Lord, may we move on to maturity and be your hands and feet in the earth. May your Spirit and glory rest on your people.