Friday, September 11, 2015

Fri.’s Devo - Preparing for the Passover

Read: Ezekiel 44-45
The Jewish calendar is a little confusing since there are two calendars. One is the civil calendar which starts with Tishri. The religious calendar starts with the 7th month of Nissan. God gave them the second calendar when he gave them the feasts in Exodus 12:2. Today, God refers to the religious calendar because Passover is in Nissan.
Ezekiel is brought in a vision to the eastern gate. He is told that this gate will one day be shut because this is the gate that Jesus will enter through and teach the people. It is also the gate that he will return and walk through. To this day it has been shut and walled up with stones because the Islamic people know that Jesus is suppose to enter through it. They think that stones will keep him out. How absurd!
God gave the Levites a new job since they had profaned the altar the first go around. This time they will only be in charge of maintenance and killing the sacrifices. Only the sons of Zadok will be able to come into the holy place and the Holy of Holies and minister to the Lord because they remained faithful when all of Israel strayed away.
The priests were to have no inheritance in Israel because the Lord was to be their inheritance. They were given land around the temple to live in and the first of the first fruits and sacrifices of the people was to be their wages. Most of all they were to lead the people justly and fairly. They were to cleanse themselves and the people and prepare themselves for the passover. The passover is the feast of salvation.
Lord, may we prepare our hearts to carry your salvation to everyone we meet. May we be like the sons of Zadok who remain faithful when times are hard.

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