Read: Ezekiel 12:1-14:11; Hebrews 7:1-17; Psalm 105:37-45; Proverbs 27:3
Ezekiel was in Chedar when he had this vision. He traveled in the Spirit to Jerusalem as he carried out the assignment in Chedar. He was to carry his baggage out of the city through a hole he had dug in the wall. He was to cover his face so he could not see Jerusalem as he left. This was to show the people in exile what was going to happen to the king. He would try to escape through a hole in the wall and he would not ever see Jerusalem again. King Zedekiah would never see, period, again because Nebuchadnezzar had his eyes gouged out. This prophecy was also for the people living in exile to show them that they were not returning to Jerusalem any time soon.
Then God told Ezekiel to eat and drink with trembling and to act very anxious because that would be what would happen to the people in Jerusalem when they witnessed all the violence in their streets. The people had complained about his prophesies that never seemed to happen, but they would not complain any longer because the time for them to manifest was very soon.
Ezekiel was to rebuke the false prophets who gave them lies and false hope of peace. They had repaired the breaches in the wall with whitewash which would not stand against God’s anger. They were like the whitewashed walls. They and their words would not stand against what God was sending. They were like the scribes and Pharisees Jesus met in his day. He called them whitewashed walls also.
God called out their abominations. They were using witchcraft and divination to help them which would not help them against God. The elders came to Ezekiel wanting a word from the Lord and he told them to tell them that their idols would be a curse to them and they would be judged because of them. The house of Israel would be judged until they stopped defiling themselves with idols and made the Lord their God.
In Hebrews, the writer explained that Melchizedek was the king of Salem which means “Peace.” Abraham gave him a tenth of his spoils of war. Melchizedek was also the king of righteousness. He was a type of Jesus who would be God’s priest forever.
The writer makes is clear that this priest was greater than Abraham. He blessed Abraham who was the father of Israel. Levi who became the leader of the priesthood on earth also paid tithes to Melchizedek because he was in the wound of Abraham.
The law was given through the Levitical priesthood but Jesus would be a priest in Melchizedek’s order so there would have to be a change of priesthood. They would need to change the law also since the law only allowed the Levites to minister to the Lord. Jesus came from the lineage of Judah which was not the priestly tribe. Jesus became our High Priest because God said it.
We are all priests to the Lord whether we are Jews or Gentiles because a change has been made and a new covenant was written when Jesus came. He made us his priests and gave us two commandments: Love God and love others.
Lord, may we carry out out two commandments with all our hearts. This is a day by day process that takes much dying to self and choosing to follow You. Thank you for your Spirit that helps us and strengthens us daily.
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