Making and Maturing

Disciples of Jesus

recent posts

about

Ryan serves as the Lead Pastor of Green Pond Bible Chapel in Rockaway, New Jersey. He is married with four children.
  • Should Our Government Call People to Obey the Bible?

    Should Our Government Call People to Obey the Bible?

    I hadn’t been paying attention to the news, so I was legitimately shocked when I saw this headline on CNN: “What does the Bible verse Jeff Sessions quoted really mean?” To be candid, I’m suspicious about any news outlet offering authoritative interpretations of the Bible.

    So I caught up on all the drama. Long story short, Attorney General Jeff Sessions quoted Romans 13 in defending US policy in enforcing laws against illegal border crossing Mexico. I won’t take time now to comment on the policy and it’s implementation.

    As far as the quote itself, contrary to many commentators, Sessions got it pretty much right. He used the teaching of the Apostle Paul in Romans 13:1-7 to exhort people to obey the laws of the land. I would quickly concede that the issues related to the specific policy he was defending are complicated and leave it at that.

    My question is this: should a United States government official, speaking from a podium emblazoned with the seal of the United States of America, exhort people to obey the Word of God? My personal take is he or she should not. Let me offer two reasons why and answer a few objections.

    Reasons Why the United States Government Should Not Exhort People to Obey the Bible

    Freedom of Religion

    The third article of the Bill of Rights makes this principle very clear: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof…” A logical corollary of this principle is that the government should not dictate that the population adhere to a particular religion. When the United States government uses the Bible as the basis of a call to submit to the government, it does just that. I believe that Biblical Christianity is the only true religion, but what if the government quoted another religion or used another authoritative text?

    The Primacy of the Church in Biblical Interpretation

    In 1 Timothy 3:15 the Apostle Paul describes the church as “the pillar and foundation of the truth.” It is the responsibility of church leaders to teach and interpret the Bible. God calls church members to spread the message of the Bible to others at appropriate times and invite people to respond to the gospel. In the Bible, teaching sound doctrine, doing evangelism, and shepherding God’s people are the responsibility of the church, not the government.

    But…

    Isn’t America Founded on the Bible?

    Not exactly. The worldview and religious convictions of our founding fathers is best described as theistic rationalism— “a hybrid belief system mixing elements of natural religion, Christianity, and rationalism, with rationalism as the predominant element” (Gregg Frazer, The Religious Beliefs of America’s Founders, 14). The founders purposefully did not quote from the Bible in our founding documents. Although they thought in ways consistent with a broadly Judeo-Christian worldview, they did not include any Trinitarian creed in those documents nor did they ever reference Jesus Christ. Their deism and affirmation of a divine creator are hardly distinctively Christian beliefs.

    This doesn’t change the fact that the culture of the British colonies that became the United States of America was a majority Christian culture. We can be thankful that it was, but that’s different than saying the founders used the Bible explicitly as the authoritative basis for our government. The negative results of intermixing religion and government in Europe had taught the founders that separation of church and state is a wise practice and is in the best interest of both parties. Let the government be the government.

    Isn’t quoting the Bible always good?

    Not exactly. On this point I am concerned about accuracy and tone. On the accuracy issue, the danger comes in misquoting or misapplying the Bible. On the tone issue, there’s a huge difference between an illustrative quote versus a direct call to obey the Bible. Most presidents have used Bible quotations in their speeches at one time or another, but I would guess never with a call for all Americans to submit to the Bible. Usually it’s a nice literary touch that connects with many Americans. In this case, exhortation is best left to the pulpit, not the government’s podium.

    I have no knowledge of Jeff Sessions’ personal religious views. If he is a Christian, I think it would be great for him to call people to consider obeying the government in light of Romans 13:1-7 in personal conversation, or in a church service, or at an evangelistic event, or even as a speaker at a conference on how the church and government should interact. But when a government official is standing behind that podium, they should defend policy on the basis of the policy itself. In other words, let the church be the church.

  • The Promised Land—Ezekiel 47:13-48:35

    The Promised Land—Ezekiel 47:13-48:35

    Take a moment to pray.  Ask God to speak to you through his word—for his Spirit to convict you of sin, teach you the truth, and lead you in walking by faith.

    Setting the Scene

    “The Presence Of God Is The Best Privilege Of His Church. It is her glory that ‘the Lord is there.’”

    -C.H. Spurgeon

    Where are you going?  Every day we make choices about what to do or not do based on explicit or implicit goals.  Our life has a trajectory: we want to get here in our schooling, there in our career; here with our family, there with our friends.  Christians understand that ultimately we have a destination—a future home with God.  But how often do we let that reality inform our interpretation of our current circumstances.

    Put another way, we can ask ourselves, where do we belong?  It’s easy to feel out of place at school or work.  Even in our families we can feel a sense of displacement (especially in broken families).  Our hearts long for a home, and not just any home.  God created us to long for him.

    In the climactic conclusion of Ezekiel’s fourth vision he sees God’s people finally restored to the promised land, dwelling with God directly.  It is no mistake that this vision culminates in the exact opposite of Israel’s circumstances in exile in Babylon in the 6th century BC.  In the vision, God highlights not only the renewal of the land physically, but also specific land allotments for each tribe.  His people have a place, and their place is with him.

    We have a place, and our place is with him.  As we walk through the end of Ezekiel’s last vision, don’t miss the significance that God will not only heal the land, but he has designated an inheritance, a piece of the land for his people.  What will happen on this land?  He will dwell with his people.

    As you read, remember to compare this section with the earlier tribal allotment sections of the Bible, especially Joshua 13:1-19:48.  Israel was in exile due to their sin, but God’s gracious covenant faithfulness meant that they had hope in him.  What they didn’t realize was that his place was a much bigger land for a much bigger people.

    Ezekiel 47:13-48:35

    Ezek. 47:13 This is what the Lord GOD says: “This is the border you will use to divide the land as an inheritance for the twelve tribes of Israel. Joseph will receive two shares. 14 You will inherit it in equal portions, since I swore to give it to your ancestors. So this land will fall to you as an inheritance.

    As promised to the patriarchs, God here renews his commitment to divide the land among the twelve tribes.  Joseph receives two portions (Ephraim and Manasseh), and therefore a total of 13 tribal land allotments are described.

    Ezek. 47:15 This is to be the border of the land:  On the north side it will extend from the Mediterranean Sea by way of Hethlon and Lebo-hamath to Zedad, 16 Berothah, and Sibraim (which is between the border of Damascus and the border of Hamath), as far as Hazer-hatticon, which is on the border of Hauran. 17 So the border will run from the sea to Hazar-enon at the border of Damascus, with the territory of Hamath to the north. This will be the northern side.

    This northern border is further north that it was when Israel was taken into exile.

    Ezek. 47:18 On the east side it will run between Hauran and Damascus, along the Jordan between Gilead and the land of Israel; you will measure from the northern border to the eastern sea. This will be the eastern side.

    Ezek. 47:19 On the south side it will run from Tamar to the Waters of Meribath-kadesh, and on to the Brook of Egypt as far as the Mediterranean Sea. This will be the southern side.

    Ezek. 47:20 On the west side the Mediterranean Sea will be the border, from the southern border up to a point opposite Lebo-hamath. This will be the western side.

    Remember that the original readers of this vision would have been able to picture some of these locations, brining to mind a strong nostalgia and reminder of God’s promises to Abraham.

    Ezek. 47:21 “You are to divide this land among yourselves according to the tribes of Israel. 22 You will allot it as an inheritance for yourselves and for the aliens residing among you, who have fathered children among you. You will treat them like native-born Israelites; along with you, they will be allotted an inheritance among the tribes of Israel. 23 In whatever tribe the alien resides, you will assign his inheritance there.” This is the declaration of the Lord GOD.

    Note that in this vision these tribal zip codes weren’t only for ethnic Israelites, they were also for the foreigners among them.  This is a hint that God’s plan is bigger than just physical descendants of Abraham.

    As you read the specific tribal allotments below, notice that the tribal borders are idealized- they run from east to west in straight lines.  Second, the focus of the description is on the Lord’s portion, where the Levites dwell and work, and the city in the center of it.  In fact, the city is essentially the center of the land, with the tribes extending north and south from it.  The bullseye of the vision is God’s people dwelling in the restored land, with God at the center.

    Ezek. 48:1 “Now these are the names of the tribes: From the northern end, along the road of Hethlon, to Lebo-hamath as far as Hazar-enon, at the northern border of Damascus, alongside Hamath and extending from the eastern side to the sea, will be Dan—one portion. 2 Next to the territory of Dan, from the east side to the west, will be Asher—one portion. 3 Next to the territory of Asher, from the east side to the west, will be Naphtali—one portion. 4 Next to the territory of Naphtali, from the east side to the west, will be Manasseh—one portion. 5 Next to the territory of Manasseh, from the east side to the west, will be Ephraim—one portion. 6 Next to the territory of Ephraim, from the east side to the west, will be Reuben—one portion. 7 Next to the territory of Reuben, from the east side to the west, will be Judah—one portion.

    Ezek. 48:8 “Next to the territory of Judah, from the east side to the west, will be the portion you donate to the LORD, 8 1⁄3 miles wide, and as long as one of the tribal portions from the east side to the west. The sanctuary will be in the middle of it.

    Ezek. 48:9 “The special portion you donate to the LORD will be 8 1⁄3 miles long and 3 1⁄3 miles miles wide. 10 This holy donation will be set apart for the priests alone. It will be 8⁄3 miles long on the northern side, 3 1⁄3 miles wide on the western side, 3 1⁄3 miles wide on the eastern side, and 8 1⁄3 miles long on the southern side. The LORD’s sanctuary will be in the middle of it. 11 It is for the consecrated priests, the sons of Zadok, who kept my charge and did not go astray as the Levites did when the Israelites went astray. 12 It will be a special donation for them out of the holy donation of the land, a most holy place adjacent to the territory of the Levites./

    Note that there Zadok’s family is highlighted as the priestly family of faithfulness.  This is a throwback reference to 2 Samuel and Zadok’s faithful service in the midst of David’s family drama.  This serves to remind the exiles reading the vision that faithfulness to God is always their best choice, even in difficult circumstances.

    Ezek. 48:13 “Next to the territory of the priests, the Levites will have an area 8 1⁄3 miles long and 3 1⁄3 miles wide. The total length will be 8 1⁄3 miles and the width 3 1⁄3 miles. 14 They must not sell or exchange any of it, and they must not transfer this choice part of the land, for it is holy to the LORD.

    The Levites are forbidden from selling or trading their tribal allotment—the Lord must always be in the center of his people.

    Ezek. 48:15“The remaining area, 1 2⁄3 miles wide and 8 1⁄3 miles long, will be for common use by the city, for both residential and open space. The city will be in the middle of it.  16 These are the city’s measurements: 1 1⁄2 miles on the north side;1 1⁄2 miles on the south side; 1 1⁄2 miles on the east side; and 1 1⁄2 miles on the west side.

    Ezek. 48:17 The city’s open space will extend: 425 feet to the north, 425 feet to the south, 425 feet to the east, and 425 feet to the west.

    Ezek. 48:18 “The remainder of the length alongside the holy donation will be 3 1⁄3 miles to the east and 3 1⁄3 miles to the west. It will run alongside the holy donation. Its produce will be food for the workers of the city.  19 The city’s workers from all the tribes of Israel will cultivate it. 20 The entire donation will be 8 1⁄3 miles by 8 1⁄3 miles; you are to set apart the holy donation along with the city property as a square area.//Ezek. 48:21 “The remaining area on both sides of the holy donation and the city property will belong to the prince. He will own the land adjacent to the tribal portions, next to the 8 1⁄3 miles of the donation as far as the eastern border and next to the 8 1⁄3 miles of the donation as far as the western border. The holy donation and the sanctuary of the temple will be in the middle of it. 22 Except for the Levitical property and the city property in the middle of the area belonging to the prince, the area between the territory of Judah and that of Benjamin will belong to the prince.

    Ezek. 48:23 “As for the rest of the tribes: From the east side to the west, will be Benjamin—one portion. 24 Next to the territory of Benjamin, from the east side to the west, will be Simeon—one portion. 25 Next to the territory of Simeon, from the east side to the west, will be Issachar—one portion. 26 Next to the territory of Issachar, from the east side to the west, will be Zebulun—one portion. 27 Next to the territory of Zebulun, from the east side to the west, will be Gad—one portion. Ezek. 48:28 Next to the territory of Gad toward the south side, the border will run from Tamar to the Waters of Meribath-kadesh, to the Brook of Egypt, and out to the Mediterranean Sea. 29 This is the land you are to allot as an inheritance to Israel’s tribes, and these will be their portions.” This is the declaration of the Lord GOD.

    Having finished with the tribal allotments, Ezekiel focuses in one last time on the city in the center of the land.

    Ezek. 48:30 “These are the exits of the city: On the north side, which measures 1 1⁄2 miles,  31  there will be three gates facing north, the gates of the city being named for the tribes of Israel: one, the gate of Reuben; one, the gate of Judah; and one, the gate of Levi. 32 On the east side, which is 1 1⁄2 miles, there will be three gates: one, the gate of Joseph; one, the gate of Benjamin; and one, the gate of Dan. 33 On the south side, which measures 1 1⁄2 miles, there will be three gates: one, the gate of Simeon; one, the gate of Issachar; and one, the gate of Zebulun. 34 On the west side, which is 1 1⁄2 miles, there will be three gates: one, the gate of Gad; one, the gate of Asher; and one, the gate of Naphtali.

    Ezek. 48:35  The perimeter of the city will be six miles, and the name of the city from that day on will be, The LORD Is There.”

    This last sentence in the book is somewhat shocking.  Everyone knows the name of the city described in the vision—the city where the Lord’s temple is, where priests serve and the people gather to worship.  It’s name is Jerusalem.  While that is true, this city will have a better name: The LORD Is There.  Jerusalem is a fine name historically, but theologically it just doesn’t say enough.  Why is this place so special?  Because it is here where God will dwell with his people forever.  This is where we belong.

    The Big Picture

    In Revelation, the apostle John saw the new heaven and earth, and he saw the new Jerusalem descend from God to the earth.  His angelic guide said, “Look, God’s dwelling is with humanity, and he will live with them. They will be his peoples, and God himself will be with them and will be their God.  He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; grief, crying, and pain will be no more, because the previous things have passed away” (Revelation 21:3-4).   The city he saw also had twelve gates, but crucially it had no temple.

    Due to this major difference, some commentators have decided they must be different cities.  Ezekiel is describing Jerusalem during the millennial kingdom and John see’s the new Jerusalem.  However, John gives us more to go on.  He said, “I did not see a temple in it, because the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb are its temple” (Revelation 21:22).  Furthermore, he saw a river flowing from God’s throne, the trees of life on the edge of river, including the description of their leaves as the healing for the nations (Revelation 22:1-2).

    The curse has been removed!  Adam’s failure in Eden is finally undone.  God’s people can finally rest.  They are finally home.  Sin and death are no more.  All will finally be as it should be, because God has been faithful to fulfill his promises.

    The New Jerusalem is The LORD Is There.  There is no temple because God the Father, God the Son as the Lamb, and God the Spirit indwelling the church will be there.  This city is the center of the new earth, with all nations living without sin or sorrow in submission to God.  This will be our home forever, and because the Lord will be there, it will be all we ever need.

    Taking It Home

    This city is where we belong.  Living in direct fellowship with God is exactly what Jesus died to provide for us.  Our inheritance is him.  Rather than frustrate people in exile, people hurting due to sin’s destruction, this vision reminds us where we are headed.  So how exactly does this help us today?

    First, we must keep God at the center of our lives.  He will be the center of our lives eternally, so that is all the more reason to keep him at the center now while we are in exile.  This means we view every day as a day of worship, valuing God more than anything else.

    Second, when we are hurting we must remember that hurt is temporary.  Ezekiel’s vision reminded Israel that although they were far from home, this wasn’t the end of their story.  In the same way, your pain, sickness, and hurt isn’t the end of the story.  Not only will it end, but you will literally enjoy eternal life.

    Third, when we feel lost, we need to remember that we have a place.  The reserved seating Ezekiel describes for the tribes reminds them that God hasn’t forgotten them, and that they have a place set aside for them in his promised land.  You are not lost.  God hasn’t forgotten you.  On the contrary, Peter reminds us,

    “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead and into an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you. You are being guarded by God’s power through faith for a salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time” (1 Peter 1:3-5).

    Ultimately, God himself is our inheritance.  We will finally be home, because the Lord is there.

    Pray

    • Ask God to give you an excitement for spending eternity with him.  Honestly confess what earthly passions distract you from God’s glory.
    • Ask God to give you the wisdom to keep him at the center of your life.  Confess any areas of life where God is not your central focus.  Ask for wisdom to make the changes you need to make.
    • Praise God for his plan to restore creation to what he intends it to be.  Praise Jesus for dying to rescue us from the curse of sin, and for providing us with an eternal home with him.
  • Desert No More—Ezekiel 47:1-12

    Desert No More—Ezekiel 47:1-12

    Take a moment to pray. Ask God to speak to you through his word—for his Spirit to convict you of sin, teach you the truth, and lead you in walking by faith.

    Setting the Scene

    The ultimate goal of our salvation is not merely our deliverance from God’s judgment, it is the gift of eternal life with God. Ezekiel’s fourth vision climaxes with a glorious vista of the restoration of the promised land healed from the disease of sin—the place where God’s people will dwell with him forever. This part of the vision is especially helpful to us when sin’s effects do us harm, physically and spiritually.

    To feel the full impact of this vision, we have to remember why Israel’s time in exile was so traumatic. They had been taken into exile—first the northern kingdom by Assyria in 722 BC and later the southern kingdom by Babylon culminating in 586 BC. This meant that God’s people were not dwelling in the land God had promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. God’s faithfulness was on the line.

    Up to this point in the vision God has shown Ezekiel the ideal Israelite community complete with a new temple and functioning priesthood. But now he focuses on the land itself. He highlights the renewal of the land physically, a dramatic picture of the lush provision of the new earth where we will dwell with God forever.

    Ezekiel 47:1-12

    Ezek. 47:1Then he brought me back to the entrance of the temple and there was water flowing from under the threshold of the temple toward the east, for the temple faced east. The water was coming down from under the south side of the threshold of the temple, south of the altar. 2 Next he brought me out by way of the north gate and led me around the outside to the outer gate that faced east; there the water was trickling from the south side. 3 As the man went out east with a measuring line in his hand, he measured off a third of a mile and led me through the water. It came up to my ankles. 4 Then he measured off a third of a mile and led me through the water. It came up to my knees. He measured off another third of a mile and led me through the water. It came up to my waist. 5 Again he measured off a third of a mile, and it was a river that I could not cross on foot. For the water had risen; it was deep enough to swim in, a river that could not be crossed on foot.

    This river flowing from the temple will bring life to the land. The vision pictures God himself as the source of this river of life. All life is dependent on God, including spiritual life and the eternal restoration of creation. In the eternal state on the new earth, our spiritual life will be a physical existence. In this vision, the point is clear: God will renew creation, providing life where there was none.

    Ezek. 47:6 He asked me, “Do you see this, son of man?” Then he led me back to the bank of the river. 7 When I had returned, I saw a very large number of trees along both sides of the riverbank. 8 He said to me, “This water flows out to the eastern region and goes down to the Arabah. When it enters the sea, the sea of foul water, the water of the sea becomes fresh. 9 Every kind of living creature that swarms will live wherever the river flows, and there will be a huge number of fish because this water goes there. Since the water will become fresh, there will be life everywhere the river goes. 10 Fishermen will stand beside it from En-gedi to En-eglaim. These will become places where nets are spread out to dry. Their fish will consist of many different kinds, like the fish of the Mediterranean Sea. 11 Yet its swamps and marshes will not be healed; they will be left for salt. 12 All kinds of trees providing food will grow along both banks of the river. Their leaves will not wither, and their fruit will not fail. Each month they will bear fresh fruit because the water comes from the sanctuary. Their fruit will be used for food and their leaves for medicine.”

    This river will renew the land by irrigated trees, and it will renew the Dead Sea. Today the Dead Sea is the lowest place on earth. Because it has no outlet, everything that flows into it stays put. Due to the rate of condensation, many natural chemicals are left in the water resulting in a lifeless sea. In the vision, this river from the temple will bring life to the Dead Sea. Furthermore, the trees that grow on the banks of the river will bear fruit every month rather than every year, fruit for food and healing.

    This life-giving river pictures God’s provision for us.  What we want most, fulfillment and satisfaction, can only be found in God’s provision. God reveals this to Ezekiel by showing him a grand view of the land restored. This message would have encouraging Israel in exile, sitting in Babylon, having left a broken land behind.

    The Big Picture

    Not only will God be faithful to return Abraham’s descendants to the promised land, he will also renew the land itself. The New Testament clarifies that this promise is not only for believing Jews, but for believing Gentiles as well. Furthermore, it is the Messiah, the descendant from Abraham promised in Genesis, who will accomplish this restoration. He is the source of life.

    At one key moment in Jesus’ ministry he attend the feast of Tabernacles at the temple in Jerusalem. At the climactic moment on the last day of the feast the priests would pour out water at the temple, reminding the people of God’s provision of water for his people in the wilderness. Just as this was happening, the apostle John tells us, “On the last and most important day of the festival, Jesus stood up and cried out, ‘If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink.’”

    Jesus consciously identified himself as the source of spiritual life. He links his work with the provision of water in the wilderness, and he offers to anyone who will come to him the blessing of eternal satisfaction. This river of life in Ezekiel’s fourth vision is Jesus’ river.

    At the end of the New Testament the apostle John himself is given a vision of the new earth and the new Jerusalem. Not surprisingly he sees a river running from the throne of God and the Lamb right through the city. Note the similar (sometimes identical phrasing) to Ezekiel,

    “Then he showed me the river of the water of life, clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the city’s main street. The tree of life was on each side of the river, bearing twelve kinds of fruit, producing its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree are for healing the nations, and there will no longer be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will worship him.”

    Jesus’ provision heals the conflict between nations due to sin. Jesus’ provision eliminates the curse of sin on the earth and undoes the damage of Eden. Jesus’ provision enables the tree of life to provide eternal sustenance. In short, without Jesus, there is no life.

    Taking It Home

    What Ezekiel sees in this fourth vision is where all believers are headed: a renewed earth, free of the curse of sin. In this perfect environment we will live with every craving satisfied by Jesus’ provision. This vision is not merely meant to give us a nice image, it is meant to sustain our faith when we most definitely are feeling the curse of sin.

    Don’t forget that the Israelites who first received this vision were in exile, living in a broken land. When we feel the impact of sin in our world—sickness, disease, suffering, natural disasters, death—we need a reminder of what God will do to this earth. Yes, for the moment, the suffering still stings. But Jesus’ provision for us cannot be stopped.

    This vision may be the best antidote for depression or frustration with our circumstances. The image of fresh, life-giving water healing the land is meant to nourish our souls. Jesus is not only the source of life, he is life. Given this reality, we can be content to trust God in the desert for a while. Yes, we may be thirsty, but because of Jesus’ work, we know our future will be in the lush promised land. In the meantime, our best course is to cling to him and to his promise.

    Pray

    • Confess any anxiety, frustration, or bitterness regarding your current circumstances to the Lord. Identify the ways that sin’s effects are impacting you, perhaps even causing you to suffer.
    • Praise God for the promise that he will restore creation, removing the curse of sin. Praise Jesus for dying to redeem us and creation.
    • Ask God to increase your faith in him and his promises. Praise him that we have hope even in the midst of suffering because he is faithful.
  • Society as It Should Be- Ezekiel 45:1-46:24

    Society as It Should Be- Ezekiel 45:1-46:24

    Take a moment to pray. Ask God to speak to you through his word—for his Spirit to convict you of sin, teach you the truth, and lead you in walking by faith.

    Setting the Scene

    “When the believer enters heaven I believe his imagination will be thoroughly satisfied. All he has ever thought of he will there see; every holy idea will be solidified; every mighty conception will become a reality, every glorious imagination will become a tangible thing that he can see. His imagination will not be able to think of anything better than heaven; and should he sit down through eternity, he would not be able to conceive of anything that should outshine the luster of that glorious city.”

    -C. H. Spurgeon

    Since Genesis 3, every community on earth has been stained with sin. This means theft, deception, murder, inequality, injustice. This means there is a daily reminder for the need of law and law enforcement. There is an ever present demand for judges to render fair decisions.  Likewise, there is an ever present need for protection for those accused from corrupt judges.  The evidence of our brokenness is all around us.

    In Ezekiel’s climactic 4th vision we get a glimpse of the ideal community. This week we will consider the 5th part of this vision, in which God shows Ezekiel portions of the city that should be set aside for the priests, and portions that should be set aside for princes (or rulers).

    The major theme of this section is civic leadership that protects the people and facilitates worship of God at the renewed temple. The people will have access to God at the new temple, they will have a functioning and sanctified priesthood enabling worship, and they will have leaders who promote and provide for worship.

    As you read, note the stark contrast between this ideal and the reality on the ground. Ezekiel’s first readers and hearers, Israelites in exile in Babylon, didn’t even have access to the temple. Sinful corruption and worship of false gods had led to the destruction of their culture. They needed a vision of a better community, what their city would be like when God finally removed the problem of sin. We need this vision just as much as they did. Our headlines remind us on a daily basis of just how much sin has stained our cities. Thankfully, by God’s grace and power, we have something to look forward to.

    Ezekiel 45:1-46:24

    Ezek. 45:1    “When you divide the land by lot as an inheritance, set aside a donation to the LORD, a holy portion of the land, 81⁄3 milesc long and 62⁄3 miles wide. This entire region will be holy.  2 In this area there will be a square sectiona for the sanctuary, 875 by 875 feet, with 871⁄2 feet of open space all around it.  3 From this holy portion, you will measure off an area 81⁄3 miles long and 31⁄3 miles wide, in which the sanctuary, the most holy place, will stand. 4 It will be a holy area of the land to be used by the priests who minister in the sanctuary, who approach to serve the LORD. It will be a place for their houses, as well as a holy area for the sanctuary.  5 There will be another area 81⁄3 miles long and 31⁄3 miles wide for the Levites who minister in the temple; it will be their possession for towns to live in.

    This space would ensure that priests had adequate room to live with their families. They would need this space to function effectively as priests, living in close proximity to the temple.

    Ezek. 45:6    “As the property of the city, set aside an area 12⁄3 miles wide and 81⁄3 miles long, adjacent to the holy donation of land. It will be for the whole house of Israel.  7 And the prince will have the area on each side of the holy donation of land and the city’s property, adjacent to the holy donation and the city’s property, stretching to the west on the west side and to the east on the east side. Its length will correspond to one of the tribal portions from the western boundary to the eastern boundary.  8 This will be his land as a possession in Israel. My princes will no longer oppress my people but give the rest of the land to the house of Israel according to their tribes. 

    Most important here is the command to princes- they must no longer take advantage of the people, but provide rest for God’s people. This is a great snapshot of what quality government does: it facilitates the peaceful dwelling of people under the authority of God.

    Ezek. 45:9 “This is what the Lord GOD says: You have gone too far, princes of Israel! Put away violence and oppression and do what is just and right. Put an end to your evictions of my people.” This is the declaration of the Lord GOD. 10 “You are to have honest scales, an honest dry measure, and an honest liquid measure. 11 The dry measure and the liquid measure will be uniform, with the liquid measure containing 51⁄2 gallons and the dry measure holding half a bushel. Their measurement will be a tenth of the standard larger capacity measure. 12 The shekel will weigh twenty gerahs. Your mina will equal sixty shekels.

    The Lord gives Ezekiel more specifics regarding the princes—they must no longer care about their own profit or status more than the people. They were responsible for honest business practices (fair measures). Sin demands constant oversight and accountability for leaders, but in Ezekiel’s vision corrupt leaders will be a distant memory, not a present reality.

    Ezek. 45:13 “This is the contribution you are to offer: Three quarts from five bushels of wheat and three quarts from five bushels of barley. 14 The quota of oil in liquid measures will be one percent of every cor. The cor equals ten liquid measures or one standard larger capacity measure, since ten liquid measures equal one standard larger capacity measure. 15 And the quota from the flock is one animal out of every two hundred from the well-watered pastures of Israel. These are for the grain offerings, burnt offerings, and fellowship offerings, to make atonement for the people.” This is the declaration of the Lord GOD. 16 “All the people of the land must take part in this contribution for the prince in Israel. 17 Then the burnt offerings, grain offerings, and drink offerings for the festivals, New Moons, and Sabbaths—for all the appointed times of the house of Israel—will be the prince’s responsibility. He will provide the sin offerings, grain offerings, burnt offerings, and fellowship offerings to make atonement on behalf of the house of Israel.

    The people must make a sacrifice on behalf of the prince, and the prince will provide certain offerings for the people. Note the mutual concern here—neither taking advantage of the other, but rather each making provision so both the leadership and people are in a right relationship with God.

    Ezek. 45:18 “This is what the Lord GOD says: In the first month, on the first day of the month, you are to take a young, unblemished bull and purify the sanctuary. 19 The priest is to take some of the blood from the sin offering and apply it to the temple doorposts, the four corners of the altar’s ledge, and the doorposts of the gate of the inner court. 20 You are to do the same thing on the seventh day of the month for everyone who sins unintentionally or through ignorance. In this way you will make atonement for the temple.

    Not only are the priests to be dedicated to the Lord’s purposes, but even the temple building itself is to be atoned for. Every aspect of this visionary city must be set apart for God alone. This theme reverberates throughout this entire fourth vision: the ideal community, the heavenly reality, is when every single aspect of our lives is entirely dedicated to the Lord.

    Ezek. 45:21 “In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month, you are to celebrate the Passover, a festival of seven days during which unleavened bread will be eaten. 22 On that day the prince will provide a bull as a sin offering on behalf of himself and all the people of the land. 23 During the seven days of the festival, he will provide seven bulls and seven rams without blemish as a burnt offering to the LORD on each of the seven days, along with a male goat each day for a sin offering. 24 He will also provide a grain offering of half a bushel per bull and half a bushel per ram, along with a gallon of oil for every half bushel. 25 At the festival that begins on the fifteenth day of the seventh month, he will provide the same things for seven days—the same sin offerings, burnt offerings, grain offerings, and oil.

    Instead of forgotten rituals or money making opportunities, Israel’s feasts would be observed as they designed to be. God’s people would make the appropriate sacrifices, remembering God’s remarkable provision for them.

    Ezek. 46:1 “This is what the Lord GOD says: The gate of the inner court that faces east is to be closed during the six days of work, but it will be opened on the Sabbath day and opened on the day of the New Moon. 2 The prince should enter from the outside by way of the gate’s portico and stand at the gate’s doorpost while the priests sacrifice his burnt offerings and fellowship offerings. He will bow in worship at the gate’s threshold and then depart, but the gate is not to be closed until evening. 3 The people of the land will also bow in worship before the LORD at the entrance of that gate on the Sabbaths and New Moons.

    The prince will prioritize worship and the Sabbath day. He will lead the people as an example of faith in action and worship. The people will stand and worship with the prince, observing the Sabbath law as God intended. In Ezekiel’s time Israel violated the Sabbath principle often. Rather than trust God for provision, they focused on making more profit. Rather than prioritize worship, they prioritized self.

    Ezek. 46:4 “The burnt offering that the prince presents to the LORD on the Sabbath day is to be six unblemished lambs and an unblemished ram. 5 The grain offering will be half a bushel with the ram, and the grain offering with the lambs will be whatever he wants to give, as well as a gallon of oil for every half bushel. 6 On the day of the New Moon, the burnt offering is to be a young, unblemished bull, as well as six lambs and a ram without blemish. 7 He will provide a grain offering of half a bushel with the bull, half a bushel with the ram, and whatever he can afford with the lambs, together with a gallon of oil for every half bushel. 8 When the prince enters, he is to go in by way of the gate’s portico and go out the same way.

    Once again, the prince is pictured providing sacrifices. In this case, it’s the Sabbath day sacrifices. This is not only a sacrifice of time, it is a sacrifice of money as well. Every aspect of Israel’s government will be dedicated to God’s purposes.

    Ezek. 46:9 “When the people of the land come before the LORD at the appointed times, whoever enters by way of the north gate to worship is to go out by way of the south gate, and whoever enters by way of the south gate is to go out by way of the north gate. No one may return through the gate by which he entered, but is to go out by the opposite gate. 10 When the people enter, the prince will enter with them, and when they leave, he will leave. 11 At the festivals and appointed times, the grain offering will be half a bushel with the bull, half a bushel with the ram, and whatever he wants to give with the lambs, along with a gallon of oil for every half bushel.

    We aren’t totally clear on the reason for this traffic direction, other than simple crowd control. Think about the fact that so many people will be coming to worship the Lord, there has to be a well thought out plan of access.

    Ezek. 46:12 “When the prince makes a freewill offering, whether a burnt offering or a fellowship offering as a freewill offering to the LORD, the gate that faces east is to be opened for him. He is to offer his burnt offering or fellowship offering just as he does on the Sabbath day. Then he will go out, and the gate is to be closed after he leaves.

    Ezekiel’s vision continues to focus on the prince as a lead worshipper. This instruction is distinct from the other sacrifices he was to make. Freewill offerings were just that, made at the discretion of the worshipper.

    Ezek. 46:13 “You are to offer an unblemished year-old male lamb as a daily burnt offering to the LORD; you will offer it every morning. 14 You are also to prepare a grain offering every morning along with it: three quarts, with one-third of a gallon of oil to moisten the fine flour—a grain offering to the LORD. This is a permanent statute to be observed regularly. 15 They will offer the lamb, the grain offering, and the oil every morning as a regular burnt offering.

    How often would the prince be actively making sacrifices to the Lord? Daily. Worship will be a daily priority for the leaders of the people.

    Ezek. 46:16 “This is what the Lord GOD says: If the prince gives a gift to each of his sons as their inheritance, it will belong to his sons. It will become their property by inheritance. 17 But if he gives a gift from his inheritance to one of his servants, it will belong to that servant until the year of freedom, when it will revert to the prince. His inheritance belongs only to his sons; it is theirs. 18 The prince must not take any of the people’s inheritance, evicting them from their property. He is to provide an inheritance for his sons from his own property, so that none of my people will be displaced from his own property.”

    Crucially, in this vision of the restoration of Israel to their home, they cannot lose their tribal inheritance. Even the prince himself cannot permanently give away his land inheritance. Why is this so important? Because God had promised the land blessing to his people. Each tribe having a place was evidence of God’s faithfulness to fulfill his promises.

    Ezek. 46:19 Then he brought me through the entrance that was at the side of the gate, into the priests’ holy chambers, which faced north. I saw a place there at the far western end. 20 He said to me, “This is the place where the priests will boil the guilt offering and the sin offering, and where they will bake the grain offering, so that they do not bring them into the outer court and transmit holiness to the people.” 21 Next he brought me into the outer court and led me past its four corners. There was a separate court in each of its corners. 22 In the four corners of the outer court there were enclosed courts, 70 feet long by 521⁄2 feet wide. All four corner areas had the same dimensions. 23 There was a stone wall around the inside of them, around the four of them, with ovens built at the base of the walls on all sides. 24 He said to me: “These are the kitchens where those who minister at the temple will cook the people’s sacrifices.”

    Finally, God shows Ezekiel where much of priestly work would happen. Again, the focus is on holiness: dedication to the Lord. The kitchens were designed to be protected from contamination by any who might be ritually impure. The sacrifices and sacrificial meals will be holy, set apart as God directed.

    The Big Picture

    Ever since the garden in Eden sin has been the problem. Ever since God gave Israel his law, they have broken it. Every nation, people, community, and city knows the heartache that sin produces in a culture. Yet one day the city will be made right. All human culture will literally be devoted to God and his agenda. He will be the center focus. Worship will be the daily agenda of the government. People will live at peace, putting God first.

    Some commentators think the prince in this vision is Jesus the Messiah. This is unlikely, however, because this prince is clearly offering sacrifices. He stands for human government. It is important to note that he’s a prince, or leader, and not a king. The King Jesus will reign. The prince here represents the redemption of human government functioning under the ultimate authority of Jesus.

    Jesus himself embodies what government should be: holy, focused on God’s glory, protecting the people, leading the people in worship. Imagine a society where every person made daily sacrifices to the Lord a priority. Imagine a society where God’s agenda was everyone’s agenda. We call that society heaven, the dwelling of God with man.

    In the Lord’s prayer Jesus taught us to pray that God’s kingdom would come and that his will would be done on earth as it is in heaven. This vision captures that sentiment. In short, human culture will be what God designed to be: holy. Perhaps this is what the apostle Paul had in mind in Philippians 1:27 when he commands us, “Just one thing: As citizens of heaven, live your life worthy of the gospel of Christ.”

    Taking It Home

    So what? This vision is relevant for us in three clear ways. First, it is relevant when we see the brokenness and corruption of our culture/society/government. We see this in many different ways- both on corporate and individual levels. When we are overcome with despair at how things are, we need to remember that God has promised this is not how things will be.

    Second, we need this vision to understand how we should live in our present less-than-ideal communities. Yes, they’re not holy, but we can be. Our government may not be dedicated to worship every day, but we can be. By focusing on God’s purposes for our daily lives, we can actually make a difference in our little corner of the world.

    Third, when our government fails, we must be reminded that it always will until Jesus sets up his government on earth. This is where theology and politics must mix. Our greatest hope isn’t in a political party, or even a political system. It’s in the person of Jesus Christ. The prince who leads under Jesus’ reign, with a focus on worshipping the risen Lord, is the one who will lead God’s people to do the same.

    Pray

    • Pray for our leaders and government. Ask God to grant them wisdom to make just decisions that enable us to live at peace, worshipping God.
    • Pray for our communities to be impacted by the growth of churches. Pray that people would come to faith in Jesus, and as they do so that our towns and cities would provide a measure of relief from the destruction of sin.
    • Praise Jesus for being the leader we need, and pray that he would return soon. Praise him that because of his death, we can prioritize his kingdom over ours.
  • Dedication in the Details- Ezekiel 44:1-31

    Dedication in the Details- Ezekiel 44:1-31

    Take a moment to pray. Ask God to speak to you through his word—for his Spirit to convict you of sin, teach you the truth, and lead you in walking by faith.

    Setting the Scene

    One of the daily challenges we face as Christians is putting God first in every area of our lives. Often we will succeed in treating God as holy in our workplace only to fail at home or vice versa. We’ll succeed in our marriage, but fail in our finances. Sometimes we fall into a long term bad habit of not honoring God in an area of our lives. God calls us to more. He calls us to a consistent lifestyle of dedication to him in the details.

    As we continue to part four of Ezekiel’s fourth vision we read about access to the temple and the requirements for priests who will serve the Lord. These priests, especially the last group described, are a model of devotion to the Lord for all of Israel in exile. Israel had failed to believe the Lord and put him first, so God gives Ezekiel an instructive vision. He wants dedication in the details.

    Ezekiel 44:1-28

    Ezek. 44:1 The man then brought me back toward the sanctuary’s outer gate that faced east, and it was closed. 2 The LORD said to me: “This gate will remain closed. It will not be opened, and no one will enter through it, because the LORD, the God of Israel, has entered through it. Therefore it will remain closed. 3 The prince himself will sit in the gate to eat a meal before the LORD. He is to enter by way of the portico of the gate and go out the same way.”

    Even the gate that the Lord’s glory passed through to enter the temple was considered holy unto him, and therefore unusable to anyone else. This included the prince. It’s unusual for a prince or king to function in a priestly way, but here the prince is envisioned eating a sacrificial meal before the Lord. There’s not much to say about this, other than in Ezekiel’s vision ideal leadership is directly linked with worship of and dedication to the Lord.

    Ezek. 44:4 Then the man brought me by way of the north gate to the front of the temple. I looked, and the glory of the LORD filled his temple. And I fell facedown. 5 The LORD said to me: “Son of man, pay attention; look with your eyes and listen with your ears to everything I tell you about all the statutes and laws of the LORD’s temple. Take careful note of the entrance of the temple along with all the exits of the sanctuary.

    Once again Ezekiel sees the glory of God fill the temple, and once again he falls down to worship God. The angelic guide instructs him to pay attention to the commands, especially regarding who is to have access to the temple.

    Ezek. 44:6 “Say to the rebellious people, the house of Israel, ‘This is what the Lord GOD says: I have had enough of all your detestable practices, house of Israel. 7 When you brought in foreigners, uncircumcised in both heart and flesh, to occupy my sanctuary, you defiled my temple while you offered my food—the fat and the blood. You broke my covenant by all your detestable practices. 8 You have not kept charge of my holy things but have appointed others to keep charge of my sanctuary for you.’

    The Lord makes clear another area of sin that led to the exile: allowing ceremonially unclean people access to the temple. This wasn’t just about ethnicity, these were foreigners in both “heart and flesh.” Their hearts were foreign to the Lord. Israel had allowed Canaanite religious practices to influence theirs, probably by inviting pagan priests to observe and even advise them. They didn’t treat the holy instruments of the temple as holy. They didn’t treat the Lord as holy.

    It’s important to keep in mind that access to the temple was supposed to be strictly limited to those who had kept the law and had been purified by rituals and sacrifice. This breach of the temple’s holiness was an attack on God himself.

    Ezek. 44:9 “This is what the Lord GOD says: No foreigner, uncircumcised in heart and flesh, may enter my sanctuary, not even a foreigner who is among the Israelites. 10 Surely the Levites who wandered away from me when Israel went astray, and who strayed from me after their idols, will bear the consequences of their iniquity. 11 Yet they will occupy my sanctuary, serving as guards at the temple gates and ministering at the temple. They will slaughter the burnt offerings and other sacrifices for the people and will stand before them to serve them. 12 Because they ministered to the house of Israel before their idols and became a sinful stumbling block to them, therefore I swore an oath against them”—this is the declaration of the Lord GOD—“that they would bear the consequences of their iniquity. 13 They must not approach me to serve me as priests or come near any of my holy things or the most holy things. They will bear their disgrace and the consequences of the detestable acts they committed. 14 Yet I will make them responsible for the duties of the temple—for all its work and everything done in it.

    In the vision, the Levites who had committed these sins by allowing foreigners access to the temple would still be allowed to serve the Lord, but only as guards at the doors. They were relegated to edges of the temple, barely being allowed access themselves. They were forbidden from offering sacrifices or serving in any other capacity. This was the consequence of their sin. This downgrade was another way for the Lord to warn the people to treat him as holy. If the Levites weren’t immune from God’s judgement, who was? Even so, this judgment wasn’t without grace.

    Ezek. 44:15 “But the Levitical priests descended from Zadok, who kept charge of my sanctuary when the Israelites went astray from me, will approach me to serve me. They will stand before me to offer me fat and blood.” This is the declaration of the Lord GOD. 16 “They are the ones who may enter my sanctuary and approach my table to serve me. They will keep my mandate. 17 When they enter the gates of the inner court they are to wear linen garments; they must not have on them anything made of wool when they minister at the gates of the inner court and within it. 18 They are to wear linen turbans on their heads and linen undergarments around their waists. They are not to put on anything that makes them sweat. 19 Before they go out to the outer court, to the people, they must take off the clothes they have been ministering in, leave them in the holy chambers, and dress in other clothes so that they do not transmit holiness to the people through their clothes.

    In this vision, only a particular line of priests was permitted to serve the Lord by offering sacrifices. The family of Zadock had produced faithful priests, albeit as a minority. Thus they would be allowed to serve once again, assuming they followed the Lord’s prescribed rules. They were to serve in complete dedication to the Lord. Even their clothes were holy, and could not be worn for another purpose.

    Ezek. 44:20 “They may not shave their heads or let their hair grow long, but are to carefully trim their hair. 21 No priest may drink wine before he enters the inner court. 22 He is not to marry a widow or a divorced woman, but may marry only a virgin from the offspring of the house of Israel, or a widow who is the widow of a priest. 23 They are to teach my people the difference between the holy and the common, and explain to them the difference between the clean and the unclean.

    The priest’s entire life was to be lived in dedication to the Lord. This impacted who he could marry, when he could drink alcohol (he couldn’t risk serving the Lord drunk), and even how he could cut his hair. He should teach Israel how to treat the Lord as holy.
    Today this sounds silly. Dress codes, dating rules, dietary restrictions, and hair style limitations. Israel didn’t like it either. They wanted to do whatever they wanted, or at least whatever the other nations around them were doing. Does this sound familiar?

    This kind of holiness is exactly what God was calling Ezekiel’s audience to. They had profaned the Holy One. They needed to be taught again what it meant to put God first in everything—including diet, fashion, hair styles, and dating. We push back against this because on many days we just want to be our own god. Have you ever asked how God wants you to dress? Who God wants you to date? This is exactly the kind of detailed dedication to the Lord that he calls us to.

    Ezek. 44:24 “In a dispute, they will officiate as judges and decide the case according to my ordinances. They are to observe my laws and statutes regarding all my appointed festivals, and keep my Sabbaths holy. 25 A priest may not come near a dead person so that he becomes defiled. However, he may defile himself for a father, a mother, a son, a daughter, a brother, or an unmarried sister. 26 After he is cleansed, he is to count off seven days for himself. 27 On the day he goes into the sanctuary, into the inner court to minister in the sanctuary, he is to present his sin offering.” This is the declaration of the Lord GOD.

    The priests had to maintain their holiness, it wasn’t a one time dedication. God called them to a lifestyle of holiness. This was the only way Israel could live in relationship to the Lord. It’s the only way we can live in relationship to the Lord.

    Ezek. 44:28 “This will be their inheritance: I am their inheritance. You are to give them no possession in Israel: I am their possession. 29 They will eat the grain offering, the sin offering, and the guilt offering. Everything in Israel that is permanently dedicated to the LORD will belong to them. 30 The best of all the firstfruits of every kind and contribution of every kind from all your gifts will belong to the priests. You are to give your first batch of dough to the priest so that a blessing may rest on your homes. 31 The priests may not eat any bird or animal that died naturally or was mauled by wild beasts.

    The priests did not receive an inheritance of land because the Lord himself was their inheritance. The offerings of Israel to the Lord were shared with the priests. They were a set apart tribe. Their provision was secure in the dedication of the rest of Israel to the Lord.

    It’s easy to get distracted by the blessings God gives us. Here, the Levites are called to be fulfilled by their inheritance being not land, or money, but the Lord himself. In the vision, these Levites are functioning as an ideal for all Israel. Yes, they will be given land, but it’s the Lord who is their inheritance.

    The Big Picture

    Ezekiel’s fourth vision not only shows us a dedicated priesthood, but it offers a model for how believers should live. Jesus himself embodied this priestly role. He was entirely dedicated to his mission and the glory of God in every detail of his life and death.

    When we read the New Testament, we find out that every Christian is called to function as a priest. Peter, writing to Christians who were a minority in Asia Minor in the 1st century Roman empire, calls them to be priests. He writes, “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his possession, so that you may proclaim the praises of the one who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.”

    As Christians we must be set apart. We are a royal priesthood—royal because we are part of God’s family, priests because we are now dedicated to him in life and death. So often Christianity is presented in terms of salvation from damnation, which it is. But it’s so much more. When we come to faith in Jesus Christ we are not only gifted eternal life, we are given the privilege of living holy lives for the glory of God.

    Taking It Home

    As we think about this part of Ezekiel’s fourth vision, we must ask how are we living lives dedicated to God’s glory in the details. It’s helpful to think about different areas of your life: work or school, family relationships, sexual purity, finances, use of your speech, entertainment choices, political views, fashion choices, dietary decisions, and community involvement.

    Don’t just ask if you’re putting God first in all those areas, ask how am I putting God first. What does a Christian fashion choice look like? How should it be different from our culture? What does Christian dating look like? How should it be different from our culture? Everyone has particular areas where we struggle to be dedicated to the Lord. Be specific about yours.

    As you identify areas where you may be failing in holiness, don’t despair. Look to our great High Priest, Jesus Christ. His sacrifice means that you are forgiven for your failures. His faithfulness is the basis of your eternal security. Get up, dust yourself off, and get back to it. Imagine what our world would look like if everyone who claimed to be a follower of Jesus was dedicated to him in the details.

    Pray

    • Ask God to show you areas where you may be failing to live in holiness. Be ready to confess sin.
    • Praise God for sending Jesus to be our High Priest and our sacrifice. Praise Jesus for being a model of living dedicated to God’s glory.