As I was finishing Ezekiel today, I got bogged down with the details of a Temple that was never built. I was having difficulty understanding why God devoted such a large narrative to describing everything about the building.
Then in chapter 43 it tells Ezekiel to describe the temple so that Israel will be ashamed of their sins. I suppose that hearing the wonderful plans God had in store for them would make them ashamed that they ever turned their backs on Him in the first place.
It describes the Glory of the Lord returning to the temple and dwelling among them. It describes a River of Life flowing out of the temple. Then it closes with the name of the city that houses the temple:
The LORD Is There!
What a place to live! Who wouldn't want to live there! Real Estate values would skyrocket.
And yet...
We carry around in our bodies the Living God. The same sign should be on our clothes. People should be flocking towards us to share this gift from God!
Do people recognize that the Lord is here?
Do you feel ashamed of your sin when you realize the plans God has in store for you?
These are just some of the questions I have wrestled with in the closing chapters of Ezekiel. Next up is Daniel. I am looking forward to that.
No comments:
Post a Comment