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September 20, 2010 Ezekiel 41-43

Ezekiel and the sparkling man continued measuring the temple in Ezekiel's vision. In the main room they measured the doorway, and the room, then the man showed Ezekiel where the Holy of Holies was located. Then the man measured that doorway and room. The storage rooms were built beside the outer wall. The temple rested on a stone foundation. Ezekiel saw a building to the west and the man measured the temple. The inside of the temple had wood paneling with decorations carved into the wood of winged creatures and palm trees. The creatures had two faces, a human face on one side and a lion face on the other side. Ezekiel saw a wooden altar which the man measured and he told Ezekiel that it was to remind them that the Lord is constantly watching them. The doorways and porch are described.

After the man and Ezekiel left the temple, he showed Ezekiel where the priest's rooms were. These rooms were also measured and described in detail. There were rooms at the oposite end where the priests were to eat the offerings. They were to change their clothes before leaving the temple, and leave their sacred clothes there. Then the man took Ezekiel and measured the walls around the temple area (they were each 840 feet long) so the temple area was a perfect square. This wall separated the sacred from the ordinary.

The man took Ezekiel back to the east gate of the temple where he saw the brightness of the glory of the Lord. The sound was as loud as ocean waves and everything was shining with the brightness of the glory of God. Ezekiel bowed with his face to the ground and the Lord's Spirit lifted him up and carried him to the inner courtyard. The Lord told Ezekiel that the temple would be His throne on earth. If the people and their kings would stop worshiping idols and tear down their memorials, God would live with them. If the people were truly sorry for their sins, Ezekiel was to share these plans for the temple with them, and write down everything the Lord had told him. The most important part was that the temple was to be kept sacred. More details about the altar dimensions are given. Then the Lord told Ezekiel exactly what to do to have the altar dedicated. The Levites from the family of Zadok were the only people worthy to serve God in the temple. For seven days they were to offer a goat a bull and a ram as sacrifices for sin. From that day on the priests would offer sacrifices to God to ask His blessing. Then God would be pleased with the people of Israel.

Tomorrow read Ezekiel 44-47

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