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September 11th

The bible reading today is in Ezekiel 44,45.

“Then he brought me back to the outer gate of the sanctuary, which faces east. And it was shut.”

‭‭Ezekiel‬ ‭44:1‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Jesus, the “radiant man” in the Temple Mount Vision, was Ezekiel’s tour guide of the Millennial Kingdom Temple to come. Jesus took the prophet to the Eastern Gate for the third time. And again Jesus told Ezekiel to pay attention to what he sees.

That might sound odd to some, but maybe not for a couple of reasons. First, Ezekiel had the responsibility to teach the exiles “everything” in the divine vision. He needed to focus so that he wouldn't leave anything out.

Secondly...He was God’s man, but he was still a man. A man with flaws and human inabilities. Jesus would be aware of that and purposefully give him multiple opportunities to grasp well all the truth being shared with him.

God does the same thing with us friends. As disciples of Christ, we are to teach...pass on to family and friends...what God gives us from the Bible. So He says, “pay attention, don't leave out a thing from the life-giving gospel of Jesus".

And...Yes, we have the Holy Spirit residing within us, who guides us into all truth, yet each time we go over familiar parts of God’s word, The Spirit helps us to see some new revelation, some new application to our souls.

May the Lord take us to the eastern gates of His ways and will “three times” or as many times that it takes to understand and obey.

There was more than one gate into the inner courts of the Temple. But the vision given to Ezekiel showed the Eastern Gate closed. That would imply that all the other gates were open at all times to the worshippers.

So, wonder what the closed gate meant? I'm speculating a bit but here is where I stand. When Ezekiel saw the cloud of God’s glorious presence enter the Temple, he noticed that God entered through the Eastern Gate. God had taken possession of the House. And it was after God entered the Temple that the Eastern Gate was shut, forever. No ordinary man would ever pass that way again.

That may sound negative to some. I get it. But it could also mean that God would never leave the worshipping congregation of believers, made up of Jew and Gentile followers of Messiah Jesus.

Every time believers would pass that shut gate during that thousand-year reign of Christ upon the earth, before the final judgment upon Satan, believers would remember with faith and peace that God doesn't just dwell there, He dwells with us...Emanuel...Jesus...God with us! Praise His Name.

One more thought on the “shut Eastern Gate” to the Temple Mount...Remember when a burning bush that would not be consumed got Moses’ attention in the desert of Midian?

And do you remember when God spoke to Moses from that glorious bush? He told Moses to remove his sandals. For the ground was holy ground...God’s gound only.

When the Eastern Gate was shut for all time, could that be God’s way of saying “this gate is holy ground...God’s ground only?

Maybe so. I would bow and worship, wouldn't you?

Have a great day