EZEKIEL

Today, I finished up Ezekiel and read a few chapters into Daniel.  I marked something down in many chapters and only have time to comment on a few verses or thoughts.  Here they are: 1) Yesterday, I mentioned that Ezekiel is about judgment.  Reading today, I realized that is not all of the story.  It is about judgment for a purpose.  Sixty-three times in Ezekiel we have a verse that says:  "and they shall know that I am the LORD."   (or almost an exact quote)  So we see that judgment has a reason.  God wants all people to know that He is the LORD!  When God deals in our lives, He wants us to know it is Him working.  Let us choose to acknowledge Him in all that we do, and in all that He does. 2) SOUL-WARNING-Ezekiel 33:9  "Nevertheless, if thou warn the wicked of his way to turn from it; if he do not turn from his way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul."   We speak of Soul-Winning as leading others to Jesus Christ and so we ought to be actively engaged in this.  But, whether or not people ever get saved, we are to still warn them of the consequences of not trusting Christ as their Savior.  Be a soul-warn-er!  Pass out tracts, leave them around, speak up for Jesus! 3) SEPARATION- In Ezekiel 40-42, everything about the temple and temple grounds are measured.  It is quite interesting to read about how descriptive the Bible is on the temple.  In chapter 42, we see that the distance around the temple is measured at 500 reeds in all directions before we have the people living around the temple.  Now, a reed is 6 cubits which is about 18 inches (or a foot and a half) (so 9 feet).  Take 500 times 9 and get 4,500 feet around the temple.  Separation!  God wanted the people to not live closer than 4,500 feet from the temple.  (vs. 20- "... to make a separation between the sanctuary and the profane place."  (profane place being where the people lived.)  Now here is the thought:  The Temple of God was 4,500 feet away from the people and they were separated because of their sin.  Today, because of Jesus Christ, when we get saved, we become the temple of God and God dwells in us!  Now, there is no separation from God, only from the world.  Wow!  And... in Heaven, there will be no temple, for God will be closer to us... than in us!!  Think about that dear friend! 4) DON'T DRINK!  Ezekiel 44:21 says:  "Neither shall any priest drink wine, when they enter into the inner court."  The priest were not to drink wine in the presence of the temple.  Now, what does that have to do with us?  Well, we are the temple... and we have been made kings and priests of God.  Revelation 5:10  "And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth."   So... we should not drink wine; and, wine in the Bible was not strong drink, but strong drink was specifically for getting drunk.  So we should not be taking anything that is even mildly intoxicating.  Hey... that's my view on things!!  Well, time to go.  Have a blessed day!  Dr. Mike Mutchler *Hope you have been reading my blog and getting a truth or two from it.  If so, give me a reply every now and then to know you are out there!  Thanks!