Most Holy Place

And he measured the length of the room, twenty cubits, and its breadth, twenty cubits, across the nave. And he said to me, "This is the Most Holy Place."
Ezekiel 41:4

Ezekiel's tour of the temple proper began with a look at the Most Holy Place. This was the one room reserved for the biggest day of the year for Israel, the Day of Atonement. Only the High Priest could enter the Most Holy Place on this day. And there, one day each year was sprinkled the blood of a yearly unique sacrifice meant to atone for Israel's sin.

In the Most Holy Place stood the ark of the covenant. And in this place the presence of God was held in most sacred honor. This was the center of Jewish worship. And the temple had to be appreciated and understood from this part of its structure first.

Ezekiel's vision served as a reminder to exiled Israel of just how holy God is. They were reminded of the most sacred room in the temple. It had to draw them to the seriousness of sin and awesome scope of God's power to save. This idealized temple vision would continue to make the people aware of the holiness of God and the sacredness of their worship of The Lord Who dwelt with His presence among them in the Most Holy Place.

a temple like a city

In visions of God he brought me to the land of Israel, and set me down on a very high mountain, on which was a structure like a city to the south.
Ezekiel 40:2

The last section of the prophecies of Ezekiel form a description of the renewal of the land. The prophet tours the ideal temple and city and land. This description of a restored covenant has images of powerful physical description. This section contrasts drastically with the earlier tour of the temple, city, and land in which Ezekiel witnesses all the sinful pollution (chapters 8-11) that led to the exile. Now he is touring a holy and restored ideal for Israel.

The vision of this temple is long. It takes up the entirety of the end of the book of Ezekiel at nine chapters long. It is highly detailed and complex and can be readily blueprinted with a careful reading. The text is that specific. And you look at the size of it and you get blown away. This temple building is massive. Depending on the size standard of the cubit used, we could be looking at a complex spread out over a million square feet! This is a big deal! And it all exists for the worship of The Lord.

The point of this vision is that Israel needed a big challenge. They needed a big dream while in exile. You do not comfort a broken people with little thoughts. And this vision had to help propel them forward with redemptive hope. Envisioning a temple like a city helped to push the Jews beyond the crisis of their captivity. It gave them a hope for big freedom yet to come. It helped them know a gracious and mighty and powerful God.

God gave Israel a big dream as they held out hope for a restored nation. And that big dream kept them faithful. Lord, give us God-sized dreams! Help us see a temple like a city!

making Him known

Then they shall know that I am the LORD their God, because I sent them into exile among the nations and then assembled them into their own land. I will leave none of them remaining among the nations anymore. And I will not hide my face anymore from them, when I pour out my Spirit upon the house of Israel, declares the Lord GOD.
Ezekiel 39:28-29

The future that God declares for the Jewish people is that they will assemble from among all the nations in which they are scattered and return to the land of Promise. He will sovereignly intervene to assemble them. No Jew will remain outside the borders of Israel in that day.

Once again, in the reconstituted nation, the power of The Lord will be displayed in Israel. God was "hiding His face" in the scattering of the exile. But in the reassembled nation, His power and presence would be clearly known. Once again God's Spirit would be poured out upon the nation. And the world would know that He is God.

God's people exist to display the power of His presence and person. This was God's purpose for Israel. It is God's purpose even today. This specific set of promises applies exclusively to a future time for ethnic Israel. But the principle of God displaying Himself as His Spirit controls His people applies to all people whom He calls to Himself. God's Spirit resides within Christians. Are we making Him known in our world?

deliverance from the far off storm

After many days you will be mustered. In the latter years you will go against the land that is restored from war, the land whose people were gathered from many peoples upon the mountains of Israel, which had been a continual waste. Its people were brought out from the peoples and now dwell securely, all of them. You will advance, coming on like a storm. You will be like a cloud covering the land, you and all your hordes, and many peoples with you.
Ezekiel 38:8-9

In the recent context of the prophet Ezekiel, God has affirmed His restorative love for Israel. He has promised a people, in captivity in Babylon, that they will be returned to their homeland and restored as a nation. The hope is real. But we also see that it is eschatological. All through Ezekiel's prophecies there have been hints of a "far future" as well as a "near future" fulfillment to God's promises. Chapters 38 and 39 are the clearest explanation of the "far future" aspect of these promises.

God talks about a future enemy of a restored Israel. The identity of Gog and Magog is mysterious. We aren't quite sure where these strong military powers reside. The clues geographically seem to place them North and East of Israel. That puts Eurasia and Asia in the mix of biblical prophecy. When we read this text, the world seems to be watching these powers as they move against Israel. The words used to describe these conquests and alignment against Israel show us a massive army, respected and feared in the world, and bent on destruction.

Yet even in this overwhelming force, God will move to save Israel, literally from apocalypse. As Gog moves to sweep into the nation of Israel, earthquakes, storms, hailstones, fire, and sulphur rain down from the heavens destroying the army. God keeps true to His faithful love for His people, in the nick of time, even in a "far off" future.

Repetitive Love

They shall not defile themselves anymore with their idols and their detestable things, or with any of their transgressions. But I will save them from all the backslidings in which they have sinned, and will cleanse them; and they shall be my people, and I will be their God.
Ezekiel 37:23

God never just loves once
then turns away
distracted by other loves
leading us to dismay.

God's love is solid,
fierce, faithful and strong
He gives us what our spirits crave
and that for which our hearts always long.

God loves sinning hearts
that will return to His care
He forgives the worst failure
with a love that's always there.

God's restoring love reaches
to me at my worst sin;
shows me great understanding
and draws my heart to Him.

A cleansing mercy full of grace
marks His love for all
and restoration sanctification
lifts us up from the Fall.

A never ending cycle
of God's unfailing love
changes people, makes a Church,
and sets minds on things above.

the Israeli apologetic

Therefore say to the house of Israel, Thus says the Lord GOD: It is not for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am about to act, but for the sake of my holy name, which you have profaned among the nations to which you came.
Ezekiel 36:22

God's move to restore Israel was not predicated upon their merit as a nation. He did so to bring glory to Himself. It was all done for the sake of God's holy name. That is why God acts. His actions and works are rooted in His own holiness. And that is why He is God. Only God has the root of His motivation squarely centered in His own holiness. That is why His deeds are always right.

The promises made to Israel in this context are intense. God promises to restore them physically, nationally, economically, and most importantly, spiritually. He would restore the fortunes of His people so that the world would know that He is God. In that sense, Israel is an apologetic for the person of God and His work in the world.

In many ways this is still the case. Most of the dimensions of the prophetic content of Ezekiel 36 are still being fulfilled. So Israel is still a big testimony to the existence and grace of God. I know that I have no other explanation for the Jewish people than the hand of God clearly upon them. Given the history of the world, the Jews by all rights should have been eradicated millennia ago. Yet God has miraculously protected them and kept covenant with a less than perfect people. Israel is, for me, proof of the validity of scripture. And God has a unique relationship with the Jewish people still today that I respect, appreciate, and evaluate biblically.

God knows the heart

And you magnified yourselves against me with your mouth, and multiplied your words against me; I heard it.
Ezekiel 35:13

God does not act in a vacuum. His judgments are not unfounded in the facts. There are clear reasons for His actions. He does not arbitrarily react to those who disobey and turn from Him. There is clarity to His justice.

In the case of His statements against Edom, God acts because Edom has delighted in the downfall of Israel and Judah. And nothing that was said in Mount Seir caught God be surprise. When the people of Edom spoke against Israel and against the God of Israel, the Lord heard it. He was well aware of their attitudes and motivations.

Edom's pride was the primary problem addressed by the Lord. He was moved to judge that pride. Edom's statements magnified themselves against God. They thought their nation was stronger than God since they had rejoiced over the downfall of both Israel and Judah. And that rising pride caught the attention of the Lord. Ezekiel's message came to Edom well before judgment so that they would know the power of God.

No word we say, no attitude of our hearts is truly private and kept from God. He knows the thoughts and intentions of the heart. He knows when our rebel pride mocks Him. And He will break down the rebel stronghold so that He may be known.