We get a lot of hope from new beginnings don't we? At the new year, people make all kinds of resolutions, always in the hope that the coming year will be better than the last. More diets start on Monday, because, well...it's the beginning of a new week! Hope for change exists with the beginning of something new. Miss Stacey, from Anne of Green Gables, told Anne that "tomorrow is always fresh, with no mistakes in it." In case she isn't good enough authority for you, Lamentations 3:22-23 says: "Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness." Each morning starts with one thing: a sunrise. As we start our reading today, we are told of Ezekiel's vision of the greatest daybreak every to come. And it, just like every other sunrise we have ever seen, comes from the east.
The Lord parted the Red Sea with a "strong east wind." The star that guided the wise men to Jesus to worship is called the "eastern star." The wise men came from the east. The Mount of Olives, along with the garden of gethsemane- where Jesus prayed sweat drops of blood the night before he was crucified- is on the eastern side of Jerusalem. (Please also note that in Ezekiel 11:23, as God's glory leaves the city, it stopped over the Mount of Olives.) And, in Revelation, Jesus returns through the "eastern gate." Consistently over and over in scripture, good things- provision and blessing- come to the Israelites from the "east."
In the chapters today we see the hope God offers woven into a beautiful picture of redemption for us, as well as the Israelites. They are being offered a second chance. God re-iterates the law and commandments He gave to Moses. In chapter 43:12 God says; "This is the law of the temple: All the surrounding area on top of the mountain will be most holy. Such is the law of the temple." My Life Application Study Bible says this:
The basic law of God's temple is holiness. In all he does, God is holy, perfect and blameless. There is no trace of evil or sin in him. Just as God is holy, so are we to be holy. People are holy when they are devoted to God and separated from sin. If we do not understand the basic concept of holiness, we will never progress very far in our Christian growth.
All the law, everything commanded to the Israelites was to set them apart- to separate them from sin- to devote them to God. Jesus is our redemption from the east. He came to fulfill the law. The law of holiness. He is the only way we can be made holy. One day, He is going to come again and show his glory to the whole world- from the east. I love that God takes us back to exactly where we started from, and removes the barrier that we caused to be put in place. Only a God as great as He is could write such a perfectly entwined story.
As God commands them to rebuild their lives- he wants one thing to be clear. The temple and it's allotted land was to be the center of the nation. As God rebuilds our lives, he wants them to be centered on the worship of Him. No one "uncircumcised in heart and flesh" would be allowed into the temple. We know that we don't actually have to be circumcised- the New Testament makes that abundantly clear. But, we do need to make sure we are physically and spiritually prepared to worship God. Our LIVES are to be worship, as our bodies are now God's temple. Are you physically and spiritually prepared?
Maybe you're like me and thinking that you have a lot of changing to do. It can be overwhelming at times. The harder I try, sometimes it seems like the longer my list of faults to overcome gets. How many resolutions make it past January, if they make it that long? How many diets make it past Monday? The serpent who twisted the truth in the Garden of Eden wants us to believe the lie that we have to keep dragging the weight of mistakes from yesterday with us as we try and move into today. God offers us freedom from those weights, and a fresh start with new mercies every morning. We, just like the Israelites, have hope coming from the east. May our hope for change be in having Him at the center of our lives. Thank you Lord for returning to this fleshly temple.
Yes, I to feel like I have a lot of changing to do. I am also guilty of sometimes trying to tell God what I should do instead of Him telling me. I find though that the times that I let Him take control of my life things do work out so much better. Even so knowing this, I still at times try to control things. These great posts is making me look at my own faults and pray that God will use me as He sees fit not as I think. Thank you, Natalie, for a great post.
ReplyDeleteI love your references of the "east" in your post today. You have such a wonderful understanding of the deeper meanings when you post your chapters. Natalie, I thank God for you and your wisdom.
ReplyDeleteWhat a meaningful post today. Giving up "control" is very hard to do - I want things done the way I often see them needed and try to "help" God work them out the way I want. I'm working on changing that - but it is hard.. . "when Momma's not happy . . ." sort of thing, you know??
The children are studying Biblical Feasts in our curriculum this year, so this week we are looking at Rosh Hoshanah! (If I could be HALF the teach as Miss Stacey, Natalie, I'll be doing good!) It's the NEW YEAR for the Jewish calendar of 13 months, and we are celebrating spiritual renewal. Each day we blow the shofar as a reminder to pray and expect spiritual renewal, as we seek Him. How appropriate that all of these things are tying together so nicely with our prayer journals and daily reading through the Bible. The Lord is so gracious to me!!! I also love the references to the "east"....and was reminded that the temple in the desert faced the east. Good stuff, Natalie!
ReplyDeleteLOVE the "east" connections that you pointed out SO WELL in this post Natalie! I do just love the connectivity of Scripture...it never ceases to amaze me!!! It amazes me that the Lord chooses to dwell in this fleshly temple. Absolutely WONDERFUL post Natalie!!!!
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