separation

Ezekiel 42

v13

Then said he unto me, The north chambers [and] the south chambers, which [are] before the separate place, they [be] holy chambers, where the priests that approach unto the LORD shall eat the most holy things: there shall they lay the most holy things, and the meat offering, and the sin offering, and the trespass offering; for the place [is] holy.

There were special places in the temple that were supposed to be separate from other places and separate from other things because they were holy. Our lives, as the temple of the Lord, are supposed to be like that. Our hearts should be Holy and separate from sin, in order to offer service to the Lord.

the table before the Lord

Ezekiel 41

v22

The altar of wood [was] three cubits high, and the length thereof two cubits; and the corners thereof, and the length thereof, and the walls thereof, [were] of wood: and he said unto me, This [is] the table that [is] before the LORD.

This chapter continues to describe the pattern of the temple that some people believe is the Millennial Temple.

This [is] the table that [is] before the LORD.

This was just the dimensions of the altar of wood, but what it said stuck out to me. It reminded me of how we're always in front of the Lord's eyes and He can always see what we're doing. Sometimes we behave better when certain people are watching. We should behave like the Lord is right there watching, all the time, because He is.

the Ezekiel temple pattern

Ezekiel 40

v4

And the man said unto me, Son of man, behold with thine eyes, and hear with thine ears, and set thine heart upon all that I shall shew thee; for to the intent that I might shew [them] unto thee [art] thou brought hither: declare all that thou seest to the house of Israel.

Ezekiel 40 is a long chapter (49 verses), describing the pattern of a temple, with many measurements and details. Would I have been able to remember it all?

...hear with thine ears, and set thine heart upon all that I shall shew thee...

We should set our hearts on what we hear from the Lord.

A Thousand Thanksgivings

Please leave what you're thankful for in the comments! The idea is to get to one thousand things.

Dear God, Thank you for...

1. mercy
2. righteousness
3. peace
4. papas
5. moms
6. brothers
7. sisters
8. grandpas
9. grandmas
10. aunts
11. uncles
12. cousins
13. sleep
14. coffee
15. caffeine
16. dessert
17. snacks
18. breakfast
19. lunch
20. supper
21. ice cream
22. pizza
23. spaghetti
24. houses
25. health
26. computers
27. web sites
28. free software
29. Internet access
30. Google
31. bank accounts
32. stocks
33. jobs
34. education
35. ...

(I was originally going to start this on 2007-11-21 07:38)

because of sin

Ezekiel 39

v23

And the heathen shall know that the house of Israel went into captivity for their iniquity: because they trespassed against me, therefore hid I my face from them, and gave them into the hand of their enemies: so fell they all by the sword.

Ezekiel 39 concludes the judgment of Gog, talking about things like the incredible job it will be to bury them (v13). The idea is to show that the Lord is real. The reason His people were led into captivity before, was not because of a lack of the Lord defending His people. He does defend His people, and in extraordinary ways, like He defended them against Gog.

The reason the Lord would allow us to be destroyed by our enemies, is because of our sin. We should make sure we're on the Lord's good side.

things coming into mind

Ezekiel 38

v10

Thus saith the Lord GOD; It shall also come to pass, [that] at the same time shall things come into thy mind, and thou shalt think an evil thought:

Ezekiel 38 seems to talk about the Battle of Armageddon at the end of the Millennial Kingdom. It started when the chief prince Gog was tempted. He saw the Lord's people living without defenses, and wanted the spoils of war, so he assembled a massive multinational army (v5).

The Lord, in His wrath, sent the ultimate earthquake (v20) and rained fire out of heaven (v22) onto that army.

I've been noticing in my own life that sin and it's damaging effects often starts out the same way. "...thou shalt think an evil thought..." When we start to strategize how we could do something that would be against the Lord, we should cut off that line of thought right away.

Hebrews 5 - Key

v14

But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, [even] those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

Discernment seems kind of like exercise. Sometimes we suffer, being tempted.

v8

Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered;

It's difficult to make the right decision, to choose the good and refuse the evil. But, as we do, it becomes a habit and we get better at it.

Application

I'll make myself get up earlier sometimes, even if I went to bed late. Then also, when I try to go to bed earlier, it might be easier to sleep.