Month: November 2024

Links for today’s readings:

Read: Ezekiel 45 Listen: (4:50)
Read: 2 Peter 3 Listen: (3:21)

Scripture Focus: Ezekiel 45.8-9

8 …and my princes will no longer oppress my people but will allow the people of Israel to possess the land according to their tribes.

9 “ ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: You have gone far enough, princes of Israel! Give up your violence and oppression and do what is just and right. Stop dispossessing my people, declares the Sovereign LORD.

Reflection: Leaders Against Oppression

By John Tillman

Continuing his vision of the new city of God and its temple, Ezekiel describes an equitable division of the land among the tribes. Then he gives a special warning to the “princes” that they must not abuse their position or power.

So what are princes to do?

“Do justice, walk humbly, and love mercy” are easy to assent to but harder to live up to. Specific things Ezekiel mentions are giving up violence and oppression and to stop seizing people’s property unjustly.

Property, wealth, and debt are frequently addressed in scripture and frequently the implication is that debts should be forgiven and wealth should not be hoarded or go unused. God expects those with wealth to put it to use doing good, not pile it up for themselves for a life of ease.

The word translated “princes” could refer to kings or royal family members but is more often a general term for any leader. These “princes” were typically wealthy or powerful individuals, religious leaders, and governmental officials. The word more literally means “one lifted up” or “exalted one” and its root word can also be used to refer to a rising vapor or cloud (Psalm 135.7; Proverbs 25.14; Jeremiah 10.13; 51.16).

This root word creates an analogy that can be instructive to and a warning for leaders. Princes, or leaders, are like vapor, mist, or clouds. They are not raised up by their own power. Their time is short and their power is intended to be transitory, impermanent, and light. They are intended to bring refreshing dew in the morning, shade in the heat of the day, and rain in the afternoon. They should be sources of blessing and regeneration for the land and the people, not like dry, harsh, greedy winds, taking from the land every scrap of moisture that can be absorbed.

God says his princes will “no longer oppress.” May that day come soon. In whatever way we are lifted up, may we remember God’s charge to his leaders.

While we wait for this idyllic future city of God, may we work to ensure that the powerful are warned not to be abusive. May we live in such a way that others will not be dispossessed. May we grasp power fearfully and with humility, understanding that God’s first concern with power is that it must not be abused.

Divine Hours Prayer: A Reading

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the merciful Father and the God who gives us every possible encouragement; he supports us in every hardship, so that we are able to come to the support of others, in every hardship of theirs because of the encouragement we ourselves receive from God. — 2 Corinthians 1.3-4

– From The Divine Hours: Prayers for Autumn and Wintertime by Phyllis Tickle.

Read more about Seeking God’s Servant

God’s servant is different than would be expected of a king or worldly leader.

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Links for today’s readings:

Read: Ezekiel 44 Listen: (5:32)
Read: 2 Peter 2 Listen: (3:52)

Scripture Focus: Ezekiel 44:15

15 But the Levitical priests, who are descendants of Zadok and who guarded my sanctuary when the Israelites went astray from me, are to come near to minister before me; they are to stand before me to offer sacrifices of fat and blood, declares the Sovereign Lord.

Reflection: Priests in More Than Just Name

By Erin Newton

From the first pages of Genesis, we have witnessed God fill the realms of creation. He created space and filled it— with Jupiter, the Big Dipper, our sun and moon, and so much more. He made the seas and filled them—with dolphins, beluga whales, sea turtles, and species we have yet to discover. He made the land and filled it—with redwood trees, bluebonnets, sugarcane, and crops to cover every valley or hill.

In Genesis, God joined creation to dwell with humanity in harmony—the first ever temple. But through the ravages of sin, that union and harmony was defiled and destroyed.

Ezekiel is testimony to the de-creation of the Temple. God’s people treated their relationship with him flippantly. It was not a holy place to seek the presence of God; it had become a commonplace hangout where it didn’t matter what you believed or what you did—anyone could enter this sacred space.

And so, God left. “Then the glory of the Lord departed from over the threshold of the temple” (Ezek 10.18).

What is creation without its Creator? What is a Temple without its God? What is an altar without divine communion?

But the story was never intended to end there. God returned. “And I saw the glory of the God of Israel coming from the east. His voice was like the roar of rushing waters and the land was radiant with his glory” (Ezek 43.2).

Ezekiel begins to describe the new Temple and its new filling—with renewed purpose, new design, and new inhabitants.

The priesthood was slightly different this time. Much scholarly speculation has explored the differences in this temple compared to the first, far more that we could delve into here. But what we see clearly is God’s focus on those who treated their relationship with him seriously. The Zadok lineage of priests was noted for their obedience when the other priests had gone astray. Being a priest in name was not the same as being faithful.

Because of the reconciliatory work of Christ, we are all the priesthood of God. We have access to him and his spirit dwells within the temple of our own bodies. But this passage should remind us that God desires for us to treat our union with him seriously and faithfully. Are we a priesthood in name only? Or shall we be remembered as faithful when some of the Church was not?

Divine Hours Prayer: The Request for Presence

O God of hosts, show the light of your countenance, and we shall be saved. — Psalm 80.7

– From The Divine Hours: Prayers for Autumn and Wintertime by Phyllis Tickle.

Read more about Temples—Gardens of Grace

Believers are Christ’s temple—his garden of grace.

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Links for today’s readings:

Read: Ezekiel 43 Listen: (5:15)
Read: 2 Peter 1 Listen: (3:06)

Scripture Focus: Ezekiel 43.2-4

2 and I saw the glory of the God of Israel coming from the east. His voice was like the roar of rushing waters, and the land was radiant with his glory. 3 The vision I saw was like the vision I had seen when he came to destroy the city and like the visions I had seen by the Kebar River, and I fell facedown. 4 The glory of the Lord entered the temple through the gate facing east. 5 Then the Spirit lifted me up and brought me into the inner court, and the glory of the Lord filled the temple.

Reflection: Glory Returns

By John Tillman

The Glory of God departed because of sin. God previously gave Ezekiel a vision of the disgusting and vile corruption of the Temple, but now Ezekiel sees the glory return. God floods into the temple and takes his rightful place.

Imagine how Ezekiel and his readers felt, exiled in a foreign land, seeing the real temple destroyed and this temple only in a vision. Nice picture, God, but what about now? What about our sin? What about how I feel and where I am?

We might feel similar things reading about this temple or visions of Heaven while we live on Earth. “How long, Lord?”

The temple of Ezekiel’s vision was never built on Earth. Neither Ezra nor Herod attempted it. But Ezekiel’s temple is more real than reality. This temple is transcendent, present both now and in the future. The returning glory of God revealed to Ezekiel as filling the temple is revealed to us in the Holy Spirit.

You are a temple. Are you filled with glory?

Maybe instead of glory-filled, you feel like the empty, powerless, temple. Maybe you feel weak, abandoned, lonely, or scared. Whether or not you feel the glory and power of his presence, God longs to show them through your weakness and strengthen you for what he calls you to do.

God makes himself known to and through those who seek him. His blazing glory returns.

This same blazing glory of God rushed in and filled the expectant at Pentecost. This same Spirit embraced Stephen at his stoning and shielded Peter during his prison escape. This same Spirit knocked Saul from his horse and sent Philip running to the Ethiopian’s chariot. This same Spirit bound the prophesying demons and set the slave girl free. This same Spirit shook Paul and Silas free from prison but would not remove Paul’s thorn. This same Spirit breathed the words of God through human authors so that we can read them. This same Spirit called and sent people to preach so others could hear and opened ears so that the message could be heard and believed. This same Spirit makes beautiful the feet of those who bring good news. (Romans 10.13-15)

You, collectively and individually, are how God’s glory returns. Through us the common encounters the divine. God’s glory returns through us.

Be expectant. Be hopeful in suffering. Be beautiful amidst ugliness. Be glorious.

Music: “Such A Thing As Glory” by Rich Mullins

Divine Hours Prayer: A Reading

Jesus taught us, saying: “Remain in me, as I in you. As a branch cannot bear fruit all by itself, unless it remains part of the vine, neither can you unless you remain in me. I am the vine, you are the branches.” — John 15.4-5

– From The Divine Hours: Prayers for Autumn and Wintertime by Phyllis Tickle.

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Read more about Temple Admission

Sin bars the wicked from entering…the righteous are not perfect either. How is one rejected and the other accepted?

Links for today’s readings:

Read: Ezekiel 42 Listen: (3:12)
Read: 1 Peter 5 Listen: (2:11)

Scripture Focus: Ezekiel 42.15-20

15 When he had finished measuring what was inside the temple area, he led me out by the east gate and measured the area all around: 16 He measured the east side with the measuring rod; it was five hundred cubits., 17 He measured the north side; it was five hundred cubits by the measuring rod. 18 He measured the south side; it was five hundred cubits by the measuring rod. 19 Then he turned to the west side and measured; it was five hundred cubits by the measuring rod. 20 So he measured the area on all four sides. It had a wall around it, five hundred cubits long and five hundred cubits wide, to separate the holy from the common.

Reflection: Temples—Gardens of Grace

By John Tillman

Temples separate the holy from the common but also connect the common to the holy.

Every religion builds temples. Temples are earthly spaces with heavenly aspirations where humans reach for something beyond ourselves.

The tabernacle and the temple in Jerusalem that followed it were unique. In these places, God reached out to humans. God designed these spaces as symbols of the garden of Eden where humans walked with God in perfect harmony, hope, and holiness.

The temple was a daily reminder of God’s presence and promises. It symbolized God’s presence in Jerusalem like the sound of God walking in the garden. (Genesis 3.8)

Adam was cast out of the garden for his sin. A flaming sword barred the garden’s gate. (Genesis 3.24) Yet, at the temple, God threw the gate open. Through ceremonies, rituals, and offerings, the unclean could become holy. (Isaiah 6.5-7) God invited sinners to come out of the wilderness, out of hiding, and pass through the flames to walk with him again.

Ezekiel and the exiles were, for the first time in their lives, living without the temple. The gate was again closed and they were cast out for their sin. They had no assurance of God’s presence or of connection to him. They could observe no ceremonies, perform no rituals, nor make any offerings.

An earlier vision showed Ezekiel the corruption that defiled the temple. But now, God showed Ezekiel a different temple. Its measurements and description match none of the temples built in Jerusalem. Architectural descriptions of a temple may not seem exciting or inspiring. But remember who this vision was for and why it was compelling and sustaining for them.

It is a temple for those with no temple—a garden of grace for those with no Eden. A home for the homeless. This vision is not just for Ezekiel’s exiles in Babylon, it is for us, exiles in America, Mexico, China, Australia, Ukraine, or anywhere else in the world.

Believers are Christ’s temple—his garden of grace. Christ completed the ceremonies, rituals, and offerings on the cross. Now, this temple touches our world through believers. Like the tabernacle, it travels with you. You enter it whenever you pray. You open its gates to the lost when you share the gospel. You establish its righteousness and justice when you work and serve others.

Let those around you hear, see, and feel the effects of this temple emanating from your heart.

Divine Hours Prayer: The Refrain for the Morning Lessons

“Because the needy are oppressed, and the poor cry out in misery, I will rise up,” says the Lord, “And give them the help they long for.” — Psalm 12.5

– From The Divine Hours: Prayers for Autumn and Wintertime by Phyllis Tickle.

Read more about A Temple for Exiles

God is measuring out a temple of living stones upon the chief cornerstone of Christ. May zeal for this living temple, exceed our zeal for earthly kingdoms.

Read more about From The Most Holy Place

The same Spirit that makes the most holy place holy has been sent to “tabernacle” within us.