Ezekiel_40

Scripture

Ezekiel 40:46b

These are the sons of Zadok, who are the only Levites who may draw near to the Lord to minister before him.”

Observation - What does it say?

Ezekiel is given this elaborate vision of a new temple and new city. He has this heavenly tour guide who guides him through the new temple complex. As he measures everything, he finds it’s much larger and more majestic even than Solomon’s temple. It is all part of this redemptive picture of hope; a picture of God’s presence finally returning to his temple, to dwell with his people.

There are new priests serving in this temple, and consistent with the previous temples in Israel’s history, it is only a select few who have God’s permission to draw near to God and minister to him there.

Understanding - What does it mean?

Under the New Covenant, the priesthood isn’t a select few ‘super-spiritual’ Christians, but every single believer.

1 Peter 2:5 NLT And you are living stones that God is building into his spiritual temple. What's more, you are his holy priests. Through the mediation of Jesus Christ, you offer spiritual sacrifices that please God.

Because we are all priests, we can all take advantage of Hebrews 4:16- Let us then approach God's throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

Life Application

Take advantage of what Jesus has done for us! People under the Old Covenant could only come so close to God’s manifest presence, no matter how much they longed to come closer. But we have unlimited access to the throne! We can come boldly to God, confident that we will experience His great mercy and abundant grace to meet all our needs.

- Levi Thompson

Psalm 119

Scripture  Psalm 119:9-11   

How can a young man keep his way pure?  By keeping it according to Your word.  With all my heart I have sought You; Do not let me wander from Your commandments.  Your word I have treasured in my heart, That I may not sin against You. Observation-What does it say?  The author of this psalm is unknown, but some suspect the priest Ezra as the author.  This psalm is the longest single chapter in the whole Bible, and it is 176 verses long.  It is written in the form of an acrostic poem.  “The psalm is arranged according to the Hebrew alphabet. The first eight verses all begin with the Hebrew letter aleph; the next eight verses start with beth; the next eight, gimel; and so on. It’s as though God were saying, “Here are the ABCs of how to use the Word of God in your life.”(Wiersbe)  In verses 9-16, the psalmist ponders the life of holiness.  While he most likely was a young man when writing this, the application can be for all who are new in their Christian life.  The path to holiness takes devotion to God’s word.  Chalres Spurgeon writes, “No nobler ambition can lie before a youth, none to which he is called by so sure a calling; but none in which greater difficulties can be found. Let him not, however, shrink from the glorious enterprise of living a pure and gracious life; rather let him enquire the way by which all obstacles may be overcome.” Understanding-What does it mean?  We live in a world that is besieged by the lies of our enemy, the devil.  This feels more evident now than ever before.  The freedom we see as believers in America seems to be under constant attack.  I once read that the Christian life is like a military mission behind enemy lines.  Almost like espionage, we are trying to rescue those held captive under enemy control through the spreading of the message of hope found in Jesus Christ.  In order to be fully effective as spies for Jesus, we must believe in every part of the message(mission) in order to be a more effective witness(soldier) of this truth.  Jocko Willink, a former Navy SEAL commander, wrote this on the need for belief within a military unit: “The leader must explain not just what to do, but why. It is the responsibility of the subordinate leader to reach out and ask if they do not understand. Only when leaders at all levels understand and believe in the mission can they pass that understanding and belief to their teams so that they can persevere through challenges, execute and win.” Challenges within our faith are natural and to be expected.  But, just because we see adversity, doesn’t mean God has abandoned us.  In many ways, the adversity is God’s way of bringing us to a more perfect relationship with him.  In James 1:2-4 we read, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters,[a] whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.  Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”  So when the psalmist prays, “Do not let me wander from Your commandments” he echoes the struggle we all share. Life ApplicationJesus, when I struggle, let me know you are near.  Help me in my unbelief.  Help me to have the discipline to stay in your word, even when there seems to be reasons to leave.  Help me to have a view on the mission, your mission of bringing others into the fold of your love.      
-Tyler Galloway

 

Revelation__14

Scripture - What stood out?Revelation 14

19 The angel swung his sickle on the earth, gathered its grapes and threw them into the great winepress of God’s wrath. 20 They were trampled in the winepress outside the city, and blood flowed out of the press, rising as high as the horses’ bridles for a distance of 1,600 stadia. Observation - What does it say?This portion of the chapter provides powerful imagery for what will happen when the earth is finally harvested by God. Some will be harvested and ushered into God’s kingdom. And some will be harvested and ushered into God’s wrath which is described as a great winepress. Understanding - What does it mean?As I wrestled with why God highlighted this verse for me, I was immediately hit with sympathy for those who will be gathered to the great winepress. I think when I was younger and I read these verses I likely read this passage, with a “phew! glad that won’t be me!” mentality. Perhaps I am getting older, or growing closer to God, or both, but I have begun to feel a deeper than expected sorrow for those who won’t choose to believe in Jesus.There is just so much more joy, peace, and comfort on this side of the harvest field!It is my belief that as God revealed this to John, He was filled with a great unimaginable sorrow. Have you ever been perfectly sad? A sadness that knows no malice, bears no ill will, a grief that is burdened only by love? That is how I picture God’s sadness. It is a picture of a grieving father, mother, son, or daughter that mourns in perfect harmony with love...because My God loves. Always. And I believe that His greatest desire is that all would turn to him - it is why he leaves the 99 to go after the 1.  Life Application - How can I apply this to my life today? Lord, please build me  up to have a  heart for all your people. Give me a heart for both sinner and saint, peacemaker and terrorist, democrat and republican, abortionist and pro-lifer, pro-maskers and not- Lord fill me up with a compassion that helps me to see the great winepress at work the way you do. The next time I meet somebody who is so opposed to my faith and my beliefs, may I not be filled with my very human and “un”righteous anger. Instead may I look at them as one you love standing on the wrong side of the harvest field. In the name of Jesus, do I pray. Amen.