An-tic-i-pa-tion
Read Ezekiel 40:1–48:35
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5. The Spirit took me up and brought me into the inner courtyard, and the glory of the Lord filled the Temple.
6. And I heard someone speaking to me from within the Temple, while the man who had been measuring stood beside me.
7. The Lord said to me, “Son of man, this is the place of my throne and the place where I will rest my feet. I will live here forever among the people of Israel. They and their kings will not defile my holy name any longer by their adulterous worship of other gods or by honoring the relics of their kings who have died.
8. They put their idol altars right next to mine with only a wall between them and me. They defiled my holy name by such detestable sin, so I consumed them in my anger.
9. Now let them stop worshiping other gods and honoring the relics of their kings, and I will live among them forever.” Ezekiel 43:5-9
Surely no holiday generates more anticipation than Christmas—the waiting, the countdown of days till that bright morning when the ripping of wrapping paper becomes welcome chaos. Countless children have counted the days. Countless more have slept poorly—or not at all—the night before. The anticipation is just too much.
That’s the point of this prophetic passage: anticipation. Ezekiel’s vision contains such hope for the future that it can get you a little worked up. Don’t speed-read through this and miss the splendor.
King Nebuchadnezzar’s invading armies had completely destroyed the Temple. But one day that terrible event would only be a distant memory. In one of Ezekiel’s visions, he saw a new Temple of great beauty and splendor, where worship flourished. Ezekiel wrote down a very detailed description of that Temple and the worship that would take place there among God’s people (Ezekiel 40:1–46:24). To a group of exiles in Babylon, with the memory of their devastated homeland still fresh in their minds, this vision came as a great encouragement. Ezekiel’s vision meant that God had not abandoned his people, and that one day the Lord and his great blessings would once again become the focal point of Israel’s life.
Don’t let the details of this blueprint obscure the point of Ezekiel’s vision. Eventually God’s people will enjoy eternal life with him, and it will be indescribably wonderful. Our present troubles will end before long, and the life that awaits us will make all our service and obedience to God worthwhile.
