The following describe how to choose spiritual leaders who practice and teach God’s word:
1. Follow God’s Word to form an intimate relationship with Him as you surrender and confess your sins daily to God
2. Experience God’s glory as you pray together to bear fruit-bearing disciples that heal people in all nations through the Holy Spirit
3. Follow God’s word in organizing how the body of Christ prays together to let Christ have first place in the church and city
Follow God’s Word in Organizing How the Body of Christ Prays Together
Ezekiel saw a wall surrounding the temple area. A man measured from the east gate to the outer court including the wall; threshold of the gate; alcoves for the guard; portico, width of the entrance and projecting walls inside the gateway. He measured the outer court from the inside of the lower gateway to the outside of the inner court. He measured the north gate, south gate and gates to the inner court. In the portico of the gateway contained two tables where burnt, sin, and guilt offerings were slaughtered. Outside the inner gate within the inner court were two rooms for Levites, sons of Zadok, in charge of the temple and altar (Ezek. 40:1-47). Follow God’s word in organizing how the body of Christ prays together.
Experience God’s Glory as You Pray Together
The man measured the temple including the portico, entrance, projecting walls, and outer and inner sanctuary, considered the Most Holy Place. On the doors of the outer sanctuary were carved cherubim and palm trees like those carved on the walls. The north and south rooms facing the temple courtyard were the priests’ rooms where they ate the grain, sin and guilt offerings. They did not go into the outer court until they left behind their ministry garments. He measured inside the temple area along with the east, north, south and west side. A wall separated the holy from the common. Ezekiel saw the glory of the God of Israel enter the temple through the gate facing east. His voice was like the roar of rushing waters and the land was radiant with His glory. The Spirit lifted and brought him into the inner court and God’s glory filled the temple (Ezek. 40:48-43:5). Experience God’s glory as you pray together in the body of Christ.
Follow God’s Word to Form an Intimate Relationship with Him
A man inside the temple said this was the place of his throne and for the soles of his feet to live among the Israelites forever. They never again defiled His holy name by spiritual adultery and idols so that God could live among them forever. The man described the temple so Ezekiel could share it with Israel in order for them to be ashamed of their sins. Ezekiel wrote down the design of the temple and measurements of the altar, its arrangements, exits, entrances, regulations and laws so they could follow the plan. God told him the regulations for sacrificing burnt offerings and sprinkling blood on the altar. A young bull would be burned in the designated part of the temple area as a sin offering by the Levites, of the family of Zadok. Ezekiel put blood on the four horns of the altar, four corners of the upper ledge and around the rim to purify and make atonement for it. On the second day, he offered a male goat without defect for a sin offering with the altar purified. For seven days he offered a male goat daily for a sin offering to be accepted by God. From the eighth day on, the priests presented the burnt and fellowship offerings on the altar (Ezek. 43:6-27). Follow God’s word to form a pure, surrendered and intimate relationship with Him among His people.
Choose Spiritual Leaders Who Practice and Teach God’s Word
The outer gate of the sanctuary remained shut because the God of Israel entered through it. The prince entered and left by the portico of the gateway. Ezekiel saw God’s glory filling the temple. He told Ezekiel to listen closely concerning the temple’s regulations regarding its entrance and sanctuary exits. Rebellious Israel brought uncircumcised foreigners in heart and flesh into God’s sanctuary. They put others in charge of it. Levites who worshiped idols bore sin’s consequences by not coming near to serve as priests or with the holy offerings. Descendants of Zadok who faithfully carried out their duties could enter the inner court and minister before God wearing linen clothes, turbans and undergarments. They taught His people the difference between the holy and the common and distinguish between the unclean and clean. The priests judge disputes according to God’s ordinances (Ezek. 44:1-31). Choose spiritual leaders who practice and teach God’s word to others.
Surrender and Confess Your Sins Daily to God
They assigned the Most Holy Place to part of the land as the sacred portion for the priests and an adjoining portion for Israel. God told them to use accurate scales. One sheep was taken from every flock of 200 for grain, burnt and fellowship offerings to make atonement for Israel. The prince provided sin, burnt, grain, drink and fellowship offerings. The priest used blood of the sin offering on the temple doorposts, four corners of upper ledge of the altar and gateposts of the inner court. A sin offering was done on the seventh day of the month for anyone who sinned unintentionally or through ignorance. On the Sabbath, the inner court gate was opened for the priest to sacrifice the burnt (six male lambs and a ram without defect) and fellowship offerings while the people worshiped in God’s presence at the entrance. Every day a year-old lamb without defect and a grain offering (sixth of an ephah with a third of a hin of oil to moisten the flour) was sacrificed as a regular burnt offering. Ezekiel saw the sacred rooms where the priests cooked the guilt and sin offerings and baked the grain offerings. He saw the kitchens in the outer court where they cooked the sacrifices of the people (Ezek. 45:1-46:24). Surrender and confess your sins daily to God so you can prepare spiritual people.
Bear Fruit-Bearing Disciples that Heal People in All Nations
Ezekiel saw water coming from under the threshold of the temple. While measuring the temple, the water went from ankle-deep to deep enough for swimming so no one could cross. Water became fresh when it emptied into the Dead Sea revealing large numbers of living fish with fishermen standing from En Gedi to En Eglaim spreading nets. The leaves on fruit trees did not wither or fruit that grew on both banks of the river remained because water flowed from the sanctuary. Their fruit was served for food and the leaves for healing. God revealed the boundaries of the land divided as an inheritance among the twelve tribes of Israel. It ran from the Mediterranean Sea, Damascus, along Jordan and Wadi of Egypt. Aliens with children were considered as native-born Israelites (Ez. 47:1-23). Bear fruit-bearing disciples that heal people in all nations through the Holy Spirit.
Let Christ Have First Place in Church and City
The twelve tribes and their boundaries were listed. Bordering Judah from east to west was a sacred portion with the sanctuary in the center for the consecrated priests, the Zadokites who were faithful in serving God. The priests had territory in the best of the land holy to the Lord. The remaining area was for common use of the city including houses and pastureland to supply food for the workers. What remained on both sides of the area formed by the sacred portion and city property belonged to the prince between the border of Judah and Benjamin. The exits of the city had gates named after the tribes of Israel. The name of the city was the Lord is there (Ez. 48:1-35). Let Christ have first place in the life of the church and city.
Rate yourself on a scale of 1 to 10 with one being the lowest and ten the highest for the following statements:
1. I surrender daily to God through unceasing prayer
2. I confess my sins daily to God
3. I pray with others
4. I am committed to applying God’s word to my life
5. I rely on the power of the Holy Spirit
6. I teach God’s word to others
7. I am committed to making disciples
8. I work with a team to see the church pray together across racial and denominational lines so Christ can have first place in the city
