Devotions

His Loyal Love is Mighty

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When it is time for change, the Lord is well able to make it happen. But it doesn’t always happen the way we would have done it. Why did the Lord take Joseph, and all of the house of Israel into Egypt? By doing this, he saved them from famine and raised them as a nation until it was time for them to take their place as a nation. There comes a time when we understand what the Lord has done and we come into our own promise, our own deliverance and become a testimony of his “loyal love”. But all along the way, he wants us to seek him, heed his ways, and learn to see our world as he does with our eyes wide open. 

To Teach His Elders Wisdom

Psalm 105:16–30
There was a covenant, a promise that the Lord made to Abraham, then Isaac, and now through Jacob. Jacob, through his twelve sons was trying to populate the land, but the Lord had another plan and raised Joseph, the outcast from the family, to be a ruler in Egypt. In

Psalm 105:21–22 He made him lord of his house and ruler of all his possessions, 22 to obligate his officials as he saw fit and teach his elders wisdom.

We might have said that Egypt was a fully formed society, that they had the best of the best in government, and they seemed to be thriving during this time. Yet the Lord says Joseph was there to “teach his elders wisdom” and the Lord gave him wisdom, not only to save his family, but to transform Egypt.

He Remembered His Holy Promise

Psalm 105:31–45

The Fear of Yahweh is the Beginning of Wisdom

Psalm 111:1–10

Blessed is the Man who Fears Yahweh

Psalm 112:1–10
Not because he is afraid of the Lord, but because he carefully follows the Lord instruction, in Psalm 112:1 “his commands”. 

His Loyal Love is Mighty on Our Behalf

Psalm 117:1–2
This is a very short Psalm but with a great message. What is it about the Lord that makes him praiseworthy? Why would we “extol him” in Psalm 117:1? And what does extol mean anyway? It means to “make exuberant statements as to the excellence of someone (Ps 63:4[EB 3]; 117:1; 145:4; 147:12+)”.1

The character and nature of God that is worth noting is that, in Psalm 117:2 “his faithfulness is forever” so we can always count on him, he is always there for us. It is this other part that is especially important, he is not just sitting by and watching as some suppose. In fact, what we experience with him is that in Psalm 117:2 “his loyal love is mighty on our behalf”. The Lord is our defender, our deliverer, our helper. So lets take this message to the world as it says in Rom 15:11, 20.

Seek Him With a Whole Heart

Psalm 119:1–8

Taking Heed According to Your Word

Psalm 119:9–16 

Uncover My Eyes That I May Look

Psalm 119:17–24
As we progress through this longest Psalm, we are told that we are blessed when we, in

Psalm 119:1 “walk in the law of Yahweh”.

and to do that we should go looking for him, in

Psalm 119:2 “seek him with a whole heart”.

and then we are to “heed” or listen to or, in

Psalm 119:9 “keep his way pure? By taking heed according to your word”.

and now we come to one more instruction and this is in the form of a request of the Lord, in

Psalm 119:18 “Uncover my eyes, that I may look at wonderful things from your law”.

We naturally think that we understand the world around us and that our perceptions are right. We like to think we know it all. And, there are times when we are so sure we are right that no one can tell us anything. But there is a way of the Lord that is beyond what we know and understand. It is important that we ask the Lord to help us see the way he sees.

Revive Me According to Your Word

Psalm 119:25–32

Study Verses

Today’s Reading

  • Psalm 105:16-45
  • Psalm 111:1-10
  • Psalm 112:1-10
  • Psalm 117:1-2
  • Psalm 119:1-32

References

  • 1. Swanson, J. (1997). Dictionary of Biblical Languages with Semantic Domains : Hebrew (Old Testament) (electronic ed.). Oak Harbor: Logos Research Systems, Inc.
Devotions

Yahweh Has Made Known His Salvation

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This is the message from the Lord, John 3:17 “For God did not send his Son into the world in order that he should judge the world, but in order that the world should be saved through him”. In the world is sin and death. In the world is the curse in Genesis 3:19 “By the sweat of your brow you shall eat bread, until your return to the ground” and in Genesis 3:16 “To the woman he said, “… in pain you shall bear children. And to your husband shall be your desire. And he shall rule over you.”. But the Lord has made a way for us to sing a “new song” because in Psalm 98:2 “Yahweh has made known his salvation” and in Psalm 100:5 “his loyal love”.

Sing for Joy to Yahweh

Psalm 95:1–11 

Sing to Yahweh a New Song

Psalm 96:1–13
We naturally look back at the experiences we have had in life and build our behavior and expectations on what has happened. But the Lord has offered us a salvation that brings us out of oppression, that cause us to overcome even our own weaknesses. In Psalm 96:5 “Yahweh made the heavens” and in Psalm 96:6 “strength and beauty are in his sanctuary”. And he desires for us to, in Psalm 96:8 “bring an offering and come into his courts”. This Offering is in the KJV, “the fruit of our lips giving thanks” from

Hebrews 13:15–16 Therefore through him let us offer up a sacrifice of praise continually to God, that is, the fruit of lips that confess his name. 16 And do not neglect doing good and generosity, for God is pleased with such sacrifices.

And there is always an action with the name of the Lord, this is living by faith. It is believing there is more than enough, it is seeking the new and living way, it is a way that is better than anything we have experienced before. Now we sing a new song because the Lord has brought us to a new place.

Let the Earth Rejoice

Psalm 97:1–12 

Yahweh Has Made Known His Salvation

Psalm 98:1–9
How is it that the Lord has made known his salvation? It begins in Psalm 98:1 “he has done wonders“. But he didn‘t do them in secret, he did them so that “all the ends of the earth have seen”. And these acts are overcoming, they are the “victory” of righteousness over evil, oppression, death, and hell. This is why we can “shout joyfully” in Psalm 98:4 and Psalm 98:6 and why even the sea roars in Psalm 98:7 and the “hills sing” in Psalm 98:8, because “he is coming to judge the earth”.

They Called to Yahweh and He Answered

Psalm 99:1–9 

His Loyal Love is Forever

Psalm 100:1–5
This is who the Lord is in

Psalm 100:5 For Yahweh is good; his loyal love is forever, and his faithfulness is from generation to generation.

So when we get a glimpse of his true nature, when we understand not only his love for us but that his steadfast, faithful, “loyal love is forever”, then we can in

Psalm 100:1 Shout in triumph to Yahweh, all the earth.

because all of creation needs to know this. Then we understand in

Psalm 100:2 Serve Yahweh with joy; come into his presence with exultation.

because we know that what he asks of us is for our good, that he is not denying us anything but he is asking us to avoid self destruction and pain. Then we can come and in

Psalm 100:4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving, his courts with praise. Give thanks to him; bless his name.

because we have been accepted and our fathers arms are open wide to receive us.

Make Known His Deeds Among the Peoples

Psalm 105:1–15

Study Verses

Today’s Reading

  • Psalm 95:1-11
  • Psalm 96:1-13
  • Psalm 97:1-12
  • Psalm 98:1-9
  • Psalm 99:1-9
  • Psalm 100:1-5
  • Psalm 105:1-15
Devotions

Rise Up O Judge of the Earth

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There is water in Ezekiel 47:1 “coming out from under the threshold of the temple eastward” and it brings life wherever it flows. There is an abundance of fish and trees “its fruit will be as food, and its leaf for healing.” in Ezekiel 47:12. And, there is a design for the temple, the place of the Lords habitation and a city, and a government, and land for the people, a vision that is yet to be realized. Now, though, there is a cry that rises to the Lord from his people and the oppressed, and it represents the great tension of our age, in Revelation 6:10 “they cried out with a loud voice, saying, “How long, holy and true Lord, will you not judge and avenge our blood”. But the answer from the Lord in Revelation 6:11 “rest yet a short time” and we endure a little longer until the harvest is complete. 

Waters Are Going Out From the Sanctuary

Ezekiel 47:1–12
There is an unexpected flow of water in Ezekiel 47:1 “coming out from under the threshold of the temple eastward, because the face of the temple was eastwards; and the water was coming down from under the south side of the temple, from south of the altar”. It is clear from Ezekiel 43:7 that it is the Lord that is leading and as they follow away from the sanctuary, the flow of water becomes a stream and then a river. The water is “ankle deep in Ezekiel 47:3 then “knee deep … (and) waist deep” in Ezekiel 47:4 and “a stream that could not be crossed” in Ezekiel 47:5. This water brought with it healing to the sea in Ezekiel 47:8 and “everything will be alive everywhere that the stream will come” in Ezekiel 47:9 and the trees along its banks “its fruit will be as food, and its leaf for healing.” in Ezekiel 47:12

Divide This Land According to the Tribes of Israel

Ezekiel 47:13–23
We can learn something about how to treat immigrants from the Lords command to Israel in

Ezekiel 47:22 And then you shall allocate it as an inheritance for yourselves and for the aliens dwelling as aliens in the midst of you who have children in the midst of you, and so they shall be to you just like full citizens among the Israelites. With you they shall be allotted with an inheritance in the midst of the tribes of Israel.

The Holy District

Ezekiel 48:1–13
There is a holy district, land for the Lord and for the sanctuary in Ezekiel 48:8-9. Next to it is also a portion of land for the priests in Ezekiel 48:11-12 “a most holy object”. Then another portion for the Levites in Ezekiel 48:13. 

For the City and the Prince

Ezekiel 48:14–35
In this vision, there is a layout of the sanctuary and temple and the surrounding holy ground, but the Lord also lays out the city of God and the lands for the prince and the people by their tribes. Now, the city is described as unholy in Ezekiel 48:15 but there is pastureland for animals and the land in Ezekiel 48:18 “its yield shall be as food for the workers of the city”. But around the holy portion and the city portion lies the portion of the prince in Ezekiel 48:21-22 and then the rest of the land is divided among the tribes, but in the order given by the Lord with Benjamin and Judah the closest in Ezekiel 48:22. In this section the Lord covers the most holy ground, where he resides in the sanctuary of the temple, then the place of the priests, then the Levites. And the Lord also includes the city around where men of Israel and their families will come and pass through as they gather for the feasts. And there is provision for government and more than enough for each of the tribes and their inheritance from generation to generation.

Yahweh is King

Psalm 93:1–5 

Rise Up O Judge of the Earth

Psalm 94:1-11
There is a message that comes from the Lord, and that is his desire in

1 Timothy 2:3–4 This is good and acceptable before God our Savior, 4 who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.

And there is a cry going up to him to avenge the people that are oppressed and crushed by the wicked. The cry is in Psalm 94:2 “repay the proud”, in Psalm 94:5 “They crush your people … they oppress your inheritance”, in Psalm 94:6 ” They kill widow and stranger, and they murder orphans”.

This is the great tension of our age, some will turn to the Lord, but at a cost as others endure oppression. This is the great cry in

Revelation 6:9–10 And when he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slaughtered because of the word of God and because of the testimony which they had, 10 and they cried out with a loud voice, saying, “How long, holy and true Lord, will you not judge and avenge our blood from those who live on the earth?”

Blessed is the Man O Yah Whom You Instruct

Psalm 94:12–23

Study Verses

Today’s Reading

  • Ezekiel 47:1-23
  • Ezekiel 48:1-35
  • Psalm 93:1-5
  • Psalm 94:1-23
Devotions

Teach My People the Difference

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There is a special role for priests in the plan of God. The priest ministers to the Lord, but also sets an example for the people. It is by this living example that in Ezekiel 44:23 “they will teach my people the difference between what is holy and what is unholy, and the difference between unclean and clean they must show them”. There also is an order, a delegation of certain authority and an assignment of the land and the fruit of the land to support the priests and the princes. This only works when there is an honest economy and everyone contributes their part as in Ezekiel 45:16 “All of the people of the land shall join in to this contribution with the prince in Israel”. 

Teach My People the Difference

Ezekiel 44:22–31
The Lord is describing the role of the priests and begins talking of the “Levitical priests” in Ezekiel 44:15. He describes their service and their manner of dress and the separation they must maintain between the outer and “inner courtyards” in Ezekiel 44:17. It is by their manner of life that in

Ezekiel 44:23 And they will teach my people the difference between what is holy and what is unholy, and the difference between unclean and clean they must show them.

They also will stand as judges in

Ezekiel 44:24 And at a legal dispute they themselves shall stand to judge; employing my judgments they shall judge it, and with respect to my laws and my statutes. All my festivals they shall keep and my Sabbaths they shall consecrate.

And they will have no inheritance in land, as the people do, but the Lord says in Ezekiel 44:28 “I am their inheritance”. And he also says in Ezekiel 44:30 “all of the firstfruits of everything … you shall give to the priest, so that a blessing may rest on your house”. 

Provide a Holy Portion From the Land

Ezekiel 45:1–7
There is a specific allocation of the land and that begins with a portion for the Lord. He describes this in Ezekiel 45:1 as “a holy portion from the land”. We know in

Psalm 89:11 The heavens are yours, the earth yours as well, the world with its fullness, because you founded them.

But the Lord wants us to establish a holy territory, that we recognize as his. By doing this, the Lord establishes the remainder as land given to us as our inheritance in Ezekiel 46. Then there is a portion for the priests in Ezekiel 45:3-4. Then there is a portion for the Levites in Ezekiel 45:5. Then, a portion for the house of Israel as a city in Ezekiel 45:6. And finally, there is a portion for the Princes in Ezekiel 45:7.

All Shall Join in to This Contribution

Ezekiel 45:8–16
But the land is for the people, “the house of Israel according to their tribes”.

The Lord also includes in his rebuke of the “princes of Israel” in Ezekiel 45:9 the requirement for “an honest set of scales”. Our generation is not the first to recognize the tricks of finance with floating currency and inflation and even the most obvious, shrinking packaging while holding the price the same. It is described in

Ezekiel 45:10 There shall be for you an honest set of scales and an honest ephah and an honest bath.

With an honest currency, now, everyone is included in this fixed contribution, all of the people and all of the Princes. There isn’t a separate plan for the people and heads of state. Here all are treated with equality. 

On the Prince Shall be the Responsibility

Ezekiel 45:17–25
There is a position of leadership fulfilled by the Prince and it is not simply as figurehead. There is a flow of provision that comes with this responsibility. Here is a great lesson in leadership in God’s kingdom. Do you want to lead? Then you must provide. Doesn’t Jesus say this about himself in

John 7:37–38 “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me, and let him drink, 38 the one who believes in me. Just as the scripture said, ‘Out of his belly will flow rivers of living water.’ ”

This statement from Jesus is “A quotation from the Old Testament of uncertain origin; texts most often suggested are Isa 44:3; 55:1; 58:11; Zech 14:8”.1 But in all of these suggested sources, there is the sense that the Lord will “lead … and satisfy your soul” as in Is 58:11. And isn’t this also expected of us as we have received this outpouring of his spirit? Aren’t we the ones the Lord looks to to break the bonds of poverty and wickedness by providing for those in need?

They are to “purify the sanctuary” and this is an annual event in Ezekiel 45:18. This sets the tone for the calendar of the year, for in Ezekiel 45:17″the feasts … New Moon festivals … Sabbaths at all of the assemblies of the house of Israel”.

He Must Not Return by the Way He Came

Ezekiel 46:1–12
The Lord doesn’t do things the way men would. We put dignitaries apart, separating them from the people. The Lord desires that all come into his presence and at the least, requires that they pass by.

Ezekiel 46:9 And when the people of the land come before Yahweh at the festivals, the one coming by way of the gate of the north to bow down must go out by the way of the gate of the south, and the one coming by way of the gate of the south must go out by the way of the gate of the north, so he must not return by the way of the gate by which he came, but before it he shall go out opposite it.

My People Will Not be Driven Away From His Property

Ezekiel 46:13–24
The land is an inheritance forever to the family it belongs to. You cannot give it away and it cannot be taken away.

Ezekiel 46:16 Thus says the Lord Yahweh: “If the prince gives a gift to any one from among his sons, it is his inheritance and it will belong to his sons; it is their possession as an inheritance”.

Study Verses

Today’s Reading

  • Ezekiel 44:22-31
  • Ezekiel 45:1-25
  • Ezekiel 46:1-24

References

  • 1. Harris, W. H., III, Ritzema, E., Brannan, R., Mangum, D., Dunham, J., Reimer, J. A., & Wierenga, M. (Eds.). (2012). The Lexham English Bible. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.
Devotions

This is the Place of My Throne

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Ezekiel is having a vision of the temple, not Solomon’s temple as they had known it, but a much larger temple. And it begins with a messenger measuring the temple and guiding Ezekiel as he goes. But now, he sees the glory of the Lord fills the temple” and it isn’t a messenger speaking, it is the Lord who says directly in Ezekiel 43:7 “this is the place of my throne and the place for the soles of my feet where I will dwell in the midst of the Israelites to eternity”. Then he charges Ezekiel again to tell them and write it so they can do it. Then the Lord continues giving Ezekiel the law of the temple, for its administration and the law of the altar for purification.

A Gallery Facing a Gallery in the Three Stories

Ezekiel 42:1–9

The Chambers of the North and South

Ezekiel 42:10–20 

This is the Place of My Throne

Ezekiel 43:1–9
Four times in this vision, as he sees the Lord approaching to take his place, he notes the glory in Ezekiel 43:2-5 and he finishes with “The glory of Yahweh filled the temple!” But this is not just a place for the Lord to visit, he is not just passing through. This is in

Ezekiel 43:7 “the place of my throne and the place for the soles of my feet where I will dwell in the midst of the Israelites to eternity, and they, the house of Israel, they and their kings, will not again defile my holy name with their fornication and with their offerings for the dead of their kings on their high places.

And this message was not left to an angel, a messenger. Here in Ezekiel 43:6 “a man was standing beside me” and in Ezekiel 43:7 “he said to me … this is the place of my throne”. The man standing with Ezekiel was the Lord and he was personally declaring the place of his throne and the covenant with the house of Israel. 

This is the Law of the Temple

Ezekiel 43:10–17
The Lord carefully describes the temple in Ezekiel 43:11 “the plan of the temple and its arrangement and its exits and its entrances and all of its plans and all of its statutes” and tells Ezekiel to “make known to them and write them before their eyes … so that they do them!” and then goes on to describe in Ezekiel 43:12 “all of its territory, all the way around it”. This the Lord says “will be most holy”, then emphasizes it by saying, “Look, this is the law of the temple”. But the Lord is not demanding, in Ezekiel 43:10 he says to the prophet, “You, son of man, describe … let them measure the pattern”. It is up to us to do, to build, to become, what the Lord has intended for us. 

These Are the Statutes of the Altar

Ezekiel 43:18–27
Now the Lord turns to the altar and says in Ezekiel 43:18 “These are the statutes of the altar on the day when it is made”. It is the process to cleanse and establish the altar. This is not to be done by just anyone, but only by, in Ezekiel 43:19 “the Levitical priests who are from the offspring of Zadok” and these were “the ones coming near me, … to serve me”. During this purification, it was always in Ezekiel 43:22 “without defect” and in Ezekiel 43:24 “they must offer them as a burnt offering to Yahweh”. We may not understand this but a burnt offering is just that, burned completely “into smoke” as in

Leviticus 3:16–17 “The priest shall turn them into smoke on the altar as a food offering; all the fat is an offering made by fire as an appeasing fragrance for Yahweh. 17 This is a lasting statute for your generations in all your dwellings: you must not eat any fat or any blood.”

The God of Israel Has Entered It

Ezekiel 44:1–10
Just as Ezekiel had seen the Lord depart from Jerusalem before they where taken into exile, now the Lord has returned to take his place among them.

The Descendants of Zadok Will Approach to Serve Me

Ezekiel 44:11–21

Study Verses

Today’s Reading

  • Ezekiel 42:1-20
  • Ezekiel 43:1-27
  • Ezekiel 44:1-21
Devotions

This is the Most Holy Place

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The Lord begins to tell the house of Israel what he wants for their future. They are twenty five years into captivity and Ezekiel has a vision of a temple, much larger, much more magnificent than anything they had seen. And in this temple there is provision for singers, musicians, and in Ezekiel 41:4 “the most holy place”. The Lord has, and still does desire to be there with his people. And while Ezekiel is told in Ezekiel 40:4 “tell all that you are seeing to the house of Israel.”, this temple has never been built. While some are looking for the third temple, Ezekiels temple to be built, we as Christians, have accepted the final sacrifice, Jesus Christ crucified, his blood for us and his resurrection from the dead opening for us in Hebrews 4:16 “Therefore let us approach with confidence to the throne of grace, in order that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need”. 

Tell All That You Are Seeing

Ezekiel 40:1–4
After the siege and burning and destruction of the temple and all of Jerusalem, after the people were scattered in exile, after the years of false prophets saying Israel would be restored quickly, they are well into their seventy years of exile in Ezekiel 40 :1 “In the twenty-fifth year of our exile … the hand of Yahweh was on me”. The Lord now brought Ezekiel, “in visions … to the land of Israel … on a very high mountain, and on it … a city” in Ezekiel 40:2. And as the Lord has always done, he begins to show things to come. However, at the return with Ezra the second temple was not built to Ezekiel’s vision because “According to the great sages of Israel, it is a positive commandment for the people of Israel to rebuild the Holy Temple conforming to the dimensions, characteristics and attributes of the Second Temple”.1

So, the command to them in Haggai 1:1–11 to build God’s house would be understood by them to be according to the design in I Chron 28:19

Ezekiel’s temple, has not been built yet. And it will be built in Israel, but some believe, not on the current temple site in Jerusalem because Ezekiel doesn’t name Jerusalem or reference the former temple. What we can say is, “the structure of the Third Temple will necessitate vast topographical changes in the environs of the Jerusalem. This Temple will differ drastically in size from its predecessors”.1

We can also say that the Lord sent this messenger to tell “the house of Israel” in Ezekiel 40:3 “a man … the appearance of bronze” and he began to speak and measure the city and said in Ezekiel 40:4 “you were brought here in order to show you this; tell all that you are seeing to the house of Israel”. Some respected scholars of our day dismiss this vision as vivid metaphors only meant to encourage the exiles, others believe this was only a conditional possibility of blessing if Israel and Judah would repent and follow the Lord (which expired and will never be fulfilled). It is clear this is not the millennial temple because Jesus was the final sacrifice so there is no further need for animal sacrifice. So, it remains to be seen whether the Lord will bring to pass this plan for the third temple.

There Was a Wall on the Outside of the Temple

Ezekiel 40:5–16

The Outer Courtyard There Were Chambers

Ezekiel 40:17–27

There Were Porticos All The Way Around

Ezekiel 40:28–37 

There Were Chambers for Singers

Ezekiel 40:38–49
Every area of ministry from the high priest to the keepers of the temple have their designated tasks and their designated chambers. These times of gathering were coordinated in their procession and were often for many participants. These all required food, clothing, and a place to meet the biological needs we all have. And, from the time of David on, there was always this inclusion of the singers, the musicians because these times were not always simply solemn sacrifice, but also times of great praise as in

2 Chronicles 5:13 And it was the primary duty of the trumpeters and singers to make themselves heard with one voice, to praise and give thanks to Yahweh. And when a sound from the trumpets, cymbals, and other instruments of song was raised to Yahweh—for he is good, because his loyal love is everlasting—then the house, the house of Yahweh, was filled with a cloud.

 

This is the Most Holy Place

Ezekiel 41:1–13
Now, the messenger moves to the temple sanctuary in Ezekiel 41:1. And as he measures its size, there are in Ezekiel 41:6 side rooms all around outside “three stories and a total of thirty rooms” making very high ceilings for the main sanctuary where in

Ezekiel 41:4 And he measured its length as twenty cubits and its width as twenty cubits to the front of the temple, and he said to me, “This is the most holy place.

All of this design is to move from the large outer perimeter where lay the world to inner court where the ministers serve and finally to “the most holy place where the Lord is.

Study Verses

Today’s Reading

  • Ezekiel 40:1-49
  • Ezekiel 41:1-26

References

  • The Temple Institute (2017). Future Temple, https://www.templeinstitute.org/future_temple.htm