Sunday, September 6, 2009

September 5

Ezekiel's Great Temple Vision - Ezekiel 40:1-49, 41:1-26, 42:1-20, 43:1-27, 44:1-3

An impressive Dutch Home Depot project. Creationish Johnan Hubers built this half-size ark in the town of Schagen. It too him two years with most of the work done by himself.

Ezekiel hasn't had any recorded word from the Lord for 12 long years. So when God speaks to him, I imagine there was some anticipation about what He would say. I imagine there was some relief that God wasn't ignoring him. Did Ezekiel miss hearing from the Lord? Or was it such a terrible, awe-inspiring thing that it was more dreaded than embraced. And then there was always the consequences of hearing from the Lord. The knowledge of destruction and death, the loss of a wife and the command not to mourn. Did Ezekiel miss not hearing from God? Or was the word of the Lord, the presence of the Lord so filled with power and love that nothing else matter? Was the rush so great that Ezekiel would long for it all of his days?

So now the Lord finally speaks after 12 years and what does He chose to talk about? Some intimate word? Some powerful commandment? Some great display of His incredible love? He gives a lengthy and tedious plan for the new temple, complete with exact measurements. Is this what we want to hear from the Creator of the Universe?

Why?

I'm sure the temple was more important to a captive people than to us. I'm sure it was a symbol of the freedom and triumph and a nation chosen by God. But why such a cold and elaborate object lesson? Sure it tells us how exacting is the nature of God and that He really like palm trees for decorations. But I wonder what it all means. When I look for something left brain and intimate He comes with something right brain, a treatises instead of a love letter. But sometimes I suppose He just needs to tell us exactly what to do.

Lord knows.

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