Levitical priests, who are descendants of Zadok and who guarded my sanctuary and show them how to distinguish between the unclean and the clean

Ezekiel 44:15-31

But the Levitical priests, who are descendants of Zadok and who guarded my sanctuary when the Israelites went astray from me, are to come near to minister before me; they are to stand before me to offer sacrifices of fat and blood, declares the Sovereign Lord. They alone are to enter my sanctuary; they alone are to come near my table to minister before me and serve me as guards.

When they enter the gates of the inner court, they are to wear linen clothes; they must not wear any woolen garment while ministering at the gates of the inner court or inside the temple. They are to wear linen turbans on their heads and linen undergarments around their waists. They must not wear anything that makes them perspire. When they go out into the outer court where the people are, they are to take off the clothes they have been ministering in and are to leave them in the sacred rooms and put on other clothes, so that the people are not consecrated through contact with their garments.

They must not shave their heads or let their hair grow long, but they are to keep the hair of their heads trimmed. No priest is to drink wine when he enters the inner court. They must not marry widows or divorced women; they may marry only virgins of Israelite descent or widows of priests. They are to teach my people the difference between the holy and the common and show them how to distinguish between the unclean and the clean.

I am to be the only inheritance the priests have. You are to give them no possession in Israel; I will be their possession.

Why?

The Levitical priests who are descendants of Zadok who guarded God's sanctuary when the Israelites went astray from the Lord. The Lord knows who are honest to Him. So only the descendant of Zadok may serve the Lord in the Temple.

To serve the Lord have to live according to the laws of the Lord. To show how to distinguish between the unclean and the clean. So we have to show that the Christian lifestyle and others' lifestyle are different.

To be a servant of the Lord, God is his inheritance, this is the best one than any other job in the world.

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利未人撒督的子孫最難能可貴是四周的都不敬畏神，他們卻繼續敬畏神，事奉神。事奉神本身是特權，不是服事加重。透過我們的服事，神將更多恩典賜我們，我們領受托付，願意接受使命的託付，這個就是恩典。神給人祝福，特權，要點是遵行神的規定。排汗： 舊約中從體內排出來的都是不潔淨的。我們在服裝上也應該有更合宜，顯出我們看重服事神的服裝。穿衣服是有要求的，主要是不要跟著世俗的流行，與異教分別出來。傳道人的婚姻，本身也歸於服事內，要成為別人的榜樣。守節： 現在就是參加主日，我們生活中時間的安排也都是為主的緣故。

祭司的恩典：祭司必有產業，神就是他們的產業。真正的產業是耶和華神自己。當有人來奉獻，祭司要服事來獻祭的人，工作加增，他們得到的也愈多。

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How?

I am the servant of the Lord, so I have to live differently from others in the world, but show the Spirit of the Lord is in me.

No foreigner uncircumcised in heart and flesh is to enter my sanctuary, not evern live among the Israellites

Ezekiel 44:1-14

the one facing east, and it was shut. The Lord said to me, “This gate is to remain shut. It must not be opened; no one may enter through it. It is to remain shut because the Lord, the God of Israel, has entered through it. The prince himself is the only one who may sit inside the gateway to eat in the presence of the Lord. He is to enter by way of the portico of the gateway and go out the same way.

Then the man brought me by way of the north gate to the front of the temple. I looked and saw the glory of the Lord filling the temple of the Lord, and I fell facedown.

Say to rebellious Israel, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Enough of your detestable practices, people of Israel! In addition to all your other detestable practices, you brought foreigners uncircumcised in heart and flesh into my sanctuary, desecrating my temple while you offered me food, fat and blood, and you broke my covenant. Instead of carrying out your duty in regard to my holy things, you put others in charge of my sanctuary. This is what the Sovereign Lord says: No foreigner uncircumcised in heart and flesh is to enter my sanctuary, not even the foreigners who live among the Israelites.

The Levites who went far from me when Israel went astray and who wandered from me after their idols must bear the consequences of their sin. 

Why?
East gate is always closed because this is the gate the Lord comes in, and no one else can go through this gate, and the Lord enters the Temple.

The foreigners cannot go into the Temple and No foreigner uncircumcised in heart and flesh is to enter God's sanctuary. Because only trust in the Lord and obey the regulation of the Lord in heart and flesh may enter.

No foreigner uncircumcised in heart and flesh is to enter my sanctuary, not even the foreigners who live among the Israelites. To be a Christian has to be uncircumcised in heart and flesh. For the Lord is Holy.

The culture of foreigners may influence the people of Israel, so can to allow live among the Israelites.

How?

Keep away the way and mind of this world, the best way is to know the word of the Lord and keep our behavior and mind closer to the Lord.

God’s Glory Returns to the Temple

Ezekiel 43:1-27

Then the man brought me to the gate facing east, and I saw the glory of the God of Israel coming from the east. His voice was like the roar of rushing waters, and the land was radiant with his glory. The vision I saw was like the vision I had seen when he[a] came to destroy the city and like the visions I had seen by the Kebar River, and I fell facedown. The glory of the Lord entered the temple through the gate facing east. Then the Spirit lifted me up and brought me into the inner court, and the glory of the Lord filled the temple.

Now let them put away from me their prostitution and the funeral offerings for their kings, and I will live among them forever.

Write these down before them so that they may be faithful to its design and follow all its regulations.

Then he said to me, “Son of man, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: These will be the regulations for sacrificing burnt offerings and splashing blood against the altar when it is built: You are to give a young bull as a sin offering to the Levitical priests of the family of Zadok, who come near to minister before me, declares the Sovereign Lord. You are to take some of its blood and put it on the four horns of the altar and on the four corners of the upper ledge and all around the rim, and so purify the altar and make atonement for it. You are to take the bull for the sin offering and burn it in the designated part of the temple area outside the sanctuary.

On the second day you are to offer a male goat without defect for a sin offering, and the altar is to be purified as it was purified with the bull.

For seven days you are to provide a male goat daily for a sin offering; you are also to provide a young bull and a ram from the flock, both without defect. For seven days they are to make atonement for the altar and cleanse it; thus they will dedicate it. At the end of these days, from the eighth day on, the priests are to present your burnt offerings and fellowship offerings on the altar. Then I will accept you, declares the Sovereign Lord.”

Why?
The glory of the Lord returned to the Temple, so the Lord asked Ezekiel to clean the Temple and tell him the regulations to clean the altar and make it Holy.

Because the Isreal and their kings had sins against the Lord so the Lord left them, Not, the Lord returned to them for the love of the Lord still came upon His peoples. God is Holy so all his people who follow him have to live in Holy either.

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耶和華的榮耀回到以色列人當中，恢復與人的關係。人也願意重新奉獻自己。從11章到43章都在責備以色列人。耶和華回來，有聲音，地發光，如聖誕節的光線，吸引人的現象。

神的榮耀充滿聖殿後，人要如何回應呢?1)悔改： 因自己的罪慚虧 2)人必須積極遵行神的道。量殿的尺寸，遵照殿的一切規則、典章 3)奉獻： 4)出入之處的路： 就是耶穌基督  5)敬拜是按著神的法則來敬拜，用真理在靈裏敬拜（用心靈和誠實）。6)殿在山頂上，最高的位置，四圍是屬神的，分別出來。

重新為祭司、利未人來除罪。撒鹽代表永不改變的心願。

重新反省、思想、把自己奉獻給神！

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How?

Let me away from this world and come close to the Lord, for the Lord is Holy. May the Holy Spirit remind me and help me.

The Temple Area Restored

Ezekiel 40:47-42:20

Then he brought me to the north gate and measured it. It had the same measurements as the others, as did its alcoves, its projecting walls and its portico, and it had openings all around. It was fifty cubits long and twenty-five cubits wide. Its portico faced the outer court; palm trees decorated the jambs on either side, and eight steps led up to it.

He brought me to the portico of the temple and measured the jambs of the portico; they were five cubits wide on either side. The width of the entrance was fourteen cubits and its projecting walls were[t] three cubits[u] wide on either side. The portico was twenty cubits wide, and twelve cubits from front to back. It was reached by a flight of stairs, and there were pillars on each side of the jambs.

The main hall had a rectangular doorframe, and the one at the front of the Most Holy Place was  similar. There was a wooden altar three cubits[l] high and two cubits square[m]; its corners, its base and its sides were of wood. The man said to me, “This is the table that is before the Lord.”

Then he said to me, “The north and south rooms facing the temple courtyard are the priests’ rooms, where the priests who approach the Lord will eat the most holy offerings. There they will put the most holy offerings—the grain offerings, the sin offerings and the guilt offerings—for the place is holy. 

Why?

It is clear of the size and everything in the Temple for this is a Holy place, so it is described very clear on each corner and room and door.

My faith and worship in the church should be very careful and with honor and right altitude to worship the Lord.

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Chap41

量聖殿四周旁屋，殿的尺寸和以前的一樣，神帶我們回到啟初的榮耀

牆壁上彫刻有基路伯

22節：壇

42章： 聖屋： 用於祭司吃祭肉，v14 供職換衣服的地方

v20 量四圍

沒有講到至聖所的金燈台、約櫃等。沒有提到表達的是為了人的需要，神與人關係的需要，神最關心是人的需要及神與人的關係。

度量的人說話： 41:4 這是至聖所   這是耶和華的桌子    當在那裏吃，換衣服     都是為了祭司而建立

耶和華面前的桌子： 是指香壇，代表禱告的地方。至聖所也是禱告的地方。

沒有提到金燈台，陳設桌，因為神已經同在，親自在供應，與神面對面。

強調聖與俗的分別，既然屬神就不要走世俗的道路。

How?

May the Lord and Holy Spirit remind me and show me the way to worship Him. Honor God's holy name,

In visions of God he took me to the land of Israel

Ezekiel 40:1-46

In the twenty-fifth year of our exile, at the beginning of the year, on the tenth of the month, in the fourteenth year after the fall of the city—on that very day the hand of the Lord was on me and he took me there. In visions of God he took me to the land of Israel and set me on a very high mountain, on whose south side were some buildings that looked like a city.

I saw a wall completely surrounding the temple area. The length of the measuring rod in the man’s hand was six long cubits,[a] each of which was a cubit and a handbreadth. He measured the wall; it was one measuring rod thick and one rod high.

Then he brought me into the outer court. There I saw some rooms and a pavement that had been constructed all around the court; there were thirty rooms along the pavement. 

Then he measured the length and width of the north gate, leading into the outer court. Its alcoves—three on each side—its projecting walls and its portico had the same measurements as those of the first gateway. It was fifty cubits long and twenty-five cubits wide.

The inner court also had a gate facing south, and he measured from this gate to the outer gate on the south side; it was a hundred cubits.

Then he brought me into the inner court through the south gate, and he measured the south gate; it had the same measurements as the others.

Then he brought me to the inner court on the east side, and he measured the gateway; it had the same measurements as the others.

So there were four tables on one side of the gateway and four on the other—eight tables in all—on which the sacrifices were slaughtered. There were also four tables of dressed stone for the burnt offerings, each a cubit and a half long, a cubit and a half wide and a cubit high. On them were placed the utensils for slaughtering the burnt offerings and the other sacrifices. And double-pronged hooks, each a handbreadth[p] long, were attached to the wall all around. The tables were for the flesh of the offerings.

He said to me, “The room facing south is for the priests who guard the temple, and the room facing north is for the priests who guard the altar. These are the sons of Zadok, who are the only Levites who may draw near to the Lord to minister before him.

Why?

The Lord let Ezekiel see this vision to show the New Jerusalem will be built. Here, it shows the detailed size of each part of the city wall and gates. The Lord has prepared for us a new Holy City, it is a real city for worship.

This detail size measurement means the detail of the Holy City and the time and regulation are precise, let us be careful to obey the time and detail to worship the Lord.

How?

There is a new Jerusalem for God's people in the future. Don't be upset for the Lord is our help and strength. 

I will no longer hide my face from them, the people of Israel

Ezekiel 39:21-29

“I will display my glory among the nations, and all the nations will see the punishment I inflict and the hand I lay on them. From that day forward the people of Israel will know that I am the Lord their God. And the nations will know that the people of Israel went into exile for their sin, because they were unfaithful to me. So I hid my face from them and handed them over to their enemies, and they all fell by the sword. I dealt with them according to their uncleanness and their offenses, and I hid my face from them.

Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I will now restore the fortunes of Jacob and will have compassion on all the people of Israel, and I will be zealous for my holy name. They will forget their shame and all the unfaithfulness they showed toward me when they lived in safety in their land with no one to make them afraid. When I have brought them back from the nations and have gathered them from the countries of their enemies, I will be proved holy through them in the sight of many nations. Then they will know that I am the Lord their God, for though I sent them into exile among the nations, I will gather them to their own land, not leaving any behind. I will no longer hide my face from them, for I will pour out my Spirit on the people of Israel, declares the Sovereign Lord.

Why?

Because the Lord is zealous for God's holy name, the Lord restored the fortunes of Jacob and had compassion on all the people of Israel.

People of Israel will exiled to other countries because of their sins, other countries is tool of the Lord to punish God's people. other nations are not better or righteous than the people of Israel.

How?

Everyone should be aware we are sinners, without the love of the Lord, all of us will perish. Thanks the Lord for showing his mercy and love to me!

撒上16:14-23 醫治之手

 20231210 林義順長老

但1:3-4

年輕，沒有殘疾，容貌俊美，通達各樣事務

世界上選拔人的標準都一樣

醫者-仁者

我們期待怎樣的王？仁者，大將軍，

上帝如何看？合適的王。

17章大衛擊殺哥利亞。

16章撒母耳膏大衛作王，到大衛殺死個4利亞，中間插入這段，為什麼？

我們期待的王，一個是醫治，一個是軍事上的。我們跟著耶穌基督做王，

獻祭就是敬拜，神沒有叫人說謊，神要撒目耳說去伯利恆獻祭，聽神的話！

為何神不直接說要膏誰？要撒母耳及我們學習的功課。撒母耳和我們看人方式相同。神看內心。

什麼是內心？不是天然的，沒有的東西，可以向神求，經過鍛鍊而成就的果子。愈是軟弱的愈是加給力量他所缺的。神厭棄掃羅卻讓大衞醫治掃羅。王者之手也是醫者之手。