The New Temple
Open Your Bible
Ezekiel 40:1-49, Ezekiel 41:1-4, John 1:14-16, John 2:13-22
BY Abby Flynn
Have you ever tried reading through the Bible in a year? While some books and chapters are easy to breeze through, there are parts that can make your eyes glaze over a little.
For me, Ezekiel 40 is one of those chapters. The building instructions for the temple aren’t a super interesting read. It’s easy to feel more like you’re standing in a home improvement store than reading the inspired Word of God. But God has been showing me He has something for us to learn here, too.
In Ezekiel 40 and 41, the people of Judah are twenty-five years into their Babylonian exile. It’s then that God gives Ezekiel a description of a temple restored where His presence would dwell. And in Ezekiel 41:4, God makes a statement that I’m sure not even Ezekiel fully understood at the time. He said,
“This is the most holy place” (Ezekiel 41:4).
What they didn’t know in the middle of their exile was the incredible gift to come for God’s people. The gift wasn’t just their restoration. It was the coming of Christ and the Holy Spirit.
No longer would they have to come to a building to present a sacrifice and be set right with God. God would become human. And through His sacrifice, we receive the gift of the Holy Spirit—God dwelling inside of us (John 1:14). In the New Testament, Jesus Christ speaks of a temple that is not a physical place but His body (John 2:21). He has become our Temple and High Priest.
But first, His people had to wait.They had to fully experience exile as they waited for the promise.
Not sure about you, but this is something I can relate to, especially during this Lenten season. None of us like waiting, but the waiting time and reflecting are often when God shows us His grace!
We may experience painful, frustrating waiting times while we wait on God to rebuild what was lost. But often, He has something so much better planned than what we once had. Something different than what we’ve ever seen or experienced before because that’s just how God works.
Have you ever had to wait a long time to see the fulfillment of one of God’s promises found in Scripture? The waiting is hard. And in the middle, in that awkward space, it can be hard to imagine anything being better than what you had before. But even in the waiting, before you see the rebuilding, He offers grace upon grace. That means it’s constant, and it doesn’t run out. It’s more than we could ask for or even begin to understand (John 1:16).
As we spend time reflecting, we are reminded that God works in the details at all times, even when we don’t see yet what He is building. Will you trust Him with the details and accept His grace in the middle?
37 thoughts on "The New Temple"
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“As we spend time reflecting, we are reminded that God works in the details at all times, even when we don’t see yet what He is building. Will you trust Him with the details and accept His grace in the middle?” I felt like God was directly asking me this question, how timely this devotional is! Just yesterday I was talking with a friend about the “state” of our church. (my husband is the pastor) Over the past 2-3 years we have had a pretty significant loss of people – some were “bad fruit” that had to go, others left for “greener grasses” somewhere else. It was a very painful time, but we felt God was doing a purging and had a greater purpose for our church. Three years later, we are still wondering what that was all about. We have a good group of people — but now a very small group. That meant lots of budget cuts, a loss of servants – more work for those left. But today’s devotional was a great reminder that God is working even when we can’t see it. God is a God of details and perfection. There are lessons in the waiting, and I know His way is perfect (Psalm 18:30. I’ll choose to wait (and hope for patience) I choose to trust that He knows what He is doing, and His will be accomplished.
Today is my oldest son’s birthday, he turned 34. He is one of my prodigals – please pray that God would do a mighty work in his heart, and bring him back to the faith he was raised in and once loved. His name is Nicholas.
Praying for all your requests as I read through them. @Heidi – continuing to pray for your niece and her friend. May the power of God break the chains that keep her defeated!
Have a blessed weekend my dear SRT sisters!
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I read the devotion and comments on my computer rather than the app. A few comments made me think I was missing out on some of the comments. It seems there are many more posted on the app. I will try to switch up reading the comments from now on.
LESLIE GRAY – Prayers for this woman. It is such a senseless tragedy. I cannot imagine losing my entire family to this war. It is truly heartbreaking and I have no words.
I too became glazed over at today’s scripture as someone that doesn’t have the best attention span. We are His temple. I try to treat my body as such and take care of it. To know just who I belong to. It is a beautiful thing!
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Hi sisters,
I am reminded today that God’s temple dwells in me and it is causing me to repent for things I’ve put my body and mind through. I want to live knowing that Christ is within me and treat my body as such.
I have a prayer request. I am putting in my notice at work on Monday. I’m nervous; I’ve been at the job for almost 8 years and I will be leaving it to fully focus on my own business. The unknown is scary but God has made it clear that it is my time to move on and the longer I prolong things the longer I will have to wait for the things He has for me. Please pray for the conversations I will have with my supervisors and coworkers. I enjoy all of them very much; this is a hard but right thing to do. Thank you.
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THANK YOU!!! Thank you!!!! Thank you, Abby Flynn, this is what I needed today especially, “As we spend time reflecting, we are reminded that God works in the details at all times, even when we don’t see yet what He is building. Will you trust Him with the details and accept His grace in the middle?” Last evening while back at work with Finley — yes she is out of the hospital and back home, PRAISE GOD — my sister called and let me know they transferred her from the hospital to therapy rehab facility. Well right around 10:00 pm she text me to tell me she was going leave the place today even if she had to walk home. So I text my oldest brother on the west coast (my sister and I live in the Midwest) and asked him to talk with her and told him the situation. I love my family so much, they are soooo willing to “step-up” how ever they can and help. He got her calmed down. So I text her and told her I would talk to her after I got off work. Well I found out the problem and it’s an easy one to solve, it will be solved today and they found a temporary solution to it until I can get over there today. Abby’s devotion today is reminding me to leave it all in God’s hand, like some of my friends and my son and daughter-in-law have told me to do.
My study Bible notes for Ezekiel 40:3,4 “Who was this man? He was obviously not a human being, so he may have been the angel in 9:1-11 or one like him. Some Say he may have been Christ Himself because He speaks as God had been speaking to Ezekiel, calling him “son on man.””
Lord, allow me and my follow sisters to leave our problems, worries and burdens with You. You will always make things right in YOUR TIME NOT in my/our time. Thank You for sending Your One and Only Son to die for us. Also, thank You for filling us with the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Sisters be blessed and remember sometimes we have to wait for what we want.
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https://truthnet.org/Ezekiel/11/Ezekiel-40-Messiah-Millennium-Temple.htm
Hello She’s! I too looked up some commentaries on today’s reading! Although it seems a little boring to read the measurements….that is how we KNOW the prophesies are real once they ARE fulfilled! (It reminds me of the taplet that was just discovered and how amazingly it shows writing on it that proves parts of the bible, as it reads The Curse of Yaweh!). The link above provide commentary on this vision, when it will take place, and shows pictures of what it might look like! Very interesting!
Prayers for you all my sisters in Christ! My last meet-up with my church Bible Study yesterday was fantastic! It was so good to be in fellowship with sisters, telling of what is happening in our life and the impact of God, praying for each other ALOUD (which takes me out of my comfort zone!), and sharing our hearts with each other! I encourage all of you to look for small groups and bible studies in your own church to fully engage and reap the benefits of what church is meant to be in addition to worship.
Have a great day!
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While We Wait by Amanda Cook
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I will trust HIM! I’m reminded of Joel 2:25 “And I will restore to you the years that the locust has eaten”.
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Thank you Benita Whittle, l’ll check it out!
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