Ezekiel

Ezekiel 40: God reveals His ordered house

Begin in prayer

Before walking through the measured courts with Ezekiel, let us ask God for attentive hearts. Seek His help to listen with calm hearts, His nearness to our family and a clear sight of Christ in Ezekiel 40.

Go up to the mountain, bring wood, and build the house. I will take pleasure in it, and I will be glorified,” says Yahweh.

Haggai 1:8

Father in heaven, please open our eyes as we read Your Word. Help us attend to what You reveal and see Jesus, whose sacrifice brings His people near to worship You. Make us more like Jesus. And please bless our family as we worship You together. In Jesus' name, Amen.

See where we're going

Fourteen years after Jerusalem was struck, God brings Ezekiel to Israel in visions and shows him a structure like a city. A man with measuring tools commands him to see, hear and declare everything to Israel. He measures the surrounding wall and leads Ezekiel through gates, rooms and courts with matching features and appointed dimensions. Seven steps lead to outer gates, while eight lead to inner gates. Tables and a washing room provide for sacrifices, and priests have rooms according to their duties at the house and altar. The inner court is square, the altar stands before the house, and the tour reaches the house's porch.

As you read Ezekiel 40, look for the answers:

Reflect together

Key truth

God reveals His ordered house and its holy service, commanding His messenger to see, hear and declare it.

The dated vision comes after Jerusalem's ruin, showing captives the ordered service of a house revealed by God. The guide's command to see, hear and set his heart on everything makes Ezekiel responsible to receive the plan before declaring it. Repeated measurements and matching gates show a house whose arrangement is given, leaving its order to be learned from the vision. Seven steps at the outer gates and eight at the inner gates make the approach through successive courts concrete. A room for washing and tables for burnt, sin and trespass offerings show the work for which these courts provide. They place sacrifice and cleansing within the house's appointed service. Distinct rooms for those keeping the house and those keeping the altar explain how priestly duties relate to places. Zadok's sons are identified as those who come near the LORD at the altar, giving the measurements a human responsibility to teach. The plan therefore joins exact dimensions with the attention and service required from those who hear it.

How does Ezekiel 40 show us that God reveals His ordered house and its holy service, commanding His messenger to see, hear and declare it?

God commands careful attention to His revelation.

God brings Ezekiel to Israel in visions after Jerusalem's fall (verses 1 to 4). A man stands with measuring tools. He tells Ezekiel to see, hear and set his heart on what he must declare to Israel.

God shows an ordered place of worship.

The tour measures a surrounding wall, gates and courts (verses 5 to 37). Rooms, windows, palm trees and matching gates recur. Seven outer steps and eight inner steps mark the approach through the courts.

God appoints places and duties for holy service.

Tables hold sacrifices, including sin and trespass offerings (verses 38 to 49). Priests have assigned rooms and duties. Zadok's sons minister at the altar, which stands before the house.

Memorize

Son of man, see with your eyes, and hear with your ears, and set your heart on all that I shall show you.

Ezekiel 40:4

Looking to Jesus in my life

Ask yourself in your heart, do I listen carelessly to God's Word? Have I come near to God through Jesus?

Ezekiel hears the command, “set your heart on all that I shall show you”. The vision leads him through a measured house, courts and places of sacrifice. He must attend to what is shown and declare it to Israel. The priests' duties and the altar place worship and the need for cleansing before the hearer.

Jesus brings His people near to God through His own blood (Hebrews 10 verses 19 to 22). He died for His people as their substitute, carrying their sins and bearing the punishment they deserved. He finished the work that secures their welcome, and His sacrifice supplies everything needed for their salvation. He rose from death and lives as the great Priest over God's house.

Please turn from sin and place your trust in Jesus Christ. He grants forgiveness to all who come to Him in faith. Ask Him to replace careless hearing with a heart that attends to His Word. Through the Savior's saving work, repentant sinners can draw near to the holy God in worship.

Parent's note

Tell your children that Jesus died and rose to bring His people near to God through His sacrifice. Please do not tell them they are saved just because they grew up in a Christian home. Call each child to turn from sin and trust Jesus, and pray that God would give them a new heart.

Pray together

Now please close your time together in prayer. Thank God for revealing His holy service and bringing sinners near through Jesus, and bring the heart question to Him. Every child can pray, so let each one say a short prayer if they want to.

Therefore they are before the throne of God, they serve him day and night in his temple. He who sits on the throne will spread his tabernacle over them.

Revelation 7:15

Father, thank You for making Yourself known and for sending Jesus to bring His people near. Forgive our careless hearing, and help each one turn from sin and trust Him. Please teach us to attend to Your Word and worship You with hearts cleansed through the Savior's finished work. Amen.