Verse of the Week: V10 “Ye shall have just balances, and a just ephah, and a just bath.”
1. Honest Division (V1-8)
V1 “Moreover, when ye shall divide by lot the land for inheritance, ye shall offer an oblation unto the LORD, and holy portion of the land: the length shall be the length of five and twenty thousand reeds, and the breadth shall be ten thousand. This shall be holy in all the borders thereof round about.”
The holy God spoke to Prophet Ezekiel to divide the land for inheritance by lot and it must be done in honesty and fairness. Indeed, the works of God are great and honourable and we must serve Him with honesty and fairness otherwise our works are in vain.
“The works of the LORD are great, sought out of all them that have pleasure therein. His work is honourable and glorious: and his righteousness endureth for ever.” (Psalms 111:2-3)
2. Honest Dealing (V9-12)
V9 “Thus saith the Lord GOD; Let it suffice you, O princes of Israel: remove violence and spoil, and execute judgment and justice, take away your exactions from my people, saith the Lord GOD.”
The princes of Israel were dishonest in their dealings as they deceived and cheated the people of their land and money. God warned them to confess and repent of their sins and dishonesty otherwise His judgment shall be upon them. Instead of using just balances and measurements in their dealings, they were using unjust balances and measurements, and were out to deceive and cheat the people. The saddest truth is that God’s people who are supposedly to be honest and fair in their dealings are dishonest and unfair. This brings disgrace and shame to God’s holy name, and is a stumbling block to unbelievers.
V10 “Ye shall have just balances, and a just ephah, and a just bath.”
3. Honest Discipline (V13-25)
V21 “In the first month, in the fourteenth day of the month, ye shall have the passover, a feast of seven days; unleavened bread shall be eaten.”
Christ was the passover who sacrificed Himself on the cross for our sins so that we can be righteous before the holy God. However, when we sin against God by deceiving and cheating others, Christ shall judge and discipline us for our good and for His glory.
“Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:” (1 Corinthians 5:7)
Prayer of the Week:
Dearest God, please help me to be honest for Your honour and glory.
Posted by: Pastor Davy Sim AT 05:00 pm
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Verse of the Week: V15 “But the priests the Levites, the sons of Zadok, that kept the charge of my sanctuary when the children of Israel went astray from me, they shall come near to me to minister unto me, and they shall stand before me to offer unto me the fat and the blood, saith the Lord GOD:”
1. The Sons Of Israel (V1-14)
V6 “And thou shalt say to the rebellious, even to the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord GOD; O ye house of Israel, let it suffice you of all your abominations,”
God spoke to Prophet Ezekiel to warn the house of Israel or the sons of Israel to repent of all their abominations and sins, otherwise the holy God shall judge, punish and shame them. All the people of Israel including the priests, except for the sons of Zadok, had grievously rebelled, disobeyed and sinned against the holy God.
V13 “And they shall not come near unto me, to do the office of a priest unto me, nor to come near to any of my holy things, in the most holy place: but they shall bear their shame, and their abominations which they have committed.”
2. The Sons of Zadok (V15-16)
V15 “But the priests the Levites, the sons of Zadok, that kept the charge of my sanctuary when the children of Israel went astray from me, they shall come near to me to minister unto me, and they shall stand before me to offer unto me the fat and the blood, saith the Lord GOD:”
Only the sons of Zadok among all the priests of Israel could come near and stand before the holy God and minister and offer sacrifices to Him. The sons of Zadok had kept themselves holy while the rest of the priests and the people had sinned against God.
V16 “They shall enter into my sanctuary, and they shall come near to my table, to minister unto me, and they shall keep my charge.”
3. The Sons Of God (V17-31)
V28 “And it shall be unto them for an inheritance: I am their inheritance: and ye shall give them no possession in Israel: I am their possession.”
The reward of the sons of Zadok was God as their inheritance and possession. Indeed, God is our inheritance and possession and we become the sons of God if we confess and repent our sins, and believe and receive the Lord Jesus Christ as our personal Saviour.
“But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name:” (John 1:12)
Prayer of the Week:
Dearest God, thank You for accepting me as Your son.
Posted by: Pastor Davy Sim AT 02:02 pm
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Verse of the Week: V27 “And when these days are expired, it shall be, that upon the eighth day, and so forward, the priests shall make your burnt offerings upon the altar, and your peace offerings; and I will accept you, saith the Lord GOD.”
1. The Glory Of God (V1-6)
V2 “And, behold, the glory of the God of Israel came from the way of the east: and His voice was like a noise of many waters: and the earth shined with His glory.”
The glory of the God of Israel will return when the people of Israel become holy and acceptable to God. Indeed, the greatest joy of God and His people is when the glory of God fills the house of God with God’s people gathering together in worship of the holy God in truth, in spirit, in unity, in love and in fellowship.
V5 “So the spirit took me up, and brought me into the inner court; and, behold, the glory of the LORD filled the house.”
2. The Law Of God (V7-17)
V12 “This is the law of the house; Upon the top of the mountain the whole limit thereof round about shall be most holy. Behold, this is the law of the house.”
The glory of the God of Israel will return when the people of Israel obey the law of the house or the law of God. The holy God will only bless and keep His people when they trust and obey His most holy law.
3. The Altar Of God (V18-27)
V27 “And when these days are expired, it shall be, that upon the eighth day, and so forward, the priests shall make your burnt offerings upon the altar, and your peace offerings; and I will accept you, saith the Lord GOD.”
The glory of the God of Israel will return when the people of Israel offer their burnt and peace offerings upon the altar of God, and most importantly, when the people offer their lives as living sacrifice upon the altar of God. Indeed, this is the only way for God to accept His people when they offer their lives as living sacrifice, holy and acceptable before Him. This is also the only reasonable service that God’s people can reciprocate their love, gratitude and thanksgiving to the holy God, and their Saviour Jesus Christ.
“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” (Romans 12:1-2)
Prayer of the Week:
Dearest God, please accept me as I offer myself as a living sacrifice before You.
Posted by: Pastor Davy Sim AT 12:33 am
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Verse of the Week: V20 “He measured it by the four sides: it had a wall round about, five hundred reeds long, and five hundred broad, to make a separation between the sanctuary and the profane place.”
1. The Holy Chambers (V1-13)
V13 “Then said he unto me, The north chambers and the south chambers, which are before the separate place, they be holy chambers, where the priest that approach unto the LORD shall eat the most holy things: there shall they lay the most holy things, and the meat offering, and the sin offering, and the trespass offering; for the place is holy.
God commanded Ezekiel to warn the priests to keep all the chambers holy and separated from any unholy things. The priests must ensure that all the offerings were holy before God including the place of sacrifice. Let us be holy in our speech and deed, and be separated from those who are unholy as we are the sons and daughters of the holy God.
2 Corinthians 6:17-18 “Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.”
2. The Holy Garments (V14-18)
V14 “When the priests enter therein, then shall they not go out of the holy place into the utter court, but there they shall lay their garments wherein they minister; for they are holy; and shall out on other garments, and shall approach to those things which are for the people.”
God commanded Ezekiel that the priests’ garments could only be worn in the holy chambers and they must leave their holy garments in the holy chambers, and put on other garments when they leave the chambers. Our lives, like the priests’ holy garments, must be holy and worthy before God, as we study the Bible, pray and walk with our holy God.
Revelation 3:4 “Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy.”
3. The Holy Sanctuary (V19-20)
V20 “He measured it by the four sides: it had a wall round about, five hundred reeds long, and five hundred broad, to make a separation between the sanctuary and the profane place.”
Just like the sanctuary of God must be separated from the profane place, our lives must be separated from evil and wickedness in order for us to be holy before the holy God.
Prayer of the Week:
Dearest God, please separate me from evil that I may be holy before You.
Posted by: Pastor Davy Sim AT 10:39 am
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Verse of the Week:V4 “So he measured the length thereof, twenty cubits; and the breadth, twenty cubits, before the temple: and he said unto me, This is the most holy place.”
1. The Command (V1-6)
V4 “So he measured the length thereof, twenty cubits; and the breadth, twenty cubits, before the temple: and he said unto me, This is the most holy place.”
God commanded prophet Ezekiel that the place he stood was the most holy place in the temple and that he must be holy in the holy place. When we believe and receive the Lord Jesus Christ as our personal Saviour, our body becomes the temple of God because the Holy Spirit dwells within our body. This is why we must flee from sins and be holy before our holy God.
1 Corinthians 6:19 “What? Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?”
2. The Chambers (V7-17)
V7 “And there was an enlarging, and a winding about still upward to the side chambers: for the winding about of the house went still upward round about the house: therefore the breadth of the house was still upward, and so increased from the lowest chamber to the highest by the midst.”
God showed Ezekiel the highest as well as the lowest chamber. It was a reminder to Ezekiel that there shall be high and low point of our service to God. The highest point is when we behold and worship God, while the lowest point is when we sin against God.
Psalm 27:4 “One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in His temple.”
3. The Cherubs (V18-26)
V18 “And it was made with cherubims and palm trees, so that a palm tree was between a cherub and a cherub; and every cherub had two faces;”
The cherubims, which are angels of God guarding the presence of God, had two faces. One was the face of a man, the symbol of God became man, while the other was the face of a young lion, the symbol of God as the King of kings and the Lord of lords.
V19 “So that the face of a man was toward the palm tree on the one side, and the face of a young lion toward the palm tree on the other side: it was made through all the house round about.”
Prayer of the Week:
Dearest God, please help me to be holy as I am the temple of Your Holy Ghost.
Posted by: Pastor Davy Sim AT 10:39 am
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