The Temple, The Lord’s Dwelling Place

Ezekiel 43:1–12
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This is a culmination of chapters 40-42 because God’s glory returns to the temple. God addresses Ezekiel from its holy place. The remainder of the vision (and the book) is concerned with the final message that Ezekiel is to convey to his people. This vision falls into three parts:

1. God’s return to the temple (vv. 1-5). Israel’s past evil had created a world in which God could no longer be present. The people had created their own kind of hell, a world in which God’s presence could not be known. But now, in his vision, the prophet sees God’s glory and presence return to this world.
2. The voice from the temple (vv. 6-9). The prophet hears God’s voice addressing him from within the temple. He declares that this is the place of His presence, His home, and His symbolic dwelling in the midst of His chosen people. Then there is a statement addressed to Israel: the people must no longer defile the place of God’s residence by their acts of idolatry and associated practices. If they will put aside their evil practices, God’s presence will remain with them for ever (v.9).
3. The commission to the prophet (vv. 10-12). The prophet is given instructions to address his people and describe to them the restored temple and all its laws. For Ezekiel, with his priestly background, the whole substance of the vision was glorious and full of hope. Though we may not easily grasp the excitement of the account of the temple and its laws, we can at least sense the thrill that it would have imparted to the prophet and people alike.

Application

Just as God is holy, so we are to be holy (Lev. 19:2). I will only be holy when I am devoted to God and separated from sin. If I do not understand the basic concept of holiness, I will never progress very far in my Christian growth.