Dwelling Places

Ezekiel 43:1–12 ESV

1 Then he led me to the gate, the gate facing east. 2 And behold, the glory of the God of Israel was coming from the east. And the sound of his coming was like the sound of many waters, and the earth shone with his glory. 3 And the vision I saw was just like the vision that I had seen when he came to destroy the city, and just like the vision that I had seen by the Chebar canal. And I fell on my face. 4 As the glory of the Lord entered the temple by the gate facing east, 5 the Spirit lifted me up and brought me into the inner court; and behold, the glory of the Lord filled the temple. 6 While the man was standing beside me, I heard one speaking to me out of the temple, 7 and he said to me, “Son of man, this is the place of my throne and the place of the soles of my feet, where I will dwell in the midst of the people of Israel forever. And the house of Israel shall no more defile my holy name, neither they, nor their kings, by their whoring and by the dead bodies of their kings at their high places, 8 by setting their threshold by my threshold and their doorposts beside my doorposts, with only a wall between me and them. They have defiled my holy name by their abominations that they have committed, so I have consumed them in my anger. 9 Now let them put away their whoring and the dead bodies of their kings far from me, and I will dwell in their midst forever. 10 “As for you, son of man, describe to the house of Israel the temple, that they may be ashamed of their iniquities; and they shall measure the plan. 11 And if they are ashamed of all that they have done, make known to them the design of the temple, its arrangement, its exits and its entrances, that is, its whole design; and make known to them as well all its statutes and its whole design and all its laws, and write it down in their sight, so that they may observe all its laws and all its statutes and carry them out. 12 This is the law of the temple: the whole territory on the top of the mountain all around shall be most holy. Behold, this is the law of the temple.

Ezekiel is given a guide to witness the return of Yahweh’s glory.

After Yahweh returns, He declares to Ezekiel that He will remain there.

He stresses the need for Israel to treat His name and His temple with proper respect and maintain the absolute holiness of the area.

The inner court is elevated above the outer court. The additional step symbolizes the increased holiness of this inner court.

The difference in elevation has to do with the level of holiness.

In 43:5, the Spirit moves Ezekiel from the outer gate to the inner court, closer to the temple where Yahweh’s presence has settled.

The glory of Yahweh filled the temple Compare 1 Kgs 8:10–11 when the divine presence entered Solomon’s temple.

The language is similar in Isa 6:1 and Ezek 10:4.43:6 someone speaking to me from the house Recalls Ezekiel’s inaugural vision (see 1:28). Similarly, Yahweh would speak with Moses from inside the tabernacle (see Exod 25:22).

43:7 I will dwell in the midst of the Israelites Fulfills the promise of Ezek 37:26–28.

Sacred Space

Isaiah 6:1–7 (ESV)

1 In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple.

2 Above him stood the seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew.

3 And one called to another and said: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!”

4 And the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who called, and the house was filled with smoke.

5 And I said: “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!”

6 Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a burning coal that he had taken with tongs from the altar.

7 And he touched my mouth and said: “Behold, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for.”

Sacred Space - The biblical word for the idea of God’s unique otherness is holiness. It means “to be set apart” or “to be distinct.”

Drawing attention to God’s otherness communicated certain ideas—not only about God, but also about supernatural boundaries. The idea of “realm distinction” was fundamental to the supernatural worldview of Israel.

If where God’s presence dwelt was holy, the ground elsewhere was not—it was either ordinary or, in some cases, hostile and evil.

In 6:3, The phrase Holy, holy, holy is a threefold repetition intensifies the superlative. For example, the “holy of holies” is the holiest part of the temple (the most holy place).

6:4–5 Woe is me! For the first time in the book, Isaiah speaks, and his word is a prophetic woe against himself. He confesses his unclean.

Isaiah’s generation is unfit for God, and Isaiah himself is no better. my eyes have seen the King.

6:7 has removed your guilt Isaiah is cleansed of sin so that he can remain in the divine presence and live to tell about it.

Reference the passage where Peter says that he is unclean.

That is how Jonah was able to run from the presence of God.

That’s where you get the the concept of the jar of dirt from Naaman’s story.

Being “unclean” and unfit to approach sacred space was a serious matter for ancient Israelites. They could not bring sacrifices and offerings to the required locations if they were unclean. The solution was ritual purification, sometimes involving its own sacrifice or a waiting period.

The holiness of the King is such that the very sight of him seems as though it would be fatal to a sinner

The OT is clear that God is not confined in any way (1 Kings 8:27–30; Isa. 66:1–2);

To break it down even further acred space is the means by which his people have access to his presence.

Holiness

The forgotten doctrine of the 21st century.

Ephesians 4:24 (ESV)

24 and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.

1 Thessalonians 3:13 (ESV)

13 so that he may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints.

Spirit & Truth

John 4:20–26 ESV

20 Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you say that in Jerusalem is the place where people ought to worship.” 21 Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. 22 You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. 23 But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. 24 God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” 25 The woman said to him, “I know that Messiah is coming (he who is called Christ). When he comes, he will tell us all things.” 26 Jesus said to her, “I who speak to you am he.”

Breaking Traditionalism

Religion establishes traditions without power. People go through the motions without any results or breakthrough.

Religion Vs. Relationship.

The Spirit of religion seeks to destroy the anointing.

Because here the anointing is, there is breakthrough and freedom!

That’s why the bible says, “For laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men—the washing of pitchers and cups, and many other such things you do.”

Matthew 15:8 (ESV) - This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.

The Spirit of religion mummifies people (explain).

Outer Vs. Inner Court Worship.

Monuments and Memorials

Luke 9:33 ESV

33 And as the men were parting from him, Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good that we are here. Let us make three tents, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah”—not knowing what he said.

three shelters The Greek term used here refers to tents or another form of temporary dwelling.

You Are God’s Dwelling Place!

Ephesians 2:17–22 (ESV)

17 And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near.

18 For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father.

19 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God,

20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone,

21 in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord.

22 In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.

Ephesians 2:21 - The holy temple The temple in Jerusalem had an outer area called the Court of the Gentiles. Gentiles could not enter the temple courtyard; they were segregated from the Jews.

Through Christ’s work of reconciliation, Gentiles are brought together with Jews (see Eph 2:14 and note).

“The notion of sacred space gets brought into the New Testament in a dramatic way. All we need to ask is, “Where is the presence of God right now?” While God is everywhere, he specifically dwells within each believer. Believe it or not, you are sacred space.” - Dr. Michael Heiser

Paul very clearly wrote that “your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit” (1 Cor. 6:19).

1 Corinthians 6:19 ESV

19 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own,