Holy Rooms, Holy People, Holy Offerings

 As we read Ezekiel's description of a new Temple that will be built in Jerusalem in the future, we are taken back by how large it is and how many rooms there are in it. Then, we are especially surprised to read that the rooms to the north and south of the open area were "holy rooms." Our minds should think immediately, "How can a room be holy?" Ezekiel explains this. These rooms are set apart from the rest, holy space for the priests to store and eat the grain, sin, and guilt offerings. (Ezekiel 42:13) These rooms were different from the rest, being used by holy people, the priests, to receive the offerings set apart for God and eat them there before the Lord. All of this sounds strange to our New Covenant ears, but it is very relevant for believers today. We need to know what it means to be holy and to practice holiness all the time.

Today, we do not necessarily have holy rooms in our church building, because we use our rooms, even the Sanctuary, for things other than worship. However, that is why we often call it a "sanctuary," or a holy place for offering our sacrifices of praise to God. That is the main way we offer sacrifices under the New Covenant, and these offerings are very important. Today, we are the priests, since every believer is a priest before God, able to come before God in prayer, worship, and intercession for others. I pray we all know we are different from the non-believers. We are not better than they are, but we do have access to God's throne, and we can stand before Him for ourselves and for others, making the offerings of prayer for them. Then, when we are used by God to lead someone to Jesus, as Lord and Savior, we are privileged to participate in the greatest miracle of all. We bring God and that individual together, so he or she can be set apart for God and become a holy priest, also. What a blessing to be holy people with holy offerings today.

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Tomorrow, I intend to read Ezekiel 43-45.