August 29, 2011

GOD IS IN THE DETAILS

Ezekiel 48

Nate Disarro
Monday's Devo

August 29, 2011

Monday's Devo

August 29, 2011

Central Truth

No matter where you have been or where you are going, it is important to remember that THE LORD IS THERE.

Key Verse | Ezekiel 48:35

"The city shall be 18,000 cubits round about; and the name of the city from that day shall be, 'The LORD is there.'" (Ezekiel 48:35)

Ezekiel 48

These are the names of the tribes: Beginning at the northern extreme, beside the way of Hethlon to Lebo-hamath, as far as Hazar-enan (which is on the northern border of Damascus over against Hamath), and extending 1 48:1 Probable reading; Hebrew and they shall be his from the east side to the west, 2 48:1 Septuagint (compare verses 28); Hebrew the east side the west Dan, one portion. Adjoining the territory of Dan, from the east side to the west, Asher, one portion. Adjoining the territory of Asher, from the east side to the west, Naphtali, one portion. Adjoining the territory of Naphtali, from the east side to the west, Manasseh, one portion. Adjoining the territory of Manasseh, from the east side to the west, Ephraim, one portion. Adjoining the territory of Ephraim, from the east side to the west, Reuben, one portion. Adjoining the territory of Reuben, from the east side to the west, Judah, one portion.

Adjoining the territory of Judah, from the east side to the west, shall be the portion which you shall set apart, 25,000 cubits 3 48:8 A cubit was about 18 inches or 45 centimeters in breadth, and in length equal to one of the tribal portions, from the east side to the west, with the sanctuary in the midst of it. The portion that you shall set apart for the LORD shall be 25,000 cubits in length, and 20,000 4 48:9 Compare 45:1; Hebrew 10,000 in breadth. 10 These shall be the allotments of the holy portion: the priests shall have an allotment measuring 25,000 cubits on the northern side, 10,000 cubits in breadth on the western side, 10,000 in breadth on the eastern side, and 25,000 in length on the southern side, with the sanctuary of the LORD in the midst of it. 11 This shall be for the consecrated priests, the sons of Zadok, who kept my charge, who did not go astray when the people of Israel went astray, as the Levites did. 12 And it shall belong to them as a special portion from the holy portion of the land, a most holy place, adjoining the territory of the Levites. 13 And alongside the territory of the priests, the Levites shall have an allotment 25,000 cubits in length and 10,000 in breadth. The whole length shall be 25,000 cubits and the breadth 20,000. 5 48:13 Septuagint; Hebrew 10,000 14 They shall not sell or exchange any of it. They shall not alienate this choice portion of the land, for it is holy to the LORD.

15 The remainder, 5,000 cubits in breadth and 25,000 in length, shall be for common use for the city, for dwellings and for open country. In the midst of it shall be the city, 16 and these shall be its measurements: the north side 4,500 cubits, the south side 4,500, the east side 4,500, and the west side 4,500. 17 And the city shall have open land: on the north 250 cubits, on the south 250, on the east 250, and on the west 250. 18 The remainder of the length alongside the holy portion shall be 10,000 cubits to the east, and 10,000 to the west, and it shall be alongside the holy portion. Its produce shall be food for the workers of the city. 19 And the workers of the city, from all the tribes of Israel, shall till it. 20 The whole portion that you shall set apart shall be 25,000 cubits square, that is, the holy portion together with the property of the city.

21 What remains on both sides of the holy portion and of the property of the city shall belong to the prince. Extending from the 25,000 cubits of the holy portion to the east border, and westward from the 25,000 cubits to the west border, parallel to the tribal portions, it shall belong to the prince. The holy portion with the sanctuary of the temple shall be in its midst. 22 It shall be separate from the property of the Levites and the property of the city, which are in the midst of that which belongs to the prince. The portion of the prince shall lie between the territory of Judah and the territory of Benjamin.

23 As for the rest of the tribes: from the east side to the west, Benjamin, one portion. 24 Adjoining the territory of Benjamin, from the east side to the west, Simeon, one portion. 25 Adjoining the territory of Simeon, from the east side to the west, Issachar, one portion. 26 Adjoining the territory of Issachar, from the east side to the west, Zebulun, one portion. 27 Adjoining the territory of Zebulun, from the east side to the west, Gad, one portion. 28 And adjoining the territory of Gad to the south, the boundary shall run from Tamar to the waters of Meribah-kadesh, from there along the Brook of Egypt 6 48:28 Hebrew lacks of Egypt to the Great Sea. 7 48:28 That is, the Mediterranean Sea 29 This is the land that you shall allot as an inheritance among the tribes of Israel, and these are their portions, declares the Lord God.

The Gates of the City

30 These shall be the exits of the city: On the north side, which is to be 4,500 cubits by measure, 31 three gates, the gate of Reuben, the gate of Judah, and the gate of Levi, the gates of the city being named after the tribes of Israel. 32 On the east side, which is to be 4,500 cubits, three gates, the gate of Joseph, the gate of Benjamin, and the gate of Dan. 33 On the south side, which is to be 4,500 cubits by measure, three gates, the gate of Simeon, the gate of Issachar, and the gate of Zebulun. 34 On the west side, which is to be 4,500 cubits, three gates, 8 48:34 One Hebrew manuscript, Syriac (compare Septuagint); most Hebrew manuscripts their gates three the gate of Gad, the gate of Asher, and the gate of Naphtali. 35 The circumference of the city shall be 18,000 cubits. And the name of the city from that time on shall be, The LORD Is There.”

Footnotes

[1] 48:1 Probable reading; Hebrew and they shall be his
[2] 48:1 Septuagint (compare verses 2–8); Hebrew the east side the west
[3] 48:8 A cubit was about 18 inches or 45 centimeters
[4] 48:9 Compare 45:1; Hebrew 10,000
[5] 48:13 Septuagint; Hebrew 10,000
[6] 48:28 Hebrew lacks of Egypt
[7] 48:28 That is, the Mediterranean Sea
[8] 48:34 One Hebrew manuscript, Syriac (compare Septuagint); most Hebrew manuscripts their gates three

Dive Deeper | Ezekiel 48

The Book of Ezekiel begins by describing the holiness of God that Israel had despised and ignored. As a result, God's presence departed from the temple, the city, and the people. The book ends with a detailed vision of the new temple, city, and people, who all demonstrate God's holiness.

As the details of the portions of land are presented in chapter 48, it reminds me that I can often get hung up about how big my house is or what kind of car I drive compared to those around me. As I allow the thoughts of possessions to weigh on my heart, it is easy for me to be just like the Israelites in the beginning of the Book of Ezekiel. I ignore the holiness of God, and all I can think about is how I have not been given as much as other people. Then, I wonder where God is in my life. Why doesn't He show up in the areas in which I need Him most? Where is He when I ask Him for more stuff?

Even though this chapter of Scripture may seem to only be a list of the portions of land distributed to the Israelites, it is an incredibly important reminder to me that God is in the details. He has given each tribe enough land to provide the type of life that they need in order to see His holiness and worship Him. If I am someone who has put my faith in Jesus Christ, I need to be satisfied with the "land" that God has given me and use it for His glory. He has counted the number of hairs on my head and planned out the details of my life perfectly; so no matter what situations I am presented with in life, no matter how good or bad, God has gone before me to be the faithful Provider. The least I can do is remember that, no matter where I am or what I feel like I need in my life, the theme of my life should be "THE LORD IS THERE."

Discussion Questions

1. When was the last time you felt like you despised God's holiness or felt that He had departed from your temple (or life)?

2. When you think about asking God for something, do you first come to Him with a sense of reverence and awe, or do you come expecting Him to provide you with whatever YOU think you need in your life?

3. Do you go into any situation in life knowing that THE LORD IS THERE? In what ways are you confident in His presence in your life?

WEEKLY FAMILY ACTIVITY

EZEKIEL 48-DANIEL 4 (AUGUST 29-SEPTEMBER 2)

Read Daniel 1.

Notice in verse 4, Daniel was a young man, a teenager. Why was Daniel in Babylon?

What did Daniel ask the chief official? Why did Daniel not want to eat the food and drink the wine of the king? How do you think Daniel knew that he should not be eating and drinking the king's food and wine?

Daniel was in a foreign land, but he still sought to follow the One True God.

What does it mean to resolve to do something? Daniel was young and knew God's ways.

How do you learn God's ways? How do you stand firm and obey His ways when faced with challenges?

ACTIVITY: Get some Play-Doh OR make your own (learn how at http://www.makeplaydough.com/play_dough/)

Make a big circle. Next, create the letters DAN and the numbers 1 and 8. Reread aloud Daniel 1:8 and remember how Daniel "made up his mind" to be a God follower even when it was difficult in a foreign land.

Put your Play-Doh creation in a place where it can dry. Come back occasionally to check to see how hard the letters/numbers are getting. When we set our minds upon God and make a decision to honor and obey Him, we are strong and "set" with Truth as our foundation.