Today’s selected reading continues in the Old Testament prophetic book of Ezekiel, and more specifically, is found in the forty-third chapter of the book. When you begin reading this particular chapter, perhaps the single greatest thing you will notice is that while the previous three chapters seemed to have been directed entirely toward the pattern of the Temple which would stand in the city of Jerusalem, this particular passage describes a very specific event that seemed to take place within and around the Temple itself. When the forty-second chapter draws to a close, we find these words—“to make a separation between the sanctuary and the profane place”—thus indicating one of the most important distinctions we need to make when considering the sacred and the common, the holy versus the profane. The Lord has always and still is concerned with our drawing a clear and definitive line between that which is sacred and that which is profane. The Lord has always called His people—regardless of priest, Levite or simply a common individual among His people—to be able to clearly understand that which is sacred and holy, and that which is profane and common. When speaking of the Temple that would stand in the midst of the city of Jerusalem, the Lord sought to reveal to His people that a separation needed to be made between the sanctuary and the profane place. There was a tremendous need to not allow that which was profane to come in contact with that which was sacred and that which was holy. One of the most interesting and distinctive concepts surrounding the Temple which the Lord spoke of and revealed unto the prophet Ezekiel is that prior to the forty-third chapter, the Temple was simply a structure existing within and upon the earth that was to serve as the sanctuary of the Lord of hosts. While chapters forty through forty-three are absolutely necessary when seeking to understand the Temple that would stand in the midst of the city of Jerusalem, we must recognize that even the Temple without and apart from the glory of the Lord touching and coming in contact with it is nothing more than a building and structure within the earth. One of the things we must recognize concerning the Temple and sanctuary of the Lord is that was essentially that building and structure within and upon the earth that was not only made sacred and holy because of the name of the Lord which was placed upon it, but it was made sacred and holy because of the presence of the Lord of Hosts Himself that would touch, come in contact with and enter the sanctuary. Consider the fact that when it comes to the second Jewish Temple which was built within the city of Jerusalem, the glory of the Lord did not touch or come in contact with it until Jesus was brought to the Temple when He was only eight days old.

 There is a passage contained within the New Testament book of Matthew that I can’t help but consider when considering the reality of the Temple and sanctuary of the Lord being sacred and holy. In the twenty-third chapter of the New Testament book of Matthew we find Jesus speaking directly to, denouncing and condemning the Pharisees, the scribes and the religious leaders of His day. Beginning with the sixteenth verse of this particular chapter we notice something absolutely incredible concerning the Temple and the altar, which Jesus revealed when speaking to and concerning the Pharisees and scribes. “Woe unto you, ye blind guides, which say, W hosoever shall swear by the Temple, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the Temple, he is a debtor! Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gold, or the temple which sanctifieth the gold? And, Whosoever shall swear by the altar, it is nothing; but whosoever sweareth by the gift that is upon it, he is guilty. Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifieth the gift? Whoso therefore shall swear but the altar, sweareth by it, and by all thigns thereon. And whosoever shall swear by the temple, sweareth by it, and by Him that dwelleth therein. And he that shall wear by heaven, sweareth by the throne of God, and by Him that sitteth thereon” (Matthew 23:16-22). When you read this passage of Scripture you not only notice the phrase “and by Him that dwelleth therein,” but you will also notice the phrase “by Him that sitteth thereon.” When speaking to and concerning the Pharisees, Jesus Himself spoke not only of heaven as being the place of God’s throne, but we also find Jesus speaking of the Temple as the place of His abiding presence and glory. When speaking of the Temple, Jesus Himself spoke of the Temple as being the place of the presence of the Lord, and therefore, since it was the place of the presence of the Lord, it was the Temple itself which caused the gold of the sanctuary to become holy. It was the divine presence and glory of God that was present within and in the midst of the Temple that made the Temple holy within the earth. WHEN THE GLORY OF THE LORD TOUCHES THE TEMPLE! WHEN THE GLORY OF THE LORD FILLS THE HOUSE! What we read in the forty-third chapter of the prophetic book of Ezekiel is absolutely incredible and remarkable, for within this passage of Scripture we discover the glory of the Lord—the same glory of the Lord which Ezekiel had seen and witnessed by the river Chebar—coming into and entering the Temple of the Lord.

 In order to truly understand the weight and significance of this passage of Scripture and the event(s) which take place within it, it’s necessary to first journey back to the Old Testament book of Exodus. In the final chapter of the Old Testament book of Exodus we discover the completion of the Tabernacle which the Lord had instructed the children of Israel to build unto and for Himself within the wilderness. The entire fortieth chapter of the book of Exodus describes Moses’ work in completing the building of the Tabernacle before the Lord and the children of Israel in the wilderness. Consider if you will what is recorded in verses thirty-two and thirty-three of this particular chapter—“When they went into the tent of the congregation, and when they came near unto the altar, they washed; as the Lord commanded Moses. And he reared up the court round about the tabernacle and the altar, and set up the hanging of the court gate. So Moses finished the work” (Exodus 40:32-33). WHEN THE WORK IS FINISHED! What happens when the work is finished? Perhaps the better question that should be asked is what happens when the work is finished “as the Lord commands?” There are a number of men and women who may very well consider themselves to have finished “the work,” yet the true and ultimate question is whether or not they have finished and completed the world “as the Lord has commanded.” There are many men and women among us in this generation who may very well have finished “a” work within the earth, yet can it be said of that work which they finished that it was done as the Lord commanded. What’s more, is we must also ask ourselves if that work was even a work the Lord Himself even commanded and required of us to engage in. Oh there might be a number of men and women who may very well be finishing and completing certain works within the earth, yet there is a vast difference between completing “a work” and completing “the work” which the Lord has commanded. There is a vast difference between completing a work which has proceeded forth from our own imagination, and completing that work which the Lord Himself had commanded. Perhaps one of the greatest testimonies we find in this final chapter of the Old Testament book of Exodus is that Moses finished the work exactly as the Lord had commanded. In other words, not only was the work to be performed exactly as the Lord had commanded, but the work was to be finished and completed exactly as the Lord had commanded. There was absolutely no room for any deviation from the pattern and design the Lord of hosts Himself had revealed unto Moses, for even the slightest deviation could be catastrophic before and in the midst of the children of Israel.

 There is something about attempting to fulfill and complete that which the Lord has required us to do, yet to not complete it fully or completely. There is something incredibly dangerous that surrounds being instructed by the Lord to do something very specific, yet in our attempt and endeavor to complete that which He has required of us, we do not do exactly as the Lord had commanded. One of the greatest examples of this reality is found in the Old Testament book of First Samuel when Saul who had been anointed as king over the nation of Israel was given a very specific command by the Lord through the prophet Samuel. Consider if you will the text and language that is found within the fifteenth chapter of the book of First Samuel, and how Saul actually proceeded to carry out and complete the command he had been given by and from Samuel. “Samuel also said unto Saul, The Lord sent me to anoint thee to be king over his people, over Israel: now therefore hearken thou unto the voice of the words of the Lord. Thus saith the Lord of hosts, I remember that which Amalek did to Israel, how he laid wait for him in the way, when he came up from Egypt. Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass. And Saul gathered the people together, and numbered them in Telaim, two hundred thousand footmen, and ten thousand men of Judah. And Saul came to a city of Amalek, and laid wait in the valley. And Saul said unto the Kenites, Go, depart, get you down from among the Amalekites, lest I destroy you with them: for ye shewed kindness to all the children of Israel, when they came up out of Egypt. So the Kenites separated from among the Amalekties. And Saul smote the Amalekites from Havilah until thou comest to Shur, that is over against Egypt. And he took Agag the king of the Amalekties alive, and utterly destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword. But Saul and the people spared Agag, and the best of the sheep, and of the oxen, and of the failings, and the lambs, and all that was good, and would not utterly destroy them: but every thing that was vile and refuse, that they destroyed utterly. Then came the word of the Lord unto Samuel, saying, It repenteth me that I have set up Saul to be king: for he is turned back from following me, and hath not performed my commandments. And it grieved Samuel; and he cried unto the Lord all night. And when Samuel rose early to meet Saul in the morning, it was told Samuel, saying, Saul came to Carmel, and behold, he set him up a place, and is gone about, and passed on, and gone down to Gilgal. And Samuel came to Saul: and Saul said unto him, Blessed be thou of the Lord: I have performed the commandment of the Lord. And Samuel said, What meaneth then t his bleating of the sheep in mine ears, and the lowing of the oxen which I hear. And Saul said, They have brought them from the Amalekites: for the people spared the best of the sheep and of the oxen, to sacrifice unto the Lord thy God; and the rest we have utterly destroyed” (1 Samuel 15:1-15).

 When you read this passage of Scripture, you will notice two vastly different realities which are present within it. If you read the Lord’s response to Samuel you will notice that the Lord declared unto him that Saul had not performed his commandment. As you come to Saul’s response to Samuel’s presence in Gilgal, you will find Saul declaring unto Samuel that he had performed the commandment of the Lord. Within his passage we notice two different and distinct perspectives concerning the actions of Saul, for Saul believed himself to have fulfilled, completed and performed the commandment of the Lord, while the Lord revealed unto Samuel that Saul didn’t perform His commandment. The question we must ask ourselves is why? Why could and why would the Lord declare unto Samuel that Saul had not performed His commandment within the earth. The answer is actually found in the ninth verse of this chapter, for it is within the ninth verse that we encounter what might very well be an addendum to Saul’s obedience to the commandment of the Lord. In the ninth verse we read how Saul and the people spared Agag, and not only Agag, but also the best of the sheep, and the best of the oxen, and the best of the failings and the lambs. Furthermore, Saul and the people spared all that was good, and would not utterly destroy them. Instead, Saul and the people destroyed only that which was vile and refuse, while sparing that which was good, that which was pleasant and that which was comely in their sight. The Lord could speak unto Samuel and declare unto him that Saul did not and had not performed the commandment given unto him, for partial obedience is in all reality no obedience. Within this passage we come face to face with the reality that when it comes to obedience of the commandment of the Lord, there is absolutely no grey area. When it comes to obedience of the commandment of the Lord, we either obey the commandment fully and completely, or we don’t obey the commandment at all. When seeking to understand your own obedience of the command of the Lord—or at least your own perception of that obedience—it’s important that you ask yourself whether or not you have fully and completely obeyed the command and word of the Lord. The Lord instructed Saul to utterly destroy Amalek, and to destroy all that Amalek had had, yet neither Saul nor the people of Israel were willing to completely and utterly destroy Amalek. Saul and the people chose to spare alive the king of Amalek, and even that which was good and pleasant in their sight when it came to the sheep, the oxen, the failings, the lambs, and the like. When we read the Old Testament book of Exodus concerning the work of the Tabernacle, we discover that Moses finished and completed the work “as the Lord had commanded,” thus signifying and suggesting that he had not left anything undone that was required.

 I am utterly and completely convinced that were it not for what we read in verses thirty-two and thirty-three of the fortieth chapter, we would not read what is found in the final set of verses within that chapter. Consider if you will what is found present within verses thirty-four through thirty-eight of the fortieth chapter of the book of Exodus concerning that which took place upon the completion and finishing of the work. “Then a cloud covered the tent of the congregation, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. And Moses was not able to enter into the tent of the congregation, because the cloud abode thereon, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. And when the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the children of Israel went onward in all their journeys: but if the cloud were not taken up, they they journeyed not till the day that it was taken up. For the cloud of the Lord was upon the tabernacle by day, and fire was on it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel, throughout all their journeys” (Exodus 40:34-38). CLOUD FOLLOWS COMMANDMENT! GLORY FOLLOWS GOVERNMENT! There are many among us in this generation who expect to experience the cloud, and yet they pay absolutely no attention to the commandment that precedes the cloud. If there is one thing we must recognize and understand concerning this particular passage of Scripture, it’s that commandment always precedes the cloud. It has never, it will never, and it is not the other way around. We tend to think and believe that cloud can somehow precede the commandment, yet it is the commandment—and our obedience to the commandment—that makes way for the presence of the cloud. I am completely convinced that had Moses not finished the work according to all the Lord had COMMANDED him, the cloud would not have filled the tabernacle. What’s more, is that we cannot, we should not, we dare not presume to think we can, will, or even should experience the glory of the Lord without and apart from first encountering His government, and allowing His government to take up residence and president within our hearts and our lives. The glory of the Lord filled the Tabernacle because the work of building the Tabernacle had been done and performed exactly as the Lord had commanded and instructed Moses atop the mountain. It is absolutely necessary that we recognize and understand this reality, for we cannot expect the cloud of the Lord to be manifested upon any work we attempt to do or even complete unless that work was done and performed exactly as the commandment of the Lord had been revealed and released. Oh, there are a number of works that are being completed, and have been completed in the earth in this generation, yet how many of those works were done according to the commandment of the Lord. Moreover, how many of those works were even done in response to the command of the Lord versus man’s own imagination, man’s own desire, and man’s own will, plan and purpose.

 If you journey to the seventh chapter of the Old Testament book of Second Chronicles you will find the Temple which Solomon had built in the midst of Jerusalem being completed, and a tremendous ceremony and dedication that took place upon the completion of the project. In the first three verses of this chapter we read of an event which occurred on the same day Solomon had made an end of praying, as the Temple of the Lord was dedicated before all the people within the city of Jerusalem. “Now when Solomon had made an end of praying, the fire came down from heaven, and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices; and the glory of the Lord filled the house. And the priests could not enter into the house of the Lord because the glory of the Lord had filled the Lord’s house. And when all the children of Israel saw how the fire came down, and the glory of the Lord upon the house, they bowed themselves with their faces to the ground upon the pavement, and worshipped, and praised the Lord, saying, For he is good; for His mercy endureth forever” (2 Chronicles 7:1-3). What’s so utterly amazing about what we read in the seventh chapter of the book of Second Chronicles is that it wasn’t the first time the glory of the Lord touched the house that had just been built. If you transition back a couple chapters to the fifth chapter, you will find that the fifth chapter begins and opens up much like the fortieth chapter of the book of Exodus closes. In the first verse of the fifth chapter we read these words, which are almost identical in nature to the words we find in the final chapter of the book of Exodus—“Thus all the work that Solomon made for the house of the Lord was finished: and Solomon brought in all the things that David his father had dedicated; and the silver, and the gold, and all the instruments, put he among the treasures of the house of God” (2 Chronicles 5:1). As you continue reading this passage, you will find that even after the work had been completed and finished, the activity surrounding the Temple was not complete. In other words—despite the fact that the work of building the Temple had been completed, that didn’t mean the Temple was fully operational and functional in the midst of God’s people. There are far too many times when we may very well come to the end of the work which we have been called and commanded to complete, and upon reaching that place of completion we stop and proceed no further. The first verse of this chapter brings us face to face with the fact that the work which Solomon had made for the house of the Lord had been finished, but the house was not yet ready for service before the Lord of hosts. If you read the rest of the fifth chapter, you will quickly discover that once the work had been completed, the stage had been set for the Temple to be made ready for ministry before the Lord. It’s worth noting that it wasn’t merely the completion of the work in building the Temple that caused it to be ready for the ministry and service of the Lord. We don’t instantly read how upon the completion of the building of the Temple was immediately followed by the presenting of offerings which were brought unto the priests and sacrificed upon the altar.

 As you begin reading with the second verse of the fifth chapter of the book of Second Chronicles, you will read of activity that took place immediately following the completion of the work which had been made for the house of the Lord. “Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel, and all the heads of the tribes, the chief of the fathers of the children of Israel, unto Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of the covenant of the Lord out of the city of David, which is Zion. Wherefore all the men of Israel assembled themselves unto the king in the feast which was in the seventh month. And all the elders of Israel came; and the Levites took up the ark. And they brought up the ark, and the tabernacle of the congregation, and all the holy vessels that were in the tabernacle, these did the priests and the Levites bring up. Also king Solomon, and all the congregation of Israel that were assembled unto him before the ark, sacrificed sheep and oxen, which could not be told nor numbered for multitude. And the priests brought in the ark of the covenant of the Lord unto His place, to the oracle of the house, into the most holy place, even under the wings of the cherubims: for the cherubims spread forth their wings over the place of the ark, and the cherbuims covered the ark and the staves thereof above. And they drew out the staves of the ark, that the ends of the staves were seen from the ark before the oracle; but they were not seen without. And there it is unto this day. There was nothing in the ark save the two tables which Moses put therein at HOreb, when the Lord made a covenant with the children of Israel, when they came out of Egypt. And it came to pass, when the priests were come out of the holy place: (for all the priests that were present were sanctified, and did not then wait by course: also the Levites which were the singers, all of them of Asaph, of Heman, of Jeduthun, with their sons and their brethren, being arrayed in white linen, having cymbals and psalteries and harps, stood at the east end of the altar, and with them an hundred and twenty priests sounding with trumpets) It came even to pass, as the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the Lord; and when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of music, and praised the Lord, saying, For He is good; for His mercy endureth for ever: that then the house was filled with a cloud, even the house of the Lord; so that the priests could not stand to minister by reason of the cloud: for the glory of the Lord had filled the house of God” (2 Chronicles 5:2-14). What we read in this particular set of verses is a description of the cloud which filled the entire house of the Lord—even the very glory of the Lord. It was in this chapter that we read of the cloud and the glory filling the house of the Lord, yet it isn’t until we come to the seventh chapter—after Solomon had made an end of praying—that the fire came down from heaven, and consumed the burnt offerings and the sacrifices. In the fifth chapter—upon the completion of the work and a great ceremony surrounding the placement of the Ark of the Covenant in its place within the Temple—we find the glory of the Lord filling the house. The placement of the Ark of the Covenant was proceeded by the cloud and the glory filling the house, yet upon the completion of prayer in the very next chapter, we read that not only did fire come down from heaven upon the altar and consume the burnt offering and sacrifices, but the glory of the Lord filled the house. Please don’t miss the importance of this fact, for it was the presence of the glory of the Lord which made the house ready for service and ministry before the Lord in the midst of His people.

 THE GLORY SETS THE STAGE FOR MINISTRY! THE GLORY SETS THE STAGE FOR SERVICE! There are far too many men and women who attempt to begin ministry before the cloud has filled the Temple, and before the glory of the Lord filled the entire house. There are countless men and women among us today who are attempting to engage in service before the Lord, yet they have not been prepared by the glory and presence of the Lord within the Temple and sanctuary. In both accounts—the account of the Tabernacle, as well as the account of the Temple—we not only find the glory of the Lord filling both sanctuaries, but we also find fire coming down from heaven upon the altar and consuming the sacrifice(s). WHEN THE GLORY FILLS THE HOUSE AND FIRE COMES DOWN UPON THE ALTAR! Tell me—how do you anticipate or expect to do any type of service before the Lord without fire coming down from heaven upon the altar? How do you expect to do any type of ministry before the Lord without the glory of the Lord completely filling the house? Notice that when the glory of the Lord filled the house, not even the priests could enter and fulfill their ministerial duties and obligations because of the glory within the house. It’s almost as if the presence of the glory of the Lord, and the accompanying cloud was a prophetic message that ministry cannot be accomplished, completed or fulfilled without and apart from the glory of the Lord. It was the glory of the Lord which filled the house that caused the house itself to be ready in its service and ministry before the Lord. It was the fire which came down from heaven which prepared and made ready the altar for the sacrifices and offerings which would be made upon it. THE PLACEMENT OF THE ARK, THE PRAISES OF THE PEOPLE OF GOD, THE PRAYER(S) OF THE KING! PLACEMENT, PRAISE AND PRAYER! Pay careful attention to those three words—placement, praise and prayer—for you will find each of those three realities taking place within these three chapters. We find the priests carrying the Ark of the Covenant high and lifted up into the Holy of Holies, and placing the Ark of the covenant in its proper place. We find the Levites and the singers praising God with their voices and instruments as they sang before and unto the Lord. Immediately following the praises of God’s people, we find a prayer unto the living God concerning both the house, as well as the people of God. Both the glory of the Lord and the fire from heaven were manifested in the midst of and before the people upon the completion of these three acts.

This is absolutely necessary for our understanding of the Temple and sanctuary of the Lord, for it isn’t enough to simply finish and complete the work. How many churches may have finished construction of a brand new building and structure for the people of God to worship, and yet they have paid absolutely no mind or attention to the placement of the Ark, the praises of God’s people, and prayer before the Lord? I don’t care how great or how magnificent you may perceive the work you have completed is in your own sight, for if the glory of the Lord has not filled that place, and if the fire has not come down from heaven upon the altar and consumed the sacrifice and offerings, that which you have built is nothing more than a structure. Without and apart from the glory of the Lord coming upon and filling the house, any structure you have built in the earth is nothing more than a lifeless corpse upon the earth. What’s more, is that the glory of the Lord will not fill that house, nor will the fire of God come down from heaven upon the altar until God has been given His rightful place in the midst of the people, as well as the sanctuary. The Ark of the Covenant needed to brought into its rightful place within the Temple itself, but by placing it in its rightful place within the Temple, it was also placing it in its rightful place in the midst of the people of God. We read absolutely nothing of the glory of the Lord until after the Ark of the Covenant was brought into its rightful place, and the Levites and singers offered up praise to the true and living God. The prayer which Solomon prayed was not only in response to the completion of the work, but also in response to the glory of the Lord filling the house. It was the glory of the Lord which filled the house that made ready the Temple for service and ministry before the Lord, and it was the fire of God upon the altar that made ready the altar for the ministry and service of presenting offerings and sacrifices unto the Lord. WHEN THE HOUSE IS PREPARED BY GLORY AND THE ALTAR IS PREPARED BY FIRE! Has your house been prepared for service and ministry before and unto the Lord because the glory of the Lord has not only come upon it, but also completely filled it? Has the altar of the Lord in the midst of the people of God been prepared and made ready because the fire of God has come down from heaven upon the altar? This particular passage is only one instance of fire coming down from heaven in response to prayer, for we will find fire coming down upon the altar during the days of Moses, as well as during the days of Elijah. It is absolutely critical that we recognize the need for the glory of the Lord to fill the house, and the fire of God coming down upon the altar, for true service and ministry cannot begin until and unless the Lord deems it so. Oh that we would this day purpose and resolve within our hearts and minds that we will settle for nothing less than the glory of the Lord filling the house, and the fire of God coming down from heaven upon the altar.

What I so love about the forty-third chapter of the prophetic book of Ezekiel is that Ezekiel has been shown a vision of a Jewish Temple that would once more stand in the midst of the people of God. With that being said, however, Ezekiel didn’t simply see a Temple standing in the midst of the people of God, but Ezekiel also saw directly connected to that vision of the Temple, a vision of the glory of the Lord. Consider if you will what is recorded in this chapter beginning with the second verse, “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. And it was according to the appearance of the vision which I saw, even according to the vision that I saw when I came to destroy the city: and the visions were like the vision that I saw by the river Chebar; and I fell upon my face. And the glory of the Lord came into the house by the way of the gate whose prospect is toward the east. So the Spirit took me up, and brought me into the inner court; and, behold, the glory of the Lord filled the house. And I heard Hims speaking unto me out of the house; and the man stood by me. And He said unto me, Son of man, the place of my throne, and the place of the soles of my feet, where I will dwell in the midst of the children of Israel for ever, and my holy name, shall the house of Israel no more defile, neither they, nor their kings, by their whoredom, nor by their carcasses of their kings in their high places. In their setting of their threshold by my thresholds, and their post by my posts, and the wall between me and them, they have even defilement my holy name by their abominations that they have committed: wherefore I have consumed them in mine anger. Now let them put away their whoredom, and the carcasses of their kings, far from me, and I will dwell in the midst of them for ever. Thou son of man, shew the house to the house of Israel, that they may be ashamed of their iniquities: and let them measure the pattern. And if they be ashamed of all that they have done, shew them the form of the house, and the fashion therefore, and the goings out thereof, and the comings in thereof, and all the forms thereof, and all the ordinances thereof, and all the forms thereof, and all the laws thereof: and write it in their sight, that they may keep the whole form thereof, and all the ordinances thereof, and do them. 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” (Ezekiel 43:2-12). The Lord revealed unto Ezekiel the pattern and the form of a new Temple that would be present in the midst of His people, and the Lord Himself entered that house in order that the prospect of a new Temple might bring conviction upon and repentance within the people of God. The Lord released the pattern of a new Temple in order that the pattern of that Temple and sanctuary might draw them away from their idols and their abominations. It is within this passage that we not only find the prospect of a new Temple being found in the midst of God’s people, but we also find the promise of the Lord dwelling in the midst of them for ever. Within this passage, we come face to face with the fact that the Lord is extremely jealous regarding the place of His throne, the place of the soles of His feet, and the place of His name, and His call that they no more defile and pollute the place where He sits and the place where He dwells. Oh that would have ears to hear what the Spirit is speaking unto the churches in these Last Days, and that we would recognize and understand the purpose of the glory, the pattern of the house, and our response to both within our lives.