Ezk 46:24 Then he said to me, "These are the kitchens where those who minister at the temple shall boil the sacrifices of the people." (ESV)
Imagine that you are an Israeli stuck in a foreign country. You know that a foreign power controls your homeland. You know that the temple where you are to worship your God has been destroyed. You know that the walls of your capital city have been destroyed. The best you can hope for is to survive. How would you read Ezekiel's words in these final chapters?
He describes the layout of the city and the land surrounding it in the previous chapter (45). In this chapter (46) he describes active worship in the temple. He also describes a prince who is active in worship and who does not take advantage of the people. I would suspect that for those hearing this prophecy from Ezekiel it is almost more than they can hope for. It is contrary to everything they see and experience.
Perhaps therein lies much of our problem as believers. We talk about faith, but much of our faith is predicated upon what we can see, feel and experience. The author of Hebrews wrote that "faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. (Hebrews 11:1 ESV) We talk about faith, but we don't walk in faith.
Faith is not wishful thinking. Faith has no power in and of itself to produce miracles. But, faith is grounded firmly in the word and promises of God. In the midst of dark days and hopeless situations we need to hear clearly from God and we need to hold firmly to his word and his promises. We need to look beyond the fog of failure, the darkness of lost hope and the bleak landscape of a broken life to embrace the truth and life of God by faith.
Father, forgive me for my faithlessness. The problems and obstacles of life too often are more real to me that you are. Today, by your grace, may I walk by faith.
By H is grace,
Rick Weinert
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