“Thus saith the Lord GOD; The gate of the inner court that looketh toward the east shall be shut the six working days; but on the sabbath it shall be opened, and in the day of the new moon it shall be opened” (Ezekiel 46:1).
TEXT — Ezekiel 46:1-8
Message
Hannah Whitall Smith, a Christian revivalist, who was greatly influenced by John Wesley’s doctrine of Christian perfection and William E. Boardman’s The Higher Christian Life, said, “If the Lord sets you to guard a lonely post in perfect stillness from all active work, you ought to be just as content as to be in the midst of the active warfare. It is no virtue to love the Master’s work better than the Master’s will.”
In our text, God reiterated this observation, instructing that they should shut the gate to the inner court, which was towards the east, for six days, while on Sabbath and new moon days, they should open it. The prince, on these special days, would enter through the gate and stand in its vestibule to present his burnt and peace offerings, which symbolised his personal dedication and gratitude for God’s fellowship. Other worshippers would also worship at the same gate and not enter the inner court, which was only meant for the priest. God’s directive, which was for proper fellowship with Him and orderliness in His service, was never questioned, teaching us never to question His command.
As our text reveals that the prince and other worshippers offered unblemished material unto God, we are also required not to offer things stolen and ill-gotten as tithes and offerings unto God. As the prince’s responsibility was different from the priest’s, so also today, pastors, ushers, choristers, and house leaders, among others, have different responsibilities.
All we need is the willingness to obey the word of God since the Scripture is given for the perfecting of the saints. Our Lord amplifies this message of true worship further by declaring that “…the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him” (John 4:23).
Thought for the day
Complete obedience to the Scripture sets the agenda for true worship.
Listed among “500 most powerful people on the planet” by the Foreign Policy magazine in 2013, Pastor (Dr.) William F. Kumuyi is the founder and General Superintendent of the Deeper Christian Life Ministry (DCLM) headquartered in Lagos, Nigeria. DCLM started in 1973 as a 15-member Bible study group right in Kumuyi’s apartment at University of Lagos where he was a lecturer. His revolutionary Bible teaching on personal holiness and commitment to evangelism soon gained so much traction and resulted in a widespread revival.
