We are His temple...

Ezekiel 40:20-27

On the outer court was also a gateway facing north, and he measured its length and its width. 21 Its gate chambers, three on this side and three on that side, its gateposts and its archways, had the same measurements as the first gate; its length was fifty cubits and its width twenty-five cubits. 22 Its windows and those of its archways, and also its palm trees, had the same measurements as the gateway facing east; it was ascended by seven steps, and its archway was in front of it. 23 A gate of the inner court was opposite the northern gateway, just as the eastern gateway; and he measured from gateway to gateway, one hundred cubits.

After that he brought me toward the south, and there a gateway was facing south; and he measured its gateposts and archways according to these same measurements. 25 There were windows in it and in its archways all around like those windows; its length was fifty cubits and its width twenty-five cubits. 26 Seven steps led up to it, and its archway was in front of them; and it had palm trees on its gateposts, one on this side and one on that side. 27 There was also a gateway on the inner court, facing south; and he measured from gateway to gateway toward the south, one hundred cubits.

Pasted from <http://www.blueletterbible.org/tools/printerFriendly.cfm?b=Eze&c=40&v=1&t=NKJVP>

 

Describing the temple with its gateways and courts gives an image of Christ on the cross.  We are told

our bodies are temples.

“…1 Corinthians  6:19   What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost [which is] in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?…”

If we extend  our arms outward to the sides and we form a cross.  Our sins crucified Christ on the cross.

“…1 Peter 2:24  who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness–by whose stripes you were healed….”

By accepting that sacrifice we become a temple of the Holy One.  Ezekiel sees this temple and it bears the imprint of the cross long before Christ came.  We are proof Christ  came as promised for he lives in each believer.

“…1 John  3:24  Now he who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. And by this we know that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us….”

The gateways are at the head and the hands; the north, and south are the hands; the east is the head. These are  entries to the temple. The word of God enters through our mind and with our mouth we confess him to others.  Our hands are out-stretched in welcome and love; receiving what He has done for us.  They extend his message to others through service and caring.  May we ever be expressive temples of God’s love to all humanity!  Blessed be the name of the Lord.

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