Sometimes we need to be reminded of just who He is...
Oct 17, 2008
Oct 7, 2008
Don't become a Levite!!
God's revelation from a book I'm reading; "Ministering to the Lord" by Roxanne Brant (I found it online for less than $1 more than worth the investment.)
Ezekiel 44:10-16
When an NBA player is drafted into the League, what’s their primary purpose? To play in the game, right? Practicing, traveling, the money; all of these things come with it but their primary purpose is to play on game night. What happens when their behavior gets them suspended from playing in the games? They can still practice, travel some, and still have the money but they can’t fulfill their primary purpose. They can even help the team get better in practice but at the end of the day it was all for not because their purpose can’t be fulfilled. Is that a good place to be or safe place to be?
We as believers are not much different from them. Our primary purpose, main reason for being saved is to have fellowship with God, or our ministry to God. Ministry or to minister in its simplest terms means to serve. As I serve my Pastor as his armorbearer, I’m learning that in order to serve him most effectively, I must know him. I have to know his likes, dislikes, habits, moods, his heart, the way he thinks, etc. the only way to know these things is to fellowship with him or fellowship with someone who knows these things.
Matthew 6:33 “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things will be given to you as well.” I used to think the “seek” in this verse was the same as the seek in Hebrews 11 where it says that God will reward those that earnestly seek him. But the seek in Hebrews 11 means to make a concerted effort, while the “seek” in Matthew 6:33 means to give attention or priority to, to desire. We are to give the kingdom of God and his righteousness priority in our lives; this is our primary purpose. There are other aspects to being a believer but they become empty when we don’t fulfill our primary purpose; ministering to the Lord.
To the text
Priest: descendants of the family of Aaron (tribe of Levi). Consisted of males 25-50. They were required to maintain a special standard of purity. They performed the day to day duties in the temple. They were to guard and preserve an intimate relationship between God and the people. They were intercessors or mediators. As a priest, you were permitted into the Holy of Holies to minister to the Lord. Old Testament Priest = New Testament Believers
Levites: deal with the day to day duties of the temple and serving the people. The distinction between the Levite and Priest was the priest could minister to the Lord (enter the holy of holies) AND minister/serve to the people.
Vs. 10 God addresses those [priest] who fell away to idols as Levites and because of their fall away they had to deal with the consequences of their sin. For the sake of making it easy to understand, we’ll say that the Levites and Priests are the mature believer or leaders in the church. The Levite’s fall came during a time when the rest of the people did not follow God and chose to do what the flesh desired (sounds like the times of today). The Bible says that they went after their own idols and an idol is anything that we put before God; so it could be selfish ambition, serving others, pride, whatever.
Verse 11 and 12 says that they can still minister in the temple and to the people. Because they ministered to the people in the presence of their idols, they lost their ability to function as priest. They went from walking in destiny to walking in purpose. As priests they could go into the Holy of Holies to become impregnated by God, to receive power but because of their sin they could no longer enter that place. They were left to do the menial tasks, things that anybody could do and did do. In the verses preceding what we read it talked about how they let the uncircumcised in heart and flesh work in the temple. This scared me because the menial tasks were EVERYTHING ELSE. The menial task is not the parking lot ministry but everything else; teen pastor, usher, praise team, preacher.
All this because they went after their own idols and led the people astray. The fall happened years prior to God giving Ezekiel these regulations concerning the temple, so their consequence wasn’t immediate. God was reestablishing divine order so that he could once again and for all come and dwell in the temple. I truly believe that’s what he’s doing today; reestablishing divine order so that he may return and dwell in and among us. But he must first rid his temple; we are the temple, of everything that is not like him.
1 Corinthians talks about how as a mature believer we must be very mindful that we don’t lead the weak astray and when we do, we actually sin against Christ. If our desire is for the world to see Christ then we have to make sure we don’t become a stumbling block that makes them fall.
This fall kept them from walking in the priestly duties (vs. 13); “They are not to come near to serve me as priests or come near any of my holy things or my most holy offerings; they must bear the shame of their detestable practices.”
What a scary place to be; able to work in the Lord’s house but not able to come near the Lord of the house. What is scarier is that we can go on like that and think we’re alright because we’re working or ministering in the church; the second dimension. But we’ll be in for a rude awakening because based on Matthew 7:22-23 “Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you workers of iniquity!” These are people that worked in the church, served the people but never entered the third dimension of the Kingdom. They were never able to fulfill their intended purpose or destiny which is to minister or serve the Lord.
It’s so easy to become content and blinded in this second dimension. I can speak from personal experience that there have been times when served the people in the church, did the duties in the church but wasn’t spending time serving the God of the church. I know it’s easy to become comfortable in that place. As I’ve been studying this, I began to ask God why this happens and this is what he shared with me Saturday night.
He took me to Genesis 32 where Jacob wrestled with God. After the busyness of his day, Jacob went to bed to prepare to meet his brother Esau; but he could not sleep. He got up sent his family and his possessions across the Ford of Jabbok to where he was left alone with God. He wrestled with God all night and refused to let go even at daybreak, even with a dislocated hip. God said we’re/I’m not hungry and thirsty enough for Him. Even before he wrestled with God he spent the day planning and working so he had to be exhausted but he was desperate for God. At the end of our day, we’re too tired to wrestle with God or even spend time with him; we’re not hungry enough for him and we forget our first ministry.
Luke 17:7-10 and page 69 in “Ministering to the Lord”Remember the basketball player that was suspended and couldn’t play in the games. Well when his suspension was over and he was back to playing in the games, fulfilling his reason for being in the league, he’s able to live a more fulfilled life. When we are able to fulfill our intended reason for being, which is to dwell in that third dimension, in the Kingdom, and then we are able to live a more fulfilled life. Make sure that nothing keeps you from going in to that third dimension. As the rest of the world goes further away from God we must be like the priests in verse 15 and 16.
Ezekiel 44:10-16
When an NBA player is drafted into the League, what’s their primary purpose? To play in the game, right? Practicing, traveling, the money; all of these things come with it but their primary purpose is to play on game night. What happens when their behavior gets them suspended from playing in the games? They can still practice, travel some, and still have the money but they can’t fulfill their primary purpose. They can even help the team get better in practice but at the end of the day it was all for not because their purpose can’t be fulfilled. Is that a good place to be or safe place to be?
We as believers are not much different from them. Our primary purpose, main reason for being saved is to have fellowship with God, or our ministry to God. Ministry or to minister in its simplest terms means to serve. As I serve my Pastor as his armorbearer, I’m learning that in order to serve him most effectively, I must know him. I have to know his likes, dislikes, habits, moods, his heart, the way he thinks, etc. the only way to know these things is to fellowship with him or fellowship with someone who knows these things.
Matthew 6:33 “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things will be given to you as well.” I used to think the “seek” in this verse was the same as the seek in Hebrews 11 where it says that God will reward those that earnestly seek him. But the seek in Hebrews 11 means to make a concerted effort, while the “seek” in Matthew 6:33 means to give attention or priority to, to desire. We are to give the kingdom of God and his righteousness priority in our lives; this is our primary purpose. There are other aspects to being a believer but they become empty when we don’t fulfill our primary purpose; ministering to the Lord.
To the text
Priest: descendants of the family of Aaron (tribe of Levi). Consisted of males 25-50. They were required to maintain a special standard of purity. They performed the day to day duties in the temple. They were to guard and preserve an intimate relationship between God and the people. They were intercessors or mediators. As a priest, you were permitted into the Holy of Holies to minister to the Lord. Old Testament Priest = New Testament Believers
Levites: deal with the day to day duties of the temple and serving the people. The distinction between the Levite and Priest was the priest could minister to the Lord (enter the holy of holies) AND minister/serve to the people.
Vs. 10 God addresses those [priest] who fell away to idols as Levites and because of their fall away they had to deal with the consequences of their sin. For the sake of making it easy to understand, we’ll say that the Levites and Priests are the mature believer or leaders in the church. The Levite’s fall came during a time when the rest of the people did not follow God and chose to do what the flesh desired (sounds like the times of today). The Bible says that they went after their own idols and an idol is anything that we put before God; so it could be selfish ambition, serving others, pride, whatever.
Verse 11 and 12 says that they can still minister in the temple and to the people. Because they ministered to the people in the presence of their idols, they lost their ability to function as priest. They went from walking in destiny to walking in purpose. As priests they could go into the Holy of Holies to become impregnated by God, to receive power but because of their sin they could no longer enter that place. They were left to do the menial tasks, things that anybody could do and did do. In the verses preceding what we read it talked about how they let the uncircumcised in heart and flesh work in the temple. This scared me because the menial tasks were EVERYTHING ELSE. The menial task is not the parking lot ministry but everything else; teen pastor, usher, praise team, preacher.
All this because they went after their own idols and led the people astray. The fall happened years prior to God giving Ezekiel these regulations concerning the temple, so their consequence wasn’t immediate. God was reestablishing divine order so that he could once again and for all come and dwell in the temple. I truly believe that’s what he’s doing today; reestablishing divine order so that he may return and dwell in and among us. But he must first rid his temple; we are the temple, of everything that is not like him.
1 Corinthians talks about how as a mature believer we must be very mindful that we don’t lead the weak astray and when we do, we actually sin against Christ. If our desire is for the world to see Christ then we have to make sure we don’t become a stumbling block that makes them fall.
This fall kept them from walking in the priestly duties (vs. 13); “They are not to come near to serve me as priests or come near any of my holy things or my most holy offerings; they must bear the shame of their detestable practices.”
What a scary place to be; able to work in the Lord’s house but not able to come near the Lord of the house. What is scarier is that we can go on like that and think we’re alright because we’re working or ministering in the church; the second dimension. But we’ll be in for a rude awakening because based on Matthew 7:22-23 “Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you workers of iniquity!” These are people that worked in the church, served the people but never entered the third dimension of the Kingdom. They were never able to fulfill their intended purpose or destiny which is to minister or serve the Lord.
It’s so easy to become content and blinded in this second dimension. I can speak from personal experience that there have been times when served the people in the church, did the duties in the church but wasn’t spending time serving the God of the church. I know it’s easy to become comfortable in that place. As I’ve been studying this, I began to ask God why this happens and this is what he shared with me Saturday night.
He took me to Genesis 32 where Jacob wrestled with God. After the busyness of his day, Jacob went to bed to prepare to meet his brother Esau; but he could not sleep. He got up sent his family and his possessions across the Ford of Jabbok to where he was left alone with God. He wrestled with God all night and refused to let go even at daybreak, even with a dislocated hip. God said we’re/I’m not hungry and thirsty enough for Him. Even before he wrestled with God he spent the day planning and working so he had to be exhausted but he was desperate for God. At the end of our day, we’re too tired to wrestle with God or even spend time with him; we’re not hungry enough for him and we forget our first ministry.
Luke 17:7-10 and page 69 in “Ministering to the Lord”Remember the basketball player that was suspended and couldn’t play in the games. Well when his suspension was over and he was back to playing in the games, fulfilling his reason for being in the league, he’s able to live a more fulfilled life. When we are able to fulfill our intended reason for being, which is to dwell in that third dimension, in the Kingdom, and then we are able to live a more fulfilled life. Make sure that nothing keeps you from going in to that third dimension. As the rest of the world goes further away from God we must be like the priests in verse 15 and 16.
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