Today, Ezekiel’s vision of a man with a bronze face giving him a tour of a new Temple ends, and the Book of Ezekiel comes to a close. The following verse stood out to me as the man with the bronze face finishes his tour with Ezekiel. But when the people of the land shall come before the Lord in the solemn feasts, he that entereth in by the way of the north gate to worship shall go out by the way of the south gate; and he that entereth by the way of the south gate shall go forth by the way of the north gate: he shall not return by the way of the gate whereby he came in, but shall go forth over against it. (Ezekiel 46:9, KJV)
This verse is full of great symbolism. It discusses how the worshippers of God enter the courtyard of the Temple one way but leave another; they do not leave the same way they came. What a fitting picture of God’s worship, an encounter with God, a relationship with God—it changes a person; they are not the same as they came! As I thought about this, the prophet Isaiah (Isaiah 6:1–7), the tax collector Zacchaeus (Luke 19:1–10), and the Apostle Paul (Acts 9:1–9, who at the time was called Saul) all came to mind as those who “left a different way” after meeting God.
Only God has the power to transform someone’s life in this way. He takes sinners and transforms them into new creatures in Christ. He died for everyone so that those who receive his new life will no longer live for themselves. Instead, they will live for Christ, who died and was raised for them. … This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! (2 Corinthians 5:15, 17, NLT) Yes, those who come to Christ leave a different way! Believer, rejoice that you have passed from the way of death unto the way of life—through Christ!
Thank you for joining me as I read and journal chronologically through the Bible! This devotional reflection comes from Ezekiel 46-48.