The rooms of the priests

The rooms of the priests

Scripture: "Then he said to me, 'The north and south rooms facing the temple courtyard are the priests' rooms, where the priests who approach the Lord will eat the most holy offerings. There they will put the most holy offerings - the grain offerings, the sin offerings and the guilt offerings - for the place is holy. Once the priests enter the holy precincts, they are not to go into the outer court until they leave behind the garments in which they minister, for these are holy. They are to put on other clothes before they go near the places that are for the people. Ezekiel 42:13-14

Observation: Today’s Scripture focuses on the priests’ rooms. The temple courtyard is very near the holy of holies, where God Himself will meet with the priests and the priests’ rooms here are where they eat the most holy offerings and change into the garments in which they minister.

In 1 Peter 2:9, the apostle Peter declares “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” Jesus is our great High Priest, and we too are chosen to be part of God’s royal priesthood, to serve God and be in His presence.

Looking back at the function of the priest’s rooms, we see that firstly they eat the most holy offerings there. Since Jesus came, He has done away with the sacrifices of old as it is written in Hebrews 7:27, “unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself.” So what does “eating the most holy offerings” mean for us today? Remember, Jesus said “Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day” in John 6:54. Jesus is by far the most holy of offerings. When we take the holy communion and remember Jesus, that His body broken for us and His blood shed for us, we are reaffirming our faith that the Lord’s sacrifice on the cross has set us free from our sins, and given us new life in Him. It is only by His great sacrifice, that we are able to go into the holy of holies, to be with God.  

Secondly, the priests have to take care to wear holy garments before they minister to the Lord. Spiritually, it is not physical clothes that make a person holy or unholy. In Romans 13:14, Paul says “Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh.” When we come to God, we must always remember that we cannot come in our own righteousness, which are like filthy rags, but only by the perfect righteousness of our Lord Jesus Christ. We need to see ourselves wearing robes of righteousness. If we see Jesus on us, and in us, our behavior will surely change. There was once a heavy smoker who came to know the Lord and he thought to himself “If Jesus is in me and I smoke, I am making Jesus smoke”, so he quickly quit the habit.”

Application:  We need to remember two important things when we come to our holy God. Firstly, we come to God by the blood of the lamb, by the perfect sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ. Secondly, we come not by our own righteousness but by the Lord’s righteousness. How precious and holy it is that we are able to come and fellowship with our mighty, living God. Let us never take it for granted.

Prayer: Lord, I will ever seek Your face. Thank You, Lord Jesus for Your great sacrifice for me, that through You, my sins have been forgiven, and I have new life. Lord, You are my righteousness alone. I desire to be in Your presence O Lord and to know You more. Be real in my life I pray, as I worship You and seek Your face. In Jesus name, Amen.