FRIDAY 5TH MARCH 2021 MORNING
Ezekiel 44:1-12 New International Version (NIV)
44 Then the man brought me back to the outer gate of the sanctuary, the one facing east, and it was shut. 2 The Lord said to me, “This gate is to remain shut. It must not be opened; no one may enter through it. It is to remain shut because the Lord, the God of Israel, has entered through it. 3 The prince himself is the only one who may sit inside the gateway to eat in the presence of the Lord. He is to enter by way of the portico of the gateway and go out the same way.”
4 Then the man brought me by way of the north gate to the front of the temple. I looked and saw the glory of the Lord filling the temple of the Lord, and I fell facedown.
5 The Lord said to me, “Son of man, look carefully, listen closely and give attention to everything I tell you concerning all the regulations and instructions regarding the temple of the Lord. Give attention to the entrance to the temple and all the exits of the sanctuary. 6 Say to rebellious Israel, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Enough of your detestable practices, people of Israel! 7 In addition to all your other detestable practices, you brought foreigners uncircumcised in heart and flesh into my sanctuary, desecrating my temple while you offered me food, fat and blood, and you broke my covenant. 8 Instead of carrying out your duty in regard to my holy things, you put others in charge of my sanctuary. 9 This is what the Sovereign Lord says: No foreigner uncircumcised in heart and flesh is to enter my sanctuary, not even the foreigners who live among the Israelites.
10 “‘The Levites who went far from me when Israel went astray and who wandered from me after their idols must bear the consequences of their sin. 11 They may serve in my sanctuary, having charge of the gates of the temple and serving in it; they may slaughter the burnt offerings and sacrifices for the people and stand before the people and serve them. 12 But because they served them in the presence of their idols and made the people of Israel fall into sin, therefore I have sworn with uplifted hand that they must bear the consequences of their sin, declares the Sovereign Lord.
It is clear that in the last days of Solomon’s Temple the priests had allowed anyone, even pagans, to act as priests and temple servants. Either they had been lazy or busy with their own affairs, and had hired others to do their work; or they had taken bribes from pagans who wanted to serve in the Temple, perhaps for the offerings that they were able to take home and resell.
God promised that in His future temple there would be a true separation; and those not in covenant could not even enter His sanctuary. He will hold accountable the priests and all who misuse His name in the Holy place.
In the church today we have true and false and ministers and congregants. We are called to evaluate ourselves; are we connected to the vine or something else? Are you sure that the vine you are connected in is the proper one? Jesus Christ says, apart from me, you can do nothing.
IJUMAA TAREHE 5 MACHI 2021 ASUBUHI
EZEKIELI 44:1-12
1 Kisha akanirudisha kwa njia ya lango lile la nje, la mahali patakatifu lililoelekea upande wa mashariki; nalo lilikuwa limefungwa.
2 Bwana akaniambia, Lango hili litafungwa, halitafunguliwa, wala mtu awaye yote hataingia kwa lango hili, kwa maana Bwana, Mungu wa Israeli, ameingia kwa hilo; basi kwa sababu hiyo litafungwa.
3 Na mkuu, yeye ndiye atakayeketi ndani yake ale chakula mbele za Bwana; ataingia kwa njia ya ukumbi wa lango, naye atatoka kwa njia iyo hiyo.
4 Kisha akanileta, kwa njia ya lango la upande wa kaskazini, mbele ya nyumba; nikaangalia, na tazama, huo utukufu wa Bwana uliijaza nyumba ya Bwana; nikaanguka kifudifudi.
5 Bwana akaniambia, Mwanadamu, weka moyoni mwako, ukatazame kwa macho yako, ukasikie kwa masikio yako, maneno yote nitakayokuambia, katika habari ya kawaida zote za nyumba ya Bwana, na ya amri zake zote; nawe weka moyoni mwako maingilio ya nyumba, pamoja na matokeo yote ya mahali patakatifu.
6 Nawe utawaambia waasi, yaani nyumba ya Israeli, Bwana MUNGU asema hivi; Enyi nyumba ya Israeli, katika machukizo yenu yote, na iwatoshe,
7 kuwa mmewaingiza wageni, ambao mioyo yao haikutahiriwa, wala miili yao haikutahiriwa, wawe ndani ya patakatifu pangu, wapatie unajisi, naam, nyumba yangu, mtoapo sadaka ya chakula changu, mafuta na damu; nao wameyavunja maagano yangu, juu ya machukizo yenu yote.
8 Wala hamkuvilinda vitu vyangu vitakatifu bali mmejiwekea walinzi wa kawaida zangu, katika patakatifu pangu.
9 Bwana MUNGU asema hivi; Hapana mgeni, ambaye moyo wake haukutahiriwa, wala mwili wake haukutahiriwa, atakayeingia patakatifu pangu, miongoni mwa wageni walio kati ya wana wa Israeli.
10 Lakini Walawi waliofarakana nami, hapo Waisraeli walipopotea, waliopotea na kuvifuata vinyago vyao, watachukua uovu wao wenyewe.
11 Hata hivyo watakuwa wahudumu katika patakatifu pangu, wakiwa wasimamizi wa malango ya nyumba, wakihudumu humo nyumbani; watawachinjia watu sadaka za kuteketezwa na dhabihu, nao watasimama mbele yao ili kuwahudumia.
12 Kwa sababu waliwahudumia mbele ya vinyago vyao, wakawa kwazo la uovu kwa nyumba ya Israeli; basi nimeuinua mkono wangu juu yao, asema Bwana MUNGU, nao watachukua uovu wao.
Ni dhahiri kuwa, katika siku za mwisho za hekalu la Sulemani, makuhani waliruhusu kila mtu, hata wapagani, kuhudumu kama makuhani na wahudumu hekaluni. Pengine ni kwa sababu ya uvivu au walitumia muda mwingi kufanya mambo yao mengine, na kuwaajiri wengine kutenda kazi zao; au huenda walipokea rushwa toka kwa wapagani waliotaka kutumika hekaluni, ama kwa ajili ya dhabihu zilizotolewa ambazo baadaye wangezichukua na kwenda nazo nyumbani kuziuza tena.
Mungu aliahidi kuwa katika hekalu atakalolifanya kutakuwa na tofauti ya kweli; na wale wasio katika Agano lake hawataweza hata kuingia madhabahuni pake. Naye atawahukumu makuhani pamoja na wale wote waliolitumia bure jina lake katika patakatifu pake.
Leo hii katika kanisa tunao watumishi na waumini wa kweli na wa uongo. Tunaitwa kujitathmini; ikiwa sisi kama matawi tumeunganishwa katika mzabibu au kitu kingine. Ikiwa umeunganishwa na mzabibu; je, huo ni mzabibu wa kweli? Yesu Kristo anasema, maana pasipo mimi ninyi hamwezi kufanya neno lolote (Yohana 15:5b).