Day 258

Worship Perfected

Read: Ezekiel 40-42

Ezekiel describes the rebuilding of the temple. How is this to be interpreted? The perfection described indicates that most likely it symbolizes the glorious eternal state when God’s people will worship him perfectly. This is apocalyptic literature, meant to leave a vivid impression upon us of truth beyond description rather than to be taken literally, at face value only. It cannot be taken literally since the renewal of animal sacrifices after the one perfect sacrifice of Christ is unthinkable.

Like the visions of heaven described in the book of Revelation, where God’s glorious throne is at the center, we see here how important worship will be for eternity. The most wonderful feature is the presence of God, from whom all blessings flow. This is a description of the perfection of worship in which God’s people will be involved in the new heaven and the new earth.

But the descriptions of the perfection in eternity show us how God wants things to be. We cannot bring perfection on earth, but we can see what our goals are to be. For Jesus teaches us to pray, “Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” God is to be at the center of our lives now. We are to rejoice in his glorious presence. Worship, both in the sanctuaries of our churches and wherever we may be, is to be very important to us. What can you do to cause this ideal to be more fully realized here and now?

PRAYER
Father, we rejoice in the perfection which will take place when Christ returns. Be at the center of our lives now. Amen.