Clothed in Christ (Ezekiel 42)

By Benjamin H. Liles

          I was reading and looking into Ezekiel 42 and this one thing caught my eye: "The north chambers and the south chambers, which are opposite the separating courtyard, are the holy chambers where the priests who approach the Lord shall eat the most holy offerings. There they shall lay the most holy offerings—the grain offering, the sin offering, and the trespass offering—for the place is holy. When the priests enter them, they shall not go out of the holy chamber into the outer court; but there they shall leave their garments in which they minister, for they are holy. They shall put on other garments; then they may approach that which is for the people" (Ezekiel 42:13-14, New King James).

          It's interesting to me as the rooms within the temple are measured for the priests use and as to how they should be used. If that's the case then when we see scripture verses like this, "I searched for a man among them to repair the wall and stand in the gap before Me on behalf of the land, so that I should not destroy it. But I found no one" (Ezekiel 22:30, Berean Study). In other words the priests are the one who are to stand before God praying and interceding for those who committed sin, and similarly are to pray for one another and to be cleansed at all times themselves. 

          But we see something different within this text in Ezekiel 42, which says, "the priests who approach the Lord shall eat the most holy offerings. There they shall lay the most holy offerings—the grain offering, the sin offering, and the trespass offering—for the place is holy" (Ezekiel 42:13b). In other words what Jesus Christ did on Calvary's cross during His crucifixion was becoming that trespass/sin offering so we all may be made righteous before a holy and just God. In this sense He cleanses us from filth and rot so we can endure before the face of God.

          Remember what God told Moses, "You cannot see My face, for no one can see Me and live" (Exodus 33:20, Holman Christian Standard). Even Paul tells us, "Put on the new self. You are being renewed in knowledge according to the image of your Creator. Therefore, God's chosen ones, holy and loved, put on heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience" (Colossians 3:10, 12). Only by doing this can we see the face of God that we have in Christ Jesus, the manifestation of God in the flesh. Seeing God in divine form is destruction of man.

          Likewise Paul tells us, "Put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts. For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ" (Romans 13:14; Galatians 3:27, New American Standard). Therefore it stands to reason we are to be clothed with and in Christ Jesus so we can also stand before Father God in all humility, righteousness, and life-everlasting. We also need to consider since nothing is common with or in Jesus Christ we can remain clothed with Him at all times and never have to forsake those holy things so we can remain before the Father.

          I pray this encourages, helps, and blesses you as much as it has me. When I saw those verses in this passage of Ezekiel it dawned on me that God the Father desires us to be clothed always in Him through His Son Jesus Christ. We are to exhibit Him and His nature regardless how the world stands so they too, when they see a holy God can turn to Him and thus forsake their own ways. This is why He calls us through and by the Son so we can not only be heirs of the promise in Jesus Christ, but to share in His glory and holiness. In the name of Jesus Christ I pray this for and over you. Amen.