How Ancient Instructions Guide the Modern Church
Have you ever tried to assemble a complicated piece of furniture or solve a tricky puzzle without looking at the instructions? It’s easy to end up with missing pieces, wrong turns, or a finished product that just doesn’t work. That’s the big idea behind Ezekiel 43:10-11—and why it’s still so important for us today.
Ezekiel’s Message in Plain Language
In these verses, God tells the prophet Ezekiel to show the people of Israel the exact design of the temple—the blueprint, the layout, the rules—everything. God wants them to look at His perfect plan and realize how far they’ve wandered from it. The point isn’t just to make them feel bad, but to help them recognize where they’ve gone wrong so they’ll want to change and do things God’s way.
What Was Happening Back Then?
The people of Israel were supposed to live according to God’s laws and instructions, but over time, they took shortcuts, ignored details, or did things their own way. God uses the image of the temple—a place meant for His presence—to help them see the difference between His plan and the faulty way they’d been building their lives and community.
What Does God Want From Us?
- Reflection: God wants us to pause, take a hard look at our lives, and honestly ask: Are we really following His design, or just winging it?
- Repentance: When we realize we’ve messed up, God invites us not to stay stuck in guilt, but to feel real regret that leads us to want better for ourselves, our families, and our communities.
- Learning and Action: God encourages us to actually study His “blueprint”—His instructions and principles—so we can live in a way that lines up with His best for us.
- Restoration: If we’re willing to recognize our mistakes and get back on track, God promises to restore our relationship with Him and help us rebuild stronger than before.
Why Does This Matter for Us Today?
Ezekiel 43:10-11 isn’t just about an ancient building. It’s about how we, as God’s people today, live, worship, and work together. It’s a reminder that God cares about the details—not because He wants to make life difficult, but because He knows what will truly bring us close to Him and lead to a life that works well.
- God doesn’t want us to just follow routines or do things our own way. He asks us to compare what we’re doing to what He’s asked for, see where we’ve strayed, and actively come back to His way.
- When we do this, we experience not just forgiveness, but real change, growth, and a deeper relationship with God.
How Can We Put This Into Practice?
- Measure your life and community: Take time to honestly compare your actions, attitudes, and choices to God’s word. Where might you be off track?
- Be open to change: Admitting you’ve made mistakes isn’t weakness—it’s the first step toward something better.
- Apply what you learn: Don’t just read about God’s principles—put them into practice in daily life. Let them shape your family, relationships, and how you serve others.
In short, Ezekiel 43:10-11 invites us to look at our “blueprints”—the plans we’re using to build our lives and communities—and make sure they match up with God’s original design. When we do, we open ourselves up to real transformation, healing, and a deeper connection with God, both as individuals and as the church.
Minister Aleatha F Green – July 2025
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