What can modern believers learn from the purification process in Ezekiel 43:22? Setting the Scene “On the second day you are to offer a male goat without blemish as a sin offering, and the altar is to be purified as it was purified with the bull.” (Ezekiel 43:22) Why a Second Offering? • God insisted on an extended, two-day ritual to show that holiness is not casual but intentional. • Each step underscored the altar’s purpose: an exclusive meeting place between a holy God and a cleansed people. • By specifying an unblemished male goat, the Lord highlighted substitution—innocence offered for guilt. Timeless Principles • Sin defiles more deeply than we think; purification must reach every layer (Isaiah 1:18). • Holiness is progressive: yesterday’s cleansing does not exempt today’s vigilance (2 Corinthians 7:1). • God provides the remedy He requires; grace doesn’t cancel holiness, it empowers it (Romans 6:13). Christ, the Greater Offering • “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29) • “For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.” (Hebrews 10:14) • The goat foreshadowed Jesus’ once-for-all sacrifice—yet continual cleansing is applied as believers confess (1 John 1:9). What Modern Believers Can Practice • Regular self-examination before worship—private confession parallels the altar’s daily purification (Psalm 139:23-24). • Pursuing holiness in every sphere: speech, media choices, relationships (1 Peter 1:15-16). • Offering ourselves “as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God” (Romans 12:1). • Guarding corporate worship: approaching communion and fellowship with reverence (Hebrews 10:19-22). • Trusting Christ’s finished work while actively turning from sin—cleansed people live clean lives (James 4:8). Invitation to Ongoing Purity The second-day sin offering in Ezekiel 43:22 reminds believers that purity is both a decisive gift accomplished at the cross and a daily pursuit empowered by the Spirit. Remaining near the altar—now the cross—keeps worship vibrant, witness credible, and fellowship unbroken. |
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