I once heard a Preacher say, “Every man knows SOMETHING I don’t know. Hence, in that sense, every man is my TEACHER!” I have never forgotten that sentiment, that statement.

It is possible to learn from many life experiences, “gifts” God has sent our way. But specifically, one can learn through READING!

I have met many an author through the years, previously unknown to me, until I walked into a bookstore somewhere and asked, “Where are the religious, Bible study Books?”

Just recently I found a volume by the great Preacher Estes Pirkle, about the Gospel in the Stars! Cost marked on the book … $2.00, in the heart of Dalton, Georgia, the bookstore was. Value? One man told me he’d seen it listed for $80.00 online!

Do you see what I am saying? Brother Pirkle has been dead now for a number of years … but I can still learn from him today, via his writing!

Then in Commerce, Georgia … last Friday, while preaching out of town! I saw (and purchased) a Book about God as the Creator of Time itself! Written by a Believer in Jesus who is also an accomplished scientist! I have feasted off his knowledge for two nights now! Learning from a man whom I have never met!

Reading and learning!

But does the Bible address this issue?

I believe 2nd Timothy 2:2 does, in a real way. “And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.”

And in 1st Timothy 4:13 Paul commanded young Timothy: “Till I come, give attendance to reading.” Wow!

Teachers, godly teachers, they are everywhere!

But what about the “learners?”

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

 

It was Saturday evening, just three nights  ago.

Debbie and I occasionally drive north into Chattanooga (only 20 miles or so) and walk across the River Bridge, the Tennessee River. Earlier in the day I had woken up in a motel room east of home, having preaching Friday night in Pendergrass, Georgia.

Soon I will travel (fly) northwest and preach in Kansas, a Jubilee type week. Although most of our Meetings are just local Church Revivals, often in small little Assemblies across the south. (And we love what we do for our Lord! It is an honor serving Him!)

Oh by the way, the photo I’ve used this morning depicts the Tennessee River, looking westward toward the sunset. In downtown Chattanooga, as I’ve said.

Debbie and I usually eat a meal down in the River-walk area, trying a “new place” every now and then. (We can only do this when our Sunday Morning Revival Service is local, near enough our home in Tunnel Hill to drive to the Church. As it was this week, preaching in Ringgold, Georgia.)

I don’t know if you “sense” what I am trying to do or now. Everywhere I go, I love to have some idea of where “north” is, then consequently of course “south, east, and west.”

I’ve sort of done that all my life! Maybe a result of those early “Boy Scout” days. Maybe from my love of aviation, flying, navigation, things like that.

But is there a “point” to all this, you may be asking?

YES!

In what direction are YOU going, spiritually?

Toward Heaven or Hell?

Closer to Jesus, or further away?

More into God’s Word, or just a little lukewarm right now?

Folks, we need to keep always in mind WHERE we are spiritually!

At least that’s what’s on my heart this Tuesday morning!

By the way, we drive back north northeast tonight … and preach God’s precious Word yet again!

Wow!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

God’s first question recorded in the Bible. “Adam, WHERE art thou?” Genesis 3:9

 

This is the final Ezekiel lesson, after weeks and weeks of study.

I had no idea it would take this long, originally thinking one Lesson per chapter would suffice!

The Book ends with a great sentence, too!

“And these are the goings out of the city on the NORTH side, four thousand and five hundred measures. And the gates of the city shall be after the names of the tribes of Israel: three gates northward; one gate of Reuben, one gate of Judah, one gate of Levi. And at the EAST side four thousand and five hundred: and three gates; and one gate of Joseph, one gate of Benjamin, one gate of Dan. And at the SOUTH side four thousand and five hundred measures: and three gates; one gate of Simeon, one gate of Issachar, one gate of Zebulun. At the WEST side four thousand and five hundred, with their three gates; one gate of Gad, one gate of Asher, one gate of Naphtali. It was round about eighteen thousand measures: and the name of the city from that day shall be, The LORD is there.” Ezekiel 48:30-35, King James Version

We again name the four points of the compass, encircling the whole City! In the process learning the City has twelve gates! (“Whosoever will may come!) Each named for one of the Sons  of Jacob! (But not in their natural birth order, not as we first learned them in Genesis!)

Also, instead of Ephraim and Manasseh being listed separately (as usual) … their Grandfather Joseph is listed, keeping the numbers neat and whole, exactly at twelve. Also notice that Levi is given a gate,  named in his honor. The Levites, the priestly tribe! (Not always included.)

The city will be over a mile and a half in each direction, room for multitudes. This is not counting the vast tribal areas earlier granted to these Jewish Families! Plenty of room, in an expanded Holy Land, at least in some ways.

Clearly looks to me like the city is (using an old word) “foursquare,” Ezekiel calling it “round about eighteen thousand measures.” Everywhere God lives the architecture seems to match that foursquare description! The Holy of Holies was ten cubits wide and long and high! (So will New Jerusalem, our eternal home, be foursquare, so says John in Revelation 21:16. “And the city lieth foursquare, and the length is as large as the breadth: and he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs. The length and the breadth and the height of it are equal.” Yes!)

Thus … Ezekiel 48 certainly ends appropriately! “And the name of the city from that day shall be, The LORD is there.” Ezekiel 48:35b

“THE LORD IS THERE,” in Hebrew Jehovah Shammah! For a thousand glorious years! The entire Millennium, which is merely a sweet “foretaste” of all eternity!

Wow!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

But Oh, I am so glad that I can say as I type these words at our kitchen table … speaking of myself, within my own heart … “THE LORD IS HERE, TOO!!!”

Hallelujah!

 

All the Children of Israel, all their “Tribes,” once again amassed (orderly) in the “Promised Land!” (What “lost tribes?” God never misplaced a single one of them!) This unity will literally happen in the future Millennium, as per Ezekiel’s account!

And today’s Bible Text (Ezekiel 48:23-29) enumerates the last group for us (Benjamin and Simeon and Issachar and Zebulun and Gad).

Their Millennial lands range east to west … in the exact sequence I just listed. Like this: “As for the rest of the tribes, from the east side unto the west side, BENJAMIN shall have a portion. And by the border of Benjamin, from the east side unto the west side, SIMEON shall have a portion. And by the border of Simeon, from the east side unto the west side, ISSACHAR a portion. And by the border of Issachar, from the east side unto the west side, ZEBULUN a portion. And by the border of Zebulun, from the east side unto the west side, GAD a portion. nd by the border of Gad, at the south side southward, the border shall be even from Tamar unto the waters of strife in Kadesh, and to the river toward the great sea. This is the land which ye shall divide by lot unto the tribes of Israel for inheritance, and these are their portions, saith the Lord GOD.”

And, as we observed earlier this week, the Tribes (these are simply the sons of Jacob) issuing from Jacob’s  real Wives (Leah and Rachel), as opposed to merely his “handmaids” or concubines … get the territory nearest the Temple!

Wow!

I can’t fully explain why, either! (But this much is for sure. God’s Will, no doubt … Wifehood outweighs Concubinage … 100% of the time. God’s clearly stated Will, period.) My computer says no such word exists, “concubinage!” But you know what I mean.

But I can add this little bit. The meanings of the names of the twelve Sons of Jacob, in their birth order, tells the amazing story of God’s Grace, His working with mankind! The first four … how we got saved! The middle four … how to live once we are saved! The last four … what to expect in Heaven, because we have been saved!

I love to preach that Sermon, “the Sons of Jacob!” (I still have it on CD recording, I believe.)

Now the Lord willing, one more Ezekiel Lesson … Monday Morning.

What a journey, I speak personally.

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

Most good reference (study) Bibles have a little chart or map, depicting the tribal allotments I have mere described verbally.

 

For the first time in the whole Prophecy, Ezekiel “repeats” some information. I mean a whole “block” of data, which undoubtedly must be important.

Yes, Ezekiel 48:8-22 is essentially a re-stating of Ezekiel 45:1-8. Just in fuller detail, to be honest. The location of the Millennial Temple, with the City (Jerusalem) surrounding it, and the large area for the Levites and the Prince to inhabit.

Now, a look at our Text today: “And by the border of Judah, from the east side unto the west side, shall be the OFFERING which ye shall offer of five and twenty thousand reeds in breadth, and in length as one of the other parts, from the east side unto the west side: and the sanctuary shall be in the midst of it.” Ezekiel 48:8, a swath of land extending from east to west, here called an “offering.” Dedicated to God, in other words. In it sits the Temple.

The remaining verses of the Paragraph give the specifics about the exact areas the Priests will  inhabit. But a particular “group” of Priests! “It shall be for the PRIESTS that are sanctified of the sons of ZADOK; which have kept my charge, which went not astray when the children of Israel went astray, as the Levites went astray.” Verse 11, loyalty and faithfulness still count in God’s Eyes!

Next the Levites are specified. “And over against the border of the priests the LEVITES shall have five and twenty thousand in length, and ten thousand in breadth: all the length shall be five and twenty thousand, and the breadth ten thousand.” Verse 13, for the other-than-priestly Temple jobs, servants of the Lord.

Then Ezekiel discusses the “City Limits” of Jerusalem! “And the five thousand, that are left in the breadth over against the five and twenty thousand, shall be a profane place for the CITY, for dwelling, and for suburbs: and the city shall be in the midst thereof.” Verse 15

Then the Temple is located in the middle of all this! Theocentric, more accurate yet, Christocentric … everything during the Millennium!

Based on Ezekiel 45:1-8, this will be the largest Temple Israel has ever seen! Much bigger than Solomon’s or Zerubbabel’s or Herod’s!

Now the Lord willing, tomorrow morning we will look at the land given to the remaining Tribes of Israel. Their territories are south of the Temple and Holy District.

And there are Lessons to be learned there as well.

Wow!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

“And He (JESUS) is the Head of the body, the church: who is the Beginning, the Firstborn from the dead; that in all things He might have the PREEMINENCE.” Colossians 1:18

Even in the Millennium!