There’s No Going Back….

Here’s an anology taken from today’s reading in Ezekiel chapter 46. The Lord is describing the Temple celebrations when the exiles are brought back to The Holy Land from exile. On the Sabbath, the Prince must enter and exit from the same point. However, the people must enter from one point and exit from the opposite entry point. You say, what’s the point? I don’t know exactly the reason why, but I can relate it to our salvation. Once you enter into a right relationship with the Lord, there’s no going back. You can’t live your old life, with this new found salvation mindset. You can’t put new wine in old wine skins (as Jesus said). Or as Paul reminds us to throw off the old coat and put on the new. When you enter into God’s presence, it’s impossible to leave unchanged (if you’re a believer). Leaving out the opposite entrance, only emphasizes that. Once saved, you can’t go back. At least you can’t live that old lifestyle and expect God to use you in full capacity. It just doesn’t work that way. When you enter God’s presence, you will leave differently, because you are a changed being. God’s presence has that kind of effect on people. It’s why many people stay away from Him (they don’t want to change).

8 “The prince must enter the gateway through the entry room, and he must leave the same way. 9 But when the people come in through the north gateway to worship the Lord during the religious festivals, they must leave by the south gateway. And those who entered through the south gateway must leave by the north gateway. They must never leave by the same gateway they came in, but must always use the opposite gateway. Ezekiel 46:8-9