Detailed Instructions and Measurements

I recently received a promise from God’s Word in a passage in Ezekiel.

I am currently reading the Bible chronologically, and Ezekiel has been on the docket for a little while. Frankly, I am not overly excited to pick up my Bible when I am in the middle of books like Ezekiel, because they challenge my joy and my desire to want read God’s Word, especially when they are full of lists, names, measurements, warnings, or prophecy concerning God’s plan for the wicked, and when His descriptions of the wicked sound suspiciously like prodigals.

Don’t get me wrong. I love the Word of God, and Ezekiel also contains explanations of God’s faithfulness to His people and wonderful promises, such as chapter 37, where the dry bones come back to life.

Despite the difficulties, I kept plowing through Ezekiel, asking God to show me what He wanted me to know from this passage.

Around chapter 40, the writing moved from punishment and doom to detailed instructions and measurements. Of course, that didn’t necessarily thrill me, either. It isn’t my definition of a page-turner, but I kept reading.

Along about chapter 46, the Holy Spirit revealed to me that God gives detailed instructions and measurements to us to use in preparation for something big to happen! He did that in several places in the Old Testament: to Noah for building the ark, to Moses for freeing God’s people, to Joshua for conquering the promised land, to Solomon for building the temple, to name a few. There were also instructions for battles, showdowns, and provision.

In Ezekiel, though, He was giving the measurements of a temple, a place of repentance and worship! In other words, He wanted someone to prepare a place where people would repent of their sins and worship the one true God. Now, that sounds more like detailed instructions and measurements I want to know!

And, there was my promise! If God is giving us detailed instructions on what to pray, or telling us our prayers are answered and we are just waiting to catch up with them; if He is saying to pray for one more push in certain prodigals’ lives, because they are so close to surrender; if He is telling us to destroy specific strongholds in prodigals’ lives, it is a promise by way of moving us to build conduits between heaven and earth for things He wants to accomplish on earth, and that is very exciting! I take that as a promise. He is saying those things are “done.”

I do not purport to being completely versed in listening to God’s voice, but I am practicing; and the Holy Spirit is helping you and me, because He does want us to recognize His voice, and He does want to commune and fellowship with us, and He does want us to be vessels He can use to accomplish His perfect will on earth.

Is It Just Your Imagination?

One sure way to know if your promise is really a promise, and that it comes from God, is that it comes straight from the Word of God, taken in context, and is a universal promise, a promise for all people and not just for a particular person for a particular situation.

Another way to know your promise is truly a promise is when it is “exceedingly abundantly above all that we … think” (Ephesians 3:20).

Have there been times that a verse of Scripture would pop out to you when you are reading your Bible, perhaps a verse you see as a great prayer? Have you ever thought of something so great for your prodigal that you know you never would have thought of on your own, something unusual and God-sized? Have you ever “seen” something going on with your prodigal while praying or in God’s presence?

If you ever question whether your promise is truly from God, ask Him to confirm it. Search the Word of God to see if it lines up with your promise. Share with a man or woman of God, one who believes God still speaks to His people, someone who will support your search for God’s will.

Tomorrow I will share examples of promises received by some people who love and pray for a prodigal.