Pagină:Organization-part-I-1938.djvu/15

JUNE 1, 1938 (Ezek. 40: 47) It is for this court near to Jchovah that his faithful ones cry out, saying: ‘‘My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth, for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh erieth out for the living God.”’ (Ps. 84:2) When they are brought into that happy condition they say: ‘‘Blessed are they that dwell in thy house: they will be still praising thee,’’—Ps, 84: 4. Jehovah’s angel, sent to guide Ezckicl, brought the prophet into the outer court by way of the outer gate which ‘‘looketh toward the east’’. (Ezck. 40:6) After leading him along the pavement of the lower court the guide then brought Ezekiel into the inner court, that is to say, the court of the priests. Ezckicl was there- fore accorded the special privilege of being brought through the eastern portal, which later he appreciated when he saw ‘‘the glory of the Lord came into the house by the way of the gate whose prospect is toward the east’’. (Ezek. 43: 1-4) Ezekiel afterward saw that this gate looking toward the east was shut. The favor bestowed upon Ezekiel in bringing him into the inner court by the east gate was doubtless a recognition of his faithfulness as a servant-priest of .Jjchovah God. (Ezek, 1:3) It is also prophetic of God’s remnant, whom Ezekiel foreshadowed, and indicates special favor to such because of faithfulness to the Lord. The heavenly messenger measured the castern gate. The special privileges to those haviny aceess into the inner court are denoted by the outstanding features mentioned in the texts concerning the gate and the chambers in connection therewith: ‘‘And the little chambers thereof, and the posts therco!, und the arches thereof, were according to these measures, and there were windows therein and in the arches thereof round about: it was fifty cubits long, and five and twenty cubits broad.’’ (Ezek. 40:33) These chambers or lodges were for the offices of the watclimen or guards who keep the gates leading into Jehovah’s house. The description and measurements of these chambers show that the watchmen would carefully scrutinize those journeying on their way to the house of Jchovah where only the priests are admitted. They would carefully watch and keep out any freudulent priests, Some men in the company of God’s people on the carth seem to think it is their duty to gather out and keep out the false ‘‘priests’’; but the Scriptures show that this work Jehovah delegates to his angels. A blemished priest would not be admitted, accord- ing to God’s law, which law does not change. ‘‘Speak unto Aaron, saying, Whosoever he be of thy [Aaron's] seed in their generations that hath any blemish, let him not approach to offer the bread [food] of his God: for whatsoever man he be that hath nu blemish, he shall not approach: a blind man, or a lame, or he that hath a flat nose, or any thing superfluous, or a man that is brokenfooted, or brokenhanded, or crookbackt, or a dwarf, or that hath a blemish in his eye, or be scurvy or scabbed, or hath his stones broken: no man She WATCHTOWER. 175 that hath a blemish of the seed of Aaron the priest shall come nigh to offer the offerings of the Lord made by fire: he hath a blemish: he shall not come nigh to offer the bread of his God. He shall eat the bread of his God, both of the most holy, and of the holy; only he shall not go in unto the vail, nor come nigh unto the altar, because he hath a blemish; that he profane not my sanctuaries: for I the Lord do sanctify them.’’ (Lev. 21: 17-23) This fully corroborates the conclu- sion that those who respond to God’s call to the king- dom must first prove faithful in safeguarding the kingdom interests that are committed to them before they are chosen (elected) and anointed and made members of the body of Christ. Those who, while on their way, in response to the call to the kingdom, are in line for the kingdom, but who join the ‘‘wicked servant’’ class, are rejected, and the watchmen see to it that they are ejected from the courts of the Lord and do not enter the temple. There were posts at the gate or entrance into the inner court, and ‘‘palm trees were upon the posts thereof’’. ‘‘And the arches thereof were toward the outward court; and palm trees were upon the posts thereof, on this side and on that side: and the going up to it had eight steps.’’ (Izek. 40:34) The height of these posts at the entrance of the inner court is not stated, bui the presumption is that they were three- score cubits, the same as the posts of the outer gates. (Vs. 14) The palm tree decoration on these posts sug- gests that they were high and lofty. These posts well picture Jehovah’s witness class who are described by the prophet of the Lord as ‘‘a pillar [of testimony ] at the border thereof [of Egypt] to the Lord’’, further supporting the conclusion that the great pyramid of Egypt is not even contemplated by the prophecy of Isaiah. (Isa. 19:19) Jehovah’s witnesses do his work, and this witness work must be performed before they become permanent factors in the temple. There was a gate in the inner court toward the south, and it was to this gate that the messenger brought Ezekiel. (Ezek. 40: 27,28) But he did uot enter the inner court from that gate. There was a gate to the mner court over against the outer gate, both on the north and on the east. (Ezek. 40:23) ‘‘And he brought me to the north [inner] gate, and measured it according to these measures.’’ (Ezck, 40:35) The description of the north gate is the same as that of the east gate. It has been said that it was only at the north gate that ‘‘they washed the burnt offering’’. This conclusion is not borne out by other statements of the Scriptures. In verse thirty-eight of this chapter the word ‘‘gates’’ is used, showing more than one: ‘‘And the chambers, and the entries thereof, were by the posts of the gates, where they washed the burnt offering.’’ (Ezek. 40: 38) The law-of God governing his typical people in their sacrifices states: ‘‘And he brought the ram for the burnt offering: and Aaron and his sons laid their