Ezekiel 44:1-9: a reflection

1Then he brought me back by the way of the outer gate of the sanctuary, which looks toward the east; and it was shut. 2The LORD said to me, “This gate shall be shut. It shall not be opened, no man shall enter in by it; for the LORD, the God of Israel, has entered in by it. Therefore it shall be shut. 3As for the prince, he shall sit in it as prince to eat bread before the LORD. He shall enter by the way of the porch of the gate, and shall go out the same way.” 4Then he brought me by the way of the north gate before the house; and I looked, and behold, the LORD’s glory filled the LORD’s house; so I fell on my face. 5The LORD said to me, “Son of man, mark well, and see with your eyes, and hear with your ears all that I tell you concerning all the ordinances of the LORD’s house and all its laws; and mark well the entrance of the house, with every exit of the sanctuary. 6You shall tell the rebellious, even the house of Israel, ‘The Lord GOD says: “You house of Israel, let that be enough of all your abominations, 7in that you have brought in foreigners, uncircumcised in heart and uncircumcised in flesh, to be in my sanctuary, to profane it, even my house, when you offer my bread, the fat and the blood; and they have broken my covenant, to add to all your abominations. 8You have not performed the duty of my holy things; but you have set performers of my duty in my sanctuary for yourselves.” 9The Lord GOD says, “No foreigner, uncircumcised in heart and uncircumcised in flesh, shall enter into my sanctuary, of any foreigners who are among the children of Israel.

In Ezekiel's vision of the temple, God rebukes his people for having brought into his sanctuary those who were, in his words, uncircumcised in heart and uncircumcised in flesh, to profane it. The phrase uncircumcised in heart points beyond the outward sign to the inner reality: a heart not truly set apart for God, not truly his, however correct the outward participation. God was displeased that those whose hearts were not right were brought into the sanctuary; outward participation without a heart set apart for God profaned his holy place.

Notice what God requires for drawing near to him: not mere outward participation, but a heart truly his. To be uncircumcised in heart was to lack the inner reality, the heart set apart for God, however present one might be outwardly. God was not content with outward participation while the heart was far from him; he required the heart itself, the inner reality, not merely the outward form. What fits us to draw near to God is not outward participation alone, but a heart truly set apart for him; the inner reality matters, not merely the external.

That is worth taking to heart, for we can participate outwardly in the things of God while our hearts are not truly his. We can be present in worship, go through the outward forms, participate in the externals, while our hearts remain far from God, not truly set apart for him; but God requires the heart, not merely the outward participation. Do not rest in outward participation in the things of God while your heart is not truly his; God looks for the inner reality, a heart set apart for him, not merely the external forms. Examine whether your heart is truly set apart for God, or whether you have only the outward participation while the heart is far off; for what fits us to draw near to God is a heart truly his, not mere outward participation, as God required not the uncircumcised in heart but those whose hearts were set apart for him to draw near in his sanctuary. Give God your heart, not merely your outward participation.

Lord, in Ezekiel's vision of the temple, you rebuke your people for having brought into your sanctuary those who were, in your words, uncircumcised in heart and uncircumcised in flesh, to profane it. The phrase uncircumcised in heart points beyond the outward sign to the inner reality: a heart not truly set apart for you, however correct the outward participation. You were displeased that those whose hearts were not right were brought into the sanctuary; outward participation without a heart set apart for you profaned your holy place. Show me what you require for drawing near to you: not mere outward participation, but a heart truly yours. To be uncircumcised in heart was to lack the inner reality, however present one might be outwardly. You were not content with outward participation while the heart was far from you; you required the heart itself. What fits me to draw near to you is not outward participation alone, but a heart truly set apart for you. Take that to my heart, for I can participate outwardly in the things of you while my heart is not truly yours. I can be present in worship, go through the outward forms, while my heart remains far from you; but you require the heart. Keep me from resting in outward participation while my heart is not truly yours; you look for the inner reality, a heart set apart for you. Help me examine whether my heart is truly set apart for you, Lord, or whether I have only the outward participation while the heart is far off. Help me give you my heart, not merely my outward participation.