Where Freedom Is

Ezekiel 48:30-35

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.

The gates of the city in the Millennial Kingdom are here called, "the goings out". I know I am stretching things a bit but it got me to thinking about eternity. It won't be confining. The Revelation speaks of our going out and coming in to the New Jerusalem. We are not locked in.

·       There is liberty

·       There is freedom

·       There is choice

·       There is autonomy

We may go in. We may go out.

But all of it surrounds this city whose name is, "The LORD is there."

This in no small way is parallel to our experience as Christians today. We too have liberty and freedom. We are not confined as Christians. We are not restricted. We have the greatest sense of autonomy as any man has ever had.

·       We are free from the bondage of sin

·       We are free from the clutches of Satan

·       We are free from the burden of guilt

·       We are free from the fear of death

·       We are free from the life without purpose

·       We are free from the doubt of destiny

·       We are free to serve the Lord for love and not out of religious duty

The Lord is here, in the hearts of the saved. And He has set us free.