Here God allocates a central portion of land around the sanctuary to the priests, but the land is declared holy and therefore dedicated to God. They possess it in the understanding that it is allocated to them for the priestly service. The prince, who is the head of the priesthood, is given land bordering the sacred district as a protective shield. The prince is identified in 37:25, which says, “David my servant will be their prince forever”. We can take this as a Messianic reference. Rather than having kings who dispossess them, God’s people will have a king who will ensure and protect their inheritance. This is what Jesus has done for us. He has secured an eternal inheritance for us. A deposit of that inheritance is given to us now in the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:14). The Holy Spirit is all the power and glory of our blessed future drawn down into the present. The Holy Spirit brings the fresh air of the future into our hearts. We live in the present, but we breathe the air of our future. God has something glorious for you in the future and it lies in a new age and in a new life. But he wants to advance to you the best part of what will make life eternal and glorious in that new age. He imparts himself. He wants to breathe his presence into your heart so you can breathe the life-giving air of the Kingdom of God. Exhale the stale air of a dead world and inhale the air of eternal life. It is the deposit of your inheritance now.
Spend some time in stillness and let your breath act as a symbol of your intention to be filled more and more with God’s Spirit.
Read Ezekiel 45:1-12
