First Sunday || 2026
Ezekiel 43:1-12 New Living Translation
43 After this, the man brought me back around to the east gateway. 2 Suddenly, the glory of the God of Israel appeared from the east. The sound of his coming was like the roar of rushing waters, and the whole landscape shone with his glory. 3 This vision was just like the others I had seen, first by the Kebar River and then when he came to destroy Jerusalem. I fell face down on the ground. 4 And the glory of the Lord came into the Temple through the east gateway.
5 Then the Spirit took me up and brought me into the inner courtyard, and the glory of the Lord filled the Temple. 6 And I heard someone speaking to me from within the Temple, while the man who had been measuring stood beside me. 7 The Lord said to me, “Son of man, this is the place of my throne and the place where I will rest my feet. I will live here forever among the people of Israel. They and their kings will not defile my holy name any longer by their adulterous worship of other gods or by honoring the relics of their kings who have died. 8 They put their idol altars right next to mine with only a wall between them and me. They defiled my holy name by such detestable sin, so I consumed them in my anger. 9 Now let them stop worshiping other gods and honoring the relics of their kings, and I will live among them forever. 10 “Son of man, describe to the people of Israel the Temple I have shown you, so they will be ashamed of all their sins. Let them study its plan, 11 and they will be ashamed of what they have done. Describe to them all the specifications of the Temple—including its entrances and exits—and everything else about it. Tell them about its decrees and laws. Write down all these specifications and decrees as they watch so they will be sure to remember and follow them. 12 And this is the basic law of the Temple: absolute holiness! The entire top of the mountain where the Temple is built is holy. Yes, this is the basic law of the Temple.
2026 is the Year of Holiness!
What is Holiness?
“Completely Unique, Set Apart, Unlike Anything Else”
Qodash (H6942)
To consecrate, sanctify, prepare, dedicate, be hallowed, be holy, be sanctified, be separate
Hagios (G40)
Most holy thing, a saint
God is the Definition and Source of Holiness
God is Divinely Unique
1 Samuel 2:2 New Living Translation
2 No one is holy like the Lord! There is no one besides you; there is no Rock like our God.
God is the Creator of all life and the Source of all moral goodness, faithfulness, and purity
Isaiah 17:7 New Living Translation
7 Then at last the people will look to their Creator and turn their eyes to the Holy One of Israel.
Deuteronomy 32:4 New Living Translation
4 He is the Rock; his deeds are perfect. Everything he does is just and fair. He is a faithful God who does no wrong; how just and upright he is!
Times, Places, People and Things are Holy When in Close Relationship with God
When God’s Rests Upon Something it becomes Most, Very, or Absolutely Holy [Holy of Holies]
First Two Things in Scripture God Sets Apart as Holy
A Time [Sabbath Day - Genesis 2:3]
A Place [Ground around the Burning Bush -Exodus 3:1-6]
Holiness = Wholly His
Holiness is a Life Fully Yielded to Jesus
John 6:68-69 New Living Translation
68 Simon Peter replied, “Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words that give eternal life. 69 We believe, and we know you are the Holy One of God.”
The Highway of Holiness
In 2026 Jesus will Lead East Gate Upon the Highway of Holiness
Isaiah 35:8 New Living Translation
8 And a great road will go through that once deserted land. It will be named the Highway of Holiness. Evil-minded people will never travel on it. It will be only for those who walk in God’s ways; fools will never walk there.
Since Eden, It has Been God’s Desire to Walk with Humanity [Genesis 3:8]
Jeremiah 6:16 [Ask for the old godly way, and walk in it]
Matthew 7:14 [Enter the narrow gate, and walk the difficult path]
Following Jesus Along the Highway of Holiness
The Revelation of Holiness
The Embrace of Holiness
The Manifestation [Fruit] of Holiness
The Revelation of Holiness
Ezekiel was Brought Back to the East Gateway
The East Gate was set apart and sealed for God [Ezekiel 44]
God is calling us back to holiness, back to being “wholly His”
Suddenly the Glory of God Appeared
PROPHET INVITATION #1 || 2026 Will Be a Year of Suddenlies As We Fix Our Eyes on Jesus
Sudden return and fulfillment of prophetic dreams, visions, and words
Sudden encounters with the glory of God
Sudden breakthroughs [Healing, deliverance, sound minds]
Suddenly a new sound and light will flow from East Gate
The glory of God sounds and looks like Jesus [Revelation 1:12-16]
This Vision was Just Like the Others
Ezekiel didn’t need a NEW revelation of God’s holiness, he needed CONSTANT revelation
Ezekiel didn’t need a NEW response to God’s Presence, he needed a FRESH response
God’s Glory Entered the Temple through the East Gateway
God established East Gate as the House of His glory in 2022, in 2026 He will suddenly fulfill this prophetic promise
The Embrace of Holiness
God’s Spirit Carries Ezekiel Into His Courtyard & Reveals His Heart
In God’s courtyard Ezekiel is empowered to hear God
God’s contractor is beside Ezekiel ready to reveal more of God’s design for His temple
PROPHETIC INVITATION #2 || 2026 Will Be a Building Year as We Fix Our Eyes on Jesus
A year to intentionally build the future of our personal lives/families/careers around Him
A year to intentionally build the future of our corporate encounters/teams/plans/processes around Him
This is The Place of My Throne, Where I Will Rest My Feet, I Will Live Here Forever
God desires His forever home to be His dream home
God will not tolerate other gods, kings, or idols in His temple
Holiness is an Invitation into Deeper Covenant Relationship [Dating, Engagement, Marriage]
No more excusing/justifying idolatry [putting idol altars right next to His altar]
Not realizing we are putting up walls between us and Him [vs 8]
These detestable sins defile God’s holy name and invite His anger
Like a broken-hearted spouse would be angry with an unfaithful spouse
PROPHETIC INVITATION #3 || 2026 Will Be A Year of Greater Intimacy as We Fix Our Eyes on Jesus
This year we will know and love Jesus more as He reveals Himself and embraces us!
East Gate, We Await the Return of Christ!
Idolatry/adultery take place when we stop expecting God/spouse to show up for us
Holy Matrimony - Marriages will be made holy in 2026
Describe the Measurements/Decrees/Laws that They May Be Ashamed/Remember/Follow [vs 10-11]
God’s hope is that we be convicted of our detestable sins, repent, and choose Him
As we study God’s “holiness” plan for our lives, we will can build a life together with Him
We Cannot Embrace Holiness, We Must Yield to the Holy One’s Embrace
Remember that God’s Spirit lifted Ezekiel and brought Him into the courtyard
Jesus embraced the cross so that we could be embraced by the Father
Hebrews 10:14 New Living Translation
14 For by that one offering he forever made perfect those who are being made holy.
Even still, everything in us that pleases God is the result of His grace and mercy
Philippians 2:13 New Living Translation
13 For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.
PASTORAL CAUTION
You cannot strive for holiness, you must yield to the Holy One of God
1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 New Living Translation
23 Now may the God of peace make you holy in every way, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ comes again. 24 God will make this happen, for he who calls you is faithful.
If you are striving, it’s legalism, not holiness
Legalism is trying to earn and keep God’s acceptance through rule-keeping
Holiness will feel like legalism to the fleshly and legalism will feel like holiness to the religious
The Manifestation [Fruit] of Holiness
5 Difference Between Holiness & Legalism
Holiness is the fruit of nearness to God, legalism is rules apart from relationship
I obey because I belong vs I will belong if I obey
Holiness is motivated by love and honor, legalism is motivated by fear [punishment/lost status]
Holiness pursues God, legalism preserves self
Holiness depends on God’s grace and Spirit, legalism depends on human strength and performance
Holiness is Spirit-empowered, legalism is self-powered
Holiness produces humility and gratitude, legalism produces comparison, pride and shame
Holiness keeps eyes fixed on Jesus, legalism looks around at others
Holiness leads to freedom, joy and life, legalism leads to heaviness, judgement, and burnout
Holiness liberates, legalism suffocates
The Basic Law of the Temple is Absolute Holiness [vs 12]
Something is absolutely Holy, when God rests upon or within it
The Temple and the entire top of the Mountain [Everything from top to bottom is Wholly His]
PROPHETIC INVITATION #4 || 2026 Will Be a Radical Year as We Fix Our Eyes on Jesus
Radical encounter, devotion, transformation, surrender, worship, allegiance, & witness
Radical Presence, Power, Peace, and Purity [corporate and personal]
2026 is the Year of Holiness
Communion & Corporate Call to Holiness
2026 is a Year to Fix Our Attention On Jesus [The Holy One of God]
2026 is a Year to Break ALL Unholy Alliances [Idols, gods, kings, & relics of past kings]
2026 is a 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 Year
East Gate’s 2026 Corporate Holiness [Wholly His] Fast
Setting Apart 21 Days to Corporately Yield Ourselves Spirit, Soul, & Body to Our Faithful God
