What I Noticed Today (Ezekiel 43-45)
Ezekiel 43
In verses 1-5, Ezekiel describes the Lord coming and filling the temple (The Lord’s departure from the temple was described in Ezekiel 10-11). The Lord entered through the east gate, the Spirit lifted Ezekiel up and put him in the inner courtyard, and the glory of the Lord filled the temple.
In verses 6-9, God spoke to Ezekiel directly saying this was the place of His throne where He will live among the Israelites forever. They will never again profane His holy name.
In verses 10-12, Ezekiel was then told to describe all the details of the temple to the people that they might be ashamed of their iniquities (sins). He was to write down the description and all of God’s laws which were the laws of the temple.
In verses 13-17, Ezekiel was given the description and measurements for the altar in the temple.
In verses 18-27, Ezekiel gave instructions for the purification of the altar. A bull and a goat were to be offered as a sin offering to purify the altar. Then for seven days a ram, a bull, and a goat without blemish were to be provided as a sin offering to make atonement, cleanse, and consecrate the altar.
Ezekiel 44-46
Ezekiel had described the new temple in great detail in Ezekiel 40-43. In Ezekiel 44-46 he described the worship practices in the new temple.
Ezekiel 44
In verses 1-3, the Spirit brought Ezekiel back out to the outer courtyard and shut the east gate, saying it was the Lord’s gate, and only the prince will be allowed to enter through this gate.
In verses 4-9, Ezekiel went back to the inner court through the north gate, and there he saw the glory of the Lord filling the temple, and Ezekiel fell facedown. The Lord told him to remember all that he had seen and heard regarding the construction of the temple and the temple laws. The people were not to profane the temple by allowing foreigners to take charge of the sanctuary again.
In verses 10-14, the Lord appointed the Levites who had rebelled by worshipping idols to take care of the sanctuary, to be ministers there, standing before the people as they made sacrifices. But because of their past sins, they were not allowed to minister or come near the Lord.
In verses 15-19, the Lord called out the sons of Zadok who were Levitical priests who cared faithfully for the sanctuary to be the priests that would stand before the Lord. Ezekiel provided the laws (Exodus 28:39-41) regarding how they were to prepare to enter into the presence of the Lord.
In verses 20-23, the priests were not to shave their heads or let their hair grow long (both were signs of mourning). They were not to drink wine when coming before the Lord. They were not to marry widowed or divorced women. They were to teach the people the difference between the holy and the common, the clean, and the unclean.
In verses 24-27, the priests were to serve as judges acting in accordance with God’s laws. They were to keep His laws and the Sabbath and to keep from defiling themselves.
In verses 28-31, Ezekiel said these duties were to be the inheritance for the priests. They were to have no inheritance or possessions in the land because they were the Lord’s possession.
Ezekiel 45
In verses 1-6, Ezekiel describes the plot of land (25,000 x 20,000 cubits) that was to be for the use of the priests as a holy district. The city will be next to the holy district.
Note: The holy district was approximately 55.4 square miles or 35,400 acres.
In verses 7-8, the princes will have land on the east and west sides of the holy district.
In verses 9-12, the Lord warns the princes to give up their violence and oppression of the poor. They were to have honest scales and measures.
In verses 13-17, Ezekiel describes the offerings of grains, oil, and animals to be used for the grain, burnt, and peace offerings. The people were to give these offerings to the prince of Israel. The prince was to furnish offerings at the feasts and festivals to make atonement for the people.
Note: This prince of Israel that Ezekiel has introduced is not David or the Messiah. This prince will be married and have sons who will inherit the land (Ezekiel 46:16-18).
In verses 18-25, Ezekiel establishes the timing of festival offerings. There will be a New Year’s feast, the feast of Passover/Unleavened bread, and the feast of Tabernacles. The New Years’ feast was on Nisan 1 (April). Passover was a seven-day feast. The feast of Tabernacles was also a seven-day feast beginning in the seventh month, on the fifteenth day.
