Read Ezekiel
44-46 & 2
Peter 3
To discover:
As you read note what
principles lie behind the regulations.
To ponder:
The man now takes
Ezekiel to the entrance to the temple – ie. the outer room. The door is shut
and to remain shut because God has entered. In context, it seems this is to
ensure no-one goes in and so defiles the place of God’s presence. Only the
“prince” could, and he only to the outer room and in order to eat in God’s
presence – presumably having made a sacrifice. (Priests could enter too, v16).
Next Ezekiel is taken to the north gate of the inner court from which he sees
God’s glory in the temple and falls face down, stressing the reverence with
which the reality of God’s presence should be considered (44v1-4). God then
tells Ezekiel to listen carefully to the regulations he is about to give
regarding the entrance and exits. These are the regulations the people are to
follow (see 43v11). First, where the Israelites rebelliously allowed foreigners
in and permitted them to carry out the priests’ duties, desecrating the temple,
no foreigner, uncircumcised in heart and flesh is now to enter. The point is
that those who can draw close to God must be from amongst his people, and truly
love him. Second, the Levites who committed idolatry are required to bear the
consequences of their sin. So, they may serve in the temple, having charge of
the gates (caring for and guarding them) and slaughtering offerings, but are
not allowed to serve as priests or come near the holy things or most holy
offerings. This downgraded their duties, meaning that they could only stand
before the people and not before the LORD. The sense is that worship in the new
order will protect against the compromises of the past, to ensure they are not
repeated. Third, only the descendents of Zadok who were faithful in their
duties when Israel
went astray are to stand before God offering sacrifices in the sanctuary
(44v5-16). The point is that order is re-established to the temple, with only
those qualified able to draw close to God.
Regulations for the clothes, hair
and marital allowances of the priests follow that are similar to those in the
law (44v17-27, Lev 21v1-9). The point is that they are to teach the difference
between the holy and common, helping the people distinguish between clean and
unclean. And they do this in part by their own set-apartedness. They are to
judge disputes, keep God’s laws and feasts, and regulations about going near
dead bodies. It all stresses that God is so holy that those who serve him up
close must be fit to do so, ensuring nothing merely normal (common) or
imperfect and so unacceptable (unclean) is allowed in his near presence. This
highlights just what Christ has achieved in making us holy and clean.
Next God declares he is to be the
priest’s inheritance, providing for them from the offerings and whatever is
devoted to God. So they are not to be given any inheritance in the land. The
best of the people’s firstfruits are to be theirs, which will bring blessing on
the people’s households. Yet the priests are not to eat what will make them
unclean (44v28-31).
45v1-8 records how a section of the
land is to be kept as a sacred space. In the center is to be the
sanctuary/temple with an area of open land around it. The wider area is for the
priests and Levites who serve at the temple to live in. Alongside this will be
a section of land for the city, and so for all Israel
to live in. And adjacent to the sacred space and city land will be land given
to the princes. It is added that they will no longer oppress the people but
allow them to posses the land according to their tribes. The sense is that they
will no longer be taking the people’s land to themselves. What follows is an
exhortation for the princes to give up violence and oppression in order to do
what is just and right, engage in honest commerce. It seems the outline of the
temple and land for the new order is expected to be a motivation for the
rebellious princes to make a new start of their practices (45v9-12). Knowing we
are destined to be glorified should be its own motivation to us, to live
accordingly in the present.
45v13-17 record the princes’
responsibility to provide the offerings to atone for Israel’s sins at the
feasts, but notes that the people are to provide what is necessary for them to
do this. What this entails for New Year’s Day (atoning for the temple and
altar), Passover and the Feast of Tabernacles follows (45v18-25). All this
highlights the king’s responsibility for worship, looking to Christ giving
himself to atone for his people’s sins.
Chapter 46 includes further
regulations. Only on the Sabbath and day of the new moon is the eastern inner
court gate to be open. On these days the prince would enter from the outside,
present his offerings at the gatepost as detailed, worship at the threshold in
sight of the sanctuary and then leave. Critically, he is not permitted to enter
the sanctuary itself. On these days the people are also permitted to come up to
the entrance to the gateway, standing just outside it in the outer court
(46v1-8, see
here). 46v9-10 explain that there is to be an orderly flow of worshippers,
including the prince, from the north gate to the south or vice-versa. No doubt,
this too expresses something of the order that should mark worship. The offerings
the prince must offer at festivals and feasts is then outlined, noting they are
to be offered as his offering on the Sabbath. The daily morning sacrifice is
then detailed – a reminder of the need of constant atonement if God is to dwell
amongst a sinful people (46v11-15).
Regulations on property given by the
prince (from his inheritance) to his sons or to servants follow (46v16-18). The
former belongs to his descendents and so should be passed on. The latter can be
kept, but must be returned at the year of freedom (probably Jubilee, Lev
25v10-13). The prince is not to take property from the people for his sons. The
point is that whatever God has allotted as an inheritance for the princes or
the people should be maintained. It all reminds us that the land, indeed, the
earth, is the LORD’s. It reassures us too, that he will ensure we receive our
inheritance.
Next the angelic man took Ezekiel to
the priests’ sacred rooms facing north, to see where the sin and guilt
offerings would be cooked and the grain offering baked. He then took him around
the outer court, where Ezekiel saw an enclosed rectangular court in each
corner. The man explained that they were kitchen’s for cooking the people’s
sacrifices (46v19-24). As with the layout of the land (above) we see order
highlighted again. But we also see God’s concern to keep the holy and common
apart, lest by coming into contact with the holy, God’s wrath breaks out
against the people (46v20). Yet, what is most striking is God’s grace in
welcoming people to his table to eat with him – something pictured in the
Lord’s Supper, and that looks to the heavenly banquet.
Throughout this section we see the
assumption that rather than being a spiritual picture of something that will
mark a perfect future kingdom, Ezekiel’s vision presupposes the people are
still sinful and so seems intended for those returning from exile. Protections
are not only put in to keep the people from holy things, but reminders are
needed so foreigners are not again brought into the temple and the prince
refrains from oppressing his people. Indeed, rather than being a messianic
figure, the prince is severely limited in the degree to which he can approach
God, having to stop at the gate to the sanctuary, and so being third in
importance behind the priests and Levites.
Praying
it home:
Praise God for his
gift of Christ who offers himself as the sufficient sacrifice for sin. Pray
that the church would shape its worship in a way that acknowledges the holiness
of God.
Thinking
further:
None
today.
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