Ezekiel 46

REVIEW QUESTIONS

What stood at the center of Old Testament worship? What is the New Testament altar? (See Hebrews 13:10.)

What were the horns of the altar?

To what two uses was the Old Testament altar put?

What was the significance of the burnt-offering? the peace-offering? the meal-offering? Why was salt sprinkled on the burnt-offering?

Why were the Levites demoted in privilege in Ezekiel’s Temple?

What restriction would be put on aliens in the new Temple age?

How were the Zadokite priests to be dressed when they served in the Temple? What is the significance of this dress?

What duties did Ezekiel envision being performed by priests in the new Temple age?

Why did God require such strict ritual regarding priests who contacted dead bodies?

Why would the Zadokite priests receive no inheritance?

In the new apportionment of Canaan who would possess the central section of the land?

What appeal does Ezekiel make to future rulers of Israel?

What responsibility would the prince have in reference to the Temple offerings?

What various festival days does Ezekiel mention in connection with the new age?

Why was the eastern gate of the Temple forever to remain shut?

What restrictions were placed on the prince in reference to the disposition of his property?

What is symbolized by the river which flowed forth from the Temple of God? What problems do literalists have in dealing with Ezekiel’s river?

How does the original apportionment of land to the twelve tribes differ from that described by Ezekiel?

What inheritance rights would aliens have in the new Canaan?

How is Ezekiel’s description of the new Jerusalem similar to that of John in Revelation?

Ezekiel 46:1-7

3. The sabbath and new moon (46:1-7)

TRANSLATION

(1) Thus says the Lord GOD: The gate of the inner court that looks toward the east shall be shut the six working days; but on the sabbath day it shall be opened, and on the day of the new moon it shall be opened. (2) And the prince shall enter by the way of the porch of the gate without and shall stand by the post of the gate; and the priests shall prepare his burnt-offering and his peace-offerings, and he shall worship at the threshold of the gate: then he shall go forth; but the gate shall not be shut until the evening. (3) And the people of the land shall worship at the door of that gate before the LORD on the sabbaths and on the new moons. (4) And the burnt-offering that the prince shall offer unto the LORD shall be on the sabbath day six lambs without blemish and a ram without blemish; (5) and the meal-offering shall be an ephah for the ram, and the meal-offering for the lambs as he is able to give, and a hin of oil to an ephah. (6) And on the day of the new moon it shall be a young bullock without blemish, and six lambs and a ram; they shall be without blemish: (7) and he shall prepare a meal-offering, an ephah for the bullock, and an ephah for the ram, and for the lambs according as he is able, and a hin of oil to an ephah.

COMMENTS

On the sabbath day and on the new moon (first day of the month) the eastern gate of the inner court was to be opened (Ezekiel 46:1).[535] on these occasions the prince would be allowed to enter the eastern gate. He was the official representative of the people who would present to the priests the sacrifices which were to be offered on behalf of the nation. From his vantage point at the post of the gate (i.e., the western end of the gateway) he would worship as the priests offered his sacrifices within his view upon the altar, Even after he departed from the Temple, the inner gate was to be left open until evening (Ezekiel 46:2). At the door of that open gate the people of the land would worship throughout those sacred sabbath days (Ezekiel 46:3).

[535] This gate is not to be confused with the eastern gate of the outer court which was never to be opened (Ezekiel 44:2).

The offerings prescribed for the sabbath and new moon of the new Temple age do not correspond with those prescribed in the Law of Moses (cf. Numbers 28:9; Numbers 28:11-15).[536] The prince is to offer each sabbath day six lambs and a ram (Ezekiel 46:4); an ephah of meal with the ram; an unspecified amount of meal for each lamb; and at least a hin of oil (Ezekiel 46:5). On the new moon the prince would offer the regular sabbath offerings but add to them an unblemished bullock and another ephah of meal (Ezekiel 46:6-7).

[536] To reconcile this account with the Pentateuch some Jewish scholars have proposed that these sacrifices are special, additional sacrifices required during the sabbaths of the dedication period for the new Temple.

Ezekiel 46:8-10

4. The entrance and exit of worshipers (46:8-10)

TRANSLATION

(8) And when the prince shall enter, he shall go in by the way of the porch of the gate, and he shall go forth by the way thereof. (9) But when the people of the land shall come before the LORD in the appointed feasts, he that enters by the way of the north gate to worship shall go forth by the way of the south gate; and he that enters by the way of the south gate shall go forth by the way of the north gate: he shall not return by the way of the gate whereby he came in, but shall go forth straight before him. (10) Arid the prince, when they go in, shall go in the midst of them; and when they go forth, they shall go forth together.

COMMENTS

On the sabbath and new moon the prince was allowed to enter by the porch of the east gateway and leave by the same way (Ezekiel 46:8). But in the appointed seasons (Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles)[537] when the crowds were numerous the worshipers were required to enter the outer court by one of the side gates and leave by the gate on the opposite side. This made for orderly flow of traffic across the inner court (Ezekiel 46:9). On these occasions the prince would have no special privileges. He was to enter and depart by the gates with the worshipers (Ezekiel 46:10). Perhaps this served to underscore the fact that all worshipers stand on equal footing before God.

[537] On these festivals every male Israelite was required to appear at the Temple.

Ezekiel 46:11-15

5. The offering of the prince on behalf of the people.

(46:11-15)

TRANSLATION

(11) And in the feasts and in the solemnities the meal-offering shall be an ephah for a bullock, and an ephah for a ram, and for the lambs as he is able to give and a hin of oil to an ephah. (12)

And when the prince shall prepare a freewill-offering, a burnt-offering or peace-offerings as a freewill-offering unto the LORD, one shall open for him the gate that looks toward the east; and he shall prepare his burnt-offering and his peace-offerings, as he does on the sabbath day: then he shall go forth; and after his going forth one shall shut the gate. (13) And you shall prepare a lamb a year old without blemish for a burnt-offering unto the LORD daily: morning by morning you shall prepare it. (14) And you shall prepare a meal-offering with ii morning by morning, the sixth part of an ephah, and the third part of a hin of oil, to moisten the fine flour; a meal-offering unto the LORD continually by a perpetual ordinance. (15) Thus shall they prepare the lamb, and the meal-offering, and the oil, morning by morning, for a continual burnt-offering.

COMMENTS

On all feasts (e.g., Pentecost) and appointed seasons (e.g., New Year’S, Day of Atonement) the prince had the obligation to provide meal offerings as well as animals for sacrifice. He was required to offer an ephah of meal for each bullock or ram; for each lamb he would make a voluntary contribution of meal. Each ephah of meal was to be accompanied by a hin of oil (Ezekiel 46:11).

If the prince should desire to offer a free-will offering on a weekday, the eastern gate of the inner court would be opened for him. Upon his departure the gate was to be closed again. Only on sabbath days was the eastern gate left open all day so that worshipers might view the sacrificial ritual (Ezekiel 46:12).

Every day sacrifices were to be offered by the priests upon the great Temple altar. A lamb was to be offered and a meal-offering as well (Ezekiel 46:13-15). No mention is made here of an evening offering (cf. Numbers 28:4 f)[538]

[538] The amount of the meal offering also differs from that prescribed in Numbers.

Ezekiel 46:16-18

6. The inheritance of the prince (46:16-18)

TRANSLATION

(16) Thus says the Lord GOD: If the prince gives a gift unto any of his sons, it is his inheritance, it shall belong to his sons; it is their possession by inheritance. (17) But if he gives of his inheritance a gift to one of his servants, it shall be his to the year of liberty; then it shall return to the prince; but as for his inheritance, it shall be for his sons. (18) Moreover, the prince shall not take of the people’s inheritance, to thrust them out of their possession; he shall give inheritance to his sons out of his own possession, that My people be not scattered every man from his possession.

COMMENTS

Having spoken of the offerings that a prince might give to God, a pronouncement is made about gifts which the prince might make to others. A gift of property given by the prince to his sons was to be regarded as a possession by inheritance. That property would not revert to its original owner in the year of Jubilee (Ezekiel 46:16). However, royal property given to a servant was to revert back to the prince in the year of liberty (Jubilee year) which occurred every fiftieth year (Ezekiel 46:17). Moreover, in the new era the prince was to respect the property rights of his subjects. Confiscations of property by the crown as in the case of Naboth’s vineyard (1 Kings 21) would be a thing of the past (Y. 18).

Ezekiel 46:19-24

7. Preparing the sacrificial meals (46:19-24)

TRANSLATION

(19) Then he brought me through the entry, which was at the side of the gate, into the holy chambers for the priests, which looked toward the north: and, behold, there was a place on the hinder part westward. (20) And he said unto me, This is the place where the priests shall boil the trespass-offering and the sin-offering, and where they shall bake the meal-offering; that they bring them not forth into the outer court, to sanctify the people. (21) Then he brought me forth into the outer court, and caused me to pass by the four corners of the court; and, behold, in every corner of the court there was a court. (22) In the four corners of the court there were courts inclosed, forty cubits long and thirty broad; these four in the corners were of one measure. (23) And there was a wall round about in them, round about the four, and boiling-places were made under the walls round about. (24) Then said he unto me, These are the boiling-houses, where the ministers of the house shall boil the sacrifice of the people.

COMMENTS

Ezekiel’s conducted tour of the Temple resumes in these verses. He was taken by his angelic guide into the priests-’ chambers which ran parallel to the Temple on the north and south. This block of chambers faced north. He was led to the extreme western end of this structure (Ezekiel 46:19) and there was shown a special chamber. Here the priests were to boil the meat of the guilt-offering and sin-offering, and bake the meal of the meal-offering. These meats and cakes could only be eaten by the priests. They were to exercise care not to accidentally carry these sanctified foods into the outer court where they would sanctify or communicate holiness to the people (Ezekiel 46:20; Ezekiel 44:19).

The angel next brought Ezekiel to the outer court, He observed in each of the four corners of this court enclosures or small courts (Ezekiel 46:21). Each of these courts was forty by thirty cubits. The courts are said to be keturoth, which the King James Version renders inclosed. Some Rabbis thought the word meant uncovered, i.e., the corner structures were rootless to allow the smoke to freely ascend (Ezekiel 46:22), These small courts were equipped boiling places, i.e., fire places where large boiling pots could be placed (Ezekiel 46:23). The ministers of the house the Levites boiled the people’s sacrifices for them (Ezekiel 46:24). This part of the sacrificial animal was eaten by the worshipers in a communal meal in the Temple courtyards.