FRAMEWORKS:
Ezekiel 43: The Glory Returns & Instructions
given
[Preliminary
Comments: The description of the temple gives way as
Ezekiel in his vision sees the glory of the Lord return to the
temple [v.1-5] and the Lord makes clear what is happening [v.6-9]
and Ezekiel is instructed to shame Israel with his descriptions
of the temple [v.10-12]. The altar is described [v.13-17] together
with instructions how the first sacrifices are to be brought [v.18-27].
v.1-5
God's glory returns to this temple
v.1
Then
the man brought me to the gate facing east,
v.2
and
I saw the glory of the God of Israel coming from the east. His
voice was like the roar of rushing waters, and the land was radiant
with his glory.
v.3
The
vision I saw was like the vision I had seen when he came to destroy
the city and like the visions I had seen by the River Kebar, and
I fell face down.
v.4
The
glory of the Lord entered the temple through the gate facing east.
v.5
Then
the Spirit lifted me up and brought me into the inner court, and
the glory of the Lord filled the temple.
[Note:
The
return of the glory of the Lord seen in this vision, is a clear
indicator of the Lord's desire to return to the centre of the
life of His people.]
v.6-9
The Lord's declarations [v.7,8] and command [v.9]
v.6
While
the man was standing beside me, I heard someone speaking to me
from inside the temple.
v.7
He
said: ‘Son of man, this is the place of my throne and the place
for the soles of my feet. This is where I will live among
the Israelites for ever. The people of Israel will never
again defile my holy name – neither they nor their kings –
by their prostitution and the funeral offerings for their kings
at their death.
v.8
When
they placed their threshold next to my threshold and their doorposts
beside my doorposts, with only a wall between me and them, they
defiled my holy name by their detestable practices. So I destroyed
them in my anger.
v.9
Now let them put away from me their prostitution
and the funeral offerings for their kings, and I will live among
them for ever.
[Note:
The
Lord conveys that it is His definite intention to come back and
live with His people for ever. For those in exile in Babylon this
must be a further encouragement to persevere as the people of
God, even though they are not yet back in their land. The Lord
obviously wants them to hold on to that idea firmly. It is also
a challenge for them in exile Babylon to ensure they get rid of
their idolatry as a means of preparing to one day return.]
v.10-12
Instruction and Consequence, Instruction and Declaration
v.10
‘Son
of man, describe the temple to the people of Israel, that they
may be ashamed of their sins. Let them consider its perfection,
v.11
and
if they are ashamed of all they have done, make known to them
the design of the temple – its arrangement, its exits and
entrances – its whole design and all its regulations and
laws. Write these down before them so that they may be faithful
to its design and follow all its regulations.
v.12
‘This
is the law of the temple: all the surrounding area on top of the
mountain will be most holy. Such is the law of the temple.
[Note:
The
purpose of the vision is made clear: to keep these things before
God's people in exile so they will be ashamed of what they have
been reduced to become, when they hear what are God's clear intentions
for their future.]
v.13-17
The great altar restored
v.13
‘These
are the measurements of the altar in long cubits, that cubit being
a cubit and a handbreadth: its gutter is a cubit deep and a cubit
wide, with a kerb of one span around the edge. And this is the
height of the altar:
v.14
from
the gutter on the ground up to the lower ledge that goes round
the altar it is two cubits high, and the ledge is a cubit wide.
From this lower ledge to the upper ledge that goes round the altar
it is four cubits high, and that ledge is also a cubit wide.
v.15
Above
that, the altar hearth is four cubits high, and four horns project
upwards from the hearth.
v.16
The
altar hearth is square, twelve cubits long and twelve cubits wide.
v.17
The
upper ledge also is square, fourteen cubits long and fourteen
cubits wide. All round the altar is a gutter of one cubit with
a kerb of half a cubit. The steps of the altar face east.'
[Note:
Observe
that, unlike the original descriptions of the furniture in the
Tabernacle and later the Temple of Solomon, there is no mention
of precious metals. This seems purely functional.]
v.18-27
Instructions for presenting the sanctification sacrifices
v.18
Then
he said to me, ‘Son of man, this is what the Sovereign Lord
says: these will be the regulations for sacrificing burnt
offerings and splashing blood against the altar when it is built:
v.19
you
are to give a young bull as a sin offering to the Levitical priests
of the family of Zadok, who come near to minister before me, declares
the Sovereign Lord.
v.20
You
are to take some of its blood and put it on the four horns of
the altar and on the four corners of the upper ledge and all round
the rim, and so purify the altar and make atonement for it.
v.21
You
are to take the bull for the sin offering and burn it in the designated
part of the temple area outside the sanctuary.
v.22
‘On
the second day you are to offer a male goat without defect for
a sin offering, and the altar is to be purified as it was purified
with the bull.
v.23
When
you have finished purifying it, you are to offer a young bull
and a ram from the flock, both without defect.
v.24
You
are to offer them before the Lord, and the priests are to sprinkle
salt on them and sacrifice them as a burnt offering to the Lord.
v.25
‘For
seven days you are to provide a male goat daily for a sin offering;
you are also to provide a young bull and a ram from the flock,
both without defect.
v.26
For
seven days they are to make atonement for the altar and cleanse
it; thus they will dedicate it.
v.27
At
the end of these days, from the eighth day on, the priests are
to present your burnt offerings and fellowship offerings on the
altar. Then I will accept you, declares the Sovereign Lord.'
[Note:
There
are still sacrifices for sin, fellowship etc., everything the
sinful community requires for atonement and to be at peace before
God.]
Continue
to Chapter 44