Day #254

Sermon - Audio
Ezekiel 44-45 - Audio
Ezekiel 44-45 - Reading

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Ezekiel 44-45

Chapter 44: The Temple Ministers

v. 1-3 -- The East gate at the outer court opened toward the Kidron Valley and the Mount of Olives. Ezekiel had just seen the Lord enter it on His return to His temple (43:4). God’s presence had made this gate holy, and no one else would be able to go through the gate which God Himself had entered.

v. 15-19 -- The priestly vestments are to be made of linen. Linen is lighter than wool, which was not permitted because the priests must not wear anything that makes them sweat.

v. 20-23 --The priests must not shave their heads or let their hair grow long. Completely shaving one’s head or letting one’s hair go untamed were signs of mourning.
Chapter 45: The Land of the Temple Priests and the Offerings

. 1-6 -- The sacred portion of land for which Ezekiel gave measurements (in cubits) would translate into something like 55 square miles (8.3 miles by 6.6 miles). For a frame of reference, the city of Grand Rapids has an area of 45 square miles.

v. 18-25 --The interesting part here is what is missing. Ezekiel mentions feasts, but leaves some out, and only mentions three of the six national festivals. But why? Commentators explain it two ways:

· The New Covenant and the fulfillment of Israel’s kingdom promises may make those other three feasts unnecessary. Passover and Unleavened Bread were two feasts celebrating national cleansing and pointed to Christ’s death; and the Feast of Tabernacles as a symbol of Israel’s future position in God’s millennial kingdom. No need for the others.

· Perhaps Ezekiel used a figure of speech to include all the feasts. By naming the first two feasts in Israel’s festival calendar (Passover and Unleavened Bread) and the last one (Tabernacles), maybe he implied that all Israel’s feasts would be included.
--Bible Knowledge Commentary--

If Ezekiel’s prophesy describes a future restoration of Israel under Jesus the Messiah then we might be left asking, “what’s up with the festivals” and “why sacrifice?” The problem is theologically based. Since Christ’s one sacrifice won our salvation, what need would there be for further animal sacrifices? Even more, wouldn’t such future sacrifices deny the salvation won for us by Jesus? Most of the worship practices seen here in Ezekiel are similar to those in the Mosaic system, but certain offerings and sacrifices are left out or modified. Perhaps most important, however, is the fact that O.T. sacrifices never cleansed from sin, but rather prefigured the sacrifice of Jesus. --The Bible Reader’s Companion--