Ezekiel 43:18-21

At the opening of the original *temple, Solomon offered thousands of animals as *sacrifices (2 Chronicles 7:5). And some people may have thought that such great ceremonies were necessary in order to please God (Micah 6:6-8). But God only wanted a simple ceremony to prepare the *altar for use.

On the first day, one young *bull had to die. It was a *sacrifice because of *sin. Its blood would make the *altar *clean, that is, acceptable to God. The priests must offer it. They must be men from the family of Zadok (see Ezekiel 40:46). And they must obey God’s rules carefully.