EZEKIEL, XL. PRELIMINARY NOTE ON Chapter S 40-48. These closing Chapter s of Ezekiel form one continuous prophecy of a distinctly marked character. They present a vision of the Temple in minute detail, with careful measurements of its parts; various ordinances for the Temple, for the Levites, and th... [ Continue Reading ]
XLVI. The first fifteen verses of this chapter belong to Ezekiel 45. The prince was required to provide and bring the sacrifices for himself and for the people (Ezekiel 45:17); therefore, as soon as the yearly festivals have been described, directions are given (Ezekiel 46:1) for the conduct of the... [ Continue Reading ]
STAND BY THE POST OF THE GATE. — The prince shall enter the sanctuary by the east gate of the outer court, pass through that court to the inner gate, and “worship at the threshold of the gate” immediately adjoining the inner court, while the priests make ready his sacrifices. But he is not to enter... [ Continue Reading ]
WORSHIP AT THE DOOR. — The people, in so far as they might be present on the Sabbaths and new moons, are not to worship in the same place with the prince; but in the outer court, at the entrance of the east gate to the inner court.... [ Continue Reading ]
SIX LAMBS... AND A RAM. — The burnt offering for the Sabbath, according to the Mosaic law (Numbers 28:9), was two lambs. This is greatly increased here, and the “meat offering” for the ram is also made larger, while that for the lambs (Ezekiel 46:5) is left to the prince’s generosity.... [ Continue Reading ]
A YOUNG BULLOCK... AND SIX LAMBS, AND A RAM. — The law required for the new moons, for a burnt offering, two bullocks, seven lambs, and a ram (Numbers 28:11), so that this sacrifice is here diminished; it also required a he-goat for a sin offering, of which no mention is here made.... [ Continue Reading ]
IN THE SOLEMN FEASTS. — Different arrangements were required for the great or “solemn” feasts, because at these all the males of Israel were commanded to be present, and therefore the numbers were very large. This affects both the people and (Ezekiel 46:10) the prince. The first provision is one for... [ Continue Reading ]
THE PRINCE IN THE MIDST OF THEM. — On occasion of these yearly feasts, it was no longer necessary that the prince should represent the people, they being themselves present. He, therefore, now worships in their midst, entering with them at the north or south gate, and going out by the opposite one.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND IN THE SOLEMNITIES. — The new rules for the proportion of the meat offering, as laid down in Ezekiel 46:5; Ezekiel 46:7; Ezekiel 45:24, are here repeated for the feast days; and it is added that the same is to hold for all established seasons, a different proportion being prescribed only for the... [ Continue Reading ]
A VOLUNTARY BURNT OFFERING. — One case in which the prince might present a sacrifice is yet unprovided _for._ He might offer, like any of the people, a voluntary sacrifice at any time, either a burnt offering or a peace offering. In this case he is still to enter by the east gate; but the gate, inst... [ Continue Reading ]
DAILY PREPARE A BURNT OFFERING. — Ezekiel 46:13 contain regulations for the daily sacrifice. The victim is the same as under the Mosaic law; but instead of being offered every morning and evening (Numbers 28:3), it is here provided only for the morning. On the other hand, the accompanying meat offer... [ Continue Reading ]
IF THE PRINCE GIVE A GIFT. — Ezekiel 46:15 contain provisions in regard to the prince’s alienation of his domain. According to Ezekiel 45:7, he was to have a portion of land on each side of the “oblation,” which should be sufficiently ample to prevent any attempts on his part at violence and exactio... [ Continue Reading ]
SHALL NOT TAKE OF THE PEOPLE’S INHERITANCE. — Fresh warning is here given against oppression on the part of the prince, and he is reminded that the territory given inalienably to him and his heirs is to provide for his sons’ inheritance.... [ Continue Reading ]
AT THE SIDE OF THE GATE. — The concluding verses of the chapter are occupied with the arrangements for cooking the sacrificial food of the priests and the people. The latter could partake only of the peace offerings, but the priests, in addition to their portion of these, were required to consume th... [ Continue Reading ]
SHALL BOIL... SHALL BAKE. — The flesh of all sacrifices except the Passover was by the law required to be boiled, and the unbloody “meat offering,” when not already cooked, was to be baked. BEAR THEM NOT OUT INTO THE UTTER COURT. — In one sense the priestly chambers and also these cooking rooms were... [ Continue Reading ]
THE UTTER COURT. — The prophet had just been in those chambers which, although they stood within the area of the outer court, were considered as belonging to the inner. He is now brought into the outer court, properly so called. IN EVERY CORNER OF THE COURT THERE WAS A COURT. — In each of the angle... [ Continue Reading ]
A ROW OF BUILDING. — Around the walls of these enclosures were fixed tables of masonry with boiling places underneath.... [ Continue Reading ]
MINISTERS OF THE HOUSE. — Not priests, but Temple servants, who were usually Levites.... [ Continue Reading ]