Ezekiel 44
An article about the Temple as envisioned by Ezekiel may be seen at:
I did not read the entire article thoroughly or understand all
that I did read but nevertheless I think the article is interesting and the
author makes some good points.
[Ezekiel 44:1] THEN HE BROUGHT ME BACK THE WAY OF THE
GATE OF THE OUTWARD SANCTUARY WHICH LOOKETH TOWARD THE EAST; AND IT
WAS SHUT.
[Ezekiel 44:2] THEN SAID THE LORD UNTO ME; THIS GATE SHALL BE SHUT,
IT SHALL NOT BE OPENED, AND NO MAN SHALL ENTER IN BY IT; BECAUSE THE
LORD, THE GOD OF ISRAEL, HATH ENTERED IN BY IT, THEREFORE IT SHALL
BE SHUT.
[Ezekiel 44:3] IT IS FOR THE PRINCE; THE PRINCE, HE SHALL SIT IN IT
TO EAT BREAD BEFORE THE LORD; HE SHALL ENTER BY THE WAY OF THE PORCH OF THAT
GATE, AND SHALL GO OUT BY THE WAY OF THE SAME.
[Ezekiel 44:4] THEN BROUGHT HE ME THE WAY OF THE NORTH GATE BEFORE THE
HOUSE: AND I LOOKED, AND, BEHOLD, THE GLORY OF THE LORD FILLED THE HOUSE
OF THE LORD: AND I FELL UPON MY FACE.
[Ezekiel 44:5] AND THE LORD SAID UNTO ME, SON OF MAN, MARK WELL, AND
BEHOLD WITH THINE EYES, AND HEAR WITH THINE EARS ALL THAT I SAY UNTO THEE
CONCERNING ALL THE ORDINANCES OF THE HOUSE OF THE LORD, AND ALL THE LAWS
THEREOF; AND MARK WELL THE ENTERING IN OF THE HOUSE, WITH EVERY GOING
FORTH OF THE SANCTUARY.
[Ezekiel 44:6] AND THOU SHALT SAY TO THE REBELLIOUS,
EVEN TO THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL, THUS SAITH THE LORD GOD; O YE HOUSE OF ISRAEL,
LET IT SUFFICE YOU OF ALL YOUR ABOMINATIONS,
[Ezekiel 44:7] IN THAT YE HAVE BROUGHT INTO MY SANCTUARY STRANGERS,
UNCIRCUMCISED IN HEART, AND UNCIRCUMCISED IN FLESH, TO BE IN MY SANCTUARY,
TO POLLUTE IT, EVEN MY HOUSE, WHEN YE OFFER MY BREAD, THE FAT AND THE
BLOOD, AND THEY HAVE BROKEN MY COVENANT BECAUSE OF ALL YOUR ABOMINATIONS.
The Commentary "Daat Mikra" says this refers to priests (Cohens)
who were unworthy. Other commentaries say STRANGERS refers to non-Israelites,
or to the descendants of priests (Cohens) who had worshipped false
gods. The correct meaning is uncertain.
[Ezekiel 44:8] AND YE HAVE NOT KEPT THE CHARGE OF MINE
HOLY THINGS: BUT YE HAVE SET KEEPERS OF MY CHARGE IN MY SANCTUARY FOR YOURSELVES.
[Ezekiel 44:9] THUS SAITH THE LORD GOD; NO STRANGER, UNCIRCUMCISED IN
HEART, NOR UNCIRCUMCISED IN FLESH, SHALL ENTER INTO MY SANCTUARY, OF ANY
STRANGER THAT IS AMONG THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL.
The Lost Ten Tribes according to a Midrash stopped the practice
of circumcision before they were exiled. Nowadays most males in the USA are
automatically circumcised or they were until recently. The same used to be
the case in Australia but now it is not so.This, in my opinion, is a pity.
Circumcision will have to be accepted anew by the Lost Ten Tribes when they
return. At present there may be reasons why an adult should not necessarily
hurry to have himself circumcised. Also for children there are pros and cons
concerning circumcision. The advantages (even merely for the health point
of view) outweigh whatever
disadvantages there may be.At the same time this operation should be performed
only by competent people and in proper conditions. The Jews circumcise on
the eighth day after birth and this is the one day in a person's life when
the healing
ability of a human body to cuts reaches its peak.
[Ezekiel 44:10] AND THE LEVITES THAT ARE GONE AWAY
FAR FROM ME, WHEN ISRAEL WENT ASTRAY, WHICH WENT ASTRAY AWAY FROM ME
AFTER THEIR IDOLS; THEY SHALL EVEN BEAR THEIR INIQUITY.
[Ezekiel 44:11] YET THEY SHALL BE MINISTERS IN MY SANCTUARY, HAVING
CHARGE AT THE GATES OF THE HOUSE, AND MINISTERING TO THE HOUSE: THEY SHALL
SLAY THE BURNT OFFERING AND THE SACRIFICE FOR THE PEOPLE, AND THEY SHALL
STAND BEFORE THEM TO MINISTER UNTO THEM.
[Ezekiel 44:12] BECAUSE THEY MINISTERED UNTO THEM BEFORE THEIR IDOLS,
AND CAUSED THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL TO FALL INTO INIQUITY; THEREFORE HAVE I LIFTED
UP MINE HAND AGAINST THEM, SAITH THE LORD GOD, AND THEY SHALL BEAR THEIR
INIQUITY.
[Ezekiel 44:13] AND THEY SHALL NOT COME NEAR UNTO ME, TO DO THE OFFICE
OF A PRIEST UNTO ME, NOR TO COME NEAR TO ANY OF MY HOLY THINGS, IN THE MOST
HOLY PLACE: BUT THEY SHALL BEAR THEIR SHAME, AND THEIR ABOMINATIONS
WHICH THEY
HAVE COMMITTED.
[Ezekiel 44:14] BUT I WILL MAKE THEM KEEPERS OF THE CHARGE OF THE HOUSE,
FOR ALL THE SERVICE THEREOF, AND FOR ALL THAT SHALL BE DONE THEREIN.
My own private understanding is that some of the priests and
Levites will be partially demoted and still do work about the Temple and
take part in the Temple service but at a lesser level. This explanation does
not appear to be the accepted one however. May we live and see.
[Ezekiel 44:15] BUT THE PRIESTS THE LEVITES, THE SONS
OF ZADOK, THAT KEPT THE CHARGE OF MY SANCTUARY WHEN THE CHILDREN OF
ISRAEL WENT ASTRAY FROM ME, THEY SHALL COME NEAR TO ME TO MINISTER
UNTO ME, AND THEY SHALL STAND
BEFORE ME TO OFFER UNTO ME THE FAT AND THE BLOOD, SAITH THE LORD GOD:
[Ezekiel 44:16] THEY SHALL ENTER INTO MY SANCTUARY, AND THEY SHALL COME
NEAR TO MY TABLE, TO MINISTER UNTO ME, AND THEY SHALL KEEP MY CHARGE.
[Ezekiel 44:17] AND IT SHALL COME TO PASS, THAT WHEN THEY ENTER IN AT
THE GATES OF THE INNER COURT, THEY SHALL BE CLOTHED WITH LINEN GARMENTS;
AND NO WOOL SHALL COME UPON THEM, WHILES THEY MINISTER IN THE GATES OF THE
INNER COURT, AND WITHIN.
[Ezekiel 44:18] THEY SHALL HAVE LINEN BONNETS UPON THEIR HEADS, AND
SHALL HAVE LINEN BREECHES UPON THEIR LOINS; THEY SHALL NOT GIRD THEMSELVES
WITH ANY THING THAT CAUSETH SWEAT.
[Ezekiel 44:19] AND WHEN THEY GO FORTH INTO THE UTTER
COURT, EVEN INTO THE UTTER COURT TO THE PEOPLE, THEY SHALL PUT OFF
THEIR GARMENTS WHEREIN THEY MINISTERED, AND LAY THEM IN THE HOLY CHAMBERS,
AND THEY SHALL PUT ON OTHER
GARMENTS; AND THEY SHALL NOT SANCTIFY THE PEOPLE WITH THEIR GARMENTS.
[Ezekiel 44:20] NEITHER SHALL THEY SHAVE THEIR HEADS, NOR SUFFER THEIR LOCKS TO GROW LONG; THEY SHALL ONLY POLL THEIR HEADS.
Does this suggest that ideally a man should keep his hair short, not too long but at the same time not shave it all off?
[Ezekiel 44:21] NEITHER SHALL ANY PRIEST DRINK WINE, WHEN THEY ENTER INTO THE INNER COURT.
[Ezekiel 44:22] NEITHER SHALL THEY TAKE FOR THEIR WIVES A WIDOW, NOR
HER THAT IS PUT AWAY: BUT THEY SHALL TAKE MAIDENS OF THE SEED OF THE HOUSE
OF ISRAEL, OR A WIDOW THAT HAD A PRIEST BEFORE.
These laws will be pertinent once the Third Temple is rebuilt
but they do not hold today but other laws peculiar to the Cohens still do.
[Ezekiel 44:23] AND THEY SHALL TEACH MY PEOPLE THE
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE HOLY AND PROFANE, AND CAUSE THEM TO DISCERN BETWEEN
THE UNCLEAN AND THE CLEAN.
[Ezekiel 44:24] AND IN CONTROVERSY THEY SHALL STAND IN JUDGMENT; AND
THEY SHALL JUDGE IT ACCORDING TO MY JUDGMENTS: AND THEY SHALL KEEP MY LAWS
AND MY STATUTES IN ALL MINE ASSEMBLIES; AND THEY SHALL HALLOW MY SABBATHS.
[Ezekiel 44:25] AND THEY SHALL COME AT NO DEAD PERSON TO DEFILE THEMSELVES:
BUT FOR FATHER, OR FOR MOTHER, OR FOR SON, OR FOR DAUGHTER, FOR BROTHER,
OR FOR SISTER THAT HATH HAD NO HUSBAND, THEY MAY DEFILE THEMSELVES.
[Ezekiel 44:26] AND AFTER HE IS CLEANSED, THEY SHALL RECKON UNTO HIM SEVEN DAYS.
[Ezekiel 44:27] AND IN THE DAY THAT HE GOETH INTO THE SANCTUARY, UNTO
THE INNER COURT, TO MINISTER IN THE SANCTUARY, HE SHALL OFFER HIS SIN OFFERING,
SAITH THE LORD GOD.
[Ezekiel 44:28] AND IT SHALL BE UNTO THEM FOR
AN INHERITANCE: I AM THEIR INHERITANCE: AND YE SHALL GIVE THEM NO POSSESSION
IN ISRAEL: I AM THEIR POSSESSION.
[Ezekiel 44:29] THEY SHALL EAT THE MEAT OFFERING, AND THE SIN OFFERING,
AND THE TRESPASS OFFERING: AND EVERY DEDICATED THING IN ISRAEL SHALL BE THEIRS.
[Ezekiel 44:30] AND THE FIRST OF ALL THE FIRSTFRUITS OF ALL THINGS,
AND EVERY OBLATION OF ALL, OF EVERY SORT OF YOUR OBLATIONS, SHALL BE THE
PRIEST'S: YE SHALL ALSO GIVE UNTO THE PRIEST THE FIRST OF YOUR DOUGH, THAT
HE MAY CAUSE THE BLESSING TO REST IN THINE HOUSE.
The firstfruits of your labors should dedicated to the service of God. If you so act, your homes will be blessed.
[Ezekiel 44:31] THE PRIESTS SHALL NOT EAT OF ANY THING THAT IS DEAD OF ITSELF, OR TORN, WHETHER IT BE FOWL OR BEAST.
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