Bible Commentaries
Ezekiel 45

Verses 1-6

EZEKIEL - CHAPTER 45

THE LORD’S PORTION OF THE LAND

Verses 1-6:

Verse 1 directs that when the new rulers and priests shall cause the land to be divided by lots for an inheritance, similar to its division before their captivity, they shall then offer an oblation to the Lord, Numbers 26:55; Numbers 33:54; Joshua 13:6. It shall be lifted up, elevated, or heaved for holy purposes to the Lord; This portion is in three parts: 1) for the sanctuary, v. 2, 3; 2) for the priests, v. 4; and 3) for the Levites, v. 5. See also Ezekiel 47:22; Proverbs 3:9-10; Ezekiel 48:8. Dimensions of the oblation portion were a square of 60 miles on each side, while the holy part was only two fifth of the breadth. The form of a square suggests the central stability of this area for all Israel, Ezekiel 48:8.

Verse 2, 3 describe a portion of the oblation-lifted holy ground area that was within the larger description of v. 1---This was to be for location of the sanctuary and the most holy place, and their attached buildings, with the sanctuary located in its midst, Ezekiel 42:20; Ezekiel 48:8.

Verse 4 explains that the holy part defined, v. 3, should be reserved for the "priests, the ministers of the sanctuary;" The inner chambers provided places of residence and preparation for the priests to dress and eat in connection with their ministry in and about the sanctuary, within the inner court, Ezekiel 44:15; Numbers 16:5; Numbers 16:40. These are distinguished from the Levites who were only "ministers of the house," in the outer court service, v. 5.

Verse 5 explains that, of this holy property, those Levites who were "ministers of the house," in the outer courts should have twenty of the thirty chambers as their possession, for residential occupancy, Ezekiel 40:17-18; Ezekiel 48:13.

Verse 6 asserts that the entire area of five thousand long and five and twenty thousand broad should be (or exist) over against or along side the holy portion previously described, as a city area for the whole house or nation of Israel; It was not to be seized or’ encroached upon as it was later, by certain kings of Judah, Jeremiah 22:13.

Verses 7-25

THE PORTION OF LAND FOR THE PRINCE OR RULER

Verses 7-25:

Verse 7 describes a territory of Israel’s land-grant that should be allotted to their princes or rulers. Their possessions were to be of two parts: one, on the west should extend the length of the holy parts and to the Mediterranean Sea westward; While two, that part on the east should reach from the length of the holy portion on the east to the Jordan River, Ezekiel 48:20-22; The area of the rulers was bound on the north and south by the tribal territories of Judah and Benjamin, as cited Ezekiel 48:22, defining the territory of the prince of the oppression, as foretold 1 Samuel 8:14, as described 2 Kings 23:5; and as reproved, Jeremiah 22:17; Luke 1:32; Ezekiel 22:27; Ezekiel 46:18.

Verse 8 directs that the Lord’s "princes" or civil rulers should no more oppress His people, as they had from Solomon to the captivity, as Samuel had prophesied they would do, 1 Samuel 8:10-18; and as history recorded they had done, 1 Kings 12:4; 1 Kings 12:10-11; 2 Kings 23:35. The rest of the land the princes and priests were to see was allotted to the tribes of Israel.

Verse 9 is a call from the Lord God, directed to the princes of Israel to be satisfied with their equitable portion of the land, to remove violence and spoil as a method of their livelihood, and to judge the people with impartial judgment, no more exacting bribes for a fair hearing or resorting to extortion in their civil positions of executions of the law, Ezekiel 44:6; Jeremiah 22:3.

Verse 10 adds that they were to use just balances or scales, and a just ephah, and a just bath in measures of equity, Leviticus 19:35; Proverbs 11:1. This just ephah was for dry goods bought and sold, while the just bath was for liquids, as also described, Deuteronomy 25:13-15. Contrast this with evil practices of former days, as set forth Hosea 12:7; Amos 8:5; Micah 6:10-11; Proverbs 16:11.

Verse 11 explains that this type of honesty in sales and purchases should extend to purchases and sales in all dealings among the people of Israel. Both the ephah and the bath were each one tenth of the measure of a homer, a larger vessel of measure, Leviticus 21:16; Numbers 11:32; 1 Kings 4:22; Luke 16:7. The homer contained about 75 gallons, or near 32 pecks. The homer is to be distinguished from the omer of Exodus 26:36. For it was only one tenth part of an ephah or bath, making an omer only one-one-hundredth part of an homer.

Verse 12 reestablishes a basis of monetary values because the standard weights were lost when the Chaldeans destroyed the temple; The variuos sizes of the shekels (with 20 making a gerah) were given as in 20, 25, and 15 shekel sizes, with their corresponding weight values. Thus it appears that 60 shekels should weigh the same as a maneh, the largest of the coins, Exodus 30:13; Leviticus 27:25. See also 1 Kings 10:17; Ezra 2:69; Nehemiah 7:71-72.

Verses 13-15 describe the offerings that the people should present to the Lord for the expense of holy and Divine worship and service. The oblation that the people should offer, of an homer of barley, one sixth part of an ephah should be given; and the same proportion of an homer of wheat. Then concerning the oil oblation portion to be offered, the part was fixed at one tenth of a bath. With this was to be offered one lamb out of the flock of every two hundred. These were to be offered out of the fat pastures, or very best pastures of Israel, for meat, burnt, and peace offerings on behalf of, or for the purpose of reconciliation of the people with God, Leviticus 1:4; Romans 5:10; 2 Corinthians 5:19; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Ephesians 2:16; Colossians 1:21.

Verse 16 adds that all the people (of Israel) were to make these gifts directly to the prince, forming a permanent stock from which the prince or civil ruler should be provided to make each necessary sacrifice, on behalf of his nation of Israel, acknowledging that he was only a king-servant over the people of God, v. 17; Daniel 9:24.

Verse 17 then directs the king to exercise his part in giving burnt offerings, meat offerings, and drink offerings during the national feasts, new moons, and sabbaths; He too was to prepare a 1) sin offering, 2) the burnt offering, and 3) the peace or thank offerings, for purpose of making reconciliation for the sins of the whole house of Israel, that God might extend mercy, and not judgment upon them, John 6:51; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Galatians 3:13; Colossians 1:20.

Verse 18 directs Israel that in the first month and on the first day of the month (of the new year) they were to take a young bullock, without blemish (a symbol of the purity of Christ), and use it to cleanse the sanctuary of the Lord in their midst, as provided Leviticus 16:16; Ezekiel 43:2; Ezekiel 43:26; Hebrews 9:22-25; Hebrews 10:3-4. This is an addition to the former Mosaic ritual, a new temple consecration festival.

Verse 19 directs that the priest shall take of the blood of the sin offering for cleansing and put it upon: 1) the posts of the house; 2) and upon the four corners of the settles (lower part) of the altar; and 3) upon the posts of the gate of the inner court, Ezekiel 43:20.

Verse 20 further directs he shall follow the same rite on the 7th day of the same month, for or on behalf of, every one that erreth, and for him that is simple, or for sins of ignorance, Leviticus 4:2; Leviticus 4:13; Leviticus 4:27; Psalms 19:12; Romans 16:18-19; Hebrews 5:2.

Verse 21 continues to instruct that on the 14th day of the same first month the passover should be observed, as a feast of seven days, during which time unleavened bread was to be eaten, as also set forth Exodus 12:18; Leviticus 23:5-6; Numbers 9:2-3; Deuteronomy 16:1.

Verse 22 required that on that (14th) day of the first month of the Jewish new year the prince or ruler of Israel was to prepare for himself, and for all the people of the land, a bullock for a sin offering, to acknowledge their sins and their need of forgiveness and reconciliation to God’s favor, wherein they had offended Him, Leviticus 4:14; 1 John 1:8-9.

Verse 23 adds that on the following seven days of the post­passover 7 days of the feast, the prince was to prepare and offer on each of the 7 days a burnt offering to the Lord. Seven bullocks and seven rams, each "without blemish," was to be offered as a burnt offering, and a kid of the goats, daily for a sin offering, Leviticus 23:3; Numbers 28:15; Numbers 29:5.

Verse 24 adds also that the prince was to prepare a meat offering, using an ephah for a bullock, and an ephah for a ram, and an hin of oil to be added to each ephah used in each peace offering, Ezekiel 46:5; Ezekiel 46:7.

Verse 25 concludes that in the seventh month of Tishri or October, and fifteenth day, the prince of the land offer identical sacrifices in the "feast of seven days," the "Feast of Tabernacles," Deuteronomy 16:13; 2 Kings 8:2. Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us and we feast on Him, find our hunger satisfied in Him, as the true passover, and eternal, sustaining bread of life, 1 Corinthians 5:7-8; John 6:49-51; John 6:58.