Bible Commentaries
Ezekiel 46

Verses 1-15

EZEKIEL - CHAPTER 46

TRUE WORSHIP BY THE PRINCE AND THE PEOPLE

Verses 1-15:

Verse 1 directs that the gate of the inner court of the house of the Lord, facing the east shall be shut on the six working days of the week, 1 Samuel 20:19. But it shall be opened on the sabbath and during the day of the new moon, Hebrews 4:9-10. There is a time for prayer and a time for work. On work days men are to work. Work is honorable. And one who will not work should not eat, Genesis 3:19; 2 Thessalonians 3:10-12; Ephesians 4:28.

Verse 2 specifies that the prince or ruler of Israel should enter the temple area by way of the porch of the gate to the outer court from the east, and stand by the post of the gate, without the inner court. Ezekiel 44:3. The priests shall prepare his burnt offering and his peace offering and he shall worship at the threshold of the gate. Then he shall go out from the place, but the gate was not to be shut until the evening, about 6 p.m. of that day, Matthew 25:10.

Verse 3 provides that in the same manner the people of the land of Israel were to worship at the entrance of this gate on the sabbaths and the new moon, Psalms 100:4; Luke 1:10; Hebrews 10:19-22.

Verse 4 explains that the prince’s burnt offering on the sabbath should be made with six lambs and one ram, each without a blemish, symbolizing the purity and holiness necessary for the sacrifice, Numbers 28:5; Numbers 28:9; Numbers 28:11-12; Ezekiel 45:17.

Verse 5 adds that the meat offering should be an ephah for a ram, and the meat offering for the lambs, as he shall be able or willing to give of his hand, with an hin of oil to an ephah, Deuteronomy 16:17; 2 Corinthians 8:12.

Verse 6 further instructs that on the day of the new moon, monthly, the offering should be of a young bullock, without blemish, a type of Jesus Christ, the sinless offering, Hebrews 7:26. Added to this there were to be six lambs and a ram, also without blemish offered on that same day. In this no mention was made of "blowing of the trumpets," part of the former new moon festival, Numbers 10:19. Thus it may be noted significant changes were made in the new provision, for the order of restored worship in Israel.

Verse 7 adds that the prince shall also prepare a meat offering with an ephah for a bullock and an ephah for a ram. And for the lambs a free will offering of whatever his hands are willing to give. He shall also provide an hin of oil for each ephah for this sacrifice to the Lord. The meat offering was literally a meal offering, v. 5 and Leviticus 5:11; Leviticus 12:8; 2 Corinthians 8:1; 2 Corinthians 8:12.

Verse 8 restates that when the prince shall enter the temple area to worship he should enter by way of the porch, within the east gate, and depart by the same way, c. 2.

Verse 9 directs that the people of Israel, upon entering the holy temple area, during the solemn feasts, whether entering the north gate or the south gate, were not to turn around, but depart the temple from the opposite direction of their entrance, so that the ingress traffic would not be impeded, Exodus 23:14; Exodus 23:17; Exodus 34:23; Deuteronomy 16:16; Psalms 84:7.

Verse 10 provides that the prince (ruler or king), as David did, shall go in with the people, mingling with the multitude of worshippers as an equal with them, before God, to animate or encourage them in their devotions, praise, and worship; And he too shall also go forth from the throng through the north or south gate, upon departing the occasion, Psalms 42:4.

Verse 11 prescribes that in the feast there shall be offered in the solemnities a meat (meal) offering of an ephah for each bullock, and an ephah for each ram; and as one was able to give for the lambs; and an hin (about six quarts) of oil was to be given to be used in making each ephah of the meat offering, v. 5; Ezekiel 45:24.

Verses 12-15 No Commentary

Verse 16, 17 direct that if the prince give a gift to any of his sons, from the land grant apportioned to him; it shall be the inheritance for his sons’ possession, ownership and management, to provide for their needs, that they might not resort to extortion or bribes from the people of Israel, as Ahab did Naboth’s vineyard, 1 Kings ch. 2. But should the prince give a gift (dowry) of his inheritance to a servant, it would remain with the servant to the year of liberty or jubilee. Then it would revert to the prince. Upon the death of the prince all his inheritance was to fall to his sons, in perpetuity, Leviticus 25:10. There will be a Grand Jubilee, at the coming of the Lord, Isaiah 61:2-3.

Verse 18 warns that the prince (king or civil ruler) should not take the people’s inheritance by oppression, to drive them out of their possession; But he was directed to give his sons’ inheritance, out of his own possession, so that his family would not be scattered from their possession. It appears that the prince was to give to his sons, upon their marriage, for their use, a portion of his possessions that were to be theirs legally upon his decease anyway. Such would both provide for the needs of his sons and prevent their engaging in oppression against any Israelite or servant, Ezekiel 45:8.

Verses 19-24

THE MORAL IMPORT OF THE DAILY FOOD Verses 19-24:

Verses 19, 20 recount that the Lord brought Ezekiel, by vision, through the entry beside the gate, into the holy chambers (residences) of the priests, facing north where he saw a place on the two sides westward. Here: 1) the passover lamb was roasted, 2) flesh of the other sacrifices was to be boiled, Leviticus 6:28; 1 Samuel 2:13; 2 Chronicles 24:14; 2 Chronicles 24:3) the meat offering of honey and flour was baked, Leviticus 2:4. Then the Lord certified that this was the place the priests were to: 1) boil the trespass and the sin offerings, and 2) bake the meat offering, so that they might not carry them out into the outer court when they went out to sanctify the people, 1 Samuel 2:13-15; 2 Chronicles 35:13; Ezekiel 44:29; Leviticus 2:4-5; Leviticus 2:7; Ezekiel 44:19; See also 1 Corinthians 10:31.

Verses 21, 22 recount further that Ezekiel was led into the outer court, and caused to pass by (observe) the four corners of the court; In every corner of the outer court was a smaller court, each of which was of the same measurement, 40 cubits long and 30 cubits broad.

Verses 23, 24 point out that round about these four small outer courts were rows of boiling places. Then the guiding minister of the Lord advised Ezekiel that these were places were ministers of the house of the Lord should boil the sacrifice, (or portion) of the sacrifice, of which the people were to eat. Just as the rights of the prince, and the people are separated, (v. 16-18) so were those of the priests and the people about the house of the Lord, that the Divine, the holy, and the common, unclean, or profane might not be confused with the sacred, 1 Corinthians 10:31; See also John 21:15-17; Romans 2:1-2.