Fear No Fear

(All scripture from Lexham English Bible, Copyright 2012 Logos Bible Software)

God has measured the walls, the out buildings, the courts, and is getting closer and closer to the altar. In the first two chapters we see more of those measurements. We see the rooms set aside for the priests to eat their share of offerings. We see the rooms they were to change from consecrated robes to regular clothes before going out from the Temple among non-priests. We’re seeing the separation between holy and common – not to cause division or ‘superiority’ but godly vs common. Right at the beginning we see the shining man (not Ezekiel) enter the Most Holy Place to measure it. Only God or the high priest could enter the Most Holy Place. Between his appearance and this entering in, it seems obvious this is pre-incarnate Jesus. We see measurements of the doors and details of the Temple building. Everything has been covered, even the wooden altar for sacrifices. But then the main event happens. After everything is prepared, it is inhabited.

“And he brought me to the gate which was facing east. And, look! The glory of the God of Israel, it came from the way of the east, and its sound was like the sound of many waters and the land radiated due to his glory!” (Ezekiel 43:1-2)

The Glory of the Lord had left the Temple through the East Gate in Ezekiel 10:18-19. Now it was returning. It was the same glory that Ezekiel had seen in two visions before (Ezekiel 1 and 10). He reacted the same (and normal) way: he fell on his face. The Spirit lifted him up and enabled him to stand. The Lord spoke to him from the glory and told Ezekiel that the Temple would no longer be defiled. That Ezekiel was to tell the people everything he had seen and to show it to them. This showing would make them ashamed of what they had done (it ALWAYS does – Isaiah 6:1-5). This would give them hope for their future. A future in which they would have this beautiful Temple to worship their glorious God.

God described to Ezekiel the size, shape, and decorations of the altar. He explained how it was to be cleansed and consecrated so that it could accept sacrifice. He described what was to be given to the Levitical priests who were descendants of Zadok to sacrifice. Seven days is what it would take to purify and purge the altar. They also would themselves be consecrated. And then from the eighth day, the priests would take their offerings and sacrifices and the Lord would accept the people.

Summary

Key Players: God, Ezekiel

Key Verse(s): Ezekiel 41:1-4; 42:13-14; 43:1-12, 25-27