Ezekiel 44
44
Access to the Temple
1Then the shining man brought me back to the outer gate of the sanctuary, # 44:1 That is, the outer gate of the temple area, today known as the “Golden Gate.” which faces east, but it was shut. 2Yahweh said to me, “This gate must be kept shut. No one may open it or enter through it, since Yahweh, the God of Israel, has passed through it. Therefore, it must remain shut. 3The prince, and only the prince, # 44:3 Who is this “prince”? Jewish scholars teach that it is the Messiah. Some think it is David himself. Jesus Christ, the Messiah, is called the Prince of Peace in Isa. 9:6–7. may sit inside the gateway to eat his sacred meal # 44:3 See Lev. 7:15. Jesus eats his sacred meal with his disciples and with us. See Matt. 26:29; Luke 22:14–22. in the presence of Yahweh. He must enter and leave through the porch of the gate of the outer courtyard.”
Rules for Admission to the Temple
4Then the shining man led me through the north gate to the front of the temple. And I looked and behold, I saw Yahweh’s glory cloud filling the temple. And I was awestruck and fell facedown to the ground.
5And Yahweh said to me, “Son of man, set your heart on what I am about to tell you. Look closely and listen carefully to everything I explain regarding all the laws and instructions about my temple. Pay careful attention to the entrance to the temple and all the exits from the sanctuary. 6And tell the rebels among the people of Israel, ‘Lord Yahweh says to you: Enough of all your despicable deeds, you people of Israel! 7You have desecrated my temple by admitting gentiles into my sanctuary who are uncircumcised in heart and body, allowing them into my presence while you offer the fat and blood of sacrifices to me. # 44:7 See Deut. 23:3. You have broken my covenant in addition to all the wicked things you have done. 8Instead of keeping charge of my holy things yourselves, you have placed these gentiles in charge of my sanctuary.’ ”
The Levites
9Lord Yahweh says, “No gentile, uncircumcised in heart and body, may enter my sanctuary, even the foreigners living among the Israelites. 10For the Levites who abandoned me when Israel turned their backs on me to worship their false gods must bear the consequences of their own sin. 11They may serve me in my sanctuary by being temple gatekeepers and temple servants. They may kill the animals the people bring to offer as burnt offerings and sacrifices for the people and by serving the worshipers in the temple. 12But because they assisted the people of Israel in the worship of their idols and thereby caused them to sin, I, Lord Yahweh, solemnly swear # 44:12 Or “have raised my hand against them,” a figure of speech for taking an oath. that they will suffer for their sin. 13They will never draw near to me again to fulfill the priestly office in my presence, nor will they ever again touch my holy things—my very, very holy things! They must bear the shame and disgrace of their despicable deeds. 14I will, however, assign them the responsibility of performing temple duties in the outer court. I will make them responsible for serving the temple and the work to be done in it.”
Rules for the Priests
15Yahweh says, “The Levitical priests, the sons of Zadok, # 44:15 See Ezek. 40:46 and footnote. who faithfully served in my sanctuary when the rest of the Israelites strayed far from me, they will come near to me to minister to me. I, Lord Yahweh, declare that they will stand in my presence to offer the sacrifices of fat and blood. 16They will enter my sanctuary and approach my table to minister to me and to oversee the temple worship.
17“When the Zadokite priests enter the gates of the inner court, they must be wearing linen garments. They are not allowed to wear any wool # 44:17 The prohibition of the priests wearing wool seems to suggest that God doesn’t want us to sweat in his presence (see v. 18). Linen vestments would be more comfortable and cooler to wear. Wool is a part of the beast (animal) realm. Wool is a symbol of the flesh and fleshly efforts to please God. Gideon offered his wool fleece to God on a threshing floor (see Judg. 6:36–40). Linen is a symbol of righteousness (see Rev. 19:8). clothing when they are on duty inside the inner court or in the temple. 18Their turbans and undergarments must all likewise be of linen. They are not to wear anything that makes them perspire. # 44:18 Or literally “not to belt themselves with sweat.” 19When they finish their sacred duties, before they go out to mingle with the people in the outer court, they must remove their priestly garments they ministered in and leave them in the holy chamber rooms. They then must put on regular clothes so that they will not transmit holiness to the people through their sacred garments.
20“The priests must not shave their heads nor let their hair grow long, but must keep it properly trimmed. # 44:20 To have long, unkempt hair was improper for the priests. Long hair was considered a sign of one in mourning (see Ezek. 24:17, 23).
21“Priests must not drink wine before they enter the inner court.
22“They may not marry a widow or a divorced woman but only an Israelite virgin. They may, however, marry a widow if she is the widow of a priest.
23“They must teach my people the difference between what is holy and what is ordinary and make them understand the difference between what is ritually clean for God’s service and what is ritually unacceptable.
24“If a dispute arises, the priests will judge it consistent with my laws. They must follow my instructions and regulations for all my appointed feasts and honor my holy Sabbaths.
25“A priest must not defile himself by going near a dead person; however, if the dead person was his father or mother, son or daughter, brother, or unmarried sister, then he may defile himself. 26After his purification, he must wait seven days. 27And the first day he goes back into the inner court to minister in the Holy Place, he must offer his sin offering. I, Lord Yahweh, have spoken.”
God, the Inheritance of the Priests
28Yahweh says of the priests, “I will be their sole inheritance. # 44:28 The Hebrew is “And it will be their inheritance.” Scholars are divided over what “it” refers to. The Latin Vulgate reads, “The priests have no inheritance.” However, the pronoun more likely refers to the office of the priesthood. You are not to give them any possession in Israel, for I alone am their sole possession.
29“Their food will be the grain offering, the sin offerings, and the guilt offerings. Everything dedicated by vow to God in Israel will be theirs. 30All the best fruits of every kind and all the offerings that the people give to God must go to the priests. And you must also give the first portion of the grain you grind into flour to the priests so that a blessing may rest on your house. # 44:30 See Prov. 3:9; Mal. 3:10. 31Priests must not eat any bird or animal that has died a natural death or that wild animals have killed.”
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Ezekiel 44: TPT
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