Ezekiel 46

Worship in the Kingdom

Pray

Intro

√ Worship in the Kingdom

In the previous chapter Ezekiel gave instructions for the worship at the annual feasts that will be celebrated in Israel during the Kingdom Age.

New Years

Passover (with unleavened bread)

Tabernacles

In chapter 46 Ezekiel gives instructions for the daily operation of the Temple and the regular worship schedule…

Sabbaths (weekly)

New Moons (monthly)

With special attention given to the duties and regulations of the prince, David.

Daily Worship (vs. 1-10)

Ez. 46:1 “Thus says the Lord GOD: ‘The gateway of the inner court that faces toward the east shall be shut the six working days; but on the Sabbath it shall be opened, and on the day of the New Moon it shall be opened.

Ez. 46:2 The prince shall enter by way of the vestibule of the gateway from the outside, and stand by the gatepost. The priests shall prepare his burnt offering and his peace offerings. He shall worship at the threshold of the gate. Then he shall go out, but the gate shall not be shut until evening.

Ez. 46:3 Likewise the people of the land shall worship at the entrance to this gateway before the LORD on the Sabbaths and the New Moons.

Ez. 46:4 The burnt offering that the prince offers to the LORD on the Sabbath day shall be six lambs without blemish, and a ram without blemish;

Ez. 46:5 and the grain offering shall be one ephah for a ram, and the grain offering for the lambs, as much as he wants to give, as well as a hin of oil with every ephah.

Ez. 46:6 On the day of the New Moon it shall be a young bull without blemish, six lambs, and a ram; they shall be without blemish.

Ez. 46:7 He shall prepare a grain offering of an ephah for a bull, an ephah for a ram, as much as he wants to give for the lambs, and a hin of oil with every ephah.

Ez. 46:8 When the prince enters, he shall go in by way of the vestibule of the gateway, and go out the same way.

Ez. 46:9 “But when the people of the land come before the LORD on the appointed feast days, whoever enters by way of the north gate to worship shall go out by way of the south gate; and whoever enters by way of the south gate shall go out by way of the north gate. He shall not return by way of the gate through which he came, but shall go out through the opposite gate.

Ez. 46:10 The prince shall then be in their midst. When they go in, he shall go in; and when they go out, he shall go out.

√ Daily Worship

The inner gate that faces to the east will be closed all week long and opened only on the Sabbath and day of the New Moon.

(See drawing of Temple Compound)

On the Sabbath and the day of the New Moon David will enter the Temple compound by either the South or North outer gate and make his way to the inner east gate and enter through the vestibule (portico on your drawing).

David then stands next to the doorpost where he receives the offerings of the people to give to the priests for sacrifice.

When it’s time to worship David is to worship at the threshold of the inner east gate…

…while the rest of the people worship at the thresholds of the inner gates to the north and south (remember only David uses the inner east gate).

√ Orderly worship

Verses 9 and 10 tell us that when the people and prince leave the Temple compound that they are not to go out through the same gate that they came in, note vs. 9…

“He shall not return by way of the gate through which he came, but shall go out through the opposite gate.”

Were not told why this is but Bible students suggest two possibilities…

God is a God of order and when it comes to worship He wants His people to flow through the Temple in an orderly fashion.

We find this idea spoken of in I Cor. 14 where the apostle Paul provides instructions to a church that is out of order!

“Let all things be done decently and in order.”

I Cor. 14:40

The second thought is that these God ordained instructions for the traffic flow of the people is meant to remind them that they should not leave worship in the same way in which they came in!

Things should be different after spending time with God!

While we can’t be dogmatic about these suggestions they do provide a plausible reason for God’s instructions.

Ap. Don’t go out the same way you came in!

May we never leave a time of worship in the same condition in which we arrived at church!

Make it a point in your own life to come to church prepared to present your life to God as a “living sacrifice”.

Don’t allow yourself to be relegated to the place of an observer, rather make it your goal to be a participant in worship!

If you’ll do that you will find that your weekly experience in church will change and that you’ll get much more out of the service!

The Prince’s Worship (vs. 11-15)

Ez. 46:11 At the festivals and the appointed feast days the grain offering shall be an ephah for a bull, an ephah for a ram, as much as he wants to give for the lambs, and a hin of oil with every ephah.

Ez. 46:12 “Now when the prince makes a voluntary burnt offering or voluntary peace offering to the LORD, the gate that faces toward the east shall then be opened for him; and he shall prepare his burnt offering and his peace offerings as he did on the Sabbath day. Then he shall go out, and after he goes out the gate shall be shut.

Ez. 46:13 “You shall daily make a burnt offering to the LORD of a lamb of the first year without blemish; you shall prepare it every morning.

Ez. 46:14 And you shall prepare a grain offering with it every morning, a sixth of an ephah, and a third of a hin of oil to moisten the fine flour. This grain offering is a perpetual ordinance, to be made regularly to the LORD.

Ez. 46:15 Thus they shall prepare the lamb, the grain offering, and the oil, as a regular burnt offering every morning.”

√ The Princes Worship

We just read in the section above that the inner east gate is to be shut except on the Sabbath.

However, God makes an exception here in the case where David wants to make a free-will offering.

In that case the Lord will allow the gate to be opened.

God then gives instructions regarding how the sacrifice is to be prepared and offered.

Ap. The door is always open to us in Christ!

I see an interesting spiritual truth revealed in these verses.

That is, just as the gate is supposed to be closed during the week…

…but it is opened to David if he comes with a free-will offering.

So the gate into God’s throne room is open to us because we come with the right sacrifice…

…the free-will offering of Jesus for our sins!

Just as we learned this morning that one of the benefits of the New Covenant is that we’ve been granted full and unhindered access to God’s throne in heaven!

The Prince’s Inheritance (vs. 16-18)

Ez. 46:16 “Thus says the Lord GOD: ‘If the prince gives a gift of some of his inheritance to any of his sons, it shall belong to his sons; it is their possession by inheritance.

Ez. 46:17 But if he gives a gift of some of his inheritance to one of his servants, it shall be his until the year of liberty, after which it shall return to the prince. But his inheritance shall belong to his sons; it shall become theirs.

Ez. 46:18 Moreover the prince shall not take any of the people’s inheritance by evicting them from their property; he shall provide an inheritance for his sons from his own property, so that none of My people may be scattered from his property.” ’ ”

√ The Prince’s Inheritance

Here’s another interesting tie-in to our study of Galatians in which Paul demonstrated the superiority of a being son over a servant.

That is, during the Kingdom Age we’re told that at the year of Liberty (every 50 years ~ see Lev. 25) any land that David gave to a servant reverts back to David!

But, if David gives land to a son, the son doesn’t have to give it back at the Jubilee, it’s his forever!

Reminding us of the lesson in Galatians 4 that a son of the Father has a future…

…while the servant does not!

The Kitchens in the Temple (vs. 19-24)

Ez. 46:19 Now he brought me through the entrance, which was at the side of the gate, into the holy chambers of the priests which face toward the north; and there a place was situated at their extreme western end.

Ez. 46:20 And he said to me, “This is the place where the priests shall boil the trespass offering and the sin offering, and where they shall bake the grain offering, so that they do not bring them out into the outer court to sanctify the people.”

Ez. 46:21 Then he brought me out into the outer court and caused me to pass by the four corners of the court; and in fact, in every corner of the court there was another court.

Ez. 46:22 In the four corners of the court were enclosed courts, forty cubits long and thirty wide; all four corners were the same size.

Ez. 46:23 There was a row of building stones all around in them, all around the four of them; and cooking hearths were made under the rows of stones all around.

Ez. 46:24 And he said to me, “These are the kitchens where the ministers of the temple shall boil the sacrifices of the people.”

√ The kitchens in the Temple

I’m glad that God is interested in kitchens too!

When I look at a house one of my highest criteria for selecting a home is the kitchen!

We spend a lot of time in there and I want it to be set up so that it’s easy to prepare food.

Well here we find that God has made provisions in His House Plans for adequate kitchen space so that the priests can do their job effectively.

Ap. Jesus likes to eat too!

I’m not sure there’s a lot of application here for us but it does remind me that the Gospel records indicate that Jesus enjoyed eating with His disciples…

…and that He promised to eat with us in the Kingdom so we have some great meals waiting for us!

Ezekiel 47

God’s Provision in the Kingdom

Depths (vs. 1-12)

Ez. 47:1 Then he brought me back to the door of the temple; and there was water, flowing from under the threshold of the temple toward the east, for the front of the temple faced east; the water was flowing from under the right side of the temple, south of the altar.

Ez. 47:2 He brought me out by way of the north gate, and led me around on the outside to the outer gateway that faces east; and there was water, running out on the right side.

Ez. 47:3 And when the man went out to the east with the line in his hand, he measured one thousand cubits, and he brought me through the waters; the water came up to my ankles.

Ez. 47:4 Again he measured one thousand and brought me through the waters; the water came up to my knees. Again he measured one thousand and brought me through; the water came up to my waist.

Ez. 47:5 Again he measured one thousand, and it was a river that I could not cross; for the water was too deep, water in which one must swim, a river that could not be crossed.

Ez. 47:6 He said to me, “Son of man, have you seen this?” Then he brought me and returned me to the bank of the river.

Ez. 47:7 When I returned, there, along the bank of the river, were very many trees on one side and the other.

Ez. 47:8 Then he said to me: “This water flows toward the eastern region, goes down into the valley, and enters the sea. When it reaches the sea, its waters are healed.

Ez. 47:9 And it shall be that every living thing that moves, wherever the rivers go, will live. There will be a very great multitude of fish, because these waters go there; for they will be healed, and everything will live wherever the river goes.

Ez. 47:10 It shall be that fishermen will stand by it from En Gedi to En Eglaim; they will be places for spreading their nets. Their fish will be of the same kinds as the fish of the Great Sea, exceedingly many.

Ez. 47:11 But its swamps and marshes will not be healed; they will be given over to salt.

Ez. 47:12 Along the bank of the river, on this side and that, will grow all kinds of trees used for food; their leaves will not wither, and their fruit will not fail. They will bear fruit every month, because their water flows from the sanctuary. Their fruit will be for food, and their leaves for medicine.”

√ Depths

The water that flows from the Temple is real, but it is also symbolic of the Holy Spirit (ref. John 7:37-39).

It is symbolic of the Lord’s blessings, which will “flow” from His presence to bless the whole world during the Kingdom Age.

But it is also a literal river!

If it were not then the description of fish, fishermen, nets, etc. would have no meaning.

Also, both the prophets Joel and Zachariah speak of the same river, though Zachariah tells us that it flows in two directions…

…one branch of the river flowing toward the Mediterranean and the other toward the Dead Sea by way of the new valley through the Mount of Olives.

Ezekiel focuses on the branch that flows toward the Dead Sea.

He describes a stream of water that comes from Temple itself flowing out from under the door across the Temple and out of the Temple by way of the East Gate.

The stream of water then becomes a river that increases in depth as Ezekiel’s angel friend measures it for him.

He measures 1,000 cubits (1750 feet) and the water is…

Ankle deep ~ vs. 3

Another 1,000 cubits and its…

Knee high ~ vs. 4

Another 1,000 cubits and its…

To his waist ~ vs. 3

Another 1,000 cubits and the river is so deep that he can’t cross it without swimming!

The point seems to be that in a literal sense the land of Israel during the Kingdom Age will be blessed with an abundance of the most critical resource in the Middle East…

…water!

Symbolically it has been suggested that the River reminds us of the presence of the Holy Spirit in our life…

…He doesn’t drip out of our lives like a leaky faucet, rather He pours out of our lives like a gushing river!

John 7:37 On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink.

John 7:38 He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.”

John 7:39 But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.

Ap. Get wet!

Some people approach the Holy Spirit with great trepidation and fear.

They only want to get wet up to their ankles!

But just as the angel kept calling Ezekiel into deeper and deeper water I think the abundant life that Jesus has for is found when we finally just…

…jump in over our head and get all wet with the Holy Spirit.

We have nothing to fear from the Holy Spirit, He has our best interest at heart, so give yourself completely over to Him and His rule in your life!

√ The River of Life

In vs. 8 we’re told that when the river reaches the Dead Sea that it’s waters will be healed!

That’s a miracle in itself because under current conditions there isn’t any amount of fresh water that could heal the Dead Sea!

It has no outlet so the water that flows into it from the Jordan pools up and sits.

As it evaporates the salt concentration climbs to the point that nothing can live in the Sea.

But the water from God’s throne has miraculous power to heal the Dead Sea and make it a place filled with fish!

√ The Trees of Life

Growing all along the banks of the River are trees that God has given for the health of the citizens of the Kingdom.

The fruit is for food ~ vs. 12

The leaves for healing ~ vs. 12

More than that we’re told that the trees will produce fruit every month, no off seasons!

No more droughts, no famine, no lack of food ever!

The picture that God is communicating to us is that He will richly and abundantly provide for all the needs of the people living in the Kingdom.

Ap. Thy Kingdom come

You can’t help read this section of prophecy without seeing the similarities of the New Jerusalem described by John in Rev. 22, that heavenly city of eternity!

In that sense what Ezekiel is describing in the Millennial Kingdom is the lone awaited answer to the prayer that Jesus taught us…

“Your Kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven”

The glory of the Millennial Kingdom is that God’s will is done on earth as it is in Heaven!

Division (47:13-48:34) ~ skip

Ez. 47:13 Thus says the Lord GOD: “These are the borders by which you shall divide the land as an inheritance among the twelve tribes of Israel. Joseph shall have two portions.

Ez. 47:14 You shall inherit it equally with one another; for I raised My hand in an oath to give it to your fathers, and this land shall fall to you as your inheritance.

Ez. 47:15 “This shall be the border of the land on the north: from the Great Sea, by the road to Hethlon, as one goes to Zedad,

Ez. 47:16 Hamath, Berothah, Sibraim (which is between the border of Damascus and the border of Hamath), to Hazar Hatticon (which is on the border of Hauran).

Ez. 47:17 Thus the boundary shall be from the Sea to Hazar Enan, the border of Damascus; and as for the north, northward, it is the border of Hamath. This is the north side.

Ez. 47:18 “On the east side you shall mark out the border from between Hauran and Damascus, and between Gilead and the land of Israel, along the Jordan, and along the eastern side of the sea. This is the east side.

Ez. 47:19 “The south side, toward the South, shall be from Tamar to the waters of Meribah by Kadesh, along the brook to the Great Sea. This is the south side, toward the South.

Ez. 47:20 “The west side shall be the Great Sea, from the southern boundary until one comes to a point opposite Hamath. This is the west side.

Ez. 47:21 “Thus you shall divide this land among yourselves according to the tribes of Israel.

Ez. 47:22 It shall be that you will divide it by lot as an inheritance for yourselves, and for the strangers who dwell among you and who bear children among you. They shall be to you as native-born among the children of Israel; they shall have an inheritance with you among the tribes of Israel.

Ez. 47:23 And it shall be that in whatever tribe the stranger dwells, there you shall give him his inheritance,” says the Lord GOD.

Ezekiel 48

God is there!

Ez. 48:1 “Now these are the names of the tribes: From the northern border along the road to Hethlon at the entrance of Hamath, to Hazar Enan, the border of Damascus northward, in the direction of Hamath, there shall be one section for Dan from its east to its west side;

Ez. 48:2 by the border of Dan, from the east side to the west, one section for Asher;

Ez. 48:3 by the border of Asher, from the east side to the west, one section for Naphtali;

Ez. 48:4 by the border of Naphtali, from the east side to the west, one section for Manasseh;

Ez. 48:5 by the border of Manasseh, from the east side to the west, one section for Ephraim;

Ez. 48:6 by the border of Ephraim, from the east side to the west, one section for Reuben;

Ez. 48:7 by the border of Reuben, from the east side to the west, one section for Judah;

Ez. 48:8 by the border of Judah, from the east side to the west, shall be the district which you shall set apart, twenty-five thousand cubits in width, and in length the same as one of the other portions, from the east side to the west, with the sanctuary in the center.

Ez. 48:9 “The district that you shall set apart for the LORD shall be twenty-five thousand cubits in length and ten thousand in width.

Ez. 48:10 To these—to the priests—the holy district shall belong: on the north twenty-five thousand cubits in length, on the west ten thousand in width, on the east ten thousand in width, and on the south twenty-five thousand in length. The sanctuary of the LORD shall be in the center.

Ez. 48:11 It shall be for the priests of the sons of Zadok, who are sanctified, who have kept My charge, who did not go astray when the children of Israel went astray, as the Levites went astray.

Ez. 48:12 And this district of land that is set apart shall be to them a thing most holy by the border of the Levites.

Ez. 48:13 “Opposite the border of the priests, the Levites shall have an area twenty-five thousand cubits in length and ten thousand in width; its entire length shall be twenty-five thousand and its width ten thousand.

Ez. 48:14 And they shall not sell or exchange any of it; they may not alienate this best part of the land, for it is holy to the LORD.

Ez. 48:15 “The five thousand cubits in width that remain, along the edge of the twenty-five thousand, shall be for general use by the city, for dwellings and common-land; and the city shall be in the center.

Ez. 48:16 These shall be its measurements: the north side four thousand five hundred cubits, the south side four thousand five hundred, the east side four thousand five hundred, and the west side four thousand five hundred.

Ez. 48:17 The common-land of the city shall be: to the north two hundred and fifty cubits, to the south two hundred and fifty, to the east two hundred and fifty, and to the west two hundred and fifty.

Ez. 48:18 The rest of the length, alongside the district of the holy section, shall be ten thousand cubits to the east and ten thousand to the west. It shall be adjacent to the district of the holy section, and its produce shall be food for the workers of the city.

Ez. 48:19 The workers of the city, from all the tribes of Israel, shall cultivate it.

Ez. 48:20 The entire district shall be twenty-five thousand cubits by twenty-five thousand cubits, foursquare. You shall set apart the holy district with the property of the city.

Ez. 48:21 “The rest shall belong to the prince, on one side and on the other of the holy district and of the city’s property, next to the twenty-five thousand cubits of the holy district as far as the eastern border, and westward next to the twenty-five thousand as far as the western border, adjacent to the tribal portions; it shall belong to the prince. It shall be the holy district, and the sanctuary of the temple shall be in the center.

Ez. 48:22 Moreover, apart from the possession of the Levites and the possession of the city which are in the midst of what belongs to the prince, the area between the border of Judah and the border of Benjamin shall belong to the prince.

Ez. 48:23 “As for the rest of the tribes, from the east side to the west, Benjamin shall have one section;

Ez. 48:24 by the border of Benjamin, from the east side to the west, Simeon shall have one section;

Ez. 48:25 by the border of Simeon, from the east side to the west, Issachar shall have one section;

Ez. 48:26 by the border of Issachar, from the east side to the west, Zebulun shall have one section;

Ez. 48:27 by the border of Zebulun, from the east side to the west, Gad shall have one section;

Ez. 48:28 by the border of Gad, on the south side, toward the South, the border shall be from Tamar to the waters of Meribah by Kadesh, along the brook to the Great Sea.

Ez. 48:29 This is the land which you shall divide by lot as an inheritance among the tribes of Israel, and these are their portions,” says the Lord GOD.

Ez. 48:30 “These are the exits of the city. On the north side, measuring four thousand five hundred cubits

Ez. 48:31 (the gates of the city shall be named after the tribes of Israel), the three gates northward: one gate for Reuben, one gate for Judah, and one gate for Levi;

Ez. 48:32 on the east side, four thousand five hundred cubits, three gates: one gate for Joseph, one gate for Benjamin, and one gate for Dan;

Ez. 48:33 on the south side, measuring four thousand five hundred cubits, three gates: one gate for Simeon, one gate for Issachar, and one gate for Zebulun;

Ez. 48:34 on the west side, four thousand five hundred cubits with their three gates: one gate for Gad, one gate for Asher, and one gate for Naphtali.

√ Division

God promised Abraham that He would give the land of Israel to his descendants.

Despite the long history of sin, and the claims of other peoples to the land…

…God’s promise was never rescinded!

Here in the Kingdom Age the promise that God gave to Abraham is finally brought to fulfillment!

Each of the 12 tribes of Israel are given an allotment of land…

…yet none of them receive the same allotment they had before the Kingdom Age!

We’re also told that the new city of Jerusalem will have 12 gates each one named after one of the sons of Israel…

…but did you notice that it’s a different 12 than were listed in the division of the land!

The gates are named for the sons of Israel.

When the land is divided Joseph is not mentioned, rather the two tribes that came from his children Manasseh and Ephraim are listed because Joseph got a “double-portion”.

Levi’s not mentioned because his descendants don’t get an inheritance of the land, they live on the Lord’s holy portion.

The gates however are named for the actual sons of Israel and therefore drop Manasseh and Ephraim, and add Joseph and Levi!

√ Which “new” Jerusalem?

The Jerusalem of the Millennial Kingdom is not the same as the New Jerusalem that John tells us about in the Revelations.

They share some similarities, 12 gates each named for a tribe in Israel.

But that’s where the similarities end!

The New Jerusalem in the Eternal Age…

Is almost 1500 miles square!

Has 12 foundations named after the Apostles

Does not have a Temple!

So, while they are similar they are not the same!

Distinction (vs.35)

Ez. 48:35 All the way around shall be eighteen thousand cubits; and the name of the city from that day shall be: “Jehovah-Shammah”, THE LORD IS THERE.”

√ Distinction

Without a doubt the single greatest feature of the city, the one thing that distinguishes it from all other cities is that the Lord God lives there!

This represents the final restoration of Israel brining the city of Jerusalem full circle from what we read at the beginning of Ezekiel!

God left the city because of the great sin of the people.

God gave the city over to destruction.

Now God’s final act of restoration is to put His Name on the city as a sign that He lives among His people!

Ap. We’ve been restored!

When Adam sinned he broke our relationship with God.

God’s presence left and every human being born since was born spiritually dead.

But Jesus has provided the means of restoration for any who would trust in Him.

God comes to live within us, He makes our bodies His Temple…

…and like the new city of Jerusalem He places His Name on our heads to tell the world that He lives within us!

“Jehovah-Shammah”, THE LORD IS THERE.”

God is a God of restoration and has promised to restore and renew all things for those who love Him.

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