Ezekiel
46 reminds me of gated communities. This is a relatively recent
phenomenon where homes are built inside a walled off area with a
gate. The idea is that the gate offers security by keeping dangers
outside the walls. Today there are so many things that separate and
divide us, from politics, to race, to sports. Wear the wrong jersey
to a sporting event and you might get beat up. Mention a TV new
station and people will insult you. The walls seem higher today than
ever. In today’s chapter, Ezekiel is given a mini-lesson in the
temple function and purpose. It was a place for atonement, where sin
is “covered”. Previously we read there were a series of walls
creating an outer court, where the people could enter; and inner
court for the priests, and even the holy place and Most Holy Place
within the Temple building. We are reminded of the various kinds of
sacrifices for the Sabbath, for New Moon, and even Daily sacrifices.
Everyone has specific roles, but only “The
priests are to sacrifice his burnt offering and his fellowship
offerings“. Another thing
repeated many times, each sacrifice must be presented “all
without defect“. Finally,
everything was done with order, “whoever
enters by the north gate to worship is to go out the south gate“.
It sounds so lovely, except as the book of Hebrews points out, “The
law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and
without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness”
(Hebrews 9:22). Friend, are you living behind high walls?
The
chapter continues, “Every day
you are to provide a year-old lamb without defect for a burnt
offering to the Lord; morning
by morning you shall provide it“.
In addition to the Sabbaths and festivals, there were daily
sacrifices required to cover the sins of the people before fellowship
offerings (divided and shared by the priests, God and the offerer).
These were also given with petitions of thanks. If you are lacking
in fellowship, maybe you are lacking in thanks?
The
chapter closes with two important requirements. First, the laws of
inheritance required that property remain within a family. God
assigned land to the people by their tribe and family. “If
the prince makes a gift from his inheritance to one of his sons… it
is to be their property by inheritance“.
Inheritance given outside the family would revert back after 7
years, “The servant may keep it
until the year of freedom; then it will revert to the prince.
His
inheritance belongs to his sons
only“. The second requirement
was that once dedicated to God, all offerings were kept separate from
the people. “This is the place
where the priests are to cook the guilt offering and the sin offering
and bake the grain offering, to avoid bringing them into the outer
court and consecrating the people”
Only a portion of the Fellowship Offering was given back to the
family. Maybe you have been trying to keep yourself secure? Here is
some good news. Ephesians chapter 1 tells us, not only do we share
the inheritance by faith in Christ “He
predestined us for adoption to sonship“.
But we have been fully forgiven once and for all time, “In
Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, in
accordance with the riches of God’s grace
that He lavished on us“.
Like nothing else I know, this brings, “unity
to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ“.
Galatians 3:28 says, “There is
neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male
and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus“.
Will you let the walls down?