Journal Through the Bible: Week 86 Tuesday

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Ezekiel chapter 44

As God takes Ezekiel back toward the East Gate he notices that it is shut. God told him that this gate is shut because Jehovah, the God of Israel, has entered in by it. That would be the return of the Shekinah glory we read about yesterday. It will not be opened until the Prince sits in it to eat bread before Jehovah. He will enter by way of the porch of the East Gate and shall go out by the same way. Then God took Ezekiel to the North Gate where the Glory of the LORD filled the house.

Does God issue any commands?

• God commanded Ezekiel to pay close attention to all that God had to say to him about the ordinances of the Temple and of the laws; he was to mark well the entering in of the house with every going forth of the sanctuary.
• God told Ezekiel to tell the rebellious of Israel that their iniquity was full in that they had broken the commandments of the temple by bringing in abominations, strangers, and uncircumcised into the sanctuary and had polluted it. This had broken the covenant.
• God told Ezekiel to tell the rebellious of Israel that no stranger, uncircumcised of heart or flesh would enter into His sanctuary of any stranger among the Children of Israel.
• God commanded that the family of Zadok follow the standards set for priests in the law of Moses.

Does God make any promises?

• God said that the Levites that had gone away after idols and had led Israel astray to worship the same would bear their own iniquity.
• And yet, there would be Levites to minister in the Temple as appointed. (Perhaps this is a reference to the Levites and priests that would minister in the temple of Zerubbabel or Herod. There were Levites and priests during those times that obviously did not follow God's laws. Read Nehemiah and Ezra!)
• The family of Zadok is singled out as priests and Levites that kept the charge of the sanctuary when the rest of Israel went astray would be accepted by God. They would be allowed to stand before Him.
• God again stated that He would be the inheritance of the Levites. This most likely means of the family of Zadok since they are the only Levitical priestly family acceptable to God.

Does this chapter teach anything about Jesus?

• Jesus is the Prince that should enter the East Gate.

Does this chapter teach anything about yet-future events?

• When this Temple is built in the Millennial Kingdom of Christ Jesus will enter through the East Gate.