The Gospel According to Ezekiel, Chapter 43-44

The Context of the Temple Vision

Since chapter 40, we've been in a vision God gave to Ezekiel of a temple. Many call it the millennial temple or the third temple, but it's a temple vision we can study. Last week, we saw its specific purpose: to make us ashamed of our sins, to grow in sanctification, to see sin as infinitely bad and the glory of God as immeasurably good.

This is a vision of a city, not just a temple. As chapter 48 closes, the name of the city is "The Lord Is There." God dwells among his people. The temple is awesome—magnificent gates, vast courtyards, and in chapter 47, a river of life flowing from the throne room, growing deeper as it goes. It's a place of worship, nearness to God. You can't help but say, "That's where I want to be."

After seeing the ruin of sin, apostasy, exile, and conquest in earlier chapters, this temple stands in stark contrast. It's a no-brainer: the temple with God is awesome; life without him is terrible.

Purification and Consecration of the Altar

He said to me, “Son of man, thus says the Lord God: These are the ordinances for the altar on the day when it is erected, for offering burnt offerings upon it and for throwing blood against it. You shall give to the Levitical priests of the family of Zadok, who draw near to me to minister to me, declares the Lord God, a bull from the herd for a sin offering. And you shall take some of its blood and put it on the four horns of the altar and on the four corners of the ledge and upon the rim all around. Thus you shall purify the altar and make atonement for it. You shall also take the fat of the sin offering, and it shall be burned in the appointed place belonging to the temple, outside the sacred area.

“And on the second day you shall offer a male goat without blemish for a sin offering; and the altar shall be purified. And when you have finished purifying it, you shall offer a bull from the herd without blemish and a ram from the flock without blemish. You shall present them before the Lord, and the priests shall sprinkle salt on them and offer them up as a burnt offering to the Lord. For seven days you shall provide daily a male goat for a sin offering; also, a bull from the herd and a ram from the flock, without blemish. Seven days shall they make atonement for the altar and cleanse it, and so consecrate it. And when they have completed these days, then from the eighth day onward the priests shall offer on the altar your burnt offerings and your peace offerings, and I will accept you, declares the Lord God.”

The Shut East Gate and the Prince

Then he brought me back to the outer gate of the sanctuary, which faces east—and it was shut. And the Lord said to me, “This gate shall remain shut; it shall not be opened, and no one shall enter by it, for the Lord, the God of Israel, has entered by it. Therefore it shall remain shut. Only the prince may sit in it to eat bread before the Lord. He shall enter by way of the vestibule of the gate, and shall go out by the same way.”

Then he brought me by way of the north gate to the front of the temple, and I looked, and behold, the glory of the Lord filled the temple of the Lord. And I fell on my face.

The east gate remains shut because the Lord entered by it. Only the prince may sit there to eat bread before the Lord. Then Ezekiel sees the glory of the Lord filling the temple and falls on his face. God tells him to mark well, see with your eyes, hear with your ears all the statutes of the temple and its laws, especially the entrances and exits.

Who is this prince? Earlier, in chapter 37, we saw the prince as the servant David—a messianic figure, fulfilled in Christ, the perfect shepherd who rules justly and cares for his people. Past princes and priests failed, allowing idolatry. God provides Christ as the permanent leader.

Some suggest Ezekiel himself, or a temporary leader among exiles, or a future millennial ruler distinct from Christ, or a high priest. The prince offers sacrifices for his own sins (chapter 45), ruling out a sinless Christ literally. Yet Old Testament high priests typified Christ, offering for themselves imperfectly, while Christ offers perfectly once for all (Hebrews 9).

Ultimately, this points to Christ spiritually. Sacrifices here, like Leviticus, find fulfillment in Christ's once-for-all sacrifice—no need for more.

Judgment on Apostate Leaders

Say to the rebellious house, to the house of Israel, Thus says the Lord God: O house of Israel, enough of all your abominations... No foreigner, uncircumcised in heart and flesh, of all the foreigners who are among the people of Israel, shall enter my sanctuary... But the Levites who went far from me, going astray from me after their idols when Israel went astray, shall bear their punishment. They shall be ministers in my sanctuary, having oversight of the gates of the temple and ministering in the temple...

It's not just physical uncircumcision but uncircumcised hearts. The apostate Levites are demoted to temple guards—they can't draw near to God or holy things, only perform outer duties. This is punishment for leading into idolatry.

The Faithful Sons of Zadok

But the Levitical priests, the sons of Zadok, who kept the charge of my sanctuary when the people of Israel went astray from me, shall come near to me to minister to me. And they shall stand before me to offer me the fat and the blood, declares the Lord God... When they enter the gates of the inner court, they shall wear linen garments. They shall have nothing of wool on them, while they minister at the gates of the inner court, and within...

They shall teach my people the difference between the holy and the unholy, and show them how to distinguish between the unclean and the clean... It shall be their inheritance: I am their inheritance... You shall give them no possession in Israel; I am their possession.

The sons of Zadok (meaning "righteousness") remained faithful amid apostasy. They wear linen, avoid sweat-causing clothes, shave neatly, abstain from wine in the inner court, marry only virgins or priests' widows, teach holy vs. common, judge by God's laws, avoid defilement except for close family. Their inheritance is God himself—no land or possessions.

Three Key Questions

1. What Would Your Hope Be in Exile?

In Babylonian exile, amid mundane life, what hope from Ezekiel? Not just returning home or rebuilding the destroyed temple for idolatrous freedom. True hope: to be accepted by God again (Ezekiel 43:27). The altar is purified ("unsin" it) and atoned for, removing God's wrath. Christ became sin so we become his righteousness. Wrath removed means love restored—fellowship forever. Burnt offerings please God like a fragrant aroma (Ephesians 5); peace offerings restore fellowship. We are accepted because God accepts us (not vice versa). You're permanently on God's mind favorably.

2. "Enough of Your Abominations"—Punitive or Relief?

God says, "Enough" (44:6)—disciplinary punishment for some, but a sigh of relief: "Let it be enough." Like 1 Peter 4:3, the time past suffices for sin. Permission granted to stop sinning. For those longing for God after exile's misery, it's encouragement to dwell in the temple.

3. What Makes This Temple Great?

Not sacrifices resuming, Zadok's ministry, or teaching discernment alone—they're means to an end. The priests' inheritance is God: "I am their possession." Ezekiel sees the glory of the Lord filling the temple (44:4), falling on his face. The east gate shut sanctifies God's entry. God returned after departing due to sin. What makes it magnificent: "The Lord Is There." All else points to beholding God's glory, fulfilled perfectly in Christ (Hebrews 10)—the body God desired for permanent fellowship.