53 lines
3 KiB
Markdown
53 lines
3 KiB
Markdown
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title = "Ezekiel 45:1–25"
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date = "2023-07-14"
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### [Read the passage.](https://biblia.com/bible/esv/Ezekiel45.1-25)
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With the entire temple area measured, described, and instructions for its use
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given, the Lord gives instructions for the surrounding land and city. The holy
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district, set apart for the Lord, is a plot of land some seven miles long
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(11.2km) and (if we take the Hebrew value of 10,000 instead of the Septuagint's
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20,000) nearly three miles wide (4.5km). I take the value from the Hebrew text
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because verse 3 states the district with the sanctuary is 10,000 cubits broad,
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and I believe the extra 10,000 found in the Greek text is because of the plot
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of land next to it for the Levites. In total, there is a large squareof land
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with three sections: one for the priests and the temple, one for the Levites,
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and a half-sized section for the rest of the house of Israel. They get a
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smaller piece of the city because they will be getting the rest of the country
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as their inheritance.
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That is, besides the large strip of land allotted to the prince. Extending east
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and west from the city all the way to the borders of Israel are the lands of
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the crown. Somehow, this allotment of land is connected to an admonishment to
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the prince not to oppress the people as the princes of old did. The prince will
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be given his land and must not be greedy and try to take any more from the rest
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of the children of Israel. Weights and measures must be fair, having proper
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definitions that aren't changed from person to person.
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The rest of the chapter concerns the various sacrifices and offerings that the
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prince of Israel is expected to make on behalf of the people. That's something
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new and interesting. The details of the offerings could be analyzed, but I want
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to take a step back and notice that Scriptures don't talk about sacrifices and
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offerings on others' behalf very much. Job sacrificed animals for his children,
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in case they sinned during their constant parties. The high priesst offered a
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sacrifice on the Day of Atomenment and put the sins of the whole camp on the
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scapegoat before sending it out into the wilderness. There may be more
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examples, but I dont' think there would be many more.
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Now might also be a good time to clarify that these prophecies are not about
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the Messiah. Jesus is the ultimate fulfillment of the Lord's promise to David
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that the throne would never leave his house, but I think there are a couple of
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big reasons to believe He is not the prince desribed in these last few chapters
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of Ezekiel. In the first place, there is no need to tell Jesus to put away
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violence and oppresion and execute justice and righteousness. He's perfectly
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good and will do those things because of who He is. Secondly, when He returns
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in glory to rule on earth again for a thousand years, there will be no need for
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sacrifices then. He already offered up Himself as the once-for-all atonement
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for sins; He wouldn't offer up mere animals for the sins of His people now or
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ever.
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* * *
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The lengths to which You have gone to save sinners defy comprehension.
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