18<\/strong>. The general purpose of the altar. The burnt-offering was wholly consumed on the altar, of the other offerings only the fat.<\/p>\n 18 27<\/strong>. Sacrifices and ceremonies by which the altar was consecrated and inaugurated<\/p>\n The general purpose of the altar is to offer burnt-offerings upon and to sprinkle blood thereon. The statement in Eze 43:19-20<\/em><\/span> is somewhat elliptical, the writer’s object being to advert specially to the difference between the sin-offering on the first day and that on the following days. Hence he describes the ritual of the sin-offering on the first day fully, omitting to refer to the burnt-offering, which he mentions only in connexion with the second and following days. And when in Eze 43:25<\/em><\/span> it is said that a goat for sin-offering and a young bullock and a ram were offered for seven days, the difference between the sin-offering on the first day (a bullock) and that for the following six days (a goat) is not adverted to, the burnt-offering being the same all the seven days.<\/p>\n The rites here described are not those of the regular service, but those to be observed on the day of dedication. (Compare Lev 8:10<\/span> ff; 1Ki 8:63<\/U><\/span> ff; 2Ch 7:4<\/span> ff, In the tabernacle the priest killed the victims, but Moses sprinkled the blood. In the vision the seer is addressed as though he were to perform the part of Moses.<\/P> <\/p>\n These are the ordinances; <\/B>these are the measures and proportions for building the altar. <\/P> In the day when, <\/B>whensoever, <\/P> they shall make it, <\/B>the returned captives shall build and use it. <\/P> To offer burnt-offerings thereon:<\/B> it appears then this was the great brazen altar, of which see Exo 38:30<\/span>; 39:39<\/span>. <\/P> To sprinkle blood thereon, <\/B>according to the law, Lev 1:5<\/span>. <\/P> <\/p>\n 18-27.<\/B> The sacrifices here arenot mere commemorative, but propitiatory ones. The expressions,”blood” (Eze 43:18<\/span>),and “for a sin offering” (Eze 43:19<\/span>;Eze 43:21<\/span>; Eze 43:22<\/span>),prove this. In the literal<\/I> sense they can only apply to thesecond temple. Under the Christian dispensation they would directlyoppose the doctrine taught in Heb10:1-18<\/span>, namely, that Christ has by one offering for ever atonedfor sin. However, it is possible<\/I> that they might exist with aretrospective<\/I> reference to Christ’s sufferings, as theLevitical sacrifices had a prospective<\/I> reference to them; notpropitiatory in themselves, but memorials to keep up the remembranceof His propitiatory sufferings, which form the foundation of Hiskingdom, lest they should be lost sight of in the glory of thatkingdom [DE BURGH].The particularity of the directions make it unlikely that they are tobe understood in a merely vague spiritual sense.<\/P><\/p>\n And he said unto me, son of man, thus saith the Lord God<\/strong>,…. This is the voice of the Lord continued, speaking out of the house to the prophet; see Eze 43:6<\/span>:<\/p>\n these are the ordinances of the altar<\/strong>: not what go before, concerning the measures of it, but what follow, concerning the sacrifices to be offered on it:<\/p>\n in the day when they shall make it, to offer burnt offerings thereon, and sprinkle blood thereon<\/strong>; this plainly shows that this altar is the altar of burnt offerings; such were to be offered on it, and the blood of them to be sprinkled thereon, as follows; that is, upon the horns, corners, and border of it, Eze 43:20<\/span>.<\/p>\n Consecration of the Altar<\/p>\n Eze 43:18<\/span>. And he said to me, Son of man, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah, These are the statutes of the altar in the day when it is erected, to offer burnt-offerings upon it, and to sprinkle blood thereon. <\/em> Eze 43:19<\/span>. Thou shalt give to the priests of the tribe of Levi who are of the seed of Zadok, who draw near to me, is the saying of the Lord Jehovah, a bullock, a young ox, for a sin-offering. <\/em> Eze 43:20<\/span>. And thou shalt take of its blood, and put it upon is four horns, and upon the four corners of the enclosure, and upon the moulding round about; and so absolve and expiate it. <\/em> Eze 43:21<\/span>. And thou shalt take the bullock of the sin-offering, and burn it at the appointed place of the house, outside the sanctuary. <\/em> Eze 43:22<\/span>. And on the second day thou shalt offer a faultless he-goat for a sin-offering, that they may absolve the altar, as they absolved it with the bullock. <\/em> Eze 43:23<\/span>. When thou hast completed the absolution, thou shalt offer a bullock, a young ox, without fault, and a faultless ram of the flock; <\/em> Eze 43:24<\/span>. And shalt bring them before Jehovah, and the priests shall throw salt upon them, and sacrifice them as burnt-offering to Jehovah. <\/em> Eze 43:25<\/span>. Seven days shalt thou offer a sin-offering goat daily and a bullock, a young ox, and a ram of the flock without fault shall they prepare. <\/em> Eze 43:26<\/span>. Seven days shall they expiate the altar, and cleanse it, and fill its hand. <\/em> Eze 43:27<\/span>. And when they have completed these days, it shall come to pass on the eighth day and henceforward, that the priests place your burnt-offerings and your peace-offerings upon the altar, and I will accept you with delight, is the saying of the Lord Jehovah.<\/em> <\/p>\n As the altar of the tabernacle and that of Solomon’s temple were consecrated before they were used (Lev 8:11<\/span>, Lev 8:15<\/span>, Lev 8:19<\/span>, Lev 8:33<\/span>; 1Ki 8:62-66<\/span>; 2Ch 7:4-10<\/span>), and God commanded and regulated this consecration of the altar of the tabernacle (Exo 29:10<\/span>.), so also is the altar of burnt-offering in the new sanctuary to be consecrated before it is used. This command is given to Ezekiel, and the consecration enjoined upon him, not as the representative of the nation, but as a prophet, upon whom, as is frequently the case in the prophetical narratives, those things are said to be enjoined, which are to be set in operation through his proclamation. This commission is given to him, however, for the day (the time) when the altar will be made or restored, from which alone we may see that the execution of the command belongs to the future, in which the temple shown him in the spirit is to be erected, and that it will take place in a manner corresponding to the realization of the temple; so that we cannot infer from this command alone that the reference is to the building of a temple and altar of stone, metal, and wood. are not the regulations prescribed for the altar service generally, but simply those relating to its consecration. If we compare these with the account of the consecration of the altars of the earlier sanctuaries, we find that no detailed description is given of the consecration of the altar of Solomon’s temple, but that it is simply stated that it lasted seven days (2Ch 7:9<\/span>). The consecration of the altar of the tabernacle lasted just the same time (Exo 29:37<\/span>; Lev 8:33<\/span>). And the same period is appointed here (Eze 43:26<\/span>). But the consecration of the altar of the tabernacle was associated with the consecration of the priests. Here, on the contrary, the existence of the priesthood is presupposed, and only the altar is consecrated. The consecration of the Mosaic altar commenced with the anointing of the altar and all its utensils, by the sprinkling of it seven times by Moses with the holy anointing oil, for the purpose of sanctifying it (Lev 8:11<\/span>). Here, on the other hand, nothing is said about the anointing of the altar; only the absolving of it by sacrifice is mentioned, which followed the anointing in the case of the Mosaic altar. At the altar in the tabernacle Moses performed the whole act of consecration, as the mediator of the covenant, the anointing as well as the preparation of the sacrifices. Here, however, the priests already consecrated for their service are to complete the sacrificial ceremony. It is true that the expressions used in Eze 43:20<\/span>, “take of its blood,” etc., and in Eze 43:21<\/span>, “take the bullock of the sin-offering,” etc., apparently indicate that the prophet was to perform the sprinkling of the blood and the burning of the sin-offering. But it is obvious that this is only to be understood as signifying that he was to do it through the medium of the priests, i.e., was to enjoin the performance of it upon them, from the use of the plural in Eze 43:22<\/span><\/em>: “they shall absolve the altar, as they have absolved it with the bullock.” It is not all the priests of the tribe of Levi however, who are to perform this service, but simply those of the family of Zadok, who alone are selected in the new temple for specifically priestly service (cf. Eze 40:46<\/span> and Eze 44:15<\/span>.).<\/p>\n The sacred ceremony commences with the offering of a young ox as a sin-offering; Eze 43:19<\/span>, Eze 43:20<\/span>, as in Lev 8:14<\/span>, compared with Exo 29:1<\/span>, Exo 29:10<\/span>. The blood of the ox is to be put upon the four horns and the four corners of the enclosure, and upon the moulding below it round about; and the flesh is to be burned at an appointed place outside the sanctuary. For the article in (Eze 43:21<\/span>), see Ewald, 290 b<\/em>. The pouring out of the blood – that was not used for smearing the places indicated – at the foot of the altar is not mentioned, nor the burning of the fat portions of the sacrifice upon the altar. We cannot infer, from the omission of the latter circumstance, that the fat was not consumed upon the altar, but was burned, with the flesh, skin, and bones of the animal, outside the sanctuary, as Kliefoth supposes. Without the burning of certain definite portions of the victim upon the altar, the slaughtering of the animal would not have been a complete sacrifice at all; the smearing of the blood upon the altar would not have sufficed for this. And the fact that in Eze 43:21<\/span> the command is given, “take the bullock and burn it,” does not prove that the animal was to be burned along with those fat portions which were to be consumed upon the altar in the case of every sin-offering. In Lev 8:17<\/span> also, stands in the place of , Exo 29:14<\/span>. Ezekiel generally presupposes that the sacrificial ritual is well known, and therefore mentions only those points in which deviations from the ordinary ritual took place in connection with this sacrifice, such as the sprinkling of the blood, because the blood was to be smeared on particular parts of the altar, and the burning of the flesh, on account of the place where this was to be done. In the case of the burnt-offering in Eze 43:23<\/span>, no directions are given concerning the ceremonial; because this was to be in conformity with the standing ritual, with the exception of the sprinkling with salt, which was not to be performed in the same manner as in the ordinary sacrifices. The burning is to take place , outside the sanctuary. is a place commanded or appointed; and is a place in the temple set apart for that purpose. It follows from this that the place in question, since it belonged to the house, i.e., to the temple, is to be sought for within the square of five hundred cubits in extent, which was covered by the temple and its courts; and at the same time that it was outside the , i.e., upon a spot which did not form part of the sanctuary in the stricter sense of the word. Kliefoth therefore thinks of a spot within the gizrah <\/em> (Eze 41:12<\/span>), the name of which implies that the space which it covered did not belong to the true . This view is the most probable one; whereas Ewald’s conjecture, that the place intended is the locality of the sacrificial kitchens of the priests described in Eze 46:19<\/span>, is decidedly erroneous, as these kitchens, which were set apart for the cooking of the holy sacrificial flesh to be eaten by the priests alone, were certainly reckoned as forming part of the . – Eze 43:22<\/span>. On the second day, a he-goat was to be brought for a sin-offering, and the altar was to be cleansed from sin with this just as with the bullock on the first day; which implies that the same ceremonial was to be observed with this sacrifice as with that of the sin-offering.<\/p>\n After the completion of the expiation a burnt-offering was to be presented to the Lord of a bullock and a ram (Eze 43:23<\/span> and Eze 43:24<\/span>). There is a difference of opinion as to the meaning of in these verses. Hitzig and Kliefoth suppose that the expiation was only completed on the second day, with the offering of the he-goat as a sin-offering. They both of them lay stress upon the fact that, on the one hand, in Eze 43:23<\/span> and Eze 43:24<\/span> the offering of the burnt-offering is mentioned on the second day, and not on the first day also; and on the other hand, in Eze 43:25<\/span>, for the seven days of consecration, only the preparation of a he-goat for the sin-offering and the preparation of the two animals appointed for the burnt-offering are mentioned. Hitzig also adduces the fact that in Eze 43:26<\/span> there is no further reference to , but simply to and , and draws the conclusion from this, that the sin attaching to the altar was removed with two sin-offerings on two days, and then through seven days further by means of burnt-offerings the anger of God which followed the sin was appeased ( ), and the uncleanness or profane character of the altar was expunged ( ), so that the seven days of Eze 43:25<\/span> are not to be dated from Eze 43:19<\/span> onwards. According to this view, the consecration of the altar lasted nine days, and not seven, and the eighth day mentioned in Eze 43:27<\/span> would really be the tenth day, reckoning from the commencement of the consecration. To carry out this view, Hitzig is obliged to erase not only the of Eze 43:20<\/span>, but also the first half of Eze 43:25<\/span> as glosses; a fact which carries its condemnation with it, as even the Septuagint furnishes no warrant for the erasure of Eze 43:25<\/span><\/em>. Moreover, the distinction which Hitzig draws between on the one hand, and and on the other, is quite erroneous. Purification ( ) is never mentioned in the law as the effect produced by a burnt-offering. A sin-offering followed by a burnt-offering is invariably prescribed for the removal of uncleanness; for “reconciliation and purification take place through the absolution effected by the sin-offering; and to such a sin-offering and its purifying operation the burnt-offering is then added to secure the good pleasure of God for that which has been already cleansed” (Kliefoth).<\/p>\n But we cannot regard even Kliefoth’s view as well founded, namely, that on the first day a sin-offering alone was presented, and it was only from the second day onwards that a sin-offering and burnt-offering were presented, and this lasted for seven days, so that the consecration of the altar continued fully eight days, and on the ninth day (not the eighth, as stated in Eze 43:27<\/span>) the regular use of the altar commenced. Kliefoth bases this conclusion principally upon the fact that Eze 43:19-21<\/span> attribute only the sin-offering of a bullock to the first day; and that, on the other hand, Eze 43:25<\/span> and Eze 43:26<\/span> extend in all its details to seven days the very same ceremony as Eze 43:22-24<\/span> assign to the second day, whereas they do not contain a syllable to the effect that the sin-offering of the bullock was to be repeated every day, or that the sacrifices described in Eze 43:22-24<\/span> were also to be offered on the first day. The sinew of this demonstration consists in silentio <\/em>, therefore; and this precarious basis of argument crumbles here, as in most other cases, as is evident from the words of Eze 43:26<\/span>: “seven days shall ye reconcile the altar, and purify it.” This perfectly general statement, which is not connected with Eze 43:25<\/span> by any Vav copul. <\/em>, or placed in subordination to it, affirms in the clearest manner that the consecration of the altar was to last seven days, neither more nor less; so that if these seven days are to be reckoned from the second day, the sin-offering of the bullock upon the first day must be deprived of its reconciling and purifying worth, in direct contradiction not only to Eze 43:20<\/span>, according to which the altar was to be absolved and reconciled through the sin-offering of the bullock to be offered on the first day, but also to Eze 43:22<\/span>, according to which they were to absolve the altar by the sin-offering of the he-goat, in just the same manner as they had absolved it by the sin-offering of the bullock (on the first day). To take the and in Eze 43:26<\/span> merely as the effect produced by the sacrifices mentioned in Eze 43:25<\/span>, renders the standing at the head of Eze 43:26<\/span> an impossibility. Unless, therefore, we would impose upon the words of the prophet a gross contradiction, we must lay no stress either upon the fact that in Eze 43:23<\/span> the offering of the burnt-offering is not mentioned till after the direction concerning he sin-offering to be presented on the second day, or upon the circumstance that in Eze 43:25<\/span> the he-goat is mentioned as a sin-offering for all the seven days, and no allusion is made to the fact that the sin-offering of the first day was a bullock. The former (the reference to the burnt-offering after the sin-offering of the second day) may be explained very simply, on the ground that the sin-offerings of the first two days are mentioned one after the other, because different animals were prescribed for the purpose, and then, first, the burnt-offerings, which were the same for every day. And it is obvious that the explanation is to be sought for in this formal arrangement, and not in the fact that only a sin-offering without a burnt-offering was to be presented on the first day, and consequently that the expression “on the second day” refers solely to the sin-offering of that day, from the words in Eze 43:23<\/span>; since cannot be understood in a different sense from that which it bears in Eze 43:22<\/span><\/em>, the clause immediately preceding, i.e., must not be restricted to the sin-offering of the second day, but must be taken as referring to the sin-offerings of both the first and second days. The meaning of the words is therefore this: when the absolution by means of the sin-offering on the first and on the second day is ended, then shalt thou bring a burnt-offering. But if this is the meaning of the words, the offering of the burnt-offering prescribed in Eze 43:23<\/span> does not fall so exclusively under the definition of time contained in the words “on the second day,” as to warrant our assigning it to the second day alone, and concluding that no such offering was presented on the first day. There was no necessity for Ezekiel to express himself more clearly on this point, as there was no fear of any misunderstanding on the part of those who were acquainted with the law; since every Israelites who had been instructed in the law knew full well that no sin-offering could ever be presented without being followed by a burnt-offering, that in fact the burnt-offering was indispensable to the accomplishment of the , for which the sin-offering was presented. And in Eze 43:25<\/span> also, Ezekiel had no occasion to fear that the somewhat loose expression, “seven days shalt thou prepare a he-goat sin-offering for the day,” would be misunderstood; as he had already stated that a bullock was to be taken for the sin-offering of the first day, and the period of seven days was so universally prescribed in the law for every act of consecration which lasted more than one day, that he would have indicated in a clearer manner any deviation from this rule. We therefore regard the change of the seven days devoted to the consecration of the altar into eight as being just as groundless as that into nine, and adhere to the traditional explanation of these verses, namely, that the consecration of the altar lasted only seven days, and that on every one of these days a sin-offering and a burnt-offering were to be presented, the sin-offering on the first day being a bullock, and on the other days a he-goat, whilst the burnt-offerings were to consist on all seven days of a young ox and a ram.<\/p>\n With regard to the burnt-offering, the direction given, that the priests are to throw or pour ( ), and not merely to strew or sprinkle, salt upon it, is to be regarded as significant. According to Lev 2:13<\/span>, salt was to be added to every (bloody or bloodless) sacrifice. The express allusion to the salting of these consecrating burnt-offerings, and also the choice of the verb , point to a copious strewing with salt for the purpose of giving greater intensity to the force of these sacrifices. On the significance of salt in relation to the sacrifices, see the comm. on Lev 2:13<\/span>. The attached to the Chetib<\/em> in Eze 43:26<\/span> is to be explained from the fact that the definition of the time is placed at the head absolutely. There is something bold in the application of the expression to the altar; since this expression arose from the ceremony peculiar to the consecrating sacrifice of the priests, namely, that the fat and fleshy portions of this sacrifice, which were intended partly for consumption upon the altar, and partly as a heave-offering for Jehovah, were to be given into the hands of the priests to be consecrated for the purpose of investing them symbolically with the gifts, which they were to offer in part to the Lord in the altar fire in the fulfilment of their official duties, and to receive in part for their service (see the comm. on Lev 8:25-29<\/span>). Filling the hand of the altar, therefore, is equivalent to providing it with sacrificial gifts, so that it should never be without them. In this sense the symbolical act was connected with the completion of its consecration as a place of sacrifice. The Keri<\/em> is incorrect, and the proper reading; inasmuch as even at the consecration of the priests, when the sacrificial portions were placed in the hands of the priests, only is used, and not (cf. Exo 29:9<\/span>; Lev 21:10<\/span>, etc.).<\/p>\n If we compare the directions given in the section before us concerning the consecration of the altar, with the consecration which was prescribed in Ex 29 for the altar of burnt-offering in the tabernacle, and was fully carried out according to Lev 8, we find the following points of difference: – (1) the anointing of the altar is wanting here; (2) at the consecration of the Mosaic altar a bullock (young ox) was prescribed as the sin-offering for all the seven days (Exo 29:36<\/span>), in Ezekiel for the first day only, and a he-goat for the rest; (3) the blood of this sin-offering is smeared upon the horns of the altar in the former consecration (Exo 29:12<\/span>; Lev 8:15<\/span>), in the latter upon the horns and the corners of the walls, and upon the lower moulding round about; (4) the burnt-offering there consists in a ram every day, here in a bullock and a ram daily; (5) on the other hand, the ram offered as a sacrifice of consecration in the Mosaic ceremony, which was specially connected with the institution of the priests in their office, is omitted here, as the priests were already holding their office; so that the sacrifice of consecration might be said to be here absorbed into the burnt-offering. All essential differences therefore reduce themselves to the fact that in Ezekiel the anointing of the altar is wanting, and the sin-offering of the last six days is diminished by the selection of an inferior animal, in place of which the burnt-offering is considerably intensified by the demand of a bullock and a ram for this, the same thing being also indicated by the copious pouring of salt thereon. – For the symbolical meaning of these sacrifices, compare the commentary on Lev 8. – The consecration of the altar was completed in seven days; and from the eighth day onwards the priests were to offer the regular sacrifices upon it (Eze 43:27<\/span>); whereas at the Mosaic consecration of the altar and priests, the constant altar service of the priests was still further inaugurated by a solemn sacrifice on the eighth day (Lev 9). Burnt-offerings and peace-offerings are mentioned in Eze 43:27<\/span> instar omnium <\/em> as being the principal and most frequent sacrifices, whilst sin-offerings and meat-offerings are implied therein.<\/p>\n 2. The dedication of the altar (43:1827)<\/p>\n TRANSLATION<\/strong><\/p>\n (18) And he said unto me, Son of man, thus saith the Lord GOD: These are the ordinances of the altar in the day when they shall make it, to offer burnt offerings thereon, and to sprinkle blood thereon. (19) You shall give to the priests the Levites that are of the seed of Zadok who are near unto Me, to minister unto Me, (oracle of the Lord GOD), a young bullock for a sin-offering. (20) And you shall take of the blood thereof, and put it on the four horns of it, and on the four corners of the ledge, and upon the border round about: and thus shall you cleanse it and make atonement for it. (21) You shall also take the bullock of the sin-offering, and it shall be burnt in the appointed place of the house, without the sanctuary. (22) And on the second day you shall offer a he-goat without blemish for a sin-offering; and they shall cleanse the altar, as they did cleanse it with the bullock. (23) When you have made an end of cleansing it, you shall offer a young bullock without blemish, and a ram out of the flock without blemish. (24) And you shall bring them near before the LORD, and the priests shall cast salt upon them, and they shall offer them up for a burnt-offering unto the LORD. (25) Seven days you shall prepare every day a goat for a sin-offering: they shall also prepare a young bullock and a ram out of the flock, without blemish. (26) Seven days shall they make atonement for the altar and purify it; so shall they consecrate it. (27) And when they have accomplished the days it shall be that upon the eighth day, and forward, the priests shall make your burnt-offerings upon the altar, and your peace-offerings; and I will accept you, (oracle of the Lord GOD).<\/p>\n COMMENTS<\/strong><\/p>\n In the Old Testament worship system the altar was used two ways: (1) burnt offerings were offered on it; and (2) blood was smeared on it (Eze. 43:18<\/span>). The altar would need to be consecrated in order to make it suitable for these two important functions.<\/p>\n Ezekiel is told to assign the various consecration functions to the Levitical priests[513] who were descendants of Zadok.[514] Non-Zadokites were debarred from priestly ministry for reasons which will be stated in the following chapter (Eze. 44:10<\/span>).<\/p>\n [513] All priests were Levites, but not all Levites were priests. On the first day of the dedicatory rites, Ezekiel was to give to the Zadokites a bullock to be used as a sin-offering (Eze. 43:19<\/span>). The blood of that sacrificial beast was to be smeared on the four horns and also on the four corners of the (greater) ledge and the rim or border which surrounded the greater ledge. This shed blood would cleanse the altar and make atonement for it (Eze. 43:20<\/span>). The remainder of the sacrificial bullock was to be burned in another, unspecified spot within the wall of the Temple mount (Eze. 43:21<\/span>).<\/p>\n A he-goat was to be sacrificed on the second day of the dedicatory rites. The blood of the he-goat was to be sprinkled on the altar in the same manner as was done with the blood of the bullock. Thus the altar would be purified a second time (Eze. 43:22<\/span>). Whole burnt offerings of a bullock and a ram were then to be offered on the purified altar. The whole burnt offering symbolized complete consecration in the Mosaic dispensation. Salt was to be sprinkled upon these burned offerings[515] by the priests (Eze. 43:23<\/span>). This preservative may symbolize the everlasting covenant between God and His people.[516] These three sacrifices the goat, bullock and ram were to be repeated six more times during the dedicatory week (Eze. 43:25<\/span>). By this means the new altar would be set apart for its sacred function[517] (Eze. 43:26<\/span>). After these rites have been performed then the regular sacrificial service could begin. Burnt-offerings and peace-offerings[518] had as their primary aim acceptance by God. The devout and obedient worshipers of the new Temple era would find that acceptance with God (Eze. 43:27<\/span>).<\/p>\n [515] Cf. Lev. 2:13<\/span>; Mar. 9:49<\/span>.<\/p>\n [516] Fisch, SBB, p. 300,<\/p>\n [517] The altar of the Tabernacle was consecrated by anointing (Exo. 30:28<\/span>; Exo. 40:10<\/span>) as well as with sacrificial blood (Lev. 8:14<\/span> ff). The altar in Solomons Temple was consecrated by a seven day feast of burnt-offerings and peace-offerings (2Ch. 7:19<\/span>).<\/p>\n [518] The peace-offering symbolized fellowship with God.<\/p>\n (18) In the day when they shall make it.<\/strong>This looks to the future, and implies that the whole structure of the Temple, and its acceptance by the manifestation of the Divine glory, though necessarily represented in the vision as already done, were yet in the future. The phrase, in the day when they shall make it, is intended only to require the consecration of the altar before it is used. The actual time occupied by the consecration (Eze. 43:25-26<\/span>) was to be seven days, as in Exo. 29:37<\/span>.<\/p>\n 18-27<\/strong>. <\/strong> The consecration of the altar is here described. It is much like that in Solomon’s temple (1Ki 8:63-66<\/span>; 2Ch 7:4-10<\/span>) excepting that here there is no need of cleansing the house and the different vessels; for Jehovah has already entered the temple, and it is already holy. For the same reason the priests of the family of Zadok (see Eze 44:15<\/span>) need no consecration before taking part in the most sacred ordinances of the dedication ceremony. These holy priests now offer for a sin offering the same sacrifice which formerly Aaron and his sons offered (Lev 8:14<\/span>). Only the altar on which was laid the sins of the people had need of cleansing by the application of sacrificial blood to the uplifted horns, ledge, and border (see note Eze 43:13-17<\/span>); “thus shall they cleanse it and make atonement for it.” (Compare Lev 4:7<\/span>; Lev 4:34<\/span>.) The body of the bullock was burned in a place outside the sanctuary. (Compare Lev 4:10<\/span>; Lev 4:12<\/span>; Heb 13:11<\/span>; Heb 13:13<\/span>.) Perhaps the “separate place” (Eze 41:12<\/span>), which was outside the sanctuary proper, is meant. (See H, chart facing page 209.) The second day’s ritual (Eze 43:22<\/span>), with those which followed, demanded “a he-goat without blemish” (compare Lev 4:23-24<\/span>), thus deviating from the Mosaic order (Exo 29:36<\/span>), after which followed the burnt offering (Eze 43:23-24<\/span>; compare Lev 1:3-5<\/span>; Lev 8:18<\/span>), which, as in the old law, was sprinkled with salt, the well-known symbol of entire consecration (Lev 2:13<\/span>; see notes Eze 16:4<\/span>; Religion of the Semites, <\/em> 4:435). “Seven days shall they make atonement for the altar, and purify, and consecrate it,” after which it shall be ready for the regular sacrifices (Eze 43:27<\/span>). “The prominence given to ‘burnt’ and ‘peace’ offerings, as distinguished from ‘sin offerings,’ may, as Schrader suggests, have pointed to the fact that the sacrificers who should use this altar would be a people in a state of grace, to whom Jehovah was prepared to say, ‘I will accept you; not your offerings alone, but your persons as well.’” Pulpit Commentary.<\/p>\n The Building of the Altar ( Eze 43:18<\/strong><\/span><\/strong> ).<\/p>\n <\/strong><\/p>\n ‘And he said to me, “Son of man, thus says the Lord Yahweh, These are the ordinances of the altar in the day that they shall make it, to offer burnt offerings on it and to sprinkle blood on it.” ’<\/p>\n The altar described had to be made as a means by which ‘burnt offerings’ could be offered to God (this in fact covers the whole range of sacrifices, the burnt offering being the oldest, the most general and the most important). It was also the means by which the blood could be applied before God. This would make possible access to Him.<\/p>\n Eze 43:18 And he said unto me, Son of man, thus saith the Lord GOD; These [are] the ordinances of the altar in the day when they shall make it, to offer burnt offerings thereon, and to sprinkle blood thereon.<\/p>\n Ver. 18. These are the ordinances of the altar.<\/strong> ] Christians also have their sacrifices, though of another alloy, to offer, and must look to the ordinances of their altar; ministers must especially.<\/p>\n NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Eze 43:18-21<\/p>\n 18And He said to me, Son of man, thus says the Lord GOD, ‘These are the statutes for the altar on the day it is built, to offer burnt offerings on it and to sprinkle blood on it. 19You shall give to the Levitical priests who are from the offspring of Zadok, who draw near to Me to minister to Me,’ declares the Lord GOD, ‘a young bull for a sin offering. 20You shall take some of its blood and put it on its four horns and on the four corners of the ledge and on the border round about; thus you shall cleanse it and make atonement for it. 21You shall also take the bull for the sin offering, and it shall be burned in the appointed place of the house, outside the sanctuary.’<\/p>\n Eze 43:18 This clearly states that the altar was for the purpose of atonement, not a memorial (cf. Eze 45:15; Eze 45:17; Eze 45:20). This is in direct conflict with the NT book of Hebrews (esp. Ezekiel 9-10), which sees Jesus as the last sacrifice needed to atone for mankind’s sin.<\/p>\n Eze 43:20 cleanse it This VERB (BDB 306, KB 305, Piel PERFECT) is repeated in Eze 43:22 (twice) and the Piel INFINITIVE CONSTRUCT in Eze 43:23. The Piel denotes cleansing by means of a blood sacrifice (cf. Lev 8:15; Eze 45:18) as does the next VERB make atonement (BDB 497, KB 493, Piel PERFECT, cf. Eze 43:26; Eze 45:20).<\/p>\n thus saith, &c. See note on 44. D. <\/p>\n the Lord GOD. Hebrew. Adonai Jehovah. See note on Eze 2:4. <\/p>\n the ordinances of the altar. Compared with the Mosaic tabernacle, the ritual began with the consecration of the priests (Lev 8:1-10); here, they are already consecrated (verses: Eze 43:19, Eze 43:28). In Lev 8:11, the altar was anointed with the holy oil; here no anointing, and the priests are only from Zadok’s line (Compare Eze 40:46; Eze 44:14. In Exo 29:36, a bullock offered on seven successive days; here only once, and on the other days a kid of the goats. The offerings here (verses: Eze 43:18-27) are National and Priestly (the Priest representing the Nation); not individual, for there will be no day of atonement. The sacrifices will not therefore be as when under the law. <\/p>\n in the day. See App-18. This day is yet future, burnt offerings. See App-43. <\/p>\n sprinkle, &c. = dash, or throw. Ref to Pentateuch (Lev 1:5). This expression is exclusively technical. App-92. For the exceptions see 2Ch 34:4. Job 2:12. Isa 28:5. Compare Eze 10:2 and Hos 7:9. <\/p>\n Eze 43:18-27<\/p>\n The Altar – Eze 43:18-27<\/p>\n And he said unto me, Son of man, thus saith the Lord Jehovah: These are the ordinances of the altar in the day when they shall make it, to offer burnt-offerings thereon, and to sprinkle blood thereon. Thou shalt give to the priests the Levites that are of the seed of Zadok, who are near unto me, to minister unto me, saith the Lord Jehovah, a young bullock for a sin-offering. And thou shalt take of the blood thereof, and put it on the four horns of it, and on the four corners of the ledge, and upon the border round about: thus shalt thou cleanse it and make atonement for it (Eze 43:18-20).<\/p>\n The name Zadok means righteousness. Zadok was a descendant of Aaron and a faithful high priest during the days of David ruling as king over Israel (1Ch 18:16). After David, Zadok and his sons became the ruling priestly line in Jerusalem (cf. 1Ki 4:2; 2Ch 31:10)….It is generally accepted that the descendants of Zadok held the priesthood in Jerusalem till the Exile. Four references to sons\/family of Zadok in Ezekiel (Eze 40:46; Eze 43:19; Eze 44:15; Eze 48:11) highlight the future service that the sons of Zadok will have at the restored sanctuary because of their faithfulness to Jehovah.<\/p>\n To take these statements as being literal would certainly do damage to the function of Ezekiels vision. There will not be a literal temple constructed where God dwells and His priest offer literal sacrifices for sins (cf. Heb 10:1 ff). Luke records that God does not currently dwell in temples made with hands (cf. Act 7:48; Act 17:24).<\/p>\n Thou shalt also take the bullock of the sin-offering, and it shall be burnt in the appointed place of the house, without the sanctuary. And on the second day thou shalt offer a he-goat without blemish for a sin-offering; and they shall cleanse the altar, as they did cleanse it with the bullock. When thou hast made an end of cleansing it, thou shalt offer a young bullock without blemish, and a ram out of the flock without blemish. And thou shalt bring them near before Jehovah, and the priests shall cast salt upon them, and they shall offer them up for a burnt-offering unto Jehovah. Seven days shalt thou prepare every day a goat for a sin-offering: they shall also prepare a young bullock, and a ram out of the flock, without blemish. Seven days shall they make atonement for the altar and purify it; so shall they consecrate it. And when they have accomplished the days, it shall be that upon the eighth day, and forward, the priests shall make your burnt-offerings upon the altar, and your peace-offerings; and I will accept you, saith the Lord Jehovah (Eze 43:21-27).<\/p>\n As the altar of the tabernacle and the altar of Solomons temple were consecrated before use, so the altar of burnt offerings will be consecrated before its use so that mens sins will be forgiven. Figuratively, Christ would be the offering for sin and thereby all men may have the opportunity to receive the remission of sins if they would but obey His voice. Obedience to Jehovah God results in Gods acceptance of you.<\/p>\n The Glory Returns to the Temple – Eze 43:1-27<\/p>\n Open It<\/p>\n 1. What kinds of places do you find most conducive to worship? Why? <\/p>\n 2. What do you think is the deepest, commonest human desire? <\/p>\n 3. Judging from your own observations, what does our society consider holy? <\/p>\n Explore It<\/p>\n 4. What did the man of bronze show to Ezekiel after he had toured the whole restored temple area? (Eze 43:1-2) <\/p>\n 5. How did Ezekiel describe the return of the glory of God to the temple? (Eze 43:3-4) <\/p>\n 6. Where was Ezekiel transported after his initial vision of the glory of God approaching from the east? (Eze 43:5) <\/p>\n 7. What did the voice from within the temple say? (Eze 43:6-7) <\/p>\n 8. How had Israel angered God and brought on their own destruction? (Eze 43:8-9) <\/p>\n 9. What response did God hope to produce in the people when Ezekiel related his vision of the temple? (Eze 43:10-11) <\/p>\n 10. How was Ezekiel instructed to preserve the details and dimensions of the temple God showed him? (Eze 43:11) <\/p>\n 11. How much ground was to be dedicated as holy ground? (Eze 43:12) <\/p>\n 12. How was the altar in the new temple to be constructed? (Eze 43:13-17) <\/p>\n 13. What specific instructions were given for a week-long dedication of the altar? (Eze 43:18-26) <\/p>\n 14. How did God promise to respond after the eighth day of sacrifices and offerings? (Eze 43:27) <\/p>\n Get It<\/p>\n 15. Why was the return of the Lords presence (described in Ezekiel 43) critical to the overall restoration of Gods people? <\/p>\n 16. What emotions do you suppose Ezekiel experienced as he watched the glory of the Lord return to the temple? <\/p>\n 17. When does a beautiful worship space help us worship, and when is it a distraction? <\/p>\n 18. Why were Ezekiels previous visions helpful to him when God showed him other things? <\/p>\n 19. How could the temple in its symmetry, beauty, and greatness cause the people to be ashamed of their sins? <\/p>\n 20. How can the beauty and perfection of the heavenly worship, communicated to us in the Bible, be an encouragement to us in our present trials? <\/p>\n Apply It<\/p>\n 21. Knowing that you are accepted by God, how can you reach out this week in His name to a person who may not feel acceptable? <\/p>\n 22. Where can you go for a brief retreat to remember Gods greatness and glory compared to your difficulties? <\/p>\n to offer: Eze 45:18, Eze 45:19, Exo 40:29, Lev 1:5-17, Lev 8:18-21, Lev 16:19, Heb 9:21-23, Heb 10:4-12, Heb 12:24<\/p>\n Eze 43:18. Having given the details of construction for the altar, the Lord announced to Ezekiel that he would be told about the proper services to be done on it.<\/p>\n Eze 43:18-27. These are the ordinances of the altar Here we have directions concerning the dedication of the altar at first. Seven days were to be spent in the dedication of it, and every day sacrifices were to be offered upon it, particularly a goat for a sin-offering, (Eze 43:25,) besides a young bullock for a sin-offering on the first day, Eze 43:19; which teaches us, in all our religious services, to have an eye to Christ, the great sin- offering. Neither our persons nor our performances can be acceptable to God, unless sin be taken away; and that cannot be taken away but by the blood of Christ, which both sanctifies the altar (for Christ entered by his own blood) and the gift upon the altar. There was also a bullock and a ram to be offered for a burnt-offering, (Eze 43:24,) which was intended purely for the glory of God, to teach us to have an eye to that in all our services. This dedication of the altar is called the cleansing and purging of it, Eze 43:20; Eze 43:26. Christ, our altar, though he had no pollution to be cleansed from, yet sanctified himself, Joh 17:19. And when we consecrate the altars of our hearts to God, to have holy love always burning upon them, we must see that they be purified and cleansed from the love of the world and the lust of the flesh. It is observable, that there are several differences between the rites of dedication here, and those which were appointed Exodus 29., to intimate that the ceremonial institutions were mutable things, and the changes made in them were earnests of their termination in Christ. Only here, according to the general law that all the sacrifices must be seasoned with salt, (Lev 2:14,) particular orders are given (Eze 43:24) that the priests shall cast salt upon the sacrifices. Grace is the salt with which all our religious performances must be seasoned, Col 4:6. An everlasting covenant is called a covenant of salt, because it is incorruptible. The glory reserved for us is incorruptible and undefiled; and the grace wrought in us, influencing the hidden man of the heart, is in that which is not corruptible, and therefore, in the sight of God, of great price. We may observe further here, that constant use was to be made of the altar when dedicated; the priests being directed to make their burnt-offerings and peace-offerings upon it, (Eze 43:27,) for therefore it was sanctified, that it might sanctify the gift that was offered upon it. And for their encouragement in this whole service, God promises, on condition of their observing these directions, that he would graciously accept them: for those that give themselves to God shall be accepted of him, their persons first, and then their performances, through the Mediator; and if our persons be accepted, and our services be pleasing to him, it is enough, we need no more. <\/p>\n The cleansing of the altar 43:18-27<\/span><\/p>\n The Lord told Ezekiel what to do when the construction of the altar was complete. The purpose of this altar was to receive the burnt offerings that people would bring to the Lord and to receive the blood of those animal sacrifices.<\/p>\n "The offerings presented thereon were meant to be memorials, much as the Lord’s Supper is no efficacious sacrifice but a memorial of a blessedly adequate and all-sufficient sacrifice for all time. Thus, whereas the sacrifices of the Old Testament economy were prospective, these are retrospective." [Note: Feinberg, p. 254.] <\/span><\/p>\n Since Old Testament saints will experience resurrection at Christ’s second coming (Isa 26:19; Dan 12:2-3; Dan 12:13), perhaps Ezekiel himself will lead this purification ceremony at the beginning of the Millennium. Alternatively the Lord may have dealt with him in the vision as He will deal with the person in charge of the real purification ceremony when it occurs.<\/p>\n And he said unto me, Son of man, thus saith the Lord GOD; These [are] the ordinances of the altar in the day when they shall make it, to offer burnt offerings thereon, and to sprinkle blood thereon. 18. The general purpose of the altar. The burnt-offering was wholly consumed on the altar, of the … Continue reading “Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Ezekiel 43:18”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-21601","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-commentary"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21601","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=21601"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21601\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21601"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=21601"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=21601"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible <\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
[514] Zadok was the first high priest in Solomons Temple.<\/p>\nFuente: College Press Bible Study Textbook Series<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: You Can Understand the Bible: Study Guide Commentary Series by Bob Utley<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"