CHAPTER 45 THE NEW LAND AND THE NEW VISION.
What is written here appears at first sight to be simply an idealistic
arrangement for the division of the land by lot at the return from
exile, in a similar way to the Mosaic idealistic arrangements carried
into fruition by Joshua (Numbers 26:52), which n... [ Continue Reading ]
THE ALLOTMENT OF THE SACRED PORTION.
“Moreover when you divide by lot the land for inheritance, you will
offer a gift-offering to Yahweh, a holy portion of the land. The
length shall be the length of twenty five thousand, and the breadth
shall be ten thousand. It shall be holy in all its surroundin... [ Continue Reading ]
“It is a holy portion of the land. It shall be for the priests, for
the ministers of the sanctuary, who come near to minister to Yahweh.
And it shall be a place for their houses and a holy place for the
sanctuary.”
Once again we have the stress on the fact that the holy sanctuary is
surrounded by a... [ Continue Reading ]
“And twenty five thousand in length by ten thousand in breadth shall
be to the Levites, the ministers of the house, for a possession to
themselves, for twenty chambers.”
A further allocation of land is to be given to the Levites, of similar
size to that given to the priests. This would seem to be se... [ Continue Reading ]
“And you will appoint the possession of the city five thousand
broad, and twenty five long, side by side with the gift-offering of
the holy portion. It shall be for the whole house of Israel.”
‘The city' is also deliberately and specifically established outside
‘the holy portion'. To a people who t... [ Continue Reading ]
“And what is to belong to the prince will be on one side and on the
other side of the holy gift and of the possession of the city, in
front of the holy gift and the possession of the city on the west side
westward and on the east side eastward, and in length comparable to
one of the portions from th... [ Continue Reading ]
GOD'S WORD TO THE PRINCES OF ISRAEL (EZEKIEL 45:9).
The Need For The Prince To Ensure Justice and Fair Weights and
Measures.
‘Thus says the Lord Yahweh, “Let it be enough for you, O princes
of Israel. Remove violence and spoil, and execute judgment and
justice. Take away your evictions from my peo... [ Continue Reading ]
THE OBLATIONS TO BE PAID TO THE PRINCE TO ENABLE HIM TO MAKE THE
NECESSARY SACRIFICIAL OFFERINGS FOR THE PEOPLE (EZEKIEL 45:13).
“This is the oblation that you shall offer, the sixth part of an
ephah from a homer of wheat, and you shall give the sixth part of an
ephah from a homer of barley, and th... [ Continue Reading ]
THE PRINCE TO BE RESPONSIBLE TO ENSURE THAT THE OFFERINGS ARE OFFERED.
“And it shall be the prince's part to give the whole burnt
offerings, and the meal offerings, and the libations (drink or oil
offerings), in the feasts and in the new moons and in the sabbaths, in
all the appointed feasts of the... [ Continue Reading ]
THE PRINCE'S SACRAL RESPONSIBILITIES (EZEKIEL 45:17).
Ezekiel was aware what the limited role of the Prince would initially
be on their return to the land. The land would be ruled by governors
appointed by Persia, and the Prince could only therefore have a
limited local role. But with regard to the... [ Continue Reading ]
THE PRINCE'S RESPONSIBILITY FOR CLEANSING THE SANCTUARY AND THE PEOPLE
AT THE NEW YEAR.
‘Thus says the Lord Yahweh, “In the first month, on the first day
of the month, you will take a young bullock without blemish, and you
will cleanse the sanctuary. And the priest will take of the blood of
the sin... [ Continue Reading ]
THE PRINCE'S RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE PASSOVER AND THE FEAST OF
TABERNACLES.
What is described clearly abbreviates ancient ceremonies already
known, the full details of which did not need to be described. The
point being made here is the Prince's responsibility for them. The
Passover lambs themselves... [ Continue Reading ]
“In the seventh month, on the fifteenth day of the month, during the
feast he will do the like for seven days, with regard to the sin
offering, with regard to the whole burnt offering, with regard to the
meal offering and with regard to the oil.”
In the seventh month, the agricultural new year, at... [ Continue Reading ]