Our Daily Scripture – 12/2/24 (Monday)

SCRIPTURE:  EZEKIEL 43

THE GLORY RETURNS TO THE TEMPLE (vs. 1-12)

Ezekiel saw the glory of God of Israel coming from the east with voice like the roar of rushing water and the land was radiant with his glory.  The glory of the Lord entered the temple through the gate facing east.  Then the Spirit lifted Ezekiel up and brought him into the inner court, and the glory of the Lord filled the temple.

Ezekiel was instructed to describe the temple to the people of Israel with the design – its arrangement, its exits and entrances, its whole design and all its regulations and laws.  Then he must write it down for the people to follow.  This is the law of the temple:  All the surrounding area on top of the mountain will be most holy.  Such is the law of the temple. (v. 12).

THE ALTAR (vs. 13-17):

  1. Gutter – a cubit deep and a cubit wide, with a rim of one span/ around the edge (v. 13)
  2. Height of the altar – from the gutter on the ground up to the lower ledge is 2 cubits high and cubit wide.  From the smaller ledge up to the larger ledge is 4 cubits high and a cubit wide. (v. 14)
  3. Altar hearth is 4 cubits high and four horns project upward from the hearth. (v. 15)
  4. The altar hearth is square, 12 cubits long and 12 cubits wide. (v. 16)
  5. Upper ledge is also square, 14 cubits long and 14 cubits wide, with a rim of half a cubit and a gutter of a cubit all around. (v. 17)

REGULATIONS FOR SACRIFICING BURNT OFFERINGS AND SPRINKLING BLOOD UPON THE ALTAR: (vs. 18-27)

  1.  Give a young bull as a sin offering to the priest, who are Levites. (v. 19)
  2.  Take some of the blood and put it on the four horns of the altar and on the four corners of the upper ledge and all arounds the rim to purify the  altar and make atonement for it. (v. 20)
  3.  Take the bull for the sin offering and burn it in the designated part of the temple area outside the sanctuary. (v. 21)
  4.  On the second day, offer a male goat without defect for a sin offering with a purified altar. (v. 22)
  5.  After finished purifying the alar, offer a young bull and a ram from the flock without defect. (v. 23)
  6.  Offer them before the Lord, and the priests are to sprinkle salt on them and sacrifice them as a burnt offering to the Lord. (v. 24)
  7.  For 7 days, provide a male goat daily for a sin offering.  Also provide a young bull and a ram from the flock without defect. (v. 25)
  8.  For 7 days, make atonement for the altar and cleanse it. (v. 26)
  9.  At the end of theses days, from the eight day on, the priests are to present the burnt offerings and fellowship offerings on the altar. (v. 27)

THOUGHTS:

Ezekiel was full of joy when he saw God’s glory returned to the temple.  But God gave instructions for Ezekiel to tell the people the design and regulations of the temple.  He stressed on the holiness of God.  Those people returned from exile must seek forgiveness through the sacrificial systems instituted in Moses.  Today, Christ’s death had made the forgiveness of our sins possible by coming to him in faith and repentance.