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Thursday 1 September 2011

Day 246: Temple Worship


Everything is new and clean in Ezekiel’s world. A vision of how things could be, and should be.
The Lord’s portion of the land
Ezekiel 45:1-6
The prince’s portion
Ezekiel 45:7-8
Weights and measures
Ezekiel 45:9-15
The prince’s duty
Ezekiel 45:16-17
The festivals
Ezekiel 45:18-25
Rules regarding worship
Ezekiel 46:1-12
The daily offering
Ezekiel 46:13-15
The prince’s land
Ezekiel 46:16-18
Place for boiling the offerings
Ezekiel 46:19-24
The stream flowing from the Temple
Ezekiel 47:1-12

Ezekiel some rules of reformation for the new land and new worship. There will no longer be oppression from the royal family, but just dealings. Perhaps it’s significant that he repeatedly uses the word “prince” not king - Israel’s royalty got too big for their boots, and will be cut down to size.
Detailed instructions for worship follow, and then in chapter 47 something amazing. Clearly this is visionary, not realistic, but how so symbolic. A stream of pure water issues from the centre of the Temple, from the altar, and flows away through the land, getting deeper as it goes. By its side, trees grow with great abundance. The river empties into the Dead Sea, and turns its Salt waters fresh. Fish can live in it, and it is dead no longer. The point is obvious - true worship of God gives life to the whole land.

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