The Book of the Prophet Ezekiel
Ezekiel 44
Chapter XLIV · Vol. III, pp. 1375–1377
1 The east gate assigned only to the prince. 4 The priests reproved for allowing strangers to pollute the sanctuary. 9 Idolaters incapable of the priest's office. 15 The sons of Zadok are accepted thereto. 17 Ordinances for the priests.
1 Then he brought me back the way of the gate of the aoutward sanctuary which looketh toward the east, and it was bshut.
2 Then said the LORD unto me; This gate shall be shut, it shall not be opened, and no man1 shall enter in by it; because the LORD, the God of Israel, chath entered in by it, therefore it shall be shut.
1 No man—no common man—it is reserved for the prince. It appears from 1 Ch.9.18, that a particular gate was appropriated to the use of the king. The emblem of that 'gate of righteousness,' by which Messiah the king was to enter (Ps.118.19,20), and of that authority and power by which he 'opens and no man shuts; he shuts and no man opens,' Re.3.7. In accordance with the Hebrew custom, and, not improbably, as a derivative from it, there are gates in some eastern cities which have been walled up on account of the entrance or departure of a king, so as to make certain that no inferior should ever use it.—C.
3 Itd is for the prince; the prince, he shall sit in it to eat bread ebefore the LORD; he shall enter by the way of the porch of that gate, and shall go out by the way of the same.
4 Then brought he me the way of the north gate before the house: and I looked, and, behold, gthe glory of the LORD filled the house of the LORD; and hI fell upon my face.
5 And the LORD said unto me, Son of man, mark well,2 and behold with thine eyes, and hear with thine ears, all that iI say unto thee concerning all the ordinances of the house of the LORD, and all the laws thereof; and mark well the entering in of the house, with every going forth of the sanctuary.
6 And thou shalt say to the jrebellious, even to the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord GOD, O ye house of Israel, klet it suffice you of all your abominations,
7 Inl that ye have brought into my sanctuary strangers,3 uncircumcisedn ino heart, and uncircumcised in flesh, to be in my sanctuary, to pollute it, even my house, when ye poffer my bread, the fat and the blood, and they have qbroken my covenant, because of all your abominations.
8 And rye have not kept the charge of mine holy things: but ye have set keepers of my charge4 in my sanctuary for yourselves.5
r Le.22.9. Ac.7.53. Phi.2.21. 2 Ti.4.10. ch.40.45. Is.56.10,11.
4 Or, ward or ordinance, and so ver.14,16.
5 You have appointed unworthy substitutes to perform your duties, who have performed it negligently and profanely.—C.
9 Thus saith the Lord GOD, sNo stranger, uncircumcised in heart,6 nor uncircumcised in flesh, shall enter into my sanctuary, of any stranger that is among the children of Israel.
s Ps.50.16; 93.5. Ac.2.41. Tit.1.6. Mat.7.6. Re.2.27. Joel 3.17. Zec.14.21. Jn.3.3,5, with De.10.16. Le.26.41. Je.4.4; 9.26. Ro.2.29. Mar.16.16.
6 The verse implies the admission of the Gentiles, not merely to the outer court, but, on the principle of a renewed heart, even to the service of the sanctuary; and it is evident that this 'ordinance of the house' refers to a spiritual state that never yet has been in the church, but which he that 'searcheth the reins and hearts,' Re. 2. 23, has at all times a right to require and enjoin; and which the fuller outpouring of his Spirit will undoubtedly yet effect.—C.
10 And tthe Levites that are gone away far from me, when uIsrael went astray, which went astray away from me after their idols; they shall even vbear their iniquity.
t ver.15. 2 Ki.23.8,9. 2 Ch.29.4,5. ch.48.11. Ex.20.5.
u 1 Ti.5.22.
11 Yetx they shall be ministers in my sanctuary, having charge at the gates of the house, and ministering to the house: they shall slay the burnt-offering and the sacrifice for the people, and they shall stand before them to minister unto them.
x ver.14. 1 Ch.xxvi.; 23.28-32. 2 Ch.29.4,5,34; 30.17. Nu.18.6; 16.9.
12 Becausey they ministered unto them before their idols, and zcaused the house of Israel to fall into iniquity;7 therefore have I lifted aup mine hand against them, saith the Lord GOD, and they shall bbear their iniquity.
13 Andc they shall not come near unto me, to do the office of a priest unto me, nor to come near to any of my holy things, in the most holy place;8 but they shall dbear their shame, and their abominations which they have committed:
14 Bute I will make them keepers of the charge of the house, for all the service thereof, and for all that shall be done therein.
e ver.11. 1 Ch.xxvi.; 23.28-32. Nu.18.6. 2 Ch.30.17.
15 Butg the priests the Levites, the hsons of Zadok, that kept the charge of my sanctuary when the children of Israel went astray from me, they shall come near to me to minister unto me, and ithey shall stand before me to offer unto me jthe fat and the blood, saith the Lord GOD:
h ch.40.46; 43.19; 48.11. Nu.25.13. 1 Sa.2.31. 1 Ki.2.27,35. 2 Ti.2.2. 1 Th.2.10. 1 Ti.3.10. Re.2.7,10,11,17; 3.5,10,12,21.
i De.10.8.
16 They kshall enter into my sanctuary, and they shall come near to my ltable,9 to minister unto me, and they shall nkeep my charge.
17 And it shall come to pass, that, when they enter in at the gates of the inner court, othey shall be clothed with linen garments;1 and pno wool shall come upon them while they minister in the gates of the inner court, and within.
o Ex.28.39-43; 39.27-29. Le.16.4. Re.4.4; 7.13,15. 1 Ti.6.11. Is.61.10.
1 They should not wear their holy garments among the people under any pretence of sanctifying them, by allowing them to be superstitiously touched or kissed.—C.
p ver.18. 1 Co.10.32. 2 Co.6.3. 1 Ti.6.8-11. Phi.4.11.
18 They shall have linen qbonnets upon their heads, and shall have rlinen breeches upon their loins; they shall not gird themselves 2with any thing that causeth sweat.3
q Ex.28.40. 1 Co.11.10.
r Ex.28.42. 1 Ti.4.12. 2 Ti.2.22.
2 Or, in sweating places. Heb. in or with sweat, Mat.6.4,6. 2 Co.2.17, with 2 Co.3.5. Ep.6.14.
3 Because 'the sweat of the brow' was a memorial of sin and of the curse, therefore the priests, whose office was to 'bless and curse not,' should not of choice, nor under any pretence, advice, custom, or authority, wear any garment tending to be 'spotted by the flesh,' Ge.3.19. Ro.13.14. Jude 23.—C.
19 And when they go forth into the outer court, even into the outer court to the people, sthey shall put off their garments wherein they ministered, and lay them in the holy chambers, and they shall put on other garments; and they tshall not sanctify the people with their garments.
20 Neitheru shall they shave their heads, nor suffer their locks to grow long; they shall only poll their heads.
u Le.21.5. De.14.1. Nu.6.5. 1 Co.11.14. Tit.1.8.
21 Neither vshall any priest drink wine, when they enter into the inner court.
v Le.10.9-11. 1 Ti.3.3. Tit.1.7.
22 Neither shall they take for their wives a xwidow, nor her that is put away:4 but they shall take maidens of the seed of the house of Israel, or a widow that had a priest before.5
23 And ythey shall teach my people the difference between the holy and profane, and cause them to discern between the unclean and the clean.
y Le.10.10,11. ch.22.26. Mal.2.7. Je.15.19.
24 Andz in controversy6 they shall stand in judgment; and they shall judge it according to my judgments: and they shall akeep my laws and my statutes in all mine assemblies; and they shall hallow my bsabbaths.
* This ordinance implies that even in the most perfect earthly state of the church there may be controversies concerning rights and properties, but that there will be a righteous administration of justice, and a ready acquiescence in legal decisions.—C.
z De.17.8. 2 Ch.19.8,10,11. Mat.18.17. 1 Co.5.1-7. 2 Co.2.6.
6 See note * in first column.
a 1 Ti.3.15; 4.12; 6.11,14. 2 Ti.2.22-26; 4.2. Col.4.17. Ac.20.18-34.
b ch.22.26. Is.58.13,14.
25 And they shall come at no cdead person to defile themselves: but for father, or for mother, or for son, or for daughter, for brother, or for sister that hath had no husband, they may defile themselves.
26 And after he is dcleansed they shall reckon unto him seven days.
d Nu.6.10; 19.11. He.9.13,14.
27 Ande in the day that he goeth into the sanctuary, unto the inner court, to minister in the sanctuary, he shall offer his sin-offering, saith the Lord GOD.
28 And it shall be unto them for an inheritance; I gam their inheritance: and ye shall give them no possession7 in Israel: I am their possession.
g Nu.18.20,21. De.10.9; 18.1,2. Jos.13.14,33.
7 No possession. No exclusive possession, such as the other tribes received. And historically, it appears there was a mixture of secular and ecclesiastical possession. Thus David is found in possession of Hebron (2 Sa.2.11), which was one of the Levitical cities, Jos. 21. 11, 13. How this community of rights and properties was regulated does not appear; but it must have been well defined, as there is no record either of complaint or dispute arising from its existence.—C.
29 Theyh shall eat the meat-offering, and the sin-offering, and the trespass-offering; and ievery dedicated8 thing in Israel shall be theirs.
30 And the jfirst9 of all the first-fruits of all things, and every oblation of all, of every sort of your oblations, shall be the priest's: ye shall also give unto the priest the first of your dough, that he may cause the blessing to rest in thine house.
j Ex.13.2; 22.29,30. Nu.3.13; 15.20,29; 18.12. De.26.13-15. 2 Ch.31.10. Pr.3.9,10. Mal.3.10. Ne.10.37. 1 Co.9.11-14. Ga.6.6.
9 Or, chief.
Notes
Ver. 10-31; with ch. 43. 19, 26, 27; 46. 20; 40. 46; 42. 1-14; 45. 4, 5, 19; 48. 10-12. By these priests are represented gospel ministers. Their being the sons of Zadok, the Righteous One, not Levites that went astray, implies their being true and blameless children of Jesus Christ, and faithful preachers of his atonement as the substance of the gospel. Their eight days' consecration along with the altar imports their entrance on their work with great deliberation, much solemn prayer, noted application of Jesus' blood, and vigorous study of gospel holiness. Their being clothed with linen, not with wool, or anything that causeth sweat, imports their being arrayed with Jesus' blessed righteousness, his implanted grace, and a holy conversation; not with their own fatiguing, defiled, and defiling works; and their maintaining purity of doctrine, esteeming their work their pleasure, not their burden, and in neither being erroneous nor unsavoury. Their linen bonnets and breeches denote their gravity, modesty, chastity, and freedom from Antichristian whoredoms. Their laying aside their fine robes, and wearing other garments when among the people, may denote that, though they must only appear before God in the righteousness of his Son, yet, by a gospel conversation, they must recommend holiness to their hearers. Their not sanctifying the people with their garments may denote that they must indulge no vain glory of superiority to others in goodness, nor pretend to convey any holiness, merit, or safety to them. Their neither shaving their hair, nor suffering it to grow long, imports their abstinence from Popish superstition, pride, and wantonness. Their not drinking wine, &c., imports that they must never indulge drunkenness, luxury, or carnal care; that they must marry only such women as are of good report, and never connect themselves with apostate and disorderly churches; that they must, by doctrine and example, faithfully teach their hearers, and compose differences among them; and must avoid immoderate sorrow for the loss of created enjoyments. The food, fields, &c., allotted them for a maintenance, import their continual living on Christ crucified and his new-covenant provision, and their being decently and commodiously supported by their hearers. Their having distinct chambers for themselves may denote their office circumscribed by the divine law, and that none ought to interfere with either their work or benefice without commission from Christ. Their offering the sacrifices of the people may denote their preaching Christ crucified among them, and leading their exercises in their public dedications of themselves to God.
Reflections.—It is highly reasonable and infinitely delightful that Jesus, our only Mediator, Prince, and High-priest, should in all things have the pre-eminence. And it is necessary that God's mercies should be always attended with the most cordial repentance and thorough reformation. How provoking to God, ruinous to the church, and damning to souls, is it when persons apparently graceless are admitted to the seals of God's promise, and to the office of rulers in the church of Christ! Nor must ministers who have fallen into scandal be hastily or easily restored to their office. It is in vain to expect a flourishing church where government and discipline are neglected, and where ministers are not extremely regular in all their conduct. But while ministers give up worldly cares for the sake of their hearers' salvation, it becomes their hearers, as they regard the blessing of God, and their own temporal or spiritual welfare, to provide for them a decent subsistence.