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Commentary on Ezekiel 45 verses 13–25
Having laid down the rules of the righteousness toward men, which is really a branch off true religion, he comes next to give some directions for their religion towards God, which is a branch of universal righteousness.
I. It is required that they offer an oblation to the Lord out of what they have (Eze 45:13): All the people of the land must give an oblation, Eze 45:16. As God's tenants, they must pay a quit-rent to their great landlord. They had offered an oblation out of their real estates (Eze 45:1), a holy portion of their land; now they are directed to offer an oblation out of their personal estates, their goods and chattels, as an acknowledgement of their receivings from him, their dependence on him, and their obligations to him. Note, Whatever our substance is we must honour God with it, by giving him his dues out of it. Not that God has need of or may be benefited by any thing that we can give him, Psa 50:9. No; it is but an oblation; we only offer it to him; the benefit of it returns back to ourselves, to his poor, who, as our neighbours, are ourselves, or to his ministers who serve continually for our good.
II. The proportion of this oblation is here determined, which was not done by the law of Moses. No mention is made of the title, but only of this oblation. And the quantum of this is thus settled: - 1. Out of their corn they were to offer a sixtieth part; out of every homer of wheat and barley, which contained ten ephahs, they were to offer the sixth part of one ephah, which was a sixtieth part of the whole, Eze 45:13. 2. Out of their oil (and probably their wine too) they were to offer a hundredth part, for this oblation; out of every cor, or homer, which contained ten baths they were to offer the tenth part of one bath, Eze 45:14. This was given to the altar; for in eery meat-offering there was flour mingled with oil. 3. Out of their flocks they were to give one lamb out of 200; that was the smallest proportion of all, Eze 45:15. But it must be out of the fat pastures of Israel. They must not offer to God that which was taken up from the common, but the fattest and best they had, for burnt-offerings and peace-offerings: the former were offered for the giving of glory to God, the latter for the fetching in of mercy, grace, and peace, from God, and in our spiritual sacrifices these are our two great errands at the throne of grace; but, in order to the acceptance of both, these sacrifices were to make reconciliation for them. Christ is our sacrifice of atonement, by whom reconciliation is made, and to him we must have an eye in our sacrifices of acknowledgment.
III. This oblation must be given for the prince in Israel, Eze 45:16. Some read it to the prince, and understand it of Christ, who is indeed the prince in Israel, to whom we must offer our oblations, and into whose hands we must put them, to be presented to the Father. Or, They shall give it with the prince; every private person shall bring his oblation, to be offered with that of the prince; for it follows (Eze 45:17). It shall be the prince's part to provide all the offerings, to make reconciliation for the house of Israel. The people were to bring their oblations to him according to the foregoing rules, and he was to bring them to the sanctuary, and to make up what fell short out of his own. Note, It is the duty of rulers to take care of religion, and to see that the duties of it be regularly and carefully performed by those under their charge, and that nothing be wanting that is requisite thereto: the magistrate is the keeper of both tables; and it is a happy thing when those that are above others in power and dignity go before them in the service of God.
IV. Some particular solemnities are here appointed.
1.Here is one in the beginning of the year, which seems to be altogether new, and not instituted by the law of Moses; it is the annual solemnity of cleansing the sanctuary. (1.) On the first day of the first month (upon new-year's day) they were to offer a sacrifice for the cleansing of the sanctuary (Eze 45:18), that is, to make atonement for the iniquity of the holy things the year past, that they might bring none of the guilt of them into the services of the new year, and to implore grace for the preventing of that iniquity, and for the better performance of the service of the sanctuary the ensuing year. And, in token of this, the blood of this sin-offering was to be put upon the posts of the gate of the inner court (Eze 45:19), to signify that by it atonement was intended to be made for the sins of all the servants that attended that house, priests, Levites, and people, even the sins that were found in all their services. Note, Even sanctuaries on earth need cleansing, frequent cleansing; that above needs none. Those what worship God together should often join in renewing their repentance for their manifold defects, and applying the blood of Christ for the pardon of them, and in renewing their covenants to be more careful for the future; and it is very seasonable to begin the year with this work, as Hezekiah did when it had been long neglected, Ch2 29:17. They were here appointed to cleanse the sanctuary upon the first day of the month, because on the fourteenth day of the month they were to eat the passover, an ordinance which, of all Old Testament institutions, had most in it of Christ and gospel grace, and therefore it was very fit that they should begin to prepare for it a fortnight before by cleansing the sanctuary. (2.) This sacrifice was to be repeated on the seventh day of the first month, Eze 45:20. And then it was intended to make atonement for every one that errs, and for him that is simple. Note, He that sins errs and is simple; he mistakes, he goes out of the way, and shows himself to be foolish and unwise. But here it is spoken of those sins which are committed through ignorance, mistake, or inadvertency, whether by any of the priests, or of the Levites, or of the people. Sacrifices were appointed to atone for such sins as men were surprised into, or did before they were aware, which they would not have done if they had known and remembered aright, which they were overtaken in, and for which, afterwards, they condemn themselves. But for presumptuous sins, committed with a high hand, there was no sacrifice appointed, Num 15:30. By these repeated sacrifices you shall reconcile the house, that is, God will be reconciled to it, and continue the tokens of his presence in it, and will let it alone this year also.
2.The passover was to be religiously observed at the time appointed, Eze 45:21. Christ is our passover, that is sacrificed for us. We celebrate the memorial of that sacrifice and feast upon it, triumphing in our deliverance out of the Egyptian slavery of sin and our preservation from the sword of the destroying angel, the sword of divine justice, in the Lord's supper, which is our passover-feast, as the whole Christian life is, and must be, the feast of unleavened bread. It is here appointed that the prince shall prepare a sin-offering, to be offered for himself and the people, a bullock on the first day (Eze 45:22) and a kid of the goats every other day (Eze 45:23), to teach us, in all our attendance upon God for communion with him, to have an eye to the great sin-offering, by which transgression was finished and an everlasting righteousness brought in. On every day of the feast there was to be a burnt-offering, purely for the honour of God, of no less than seven bullocks and seven rams, with their meat-offering, which were wholly consumed upon the altar, and yet no waste, Eze 45:23, Eze 45:24.
3.The feast of tabernacles; that is spoken of next (Eze 45:25), and there is no mention of the feast of pentecost, which came between that of the passover and that of tabernacles. Orders are here given (above what were given by the law of Moses) for the same sacrifices to be offered during the seven days of the passover. See the deficiency of the legal sacrifices for sin; they were therefore often repeated, not only every year, but every feast, every day of the feast, because they could not make the comers thereunto perfect, Heb 10:1, Heb 10:3. See the necessity of our frequently repeating the same religious exercises. Though the sacrifice of atonement is offered once for all, yet the sacrifices of acknowledgement, that of a broken heart, that of a thankful heart, those spiritual sacrifices which are acceptable to God through Christ Jesus, must be every day offered. We should, as here, fall into a method of holy duties, and keep to it.
(Verse 15 and following) And one ram from the flock of two hundred, from those that nourish Israel, for a sacrifice, and for a burnt offering, and for peace offerings, to make atonement for them, says the Lord God. The whole population of the land shall be held accountable for these first fruits to the prince in Israel. And the prince shall have burnt offerings, and sacrifice, and drink offerings for the festivals, and for the new moons, and for the Sabbaths, and for all the appointed feasts of the house of Israel. He himself will make a sacrifice for sin, and a burnt offering, and peace offerings, to make atonement for the house of Israel. As mentioned above, a certain portion of those things that are offered, both dry and liquid measures, should be offered to the prince. Now he holds the same order of firstfruits in regard to animals: that one of the flock of two hundred rams should be commanded to be offered, which nourishes Israel, as a sacrifice and burnt offering, and peace offering, to make atonement for the people of Israel, says the Lord God. What we have interpreted, regarding what nourishes Israel, is written in Hebrew as Memmasce(), which Aquila and Symmachus interpret as 'from the waters', and the Septuagint and Theodotion interpret as 'from the reservoirs'. The former refers to irrigation, while the latter refers to canals or pools, indicating that the firstfruits of the prince should only be nourished in irrigation systems. And just as we read in previous passages that a sixtieth part should be offered to the prince from what is attached and subject to measurement, now a two-hundredth part of animals is commanded to be offered. And by such commands of the law, the entire people are subject to offering to the leader or prince, so that through him, burnt offerings, sacrifices, and libations may be offered for the people and the house of God may be exonerated. From which it must be noted that just as the people owe the offering of first fruits to the ruler, so the ruler owes the offering of victims to the people, whom, according to the trope, we can understand to be none other than the Lord Savior. It is he who receives a ram for the two hundred animals, or as the Hebrew word more significantly indicates, the sustenance that can be referred not specifically to the ram but to all animals, and he receives the animal or ram that has been nourished in fertile places, namely the holy Scriptures, and he can say, 'The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want; he has set me in a place of pasture, he has nourished me by the waters of refreshment' (Psalm 22:1-2). These were the irrigated, or rather, these were the canals, to which Jacob led his livestock, so that they could drink and conceive in them, and according to the color of the rods, they would produce offspring for the Lord (Gen. 30). As for sacrifice, that is θυσία in Greek, Aquila and Symmachus interpret it as gift: which in Hebrew is called Manaa (), and properly does not pertain to the offering, but to those things which are offered in sacrifice, such as flour, porridge, and oil. But a Holocaust is what is entirely offered to God and is consumed by sacred fire. Pacifica, when we are reconciled to God; and the Apostle speaks for us: We beseech you in Christ, be reconciled to God (2 Corinthians 5:20). And in another place: God was in Christ, reconciling the world to Himself (ibid., 19). Now this ruler, to whom the first fruits are offered, is also a king: as is demonstrated on the title of the cross with Hebrew, Greek, and Latin letters. And when the Jews insisted that the triumphal title be removed, the crowd of the Gentiles responded to Pilate: What I have written, I have written (John 19:22). Under the prince, he says, they will be. The dignity of the priesthood should be bestowed beautifully, to which it is subject; so that it knows that it must offer sacrifices and libations that are offered from wine ((or smoke)) for the people in all solemnities: both on the kalends, that is, the first day of the month, and on the sabbaths: when darkness covers everything, the beginning of the lunar light is: and on the rest of the sabbaths: so that it may indeed make atonement for sin, to cleanse the house of Israel, which is the Church of the living God, a pillar and foundation of truth. For this is the house of the living God, and the house of Israel, which is in need of the expiation of its sins.
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SUMMARY
Ezekiel 45:15 presents a divine mandate for a specific contribution of a lamb from the abundant pastures of Israel, designated for various communal offerings—namely, the grain offering, burnt offering, and peace offerings. These sacrifices are prescribed with the explicit purpose "to make reconciliation" for the people. This instruction, delivered with the authoritative declaration "saith the Lord GOD," is an integral part of Ezekiel's comprehensive vision for a restored temple and its ordinances in a future, idealized Israel, underscoring the re-establishment of proper worship and the ongoing divine provision for atonement within the community.
CONTEXT
Literary Context: Ezekiel 45:15 is situated within the latter, visionary section of Ezekiel's prophecy, specifically chapters 40-48, which meticulously detail a new temple, its precise dimensions, the sacred portion of the land, and the ordinances for worship in a restored Israel. This elaborate blueprint follows the devastating destruction of the first temple and the Babylonian exile, serving as a powerful divine promise of future restoration and renewed covenant relationship. Chapter 45, in particular, focuses on the sacred land distribution, the responsibilities of the prince, and the required contributions for communal offerings, ensuring the maintenance of the sacrificial system. The verse immediately precedes further instructions regarding the prince's role in providing offerings for the festivals, reinforcing the communal and institutional nature of the prescribed worship. The meticulous detail across Ezekiel 40-48 profoundly underscores God's desire for order, holiness, and a re-established, pure covenant relationship with His people.
Historical & Cultural Context: The vision of Ezekiel's temple was revealed to the prophet during the Babylonian exile (circa 593-571 BC), a period of profound national trauma and spiritual introspection for the Israelites. The destruction of Jerusalem and its temple, which had been the very heart of their religious and national identity, raised existential questions about God's faithfulness and Israel's future. In this context of despair, the detailed instructions for a new temple and its sacrificial system functioned as a potent message of hope, divine restoration, and God's enduring commitment to His covenant people. Culturally, the sacrificial system was the bedrock of Israelite worship, providing the divinely ordained means for approaching a holy God, confessing sin, expressing thanksgiving, and maintaining fellowship. The emphasis on specific quantities and quality ("one lamb out of two hundred, out of the fat pastures") reflects the ancient Near Eastern understanding of offering the "firstfruits" and the "best" as a profound sign of reverence, obedience, and dependence, ensuring the purity and sufficiency of the offerings presented to God.
Key Themes: This verse contributes significantly to several overarching themes prominent in Ezekiel and the broader Old Testament narrative. Firstly, it highlights the theme of Divine Order and Holiness, as God meticulously prescribes the precise means by which His people can approach Him in a holy manner, emphasizing precision, purity, and integrity in worship. Secondly, the mention of "fat pastures of Israel" powerfully underscores the theme of God's Provision and Blessing, indicating that the restored land will be abundantly fruitful and capable of sustaining the required offerings, a stark and hopeful contrast to the desolation experienced during the exile (Ezekiel 36:30). Thirdly, and most crucially, the verse articulates the profound theme of Atonement and Reconciliation. The various offerings—grain, burnt, and peace—culminating "to make reconciliation for them," demonstrate the perpetual need for expiation of sin and the restoration of a right relationship with God, a central and indispensable tenet of the Mosaic covenant (Leviticus 17:11). This vision anticipates a future where God's glorious presence is fully re-established among a purified people, as seen in Ezekiel 43:7.
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Ezekiel 45:15 masterfully employs several literary devices to convey its profound theological and spiritual message. Symbolism is paramount, with the "lamb" serving as a potent symbol of purity, innocence, and substitutionary sacrifice, a motif deeply ingrained in Israelite worship and pointing to a greater future reality. The various "offerings" (grain, burnt, peace) collectively symbolize the multifaceted nature of humanity's interaction with the divine: complete surrender, grateful acknowledgment, and joyful fellowship, all culminating in the ultimate goal of atonement. The meticulous numerical proportion ("one out of two hundred") and the descriptive phrase "fat pastures of Israel" utilize Specific Detail to create a vivid and tangible picture of an ideal, abundant, and divinely ordered worship environment, emphasizing both divine precision and the blessings of a restored land. Finally, the concluding phrase, "saith the Lord GOD," acts as a powerful Divine Pronouncement or Divine Fiat, lending absolute authority, certainty, and divine imperative to the instructions, reinforcing that these are not human suggestions but direct, immutable commands from the sovereign Creator and Covenant-Keeper.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Ezekiel 45:15 stands as a profound theological statement, emphasizing God's unwavering commitment to providing a means for His people to be reconciled to Him, even in an ideal future. It underscores the perpetual reality of human sin and the divine necessity of atonement for maintaining a holy relationship with God. The detailed prescription of a lamb for various offerings highlights that true worship involves both the expiation of sin and the cultivation of a holistic relationship with God—one marked by complete surrender, grateful dedication, and joyful communion. This vision, given in a time of national desolation, served as a powerful reminder that God's plan for His people always included a path to holiness and restored fellowship, even when human efforts failed. It foreshadows a greater, more perfect reconciliation to come, rooted in God's own perfect provision.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
While the literal sacrificial system detailed in Ezekiel is no longer practiced by Christians, having found its perfect and final fulfillment in Jesus Christ, the underlying principles of Ezekiel 45:15 remain profoundly relevant for believers today. This verse serves as a stark reminder of humanity's inherent and desperate need for reconciliation with a holy God, a need that is met not by our own merit or works, but solely by God's gracious and sovereign provision. It challenges us to deeply consider the quality and nature of our "offerings" to God—not just material possessions, but our time, talents, affections, and very lives. The expectation of a generous contribution from the "fat pastures" encourages us to offer our absolute best, recognizing that all we have and are comes as a gift from Him. Furthermore, the combination of offerings (burnt, grain, peace) teaches us that our relationship with God is multi-faceted, requiring complete surrender of self, grateful acknowledgment of His daily provision and blessings, and joyful, intimate fellowship. Our worship, therefore, should be holistic, encompassing every aspect of our lives as a "living sacrifice" unto Him, reflecting His holiness and grace.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What is the significance of "one lamb out of two hundred"?
Answer: This specific proportion signifies a generous yet manageable contribution from the community, emphasizing communal responsibility for the maintenance of temple worship and the sacrificial system. It suggests a standard of abundance and quality ("fat pastures") that the restored Israel would be able to provide, reflecting God's blessing on the land and His desire for a high standard of worship. It's not merely about a quantitative measure, but about offering a significant, high-quality portion from the community's prosperity, demonstrating reverence and dedication. This contribution would be a regular, perhaps annual, requirement for the collective offerings, highlighting the ongoing nature of atonement and worship.
Does this verse imply that animal sacrifices will resume in a future temple?
Answer: From a Christian theological perspective, no. While Ezekiel's vision is highly detailed and literal in its description, its ultimate fulfillment is understood to be spiritual and typological, pointing to the perfect and final sacrifice of Jesus Christ. The New Testament consistently teaches that Christ's death on the cross was the "once for all" sacrifice that perfectly accomplished atonement, rendering further animal sacrifices unnecessary (Hebrews 10:10-14). Therefore, while the vision profoundly emphasizes the importance of atonement and worship, its literal fulfillment in the Christian era is found not in renewed animal sacrifices, but in Christ's completed work and the spiritual worship of the church, which now serves as God's temple (1 Corinthians 3:16).
What is the difference between a "meat offering," "burnt offering," and "peace offerings"?
Answer: These were distinct types of sacrifices in ancient Israel, each with unique purposes and rituals:
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Ezekiel 45:15, with its emphasis on a pure lamb offered for reconciliation, finds its ultimate and perfect fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ. The "one lamb" from the "fat pastures of Israel" powerfully foreshadows the Lamb of God, Jesus Christ, who came from the blessed lineage of Israel to be the perfect, unblemished sacrifice. Just as the Old Testament offerings aimed "to make reconciliation," Christ's death on the cross accomplished the complete and final atonement for humanity's sin, providing a reconciliation that the blood of animals could never fully achieve (Hebrews 10:4). He is our ultimate "burnt offering," representing total surrender and devotion to God's will through His perfect obedience unto death (Hebrews 10:7); our perfect "grain offering," as His life was a pure and dedicated offering of perfect righteousness; and our eternal "peace offering," establishing true and lasting peace between God and humanity through His blood (Colossians 1:20). The meticulous instructions in Ezekiel's vision highlight the divine necessity of a perfect, substitutionary sacrifice, a need perfectly met by Christ, who is both the High Priest and the offering, the one who truly "makes reconciliation for them" once and for all (Romans 3:25). Through Him, believers are brought into an eternal covenant of peace and fellowship with God.