Ezekiel 45

Ezekiel 45 describes God’s instructions to the people of Israel regarding the division of the land, particularly focusing on setting aside a portion for the sanctuary, the city, and the prince. This chapter emphasizes the importance of holiness, justice, and integrity in worship and governance. Ezekiel's vision of the land distribution reflects God’s desire for His people to live in harmony, with clear boundaries for worship and social justice.

Ezekiel 45:1-4 (NKJV)
1 “Moreover, when you divide the land by lot into inheritance, you shall set apart a district for the Lord, a holy section of the land. Its length shall be twenty-five thousand cubits, and the width ten thousand. It shall be holy throughout its territory all around.
2 Of this, there shall be a square plot for the sanctuary, five hundred by five hundred rods, with fifty cubits around it for an open space.
3 So this is the district you shall measure: twenty-five thousand cubits long and ten thousand wide; in it shall be the sanctuary, the Most Holy Place.
4 It shall be a holy section of the land, belonging to the priests, the ministers of the sanctuary, who come near to minister to the Lord; it shall be a place for their houses and a holy place for the sanctuary.

God instructs the people to set aside a large portion of land as a sacred space dedicated to the Lord. This holy district would house the sanctuary and be designated as a place for priests who serve God directly. The detailed measurements underscore the sanctity and permanence of this space. The separation of a dedicated area reflects God’s intention for holiness to be central in the lives of His people.

Ezekiel 45:5-8 (NKJV)
5 An area twenty-five thousand cubits long and ten thousand wide shall belong to the Levites, the ministers of the temple; they shall have twenty chambers as a possession.
6 You shall appoint as the property of the city an area five thousand cubits wide and twenty-five thousand long, adjacent to the district of the holy section; it shall belong to the whole house of Israel.
7 The prince shall have a section on one side and the other of the holy district and the city’s property; and bordering on the holy district and the city’s property, extending westward on the west side and eastward on the east side; the length shall be side by side with one of the tribal portions, from the west border to the east border.
8 The land shall be his possession in Israel; and My princes shall no more oppress My people, but they shall give the rest of the land to the house of Israel, according to their tribes.

This passage designates land for the Levites, the city, and the prince. The prince's section borders the city and holy district, symbolizing his role in protecting and upholding righteousness without oppressing the people. The emphasis on equitable distribution illustrates God’s intention for justice and integrity in leadership, with the prince acting as a steward of the people’s welfare.

Ezekiel 45:9-12 (NKJV)
9 “Thus says the Lord God: ‘Enough, O princes of Israel! Remove violence and plundering, execute justice and righteousness, and stop dispossessing My people,’ says the Lord God.
10 ‘You shall have honest scales, an honest ephah, and an honest bath.
11 The ephah and the bath shall be of the same measure, so that the bath contains one-tenth of a homer, and the ephah one-tenth of a homer; their measure shall be according to the homer.
12 The shekel shall be twenty gerahs; twenty shekels, twenty-five shekels, and fifteen shekels shall be your mina.

Here, God calls out the princes for past injustices and demands they practice fairness and integrity. God specifies the use of honest scales and accurate measurements in transactions, reflecting His desire for ethical dealings among His people. This emphasis on precision in weights and measures serves as a metaphor for the moral purity expected from both leaders and the people.

Ezekiel 45:13-17 (NKJV)
13 “This is the offering which you shall offer: you shall give one-sixth of an ephah from a homer of wheat, and one-sixth of an ephah from a homer of barley.
14 The ordinance concerning oil, the bath of oil, is one-tenth of a bath from a kor. A kor is a homer or ten baths, for ten baths are a homer.
15 And one lamb shall be given from a flock of two hundred, from the rich pastures of Israel. These shall be for grain offerings, burnt offerings, and peace offerings, to make atonement for them,” says the Lord God.
16 “All the people of the land shall give this offering for the prince in Israel.
17 Then it shall be the prince’s part to give burnt offerings, grain offerings, and drink offerings, at the feasts, the New Moons, the Sabbaths, and at all the appointed seasons of the house of Israel. He shall prepare the sin offering, the grain offering, the burnt offering, and the peace offerings to make atonement for the house of Israel.”

God details the offerings the people are to provide, highlighting a collective responsibility to support worship. The prince plays a role in presenting these offerings, symbolizing his leadership in facilitating atonement for the people. These prescribed offerings underscore the community’s role in upholding and honoring their relationship with God.

Ezekiel 45:18-20 (NKJV)
18 ‘Thus says the Lord God: “In the first month, on the first day of the month, you shall take a young bull without blemish and cleanse the sanctuary.
19 The priest shall take some of the blood of the sin offering and put it on the doorposts of the temple, on the four corners of the ledge of the altar, and on the gateposts of the inner court.
20 And so you shall do on the seventh day of the month for everyone who has sinned unintentionally or in ignorance. Thus you shall make atonement for the temple.

These verses introduce a ritual of purification for the sanctuary, to be performed twice annually. The cleansing of the temple demonstrates the importance of purity in approaching God’s presence, especially considering human frailty. The rituals aim to maintain a holy environment for worship, acknowledging both intentional and unintentional sins.

Ezekiel 45:21-25 (NKJV)
21 “In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month, you shall observe the Passover, a feast of seven days; unleavened bread shall be eaten.
22 And on that day the prince shall prepare for himself and for all the people of the land a bull for a sin offering.
23 On the seven days of the feast he shall prepare a burnt offering to the Lord, seven bulls and seven rams without blemish, daily for seven days, and a kid of the goats daily for a sin offering.
24 And he shall prepare a grain offering of one ephah for each bull, and one ephah for each ram, together with a hin of oil for each ephah.
25 In the seventh month, on the fifteenth day of the month, at the feast, he shall do likewise for seven days, according to the sin offering, the burnt offering, the grain offering, and the oil.”

The chapter concludes with instructions for observing the Passover and the Feast of Tabernacles, with the prince leading in offering sacrifices on behalf of the people. This role solidifies the prince’s responsibility in spiritual leadership, bridging the community’s worship with God’s covenant. These feasts emphasize gratitude, remembrance, and repentance, reinforcing the community's connection to God through sacred practices.