Ezekiel 46
The gate of the inner court that looked toward the east is part of the entrance reserved for the God of Israel (chapter 43:1-5), where the prince, as a mark of particular favor, is to be permitted to enter so far as to stand at the threshold while his burnt offerings and peace offerings are presented by the priests, and there he may worship. Such occasions are limited to the sabbath and the day of the new moon, and the gate is then to remain open until the evening, the people worshiping at the door of it (verses 1-3).
In chapter 40 we learned that there will be three entrances to the temple grounds, east, north and south of the building; of these the north and south gates will be open to the people at the set feasts, but they are to pass through, not returning by the way they went in (verse 9). At these times the prince is to go with the people (verse 10). However, when he offers voluntary burnt and peace offerings, the gate that looks toward the east will be opened for him, to be closed when he shall go out again.
A change in the sacrifices connected with the passover was noted in comparing chapter 45 with Exodus 12. A similar change is observed in connection with the sacrifice on each recurring sabbath. The sabbath of old was observed with an offering of two lambs, two tenths of an ephah of flour mingled with oil and a drink offering of the fourth part of a hin for each lamb (Numbers 28;9, 10). In the coming day of Israel’s restoration, six lambs and a ram, a whole ephah of flour for the ram alone, and flour for the lambs as the ruler shall be able to give, with a drink offering of a hin (one-sixth of an ephah or bath) for each ephah, will be the rule.
The new moon has a marked place in the Millennial order; it expresses the reestablishment of Israel—the nation’s appearing anew in the world. On the first of each lunar month, the prince is to make an offering of a young bullock, six lambs and a ram with their accompaniment of flour and oil (verses 6, 7).
In Numbers 28:1-81And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, 2Command the children of Israel, and say unto them, My offering, and my bread for my sacrifices made by fire, for a sweet savor unto me, shall ye observe to offer unto me in their due season. 3And thou shalt say unto them, This is the offering made by fire which ye shall offer unto the Lord; two lambs of the first year without spot day by day, for a continual burnt offering. 4The one lamb shalt thou offer in the morning, and the other lamb shalt thou offer at even; 5And a tenth part of an ephah of flour for a meat offering, mingled with the fourth part of an hin of beaten oil. 6It is a continual burnt offering, which was ordained in mount Sinai for a sweet savor, a sacrifice made by fire unto the Lord. 7And the drink offering thereof shall be the fourth part of an hin for the one lamb: in the holy place shalt thou cause the strong wine to be poured unto the Lord for a drink offering. 8And the other lamb shalt thou offer at even: as the meat offering of the morning, and as the drink offering thereof, thou shalt offer it, a sacrifice made by fire, of a sweet savor unto the Lord. (Numbers 28:1‑8) a daily sacrifice of two lambs for a continual burnt offering was required, one lamb each morning, and one each evening; in the Millennium there is to be but one lamb offered, and that each morning (verses 13-15). The explanation appears to be that there will be then no fading out of Israel’s day in darkness as when the nation was removed from the land God had given them, because of sin that compelled their banishment.
The latter part of the chapter provides against unrighteousness on the part of the prince, and points out that there will be sin that must be met by sacrifice in the Millennium.
ML 04/26/1936