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.
In all this it will be seen that the Millennium will bring no such access to God as the. Christian has; boldness to enter the holiest by the blood of Jesus (Hebrews 10:19-22) will not be possessed by Israel. Through Christ Jesus we (Christians) have access by one Spirit unto the Father (Ephesians 2:18).
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 28:1-8 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