Ezekiel 43:1-45:25

THE YEAR OF BLOGGING BIBLICALLY: DAY 256

Ezekiel's visions of Israel's restoration function, I believe, to draw YHWH's people into a better future. Whether the details of the vision were ever expected to be literally fulfilled, I don't know. I doubt it, but I don't know. What I think is that the visions were meant to guide God's people in their attitudes and actions when they return from exile. The visions are intended to provide hope and impetus for restoration.

In Ezekiel 4-443, the prophet's vision continues as he sees YHWH's glory return to the new, idealized temple. Once the glory has come in, the door is closed behind it.

A problem with the former temple was that the kings (Ezekiel calls them "princes") were too close. Their residences and tombs need to be farther away so that they do not contaminate the Temple's holiness.

I have long thought that Solomon's temple effectively created a religio-political complex of power in which the priests were effectively placed under the king's power. Ezekiel's vision-Temple dismantles the complex. It may even reverse the power structure to favor the (Zadolite) priests. Despite Ezekiel's vision, monarchy was never really re-established in Judea.

Chapter 45 describes the land to be apportioned to the Levites and the king in the restored Israel. Verses 9-17 instruct the king to rule justly. Verses 18-25 describe the celebration of the Passover with emphasis on the king's part.




The image of Ezekiel was borrowed from wiki. Next: Ezekiel 46-48