Ezekiel 44:10

Ezekiel 44:10 says, And the Levites that are gone away far from me, when Israel went astray, which went astray away from me after their idols; they shall even bear their iniquity.  God told Ezekiel that the priests that had gone far away from him when Israel went astray would bear their iniquity.  They were supposed to be serving God and representing Him to the people of Israel but had led them into rebellion against Him instead.  They were Levites in name only and not because they were living in accordance with their covenant relationship with God.  If we are a part of the priesthood of believers in name only one day we will bear our iniquity.  If we have led others astray, we will be held accountable for that as well.  

Verse eleven adds, Yet they shall be ministers in my sanctuary, having charge at the gates of the house, and ministering to the house: they shall slay the burnt offering and the sacrifice for the people, and they shall stand before them to minister unto them.  God said that when the temple was restored and they had repented and returned to obeying Him that they would once again serve Him in the temple.  If we have strayed away from God as Christians and repent and follow His commandments once more, we will again be able to serve as He calls us to serve.  Matthew Henry says that even though they would be allowed to serve once more, it would be at the tables and not at the altar.  During the captivity and the days after the temple had been destroyed, the Levites had no more responsibility than any other Israelite.   After Jesus, Who referred to Himself as the temple, was killed, or destroyed, the Levites were no longer needed.  The only way they could be restored to a covenant relationship with God was by putting their faith in Jesus Christ just like any other person must do.  Being born a Levite didn’t make them better able to serve God than anyone else.  As followers of Christ, none of us is spiritually better than anyone else because of our birth or even our calling to serve.  

Verse twelve continues, Because they ministered unto them before their idols, and caused the house of Israel to fall into iniquity; therefore have I lifted up mine hand against them, saith the Lord God, and they shall bear their iniquity.  God said that since these Levites had not lived in accordance with their covenant relationship with Him that they would bear their iniquity.  We have to assume that they had repented by now, but they were stripped of their calling to serve as priests.  

Verse fifteen states, And they shall not come near unto me, to do the office of a priest unto me, nor to come near to any of my holy things, in the most holy place: but they shall bear their shame, and their abominations which they have committed.  This states that even though they would be restored to service in the temple, it would be limited from what it had been before.  They were not to be near the holy things or the holy place of God.  I don’t believe that if God has called us to a position of service today and we sin that if we repent that we will never be able to serve in that position again, but we may limit our effectiveness.  

Verse sixteen adds, But I will make them keepers of the charge of the house, for all the service thereof, and for all that shall be done therein.  God said that instead of serving at the altar that they would serve more as porters.  Since as followers of Christ we are all a part of the priesthood of believers, if we sin, we are still a part of that priesthood or a saved person, but as long as we rebel against God’s word, we will be limited in what we can do for Him.  

Verse fifteen continues, But the priests the Levites, the sons of Zadok, that kept the charge of my sanctuary when the children of Israel went astray from me, they shall come near to me to minister unto me, and they shall stand before me to offer unto me the fat and the blood, saith the Lord God:  God said certain of the priests would be allowed to come near Him again to offer the sacrifices.  These were priests who had not turned away from God and led the people astray and that not just what family they were from made them eligible.  If we have turned away from God, who our ancestors are will not make us fit to serve God.  It is only by having our sins forgiven by accepting Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord that does, and even then, we are no better spiritually than any other Christian.  

Verse sixteen concludes, They shall enter into my sanctuary, and they shall come near to my table, to minister unto me, and they shall keep my charge.   This group of priests would be allowed to come near to God and serve in His sanctuary.  If we are to effectively serve God today, we must confess our sins and come to Him in obedience to His commandments after we are again washed clean by the blood of Christ.

Ezekiel 44:4

Ezekiel 44:4 says, Then brought he me the way of the north gate before the house: and I looked, and, behold, the glory of the Lord filled the house of the Lord: and I fell upon my face.  Ezekiel said that when he was brought to the north gate that the glory of God filled the temple and he fell on his face.  God’s glory should always fill our loves as Christians, and we should always bow to His will.  We are unworthy to worship Him by our own merit.  

Verse five adds, And the Lord said unto me, Son of man, mark well, and behold with thine eyes, and hear with thine ears all that I say unto thee concerning all the ordinances of the house of the Lord, and all the laws thereof; and mark well the entering in of the house, with every going forth of the sanctuary.  Ezekiel was told to mark well, or intently, seeing with his eyes and hearing with his ears all that God said to him concerning the laws of God and the entry into His temple.  As followers of Christ, we must intensely study God’s word, should be able to see His glory in the world, and should hear Him when He speaks to us.   We must also understand that there is only one gate, or way to enter God’s kingdom, and that is by faith in Jesus Christ.  

Verse six continues, And thou shalt say to the rebellious, even to the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord God; O ye house of Israel, let it suffice you of all your abominations,  Ezekel was to proclaim God’s word to the rebellious house of Israel, His chosen people.  If Christians, God’s chosen people today, begin to go astray, preachers, and even individual Christians, need to proclaim God’s word to them.  Ezekiel was to first point out their faults and was then to call them to repentance.  If Christians are allowing sin into their lives today, we must under the leadership of the Holy Spirit, point them out, not as someone who is morally superior, but as a fellow sinner saved by grace.

Verse seven states, In that ye have brought into my sanctuary strangers, uncircumcised in heart, and uncircumcised in flesh, to be in my sanctuary, to pollute it, even my house, when ye offer my bread, the fat and the blood, and they have broken my covenant because of all your abominations.  God said that the people of Israel had brought the uncircumcised both in heart and in the flesh into His temple while they were worshipping Him.  This was against God’s covenant with them then, but we are under the new covenant, so we need to bring the lost into the house of God.   Still, we are not to come into His house if we are under His covenant with unconfessed sin in our hearts as we worship Him.  

Verse eight adds, And ye have not kept the charge of mine holy things: but ye have set keepers of my charge in my sanctuary for yourselves.  God said that instead of keeping His charge, or commandments, that the people of Israel were following their own rules in His house.  We need to beware that we are not gathering in God’s name without obeying His word.   This will never be acceptable to God.  

Verse nine continues, Thus saith the Lord God; No stranger, uncircumcised in heart, nor uncircumcised in flesh, shall enter into my sanctuary, of any stranger that is among the children of Israel.   God said that no one who wasn’t a part of His called people were to enter into His house.  The place itself was considered to be strictly a place of worship, whereas the church today is both a house of worship and a place to reach the lost with God’s salvation plan, so He expects us to call the unbelievers into the church.

Ezekiel 44:1

Ezekiel 44:1 says, Then he brought me back the way of the gate of the outward sanctuary which looketh toward the east; and it was shut.  Matthew Henry says Ezekiel was now brought back to review what he had seen just as we should go back to God’s word often to see what He has to say to us.  Ezekiel said God first brought him back to the east gate which was shut.  This was the third time Ezekiel had been brought to the east gate, and it was the only one closed.  

Verse two adds, Then said the Lord unto me; This gate shall be shut, it shall not be opened, and no man shall enter in by it; because the Lord, the God of Israel, hath entered in by it, therefore it shall be shut.  Ezekiel was told that this gate was to be closed because it was the one that the Lord, the God of Israel, had entered through.   I believe that this would indicate that God would be in the temple at all times and not coming in and out.  Since our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit, this would mean that once we put our faith in Christ and the Holy Spirit indwells us, He will never leave.  

Verse three continues, It is for the prince; the prince, he shall sit in it to eat bread before the Lord; he shall enter by the way of the porch of that gate, and shall go out by the way of the same.  This seems to say that only the Prince, Jesus Christ, would be allowed to go in and out of this gate as He fellowshipped with others.  The gate to provide salvation is closed to all but Jesus Christ, and He is the only way of entry to God’s kingdom and still calls people to Himself today.