Ezekiel 43

The glory of the LORD, which left the temple in chapters 10 and 11, now returns from the east and fills the new temple. God declares that He will dwell among His people forever and calls them to turn from their old unfaithfulness. The chapter ends with the pattern of the altar and the offerings that dedicate it, so that worship can be accepted.

Ezekiel 43:1-2

The guide leads Ezekiel to the east gate, and there he sees God’s glory coming from the east. Its sound is like rushing water, and the whole land lights up. The God who departed because of sin now comes back in splendor.

BSA: glory (“great honor, splendor”): God’s glory is His weighty, shining presence, so bright that the earth itself is lit up. roar (“noise, sound”): The voice of God is not a whisper here but a mighty, overwhelming sound like floods.

Hebrew: כְּבוֹד (kevod, H3519) — “glory, weight.” The Hebrew word carries the idea of weight or heaviness. God’s glory is His real, weighty presence, not just a bright light.

See also: Revelation 1:15; Ezekiel 11:23.

Ezekiel 43:3

Ezekiel recognizes this vision. It matches the one he saw when judgment fell on Jerusalem and the one by the River Kebar at his calling. The same God who judged now comes to restore. Ezekiel responds as he did before, falling on his face in awe.

BSA: facedown (“on my face, in reverence”): Falling facedown shows humble worship before God’s holiness.

See also: Ezekiel 1:28.

Ezekiel 43:4-5

The glory enters through the same east gate by which it had left. Then the Spirit lifts Ezekiel into the inner court, where he sees the glory fill the whole temple. The house is no longer empty. God Himself has come to live in it.

BSA: filled (“made full, completed”): The temple is made complete only when God’s presence fills it.

See also: Exodus 40:34-35; 1 Kings 8:10-11.

Ezekiel 43:6-7

A voice speaks from within the temple while the guide stands by. God calls this house the place of His throne and the place for His feet. He is King, and He promises to live among His people forever. Never again will idolatry and the honoring of dead kings defile His name.

BSA: throne (“seat of power, authority”): The temple is the seat of God’s rule, not merely a building for ceremonies. forever (“eternally, always”): God promises a lasting dwelling, not a temporary visit.

Hebrew: כִּסְאִי (kis’i, H3678) — “my throne.” God speaks of the temple as His own royal seat. The house is where the King rules, not only where people worship.

See also: Psalm 132:13-14; Revelation 21:3.

Ezekiel 43:8-9

God names the past sins that drove Him out: the kings’ threshold and doorposts stood right beside His own, with only a wall between. Their uncleanness touched His holy house. Now He calls them to put such things far away, and then He will dwell with them forever.

BSA: defiled (“profaned, contaminated”): Mixing the unholy with God’s holy place treats His name as common. prostitution (“unfaithfulness, whoredom”): Worshiping other gods is pictured as spiritual adultery against God.

Hebrew: זְנוּתָם (zenutam, H2184) — “their unfaithfulness, their harlotry.” The Hebrew word pictures Israel as a spouse who has been unfaithful. It shows that idolatry is a broken love, not only a broken rule.

See also: Hosea 2:2.

Ezekiel 43:10-11

Ezekiel is to describe the temple to the people so that they feel shame over their sins. If they are truly ashamed, he is to show them the whole design and write it down. Seeing God’s holy pattern leads to repentance, and repentance leads to obedience.

BSA: ashamed (“humbled, regretful”): The shame meant here is a humbling that leads to turning back to God. design (“pattern, blueprint”): God Himself supplies the plan, so worship follows His pattern rather than human invention.

See also: Exodus 25:9.

Ezekiel 43:12

God gives the one great law of the temple: the whole area on the mountaintop is most holy. Holiness is not limited to one inner room. It marks the entire place where God lives, and this is stated twice for emphasis.

BSA: most holy (“set apart, sacred”): Holiness means being set apart for God alone.

Ezekiel 43:13-14

Now the altar is measured. It has a base channel and two stepped ledges, each set back from the one below. The measures are given in the long cubit, a cubit and a handbreadth. The detail shows that God cares how He is approached.

BSA: altar (“place of sacrifice, where offerings are made to God”): The altar is where sinners meet God through a substitute offering.

Ezekiel 43:15-17

The top of the altar, the hearth, rises with four horns, and the whole structure is a square growing wider toward the base. Its steps face east. The horns were places where blood was applied, signs of God’s mercy and protection.

BSA: horns (“a horn; a hill or peak”): The horns stood out at the corners as the high points of the altar, where blood was applied.

See also: Leviticus 4:7.

Ezekiel 43:18-19

God gives rules for the day the altar is made, so that it can be used for burnt offerings and blood. The first gift is a young bull as a sin offering, handed to the priests of Zadok’s line who draw near to serve Him. Cleansing comes before worship.

BSA: sin offering (“to atone for sin, for purification”): This offering deals with uncleanness and guilt before other worship can begin. approach (“draw near, come close”): Priests serve by coming close to God, which only a cleansed approach allows.

See also: Ezekiel 44:15.

Ezekiel 43:20-21

The priests put the bull’s blood on the altar’s four horns, the ledge corners and the rim. This cleanses the altar and makes atonement for it. The bull’s body is then burned outside the sanctuary at the appointed place.

BSA: atonement (“cover, reconcile”): Atonement covers what is unclean and restores a right relationship with God.

Hebrew: וְכִפַּרְתָּהוּ (vekhippartahu, H3722) — “and you shall make atonement for it.” The root means to cover. It carries the thought of covering over sin through a life given in its place.

See also: Leviticus 16:18-19; Hebrews 9:22.

Ezekiel 43:22

On the second day a male goat without defect is offered as a sin offering, and the altar is cleansed again as with the bull. Even the altar needs repeated cleansing before it is ready for use. Only a perfect offering is brought to God.

BSA: unblemished (“perfect, without defect”): Only an animal with no flaw was fit to be offered to God.

See also: 1 Peter 1:19.

Ezekiel 43:23-24

After the cleansing, a young bull and a ram, both without defect, are presented before the LORD. The priests sprinkle salt on them and offer them as burnt offerings. Burnt offerings were wholly given to God, a sign of complete devotion.

BSA: burnt offering (“a step or stairs to the altar, a complete consecration”): The whole offering goes up in smoke to God, picturing total surrender. salt (“a purifying agent”): Salt marked the offering as preserved and faithful in God’s covenant.

See also: Leviticus 2:13.

Ezekiel 43:25-26

For seven days a goat is offered daily for sin, along with a young bull and a ram. The priests make atonement for the altar, cleanse it and so consecrate it. Seven days speaks of completeness. The altar is set apart for holy use.

BSA: consecrate (“dedicate, set apart for sacred use”): To consecrate is to give something wholly to God’s purposes. seven (“sacred or complete”): Seven signals a full and finished period of preparation.

See also: Exodus 29:37.

Ezekiel 43:27

From the eighth day on, the priests may offer the people’s burnt offerings and peace offerings on the altar. God then promises, “Then I will accept you.” Once the altar is made ready, the people’s worship is welcomed and fellowship with God is restored.

BSA: accept (“be pleased with, delight in”): God does not merely tolerate His people’s offerings but takes pleasure in them. peace offerings (“voluntary sacrifices, expressions of gratitude”): These offerings were shared meals marking fellowship and thanks with God.

See also: Leviticus 7:11-15; Romans 12:1.