Ezekiel 45

They should teach the people, both by word and example, the difference between the holy and profane, the clean and the unclean: they should study to be peacemakers, and should regulate their judgment and decisions in all cases by the commandments of God, and not according to their own humours, interests, or partialities: they should observe, and teach others to observe, the statutes of the Lord, in all the ordinances of his house, and in hallowing his sabbaths: they should govern their passions, and moderate their sorrows, not suffering their work to be interrupted, or improperly performed.”’— 7°. Scott. Chap. XLV. Ver. 1—25. Provisions for the sanctuary, &c. —‘ We should present to the Lord an oblation, of the first and best of all our possessions; that we may honour him with our substance, and obtain his blessing on all our labours and comforts.

It is the duty of Christians, according to their ability, to provide for the decent and comfortable subsistence of ministers, that they may attend to their work without distraction. But it becomes ministers to be content even with a scanty provision, and to ‘suffer all things rather than hinder the gospel of Christ.’ The interests of religion require that they seatd [should] generally reside near their work, and as retired as may be from the vain hurry of the world: that they may ‘ give themselves to the word of God and prayer;’ and that every thing pertaining to them may savour of holiness and piety. These are the duties of men in every age: and the happy time is coming, when all ranks in every part of the earth mf [may] attend to them.

Then there will be no more fraud, oppression, misery, war, or devastation; but universal righteousness, peace, and prosperity. It is an important part of the will of God, that men should deal with exact honesty in all the transactions of life: no zeal, orthodoxy, or diligence in religion, can compensate for the want of truth and justice in our moral conduct; though for a time they may cloak it. The Lord requires a just weight, and a true balance, and exactness in every one of our dealings. All should use their influence, and improve their talents, in promoting the cause of godliness. The sabbaths and ordinances of God, and the commemoration of his benefits, should be our chief delight and satisfaction: and we should aim to reduce our various duties to some regular method, that they may not interfere with each other; and to persist in it till it become habitual.

And, though nothing we do can atone for sin; our zealous services testify our acceptance of the sacrifice of Christ: our Prince and High Priest, which according to his part, he has most graciously prepared for us, and to which we must have continual respect in all our approaches to God. For our very best duties are polluted with sin; we pollute the ordinances in which we join, and all that we are connected with, till they are cleansed in the fountain of his blood: and our errors, ignorance, and simplicity, as well as our wilful sins, need the same cleansing. As therefore ‘Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us; let us keep the feast’ of faith and communion with him, not with the old leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth: let us begin our years, our months, our weeks, and days, with self-examination, repentance, faith, prayer, and devotedness to God; and spend them in the same manner.

Let us live like strangers and pilgrims on earth, rejoicing in Christ, as we pass through this desert to heaven: and then we shall soon arrive in those mansions above, ‘where is fulness of joy, and pleasures at God’s right hand for evermore.’.”,— 7°. Scott.

Notes on the verses

Chap. XLV. Ver. 1. When ye shall divide, &c.—See (Joshua 23:4), &c. —Five and twenty thousand reeds.—The word reeds is not in the original; Michaelis, Newcome, Boothroyd, &c., therefore supply cubits, as far more probable than reeds: 25,000 of the latter would be 150,000 cubits, which would amount to more than 42 miles in length, and upwards of 16 in breadth, at the lowest calculation; and reckoning the larger cubit, (Ezekiel 40:5)., 52 miles by 20, much too large for the hills on which Jerusalem was built.—[That our translators nightly added the word reeds, is evident from the length and breadth of the sanctuary being exactly the same as before. (Compare ver. 2. with (Ezekiel 42:16-19).) Estimating the reed at 3 1-2 yards, this holy oblation would constitute a square of br [about] 50 miles on every side.

From the north side, a portion of nearly 20 miles in width, and nearly 50 in length, was appointed for the priests; and in the midst of this portion, the area of the sanctuary, about a mile square, to be enclosed by a wall. (ver. 1, 2.) Next to this, on the south, was the Levites’ portion of the same dimensions as that of the priests; (ver. 5;) and south of this, was the portion for the city, of the same length as those of the priests and Levites, but only half the width. (ver. 6.) ‘These three formed the square of 25,000 reeds, or nearly 50 miles; and that set apart for the prince, the breadth of which is not mentioned, extended in length from north to south, along the east and west sides of the square.

As Canaan would not admit of so large a portion for the sanctuary &c. this was no doubt intended to intimate the large extent of the church in the glorious times predicted.’—Bagster.

Ver. 6. Five thousand, &c.—Archbishop Newcome reckons this full four times the size of Jerusalem, according to Josephus.

Ver. 8. Princes no more oppress.—‘In the age period, not only shall the ministers and worshippers of God be liberally provided for; but the princes will be both able and willing to act the expenses of government, without oppressing their subjects; and will rule over them with equity and clemency as the vicegerents of God; while the people will submit to them conscientiously and live in peace, prosperity, and holiness.

These things seem to be represented in a precept taken from the customs of the times in which the prophet wrote. Tithes are not mentioned in any part of the vision, which shows that the ritual Mosaic law will not be in force.’—Bagster.

Ver. 11. Ephah.—(The ephah was a dry measure, and the bath a liquid measure, containing about 7 gallons, 4 pints, or 3 pecks, 3 pints; and the Aomer about 75 gallons, 5 pints.)—Bagster.

Ver. 12. Twenty shekels.—(That is, 20 + 25 + 15 = 60; for the maneh as a weight was equal to 60 shekels, though as a coin it was only equal to 60, weighing about 2 lb. 6 oz.; and reckoning the shekel at 56 cents, being in value $33.60 cents.)—Bagster. This appears to be much like the manner of reckoning in the East at the present time.

See Orient. Cust. i.

Ver. 17. Prince’s part.—(The prince is never mentioned in the ritual appointments of Moses, but here he is required to provide the oblations; and the variations in the Mosaic law, in the number of the several sacrifices, and the proportion of the meat-offering to each being ten times as much as the law prescribed, with several other circumstances, seem more like enacting a new law than enforcing that of Moses. These variations may intimate a change in the external constitution of the church; and it is probable that they are to be understood emblematically.)—Bagster.

Ver. 18. In the first month, &c.—‘This seems to enjoin, not a mere dedication, but an annual purification of the sanctuary; of which there is nothing said in the Mosaic law.’—Bagster.

Michaelis says the following regulations differ materially from the Mosaic, the same thing he was desired to do on the passover.)—Bagster.

Ver. 25. Seventh cap Tong nypeg is do at the Je tabernacles [text lost or corrupted].