The Gospel According to Ezekiel, Chapter 45

Distinguishing the Holy from the Common

The Zadokite priests, the sons of righteousness, remained faithful to God. They did not apostatize or fall away from His commandments. In the new temple, they instruct God's people in the differences between the holy and the common.

The Old Testament teaches this distinction, either in extremes—holy versus wicked—or as holy versus mundane. New temple worship and living express a distinction between the holy and the commonality of life. This is enjoyable and satisfying, while the mundane lacks value unto God's glory. God regulates this sanctification and separation in the lives of the people, the land, and the temple.

The Division of the Land

We've seen the holy temple, its 500 by 500 cubit dimensions, its priests, and sacrifices. Now we examine the entirety of the land.

When you allot the land as an inheritance, you shall set apart for the Lord a portion of the land as a holy district, 25,000 cubits long and 20,000 cubits broad. It shall be holy throughout its whole extent. Of this, a square plot of 500 by 500 cubits shall be for the sanctuary, with 50 cubits for an open space around it.

And from this measured district you shall measure off a section 25,000 cubits long and 10,000 broad, in which shall be the sanctuary, the most holy place. It shall be the holy portion of the land. It shall be for the priests who minister in the sanctuary and approach the Lord to minister to him... Another section 25,000 cubits long and 10,000 cubits broad shall be for the Levites who minister at the temple, as their possession for cities to live in. Alongside the portion set apart as the holy district, you shall assign for the property of the city an area 5,000 cubits broad and 25,000 cubits long. It shall belong to the whole house of Israel.

There is difficulty in these dimensions. The text uses two units: reeds and cubits. A 25,000 by 20,000 in cubits is seven miles by five miles. In reeds, it is 722.5 square miles—larger than modern Jerusalem's 48 square miles. Scholars debate this, but the scale is either modest or enormous.

And to the prince shall belong the land on both sides of the holy district and the property of the city, alongside the holy district and the property of the city, on the west and on the east, corresponding in length to one of the tribal portions, and extending from the western to the eastern boundary of the land. It is to be his property in Israel. My prince shall no more oppress my people, but they shall let the house of Israel have the land according to their tribes, says the Lord God. Enough of you, princes of Israel! Put away violence and oppression, and execute justice and righteousness. Cease your evictions of my people, declares the Lord God.

Previously, princes extorted property from the people. Now, equity and justice prevail. People live in peace, given according to righteousness.

You shall have just balances, a just ephah, and a just bath... The ephah and the bath shall be of the same measure... This is the offering that you shall make: one-sixth of an ephah from each homer of wheat, and one-sixth of an ephah from each homer of barley. And as the fixed portion of oil, measured in baths, one-tenth of a bath from each cor... And one sheep from every flock of 200, from the watering places of Israel. This is for grain offering, burnt offering, peace offerings, to make atonement for them, declares the Lord God.

Justice extends to worship: right measures for offerings, grain, oil, and sheep from flocks for atonement.

The Prince's Role in Worship

All the people of the land shall be obliged to give this offering to the prince in Israel. It shall be the prince's duty to furnish the burnt offerings, grain offerings, and drink offerings, at the feasts, the new moons, and the Sabbaths, at all the appointed feasts of the house of Israel. He shall provide the sin offerings, grain offerings, burnt offerings, and peace offerings, to make atonement for the house of Israel.

In the first month, on the first day, a bull purifies the sanctuary. Blood is applied to doorposts, altar, and gate. This repeats on the seventh day for sins of error or ignorance, restoring fellowship.

Sins of Error and Ignorance

Error means straying like sheep, stumbling as if drunk—not thinking clearly, veering from the path. Ignorance is naivety, being easily seduced by attractive sin due to lack of experience or discernment—like one who cannot distinguish holy from common.

As with learning violin or piano, inexperience leads to poor results. Without practice, one dreads accountability. Christians must practice righteousness proactively, exceeding practice in sin. Build spiritual defenses constantly.

But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil. (Hebrews 5:14)

Discernment comes from constant practice in Scripture, distinguishing holy from unholy. This enables deeper truths. Lazy believers plateau; by now, they should teach others. Atonement covers these sins, but understanding them avoids them.

Feasts and Superior Sacrifices

In the first month, on the 14th day of the month, you shall celebrate the feast of Passover, and for seven days unleavened bread shall be eaten... In the seventh month, on the 15th day of the month and for the seven days of the feast, he shall make the same provision for sin offerings, burnt offerings, grain offerings, and for the oil.

The prince represents the people, offering superior quantities and quality to Levitical worship. Sacrifices combine with freewill offerings—worship from moved hearts, not obligation. "Obliged" means freewill; atonement becomes opportunity.

After judgment, God gathers, dwells, resumes worship. Hearts of flesh and the Spirit move people to obey joyfully. These types point to Christ: the prince furnishes burnt offerings (Christ's aroma), grain (food), drink offerings, feasts, new moons, Sabbaths.

Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath. These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ. (Colossians 2:16-17)

In Christ, you observe Sabbath, festivals, new moons—resting, celebrating in Him.

Worship Practices and Principles

The east inner gate, through which God entered, stays shut except Sabbaths and new moons. The prince offers at its threshold; people bow there. Worshipers enter north or south gates, exit opposite—no regression. They enter changed, leaving differently.

New Testament worship transforms: value Christ's sacrifice deeply, practice discernment between holy and sinful. Unaware of sin, one undervalues salvation. Christians default to lacking distinctions; constant Scripture practice grows us like Christ—joyful, purposeful.