Eze 44:8 | KingComments | STEP | Although the tour of the temple is finished, the Man continues to accompany Ezekiel. He then takes him through the inner north gate to the front of the house ( ). There Ezekiel sees once more, and now for the last time, the glory of the LORD. Again, this leads him to prostrate in worship before the LORD. The LORD has instructions for Ezekiel, telling him to mark well everything He will speak to him by looking closely at it and listening carefully ( ). The instructions concern the statutes of His house and all the laws pertaining to them. Ezekiel is also to mark well those who enter the house as well as anyone who is not allowed to enter it. After this general and also penetrating announcement, the LORD tells Ezekiel what to say to the rebellious people ( ). The abominations committed are charged to the whole people. What the abominations consist of is clearly stated ( ). They have profaned the house of the LORD in a horrible way by bringing into it people who are completely outside the covenant of the LORD with His people. They have allowed them to participate in the holy sacrifices. It is already forbidden for the Israelite to eat the fat and blood ( ), let alone the foreigner. The fat and the blood belong entirely to the LORD. Thus they have broken the covenant of the LORD with their abominations. The same is true for us. It is impossible to have a common service together with unbelievers, who have no connection with the Lord Jesus, to honor Him and celebrate the Supper ( ). No fellowship is possible between a believer and an unbeliever. After all, unbelievers do not have new life. New life is obtained only through repentance and conversion to God and faith in the Lord Jesus. The heart of unbelievers is not pure. Therefore we must also see to it that only children of God are received at the Lord’s Supper. For the sake of completeness, it must be added that it must also be clear that these children of God reject sin in their doctrine and life and do not want to be associated with it as well. Furthermore, the Israelites themselves did not observe their task in the holy things of the LORD ( ). They had that task done by others, possibly by their slaves. They themselves have no interest in the LORD, but they still want to give the impression that they are religious. Thus, in various ways they have shown their contempt for the LORD and His service. We see such contempt in our day, for example, in groups that hire unbelieving musicians to accompany worship services or appoint or maintain a pastor who denies that God exists. The LORD insists that this behavior will not be displayed again ( ). No stranger, one who has no part in the covenant of the LORD, may enter His sanctuary. Only those whom the LORD has called may do service at the altar. Nowhere is the earthly sanctuary more holy than in the realm of peace when everything breathes God’s holiness.

‏ Ezekiel 44:8

The Sanctuary Not Profaned Again

Although the tour of the temple is finished, the Man continues to accompany Ezekiel. He then takes him through the inner north gate to the front of the house (Eze 44:4). There Ezekiel sees once more, and now for the last time, the glory of the LORD. Again, this leads him to prostrate in worship before the LORD. The LORD has instructions for Ezekiel, telling him to mark well everything He will speak to him by looking closely at it and listening carefully (Eze 44:5). The instructions concern the statutes of His house and all the laws pertaining to them. Ezekiel is also to mark well those who enter the house as well as anyone who is not allowed to enter it.

After this general and also penetrating announcement, the LORD tells Ezekiel what to say to the rebellious people (Eze 44:6). The abominations committed are charged to the whole people. What the abominations consist of is clearly stated (Eze 44:7). They have profaned the house of the LORD in a horrible way by bringing into it people who are completely outside the covenant of the LORD with His people. They have allowed them to participate in the holy sacrifices. It is already forbidden for the Israelite to eat the fat and blood (Lev 7:22-27), let alone the foreigner. The fat and the blood belong entirely to the LORD. Thus they have broken the covenant of the LORD with their abominations.

The same is true for us. It is impossible to have a common service together with unbelievers, who have no connection with the Lord Jesus, to honor Him and celebrate the Supper (2Cor 6:14-18 ; 2Cor 7:1). No fellowship is possible between a believer and an unbeliever. After all, unbelievers do not have new life. New life is obtained only through repentance and conversion to God and faith in the Lord Jesus. The heart of unbelievers is not pure. Therefore we must also see to it that only children of God are received at the Lord’s Supper. For the sake of completeness, it must be added that it must also be clear that these children of God reject sin in their doctrine and life and do not want to be associated with it as well.

Furthermore, the Israelites themselves did not observe their task in the holy things of the LORD (Eze 44:8). They had that task done by others, possibly by their slaves. They themselves have no interest in the LORD, but they still want to give the impression that they are religious. Thus, in various ways they have shown their contempt for the LORD and His service. We see such contempt in our day, for example, in groups that hire unbelieving musicians to accompany worship services or appoint or maintain a pastor who denies that God exists.

The LORD insists that this behavior will not be displayed again (Eze 44:9). No stranger, one who has no part in the covenant of the LORD, may enter His sanctuary. Only those whom the LORD has called may do service at the altar. Nowhere is the earthly sanctuary more holy than in the realm of peace when everything breathes God’s holiness.