Eze 45:18-20 | KingComments | STEP | The Lord GOD has another precept regarding the beginning of a new year, “the first [month], on the first of the month” ( ). This expression is also found in Genesis 8 ( ). There it refers to the earth that has emerged after the waters of the flood have dried up, that is, an earth cleansed by judgment. God has renewed “the face of the ground” ( ). That is the situation we have here as well, that of the realm of peace. Just as Noah sacrifices to God after he goes out of the ark, so too here is a sacrifice. A young bull without any blemish is to be taken as a sin offering to cleanse the sanctuary. The cleansing is done by the priest who puts some of the blood on the door posts of “the house”, that is the temple, on the four corners of the circumference of the altar and on the posts of the gates of the inner court ( ). These actions are reminiscent of the Passover in Egypt, when a new year begins and where blood was also done on the door posts ( ). With the dawning of the realm of peace and the dwelling of the LORD in His temple, a new period in the history of the people begins. The people are now truly the people of the LORD. That new relationship is grounded in the work of the Lord Jesus. But even in the realm of peace people can still sin ( ). The work of the Lord Jesus still applies then, especially to someone who cannot have fellowship with God because of unintentional, unconscious sin ( ; ) ( ). Through the blood, reconciliation has been established and God no longer sees the sins. Thus, atonement takes place twice a year: on the first day ( ) and on the seventh day ( ) of the first month. In our time, with every conversion that takes place, a new period in a person’s life begins. The same is true for a child of God who has gone astray, but returns to Him. Every restoration – which is the beginning of a new period – can only happen on the foundation of Christ’s sacrifice.

‏ Ezekiel 45:18-20

Offering on New Year

The Lord GOD has another precept regarding the beginning of a new year, “the first [month], on the first of the month” (Eze 45:18). This expression is also found in Genesis 8 (Gen 8:13). There it refers to the earth that has emerged after the waters of the flood have dried up, that is, an earth cleansed by judgment. God has renewed “the face of the ground” (Psa 104:30b). That is the situation we have here as well, that of the realm of peace.

Just as Noah sacrifices to God after he goes out of the ark, so too here is a sacrifice. A young bull without any blemish is to be taken as a sin offering to cleanse the sanctuary. The cleansing is done by the priest who puts some of the blood on the door posts of “the house”, that is the temple, on the four corners of the circumference of the altar and on the posts of the gates of the inner court (Eze 45:19). These actions are reminiscent of the Passover in Egypt, when a new year begins and where blood was also done on the door posts (Exo 12:2 ; 7).

With the dawning of the realm of peace and the dwelling of the LORD in His temple, a new period in the history of the people begins. The people are now truly the people of the LORD. That new relationship is grounded in the work of the Lord Jesus. But even in the realm of peace people can still sin (Isa 65:20). The work of the Lord Jesus still applies then, especially to someone who cannot have fellowship with God because of unintentional, unconscious sin (Lev 4:13; Num 15:22) (Eze 45:20). Through the blood, reconciliation has been established and God no longer sees the sins. Thus, atonement takes place twice a year: on the first day (Eze 45:18) and on the seventh day (Eze 45:20a) of the first month.

In our time, with every conversion that takes place, a new period in a person’s life begins. The same is true for a child of God who has gone astray, but returns to Him. Every restoration – which is the beginning of a new period – can only happen on the foundation of Christ’s sacrifice.