Eze 43 | HCSB | STEP | He led me to the gate , the one that faces east ,

Ezekiel 43

Return of the Lord’s Glory

1 He led me to the gate, ^a the one that faces east, 2 and I saw the glory of the God of Israel ^b coming from the east. ^c His voice sounded like the roar of mighty waters, ^d and the earth shone with His glory. ^e 3 The vision I saw ^f was like the one I had seen when He ^{▼▼Some Hb mss, Theod, Vg; other Hb mss, LXX, Syr read I} came to destroy the city, ^h and like the ones I had seen by the Chebar Canal. ⁱ I fell facedown. ^j 4 The glory of the Lord entered the temple by way of the gate that faced east. ^k 5 Then the Spirit lifted me up ^l and brought me to the inner court, and the glory of the Lord filled the temple. ^m

6 While the man was standing beside me, I heard someone speaking to me from the temple. ⁿ 7 He said to me: “Son of man, this is the place of My throne and the place for the soles of My feet, ^o where I will dwell among the Israelites forever. ^p The house of Israel and their kings will no longer defile My holy name by their religious prostitution and by the corpses ^{▼▼Or monuments
,} ^r of their kings at their ^{▼▼high place(s): An ancient place of worship most often associated with pagan religions, usually built on an elevated location}high places. ^{▼▼Some Hb mss, Theod, Tg read their death
,} ^u 8 Whenever they placed their threshold next to My threshold and their doorposts beside My doorposts, with only a wall between Me and them, they were defiling My holy name by the detestable acts they committed. ^v So I destroyed them in My anger. 9 Now let them remove their prostitution and the corpses ^{▼▼Or monuments
,} ^x of their kings far from Me, and I will dwell among them forever. ^y

10 “As for you, son of man, describe the temple to the house of Israel, ^z so that they may be ashamed of their iniquities. ^aa Let them measure its pattern, ^ab 11 and they will be ashamed of all that they have done. Reveal ^{▼▼LXX, Vg; MT reads pattern. (11) And if they are ashamed . . . done, reveal} the design of the temple to them – its layout with its exits and entrances ^ad – its complete design along with all its statutes, design specifications, and laws. Write it down in their sight ^ae so that they may observe its complete design and all its statutes and may carry them out. ^af 12 This is the law of the temple: all its surrounding territory on top of the mountain ^ag will be especially holy. Yes, this is the law of the temple.

The Altar

13 “These are the measurements of the altar ^ah in units of length (each unit being the standard length plus three inches ^ai): ^{▼▼Lit in cubits (a cubit being a cubit plus a handbreadth)} the gutter is 21 inches ^{▼▼Lit one cubit} deep and 21 inches wide, with a rim of nine inches ^{▼▼Lit one span} around its edge. This is the base ^{▼▼LXX reads height} of the altar. 14 The distance from the gutter on the ground to the lower ledge is 3¹/₂ feet, ^{▼▼Lit two cubits} and the width of the ledge is 21 inches. ^{▼▼Lit one cubit} There are seven feet ^{▼▼Lit four cubits} from the small ledge to the large ledge, whose width is also 21 inches. 15 The altar hearth ^{▼▼Hb obscure} is seven feet ^{▼▼Lit four cubits} high, and four horns ^as project upward from the hearth. 16 The hearth is square, 21 feet ^{▼▼Lit 12 cubits} long by 21 feet wide. ^au 17 The ledge is 24¹/₂ feet ^{▼▼Lit 14 cubits} long by 24¹/₂ feet wide, with four equal sides. ^aw The rim all around it is 10¹/₂ inches, ^{▼▼Lit one-half cubit} and its gutter is 21 inches ^{▼▼Lit one cubit} all around it. The altar’s steps face east.” ^az

18 Then He said to me: “Son of man, ^ba this is what the Lord God says: These are the statutes for the altar on the day it is constructed, so that ^{▼▼burnt offering(s): Or holocaust, an offering completely burned to ashes; it was used in connection with worship, seeking God's favor, expiating sin, or averting judgment.}burnt offerings ^bc may be sacrificed on it and blood may be sprinkled on it: ^bd 19 You are to give a bull from the herd ^be as a ^{▼▼sin offering(s): Or purification offering, the sin offering was the most important OT sacrifice for cleansing from impurities. It provided purification from sin and certain forms of ceremonial uncleanness.}sin offering ^bg to the Levitical priests who are from the offspring of Zadok, ^bh who approach Me in order to serve Me.” ^bi This is the declaration of the Lord God. 20 “You must take some of its blood and apply it to the four horns ^bj of the altar, the four corners of the ledge, and all around the rim. In this way you will purify the altar and make ^{▼▼atone/ atonement: A theological term for God's provision to deal with human sin. In the OT, it primarily means purification. In some contexts forgiveness, pardon, expiation, propitiation, or reconciliation is included. The basis of atonement is substitutionary sacrifice offered in faith. The OT sacrifices were types and shadows of the great and final sacrifice of Jesus on the cross.}atonement for it. ^bl 21 Then you must take away the bull for the sin offering, and it must be burned outside the sanctuary in the place appointed for the temple. ^bm

22 “On the second day you are to present an unblemished male goat as a sin offering. They will purify the altar just as they did with the bull. 23 When you have finished the purification, you are to present a young, unblemished bull ^bn and an unblemished ram from the flock. ^bo 24 You must present them before the Lord; the priests will throw salt on them and sacrifice them as a burnt offering to the Lord. ^bp 25 You will offer a goat for a sin offering each day for seven days. ^bq A young bull and a ram from the flock, both unblemished, must also be offered. 26 For seven days the priests are to make atonement for the altar and cleanse it. In this way they will consecrate it ^{▼▼Lit will fill its hands} 27 and complete the days of purification. Then on the eighth day ^bs and afterward, the priests will offer your burnt offerings and ^{▼▼fellowship sacrifice(s) or offering(s): An animal offering was given to maintain and strengthen a person's relationship with God. It was not required as a remedy for impurity or sin but was an expression of thanksgiving for various blessings. An important function of this sacrifice was to provide meat for the priests and the participants in the sacrifice; it was also called the peace offering or the sacrifice of well-being.}fellowship offerings on the altar, and I will accept you.” ^bu This is the declaration of the Lord God.