Visions of the Kingdom: Week 49

Ezekiel 46:1-24: The Offerings of the Prince and People

• 46:9 "No one is to return through the gate by which he entered, but each must go out by the opposite gate." - promoting a smooth flow of traffic, and indicating huge throngs coming to worship.
• 46:10 "prince shall be in their midst" - among the people.
• 46:16 "his sons" - the prince will be a married man with children.
• 46:17 "year of liberty" - i.e. year of Jubliee, the Biblical "great reset".
• 46:18 "prince must not take" - always a problem with governments 1 Samuel 8:14, but specifically for Israel - e.g. Naboth's vineyard.
• 46:24 "kitchens ... sacrifices of the people" -

  “So the temple was a place for sacrificing, cooking and eating, as well as for prayer and so-called ‘spiritual’ activities. The Christian church has been the poorer when it has drawn a firm dividing line between spiritual life and social activities. In Ezekiel’s temple, at any rate, there was envisaged a healthy fusion of the two elements, and this was typical of much in Old Testament worship.” (Taylor)