Scroll to the bottom for thoughts/discussion questions!
One-sentence summary: The Lord gives Ezekiel specific instructions for how His temple is to be built- once Israel repents- and for the making of sacrifices, and He tells him to set aside a portion of holy land for the sanctuary, the priests, and the Levites; the glory of the Lord fills His temple.
The Man brings Ezekiel to the gate facing east, and Ezekiel exclaims, "Behold! The glory of the God of Israel came from the way of the east. His voice was like the sound of many waters, and the earth shone with His glory. It was like the appearance of the vision which I saw, like the vision which I saw when I came to destroy the city.. like I saw by the River Kebar. And I fell on my face. and the glory of the Lord came into the temple by way of the gate which faces toward the east. The Spirit lifted me up and brought me into the inner court, and behold! The glory of the Lord filled the temple." He hears the Lord speak while a Man stands beside him (Ezekiel.) The Lord says that this is "the place of [His] throne and the place of the soles of [His] feet where [He] will dwell in the midst of the children of Israel forever." He says they will no longer defile His holy name with their idols and abominations. He tells Ezekiel to describe the temple to them so they may be ashamed of their iniquities. If they are ashamed, he must be sure to make known to them the entire design of the temple. He is to write it before them so they may keep its design. The Lord says this is the law of the temple. The area surrounding the mountain top is most holy, says the Lord, and the measurements are to be precise. The Lord gives him specific measurements for how it is to be built and directions for making offerings (as He gave to Moses). Sacrifices are to be made continually before the Lord for the sins of the people.
Then, the Lord brings Ezekiel back to the outer gate of the sanctuary facing east, but it is shut. The Lord says it must remain shut, and no man will enter by it, because the Lord has entered by it. As for the prince of Israel, he may sit in it to eat bread before the Lord, entering by way of the vestibule. Also, the Lord brings Ezekiel through the north gate to the front of the temple, and the glory of the Lord fills His house; Ezekiel falls on his face, and the Lord tells him to look to hear all that He does and says concerning the house of the Lord with its laws. He says to "mark well" who may enter and go out from the sanctuary. He tells Ezekiel to say to the rebellious of the house of Israel to stop their abominations, to stop bringing into His temple the uncircumcised in heart and flesh, foreigners who defile His sanctuary- and to stop offering His food to them. They have broken His covenant because of their abominations. They have put others in charge of the holy things of the sanctuary. The Lord says no foreigner who is uncircumcised in heart or flesh should enter His sanctuary, nor the Levites who strayed away after their idols. The Levites are to "bear their iniquities," but they will be gatekeepers and ministers, slaying the offerings for the people and ministering to them, since they ministered to them before their idols, which caused Israel to fall into iniquity. Therefore, the Lord swears they will bear their iniquity and will not come near the Lord or His holy things to minister as priests nor come into the holy place. They will bear their shame and abominations. They are to keep charge of the temple and all its work. However, the priests who did keep charge of His sanctuary when Israel went astray, they will come near the Lord to minister to Him and make offerings. They will minister to the Lord and keep His charge. Whenever they enter the gates of the inner court, they are to put on linen garments. When they go to the outer court to the people, they are to change clothes. They must keep their hair well-trimmed, and they must not drink wine when they enter. They cannot marry a widowed or divorced woman, only a virgin. And they will "teach the people the difference between the holy and unholy and cause them to discern between the unclean and the clean". They will also judge the people "in controversy" according to the Lord's judgments. They will keep His laws and hallow His Sabbaths. They will not come near a dead body, except for deceased family members. The Lord gives more laws concerning cleanliness and offerings. As for the Levites, the Lord alone will be their inheritance. They will eat of the offerings, the first fruits, and the sacrifices.
The Lord also tells Ezekiel that when he divides the land, he should set aside a holy section of the land. In this will be the sanctuary of the Lord, and He gives specific measurements for it. This will belong to the priests who minister to the Lord; it will be a place for their houses and the sanctuary. Part of it will belong to the Levites. There will be an area adjacent to the holy section which will belong to all of Israel. The prince will have two sections in the holy district as well. The border extending eastward and the one extending westward will be side by side with one of the tribal portions. The princes will not oppress the people anymore but give the rest of the land to the children of Israel according to their tribes. The Lord tells the princes of Israel to remove violence and plunder and to execute justice and righteousness, and to stop "dispossessing His people". He tells them to have "honest scales." He gives directions for offerings at specific feasts and appointed times and the prince's role in them. He gives directions for cleansing the temple and for the Passover as well.
Thoughts/discussion questions:
If Israel had repented, this temple would have been built. God's promises still remain for His true people. We would be wise to study the significance of Ezekiel's temple, as the new covenant says that we are the Lord's house and His dwelling place! He wants to fill us- and in so doing, the whole earth- with His glory!