Ezekiel 46: Divine Regulations for Worship

Ezekiel 46 serves as a testament to God's meticulous care for order in worship, leadership, and social justice. It reinforces the concept of fair stewardship and underscores the principle that leadership should be characterized by service, humility, and justice, not by power and oppression.

Verses 1-3: Sabbath and New Moon Worship

God instructs Ezekiel about the rituals to be observed on Sabbaths and New Moons. The eastern gate of the temple's inner court must remain closed during the workweek but open on these holy days. The prince and the people are to worship at the threshold of this gate.

Verses 4-8: Sacrifices by the Prince

The chapter goes on to detail the sacrifices to be made by the prince on Sabbaths, New Moons, and voluntary offerings. These involve specific quantities of lambs, ephahs, and bulls. The prince is to enter and leave by the eastern gate during these offerings.

Verses 9-10: The Prince and the People

During public festivals, all people are to enter and exit the temple through opposite gates. The prince, however, is to enter and exit with the people.

Verses 11-15: Daily Offerings

Instructions are given for daily morning offerings, including quantities of grain and oil to accompany a year-old lamb.

Verses 16-18: Rules for the Prince's Inheritance

God stipulates that the prince should not seize any property from the people but should give his own land as inheritance to his sons, ensuring fairness and avoiding oppression.

Verses 19-24: The Place for Cooking Sacrifices

The chapter concludes with a tour of the temple kitchens, where the priests cook the people's guilt and sin offerings and bake the grain offerings, to avoid transmitting holiness to the people.

Ezekiel 46 is a part of a larger prophetic vision concerning the future of worship in Israel. It provides a detailed outline for the people and the prince's sacrificial rituals, setting clear guidelines for worship. These divine regulations not only instruct worship practices but also emphasize the principles of leadership, stewardship, and social justice.

God's Laws and Regulations
Worship and Sacrifices
Social Justice
Sabbath Observance
Leadership and StewardshipRegulations for Public Worship
Daily, Sabbath, and Monthly Offerings
Rules for Princes
Inheritance LawsProphet Ezekiel
The Prince of Israel
The Levites
The people of IsraelThe gate of the inner court facing east in the temple
The land of Israel

1. What does Ezekiel 46 tell us about God's character?

2. How can the rules about Sabbath and New Moon observance apply to our modern observance of rest and worship?

3. How do the detailed instructions for sacrifices reflect on the seriousness of worship?

4. How does the prince's role in the worship mirror Christ's role in Christian worship?

5. What does the prince's duty to provide fair inheritance teach us about leadership and justice?

6. In what ways can the regulations for the prince's inheritance be applied to modern discussions about wealth and social responsibility?

7. How does the emphasis on fair stewardship in this chapter influence your understanding of responsible leadership?

8. What can we learn from the priests' role in handling the guilt and sin offerings?

9. How does the requirement to avoid transmitting holiness to the people through the offerings apply to us today?

10. How do the principles of worship and sacrifice in Ezekiel 46 influence your personal devotion and worship practices?

11. What practical lessons can be drawn from the prince entering and leaving with the people during festivals?

12. What can modern-day leaders learn from the prince’s instructions in Ezekiel 46?

13. How does the detail about the cooking place of offerings help us understand the concept of holiness?

14. How can we apply the principles of worship laid out in Ezekiel 46 to our church services today?

15. How do the principles of justice and leadership in this chapter influence your understanding of civic responsibilities?

16. What significance does the eastern gate of the temple hold and how does it symbolize our approach to worship?

17. How does this chapter challenge our understanding of service, humility, and justice in leadership?

18. How can the daily offerings in Ezekiel 46 guide our daily devotions?

19. How does the emphasis on order and regulations in Ezekiel 46 reflect in our lives and communities today?

20. How do you reconcile the detailed sacrificial systems in Ezekiel with the New Testament teaching of Jesus being the ultimate sacrifice?