33 matching verse commentaries
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
INTRODUCTION TO Ezekiel 44 This chapter treats of the eastern gate of the temple being appropriated to the use of the prince, Ezekiel 44:1, of the sin of the Lord's people, in admitting strangers and unholy persons into the sanctuary, either to officiate or communicate there, Ezekiel 44:4 of the degrading of the Levites, that went astray,...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Then he brought me back the way of the gate of the outward sanctuary,.... The prophet was brought by his divine guide, from the altar of burnt offerings, which stood before the house, where he had given him the dimensions of it, and the ordinances concerning it, to the temple or holy place, called the outward sanctuary, in distinction from the...
Matthew Henry - Complete Commentary - Matthew Henry
In this chapter we have, I. The appropriating of the east gate of the temple to the prince, ver. 1-3. II. A reproof sent to the house of Israel for their former profanations of God's sanctuary, with a charge to them to be more strict for the future, ver. 4-9. III. The degrading of those Levites that had formerly been guilty of idolatry and the...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Then said the Lord unto me, this gate shall be shut,.... In time to come, as Jarchi interprets it, in the latter day; it was shut, and it should continue to be shut: it shall not be opened; any more; though it has been, yet hereafter no more: and no man shall enter in by it, into the house of the Lord, because the Lord the God of Israel hath...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
It is for the prince: the prince shall sit in it to eat bread before the Lord,.... Or, "as for the prince, the prince shall sit in it" (e); in the gate which is shut to others: not the high priest, as Jarchi, though he might have a particular seat in the temple, as Eli had in the tabernacle, 1 Samuel 1:9, where he might eat the bread and flesh of...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Then brought he me the way of the north gate before the house,.... The north gate of the inward court, whither he was brought from the east gate, which was shut: this, and what follow, may have some respect to the churches in these our northern parts of the world, in their now declining circumstances, which are aptly represented in some following...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And the Lord said unto me, son of man,.... This is still the voice of the Lord speaking out of the house to the prophet, Ezekiel 43:6: mark well; or, "set thine heart" (f); be attentive to what is about to be said, as being of great concern and importance: and behold with thine eyes, and hear with thine ears all that I say unto thee; heart, eyes,...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And thou shalt say to the rebellious, even to the house of Israel,.... This is a character of literal Israel from the beginning, Deuteronomy 9:24, and frequently given it in this prophecy, Ezekiel 2:2 Ezekiel 3:9 and well agrees with these declining churches in the latter day, and even in our times; it represents them as rebellious, because of...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
In that ye have brought into my sanctuary strangers,.... Unregenerate men, who are in a state of alienation and estrangement to divine and spiritual things: strangers to God; to the true knowledge of him in Christ; to the fear and love of God; to the true grace of God in conversion; and to communion with him: strangers to Christ, to his person and...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And ye have not kept the charge of mine holy things,.... That is, have not kept and retained the holy doctrines of the Gospel; nor observed the holy ordinances of it, as they were first delivered: but ye have set keepers of my charge in my sanctuary for yourselves; meaning either, that such as were in public office did not attend to it; but were...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Thus saith the Lord God,.... This that follows is the law and rule to be observed, and which will be observed by the churches in the latter day, though so little regarded now: no stranger uncircumcised in heart, nor uncircumcised in flesh, shall enter into my sanctuary; of these [See comments on Ezekiel 44:7] unregenerate men may not be admitted...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And the Levites that are gone away far from me,.... These Levites were priests, as appears from Ezekiel 44:13, who professed themselves Gospel preachers, ministers of the reformed churches; but departed from the reformation principles; erred from the faith; and either mixed it with the doctrines of men, or wholly dropped, concealed, or dissembled...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Yet they shall be ministers in my sanctuary,.... Though degraded from their office as priests and ministers of the word, yet being restored from their sins and errors, shall have a place in the house of God, and do their work there in a less honourable and a more servile way; as in former times, when ministers had sinned foully, and were degraded...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Because they ministered unto them before their idols,.... Had officiated for them in the priest's office, their idols being in the courts of the Lord at the same time; or preached unto them false doctrines, such as are not agreeable to the word of God; and led them into superstition and will worship, and confirmed them therein: and caused the...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And they shall not come near unto me, to do the office of priest unto me,.... To bring the sacrifice to the altar, and offer it there; to sprinkle the blood, or burn the fat, or the incense; to intercede for the people, or bless them; see Hosea 4:6: nor to come near to any of my holy things in the most holy place; to do any business, either in the...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
But I will make them keepers of the charge of the house,.... To be watchmen or porters in it; to open and shut the doors of it; to sweep and keep it clean; to repair and mend it, and to do such like works, as it follows: for all the service thereof, and for all that shall be done therein; in a servile way; but not as priests or ministers of the...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
But the priests the Levites, the sons of Zadok;.... The priests who were of the tribe of Levi, whom the Lord chose and separated, to minister to him, and so had a lawful call to this office, and were regularly invested with it; and design true and lawful, as well as faithful, ministers of the word; these are called the sons of Zadok, who descended...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
They shall enter into my sanctuary,.... Both to officiate, and to participate, which strangers and uncircumcised persons might not do, Ezekiel 44:9: and they shall come near to my table to minister unto me; which some understand of the altar of burnt offering, which was as a table, and the sacrifice on it was the food of the Lord, Leviticus 3:11,...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And it shall come to pass, that when they enter in at the gates of the inner court,.... The priests before described; when they enter the right way into a true Gospel church, consisting of such who are internally renewed, and have an inward work of grace upon their hearts, and are inward court worshippers; either as private Christians, to pray...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And they shall have linen bonnets upon their heads,.... Denoting gravity and modesty, subjection to God, and authority among men under him; and also purity of doctrine, and clearness of light and knowledge: and shall have linen breeches upon their loins; expressive of chastity; see Exodus 28:40: they shall not gird themselves with anything that...