How does Ezekiel 43:23 emphasize the importance of sacrificial rituals for holiness? Setting the Scene in Ezekiel 43 • Ezekiel 43 describes the return of God’s glory to a future temple. • Verses 18–27 outline a seven-day ceremony to consecrate the altar. • Ezekiel 43:23 commands: “When you have finished cleansing it, you are to present a young bull without blemish and a ram from the flock without blemish.” Why an Additional Offering After Cleansing? • Cleansing is not an end in itself; it prepares for ongoing fellowship. • The follow-up sacrifice underscores that holiness is maintained through continual, prescribed worship. • The sequence—cleansing first, then sacrifice—mirrors Leviticus 8–9, where consecration is both decisive and sustained. “Without Blemish”: A Picture of Perfect Holiness • Animals “without blemish” symbolize moral and spiritual perfection (Leviticus 22:20-25). • Only the flawless can approach the holy God, highlighting His absolute purity. • This standard anticipates the sinless Lamb of God (John 1:29; 1 Peter 1:18-19). Sacrifice as the Avenue to God’s Presence • Blood provides atonement: “For the life of the flesh is in the blood… it is the blood that makes atonement for one’s life” (Leviticus 17:11). • Ezekiel’s altar, once purified, still requires blood offerings, stressing that access to God is always mediated by substitutionary sacrifice. • Hebrews 9:22 affirms the enduring principle: “Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.” Holiness Is Both Position and Process • The altar is “cleansed” (position), yet sacrifices must continue (process). • Believers are declared holy in Christ (Hebrews 10:10) and are called to ongoing consecration (Romans 12:1). Echoes in the New Covenant • Christ fulfills every “without blemish” offering (Hebrews 7:26-27). • His once-for-all sacrifice secures eternal holiness, yet we still “draw near” through continual worship and confession (Hebrews 10:19-22; 1 John 1:7). Practical Takeaways • God sets the terms of approaching Him; we respond in obedient worship. • Holiness is safeguarded by staying under the provision of the perfect sacrifice. • Regular, intentional acts of devotion remind us of the cost of access to God and keep our lives aligned with His purity. |
    |