What is the meaning of Ezekiel 43:22? On the second day • The Lord establishes a deliberate, day-by-day pattern for the dedication of the future millennial temple (Ezekiel 43:25–26), just as He did for the tabernacle in Exodus 29:35–37. • Day 1 dealt with the bull; Day 2 continues the cleansing, highlighting that holiness is progressive and thorough (cf. Leviticus 8:33-35). • The sequence reminds us that God’s work in His people moves forward in ordered steps (Philippians 1:6). you are to present an unblemished male goat • “Unblemished” underscores God’s demand for purity (Leviticus 22:20; Malachi 1:8). • A male goat was the required sin offering for leaders in Israel (Leviticus 4:22-24), pointing to the representative nature of sacrifice. • The absence of defects anticipates Christ, “a lamb without blemish or spot” (1 Peter 1:19), who fulfilled every type and shadow. as a sin offering • Sin offerings addressed unintentional or unknown sin, revealing how pervasive sin really is (Leviticus 4:1-3). • Blood was shed “to make atonement” (Leviticus 17:11), prefiguring the once-for-all atonement Jesus accomplished (Hebrews 9:12). • Even in a future temple setting, the ritual will memorialize Christ’s finished work rather than compete with it (Hebrews 10:10). and the altar is to be cleansed • The altar, despite being holy furniture, required purification because sin pollutes everything it touches (Exodus 29:36-37; Leviticus 8:15). • Cleansing the place where sacrifices are offered teaches that worship must spring from purity (Psalm 24:3-4; 1 John 1:9). • It also affirms that God alone defines how He is to be approached (John 14:6). as it was with the bull • The same blood-smearing ritual from Day 1 (Ezekiel 43:19-20) is repeated, stressing consistency in God’s standards. • The parallel with the bull shows that no matter the animal, the method of cleansing remains unchanged—sin is always dealt with by blood (Hebrews 9:22). • Repetition emphasizes remembrance; each offering looks back to the first and forward to the ultimate sacrifice (John 1:29). summary Ezekiel 43:22 sets Day 2 of the temple’s dedication, calling for an unblemished male goat as a sin offering to purify the altar just as the bull did on Day 1. God’s ordered process highlights His holiness, the pervasive problem of sin, and the unchanging necessity of blood for atonement. Every detail anticipates and memorializes Jesus Christ, the flawless and final sacrifice, inviting believers to approach God in reverent, cleansed worship. |
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