Ezekiel 45:15
And one sheep shall be given from each flock of two hundred from the well-watered pastures of Israel. These are for the grain offerings, burnt offerings, and peace offerings, to make atonement for the people, declares the Lord GOD.
And one sheep shall be given from each flock of two hundred
This phrase indicates a specific requirement for offerings, highlighting the principle of proportional giving. The number "two hundred" suggests a manageable and fair expectation, ensuring that the burden of sacrifice is not too heavy on any individual. This reflects the broader biblical principle of stewardship and giving according to one's means, as seen in passages like 2 Corinthians 8:12. The sheep, a common sacrificial animal, symbolizes innocence and purity, prefiguring Christ as the Lamb of God (John 1:29).

from the well-watered pastures of Israel
The mention of "well-watered pastures" emphasizes the abundance and fertility of the land, a blessing from God. This imagery recalls the Promised Land described as "a land flowing with milk and honey" (Exodus 3:8). The pastures signify God's provision and the responsibility of the Israelites to offer back to God from the best of what He has given them. This also connects to the idea of spiritual nourishment and growth, as seen in Psalm 23:2, where God leads His people to green pastures.

These are for the grain offerings, burnt offerings, and peace offerings
This phrase outlines the types of offerings required, each with distinct purposes. Grain offerings symbolize dedication and thanksgiving to God, burnt offerings represent atonement and complete surrender, and peace offerings signify fellowship and reconciliation with God. These offerings collectively point to the comprehensive nature of worship and atonement in the Old Testament, foreshadowing the ultimate sacrifice of Christ, who fulfills all these offerings (Hebrews 10:10).

to make atonement for the people
Atonement involves reconciliation between God and humanity, addressing the separation caused by sin. In the Old Testament, atonement was achieved through sacrifices, which temporarily covered sins. This anticipates the New Testament revelation of Jesus Christ's atoning work on the cross, providing a once-for-all sacrifice for sin (Romans 3:25). The concept of atonement underscores God's holiness and the necessity of a mediator, fulfilled in Christ (1 Timothy 2:5).

declares the Lord GOD
This phrase asserts divine authority and the certainty of God's word. The use of "declares the Lord GOD" emphasizes that these instructions are not merely human traditions but commands from the sovereign Creator. It reflects the prophetic nature of Ezekiel's message, where God directly communicates His will to His people. This assurance of divine authority is echoed throughout Scripture, affirming the reliability and truth of God's promises (Isaiah 55:11).

Persons / Places / Events
1. Ezekiel
A prophet during the Babylonian exile who conveyed God's messages to the Israelites, focusing on judgment and restoration.

2. Israel
The nation chosen by God, often symbolizing His people, who are called to live in covenant relationship with Him.

3. Well-watered pastures
Symbolic of God's provision and blessing, representing the abundance from which offerings are to be made.

4. Offerings (Grain, Burnt, Peace)
Sacrificial practices in the Old Testament that symbolize worship, atonement, and fellowship with God.

5. Atonement
The process of reconciling with God, often through sacrifice, to cover sin and restore relationship.
Teaching Points
Understanding Sacrifice
Recognize the significance of sacrificial offerings in the Old Testament as a means of atonement and worship.

God's Provision
Reflect on how God provides abundantly for His people, symbolized by the well-watered pastures.

Atonement and Reconciliation
Consider the importance of atonement in restoring our relationship with God, ultimately fulfilled in Christ.

Living Sacrifices
Apply the concept of offerings to our lives today by dedicating ourselves wholly to God as living sacrifices.

Community Responsibility
Acknowledge the communal aspect of offerings, where each member contributes to the spiritual well-being of the whole.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does the concept of sacrifice in Ezekiel 45:15 relate to the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus Christ?

2. In what ways can we offer ourselves as living sacrifices in our daily lives, as encouraged in Romans 12:1?

3. How does the imagery of well-watered pastures in Ezekiel 45:15 reflect God's provision in your life?

4. What role does community play in the practice of faith, as seen in the communal offerings described in this passage?

5. How can understanding the Old Testament sacrificial system deepen our appreciation for the atonement provided through Christ?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Leviticus 1-7
These chapters detail the various offerings and sacrifices, providing context for the types of offerings mentioned in Ezekiel 45:15.

Hebrews 10
Discusses the ultimate atonement through Jesus Christ, connecting Old Testament sacrifices to the New Covenant.

Psalm 23
The imagery of well-watered pastures is reminiscent of God's provision and care as described in this Psalm.

Romans 12:1
Encourages believers to offer themselves as living sacrifices, drawing a parallel to the sacrificial system.

1 Peter 2:5
Believers are described as a holy priesthood offering spiritual sacrifices, connecting to the idea of offerings in Ezekiel.
ReconciliationJ.R. Thomson Ezekiel 45:15
Religion a Practical ThingJ.D. Davies Ezekiel 45:13-15
People
Ephah, Ezekiel, Levites
Places
Holy Place, Most Holy Place
Topics
Affirmation, Atonement, Burned, Burnt, Burnt-offering, Cereal, Declares, Families, Fat, Fellowship, Flock, Grain, Hundred, Israel-for, Lamb, Meal, Meal-offering, Meat, Meat-offering, Oblation, Offering, Offerings, Pastures, Peace, Peace-offerings, Places, Present, Reconciliation, Says, Sheep, Sin, Sovereign, Watered, Watering, Well-watered
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Ezekiel 45:15

     7364   fellowship offering

Library
Of the Third Seal.
The third animated being is the index of the third seal, in a human form, his station being towards the south, and consequently shows that this seal begins with an emperor proceeding from that cardinal point of the compass; probably with Septimius Severus, the African, an emperor from the south, of whom Eutropius writes in the following manner: "Deriving his origin from Africa, from the province of Tripolis, from the town of Leptis, the only emperor from Africa within all remembrance, before or since."
Joseph Mede—A Key to the Apocalypse

The Section Chap. I. -iii.
The question which here above all engages our attention, and requires to be answered, is this: Whether that which is reported in these chapters did, or did not, actually and outwardly take place. The history of the inquiries connected with this question is found most fully in Marckius's "Diatribe de uxore fornicationum," Leyden, 1696, reprinted in the Commentary on the Minor Prophets by the same author. The various views may be divided into three classes. 1. It is maintained by very many interpreters,
Ernst Wilhelm Hengstenberg—Christology of the Old Testament

Ezekiel
To a modern taste, Ezekiel does not appeal anything like so powerfully as Isaiah or Jeremiah. He has neither the majesty of the one nor the tenderness and passion of the other. There is much in him that is fantastic, and much that is ritualistic. His imaginations border sometimes on the grotesque and sometimes on the mechanical. Yet he is a historical figure of the first importance; it was very largely from him that Judaism received the ecclesiastical impulse by which for centuries it was powerfully
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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