Ezekiel 46:5
The grain offering with the ram shall be one ephah, and the grain offering with the lambs shall be as much as he is able, along with a hin of oil per ephah.
The grain offering with the ram shall be one ephah,

The full ephah of finely prepared grain accompanied the ram, a substantial sacrifice associated with consecration, strength, and willing service. In the restored temple order, worship was not casual or improvised; the Lord appointed what was to be brought and how it was to be presented. The grain offering expressed thanksgiving for God’s provision and the dedication of human labor to Him. As the ram was offered, the worshiper acknowledged that strength and abundance come from the Lord and belong to Him.

Num 28:12-13 along with three-tenths of an ephah of fine flour…
Num 29:2-3 As a pleasing aroma to the LORD, you are to present…
Num 15:6-7 With a ram you are to prepare a grain offering…

and the grain offering with the lambs shall be as much as he is able,

The number of lambs could vary, and the accompanying grain offering was permitted to correspond to the worshiper’s ability. God required sincere obedience without placing an artificial burden on those with fewer resources. The lambs recalled the continual sacrificial pattern of Israel and ultimately direct attention to Jesus Christ, the sinless Lamb of God who bore away sin. Generous worship is measured not merely by quantity, but by a heart that honors God with what He has supplied.

Lev 5:7 If, however, he cannot afford a lamb, he may…
Lev 12:8 But if she cannot afford a lamb, she shall bring…
Deu 16:17 Everyone must appear with a gift as he is able,…

along with a hin of oil per ephah.

Oil was added in a fixed proportion to the grain, joining the produce of the land with a symbol of consecration, joy, and the Spirit’s empowering presence. The prescribed measure preserved order in temple worship and showed that devotion to God involved both grateful offering and faithful submission to His instruction. The worshiper brought the fruit of labor, yet the oil testified that every acceptable act of service depends upon God’s blessing and enabling.

Ezk 45:24 He shall also provide as a grain offering an ephah…
Num 15:4-5 then the one presenting his offering to the LORD…
Exo 29:40 With the first lamb offer a tenth of an ephah…

Persons / Places / Events
1. Ezekiel
A prophet and priest during the Babylonian exile, Ezekiel is the author of the book. He receives visions and messages from God concerning the future of Israel and the temple.

2. The Prince
In Ezekiel 46, the prince is a leader who offers sacrifices and worships in the temple. He represents a future leader of Israel, possibly a messianic figure.

3. The Temple
The setting for the offerings described in Ezekiel 46. This temple is part of Ezekiel's vision of a restored Israel and a renewed covenant with God.

4. Offerings
The passage describes specific offerings, including grain offerings and oil, which are part of the worship practices in the temple.

5. The People of Israel
The intended recipients of Ezekiel's message, who are in exile and looking forward to restoration and return to their land.
Teaching Points
Worship and Generosity
The passage emphasizes giving as one is able, highlighting the importance of worshiping God with a generous heart. Our offerings should reflect our gratitude and devotion to God.

Symbolism of Offerings
The grain and oil offerings symbolize sustenance and anointing, pointing to God's provision and blessing. In our lives, we should recognize and give thanks for God's continuous provision.

Role of Leadership in Worship
The prince's role in offering sacrifices underscores the importance of godly leadership in guiding worship and setting an example of devotion to God.

Restoration and Hope
Ezekiel's vision of the temple and offerings points to a future hope and restoration for God's people. We can find encouragement in God's promises of restoration and renewal in our own lives.

Heart of Worship
The emphasis on giving as one is able reminds us that God values the heart behind our worship more than the quantity of our offerings. Our worship should be sincere and heartfelt.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does the concept of giving "as much as one is able" challenge or encourage you in your own practice of giving and worship?

2. In what ways do the grain and oil offerings in Ezekiel 46:5 symbolize God's provision in your life today?

3. How can the role of the prince in this passage inform our understanding of leadership within the church?

4. What parallels can you draw between the hope of restoration in Ezekiel's vision and the promises of restoration found in the New Testament?

5. How can we ensure that our worship remains sincere and heartfelt, rather than merely ritualistic or obligatory?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Leviticus 2
Provides detailed instructions on grain offerings, which are a key part of the sacrificial system in the Old Testament. This connection helps us understand the significance of the offerings in Ezekiel 46:5.

Hebrews 10
Discusses the fulfillment of the sacrificial system through Jesus Christ, offering a New Testament perspective on the purpose and completion of the Old Testament offerings.

Isaiah 55:1-2
Invites people to come and receive freely from God, paralleling the idea of giving as one is able, emphasizing the heart of worship and generosity.
Distinction and Equality in the Kingdom of GodW. Clarkson Ezekiel 46:2, 3, 10
The Optional and the Obligatory in the Kingdom of GodW. Clarkson Ezekiel 46:4-12
People
Ephah, Ezekiel
Places
Most Holy Place
Topics
Able, Along, Cereal, Ephah, Gift, Grain, Hin, Lambs, Meal, Meal-offering, Meat, Meat-offering, Oblation, Offering, Oil, Pleases, Present, Ram, Sheep, Whatever
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Ezekiel 46:4-5

     4488   oil

Ezekiel 46:5-7

     5617   measures, liquid

Library
Chel. The Court of the Women.
The Court of the Gentiles compassed the Temple and the courts on every side. The same also did Chel, or the Ante-murale. "That space was ten cubits broad, divided from the Court of the Gentiles by a fence, ten hand-breadths high; in which were thirteen breaches, which the kings of Greece had made: but the Jews had again repaired them, and had appointed thirteen adorations answering to them." Maimonides writes: "Inwards" (from the Court of the Gentiles) "was a fence, that encompassed on every side,
John Lightfoot—From the Talmud and Hebraica

Things to be Meditated on as Thou Goest to the Church.
1. That thou art going to the court of the Lord, and to speak with the great God by prayer; and to hear his majesty speak unto thee by his word; and to receive his blessing on thy soul, and thy honest labour, in the six days past. 2. Say with thyself by the way--"As the hart brayeth for the rivers of water, so panteth my soul after thee, O God. My soul thirsteth for God, even for the living God: When shall I come and appear before the presence of God? For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand
Lewis Bayly—The Practice of Piety

Questions About the Nature and Perpetuity of the Seventh-Day Sabbath.
AND PROOF, THAT THE FIRST DAY OF THE WEEK IS THE TRUE CHRISTIAN SABBATH. BY JOHN BUNYAN. 'The Son of man is lord also of the Sabbath day.' London: Printed for Nath, Ponder, at the Peacock in the Poultry, 1685. EDITOR'S ADVERTISEMENT. All our inquiries into divine commands are required to be made personally, solemnly, prayerful. To 'prove all things,' and 'hold fast' and obey 'that which is good,' is a precept, equally binding upon the clown, as it is upon the philosopher. Satisfied from our observations
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3

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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