Ezekiel Chapter 44 Vs. 4-9

A New Service of Worship

Ezekiel 44:4-9

As Ezekiel went back into the inner court by way of the north gate, he saw the glory of the Lord (cf. Eze. 1:28) filling the temple of the Lord. The north gate that Ezekiel was taken to was very near the holy of holies, so it had to be the north gate of the inner court. We see that Ezekiel was in the near presence of the glory of the LORD, and he was so overwhelmed, that he fell on his face before the LORD. In verses 5-9 we start with the phrase “mark well” referring to those who may enter. Since the Lord’s glory fills the temple, it is sanctified, verse 4, and God is particular about what kind of people worship there. Sins of the past, as in chapters 8-11, must not be repeated and if they are, will exclude their perpetrators from the temple. Only the circumcised in heart may enter, whether of Israel or another nation.

Many other peoples than Jews will go into the kingdom in un-resurrected bodies, because they have believed in Jesus Christ and were ready for His coming. They will escape His deadly judgment and populate and reproduce in the 1,000 year kingdom.

Such circumcision pertains to a heart which is sincere about removing sin and being devoted to the Lord.

In the Millennium, a Jew with an uncircumcised heart will be considered a foreigner, verse 9. “Uncircumcised in flesh” refers to sinners and “foreigner” identifies rejecters of the true God.

The LORD was cautioning Ezekiel to get all of the details solidly into his memory, so he would not forget.

This is the most important thing in his life, so he must give it his full undivided attention. Each little detail had great spiritual significance. He must get it exact.

I am just sure that God gave Ezekiel the gift of comprehending what was here, and then remembering it. God does not ask us to do anything that He does not equip us to do. This is what I am saying about the Bible, as well. We should not read it with just our natural eyes. Our spirit of understanding must be quickened, to truly realize what it is saying.

Because of God’s holiness Ezekiel told the nation, a rebellious house (cf. Eze. 2:5-6, 2:8; 3:9, 3:26-27; 12:3, 12:9, 12:25; 17:12; 24:3), that God said, enough of your detestable practices, O house of Israel! Some of the idolatries had taken place at this very gate in the past. God wants them to put all of that behind them. God demanded holiness from His people and a turning from the practice of allowing uncircumcised foreigners into the temple (Eze. 44:9; cf. 44:7). This is, probably, speaking of those priests who brought the idolatries into the temple. Notice above, that uncircumcised in heart is mentioned, even before uncircumcised in flesh. Christians who truly belong to God are circumcised in the heart.

This reminds me very much of when the priesthood had sunk so low, they worshipped false gods themselves. God had set the Levitical tribe aside for working in the temple. They had brought in strangers to do the work of the sanctuary.

The abominations ranged from committing spiritual adultery, to not keeping God's covenant. The "stranger" is speaking of those who do not know God.



The Jews who returned from the Babylonian Captivity stressed this prohibition (cf. Ezr. 4:1-3; Neh. 13:1-9; cf. Acts 21:27-32).