The Inner Meaning of the Prophets and Psalms # 167
167. Internal Meaning of Ezekiel, Chapter 44
1-3 Every good of the church and of worship is from the Lord. (12)
4-8 The Jewish nation destroyed the church. (12)
9-14 That nation will [not] be in that church, (12)
15-31 but others, of whom the new church will consist, which will acknowledge the Lord; concerning which, and its life, doctrine, worship, and ministry. (12)
Ezekiel 44:9-14
9
Thus says the Lord Yahweh, No foreigner, uncircumcised in heart and uncircumcised in flesh, shall enter into my sanctuary, of any foreigners who are among the children of Israel.
10
But the Levites who went far from me, when Israel went astray, who went astray from me after their idols, they shall bear their iniquity.
11
Yet they shall be ministers in my sanctuary, having oversight at the gates of the house, and ministering in the house: they shall kill the burnt offering and the sacrifice for the people, and they shall stand before them to minister to them.
12
Because they ministered to them before their idols, and became a stumbling block of iniquity to the house of Israel; therefore have I lifted up my hand against them, says the Lord Yahweh, and they shall bear their iniquity.
13
They shall not come near to me, to execute the office of priest to me, nor to come near to any of my holy things, to the things that are most holy; but they shall bear their shame, and their abominations which they have committed.
14
Yet will I make them performers of the duty of the house, for all its service, and for all that shall be done therein.
