The Pulpit Commentary — Ezekiel — Volume 2 — Section 347

HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUTHORS, Vers. 13, 14.-Sacerdotal sanctity. If the Jews were a peculiar, a consecrated, a holy people, it may be said that their sanctity was concentrated in the temple-the buildi1;1g_ whi~h was "holiness unto the Lord," and in the holy priesthood, set apart for the m1mstrat10ns of the sanctuary. The angel who showed Ezekiel the temple of vision laid great stress upon this characteristic of the marvellous and symmetrical building. I. CEREMONIAL HOLINESS, This is exhibited as affecting: 1. The priests, who were set apart from the rest of the people. How should they be clean who bear the vessels of the Lord! 2. Their residences, During the period of their officiation in the temple services and sacrifices, they had their dwelling in certain chambers within the pre- cincts, and these chambers were deemed holy places. 3. Their food. They are said to "eat the most holy things ; " i.e. there were certain regulations as to food which were prescribed for them that had no reference to the people generally. 4. Their garments. The priests were provided with raiment which they were required to wear when minis- tering before the Lord. Holy functions necessitated holy vestments. 5. '!'heir offer- ings. As the reader of this passage is reminded, it was the duty of the priests to present meal offerings, sin offerings, and guilt offerings. As these werll oll'ered upon the holy altar to the holy God, they themselves were holy. It thus appears that everything connected with the position, the life, the ministrations, of the prieete was marked by ceremonial sanctity. II. THE BPIBITUAL SIGKIFICANCE OF OEBEHONIAL HOLINESS. What was the purpose of all the arrangements described in this and other passages of Old Testament Scripture? Why was this artificial separation introduced into the religion and life of the Hebrew people? A complete answer to these questions is perhaps not possible. But it is evident that it was intended to convey to Israel and to mankind: 1. A conception of the holy nature of God. Very different was the character claimed for himself by Jehovah from the character attributed to the deities of the heathen nations around. Whilst these deities were disfigured by selfishness, cruelty, and lust, Jehovah's attributes were righteousness, holiness, and benevolence. Everything connected with the worship of God, as practised in the temple at Jerusalem, was adapted to convey to men's minds the idea of God's infinite and spotless holiness. 2. A conception of the holy character of acceptable worship. Concerning idolatrous worship, we know that it was distinguished by perfunctoriness and superstition, and in some cases by impurity. Religious rites among the heathen are usually corrupt, or else mechanical and spiritually valueless. On the contrary, the worship of the true Hebrew, as is evident to the attentive reader of the Book of Psalms and of the prophets, was a sincere, holy, and spiritual worship. It was well understood that no other worship could be acceptable to the holy and heart-searching King of kings. And the arrangements described in this passage of the Book of Ezekiel were evidently adapted to produce and to deepen this impression, 3. A conception of the holy services of obedience and p,·aise. Sacrifices were enjoined and required of the pious Hebrew; but sacrifices were not the only or the chief services to be presented by the devout worshipper. In connection with these, and beyond these, were the offerings which God ever delights to accept from his own people-spiritual offerings of devotion and of active services. And if these are distinguished by one characteristic above another, that characteristic is true holiness.-T. Vera. 15-19.-The symmetry of the ,anctuary. The measurements which are in ~his part of Ezekiel'e prophecies given with euch abundance and euch minuteness are mtended primarily t.o convey the impression that the temple which was seen in vision wa~ ~ building of perfect beauty, harmony, and completeness. But the material buildmg we.e e. figure of a apiritual edifice, and the material qualities ascribed to it os, :tLtr. 1-20.] THE BOOK OF 'l'HE PROPHET EZEKIEL. 361