Ezek. 43 The glory of God returneth into the temple, Ezek. 43:1–6. God promiseth to dwell there, if the people will put away their sins, Ezek. 43:7–9. In order to incite them to repentance, the prophet showeth them the model and law of the house, Ezek. 43:10–12. The measures of the altar, Ezek.

After that the measuring of the temple was finished, he brought me, from the west gate where the whole was finished, and where the 42nd chapter left the prophet, to the gate, which, lest we should mistake, is expressly described the east gate, of the first wall measured, where he began with the…

Behold: sometimes this word is expletive, but here surely it stands for more; it expresseth, no doubt, the joy the prophet had to see this excellent sight, which should not be seen there more than sixty year’s; for in the sixth year of the captivity the glory of God left the city, Ezek.

And it, this glory of the God of Israel, was according to the appearance of the vision which I saw: see Ezek. 1:4, Ezek. 1:28. To destroy the city; to declare that their sins would ruin their city, Ezek. 9:3, Ezek. 10:4, which see.

The glory: see Ezek. 43:3. Came; the sins of impenitent Israel caused the glory of the Lord to go out of his house, but now the repentance of Israel is blessed with the return of this glory. Into the house; the temple where before it dwelt.

The spirit: see Ezek. 2:2. Brought me; carried me, at least supported and moved. The inner court; the court next to the house of the Lord, this was the innermost court. Filled, either with splendour and brightness, or with a cloud, such as formerly was, Lev.

I heard, distinctly, intelligibly, so that I am sure it was no delusion. Him; the Lord, who was in that glory. Speaking; what was spoken appears in the next two verses. Out of the house; God speaks to his out of his temple. The man; Christ, Mediator.

And he; the glorious God of Israel. The place of my throne: his throne, i.e. of glory and majesty, is in heaven, but the throne of his grace is in his temple; in the dispensations of grace, God manifests himself a King.

The idolatrous kings of Judah and Israel built, temples and altars for their idols, and these are called their thresholds. The Jews, or people of Judah, and their kings, erected these in the courts, or near the courts., of the temple, and so ill local nearness their threshold was by God’s…

This verse is either prophetic or perceptive, it doth direct the Jew what he should in duty do under this temple, and foretell what the people of God will do under the gospel. Put away; cast away, as impure and loathsome things should be cast away. Their whoredom, & c.: see Ezek. 43:7.

Son of man; Ezekiel, who is called thus above eighty times in this book. Show: he could not lay a model before their eye, but he could, and this is required, describe it to them in all the parts. The house; temple, which he had seen, and exactly measured.

They; the house of Israel. Be ashamed; repent, and show it by manifest tokens. Of all: it is not true repentance which is ashamed of some only, but not of all sins. The form, ; the model of the temple. The fashion; the manner of the building, and fitting each part to other.

This is the first comprehensive rule. Holiness becomes God’s house or temple: this relative holiness referred to personal and real holiness, and required it.

Of the altar of burnt-offerings; for the altar of incense was within the temple, and is called the golden altar, but this in this verse is the brazen altar, and stood in the court of the house.

From the bottom; from the superficies of the first ledge, which was a cubit broad and a cubit high from the ground. To the lower settle; to the top of that square settle which is called lower, because another settle is raised upon it. Two cubits in height.

The altar: this upper part is now called the altar, though sometimes this name is given to the whole, as Ezek. 43:13. Four cubits in height, for it was of much greater wideness, as in the next verse. From the altar; from the top of the altar, at each corner shall be a horn, four in all.

The altar; that which in the 15th verse is precisely determined to be the altar, the uppermost and least settle. Twelve cubits long, twelve broad; all exact square, by which we may know the dimensions of the other two; the first of the two was wider by two cubits, and longer by two cubits, than the…

The settle; so called now, since the uppermost carrieth the name of altar, proper to itself. Fourteen cubits, as said in the former verse: nor can it be otherwise, since it is one cubit on each side broader than the altar, which was twelve cubits square.

These are the ordinances; these are the measures and proportions for building the altar. In the day when, whensoever, they shall make it, the returned captives shall build and use it. To offer burnt-offerings thereon: it appears then this was the great brazen altar, of which see Ex. 38:30, Ex.

Thou shalt give; direct or command that it be given; for the prophet could not bestow such a gift on them. The priests the Levites; explaining who were meant by the priests. Zadok, who was put into Abiathar’s room. See Ezek. 40:46, Ezek. 44:15. To minister unto me: see Ezek. 42:13.

Thou shalt take; appoint it to be taken. Of the blood thereof; of the slain bullock. Put it, not all, but some of the blood, on the horns of the altar, as Lev. 4:30 prescribeth, and as Moses did, Lev. 8:15.

Thou shalt take; as Ezek. 43:20. And he, the priest of Zadok’s line, that by his course in ministration ought at that time to offer the sacrifice, shall burn it; either the whole, or so much as is commanded to be burnt.

The next day’s sacrifice is here directed. Without blemish: this was a qualification required in all sacrifices, and there were priests appointed to search whether they were perfect, in which search they were very punctual and curious. For a sin offering: see Ezek. 43:19.

Made an end of the first and second days’ sacrifices, and cleansing the altar. Thou shalt offer on the third day, and so on, through seven days. A ram: a kid, Ezek.

Thou shalt offer; direct them to offer. Before the Lord; not only to the Lord, but before the Lord, i.e. before the temple; so the altar stood where the burnt-offering was to be offered. Cast salt upon them; so the law, Lev.

By this it appears that there were seven days appointed for consecrating altar and priests, and that either these three sacrifices were every day of the seven offered up, and their blood sprinkled on the altar, or at least the young bullock every day, and one goat or one ram with it: the word here…

They, the priests in course, shall purge the altar: the same with what is said of the priests; they and the altar were thus consecrated and dedicated unto God, to be his in peculiar manner.

When these days are expired; when you have on every day of these seven offered the sacrifices as appointed, and for the ends mentioned. Upon the eighth day, which begins a new week and it is probable the first of these seven days for sacrifice might be the sabbath, and end on our Friday; however,…