Bird's-eye view
In this portion of Ezekiel's temple vision, the prophet receives instructions concerning the offerings of the people and the prince. These two verses detail the specific grain and oil offerings that accompany the bull, ram, and lamb sacrifices during the appointed feasts. They also make provision for the prince to bring a freewill offering, separate from the mandated feasts, and outline the specific protocol for him to do so. The central theme here is one of ordered and generous worship. God is not only concerned that His people worship Him, but also how they worship Him. The worship is structured, with set amounts for the required sacrifices, yet it also has room for spontaneous and free expressions of devotion, as seen in the prince's freewill offering. This passage, like all of Ezekiel's temple vision, points forward to the reality of the New Covenant, where Christ is both the Prince who offers and the perfect offering itself, and where our worship is to be characterized by both biblical order and heartfelt generosity.
The distinction between the prescribed offerings and the freewill offering is significant. It shows us a God who commands our worship for our good, establishing the pattern, but who also delights in the uncompelled, overflowing gratitude of His people's hearts. The prince, as the leader, sets the example in both. He faithfully participates in the required worship and leads the way in voluntary worship. The specific actions surrounding his freewill offering, particularly the opening and shutting of the east gate, underscore the holiness of the event and the unique role of the prince as a mediator and representative for the people.
Outline
- 1. Prescribed and Voluntary Worship (Ezek 46:11-12)
- a. The Measure of Appointed Offerings (Ezek 46:11)
- b. The Provision for Voluntary Offerings (Ezek 46:12)
- i. The Prince's Freewill Initiative (Ezek 46:12a)
- ii. The Ceremonial Protocol for the Prince (Ezek 46:12b)
Context In Ezekiel
These verses are situated in the final major section of Ezekiel (chapters 40-48), which contains a detailed vision of a restored temple, priesthood, and system of worship. This vision was given to Ezekiel while he and his people were in exile in Babylon, serving as a powerful promise of future restoration and the return of God's presence to His people. Chapter 46 specifically deals with the laws of worship in this new temple, focusing on the roles of the priests, the people, and a figure called "the prince." The preceding verses (46:1-10) laid out the rules for Sabbath and New Moon festivals, emphasizing the prince's role in leading the people in corporate worship. Our text continues this theme, elaborating on the material requirements for offerings at the major feasts and then providing a special allowance for the prince to worship on his own initiative. This entire section is highly liturgical, emphasizing that the restored community will be a worshiping community, ordered according to God's holy standards.
Key Issues
- The Nature of Prescribed vs. Freewill Offerings
- The Identity and Role of "the Prince"
- The Typological Significance of the Offerings
- The Principle of Regulated Worship
- The Relationship Between Old Covenant Liturgy and New Covenant Worship
Generosity Within Structure
One of the constant tensions in the life of the church is the relationship between form and freedom, structure and spontaneity. We see both principles beautifully balanced in this text. On the one hand, God is very specific about the offerings at the appointed times. An ephah with the bull, an ephah with the ram, a hin of oil with an ephah. This is not a free-for-all. Worship has a grammar, a structure given by God. This is the principle of regulated worship: God tells us how He is to be approached. This is for our protection and His glory.
But within that structure, there is room for glorious freedom and generosity. The offering with the lambs is "a gift from his hand," suggesting a measure of discretion. And more pointedly, the entire provision for the prince's freewill offering shows that God is not interested in bare, mechanical obedience. He makes a way for the leader to come to Him simply because he wants to, out of an unprompted heart of devotion. The gate is opened specially for him. This shows that our God delights in the free and willing offerings of His people. True worship is not just about fulfilling the requirements; it is about a heart that joyfully and generously exceeds them. The structure provides the riverbanks, but the freewill offering is the water of devotion flowing freely within them.
Verse by Verse Commentary
11 “Now at the feasts and the appointed times the grain offering shall be an ephah with a bull and an ephah with a ram, and with the lambs shall be a gift from his hand, as well as a hin of oil with an ephah.
Here the Lord specifies the measurements for the grain offering (minchah) that was to accompany the animal sacrifices at the great festivals. An ephah was a substantial amount of dry measure, perhaps around 22 liters, and a hin was a liquid measure of about 3.6 liters. So for the large sacrifices, the bull and the ram, a large and fixed amount of grain offering was required. This signifies a worship that is abundant and generous. You don't bring a magnificent bull to God and then skimp on the bread that goes with it. The offering is to be fitting for the one to whom it is offered. The oil, mixed with the fine flour, speaks of richness, anointing, and the blessing of God's Spirit. Interestingly, when it comes to the lambs, the amount is described as "a gift from his hand," which can be translated as "what his hand can attain." This seems to introduce a measure of freedom. While the offerings for the larger animals are fixed, the offering with the lambs allows for the ability and willingness of the worshiper to determine the amount. This is structured generosity.
12 And when the prince provides a freewill offering, a burnt offering, or peace offerings as a freewill offering to Yahweh, the gate facing east shall be opened for him. And he shall provide his burnt offering and his peace offerings as he does on the sabbath day. Then he shall go out, and the gate shall be shut after he goes out.
This verse shifts from the mandated festival offerings to a voluntary, personal act of worship initiated by the prince. This is not for a required feast day; this is because the prince, out of his own heart, desires to make a special offering to God. He can offer a burnt offering, which is wholly consumed and speaks of total consecration, or peace offerings, which were shared in a communal meal and speak of fellowship with God. The key is that it is a freewill offering. God makes special provision for this. The great eastern gate of the inner court, which was normally kept shut (Ezek 44:1-2), is to be opened specifically for him to present this offering. This is a high honor. He is to follow the same pattern for his offerings as he does on the Sabbath, meaning the worship is still to be orderly and reverent, not sloppy or haphazard. After he completes his worship and departs, the gate is immediately shut. This entire ceremony highlights the solemnity of the occasion and the unique, representative role of the prince. He acts on behalf of the people, and his personal devotion is treated with great significance. This points us to our great Prince, Jesus Christ, whose one offering of Himself was the ultimate freewill offering, opening a way for us to God that was previously shut.
Application
This passage, though deeply rooted in the liturgical life of ancient Israel, has profound application for Christians today. First, it teaches us that our giving to God ought to be both structured and spontaneous. We have a regular, "appointed" duty to give to the work of the church through our tithes and offerings. This is the ephah with the bull, the baseline of faithful worship. It should be planned, proportional, and consistent. But beyond that, God loves a cheerful giver. There should be moments when, like the prince, our hearts are so full of gratitude that we bring a "freewill offering" to the Lord, something above and beyond our normal giving, simply because we want to express our love and devotion.
Second, we see the importance of leadership in worship. The prince sets the pace. He is faithful in the required things, and he leads the way in voluntary devotion. Christian leaders, whether pastors, elders, or heads of households, have a responsibility to model this kind of worship. Our people and our families should see in us a faithful consistency in worship and also a heartfelt, uncompelled joy in serving God.
Finally, all of this finds its ultimate fulfillment in Jesus Christ. He is the Prince who offered himself freely for us. He is the perfect burnt offering, wholly consecrated to the Father's will. He is our peace offering, through whom we have fellowship with God. He is the one who has opened the gate to the Father's presence, a gate that was shut because of our sin. And because He has offered Himself for us, our response must be to offer ourselves, our whole lives, as a freewill offering back to Him, generously and joyfully, according to the pattern He has given us in His Word.