It seems to me that the restoration of the connection between God and the Israelites (and all of us) described in the book of Ezekiel – is so descriptive in God’s numbers and terms and values and imagery – because God already knows the plan and prepares and prepares and prepares. God is God – and His revelations which are written down as descriptions to Ezekiel are so exacting down to the sacrifice, it is no wonder why the scholars scratch their heads in knowing what God is doing here.  The bible project video also says that scholars debate – restoring a temple bigger and better than Solomons – or making a new one – or ???  The video does state that it is clear that God never calls it Jerusalem – in other words God’s Word will be even bigger than that…  And yes, the future chapters explain the name of the garden that God is restoring – like restoration of Eden but bigger now to hold everyone in a city called: “And the name of the city from that time on will be: the Lord is there.”

WOW

And so it is AMAZING that God is finding a way for the israelites held up in Babylon in Ezekiel’s time – and it is AMAZING that God planned a Way through Jesus to be our restoration – and it is AMAZING for this new temple and city and garden – all measured and certain – to be containing an altar – of sacrifice…  God knows the people are separated from Him – He knows He wants repentance and restoration – and Ezekiel in symbols or in revelations is telling the countrymen (and us) that God wants the most lasting loving relationship with them (with us)…

Let us trust in this long drawn out story of Ezekiel and of life – and know that God is making a Way where there was no way – and remember – with Jesus – He IS the Way – and the Truth – and the Life…

Keep Measuring His Love for us.

Amen

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The Great Altar Restored – Ezekiel 43:13-27
“These are the measurements of the altar in long cubits, that cubit being a cubit and a handbreadth: Its gutter is a cubit deep and a cubit wide, with a rim of one span around the edge. And this is the height of the altar: From the gutter on the ground up to the lower ledge that goes around the altar it is two cubits high, and the ledge is a cubit wide. From this lower ledge to the upper ledge that goes around the altar it is four cubits high, and that ledge is also a cubit wide. Above that, the altar hearth is four cubits high, and four horns project upward from the hearth. The altar hearth is square, twelve cubits long and twelve cubits wide. The upper ledge also is square, fourteen cubits long and fourteen cubits wide. All around the altar is a gutter of one cubit with a rim of half a cubit. The steps of the altar face east.”

Then he said to me, “Son of man, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: These will be the regulations for sacrificing burnt offerings and splashing blood against the altar when it is built: You are to give a young bull as a sin offering to the Levitical priests of the family of Zadok, who come near to minister before me, declares the Sovereign Lord. You are to take some of its blood and put it on the four horns of the altar and on the four corners of the upper ledge and all around the rim, and so purify the altar and make atonement for it. You are to take the bull for the sin offering and burn it in the designated part of the temple area outside the sanctuary.

“On the second day you are to offer a male goat without defect for a sin offering, and the altar is to be purified as it was purified with the bull. When you have finished purifying it, you are to offer a young bull and a ram from the flock, both without defect. You are to offer them before the Lord, and the priests are to sprinkle salt on them and sacrifice them as a burnt offering to the Lord.

“For seven days you are to provide a male goat daily for a sin offering; you are also to provide a young bull and a ram from the flock, both without defect. For seven days they are to make atonement for the altar and cleanse it; thus they will dedicate it. At the end of these days, from the eighth day on, the priests are to present your burnt offerings and fellowship offerings on the altar. Then I will accept you, declares the Sovereign Lord.”

continue here with Chapters 44, 45 and 46: biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ezekiel%2047&version=NIV