20230109

all on the altar

Ezekiel 40:38-43 (JDV)

Ezekiel 40:38 There was a chamber whose door opened into the gate’s portico. The burnt offering was to be washed there.
Ezekiel 40:39 Inside the gate’s portico there were two tables on each side, on which to slaughter the burnt offering, failure offering, and guilt offering.
Ezekiel 40:40 Outside, as one approaches the entrance of the north gate, there were two tables on one side and two more tables on the other side of the gate’s portico.
Ezekiel 40:41 So there were four tables inside the gate and four outside, eight tables in all on which the slaughtering was to be done.
Ezekiel 40:42 There were also four tables of cut stone for the burnt offering, each a cubit and a half long, a cubit and a half wide, and a cubit high. The utensils used to slaughter the burnt offerings and other sacrifices were placed on them.
Ezekiel 40:43 There were three-inch hooks fastened all around the inside of the room, and the flesh of the offering was to be laid on the tables.

all on the altar

If I am correct in assuming that Ezekiel’s temple vision predicts a new person, a new temple for the presence of God within — then the appearance of this section providing for the burnt offering speaks of the total commitment of the new person in the coming new age.

Jesus challenged his disciples to take up their crosses and follow him — to death if necessary. Most of them did die for their faith. Only someone convinced of a new life to come will sacrifice his all on the altar.