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no outsiders allowed

Ezekiel 44:4-8 (JDV)

Ezekiel 44:4 Then he brought me by way of the north gate to the front of the house. I looked, and noticed the impressive appearance of Yahveh filled his house. And I fell face-down.
Ezekiel 44:5 Yahveh said to me: “Son of Adam, pay attention; look with your eyes and listen with your ears to everything I tell you about all the prescriptions and laws of Yahveh’s house. Take careful note of the entrance of the house along with all the exits of the sanctuary.
Ezekiel 44:6 “Say to the rebellious people, the house of Israel, ‘This is what the Lord Yahveh says: I have had enough of all your repulsive practices, house of Israel.
Ezekiel 44:7 When you brought in foreigners, uncircumcised in both heart and flesh, to occupy my sanctuary, you defiled my house while you offered my food– the fat and the blood. You broke my covenant by all your repulsive practices.
Ezekiel 44:8 You have not kept charge of my devoted things but have appointed others to keep charge of my sanctuary for you.’

no outsiders allowed

Lofthouse writes “In the old regime, prisoners of war would seem to have been used for temple servants (Joshua ix. 23), and foreigners were freely enlisted in the royal bodyguard (Ithra the Gittite, the Cherethites, and Pelethites)” (322).

This may have seemed like a profitable arrangement for the Israelites, but for God, it was an insult. His house is to be served by his covenant people — circumcised in both flesh and heart.

To be a witness to the world we must make contact with the world. But our service and worship of God are not to be shared by outsiders.

Lofthouse, W. F. Ezekiel: Introduction, Revised Version with Notes and Index. Edinburgh: T.C. & E.C. Jack, 1900.