Leadership in God's House

Ezekiel 46 continues with the vision of the Temple. In this passage, we see the order of worship retired to Israel. God is a God of order. He will not tolerate confusion in His worship. He desires people to know Him in truth and righteousness. Chaos and confusion are the language of satan.

Ezekiel 46:1–2 (ESV) “Thus says the Lord GOD: The gate of the inner court that faces east shall be shut on the six working days, but on the Sabbath day it shall be opened, and on the day of the new moon it shall be opened. 2 The prince shall enter by the vestibule of the gate from outside, and shall take his stand by the post of the gate. The priests shall offer his burnt offering and his peace offerings, and he shall worship at the threshold of the gate. Then he shall go out, but the gate shall not be shut until evening.

We have here a requirement for the "prince" to act in a mediatorial role between the inner temple priestly system and the people. He will take his stand at the gatepost. He will not go all the way in. He will worship there in the open gate and offer sacrifices. 

Ezekiel 46:8 (ESV) When the prince enters, he shall enter by the vestibule of the gate, and he shall go out by the same way.

While the prince enters and exits in the same way on Sabbath and New Moons, when the people make their pilgrimage to worship for feast days, he will walk among the people in one gate and out another. 

Ezekiel 46:9–10 (ESV) “When the people of the land come before the LORD at the appointed feasts, he who enters by the north gate to worship shall go out by the south gate, and he who enters by the south gate shall go out by the north gate: no one shall return by way of the gate by which he entered, but each shall go out straight ahead. 10 When they enter, the prince shall enter with them, and when they go out, he shall go out.

In addition, the prince will offer special sacrifices on feast days and appointed festivals. 

The middle portion of this chapter specifies regulations regarding land ownership of the prince. He is entitled to leave it to his sons. 

Ezekiel 46:18 (ESV) The prince shall not take any of the inheritance of the people, thrusting them out of their property. He shall give his sons their inheritance out of his own property, so that none of my people shall be scattered from his property.”

Later in the chapter, Ezekiel is given specific instructions on how to boil sacrifices. 

Ezekiel 46:19–20 (ESV) Then he brought me through the entrance, which was at the side of the gate, to the north row of the holy chambers for the priests, and behold, a place was there at the extreme western end of them. 20 And he said to me, “This is the place where the priests shall boil the guilt offering and the sin offering, and where they shall bake the grain offering, in order not to bring them out into the outer court and so transmit holiness to the people.”

 

This is by far one of the most confusing chapters in the Bible. What we can know for sure is that this prince is not the Messiah. He has sons, and in Ezekiel 45:22, he makes offerings for his own sins. Those two realities eliminate him as a Messiah figure. What we can infer is that the prince is a leader for the people who maintains obedience and order for the worship of God's house. He is a picture of someone who knows their place, is ready to intercede for people as they approach God, and he leads the way in worship. 

It's a picture of Biblical leadership. First. he is a prince. That means he is of noble birth. That is what we all are in Christ. But the prince is especially privileged with leadership in the Temple. He also gains ownership of lands through his work. He is blessed in his service. Why? Because he keeps order in the house. He establishes honor in worship and service. He is a model for the people who come to God, showing them the way. 

Christian leaders should see themselves for what they are - the royal sons of God who lead God's people to God. It's a tremendous blessing to be involved in this ministry. It changes lives and, therefore, changes the world.