Ezekiel 43 Study Notes
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43:1-2 God’s glory as seen particularly in the exodus narrative, the Sinai legislation, and the wanderings in the wilderness was the visible manifestation of his presence among his people. In chap. 43 the return of the glory of God to the temple indicates a reversal of the tragedy described in chaps. 10-11. God’s glory is always described as radiant or very bright (10:4; Lk 2:9; Rv 21:11,23). The glory of the Lord returned through the east gate, the gate from which it had earlier departed (10:18-19; 11:23). The roar of a huge torrent often accompanies a vision of God (1:24; Rv 1:15; 14:2; 19:6).
43:3 This verse interrupts the narrative of the vision with Ezekiel’s reaction. For the former visions see chaps. 8-11. Ezekiel’s falling facedown recalls his reaction to his first vision of God (1:28).
43:4-5 Chapters 40-42 focused on structures and spaces during temple construction. Now the focus is on filling those spaces. This is similar to the approach in Gn 1, where spaces (domains such as water, land, and sky) are formed in days one to three, and days four to six focus on filling those spaces with creatures. Israel’s judgment began when God’s glory departed from Solomon’s temple in Jerusalem (Ezk 8-11). The climax to her restoration as a nation now took place as God’s glory reentered the new temple in Jerusalem.
43:6-9 The filling of the temple with God’s glory will begin with the most holy place (vv. 1-9) and end at the corners of the outer court, with the description of the activities in the kitchens (46:24). The place for the soles of my feet is another way to describe the “footstool,” the place for a king’s feet when seated on a throne (1Ch 28:2; Ps 99:5; 132:7; Lm 2:1). The phrase I will dwell among the Israelites forever indicates God’s reason for entering the temple. This renews the promise of 37:26-28 (cp. 43:9; 1Kg 6:13; Zch 2:11). The corpses of their kings refers to the burial of kings near the temple. The proximity of these graves to the temple defiled the temple (1Kg 2:10; 11:43; 2Kg 21:18,26).
43:10-12 “Having witnessed the destruction of the temple in 586 [BC], and having lived for two decades hundreds of miles away from the sacred site, they must have wondered what had become of Yahweh’s ancient promise to dwell among his people. In this context, no news could have been more welcome than the announcement of ‘the house’” (Daniel Block).
kalam
| Hebrew pronunciation | [khah LAM] |
| CSB translation | be humiliated, ashamed, humiliate |
| Uses in Ezekiel | 6 |
| Uses in the OT | 38 |
| Focus passage | Ezekiel 43:10-11 |
Kalam means be humiliated (Is 54:4). The root mostly indicates subjective humiliation: prostitutes refused to be ashamed (Jr 3:3). But it can also describe objective humiliation. Kalam in this sense relates to physical need (Jr 14:3), military defeat (Ps 44:9), and death (Is 41:11). People are disgraced (Is 41:11) or embarrassed (Ezr 9:6). They remain in disgrace (Nm 12:14). The participle suggests in shame (Ps 74:21). The causative verb means humiliate (Jb 19:3) or harass (1Sm 25:7). It suggests feel humiliation (Jr 6:15) or behave shamefully (1Sm 20:34). Kalam occurs with bosh (“be ashamed”) seventeen times (Jr 31:19). Kelimmah (30x) denotes humiliation (Is 30:3; 45:16). It connotes scorn (Is 50:6), insults (Ezk 34:29), shame (Mc 2:6), and reproach (Ps 35:26). Kalam occurs twelve times with nasa’ (“bear, endure”) (Ps 69:7). Cherpah (“reproach”) occurs with kelimmah five times (Ezk 36:15). Kelimmut means humiliation (Jr 23:40).
43:13-17 After the return of the glory of the Lord to the temple, the first issue to be addressed is the altar, the place of sacrifice. The altar was mentioned in 40:47, but now becomes the focus of temple activities. Because of the altar’s size and height, it was necessary that steps led up to it on the east side (Ex 20:26).
43:18-19 On blood . . . splattered on it, see Ex 29:16; Lv 4:6; 5:9.
43:20 When material objects were atoned for, they were purified and cleansed from the impurities that had resulted from sin (Lv 8:14-15). The purification of the altar with blood is analogous to the sprinkling of blood on the priests at their ordination (Ex 29:21), on the altar on the Day of Atonement to make atonement for the people (Lv 16:18-19), and on the people to seal the covenant (Ex 24:1-8).
43:21 Some sacrificial animals were taken outside the sanctuary (Ex 29:14; Lv 4:12,21; 8:17; 9:11; 16:27). This action foreshadows one aspect of Christ’s sacrifice (Heb 13:11-13).
43:22-26 The consecration of the altar for seven days was performed at the Festival of Shelters (1Kg 8:65-66; Ezr 3:1-7). It resembled the ordination of priests (Ex 29:1-37; Lv 8).
43:27 The fellowship offering was prescribed on three specific occasions: the Festival of Weeks (Lv 23:19-20), the completion of the Nazirite vow (Nm 6:17-20), and the installation of the priests (Lv 9:18,22). This offering appears to have been closely associated with the burnt offering, which it followed. Like the burnt offering and often in association with it, the fellowship offering was offered on momentous occasions in Israel’s history (Ex 24:5; Lv 23:19; Dt 27:7; 1Sm 11:15; 1Kg 8:63-65). What was distinctive about the fellowship offering was that the offerer could share in the sacrifice. As such it expressed the joy of fellowship around a shared meal. In this regard it resembles the celebration of the Lord’s Supper.