What does Ezekiel 45:21 mean?
"In the first month, in the fourteenth day of the month, ye shall have the passover, a feast of seven days; unleavened bread shall be eaten." - Ezekiel 45:21
Ezekiel 45:21 in the King James Version of the Bible states, "In the first month, in the fourteenth day of the month, ye shall have the Passover, a feast of seven days; unleavened bread shall be eaten." This verse is part of a larger passage in the book of Ezekiel that details the division of the land and the regulations for the people of Israel. The verse specifically addresses the observance of the Passover, a significant religious festival in the Jewish faith.
The Passover is one of the oldest and most important festivals in Judaism, commemorating the liberation of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt. The observance of Passover is rooted in the biblical account of the ten plagues, the final of which was the death of the firstborn, which passed over the houses of the Israelites who had marked their doorposts with the blood of a sacrificial lamb. This event led to the Israelites' eventual freedom from oppression and servitude under Pharaoh's rule.
In the context of Ezekiel 45:21, the instruction to observe the Passover serves as a reminder of the covenant between God and the people of Israel, and it reinforces the importance of remembering their history and heritage. The verse also underscores the significance of the Passover as a time of celebration and remembrance, as indicated by the command for the feast to last for seven days. The emphasis on consuming unleavened bread during the festival reflects the haste with which the Israelites left Egypt, as they did not have time to let their bread rise before departing.
Symbolically, the Passover has multiple layers of meaning. It represents the faithfulness of God to deliver his people from oppression and the importance of obedience to his commands. The Passover also foreshadows the ultimate deliverance from sin and death through the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ, often referred to as the "Lamb of God" in the New Testament.
Furthermore, the observance of the Passover prompts individuals to examine their own lives and spiritual condition. Just as the Israelites were instructed to rid their homes of leaven, which symbolizes sin and impurity, the Passover serves as a time for personal reflection and repentance. It is a time to rid oneself of spiritual "leaven" and embrace a renewed commitment to following God's will.
The directive to observe the Passover in Ezekiel 45:21 also highlights the importance of communal worship and unity among believers. The festival was to be observed collectively, bringing together the entire community in a shared expression of faith and gratitude. This communal aspect of the Passover emphasizes the interconnectedness of the people of Israel and their shared history and identity as God's chosen people.
In conclusion, Ezekiel 45:21 and the broader context of the regulation of the Passover in the book of Ezekiel underscore the enduring significance of this festival in the Jewish tradition. The verse serves as a reminder of God's faithfulness, the importance of remembrance and celebration, and the symbolic meaning of the Passover in relation to both personal and communal faith. Ultimately, the observance of the Passover points to the foundational truths of the Israelites' history and the enduring principles of faith, obedience, and deliverance.
Have questions about Ezekiel 45:21?
Dive deeper into this scripture with Bible Chat — an AI-powered tool for exploring God's Word through conversation. Ask questions, get context, and grow in your understanding of the Bible.
Get Our Apps
Ezekiel 45:21 Artwork
Ezekiel 45:21 - "In the first month, in the fourteenth day of the month, ye shall have the passover, a feast of seven days; unleavened bread shall be eaten."
"In the first month, in the fourteenth day of the month, ye shall have the passover, a feast of seven days; unleavened bread shall be eaten." - Ezekiel 45:21
Ezekiel 20:45 - "¶ Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,"
Ezekiel 45:10 - "Ye shall have just balances, and a just ephah, and a just bath."
Ezekiel 45:16 - "All the people of the land shall give this oblation for the prince in Israel."
Ezekiel 45:22 - "And upon that day shall the prince prepare for himself and for all the people of the land a bullock for a sin offering."
Ezekiel 40:45 - "And he said unto me, This chamber, whose prospect is toward the south, is for the priests, the keepers of the charge of the house."
Ezekiel 45:24 - "And he shall prepare a meat offering of an ephah for a bullock, and an ephah for a ram, and an hin of oil for an ephah."
Matthew 21:45 - "And when the chief priests and Pharisees had heard his parables, they perceived that he spake of them."
Ezekiel 45:12 - "And the shekel shall be twenty gerahs: twenty shekels, five and twenty shekels, fifteen shekels, shall be your maneh."
Ezekiel 45:3 - "And of this measure shalt thou measure the length of five and twenty thousand, and the breadth of ten thousand: and in it shall be the sanctuary and the most holy place."
"¶ Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying," - Ezekiel 20:45
Ezekiel 45:20 - "And so thou shalt do the seventh day of the month for every one that erreth, and for him that is simple: so shall ye reconcile the house."
Ezekiel 45:2 - "Of this there shall be for the sanctuary five hundred in length, with five hundred in breadth, square round about; and fifty cubits round about for the suburbs thereof."
Ezekiel 45:13 - "This is the oblation that ye shall offer; the sixth part of an ephah of an homer of wheat, and ye shall give the sixth part of an ephah of an homer of barley:"
Genesis 45:21 - "And the children of Israel did so: and Joseph gave them wagons, according to the commandment of Pharaoh, and gave them provision for the way."
Ezekiel 45:18 - "Thus saith the Lord GOD; In the first month, in the first day of the month, thou shalt take a young bullock without blemish, and cleanse the sanctuary:"
Joshua 21:45 - "There failed not ought of any good thing which the LORD had spoken unto the house of Israel; all came to pass."
Ezekiel 45:5 - "And the five and twenty thousand of length, and the ten thousand of breadth, shall also the Levites, the ministers of the house, have for themselves, for a possession for twenty chambers."
Ezekiel 23:45 - "¶ And the righteous men, they shall judge them after the manner of adulteresses, and after the manner of women that shed blood; because they are adulteresses, and blood is in their hands."
"All the people of the land shall give this oblation for the prince in Israel." - Ezekiel 45:16
Ezekiel 45:8 - "In the land shall be his possession in Israel: and my princes shall no more oppress my people; and the rest of the land shall they give to the house of Israel according to their tribes."
Ezekiel 45:11 - "The ephah and the bath shall be of one measure, that the bath may contain the tenth part of an homer, and the ephah the tenth part of an homer: the measure thereof shall be after the homer."
Ezekiel 45:19 - "And the priest shall take of the blood of the sin offering, and put it upon the posts of the house, and upon the four corners of the settle of the altar, and upon the posts of the gate of the inner court."
"Ye shall have just balances, and a just ephah, and a just bath." - Ezekiel 45:10
Ezekiel 45:4 - "The holy portion of the land shall be for the priests the ministers of the sanctuary, which shall come near to minister unto the LORD: and it shall be a place for their houses, and an holy place for the sanctuary."
Ezekiel 45:14 - "Concerning the ordinance of oil, the bath of oil, ye shall offer the tenth part of a bath out of the cor, which is an homer of ten baths; for ten baths are an homer:"
Ezekiel 21:7
Ezekiel 45:6 - "¶ And ye shall appoint the possession of the city five thousand broad, and five and twenty thousand long, over against the oblation of the holy portion: it shall be for the whole house of Israel."
Ezekiel 45:15 - "And one lamb out of the flock, out of two hundred, out of the fat pastures of Israel; for a meat offering, and for a burnt offering, and for peace offerings, to make reconciliation for them, saith the Lord GOD."