What does Ezekiel 46:3 mean?
"Likewise the people of the land shall worship at the door of this gate before the LORD in the sabbaths and in the new moons." - Ezekiel 46:3
In Ezekiel 46:3 (KJV), the verse reads, "Likewise the people of the land shall worship at the door of this gate before the Lord in the sabbaths and in the new moons." This verse is part of a vision that the prophet Ezekiel had, in which he was shown the layout and regulations for the future temple in Jerusalem, which had not yet been built during his time.
One of the key themes in this verse is the importance of worship and reverence for God. The gate mentioned in the verse is the eastern gate of the temple, which was considered the primary entrance to the temple and was located in the outer court. This gate held significant religious and symbolic meaning for the Israelites, as it was through this gate that it was believed the Messiah would enter Jerusalem. Thus, the act of worshiping at the door of this gate was a deeply spiritual and significant practice for the people.
The verse also highlights the observance of sabbaths and new moons as times of worship and dedication to the Lord. In the Old Testament, the sabbath was a day of rest and worship, observed on the seventh day of the week, while new moons were also designated as times of special worship and sacrifice. By emphasizing the observance of these religious rituals at the temple gate, the verse underscores the importance of regular and consistent worship in the lives of the Israelites.
Another theme in this verse is the call to communal worship. The verse states that "the people of the land shall worship at the door of this gate," indicating that worship was not solely an individualistic act, but a communal one. This communal aspect of worship was central to the Israelite religion, as it fostered a sense of unity and solidarity among the people, and it also served as a demonstration of their collective devotion to God. Additionally, this communal worship served as a means of ensuring that the entire community remained faithful to the Lord and his commandments.
In terms of context, it is important to note that Ezekiel was speaking to the exiled Israelites who were living in Babylon at the time. The vision of the future temple and its regulations was meant to provide hope and encouragement to the exiled community, assuring them that they would one day return to their land and reestablish their worship of God in a new and glorious temple. Thus, this verse served as a reminder to the exiles of the importance of maintaining their faith and religious practices, even in the midst of their displacement and hardship.
Symbolically, the gate mentioned in the verse serves as a representation of access to God and the divine. By worshiping at the door of this gate, the people were demonstrating their desire to draw near to God and seek His presence. The observance of sabbaths and new moons at the gate further symbolized the people's commitment to honoring and obeying God's laws and ordinances.
In conclusion, Ezekiel 46:3 (KJV) conveys the themes of worship, communal devotion, and the symbolic significance of the temple gate as a representation of access to God. The verse serves as a reminder of the importance of regular worship and observance of religious rituals, as well as the communal nature of faith and devotion. The context of the verse within Ezekiel's vision for the future temple further emphasizes its significance as a source of hope and encouragement for the exiled Israelites.
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Ezekiel 46:3 - "Likewise the people of the land shall worship at the door of this gate before the LORD in the sabbaths and in the new moons."
"Likewise the people of the land shall worship at the door of this gate before the LORD in the sabbaths and in the new moons." - Ezekiel 46:3
Ezekiel 46:24 - "Then said he unto me, These are the places of them that boil, where the ministers of the house shall boil the sacrifice of the people."
Ezekiel 23:46 - "For thus saith the Lord GOD; I will bring up a company upon them, and will give them to be removed and spoiled."
Ezekiel 46:15 - "Thus shall they prepare the lamb, and the meat offering, and the oil, every morning for a continual burnt offering."
Ezekiel 40:46 (KJVA) 46 And the chamber whose prospect is toward the north is for the priests, the keepers of the charge of the altar: these are the sons of Zadok among the sons of Levi, which come near to the LORD to minister unto him.
Ezekiel 46:22 - "In the four corners of the court there were courts joined of forty cubits long and thirty broad: these four corners were of one measure."
Ezekiel 46:23 - "And there was a row of building round about in them, round about them four, and it was made with boiling places under the rows round about."
Ezekiel 46:10 - "And the prince in the midst of them, when they go in, shall go in; and when they go forth, shall go forth."
Lamentations 3:46 - "All our enemies have opened their mouths against us."
Ezekiel 20:46 - "Son of man, set thy face toward the south, and drop thy word toward the south, and prophesy against the forest of the south field;"
Ezekiel 46:6 - "And in the day of the new moon it shall be a young bullock without blemish, and six lambs, and a ram: they shall be without blemish."
Ezekiel 40:46 (KJVA) 46 And the chamber whose prospect is toward the north is for the priests, the keepers of the charge of the altar: these are the sons of Zadok among the sons of Levi, which come near to the LORD to minister unto him.
Ezekiel 40:46 (KJVA) 46 And the chamber whose prospect is toward the north is for the priests, the keepers of the charge of the altar: these are the sons of Zadok among the sons of Levi, which come near to the LORD to minister unto him.
Ezekiel 40:46 (KJVA) 46 And the chamber whose prospect is toward the north is for the priests, the keepers of the charge of the altar: these are the sons of Zadok among the sons of Levi, which come near to the LORD to minister unto him.
Ezekiel 46:13 - "Thou shalt daily prepare a burnt offering unto the LORD of a lamb of the first year without blemish: thou shalt prepare it every morning."
Ezekiel 46:5 - "And the meat offering shall be an ephah for a ram, and the meat offering for the lambs as he shall be able to give, and an hin of oil to an ephah."
Ezekiel 40:46 (KJVA) 46 And the chamber whose prospect is toward the north is for the priests, the keepers of the charge of the altar: these are the sons of Zadok among the sons of Levi, which come near to the LORD to minister unto him.
Jeremiah 46:3 - "Order ye the buckler and shield, and draw near to battle."
Ezekiel 46:16 - "¶ Thus saith the Lord GOD; If the prince give a gift unto any of his sons, the inheritance thereof shall be his sons'; it shall be their possession by inheritance."
Ezekiel 46:7 - "And he shall prepare a meat offering, an ephah for a bullock, and an ephah for a ram, and for the lambs according as his hand shall attain unto, and an hin of oil to an ephah."
Ezekiel 46:11 - "And in the feasts and in the solemnities the meat offering shall be an ephah to a bullock, and an ephah to a ram, and to the lambs as he is able to give, and an hin of oil to an ephah."
Ezekiel 46:8 - "And when the prince shall enter, he shall go in by the way of the porch of that gate, and he shall go forth by the way thereof."
Psalms 46:3 - "Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah."
Ezekiel 46:21 - "Then he brought me forth into the utter court, and caused me to pass by the four corners of the court; and, behold, in every corner of the court there was a court."
Ezekiel 46:4 - "And the burnt offering that the prince shall offer unto the LORD in the sabbath day shall be six lambs without blemish, and a ram without blemish."
Numbers 3:46 - "And for those that are to be redeemed of the two hundred and threescore and thirteen of the firstborn of the children of Israel, which are more than the Levites;"
Ezekiel 40:46 - "And the chamber whose prospect is toward the north is for the priests, the keepers of the charge of the altar: these are the sons of Zadok among the sons of Levi, which come near to the LORD to minister unto him."
Ezekiel 46:19 - "¶ After he brought me through the entry, which was at the side of the gate, into the holy chambers of the priests, which looked toward the north: and, behold, there was a place on the two sides westward."
Ezekiel 16:46 - "And thine elder sister is Samaria, she and her daughters that dwell at thy left hand: and thy younger sister, that dwelleth at thy right hand, is Sodom and her daughters."