Ezekiel 46

The chapter moves from the sacred ritual of temple access to the civil responsibilities of the leadership, concluding with the practical logistics of maintaining the temple economy.

• The prince must prepare the burnt offering and peace offerings (vv2, 12).
• The people must worship at the door of the gate on Sabbaths and new moons (v3).
• The prince must give inheritance to his sons from his own possession, not the people's (v18).
• Priests must boil the trespass and sin offerings in the designated places (v20).

• The prince must not take the people's inheritance by oppression (v18).

• This vision occurs within the context of Ezekiel's broader vision of a restored temple in Israel, following the destruction of Solomon's temple.

• The 'prince' (נָשִׂיא) is distinct from a king; in this context, he functions as a socio-political leader who leads the people in worship but serves the sanctuary. Gates were the primary places of public transit and political gathering in ancient Near Eastern cities.

• Ezekiel 46 is part of the final vision (chapters 40-48) detailing the structure, priesthood, and worship regulations of the future temple. It follows the division of the land and precedes the vision of the river flowing from the temple.

• This passage interacts with the Levitical system (Leviticus 1-7) regarding sacrifices, but applies them to the unique 'prince' of this vision. Hebrews 9-10 later clarifies that the animal sacrifices in the old order were types pointing toward the once-for-all sacrifice of Christ.

• References to the 'daily burnt offering' echo the 'continual burnt offering' (עֹלָה תָּמִיד) commanded in Exodus 29:38-42 and Numbers 28:3-8.

• Prince (נָשִׂיא H5387): 'An exalted one.' Scholars debate if this title refers to a literal future monarch, the Messiah, or the collective leadership of the community.
• Offer (עָשָׂה H6213): Often translated 'do' or 'make,' implying the meticulous preparation required in ritual activity.
• East (קָדִים H6921): The orientation of the gate is significant as it faces the direction of the glory of the Lord, which enters from the east in Ezekiel 43:2.

• The requirement that the prince and people enter by one gate and exit by another (v9) ensures that the flow of worshipers does not cause congestion, reflecting an ordered, intentional reverence for the sanctuary space.
• Matthew Henry observes that the prince, while holding a unique status, is essentially a leader in worship; he notes that while duties are prescribed for the prince and people, 'he has also left many things to our choice' regarding voluntary offerings, which allows for expressions of devotion 'without entangling their own consciences.'

• The identity of the 'prince' (נָשִׂיא) is a subject of significant historical debate. Dispensational interpreters often view him as a literal civil ruler in a future Millennial temple. Reformed/Covenantal interpreters often view this prince as a representative figure, a type of Christ, or a symbol of godly leadership in the church, arguing that the sacrifices describe the pattern of New Covenant worship using the language of the Old.