Ezekiel 46:11
A focused desk for reading, commentary, cross-references, original language notes, and your own observations.
Ezekiel 46:11
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.
Chapter Context
Ezekiel 46 is a prophetic vision chapter in the Old Testament that explores themes of worship, holiness, redemption. Written during the Babylonian exile (c. 593-570 BCE), this chapter should be understood within its historical context: Ministered to exiles in Babylon with visions of God's glory and future restoration.
The chapter can be divided into several sections:
- Verses 1-5: Introduction and setting the context
- Verses 6-12: Development of key themes
- Verses 13-20: Central message and teachings
- Verses 21-24: Conclusion and application
This chapter is significant because it reveals key aspects of God's character through divine actions and declarations. When studying this passage, it's important to consider both its immediate context within Ezekiel and its broader place in the scriptural canon.
Verse Study
Ezekiel 46:11
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.
Analysis
In the feasts and in the solemnities the meat offering shall be an ephah to a bullock, and an ephah to a ram. The Hebrew chaggim u'mo'adim (חַגִּים וּמוֹעֲדִים, 'festivals and appointed times') encompasses annual feasts like Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles. The standardized ephah per large animal during these celebrations ensures abundant provision, while to the lambs as he is able to give maintains proportional flexibility. The hin of oil per ephah enriches the offering.
These festivals commemorated God's redemptive acts—Exodus deliverance, Torah giving, wilderness provision. Ezekiel's temple worship retains memorial character while pointing forward to eschatological fulfillment. Colossians 2:16-17 identifies such observances as 'shadows' of Christ, the substance. The feasts' permanence in Ezekiel's vision suggests earthly worship will continue reflecting heavenly realities even in the millennial age.
Historical Context
Israel's festival calendar (Leviticus 23) structured their worship year around agricultural seasons and redemptive history. After exile, feast observance faced challenges (Nehemiah 8), but Ezekiel's vision promises restored celebratory worship. The prophetic perfect tense suggests certainty of fulfillment.
Reflection
- How do the appointed feasts' combination of fixed requirements and flexible elements balance divine prescription with human response?
- In what ways should Christians today maintain the memorial and celebratory aspects of worship that festivals embodied?
Word Studies
- Lamb: שֶׂה / כֶּבֶשׂ (Seh / Kebes) H3532 - Lamb, young sheep
Cross-References
- Sacrifice: Ezekiel 46:5, 46:7