Ezekiel 43:18-27 - Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

These are the ordinances of the altar Here we have directions concerning the dedication of the altar at first. Seven days were to be spent in the dedication of it, and every day sacrifices were to be offered upon it, particularly a goat for a sin-offering, (Ezekiel 43:25,) besides a young bullock for a sin-offering on the first day, Ezekiel 43:19; which teaches us, in all our religious services, to have an eye to Christ, the great sin- offering. Neither our persons nor our performances can be acceptable to God, unless sin be taken away; and that cannot be taken away but by the blood of Christ, which both sanctifies the altar (for Christ entered by his own blood) and the gift upon the altar. There was also a bullock and a ram to be offered for a burnt-offering, (Ezekiel 43:24,) which was intended purely for the glory of God, to teach us to have an eye to that in all our services. This dedication of the altar is called the cleansing and purging of it, Ezekiel 43:20; Ezekiel 43:26. Christ, our altar, though he had no pollution to be cleansed from, yet sanctified himself, John 17:19. And when we consecrate the altars of our hearts to God, to have holy love always burning upon them, we must see that they be purified and cleansed from the love of the world and the lust of the flesh. It is observable, that there are several differences between the rites of dedication here, and those which were appointed Exodus 29., to intimate that the ceremonial institutions were mutable things, and the changes made in them were earnests of their termination in Christ. Only here, according to the general law that all the sacrifices must be seasoned with salt, (Leviticus 2:14,) particular orders are given (Eze 43:24) that the priests shall cast salt upon the sacrifices. Grace is the salt with which all our religious performances must be seasoned, Colossians 4:6. An everlasting covenant is called a covenant of salt, because it is incorruptible. The glory reserved for us is incorruptible and undefiled; and the grace wrought in us, influencing the hidden man of the heart, is in that which is not corruptible, and therefore, in the sight of God, of great price. We may observe further here, that constant use was to be made of the altar when dedicated; the priests being directed to make their burnt-offerings and peace-offerings upon it, (Ezekiel 43:27,) for therefore it was sanctified, that it might sanctify the gift that was offered upon it. And for their encouragement in this whole service, God promises, on condition of their observing these directions, that he would graciously accept them: for those that give themselves to God shall be accepted of him, their persons first, and then their performances, through the Mediator; and if our persons be accepted, and our services be pleasing to him, it is enough, we need no more.