Ezekiel 43:26Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

The first goat is for the Lord, while the subsequent ones are for His apostles and ministers. This underscores that the law and the prophets are integrated during the altar's consecration, as a flawless bull and ram are offered to the Lord. The descendants of Zadok, the righteous priests, sprinkle salt upon their heads to impart the flavor of the gospel to the law and the prophets, emphasizing that no sacrifice is complete without salt, as commanded by the law and reaffirmed by the apostle, who advises, Let your speech always be seasoned with salt (Col. 4:6). The burnt offerings are presented to the Lord to transform the heaviness of the law and the prophecies into a spiritual essence through the refining fire of the Holy Spirit, referenced by Paul who said, with a fervent spirit (Rom. 12:11).

In discerning whom the flawless bull from the oxen and the pure ram from the sheep represent, we can reflect on Moses and Elijah. Moses was the most humble man on the earth (Num. 12:3), and Elijah’s unwavering faith enables him to proclaim, I am one (2 Sam. 19:10). The distinction made in the Hebrew text where it states, Bring forth the bull, and in the LXX saying, Let the priests bring it, raises no doubts. Ezekiel, who received this command, belonged to the priestly lineage and possessed a mature prophetic grace. Both Moses and Elijah—representing the law and the prophets—were seen with the Lord on the mountain, relaying the sufferings He endured in Jerusalem.

Once the altar is cleansed, a daily offering of a goat and a bull from the oxen, along with a blemish-free ram from the flock, are to be made as sin offerings across seven days to ensure the complete purification of the altar. This seven-day period symbolizes the Sabbath, which remains for the people of God (Heb. 4:9); during this time, we aspire toward eternal rest and seek to refrain from sinful labor. Through the offerings of the goat, calf, and ram, three common sins afflicting humanity are identified. We transgress either in thought, word, or deed. The ram symbolizes thought—the root of all sins—while the goat represents slanderous speech, often linked to debates over significant matters. The calf signifies actions, as it remains engaged in labor. Thus, during the true Sabbath, which is perfect and complete, we ought to offer our sacrifices to God, cleansing the altar to ensure our prayers ascend to Him untainted.

Regarding the phrase, And they shall cleanse it, and fill his hand, as stated in the Hebrew and rendered in other translations, it suggests that the altar itself, for which the sacrifices are made, must also be filled with offerings, as sacrifices are necessary for the priest, the people, and the high priest, so nothing remains unacknowledged before God. The LXX conveys this notion differently: and they shall cleanse it and fill their hands, indicating that the priests, who are filled with good deeds—denoting their full hands—will ultimately reach the eighth day of resurrection after the Sabbath, echoing the apostle's message, We are risen with Christ (Rom. 6, Col. 3). After this eighth day, they will seek heavenly matters and present our burnt offerings and reconciliation sacrifices for our sins and salvation, so that through the Holy Spirit's flames, our thoughts, words, and deeds may be transformed into a spiritual nature, with the Lord’s graciousness bestowed upon us through such offerings.

Thus, the Almighty directed the Prophet to teach the priests regarding the laws of offerings, specifying how a bull should be presented and sacrificed as a sin offering, outlining the procedures for the priestly duty, the application of blood to the altar's horns, and the preparation of unblemished goats for sin offerings, which are to be followed by further sprinkling of the altar's blood. The Prophet states that once these rituals of sin purification are fulfilled, a bull and a ram, both without blemish, should be offered with the inclusion of salt. Salt symbolizes discernment, wisdom, and a righteous mindset. Therefore, they should perform these offerings not in a casual manner or merely as custom dictates, but with thoughtful intention toward godliness. For a duration of seven days, let them carry out various sacrifices as prescribed, maintaining an orderly approach throughout this period.