THEOSISTheodoret of Cyrus
The Lord revealed to me, as the Prophet conveyed, the eastern gates, which were to remain closed, designated solely for Him, the sovereign Lord, not because He requires entryways, being the omnipresent and eternal God who enters unbidden. If it were His custom to enter via doors, how could He have entered through those secured gates? Rather, in His grace toward our frail understanding, He offers this imagery, perhaps as a representation of the virgin womb, which has only known the entrance of the Lord Himself. At this gate, He instructed the high priest to partake in holy offerings, directing him to enter and exit through the vestibule, known as Elam.
Read more (262 words)
Following these revelations, the Prophet saw the glory of God at the northern gate and was told to address the people who were angry, curious, or rebellious, to inform them that they might be absolved of their previous sins, which they often committed by permitting outsiders and the uncircumcised to enter God's temple. Their most grievous transgression lay not just in the physical uncircumcision of their bodies, but even more critically, in the uncircumcision of their hearts. This highlights that true circumcision of the heart represents the core of truth, while the physical act is merely a representation of the inner transformation. Consequently, the Lord of all commands those who are spiritually uncircumcised and radically unclean in body to keep their distance from the sanctified areas of God. Likewise, Levites who participated in the people’s iniquities and who favored idol worship were to be removed from their positions and barred from the temple gates. They did not offer burnt or sin offerings, nor did they approach the sacrifices, and instead earned dishonor through their wicked deeds. However, there remains a lineage of the Sadoks, who upheld their ancestral devotion, faithfully ministering and safeguarding the temple. It is written by the Prophet that they were not to wear woolen garments, but only linen during their service; each would wear a turban on his head and gird himself with a sash. The people were instructed to exit and shed their priestly attire, donning other clothing before rejoining the assembly, as it is prohibited for someone outside the priestly line to approach the sacred vestments.