Ezekiel 43:13-27
Ezekiel 41:1-26 made mention of the altar of wood placed within the house. Now we are concerned with the altar for sacrifices in the centre of the inner court: its description, its dimensions and finally the instructions about its use.
Many people are astonished to find such sacrifices in the future temple, believing that they see in them a contradiction of the full sufficiency of the work of Christ. Indeed, the Epistle to the Hebrews affirms that it is impossible for the blood of bulls and of goats to take away sins. That is why the Lord Jesus presented Himself; offering "once for all . . . one sacrifice for sins" (Hebrews 10:1 . . .). But there is no question here of going back; the Lord’s perfect work at the cross will be the basis of Israel’s blessing, just as it assures the blessing of the Church (Psalms 22:23). Thus we can understand that instead of being a renewed "remembrance of sins", as were the sacrifices of former times, those to be burnt on this altar will serve as a reminder of Christ’s sacrifice at the cross. A visible memorial, necessary to the forgetful heart of man, in some degree they will mean for the Israel of God and for the "people that shall be born" what the Lord’s Supper means today for Christians (Psalms 22:31).