Holy District and the placement of the sanctuary [pictures included]

Ezekiel 45

Click for a description of the mark of the beast.
Click for a description of the image of the beast.

• The Holy district.
  • Holy district set apart for the Lord.
  • Square plot for the sanctuary.
  • Area for the Levites with chambers as a possession.
  • Property adjacent to the Holy district for all of Israel.
  • Area for the prince on the sides of the Holy District.
  • Prince inherits the land as his possession.
• God says “Enough!” of plundering the sanctuary of the soul.
  • Remove violence and carry through with justice and righteousness.
  • Have honest scales.
  • Honestly weighing the offering of the Bread of Life and Holy Spirit.
  • Atonement made through the one and only Lamb of God.
  • Jesus Christ is the one who makes atonement for sin and gives the Holy Spirit.
• Jesus Christ is the Passover Lamb of God whose blood atones for our sin.
  • Sanctuary cleansed through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.
  • Blood of Jesus Christ is for the atonement of sin.
  • Passover memorialized and observed.
  • Jesus Christ prepared Himself as the sacrifice for the sin for all people.
  • Jesus Christ is the sinless and unblemished Passover Lamb of God.
  • Jesus Christ gives to us the Bread of Life and Holy Spirit.
  • Jesus Christ enables us to walk daily in service to God through the Holy Spirit.

This chapter of Ezekiel is referring to the Holy District, which in earthly terms is seen in the picture below, highlighted in yellow. This area is about 10 miles x 10 miles square [100 square miles]. In the following verses of this chapter, details will be given of what is found in the Holy District. The Jerusalem of today [48 square miles] is in the same spot as the Holy District shown on the map. In a sense, the Holy District is the capital city over all the other twelve states, or the land of each Twelve Tribes of Israel. Just like Jerusalem of today is the capital city over all the land of Israel.

To the north and south of the Holy District, you can see the names of the Twelve Tribes of Israel and the plots of land that were given to them. Those plots of land are known as the “Tribal portions.” You will notice that the Tribe of Levi does not have a portion of land like the other tribes. Before Jesus Christ, the Levites were specifically designated as the priests of the Israelites, and they lived within a plot of land within the Holy District [yellow square]. “But to the tribe of Levi, Moses had given no inheritance; the Lord God of Israel was their inheritance, as He had said to them.” Joshua 13:33 That is also said in Ezekiel 44:28.

The Twelve Tribes of Israel are named after the twelve sons of Jacob, Jacob’s name was changed to Israel “And He said, “Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel…” Genesis 32:28 His twelve sons are, Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher, Issachar, Zebulun, Joseph, and Benjamin. From the previous paragraph, we know why the Levites are not shown with a plot of land among the Twelve Tribes of Israel, but what about Joseph? And why are the names Manasseh and Ephraim included among the Twelve Tribes that inherited a plot of land?

Joseph was one of the original twelve sons of Jacob/Israel, so why isn’t he mentioned among the original Twelve Tribes of Israel when the inheritance of land was given? Joseph died before entering the earthly promised land and did not receive a plot of land. However, Joseph’s two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim, were given his inheritance of land. Jacob said this to Joseph, “And now your two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, who were born to you in the land of Egypt before I came to you in Egypt, are mine; as Reuben and Simeon, they shall be mine. Your offspring whom you beget after them shall be yours; they will be called by the name of their brothers in their inheritance.” Genesis 48:5-6

Manasseh and Ephraim inherited a plot of land among the Twelve tribes in the name of Joseph, and as the adopted sons of Jacob/Israel. Therefore, there were twelve original sons of Israel who inherited land, minus Joseph and Levi, which became 10, plus the addition of Manasseh and Ephraim which makes 12.

The Holy district.
Holy district set apart for the Lord. “Moreover, when you divide the land by lot into inheritance, you shall set apart a district for the Lord, a holy section of the land; its length shall be twenty-five thousand cubits, and the width ten thousand. It shall be holy throughout its territory all around.“ Ezekiel 45:1

On the map a couple paragraphs below, the district set apart for the Lord is half of the entire light-green square area. This is labeled the “Priest’s portion” and measures about 10 miles x 4 miles. Inside that same area is a dark green square area, which is the plot of land used for the sanctuary. That area is about 1.2 miles x 1.2 miles square. Square plot for the sanctuary. “Of this there shall be a square plot for the sanctuary, five hundred by five hundred rods, with fifty cubits around it for an open space.  ” Ezekiel 45:2

Today, that entire area now belongs entirely to Jesus Christ. Jesus is the only Priest who ministers within the Sanctuary of God and our body is His sanctuary/temple, “Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?” 1 Corinthians 3:16 “For such a High Priest was fitting for us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and has become higher than the heavens; who does not need daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the people’s, for this He did once for all when He offered up Himself.” Hebrews 7:26-27

These verses reiterate the description of the plot of land mentioned above, “So this is the district you shall measure: twenty-five thousand cubits long and ten thousand wide; in it shall be the sanctuary, the Most Holy Place. It shall be a holy section of the land, belonging to the priests, the ministers of the sanctuary, who come near to minister to the Lord; it shall be a place for their houses and a holy place for the sanctuary.” Ezekiel 45:3-4

In the picture below, half the light green area that says, “Priests’ portion” is the district set apart for the Lord [10 miles x 4 miles]. The whole light green area is 10 miles x 8 miles and divided between the “Priest’s portion” and the “Levite’s portion”. The dark green square is the square plot for the sanctuary, which is about 1.2 miles x 1.2 miles square. The lighter square in the middle of the dark green plot is the sanctuary itself. The lighter outer edge around the dark green is 50 cubits of open space.

Area for the Levites with chambers as a possession. “An area twenty-five thousand cubits long and ten thousand wide shall belong to the Levites, the ministers of the temple; they shall have twenty chambers as a possession.” Ezekiel 45:5.

The area of land designated for the Levites/ministers of the temple can be seen in the light-green area shown in the picture above. This area is marked, “Levite’s portion”, in the picture and measures 10 miles x 4 miles, the same as the “Priest’s portion”. Together, the “Levite’s portion” and the “Priest’s portion” occupy the entire light-green area, which is 20 miles x 8 miles.

The Levites are like the ministers of the manmade churches of today, whom Jesus Christ replaced after He died on the Cross to atone for sin, was resurrected from the grave after three days, and ascended into Heaven. The entire area of the “Levite’s portion” now belongs to our Lord Jesus Christ. In fact, the entire light-green area now belongs to Christ, the “Levite’s portion” and the “Priest’s portion” belong to Him. Jesus Christ is the only Minister, the only Priest, that is able to govern over the sanctuary, which is our body as the temple of the Holy Spirit.

If Jesus Christ was walking on this earth today, He would not be a priest or a minister within the manmade churches, “For if He were on earth, He would not be a priest…” Hebrews 8:4

“Now this is the main point of the things we are saying: We have such a High Priest, who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens, a Minister of the sanctuary and of the true tabernacle which the Lord erected, and not man. But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, inasmuch as He is also Mediator of a better covenant, which was established on better promises.” Hebrews 8:1-2, 6

Property adjacent to the Holy district for all of Israel. “You shall appoint as the property of the city an area five thousand cubits wide and twenty-five thousand long, adjacent to the district of the holy section; it shall belong to the whole house of Israel.” Ezekiel 45:6

As shown in the picture below, the “property of the city” is the white portion at the bottom that borders the light-green area. That area is just as long as the light-green area [10 miles] and 2 miles wide. Adding those measurements to the light-green area makes a square that is 10 miles x 10 miles square. That entire square is the Holy District as seen in the very first picture at the top of the page, which is shown in the yellow square.

The “property of the city” is the land set aside for the workers of the Holy City, the Holy City being the New Jerusalem in the new heaven and earth. Here on earth, we work for the Holy City by sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This area is for the purpose of growing food for us workers who live for Jesus Christ and work to make known His testimony. As we know today, that food is the Bread of Life, who is Jesus Christ. By feeding on the word of Christ, the fruit of the Holy Spirit blossoms in us, which nourishes our spirit and soul for carrying on with His work.

The entire Holy District belongs to Jesus Christ and those who believe in Him, all “10 miles x 10 miles square”. That is the New Jerusalem of the new heaven and earth where God, Jesus Christ, and all of His followers live forever. “He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” John 1:11-13

As seen in the picture below, the Holy District includes all of the light-green area and the white portion below it. This area is 10 miles x 10 miles square.

Area for the prince on the sides of the Holy District. “The prince shall have a section on one side and the other of the holy district and the city’s property; and bordering on the holy district and the city’s property, extending westward on the west side and eastward on the east side, the length shall be side by side with one of the tribal portions, from the west border to the east border.” Ezekiel 45:7

The “tribal portions” that the “Prince’s section” border would be Judah to the north and Benjamin to the south, as seen in the very first picture at the top of the page. To the east, it stretches to the Dead Sea and to the west it stretches t0 the Mediterranean Sea. The “Prince’s section” is seen in the white area to the right and left of the Holy District in the picture above. This area is more clearly seen in the very first picture at the top of the page, which is the land east and west of the yellow square.

We know Jesus Christ is the Prince, so all of the Prince’s section belongs to Him as well. However, this section is not part of the Holy District where He and all the believers are gathered with Him. The Prince’s section is the area where Jesus Christ is seeking the one lost sheep and where He sends His laborers into field.

“Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people. But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd. Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.” Matthew 9:35-38

“What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost until he finds it? And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!’ I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance.” Luke 15:4-7

The area outside of the Prince’s section is where the Jewish people, whose ancestry is rooted in the twelve original tribes of Israel, have hardened their heart against Jesus Christ. This is also the place where those of this world deny God, reject the need of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sin, and oppress the presence of the Holy Spirit. “For the hearts of this people have grown dull. Their ears are hard of hearing, And their eyes they have closed…” Matthew 13:15

Prince inherits the land as his possession. “The land shall be his possession in Israel; and My princes shall no more oppress My people, but they shall give the rest of the land to the house of Israel, according to their tribes.” Ezekiel 45:8

After the land of the Holy District is designated, as is the Prince’s section, the rest of the land is given to the Twelve Tribes of Israel, as seen in the very first picture at the top of the page.

Today, we who hold to the testimony of Jesus Christ are His priests, ministers, and princes of the His Gospel. No more do we oppress His people, but we want to bring the message of freedom and liberation by the forgiveness of sin and living by the Holy Spirit. “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.” 1 Peter 2:9-10

We inherit the eternal promised land of the New Jerusalem, and we will enter through one of the gates of the Twelve Tribes of Israel, “Also she had a great and high wall with twelve gates, and twelve angels at the gates, and names written on them, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel…” Revelation 21:12

God says “Enough!” of plundering the sanctuary of the soul.
Remove violence and carry through with justice and righteousness. “‘Thus says the Lord God: “Enough, O princes of Israel! Remove violence and plundering, execute justice and righteousness, and stop dispossessing My people,” says the Lord God.” Ezekiel 45:9

The Jewish leaders of today, and since the coming of Jesus Christ 2000 years ago, have been dispossessing their people. They are being dispossessed of the Holy Spirit by their rejection of Jesus Christ and turning from the will of God. The Jewish people are not hearing the Gospel of Jesus Christ because their culture has thrown out the entire New Testament. They only live by the Old Testament, but nowadays God speaks to His people though Jesus Christ, “The law and the prophets were until John. Since that time the kingdom of God has been preached, and everyone is pressing into it.” Luke 16:16 “God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things…” Hebrews 1:1-2

As we know today, the land of Israel is filled with violence and plundering of territory. The Israelis have been in 18 wars since the State of Israel was established in 1948, even a war in 1948, Click for a list of those wars and scroll close to the bottom of the page. The Lord God says, “Enough!” Justice and righteousness are not defined in human terms, but by the justice and righteousness of God, “For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 5:20

The Israelis, and everyone else, are supposed to be the temple of prayer and of the Holy Spirit, not a temple filled with violence. “Then Jesus went into the temple of God and drove out all those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves. And He said to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,’ but you have made it a ‘den of thieves.’” Mtthew 21:12-13

Today, there is an entity that acts as a “prince” over our body, a body created by God to be the temple of the Holy Spirit. This entity is dispossessing people from an inner relationship with God that comes through belief in Jesus Christ. This is the entity that gives people what to think, feel, do, and say. Violence is being done to belief in God, violence against the acknowledgment of the need for the forgiveness of sin through Jesus Christ, and violence against the presence of the Holy Spirit. This is the entity that enables the image of the beast to speak and live through people as the spirit and soul are being plundered of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Today’s culture is left without true righteousness and justice as they are groomed to the mark of the beast by what they say and do.

Righteousness is to live for God though Jesus Christ in the Holy Spirit. Justice is to bring judgment that brings the freedom to believe in God, Jesus Christ, and to live in the presence of the Holy Spirit. True justice and righteousness restore our body as the temple of the Holy Spirit.

Have honest scales. “You shall have honest scales, an honest ephah, and an honest bath. The ephah and the bath shall be of the same measure, so that the bath contains one-tenth of a homer, and the ephah one-tenth of a homer; their measure shall be according to the homer. The shekel shall be twenty gerahs; twenty shekels, twenty-five shekels, and fifteen shekels shall be your mina.” Ezekiel 45:10-12

Today, money is just like it was back when this chapter of Ezekiel was written, except they used scales to measure the worth of something. For example, we know that one dollar equals 100 pennies, or 20 nickels, or 10 dimes, or four quarters. If we used a dollar to buy 50 cents worth of something, we would expect to receive 50 cents as change. If we received only 25 cents in change, we would know something dishonest had just happened. When using scales, they could be rigged not to measure the real value of something. For example, a customer might place two quarters on the left side of a scale, but the scale is rigged to show a balance when only one quarter worth of merchandise is placed on the right side. The Jewish people were using dishonest scales to make themselves rich at the expense of those being short-changed.

The Holy Spirit is using the illustration of the “dishonest scales” as a parable to teach us the way of God through Jesus Christ. For example, if we were to find a treasure in a field, or a pearl of great price, we would want that to be valued at every penny of its worth. We would not want someone to tell us the treasure and pearl was worthless. The Salvation we find through Jesus Christ is that treasure and pearl, “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field. “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.” Matthew 13:44-46

Today, we live in a culture that uses dishonest scales to devalue the Kingdom of God. They want to short-change what we have found in Jesus Christ to enrich their own earthly utopia. The scales are rigged to make the entity that gives people what to think, feel, do, and say look very heavy on the left side, but to make God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit look very light on the right side.

God has made it possible to put all things under one standard of weight, the standard of Jesus Christ, and the money to be weighed is that of the Holy Spirit. There is not one standard for the Jewish culture and another for everyone else, we are all one in Jesus Christ, “For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” Galatians 3:26-29

On one side of the scale, we all come up short as sinners, but on the other side of the scale is Jesus Christ, who fills us with the weight of the Holy Spirit to make us to balance in His righteousness in the eyes of God. “For there is no difference; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus…” Romans 3:23-24

The following paragraphs describe the weights mentioned in Ezekiel 45:10-12.

An Epha was about 4 1/2 gallons of dry grain.
A Bath was about 9 gallons of some type of liquid.
A Homer would be the standard that put money on the same value system. This would be like a dollar, and the Epha was worth 10 cents on the dollar, and the Bath was also worth 10 cents on the dollar. In that way, 10 cents would buy almost a gallon of liquids and another 10 cents would buy almost a 1/2 gallon of dry grain. All through the population of the Israelites, this monetary standard was to apply.
The Shekel is like a quarter that allowed for 25 pennies to be put into one coin, or better yet, allowed 1oo dollar bills to be put into one $100 dollar bill. One Shekel equaled 20 gerahs, but 60 Shekels equaled one mina [20 + 25 + 15 = 60].

The dishonest scales used by the Jewish people totally disregarded the monetary system described above. The scales were rigged to prosper the owner of those scales while short-changing those who were buying food and other needed supplies. This was equivalent to erratic and unpredictable inflation as the customers never knew how much their shekels would buy from one day to the next. This is prophesied about for this generation, “Two pounds of wheat for a day’s wages, and six pounds of barley for a day’s wages, and do not damage the oil and the wine!” Revelation 16:6

Honestly weighing the offering of the Bread of Life and Holy Spirit. “This is the offering which you shall offer: you shall give one-sixth of an ephah from a homer of wheat, and one-sixth of an ephah from a homer of barley. The ordinance concerning oil, the bath of oil, is one-tenth of a bath from a kor. A kor is a homer or ten baths, for ten baths are a homer.” Ezekiel 45:13-14

Now that we know the scale is balanced through Jesus Christ, we all have the same amount to offer to God through Him. The offering we are to give is wheat, barley, and oil. Wheat and barley represent our devotion to the Bread of Life, who is Jesus Christ, the Living word. The oil represents the Holy Spirit. In the verse above, we see that the offering of wheat and barley is less than the offering of oil. The offering of oil is more.

In our day-to-day life, we do a lot more activity in living life than what we spend reading the Holy Bible. We read the Bible when we ae able to, either in the mornings, during lunch break, or in the evening before going to bed. Those are times when we are feeding on the Bread of Life. As we go to work, or whatever we do during the day, we are walking with the Holy Spirit. In a sense, we devote a larger part of our day walking in the Holy Spirit than what we do feeding on the Bread of Life. At the same time, the Bread of Life, Jesus Christ, nourishes our spirit and soul so that we can walk in His Spirit.

While we are all to give the same relating to feeding on the Bread of Life and walking in the Holy Spirit, it’s more of the measurement of percentages than it is a set amount. For example, if one person gives $5.00 of the $10.00 that they have, is that more than someone else giving $1.00 of the $2.00 they have? No. In fact, our Lord Jesus says this to us, “And He looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the treasury, and He saw also a certain poor widow putting in two mites. So He said, “Truly I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all; for all these out of their abundance have put in offerings for God, but she out of her poverty put in all the livelihood that she had.” Luke 21:1-4

We do not need a large portion of faith to be faithful to God through Jesus Christ and to live in the Holy Spirit. There is only one size faith, and that is the size that enables us to believe in our heart that God raised Jesus from the dead and to confess with our mouth that He is Lord. One penny of faith gives us riches and treasures in Heaven.

Think of the criminal on the cross who inherited a place in the eternal New Jerusalem for simply saying what He said to our Lord Jesus, “One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!” But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.” Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.” Luke 23:39-43

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” John 3:16

Atonement made through the one and only Lamb of God. “And one lamb shall be given from a flock of two hundred, from the rich pastures of Israel. These shall be for grain offerings, burnt offerings, and peace offerings, to make atonement for them,” says the Lord God. All the people of the land shall give this offering for the prince in Israel.” Ezekiel 45:15-16

The pastures of Israel were rich with sheep which produced many lambs. As a sacrifice to God, the Jewish people were required to give one lamb for every 200 that were in the pastures. Every single person in the land were required to do so. A person with 200 lambs gave one lamb, and a person with 4,000 lambs gave 20 lambs. That amounted to a lot of lambs sacrificed to atone for sin, along with grain and peace offerings. The burnt offering was for the atonement of sin, the grain offering a sacrifice of voluntary devotion to God, and the peace offering was a sacrifice of peace with one another, and with God, to recognize His goodness.

The sacrifices of so many animals, such as lambs, bulls, goats, etc. were not enough to remove the sin that plagues the human heart, “But in those sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year. For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins.” Hebrews 10:3-4 Jesus Christ voluntary devoted His life as the sacrificial Lamb of God, to atone for sin and to give us peace with God, “By that…we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all…after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God, from that time waiting till His enemies are made His footstool. For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified.” Hebrews 10:10, 12-14

As followers of Jesus Christ, we want to be able to say that “…it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” Galatians 2:20 We give our life as a sacrifice to Him by lifting up the name of Jesus and sharing His testimony. We devote our life to His Gospel as we live in peace with God and others.

Jesus Christ is the one who makes atonement for sin and gives the Holy Spirit. “Then it shall be the prince’s part to give burnt offerings, grain offerings, and drink offerings, at the feasts, the New Moons, the Sabbaths, and at all the appointed seasons of the house of Israel. He shall prepare the sin offering, the grain offering, the burnt offering, and the peace offerings to make atonement for the house of Israel.” Ezekiel 45:17

The duties of the prince of the Jewish people were a lot. At the feasts, New Moons, every Sabbath, and every other appointed time, they were required to make sacrifices. For himself, and for all the Jewish people, he was required to perform the burnt offerings, drink offerings, sin offerings, and the peace offerings. This was to atone for his own sin and the sin of the Israelites. Even though this is a lot to go through, this kept them from being like other nations that used human sacrifices to appease their god. Other nations had worship rituals that broke every one of the Ten Commandments. As God spoke to the Israelites, “Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine.” Exodus 19:5

When Jesus Christ came to this earth the first time, He put an end to the need to make animal sacrifices. He is the fulfillment of the written Law and the spoken words of the Prophets, “The law and the prophets were until John. Since that time the kingdom of God has been preached, and everyone is pressing into it.” Luke 16:16 And that is said again in these following verses, “God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things…” Hebrews 1:1-2

Today, instead of making all those sacrifices, all we have to do is believe in Jesus Christ to have our sin atoned for. Believing in Him makes us righteous in the eyes of God as we embrace the Holy Spirit in our life. This is the sum of all the Holy Scriptures, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.” John 3:16-17

Burnt Offering for the atonement of sin and expression of devotion to God.
Grain Offering a voluntary expression of devotion to God, recognizing His goodness and providence.
Peace Offering to consecrate a meal between two or more people before God and share that meal together in fellowship of peace with God and each other.
Sin Offering is sometimes referred to as the Guilt Offering, Trespass Offering, or Reparation Offering. Unlike the English word “guilt” this does not refer to a matter of one’s conscience but rather to something one owes on account of a sin. Today, Jesus Christ has cancelled out that debt, He forgave us all our sins, “…having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; He has taken it away, nailing it to the Cross.” Colossians 2:13-14 The Sin Offering relates to growing in the mercy and grace of God, in the process of our sanctification and walk of Holiness, “It does not, therefore, depend on human desire or effort, but on God’s mercy.” Romans 9:16
Drink Offering is to pour ourselves out to God as a living sacrifice to Him, “Yes, and if I am being poured out as a drink offering on the sacrifice and service of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all. For the same reason you also be glad and rejoice with me.” Phillipians 2:17-18

Jesus Christ is the Passover Lamb of God whose blood atones for our sin.
Sanctuary cleansed through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. “‘Thus says the Lord God: “In the first month, on the first day of the month, you shall take a young bull without blemish and cleanse the sanctuary. The priest shall take some of the blood of the sin offering and put it on the doorposts of the temple, on the four corners of the ledge of the altar, and on the gateposts of the gate of the inner court.” Ezekiel 45:18-19

The first month of the year, on the calendar of the Israelites, was established on the day of the Passover event in Exodus, “Now the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying, “This month shall be your beginning of months; it shall be the first month of the year to you.” Exodus 12:1-2 The Passover event is when God had the Israelites to spread the blood of a young lamb on both doorposts [left and right] and above the door leading into their house. By doing this, death would pass over that house, and they would be granted life, “Now the blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you are. And when I see the blood, I will pass over you; and the plague shall not be on you to destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt.” Ezkiel 12:13-14

The picture below shows how the blood was put on the door posts which is in the shape of a cross, the Cross where Jesus Christ shed His blood to atone for our sin.

Today, the blood of Jesus Christ causes death to pass over us and grants us life in the Spirit and eternal life in the New Jerusalem, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” John 3:16

The blood of the unblemished sacrifices was used to cleanse the sanctuary, and today our body is the sanctuary of God as the temple of the Holy Spirit. Jesus Christ is the sinless unblemished Lamb of God who cleanses our spirit and soul, “The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” John 1:29 His blood is applied to our heart to atone for our sin to reconcile us to God. His blood is on the doorposts of our soul to guard against being a throughfare of sin and unbelief. His blood is on the altar of our soul to make it possible that we are an acceptable living sacrifice to God. His blood is on the gateposts of the “inner court” to make it possible for us to enter into the presence of God as the temple of the Holy Spirit.

Blood of Jesus Christ is for the atonement of sin. “And so you shall do on the seventh day of the month for everyone who has sinned unintentionally or in ignorance. Thus you shall make atonement for the temple.” Ezekiel 45:20

The “seventh day” of the month was the day set apart for making atonement for any sin that was unintentional or done in ignorance. For us today, Jesus Christ has made atonement for all of our sin, we walk in the Spirit and do not walk in the flesh, “I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.” Galatians 5:16-18

“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9 In Jesus Christ, we enter into the rest of God, meaning we cease trying to be perfect and righteous by our own standards or efforts, “There remains therefore a rest for the people of God. For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His. Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience.” Hebrews 4:9-10

“For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace. What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Certainly not! Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness?” Romans 6:14-16

Sometimes, our conscience says to us that we have veered from our walk with Christ without meaning to, but Jesus is always there for us, “And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world. 1 John 2:1-2 “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.” 1 John 1:8-10

Passover memorialized and observed. “In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month, you shall observe the Passover, a feast of seven days; unleavened bread shall be eaten.” Ezekiel 45:21

This verse describes the beginning of the observance of Passover that would last seven days with the feast of unleavened bread. The observance of Passover and the feast of unleavened bread is one event. That is exactly how this is meant to be as quoted in the following verses, “‘So this day shall be to you a memorial; and you shall keep it as a feast to the Lord throughout your generations. You shall keep it as a feast by an everlasting ordinance. Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread. On the first day you shall remove leaven from your houses. For whoever eats leavened bread from the first day until the seventh day, that person shall be cut off from Israel. Exodus 12:14-15 Today, the Jewish culture has turned this into two festivals, back-to-back, to create 14 days of festivities. The seven days of Passover festivities come first, and at its end they celebrate another seven days for the Feast of Unleavened Bread.

Exodus 12:1-28 explains the observance of Passover.

The observance of Passover is much more than a time of people gathering together for 14 days of festivities. This is a time of observing the blood that Jesus Christ [the unblemished Lamb of God] shed on the Cross to atone for our sin. With His blood applied to our heart, death passes over us and we are granted life. “For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us.” 1 Corinthians 5:7 “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 6:23

This is how our Lord Jesus Christ wants us to observe the Passover, “Now on the first day of Unleavened Bread, when they killed the Passover lamb, His disciples said to Him, “Where do You want us to go and prepare, that You may eat the Passover?”…In the evening He came with the twelve…And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them and said, “Take, eat; this is My body.” Then He took the cup, and when He had given thanks He gave it to them, and they all drank from it.  And He said to them, “This is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many. Assuredly, I say to you, I will no longer drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.” Mark 14:12, 17, 22-25 “This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” Luke 22:19

In Exodus, the blood of the lamb was put on the two doorposts, the one to the left and the one to the right, and on the top door beam [lintel]. And they shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and on the lintel of the houses…” Exodus 12:7 The placement of the blood forms the shape of the Cross, where our Lord Jesus Christ shed His blood as the sacrificial Lamb of God to atone for sin. Exodus was written about 1450 years ago before the birth of Jesus Christ, before a cross was even used as an executioner tool.

The picture below shows the sign of the Cross after the blood of the lamb was applied to the left and right doorposts and the top door beam. This is similar to how some people express their prayer, they touch their head and then touch from side to side across their chest.

Jesus Christ prepared Himself as the sacrifice for the sin for all people.  “And on that day the prince shall prepare for himself and for all the people of the land a bull for a sin offering.” Ezekiel 45:22

Jesus Christ is the Prince who prepared Himself as the Passover Lamb to atone for the sin of all people. Our Lord Jesus was giving instructions to His Apostles to make preparations for His Passover event, “Now on the first day of Unleavened Bread, when they killed the Passover lamb, His disciples said to Him, “Where do You want us to go and prepare…” Mark 14:12 “For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us.” 1 Corinthians 5:7

Jesus Christ came into this world as the sacrificial Lamb of God, the Passover Lamb, to be the body prepared for the purpose of shedding His blood on the altar of the Cross. God did not desire all of the animal sacrifices of the Old Testament, so He sent His Son Jesus to be the final sacrifice ever needed to atone for sin. Jesus Christ came to fulfill the volume of the Old Testament law and Prophets, to do the will of God, which was to give His life on the Cross to atone for sin. As quoted, “Therefore, when He came into the world, He said: “Sacrifice and offering You did not desire, but a body You have prepared for Me. In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin You had no pleasure. Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come—In the volume of the book it is written of Me—To do Your will, O God.’ ” Hebrews 10:5-7

Jesus Christ is the sinless and unblemished Passover Lamb of God. “On the seven days of the feast he shall prepare a burnt offering to the Lord, seven bulls and seven rams without blemish, daily for seven days, and a kid of the goats daily for a sin offering.” Ezekiel 45:23

Every day, seven days a week, twenty-four hours a day, Jesus Christ atones for our unintentional sin and for the sin we commit in ignorance. He makes intercession for us in the presence of God for our sanctification and to keep us from being overcome by the evil in this world. “For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace. What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Certainly not! ” Romans 6:14-15 “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.” Romans 8:1-2

The following verses from Mark 14 and 15 shows how Jesus Christ is the Passover Lamb, who atoned for our sin by the sacrifice He made on the Cross. He was resurrected after being dead for three days, and now lives eternally in the Kingdom of God. As Jesus Christ has said, “Because I live, you will live also.” John 14:19 “For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us.” 1 Corinthians 5:7

Now the Passover and the Festival of Unleavened Bread were only two days away, and the chief priests and the teachers of the law were scheming to arrest Jesus secretly and kill him. “But not during the festival,” they said, “or the people may riot…Now on the first day of Unleavened Bread, when they killed the Passover lamb, His disciples said to Him, “Where do You want us to go and prepare…?…In the evening He came with the twelve…And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them and said, “Take, eat; this is My body.” Then He took the cup, and when He had given thanks He gave it to them, and they all drank from it. And He said to them, “This is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many…Immediately, in the morning, the chief priests held a consultation with the elders and scribes and the whole council; and they bound Jesus, led Him away, and delivered Him to Pilate…And when they had mocked Him, they took the purple off Him, put His own clothes on Him, and led Him out to crucify Him…And Jesus cried out with a loud voice, and breathed His last. Then the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.
Mark 14:1-2, 12, 17, 22-23
Mark 15:1, 20, 37-38

Jesus Christ gives to us the Bread of Life and Holy Spirit. “And he shall prepare a grain offering of one ephah for each bull and one ephah for each ram, together with a hin of oil for each ephah.” Ezekiel 45:24

The grain offering represents Jesus Christ voluntarily giving His life to the will of God, as the sacrificial Lamb, to atone for our sin. Grain can also be thought of as being necessary to make bread, and our Lord Jesus is the Bread of Life. By His resurrection from the dead, He has become the Bread that nourishes our spirit and soul to maintain life in the Holy Spirit. He also gives us eternal life and the Holy Spirit in us is the evidence of our inheritance in the New Jerusalem. The oil represents the Holy Spirit, and while Jesus was on this earth, He lived by the Spirit of God.

Through Jesus Christ, we voluntarily offer ourselves as a living sacrifice to God by daily living for Him. We live daily searching for grain through the Holy Bible, which is the testimony of Jesus, His Gospel. As the grain rests in our spirit and soul, it blossoms within us into the Bread of Life. As Jesus lives in us, His word is written within our heart and mind, and we are filled with the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit guarantees our place in the eternal New Jerusalem, “In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.” Ephesians 1:13-14

Jesus Christ enables us to walk daily in service to God through the Holy Spirit. “In the seventh month, on the fifteenth day of the month, at the feast, he shall do likewise for seven days, according to the sin offering, the burnt offering, the grain offering, and the oil.” Ezekiel 45:25

Today, we understand the sin offering, burnt offering, grain offering, and oil refers to the sacrifice Jesus made to bring the forgiveness of sin, and to give us the word of God through the Holy Spirit. Jesus gives us the Holy Spirit as our sin is forgiven.

The Apostle Paul asks us, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” So they said to him, “We have not so much as heard whether there is a Holy Spirit.” And he said to them, “Into what then were you baptized?” So they said, “Into John’s baptism.” Acts 19:2-3 John the Baptism said this, “I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.” Matthew 3:11

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“….to you who do not hold to her teaching and have not learned Satan’s so-called deep secrets,“
‘I will not impose any other burden on you, except to hold on to what you have until I come.’”
“I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown.”
Revelation 2:24-25, 3:1