Times for Offerings.—The times of certain offerings, as on the sabbaths and new moons, type that the Jews and the world might not effectively consecrate themselves until the Millennial Age—God's seventh Day and the time of the New Covenant. (Ezek. 44:24; 45:17.) The sacrifices by the prince for all the people on the first month, first day, type the universal consecrations during the first 1,000-year Day of blessing for mankind, when all consciences will be cleansed by the application of Christ's merit. Those on the Seventh day type the same consecration during the Millennium regarded as God's great seventh Sabbatical [pg 588] thousand year Day, when sinners and the simple minded will be cleansed from sin and set right. (Ezek. 45:20.) On the fourteenth day the celebration of the passover memorial, and the seven-day feast thereafter, picture the memorial of the Lamb of God and the feast of thankfulness and consecration for the fulness of the New Covenant forever (Ezek. 45:21-24); that on the fifteenth of the seventh month, and for seven days, type the application of Christ's merit through the Sin Offering and the thankfulness and consecration of the people in the Spirit, eternally thereafter. (Ezek. 45:25.) The sacrifices and worship of prince and people at the east gate, on the sabbaths and the new moons, figure the consecrations and reconsecrations of Ancient Worthies and people throughout the 1,000-year Day of Restitution.—Ezek. 46:1-11.
At any time the Ancient Worthies representing the people also may, of their own free will express their thankfulness and celebrate the fulfilment of their consecration vows, signifying this as their continuing state of mind. (Ezek. 46:12). The daily burnt and meat offering for the nation, morning and evening, signify the continued thankful consecrating of all classes on all planes of being in memory of and through, “the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world.” (Ezek. 46:13-15). Throughout the Millennial Age this Little Flock will necessarily be in contact with defiling and death-dealing error in some, with whom they are intimately connected, in process of restoration to human perfection; by the close of the great seventh Day, before the eighth Day the application of the merit of the Sin Offering will have cleansed or destroyed, all such cases and The Christ will no more have to be in touch with such defilements. (Ezek. 44:25-27). Offerings to cleanse the altar with blood type the memory that the altar class—The Christ, Head and Body—were cleansed by the blood, and that all offerings are sanctified by the blood. (Ezek. 43:18-27). Salt cast upon the offerings types the preserving power of the Word.—Ezek. 43:23-44.
Throughout the Millennium the world of mankind are to regard the perfect human condition toward which they are progressing, as their inalienable possession, “bought by the blood.” No ruler, or other power, is to interfere with this right, nor teach them otherwise. (Ezek. 46:13; 48:29.) The Hebrews, the original beneficiaries, are to welcome the rest of mankind and treat them as of their own number.—Ezek. 47:22-23.
They are to submit loyally to the rulership of The Christ, Head and body, and to that of the Divinely appointed earthly phase of government. (Ezek. 44:24; 45:6.) They are to receive the instructions of the Christ.—Ezek. 44:23.
Through the Ancient Worthies, the rulers of the earthly phase, the people are at heart to consecrate their all, typed by offerings of tenths or multiple thereof. (Ezek. 45:13-25.) To The Christ they are to consecrate their hearts' best endeavors, their firstfruits, and everything which they dedicate by vow or consecration. (Ezek. 44:29-30.) The Great Company they are to love, and to them they must be loyal.—Deut. 14:27-29.
The people must be thoroughly cleansed in conscience. (Ezek. 44:9). They are to put away all their former defilements and abominations and are to worship and serve God throughout the Times of Restitution and thereafter, observing that holy period as a solemn feast to the Lord. (Ezek. 43:6-7; 46:1-3, 9-10; 45:17.) They are to consecrate themselves daily, with thankfulness, with repentance and restitution for sin, and with vows fulfilled.—Ezek. 44:29-30; 45:1, 13-25; 46:19-24; Zech. 14:20-21.
Duties of Prince.—The duties of the ruling Ancient Worthies will be: to remove violence and exploitation, execute judgment and justice and take away all former exactions imposed upon the people. (Ezek. 45:8-9). They are to see that the commercial intercourse of the people is on a just and equal basis for all. (Ezek. 45:10-12). They will receive taxes or offerings from the people, with special attention to the spiritual offerings symbolized by the things offered. (Ezek. 45:13-16). The land they are to keep holy, as they will their own condition of favored perfection, symbolized by the land. (Ezek. 48:21-22). Certain ones for special merit—such as any during the Gospel Age who lived up to their consecrations as mere believers, not being taught the things of the Spirit, and as those through devoted loyalty making special progress during the Millennium—they may cause to have the same honored position as themselves, which will be permanent if the recipients manifest the spirit of sonship, but lasting only to the close of the 1,000 years to those failing to show this spirit. (Ezek. 46:16-17). They will be privileged, as favored participants in the application of the Sin Offering merit, to go in and out of the outer court east gate—as in the place of Christ—and there to feed upon the meat in due season from Christ's bounty. (Ezek. 44:1-3). In all holy things they are to be the leaders of the people. (Ezek. 46:9-10). They are, during the entire Millennial Age—God's sabbath—to make offerings (Ezek. [pg 590] 45:17-25) of thankfulness, praise and recognition of the ransom, directly through the Christ with whom they shall be in intimate relations.—Ezek. 46:1-12.
Duties and Privileges of Levites.—On account of Gospel Age disloyalty the Great Company, while enjoying the Spirit nature (Numb. 18:23-24), will occupy an inferior place as servants—not priests—in the service of God. (Ezek. 44:10-14). Their lower nature on the spirit plane will be inalienable and unchangeable. (Ezek. 48:13-14). Rather than serve in the Temple at all, they are to render service at the various gates, for whatever functions are typed at or by the gates. (Ezek. 44:11). Rather than do the direct service of Jehovah, they will continue as in the Gospel Age when they courted and served the desires and lusts of the people—to serve directly and perpetually the people rather than the direct interests of their God. (Ezek. 44:11-12). They shall not come near to God nor approach to an appreciation of the things of the Divine nature, but they shall do whatever menial services there may be given them by the Little Flock to do. (Ezek. 44:13-14.) It will be their part to receive and make effective the consecrations of the people, to cleanse them with the water of the Word, and to administer the stripes and chastening, many or few, tempered by the water of the Word, whereby the people may thoroughly assimilate (eat) the significance of their consecrations. They may possibly restore the literal sacrifices of animals as object lessons (Z. '05-269).—Ezek. 40:35-43; 46:21-24.
Duties and Privileges of the Priests.—The Little Flock, the Church, will enjoy the nature of God, who Himself, in His nature, will be their inheritance and possession. (Ezek. 44:27-28, Numbers 18:20.) They will serve the Divine purposes in direct and intimate contact with their Father, Jehovah, and will continue to keep the charge of God's holy doctrines and truths, as they faithfully kept it during the Gospel Age. (Ezek. 40:46; 44:15-16; 45:4; 48:10-12.) They will continue having charge of God's house, His Church, His people. (40:44-45; 44:8.) They will be in various grades of honor (houses), as “star differeth from star in glory.” (Ezek. 45:4.) They alone will have the privilege of entering the Divine Temple, or Christ class. (Ezek. 44:15-16.) They will forever regard their blessed condition most holy, most consecrated to Jehovah. (Ezek. 48:12.) They will keep the law of Divine Love in all its manifestations and judge the people according to that exalted standard (Ezek. 44:24, Deut. 17:8-13); teach all mankind to know the pattern of true godliness in all its particulars and to discern between holy and secular, good [pg 591] and evil (Ezek. 43:10-12; 44:23); sanctify and bless humanity according to the Oath-bound Abrahamic Covenant on terms of willing obedience. (Ezek. 44:19, 30; 46:19-20.) These priests will make union with and make fruitful the various covenants and promises (wives) by God, avoiding those not Divinely approved. (Ezek. 44:22; Lev. 21:7, 13-14.) They will receive tithes of the Levites. (Numbers 18:25-32.) All dedicated things will belong to them—that is, all covenants, vows and consecration of the people will be made to the Christ. (Ezek. 44:29-30; Josh. 6:19; Lev. 27:20-34; Numbers 18:8-20.) Theirs will be the charge of the altar—of applying the merit of Christ to the people (Ezek. 40:44-46), and they alone shall make the offering to God, declare the Divine forgiveness and approval of the people and of their consecrations.—Ezek. 43:18-27; 44:15-16, 25-27; 45:18-25; 46:1-7, 11-24.
The Life-Giving River.—The benefits of Divine Love flowing to save and bless all the willing and obedient of mankind are pictured in the Life-Giving River. From underneath the threshold, the place of rulership, the Throne of The Christ (Rev. 22:1), the water of the Word of Divine Love flows forth. Under the favor of the Church (right of Temple) the truth about the loving mercy through the blood of Jesus Christ (altar) is for the restitution of all in the earthly (south) phase of the Kingdom. (D. 650, 655; Z. '05-269; Z. '99-196; Ezek. 47:1.) Through Christ, the Gate, with all His loving favor (right) it flows toward the Sun-rise. (Ezek. 47:2.) The same one—Pastor Russell—who measured the race for the mark of the prize, with the line of Divine Righteousness (love, “the fulfilling of the law”), measured also the requirements for character attainment of the Millennial Age. One who will have that degree of love, which is duty love to God and man, even though reaching the utmost fulness of the measure of Divine Justice (1,000 cubits), will be as it were, only up to the ankles in the stream. He who attains the fulness of the Divine standard as to love for God, for His glorious character, will be in the stream to his knees. He who shall reach the fulness of love for the “least” brethren of that Age will be up to the loins; but he who so acquires the spirit of Divine Love, as to love all, including his enemies, will have reached the utmost fulness of love. (Ezek. 47:2-5.) Any that appreciate this, see the full purpose of Divine Love. It is important—“Son of man, hast thou seen this?” (Ezek. 47:6.) This is the love that will insure the healing of the sin-sick, anarchistic world lying in a deadness like the Dead Sea. (A. 318, D. 653, Z. '99-196, Ezek. 47:7-8.) Whoever becomes immersed in [pg 592] the fulness of Divine Love shall thereby gain life; and for everyone everywhere, to whom the water comes, there shall be life. (E. 357, 335; C. 214; Ezek. 47:9.) In connection with the gospel of the fulness of Divine Love there shall be a multitude of fishers of men to spread the net of the gospel of glad tidings of great joy for exceeding many. (C. 215, Ezek. 47:10.) But the people who are hopelessly polluted with worldliness (miry places) and those impregnated beyond saving with miasmas of iniquity (marshes) shall not be healed even when “brought to an accurate knowledge of the truth.” (Ezek. 47:11.) And the stream of the truth of Divine Love shall cause many righteous ones to come up (Dan. 12:3) whose loving teachings shall never be forgotten nor its character fruitage ever pass away; for they shall bring forth continued fruitage, because of the Divine Truth of perfect love coming to them out of Zion, the glorified Church. And the character fruitage shall forever be for spiritual food (John 4:34) and the teachings (leaves) for the healing of all the willing and obedient of the sin-sick world of mankind.—Z. '05-269; Matt. 10:8; Mal. 4:2; Ezek. 47:12.