Introduction
Ezekiel 43:13-27 provides practical instructions for consecrating the altar. With the temple filled with God’s presence, the focus shifts to the physical centre of worship: the altar of burnt offering. This section outlines its exact measurements and details a rigorous seven-day purification ritual that uses blood sacrifices to cleanse the altar, thereby making it fit to facilitate atonement and communion between God and His people.
Objectives
By the end of this session, the learner will have:
- Analysed the altar’s specific design and structural layout.
- Explored the symbolic necessity of blood sacrifice and purification before worship can begin.
- Connected the multi-day consecration process to the concept of being made acceptable to God.
Outline
- Specific design and structural layout of the altar.
- Necessity of blood sacrifice and purification
- 7-day consecration of the altar
Group Study Time
Ezekiel 43: 13-27
Connecting
- Gather with two or more people for a community discovery bible study session.
- Start with a heartfelt prayer, inviting God to guide and bless your understanding.
- Explore the passage by reading it at least twice, using different Bible versions if available, then retell the story together as a group.
- Reflect and share the challenges and blessings you experienced from the previous study.
Comprehending
- Read Ezekiel 43:13-17. What is an altar? What is its role? Considering the measurements and layers described, what does the altar’s structure suggest about the order and precision God desires in worship?
- Read Ezekiel 43:18-21. Why must the altar itself be cleansed with blood before any regular offerings can be made on it?
- Read Ezekiel 43:22-27. What do these verses say about cleansing, purifying and sacrifice on the altar? What is the significance of the seven-day consecration period, and what does God promise will happen on the eighth day once the process is complete? (v. 25-27)
Committing
- Engage with the Bible—read, study, memorize, meditate, pray, listen, and live it out.
- List three lessons you have learnt as an agent of change that you would like to put into practice and teach others about.
- Take time and worship Jesus with the attributes revealed about Christ.
- Use the SPACEPETS model, to assist you in putting God’s word into practice. Look for:
- Sin to confess
- Promise to claim
- Attitude to change
- Command to keep
- Error to change
- Prayer to make
- Example to copy
- Truth to obey and
- Something praiseworthy
Communicating
- Identify one person you can connect with and share the valuable insights and lessons you gained from this session.
- Reach out to a new believer—either in person or by phone—and pray with them to support them through their challenges, including any concerns about attending church.
- Create a new group and guide others through this study to help them grow in their understanding.