Lecture Notes: Cleansing and Ordination of Altars in Biblical Texts

Context and Questions

Speaker addresses Gordon's questions regarding the necessity of cleansing a new altar as mentioned in biblical texts.
Two main references: Exodus 29:36-37 and Ezekiel 43:20-27.

Exodus 29:36-37 details the ordination service of the altar:
- A bull is offered as a sin offering for atonement.
- Purification of the altar is performed by making atonement for it.
- The altar is anointed to consecrate it.
- This process lasts for seven days and after it becomes most holy.
- Anything the altar touches becomes holy.
The ordination service is a specific process required by God for the altar.
Ordination: A process often used when men and women dedicate themselves to service for the Lord, involves special rites to separate and dedicate their service.
Parallel drawn between ordination of priests and the ordination of an altar.

Ezekiel 43 describes the ordination service for what is known as the 'Ezekiel Temple', associated with the Messianic age (Millennial Kingdom):
- Blood is used on the altar's horns and ledge to cleanse and make atonement.
- A bull for a sin offering is burned outside the sanctuary.
- On the second day, a male goat without blemish is offered for a sin offering.
- A similar procedure is repeated with a bull and ram without blemish.
- The priest uses salt and offers them as burnt offerings to the Lord.
- The ordination lasts for seven days with daily offerings.
This ordination service is anticipated for the future Millennial Kingdom when the Messiah will rule.

Gordon's question is affirmed: Yes, the process described in Ezekiel mirrors the ordination requirements in Exodus.
Both texts describe a meticulous process for preparing a holy altar dedicated to the Lord, essential for future temple service in the anticipated Millennial age.