Ezekiel 43:7-8

Ezekiel 43:7-8

[7] And he said  unto me, Son  of man,  the place  of my throne,  and the place  of the soles  of my feet,  where I will dwell  in the midst  of the children  of Israel  for ever,  and my holy  name,  shall the house  of Israel  no more defile,  neither they, nor their kings,  by their whoredom,  nor by the carcases  of their kings  in their high places.  [8] In their setting  of their threshold  and their post  by  my posts,  and the wall  between me and them, they have even defiled  my holy  name  by their abominations  that they have committed:  them in mine anger. 

What does Ezekiel 43:7-8 Mean?

Contextual Meaning

The one speaking from the temple, undoubtedly the Lord, told Ezekiel that the temple was His throne, the place where He would rest His feet (take up residence) and live among the Israelites forever (cf. 1 Kings 8:12-13; 1 Kings 8:27; 1 Chronicles 28:2; Psalm 99:5; Psalm 132:7; Isaiah 66:1; Jeremiah 3:17; Jeremiah 17:12). He announced that the Israelites and their leaders would no longer defile His holy reputation (cf. Ezekiel 39:7). They had done this by their religious prostitution and spiritual unfaithfulness to Him and by burying some of their kings too close to the temple precincts (cf. 1 Kings 21:19; 1 Kings 21:24-26). They had built their defiling graves too close to the temple, with only a wall between, not allowing some distance between them (sacred space) to honor God"s holiness. The Israelites had formerly defiled His name by their sinful acts that were abominable to God (cf. Ezekiel 8:1-18). That was the reason He had burned them in judgment. He had been angry with them.