Departure and Return in Ezekiel

This reflection is part of the ongoing Forest Hills Haftorah Series. The rest of the content can be found here: https://www.sefaria.org/groups/FHJC-Haftorah-Series .

In the beginning of the book of Ezekiel, the prophet is shown what very well might be one of the most traumatic images an Israelite prophet would ever behold; the fulfillment of Israel's greatest fears - their abandonment by God.

Between chapters 9 and 11, Ezekiel's description seems to indicate that he is seeing the physical manifestation of this happening in slow-motion; Step by agonizing step. This is anticipated in chapter 8 verse 6:

It is in chapter 9 where the horror truly begins:

The "cherub" refers to the gold angelic statues atop the "aron hakodesh," the Ark of the Holy. In Israelite theology, the wings of the cherubs were believed to be God's Throne, with the covering of the Ark being His Holy Footsool:

A moment later, God begins to address a group of men who are standing around the Bronze Altar. This means that God has already distanced Himself from the Holy of Holies. Here is an illustration; the Bronze altar is the massive square structure with a small priest and fire to the right, while the Holy of Holies is all the way to the left and up the stairs.

If you look carefully, you can make appear to be two winged-lion statues there.

Once again in chapter 10, God distances Himself even more, making it to one of the gates leading into the greater Temple Courtyard:

What makes this a little confusing is the use of the term, "cherubs" once again, but possibly meaning something different than before. While above, it referred to the statues making up the Throne in the Holy of Holies, here it seems to refer to the angelic beings of whom the Divine Chariot is made of, which God would use to travel from place to place - for in both cases, the Throne and the Chariot, God sits above cherubim.

The first chapter of Ezekiel describes the Chariot in exhausting detail. Here is one artistic rendition.

The tragic, inevitable climax of Ezekiel's description - the completion of God's departure - occurs at the end of chapter 11:

Ezekiel is watching as God is on His way out. For nearly a thousand years, He had been dwelling amongst the Israelites in the Holy of Holies, hundreds of those years being in the Temple in Jerusalem. But according to Ezekiel in the preceding chapters - Israel had shown a continuous disregard for this relationship. And enough is enough.

This week's Haftorah, Ezekial 44:15-31 - certainly seems dry and uninteresting - being a mere list of rules and procedures that Temple Priests are expected to follow. However, its greater context could not be any more dramatic - being part of the last major section of Ezekiel which goes from chapter 40-48, in which he describes a complete reversal of the tragic departure above! For Ezekial assures us that the time will come when God will return to Israel - more specifically, to Jerusalem - and His Home (the Temple) will be re-established in which He will dwell once against amongst the Israelites in comfort.

Between 33 and 39 are what can be called Ezekiel's "Restoration Prophecies," which include the vision of the Dry Bones in Ezekiel 37. (It was a recent Haftorah, and therefore discussed here: https://www.sefaria.org/sheets/229572?lang=bi).

After being given a tour of what will be a wondrous new Temple, Ezekiel sees God's long-awaited return; this, too, almost in slow motion. In chapter 43, God enters through the Eastward-facing gate (reversing 10:19 above):

While out of context, our Haftorah can be hard to maintain interest in - reading it as part of the arc of this whole narrative is truly a thrill, as Ezekiel (or we, as the readers) are taken on a tour of every little detail of God's future home. The tour-guide - sometimes God, sometimes an unidentified man of shining copper (40:3) - is bursting with excitement at what is happening, at all that there is to see and celebrate, such that not a single detail can be left out!

As history would turn out, the second Temple - while massive and grand in its own right - would not be anywhere near as HUGE or intricate as Ezekiel's vision. Here are a few comparisons:

Here is one more rendition of Ezekiel's Temple.

Note the blue line. In chapter 47, Ezekiel describes a stream of fresh-water running from below the platform, all the way to the Dead Sea. On both sides of the stream will grow fruit-trees, plants, and flowers, while animals will flock to the stream to quench their thirst. When the waters reach the Dead Sea, the sea will become fresh, clean, and teeming with life.

Water is oftentimes used as a stand-in for connection to God. As the psalter says in psalm 63:

May God look upon our yearning favorably; And may we merit the days when the experiencing of His imminent Presence is as easy to encounter as visiting a stream and taking a drink.