Ezekiel 44:11

11 They may serve me in the Temple by taking charge of the gates and by performing the work of the Temple. They may kill the animals which the people offer for burnt offerings and for sacrifices, and they are to be on duty to serve the people.

Ezekiel 44:11 Meaning and Commentary

Ezekiel 44:11

Yet they shall be ministers in my sanctuary
Though degraded from their office as priests and ministers of the word, yet being restored from their sins and errors, shall have a place in the house of God, and do their work there in a less honourable and a more servile way; as in former times, when ministers had sinned foully, and were degraded from their office, upon repentance they were not restored to that, but only admitted to lay communion; see ( 2 Kings 23:9 ) : having charge at the gates of the house;
like those sort of Levites who were porters and doorkeepers in the temple, or like our sextons or pew openers now: and ministering to the house;
employed as the Gibeonites were in hewing wood and bringing water for the use of the sanctuary, or in repairing of it; learning and exercising the business of smiths, masons, and carpenters: they shall slay the burnt offering, and the sacrifice for the people;
not bring it to the altar, and offer it there; only slay it, and skin it for the priests; which is not to be understood literally, there being no such sacrifice in Gospel times; but to denote the menial service and inferior post that such shall be employed in; if they have no trade, they shall learn one, in order to get a livelihood for themselves, and be serviceable to the interest of religion in a lower way; but ministers of the word they shall not be: and they shall stand before them to minister unto them;
either before the priests, whose servants they shall be, or before the people; signifying that those that sin publicly shall be rebuked before all.

Ezekiel 44:11 In-Context

9 "I, the Sovereign Lord, declare that no uncircumcised foreigner, no one who disobeys me, will enter my Temple, not even a foreigner who lives among the people of Israel."

10 The Lord said to me, "I am punishing those Levites who, together with the rest of the people of Israel, deserted me and worshiped idols.

11 They may serve me in the Temple by taking charge of the gates and by performing the work of the Temple. They may kill the animals which the people offer for burnt offerings and for sacrifices, and they are to be on duty to serve the people.

12 But because they conducted the worship of idols for the people of Israel and in this way led the people into sin, I, the Sovereign Lord, solemnly swear that they must be punished.

13 They are not to serve me as priests or to go near anything that is holy to me or to enter the Most Holy Place. This is the punishment for the disgusting things they have done.