Ezekiel 46:9

9 But when the people of the land shall come before the LORD in the solemn feasts, he that enters in by the way of the north gate to worship shall go out by the way of the south gate; and he that enters by the way of the south gate shall go forth by the way of the north gate; he shall not return by the way of the gate by which he came in, but shall go forth opposite it.

Ezekiel 46:9 Meaning and Commentary

Ezekiel 46:9

But when the people of the land shall come before the Lord
in the solemn feasts
To worship the Lord, to pray and praise; to honour the Lord, and keep the solemn feast of love, the Lord's supper: he that entereth in by the way of the north gate to worship shall go
out by the way of the south gate; and he that entereth in by the way
of the south gate shall go forth by the way of the north gate;
that so such as were coming in, and going out, might not meet, and stop and hinder one another in going out and coming in: no mention is made of entering in by the east gate, which was only for the prince, ( Ezekiel 44:1 Ezekiel 44:2 ) , and there was no entering in, or going out, on the west: he shall not return by the way of the gate he came in, but shall go
forth over against it;
signifying, that those that come to the house of God to worship, and join in communion with the saints, should not return to their former ways and practices; to their former rites, customs, and ceremonies in religion, used by them; and to their former principles and errors in doctrines; and to their former sinful courses of life; but go straight on and thorough stitch with it in their profession of Christ and his Gospel, and in the practice of spiritual and evangelic worship; see ( Luke 9:62 ) ( Hebrews 10:38 Hebrews 10:39 ) .

Ezekiel 46:9 In-Context

7 And he shall prepare a present of an ephah of fine flour with the calf, and another ephah with each ram, and for the lambs according as his hand shall attain unto, and a hin of oil with each ephah.

8 And when the prince shall enter, he shall go in by the way of the porch of that gate, and he shall go forth by the same way thereof.

9 But when the people of the land shall come before the LORD in the solemn feasts, he that enters in by the way of the north gate to worship shall go out by the way of the south gate; and he that enters by the way of the south gate shall go forth by the way of the north gate; he shall not return by the way of the gate by which he came in, but shall go forth opposite it.

10 And the prince, when they go in, he shall go in, in the midst of them; and when they go forth, he shall go forth.

11 And in the feasts and in the solemnities the present shall be an ephah of fine flour with each calf, and another ephah with each ram, and with the lambs as he is able to give, and a hin of oil with each ephah.