Ezekiel 40–46

These dates and those in Ezekiel 20:1 and 8:1 seem to be counted from Jehoiakim's captivity; see Ezekiel 1:2. Compare also 2 Kings 25:1.

The verse states the time still more definitely: "in the beginning of the year, the tenth of the month." Ezekiel was a priest. The civil year — counted from the first day of the seventh month of the sacred year — was a late innovation among the Jews. It had nothing to do with God's own order, which everything revealed here is bound up with. So it seems certain that this beginning of the year is the one spoken of in Exodus in connection with the Passover... Then it is the tenth of the month, when the lamb was taken and kept until the fourteenth day.

In order of time this is not the last prophecy of Ezekiel, the one given in Ezekiel 29:17 being two years later. But this great vision is the only one that could fittingly close the book. God revealed the glory to the prophet at the beginning. A little later he saw it leave the defiled temple, soon to lie in ruins. Now he sees it returning to that greater and more wonderful dwelling place on earth, spread out before him so that he may describe it to the house of Israel.

The prophet was under the hand of Jehovah, and He brought him to the place of this vision. No other hand, no other guide, could bring him and open his eyes to see what "the visions of God" are. That puts the divine seal on it all. They are visions of God, meaning that God is the Giver.

Ezekiel says that in these visions "He brought me into the land of Israel" — that is, Ezekiel was simply carried there in spirit. The apostle John speaks in the same way in Revelation. He says, "I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day" (Rev. 1:10). Twice more, "he carried me away in the Spirit" — "into a wilderness" (Rev. 17:3), and "to a great, high mountain" (Rev. 21:10).

God brought Ezekiel into the land of Israel. These visions have to do with the whole nation. They show the land when all the tribes hold it — restored, united, blessed, all enemies struck down, all internal conflict over. The prophet's vantage ground is a very high mountain. This can be no other than Jehovah's "holy mountain, the mountain of the height of Israel," where Israel shall serve Him (Ezek. 20:40-44).

Interpreters are commonly said to divide four ways. The historical-literal view makes these chapters a plain description, meant to preserve the memory of Solomon's temple. The historical-ideal makes them a vague announcement of future good. The Jewish theory assumes the returned remnant adopted the plan. The Christian or allegorical view finds in them a huge system standing for the good in store for the church. But this leaves out the fifth and, I have no doubt, the only true interpretation. It sees in these chapters the fitting conclusion to the whole prophecy... It predicts that in the last days Israel will be fully re-established, then converted, holding every promised blessing for ever in their land, with the glory of Jehovah in their midst.

The remaining chapters present a vision of the most striking character. In it the prophet sees and passes on the pledge of more than restoration — of crowning glory — for Israel in their land... Ezekiel 40-48 is hardly more obscure than Exodus 25-40. The details of the future temple in the land are not harder to understand than those of the past tabernacle in the wilderness.

The prophet began to see these "visions of God" while he was among the captives by the river Chebar in the land of the Chaldeans (Ezek. 1:1-3). Ezekiel says that in these visions God "brought me to the land of Israel." That is, Ezekiel was only carried there in spirit. The apostle John says much the same in Revelation. He writes: "I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day"; "he carried me away in spirit to a desert"; "he carried me away in the Spirit, and set me on a great and high mountain" (Rev. 1:10; Rev. 17:3; Rev. 21:10). So we may say that it was the power of the Spirit of God that brought Ezekiel from the land of the Chaldeans to the land of Israel.

The prophet was under the hand of Jehovah, and He brought him to the place of this vision. No other hand, no other guide, could bring him and open his eyes to see what "the visions of God" are. It is good to be sure of how he came to see. God's own seal is on it all. They are visions of God, signifying that God is the Giver. The phrase marks where they came from: God is the cause.

All through Scripture, high ground always stands for seeing things by God's standard. So God sets Ezekiel on "a very high mountain," and from there he sees the vision of the Temple. That Temple will be the centre of worship on earth in the golden thousand-year age. In the same way John sees the Holy City, which stands for the Church of God joined to Christ in His thousand-year kingdom. He too is carried in spirit to "a great and high mountain" (Rev. 21:10).

God brought Ezekiel into the land of Israel. These visions have to do with the whole nation. They show the land when all the tribes hold it again: restored, united, blessed, every enemy struck down, every conflict inside it over. The prophet's viewpoint is a very high mountain. It can be no other than Jehovah's "holy mountain, the mountain of the height of Israel," where Israel shall serve Him (Ezek. 20:40-44). It is that mountain of Jehovah to which all the nations shall flow (Isa. 2:2-3), beautiful in elevation, the joy of the whole earth, the city of the great King (Ps. 48:1-3).

The prophet clearly comes from the north, since what he sees lies to the south. He seems to be brought by the northern road. That is the road Israel's great enemies came down, and the road along which Israel was carried away into captivity. Now comes the return from all of that. No enemy will swoop down from the north any more. Judgment has brought in righteousness, and the people find a peaceful home.

The description here is a description of the Temple. Yet at the start of verse 2, from the high mountain, he sees "a structure like a city to the south." So whatever the layout of the measured land, there was a connection between the city and the sanctuary.

I have no doubt that the only true interpretation sees in these chapters the fitting conclusion to the whole prophecy. It is the prediction that in the last days Israel will be fully restored and converted, holding every promised blessing for ever in their land, with the glory of Jehovah among them.

But this leaves out the fifth view, and I have no doubt it is the only true one. It sees in these chapters the fitting close to the whole prophecy, and it belongs with the chapters just before it. They predict that in the last days Israel will be converted and fully restored, holding every promised blessing for ever in their land, with the glory of the Lord among them.

...this destroys the idea that there was, or could be, any real likeness between Ezekiel's vision and any temple ever built... It is given with exact precision. Call it an exaggeration, and you shake the character of the prophet, and of Scripture in general.

The prophet now sees a man standing in the gate — most likely the north gate of the sacred enclosure, since from there he goes with the prophet to the east gate, which he measures first. The man had the appearance of brass. It is the same metal used in the tabernacle and Solomon's temple, which is more correctly copper. We know it as the symbol of strength, protection, firmness in good or evil, and judgment. It could be polished until it reflected images, so people made mirrors of it. Those mirrors went into the basin in the tabernacle that held the water for cleansing the priests. That last link ties the metal to the Word of God... The lesson of the copper is the character of God: a God of holy judgment, unchanging, lasting, and searching, all revealed in His unchangeable Word.

Gold — intrinsic divine righteousness. Brass (or copper) — divine righteousness as applied to man in judgment. Linen — "the righteousness of the saints." Filthy rags — the righteousness of the flesh.

This work of measuring has prophetic meaning... It shows God's care and interest; everything to do with His purposes and promises matters. It may well mean that God has risen up to take possession — He is claiming His right to what is His. Every false claim is set aside, every stolen holding is taken back, and all will be settled by the measure of truth and righteousness.

Two similar passages are found in Scripture — Ezekiel 40 and Revelation 11. In both, measuring seems to come before taking possession for blessing. It is an act ordered by God just before He comes in again to set up His dwelling-place, and to claim His people as His own.

From verse 5 we learn that the reed in the man's hand was six cubits long, each cubit being a cubit and a handbreadth — that is, a cubit of four palms. Six expresses the limit God sets on man. It is linked with evil, as with Goliath and the beast of Revelation 13. Yet where six appears with evil in full display, that is just where God overcomes and makes the wrath of man praise Him. David fells Goliath, and the Son of Man coming in His glory destroys the beasts and sets up His everlasting kingdom... But it is by the arm and hand of a Man that this will be done, and four — the four handbreadths of the cubit named here — is the number of man and creation: the Man Christ Jesus, the appointed Heir of all things.

In Ezekiel the measuring reed is an ordinary one, suited to an earthly city. In Revelation it is a golden reed, the picture of divine righteousness, suited to the dwelling-place of God. In Ezekiel the city is large, as fits a splendid earthly capital. In Revelation the city is vast beyond any earthly limit.

Interpreters are usually said to divide four ways. Some make these chapters a plain description, meant to preserve the memory of Solomon's temple. Some make them a vague announcement of future good. Some assume the exiles who returned actually adopted the idea. Some try to find in them a vast symbol of the good in store for the church. But this leaves out the fifth interpretation, which I have no doubt is the only true one. It sees in these chapters the fitting conclusion to the whole prophecy, closely akin to the chapters that come before it. It is the prediction that in the last days Israel will be completely re-established, then converted and in possession of every promised blessing for ever in their land, with the glory of Jehovah in their midst. This is the only proper Messianic fulfilment of the vision. It must therefore be taken in its simple and plain grammatical sense — literal, symbolic, or figurative, as the context of each passage decides.

He is prepared to measure. He keeps the prophet busy with this work as he guides him through the courts and buildings of the Sanctuary. This measuring has prophetic meaning. It suggests God's care and interest. Everything that relates to His purposes and promises matters. Then it may well signify that God has risen up to take possession — it is the assertion of His title. Every false claim will be set aside, and all wrongly seized possession removed. Everything will then be established by the measure of truth and righteousness.

Ezekiel, in his vision of glorious things to come, was guided by a man with a measuring line in his hand. Unlike the heavenly messenger that appeared to Daniel (Dan. 9:21), this man had no name. He is rightly seen as a picture of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit searches the deep things of God on our behalf, so that He may lead us into an understanding of them (1 Cor. 2:10).

The man with the reed appealed to the prophet's eyes, ears and heart (Ezek. 40:4). The Holy Spirit desires our wholehearted and undivided attention.

It is here that men have failed to set their heart. They have missed the difference between the ordinances and laws of the house described here and what the temple used to be. They have failed to mark well, and have confused it all with what has already been. Indeed, this is where people are usually dull. The Holy Spirit alone can show us things to come according to God.

The title "Son of man" is given to Ezekiel and Daniel as prophets, and both are seen in Gentile territory. Daniel is referred to this way once, Ezekiel many times.

Only in this way would it be brought home to them how great their departure from the pattern had been.

So even then the prophet is told to set the house before Israel in its measured pattern. They were to feel what their sin had taken from them. In days to come the vision will act on them deeply.

The temple the returned exiles built does not correspond in any way to the magnificent structure Ezekiel saw in his vision. The fact is, if this temple is a literal building — and it certainly is — then no one has ever built it yet. The prophecy also makes clear that the glory of the Lord returned to the temple and made His dwelling place there. It is the same glory Ezekiel had seen leave the temple and Jerusalem. But the glory did not return to the second temple. No glory cloud filled that house.

This work of measuring has prophetic meaning. See Zechariah 2 and Revelation 11; Habakkuk 3:6. It suggests God's care and interest. Everything that touches His purposes and promises matters. It may well mean that God has risen up to take possession. He is asserting His title. Every false claim is set aside and all that was wrongly seized is removed. Then all will be established by the measure of truth and righteousness.

Ezekiel's cubit is one-sixth longer: a cubit and a handbreadth. The handbreadth counts as one-sixth of the ordinary cubit. So Ezekiel's reed of six great cubits equals seven ordinary cubits… Seven is the Scriptural number for completeness or perfection. It is worth noticing that the measurements of Ezekiel's temple, the millennial temple, are so brought up to the scale of perfection.

We have learned that six expresses the limit God puts on man… Even though six is linked with evil in full display, it is exactly in that link that we find God overcoming and making the wrath of man praise Him. He gains the victory… Just such thoughts cluster around this measuring reed of six cubits. God will assert His title to the earth and destroy those who have destroyed it. It will be in the way this number suggests. But a Man will do it by His own arm and hand, and four — the four handbreadths of the cubit named here — is the number of man and creation.

This encircling wall is one reed high and one reed broad — a reed of six cubits, equal to 7.2 feet in our measure. We see at once that this wall is not for protection against enemies. It is too low. It means something other than a barrier to resist attack. The basic idea here is separation. The wall teaches that the space inside is sanctified, set apart to the Lord… It preaches the exclusion of all that defiles. This wall is as broad as it is high — foursquare. Perfect equality in every direction marks God's holy requirements: separation from evil, and judgment of it.

The wall is symbolic of perfect protection, the exclusion of all evil. The gate that follows speaks of the inclusion of all that is right and good.

The wall all around the outside of the temple area is not measured until we come to the end of Ezekiel 42. There it is declared to be 500 reeds square. The figure is given with the most exact precision. You cannot treat it as an exaggeration without shaking the character of the prophet and of Scripture in general. That is, the temple grounds take in considerably more than the whole city did.

The man has a cord of flax and a measuring reed in his hand. He is ready to measure. In fact this is the work he keeps the prophet busy with as he guides him through the courts and around the buildings of the Sanctuary. This work of measurement has prophetic meaning. It suggests God's care and interest. Everything that touches His purposes and promises matters. It may well mean that God has risen up to take possession — He is asserting His title. Every false claim will be set aside. Every wrongly held possession will be removed. All will be settled according to the measure of truth and righteousness.

From verse 5 we learn that the measuring reed in the man's hand was six cubits long, and each cubit was a cubit plus a handbreadth — that is, a cubit of four handbreadths. We have learned that six expresses the limit God sets for man. It goes with evil, as in the case of Goliath, the Beast of Revelation 13, and Nebuchadnezzar's idolatrous image. Yet if six is linked with evil at its full height, it is just here that we find God overcomes and makes the wrath of man praise Him. He gains the victory. David fells Goliath. The Son of Man, coming in His glory, destroys the Beasts and sets up His everlasting kingdom… But a Man's arm and hand will do it, and four — the four handbreadths of the cubit named here — is the number of man and creation: the Man Christ Jesus, the appointed Heir of all things.

This first court is the place of general assembly. For worship the people must go inside. The wall is too high for anyone outside to see what is going on within. Entry must be in the appointed way, going up the seven steps of the gate-building. God orders both the way of our approach to Him and the character that belongs to it, and both must match what He is in Himself. This underlies the truth of redemption and all that flows out of it.

We now come to the east gate, which is really a large building 25 cubits wide by 50 cubits long. It is described in detail, and the other gates match it. This gate-building is in several ways the most important of all. It stands on the axis of the temple, and by it the glory of God enters. It is shut, and no one may enter it, because "the LORD, the God of Israel, has entered by it."

The wall speaks of exclusion, limiting entrance to the court to the gate-buildings. So these buildings teach us the watchfulness always needed to guard against anything that would defile, or anything that would not meet the requirements of the LORD. All must answer to the claims of His holiness. By these structures He was preaching against the abuses and idolatrous evils which prince and priest had allowed to cross the court of His house, and even set up within its walls. It was like saying to them in a parable of stone, "Holiness belongs to My house forever."

The temple the prophet means must be looked for in the future, and everything around it points that way… Here we have a prophecy of what will only be accomplished for Israel in their land, when the church is changed at Christ's coming and reigns with Him over the earth… At the same time, all the evidence favours a future temple for Israel under Messiah and the new covenant. Even so, there may be many a lesson of truth and righteousness held in the building, the ritual, and the general order laid down here.

First, the "threshold" is in Hebrew saph, a word that suggests an entrance hall, or vestibule. "Lodge" is tah. It occurs only in Ezekiel 40, 1 Kings 14:28 and 2 Chronicles 12:11, and the last two passages translate it "guard-chamber." So the word means a room of some kind. Tah comes from an early root meaning to mark off, used only in Numbers 34:7-8 for marking out the border of the land. So we get the idea of a room marked out in some special way inside a larger space.

"Post," or posts, is ayil, which means anything strong… In building it means a lintel as well as a post, or a support set into a wall, because it is a strong support. So it can mean a wall that juts forward and works as a partition or divider, and also the jamb of a doorway… We are told that these lodges and their posts had windows. That shows we are not to think of the posts as pillars or columns, but as sections of wall.

What is called the "border" in the gate-buildings stands in front of the lodges and measured one cubit. This points to a barrier, or fence, marking off the lodges from the central corridor and protecting them from the crowd pressing in as it passed. This would be needed if the guards or keepers of the gate used these lodges, as we suppose. Their entrances seem to have been in the outer walls, so they led into the outer court.

We now come to the east gate, which is really a large building, 25 cubits broad by 50 cubits long (30 feet by 60 feet). It is described in detail, and the other gates match it… These gate-buildings, with their six guard-chambers, seem designed to stress how God provides to keep His house holy. They show special care to shut out everything that would defile this holy ground. This close attention to detail must impress on everyone how much God cares for the holiness of His dwelling-place. It reminds the people how badly they had neglected His house in the past, and how far they had turned away, so that they wickedly defiled it.

This work of measuring carries prophetic meaning. See Zechariah 2 and Revelation 11; Habakkuk 3:6. It shows God's care and interest. Everything that touches His purposes and promises matters. It may well mean that God has risen up to take possession — He is claiming His right. Every false claim will be set aside, all that was wrongly taken over will be removed, and everything will be established by the measure of truth and righteousness.

It is easy enough to understand a general picture of the Church as a temple, a city, or the people Israel. The New Testament does use all these pictures of it. But Ezekiel is not giving that kind of general picture of a temple. All the details fit together with a builder's precision. Such precision does not suit allegory at all, but it is just what you need to describe the plan of a real building.

These views leave out a fifth one, and I have no doubt it is the only true interpretation. It sees in these chapters the fitting conclusion to the whole prophecy, closely tied to the chapters just before. They predict that Israel will be completely restored in the last days. The nation will be converted, and will hold every promised blessing forever in their land, with the glory of the Lord among them. This is the only proper Messianic fulfilment of the vision. So we must take the vision in its plain and fair grammatical sense — literal, symbolic, or figurative, as the context of each passage decides.

In the first section (vv. 6-16) the eastern gate is measured. The measuring covers the threshold and posts, the porch inside and outside, the chambers on both sides, the width of the entry, and the length of gate and pillars. The reed is six cubits long, and each cubit is a handbreadth longer than the ordinary cubit.

"Porch" is ulam, from alam, which means "to tie fast," and so applies to a vestibule or porch as bound to the building.

There seems to be only one difference between the outer and the inner gates. In the inner gates the porch stands at the outer end, toward the outer court. In the outer gates it stands at the inner end, toward the House.

We now come to the east gate, which is really a large building 25 cubits broad by 50 cubits long (30 feet by 60 feet). It is described in detail; the other gates conform to it. This gate-building is in several respects the most important of all. It stands on the axis of the temple, and by it the glory of God enters (Ezek. 43). It is shut, and no one may enter it, because "the LORD, the God of Israel, has entered by it." The Prince may eat bread in it before the LORD, but he must enter by the porch and go out the same way. No one passes through it (Ezek. 44:1-3).

If the wall speaks of exclusion, so that people can only enter the court through the gate-buildings, then those buildings surely teach us the watchfulness we always need. We must guard against letting in anything that would defile, or anything that does not meet the requirements of the LORD. All must answer to the claims of His holiness. Through these structures He was preaching against the abuses and idolatrous evils that prince and priest had allowed into the court of His house. They had even let such things be set up within its walls. It was like saying to them in a parable of stone, "Holiness befits My house forever."

God orders both the way we approach Him and the character that belongs to that approach. Both must match what He is in Himself. This underlies the truth of redemption and all that flows out of it.

We now come to the east gate, which is in fact a large building 25 cubits broad by 50 cubits long (that is, 30 feet by 60 feet). It is described in detail; the other gates conform to it. This gate-building is in several respects the most important of all. It stands on the axis of the temple. The glory of God enters by it (Ezekiel 43). It is shut, and no one is allowed to enter it, because "the LORD, the God of Israel, has entered by it."

He is prepared to measure. In fact this is the work he gives the prophet, as he guides him through the courts and around the buildings of the Sanctuary. This measuring has prophetic meaning. It suggests God's care and interest. Everything that relates to His purposes and promises matters. It may also well mean that God has risen up to take possession. He is asserting His title. Every false claim will be set aside, every wrongly seized possession removed, and everything established by the measure of truth and righteousness.

"Porch" is ulam, from alam, which means "to tie fast," and so applies to a vestibule or porch as bound to the building.

"Post," or posts, is ayil, which means anything strong. It is used for an oak or another strong tree, and also for a ram. In building it means a lintel, and also a post or pilaster, because these are strong supports. So it applies to a wall that projects forward and serves as a partition or division, and also to the jamb of an entry or doorway.

The one point of difference between the outer and inner gates seems to be this: in the inner gates the porch stands at the outer end, toward the outer court. In the outer gates it stands at the inner end, toward the House.

So if the wall speaks of exclusion, keeping entrance to the court to the gate-buildings, then these buildings teach us the watchfulness that is always needed. We must guard against anything coming in that would defile, or that does not meet what Jehovah requires. All must answer to the claims of His holiness. By these structures He was preaching against the abuses and idol worship that prince and priest had allowed to cross the court of His house, and even to be set up inside its walls. It was like saying to them in a parable of stone, "Holiness befits My house forever."

Some take this as applying to the posts of the porch in verse 9, making it mean their height... But the posts in verse 9 are only 2 cubits (2.88 feet). A height of 60 cubits (72 feet) is out of all proportion, and an unlikely thing to build... no fully satisfactory solution seems possible at present.

All the evidence is in favour of a future temple for Israel under Messiah and the new covenant. While holding that, we may still find many a lesson of truth and righteousness hidden in the building, the ritual and the general order set out here... But with such applications, we need to keep a careful watch, so that we do not twist the holy word of God.

If this is right, we must look for the temple the prophet means in the future, and everything around it points that way. One can understand a past tabernacle as a type of present heavenly things in Christ. But here it is a prophecy of what will only happen for Israel in their land, when the church is changed at Christ's coming and reigns with Him over the earth… All the evidence favours a future temple for Israel under Messiah and the new covenant. Even so, many a lesson of truth and righteousness may lie hidden in the building, the ritual, and the general order laid down here.

The man has in his hand a cord of flax and a measuring reed. He is ready to measure. This work of measurement has prophetic meaning… It suggests God's care and interest. Everything relating to His purposes and promises is important. It may well mean that God has risen up to take possession — it is the assertion of His title. He will set aside every false claim, remove all that was wrongly seized, and establish everything by the measure of truth and righteousness.

"Lodge" is tah. It occurs only in Ezekiel 40, 1 Kings 14:28 and 2 Chronicles 12:11. The last two passages translate it "guard-chamber," so the word means a room of some kind. Tah comes from a root meaning to mark off or mark out. That root appears only in Numbers 34:7-8, where it marks out the border of the land. So we get the idea of a room marked off in a special way inside a larger space.

"Post," or posts, is ayil, anything strong… This suggests that the posts of the lodges "within the gate" are sections of wall projecting from the outer walls into the gate-building, marking off these lodges from the surrounding space… "Border" is gebul… The border in the gate-buildings stands in front of the lodges and measures one cubit. This points to something like a barrier or fence. It marks the lodges off from the central corridor and protects them from the crowding of people passing through. That would be necessary if, as supposed, the guards or keepers of the gate used these lodges.

These gate-buildings with their six guard-chambers seem designed to stress God's provision for keeping the house holy. They show special care to shut out everything that would profane these holy precincts. The careful attention to detail must impress God's care for the holiness of His dwelling-place on everyone concerned. It reminds the people of their own gross carelessness and departure in the past, which led them to defile God's house so wickedly.

By these structural forms He was preaching against the abuses and idolatrous evils which prince and priest had allowed to cross the court of His house, and even set up inside its walls. It was like saying to them in a parable of stone, "Holiness becomes My house forever."

The prophet is now called to see what alone can give character to the whole — the entry of the divine glory. He is brought to the east gate. In his earlier visions he had seen the glory of God leave the defiled temple by way of the east gate. It took its stand on the mountain east of the city — the Mount of Olives (Ezek. 11:22-25). He who is the perfect and eternal embodiment of all that this vision of glory pictures also left the house of His day desolate. He sat on the Mount of Olives, looking over the rejected city. There He unfolded the course of future events, up to the day when He will stand on that same mountain on the east.

The wall comes first, a symbol of perfect protection, the shutting out of all evil. Then comes the gate, the taking in of all that is right and good. Then the chambers — God does not only dwell in the holiest of all; there is room for His priests to dwell there too.

All four leave out the fifth view, which I have no doubt is the only true one. It sees in these chapters the fitting close to the whole prophecy, closely tied to the chapters just before it. They predict that in the last days Israel will be fully restored and converted, holding every promised blessing forever in their land, with the glory of the Lord among them. This is the only true Messianic fulfilment of the vision. So it must be taken in its plain and proper grammatical sense — literal, symbolic, or figurative, as the context of each passage decides.

This work of measuring has prophetic meaning. See Zech. 2 and Rev. 11; Hab. 3:6. It shows God's care and interest. Everything that touches His purposes and promises matters. It may well mean that God has risen up to take possession. He is asserting His title. He sets aside every false claim, removes all that was wrongly seized, and settles everything by the measure of truth and righteousness.

Verse 11 presents a difficulty. The words "the length of the gate 13 cubits" seem impossible to fit with the other measurements and still keep the 50 cubits given in verse 15. A measurement of length would normally run from east to west. The Septuagint has "breadth" in place of length. One possible answer is that this figure refers to what is chiefly counted as the gate: the gate-entry already given as 10 cubits wide, plus the walls of 1½ cubits on each side, making up the 13 cubits of this verse.

We now come to the east gate, which is really a large building 25 cubits wide by 50 cubits long (that is, 30 feet by 60 feet). It is described in detail, and the other gates match it. In several ways this gate-building is the most important of all. It stands on the axis of the temple. By it the glory of God enters (Ezek. 43). It is shut, and no one is allowed to enter it, because "the Lord, the God of Israel, has entered by it."

These gate-buildings, with their six guard-chambers, appear designed to stress how God provides to keep the house holy. They show special care to shut out all that would defile this holy ground.

Entrance must be by the way God has laid down, going up the seven steps of the gate-building. God orders both the way we approach Him and the character that belongs to that approach. Both must match what He is in Himself. This underlies the truth of redemption and all that flows out of it.

The inner gate on the side of the east was open on that day, and the Prince worshipped at the very threshold of the gate and the people before the gate (Ezek. 46). The other days it was shut… Still, it remains true that neither the people nor the Prince went inside. In that day of blessing, those most blessed on earth will never have the access into God's presence that we have, by the Spirit, through the veil.

"Border" is gebul. It is the usual word for border, that is, the boundary of any given territory. It is so used repeatedly in Ezekiel 48, and elsewhere. What is so called in the gate-buildings is before the lodges and measured one cubit. This shows something like a barrier, or fence. It marks off the lodges from the central corridor, so the passing crowd could not press in on them. This would be necessary if the guards or keepers of the gate used these lodges, as we suppose.

"Lodge" is tah. It occurs only in Ezekiel 40, 1 Kings 14:28 and 2 Chronicles 12:11, and the last two passages translate it "guard-chamber." So the word means a room of some kind. Tah comes from an old root meaning to mark off or mark out. That root is used only in Numbers 34:7-8, for marking out the border of the land. So we get the idea of a room marked off in some special way inside a larger space.

The east gate is really a large building, 25 cubits wide and 50 cubits long. In several ways it is the most important gate of all. It is on the axis of the temple, and by it the glory of God enters… The arrangement of these gate-buildings with their six guard-chambers seems designed to stress God's provision to preserve the holiness of the house. It shows special care to exclude all that would profane these holy precincts.

The wall speaks of exclusion: people may enter the court only through the gate-buildings. So the gate-buildings teach us the watchfulness always needed to keep out what would defile, or what would not match the requirements of Jehovah. All must answer to the claims of His holiness. Through these structures He was preaching against the abuses and idol worship that prince and priest had let cross the court of His house. They had even allowed such things a place inside its walls. It was like saying to them in a parable of stone, "Holiness befits My house forever."

The wall is mentioned first. It stands for perfect protection, the shutting out of all evil. Then comes the gate, the taking in of all that is right and good. Then come the chambers: God dwells in the holiest place of all, and there is room for His priests to dwell there too.

The man has in his hand a cord of flax and a measuring reed. He is prepared to measure. In fact he keeps the prophet busy with this work as he guides him through the courts and around the buildings of the Sanctuary. This work of measurement is prophetically significant. See Zechariah 2 and Revelation 11; Habakkuk 3:6. It suggests God's care and interest. Everything that relates to His purposes and promises is important. Then it may well signify that God has risen up to take possession — it is the assertion of His title. He will set aside every false claim. He will remove all that others wrongly seized. He will establish everything by the measure of truth and righteousness.

But this leaves out the fifth interpretation, and I have no doubt it is the only true one. These chapters are the fitting conclusion to the whole prophecy, and they are close kin to the chapters just before. They predict the complete re-establishment of Israel in the last days. Israel will then be converted, holding every promised blessing forever in their land, with the glory of Jehovah among them. This is the only proper Messianic fulfilment of the vision. So it must be taken in its plain and fair grammatical sense — literal, symbolic, or figurative, as the context in each passage may decide.

If true, we must look for the temple the prophet means in the future. Everything around it points that way. We can understand a past tabernacle that pictures present heavenly things in Christ. But this is a prophecy of what will only happen for Israel in their land, at Christ's coming, when the church is changed and reigns with Him over the earth. So there is no room for the Christian or allegorical application. And applying it to Israel's past, as we have seen, fails; in fact it is impossible.

The man has in his hand a cord of flax and a measuring reed. He is ready to measure. In fact this is the work he keeps the prophet busy with as he guides him through the courts and around the buildings of the sanctuary. This work of measurement has prophetic meaning. It suggests God's care and interest. Everything that relates to His purposes and promises matters. Then it may well mean that God has risen up to take possession — it is the assertion of His title. Every false claim will be set aside. Everything that seized possession will be removed. All will be established according to the measure of truth and righteousness.

We now come to the east gate, which is really a large building 25 cubits broad by 50 cubits long (that is, 30 feet by 60 feet). It is described in detail; the other gates match it. This gate-building is the most important of all. It is on the axis of the temple, and by it the glory of God enters. The layout of these gate-buildings, with their six guard-chambers, seems designed to stress how God provides to keep His house holy. It shows special care to shut out everything that would profane these holy grounds.

The word for these side rooms is tah. It occurs only in Ezekiel 40, 1 Kings 14:28 and 2 Chronicles 12:11. In the last two passages it is translated "guard-chamber," so the word means a room of some kind. Tah comes from a root meaning to mark off. That root is used only in Numbers 34:7-8, for marking out the border of the land. So we get the idea of a room marked off in a special way inside a larger space.

"Border" is gebul, the usual word for the boundary of any territory. In the gate-buildings, this border stands in front of the side rooms and measured one cubit. This points to something like a barrier or fence. It marked the side rooms off from the central corridor and protected them from the passing crowd. Such a fence would be needed if the guards or keepers of the gate used these rooms, as we suppose. The entrances to them seem to be in the outer walls, leading out into the outer court. We draw this conclusion from verse 13, which gives the total measurement across the gate and notes that entry faces entry.

A possible solution is that this figure refers to the gate proper: the gate-entry, already given as 10 cubits wide, plus the walls of one and a half cubits on each side. That makes the 13 cubits of this verse. It would then be right to call this the breadth of the gate, and to treat all the other parts as "wall-projections." These make up the 25 cubits of breadth given in verse 13.

"Post," or posts, is ayil, which means anything strong. It is used for an oak or another strong tree, and also for a ram. In building it means a lintel as well as a post, or a flat column set into a wall, since these are strong supports. So it also applies to a wall that juts forward and serves as a partition or divider, and to the side post of an entry or doorway. This suggests that the posts of the lodges "within the gate" are sections of wall. They project from the outer walls into the gate-building, and so mark off these lodges from the space around them... The text says these lodges and their posts had windows. That shows we should not think of the posts as pillars or columns, but as sections of wall.

Verse 14 is obscure. "He made posts of 60 cubits, and up to the posts was the court of the gate round about."... But the posts in verse 9 are only 2 cubits (2.88 feet). A height of 60 cubits (72 feet) is out of all proportion, and an unlikely thing to build. A further difficulty is the word made, since elsewhere in this part the subject is measurement. The last part of the verse is not easy to understand. It may mean that the court surrounded the gate on all three sides. As for the first part, no truly satisfying solution seems possible at present.

On the details of our chapter there seems little to remark. In the first section (verses 6-16) the eastern gate is measured, threshold and posts, porch within and without, chambers on both sides, breadth of the entry, length of gate and pillars, the reed consisting of six cubits, and each cubit a handbreadth above the ordinary length.

This work of measuring has prophetic meaning... It suggests God's care and interest. Everything that has to do with His purposes and promises matters. It may also mean that God has risen up to take possession — He is asserting His title. Every false claim will be set aside and every wrongful possession removed. All will be established according to the measure of truth and righteousness.

If the wall speaks of shutting out, so that people enter the court only through the gate-buildings, then those buildings do teach us the watchfulness that is always needed. We must guard against anything that would defile, or anything that does not meet what the LORD requires. All must answer to the claims of His holiness. Through these building forms He was preaching against the abuses and the idol-worship that prince and priest had allowed into the court of His house, and even set up inside its walls. It was like saying to them in a parable of stone, "Holiness is fitting for My house forever."

In several ways this gate-building is the most important of all. It stands on the temple's central line. The glory of God enters by it (Ezekiel 43). It is then shut, and no one may enter it, because "the LORD, the God of Israel, has entered by it"... The layout of these gate-buildings, with their six guard-chambers, looks designed to stress how God provided for keeping His house holy.

It is easy enough to understand a general description of the Church as a temple, a city, or the people Israel... But Ezekiel is not giving that kind of general description of a temple. Every detail is set out with a builder's precision. Such precision does not suit an allegory at all, yet it is just what you need to describe the plan of a real building.

This is not the gate itself, as the dimensions that follow show, but the enclosure — or, as the Septuagint has it, "the plan of the house." The measurement appears to run along the wall mentioned in Ezekiel 40:5.

In the first section (verses 6-16) the eastern gate is measured: threshold and posts, porch inside and outside, chambers on both sides, width of the entry, length of gate and pillars. The reed is six cubits, and each cubit is a handbreadth longer than the ordinary cubit.

We now come to the east gate, which is really a large building 25 cubits wide by 50 cubits long (that is, 30 feet by 60 feet). It is described in detail, and the other gates match it. This gate-building is in several ways the most important of all. It stands on the axis of the temple. By it the glory of God enters (Ezekiel 43). It is shut, and no one is allowed to enter it, because "the LORD, the God of Israel, has entered by it." The Prince is given the privilege of eating bread in it before the LORD. But he must enter by the porch and go out the same way; there is no passing through it (Ezekiel 44:1-3).

The man has in his hand a cord of flax and a measuring reed. He is prepared to measure. In fact it is with this labour that he occupies the prophet as he guides him through the courts and around the buildings of the Sanctuary. This work of measurement is prophetically significant. See Zechariah 2 and Revelation 11; Habakkuk 3:6. It suggests God's care and interest. Everything that relates to His purposes and promises matters. It may well mean that God has risen up to take possession; it asserts His title. Every false claim is set aside, every wrongful possession is removed, and all will be established according to the measure of truth and righteousness.

This first court is the place of general assemblage. For worship the people must go within. The wall is too high for anyone outside to see what is going on inside. Entrance must be in the prescribed way, up the seven steps of the gate-building. God orders both the way we approach Him and the character that belongs to that approach. Both must match what He is in Himself. This underlies the truth of redemption and all that flows out of it.

The wall speaks of exclusion, limiting entrance to the court to the gate-buildings. The gate-buildings then teach us the watchfulness always needed to guard against anything defiling getting in, or anything that does not meet the requirements of the LORD. All must answer to the claims of His holiness. Through these structures He was preaching against the abuses and idol worship that prince and priest had let cross the court of His house, and even set up inside its walls. It was like saying to them in a parable of stone, "Holiness belongs to My house forever."

As mentioned before, five and ten are the main basic numbers of measurement here. We have come to know the first of these, five, as a sign of how the weak creature and the Almighty God are brought together. Only grace makes that possible. So five is a number tied to the blessing of redemption.

This leaves out the fifth and, I have no doubt, the only true interpretation. It sees in these chapters the fitting conclusion to the whole prophecy... it predicts that in the last days Israel will be fully restored and converted, holding every promised blessing for ever in their land, with the glory of Jehovah among them. This is the only proper Messianic fulfilment of the vision. So it must be taken in its plain and fair grammatical sense — literal, symbolic, or figurative, as the context in each passage decides.

These gate-buildings with their six guard rooms seem designed to stress how God provides to keep the house holy. They show special care to shut out everything that would defile this holy ground. The close attention to detail must impress on everyone how much God cares for the holiness of His dwelling-place...

Through these building forms He was preaching against the abuses and idol worship that prince and priest had let pass through the court of His house, and even set up inside its walls. It was like saying to them in a parable of stone, "Holiness suits My house forever."

"Post," or posts, is ayil, anything strong. It is used for an oak or other strong tree, and for a ram. In building it means a lintel as well as a post or pilaster, since these are strong supports. So it applies to a wall that juts forward and serves as a partition or division, and also to the jamb of an entry or doorway... The text states that these lodges and their posts had windows, and this shows that we are not to think of the posts as pillars or columns but as sections of wall.

Verse 16: Hebrew, closed, that is, not opened like ordinary windows. Usually windows were openings filled with lattice-work. Might be rendered "latticed windows."

Windows were openings that let in light and air. They had no glass, but lattice-work, so people could see what was going on outside while no one saw them. Some had shutters.

Only one decoration is mentioned — the palm. It is the symbol of beauty (Song 7:7), of righteousness, prosperity and fruitfulness (Ps. 92:12-14), of salvation and victory (Rev. 7:9), and of royal glory (John 12:13). Its wide use in the first temple ties it to the kingdom and glory that Solomon's reign pictures... The steady growth of the palm tree through every season stands for constancy and perseverance. The palm fits the character of the time these visions belong to, and adorns these buildings well.

This work of measuring has prophetic meaning... It shows God's care and interest; everything to do with His purposes and promises matters. It may well mean that God has risen up to take possession — He is asserting His title. Every false claim set aside, every stolen possession removed, all will be established by the measure of truth and righteousness.

We have tried to show that this theme is the holiness of Jehovah... God reveals His mind and purpose to His people so that they (and we too) may judge themselves and their history in the light of it, and gain the wisdom they need to correct and direct all their ways.

The "wall all around the outside of the temple area" (Ezekiel 40:5) is not measured until the end of Ezekiel 42. There it is given as 500 reeds square. Scripture states this with the most exact precision. So we cannot call it a "hyperbole" without shaking the character of the prophet, and of Scripture in general. That is, the precincts are to take in much more ground than the entire city did.

This work of measurement is prophetically significant. See Zechariah 2 and Revelation 11; Habakkuk 3:6. It suggests God's care and interest; everything relating to His purposes and promises is important. It may well mean that God has risen up to take possession. He is asserting His title. Every false claim is set aside. Everything wrongly seized is removed. All shall be established according to the measure of truth and righteousness.

The Temple had three courts. First, the Great or Outer Court, five hundred cubits square, where the people gathered to worship God. It was open to all. Second, the Court of the Priests, three hundred cubits square. It was for the priests and their servants, the Levites, alone. Third, the Court of the Altar, one hundred cubits square, with the altar of burnt offering in its centre.

This first court is the place of general assembly. For worship the people must go within. The wall is too high for anyone outside to see what is going on within. Entrance must be in the prescribed way, going up the seven steps of the gate-building. God orders both the way of our approach to Him and the character that belongs to it. Both must match what He is in Himself.

Around this court, and next to the gate-buildings, there is a pavement with chambers... These chambers would be for the people when feasting upon their offerings. The word here used for chambers is different from that for the guard-rooms, or lodges, in the gate-buildings. It suggests a fairly large room. In 1 Samuel 9:22 the same word is translated parlour, a room that could seat thirty people at a feast. These chambers were probably arranged in six groups of five each.

If the wall speaks of exclusion, limiting entrance to the court to the gate-buildings, then these teach us about the watchfulness that is always needed. We must guard against the intrusion of what would defile, or of what does not meet the requirements of Jehovah. All must answer to the claims of His holiness. Through these structures He was preaching against the abuses and idolatrous evils that prince and priest had allowed. They had let such things cross the court of His house, and even be set up inside its walls. It was like saying to them in a parable of stone, "Holiness befits My house forever."

The pattern of our worship, and of the place where we worship, is not found in the people's worship under the law, but in the priest's service (Hebrews 8:4-5). We have, strictly speaking, no people's worship now: all is priestly... We are indeed a people set apart, God's own special treasure. Our privilege is that we worship in the nearness of the priests, not at the distance of the people; not in the outer court, but in the temple itself.

Cells and pavement around the outer court, arranged on three sides in groups of five on each side of the gate buildings (Ezekiel 40:17-19).

In the second section (verses 17-23), where the outer court comes before us, its gate towards the north is measured, its chambers, posts, porches, and steps, with the distance between the gate of the inner court opposite to those looking east and north.

The gate-buildings are not much different from those already described. They have eight steps, one more than the others. So the level of the inner court stands the height of these eight steps above the level of the outer court. This may be the reason why verse 18 calls the pavement of the outer court the lower pavement.

The courts increase in height, from the level beyond the outer court up to the level of the house. These courts, with their gates, surround the sanctuary and guard it from all contamination by what was common, or would defile. This seems designed to enforce the rebuke and warning given in Ezekiel 43:1-12.

These attached-chambers of the outer court are for the use of those who come up to worship, either for retirement, prayer, conference, or as a place in which to partake of the peace offering.

This work of measuring has prophetic meaning... It suggests God's care and interest; everything relating to His purposes and promises is important. It may also mean that God has risen up to take possession — He is asserting His title. Every false claim is set aside, every wrongly held possession is removed, and all will be established by the measure of truth and righteousness.

Here it is a prophecy of what will only be fulfilled for Israel in their land, when the church is changed at Christ's coming and reigns with Him over the earth... All the evidence is in favour of a future temple for Israel under Messiah and the new covenant. At the same time, there may also be many a lesson of truth and righteousness hidden in the building, the ritual and the general order laid down here... But with such applications we need to keep a close watch, so that we do not twist the holy word of God.

(40:5-47) The Gates and Courts: the precincts of the House. (5-27) The first court: the place of general assemblage. … (17-19) Chambers, Pavement, and measurement of Court. … (28-46) The inner court: and its gateways: the place of separation for priestly service.

In the second (ver. 17-23), where the outer court comes before us, its gate towards the north is measured, its chambers, posts, porches, and steps, with the distance between the gate of the inner court opposite to those looking east and north.

He is prepared to measure. In fact, he keeps the prophet busy with this work as he guides him through the courts and around the buildings of the Sanctuary. This work of measurement has prophetic meaning. See Zech. 2 and Rev. 11; Hab. 3:6. It suggests God's care and interest. Everything that touches His purposes and promises matters. Then it may well mean that God has risen up to take possession — it is the assertion of His title. Every false claim is set aside. All stolen possession is removed. Everything will be established according to the measure of truth and righteousness.

The gate-buildings are not really different from those already described. They have eight steps, one more than the others. So the inner court stands the height of those eight steps above the outer court. This may be why verse 18 calls the pavement of the outer court the lower one.

This first court is the place where all the people gather. For worship the people must go inside. The wall is too high for anyone outside to see what is going on within. Entrance must be in the appointed way, going up the seven steps of the gate-building. He orders both the way we approach God and the character that belongs to that approach. Both must match what He is in Himself.

Within this inner court the priests did their service at the altar and the house. They must take off the garments they served in here before they go out to the things of the people (Ezek. 42:14).

The square of 100 cubits keeps coming back, and the whole sanctuary space is made up of 25 such squares. The numbers five and ten dominate the measurements. All of this says something, in the light of what these numbers mean in Scripture. Such exact measurement and attention to detail must rest on one principle underneath: every part and every relation is arranged in harmony, and that shapes both the buildings and the people who serve in the Sanctuary.

It was a divine disclosure of a new condition, when Israel shall be restored finally and for ever. It is a material temple, a literal but in some grave respects unprecedented arrangement of feasts, sacrifices, rites, and priesthood, as well as of general polity for the new capital and the nation, under wholly novel circumstances crowned with the glory of Jehovah who deigns again to dwell in their land.

"Thou, son of man, show the house to the house of Israel, that they may be confounded at their iniquities; and let them measure the pattern." The mind and purpose of God are revealed to His people that they (and we too) may rightly judge both themselves and their history in the light of the revelation.

But this leaves out the fifth and, I have no doubt, the only true interpretation. It sees in these chapters the fitting conclusion to the whole prophecy, closely tied to the chapters that come before. It is the prediction of Israel's complete restoration in the last days. Israel will then be converted, holding every promised blessing for ever in their land, with the glory of the Lord in their midst.

This work of measurement is prophetically significant. See Zechariah 2 and Revelation 11; Habakkuk 3:6. It suggests God's care and interest. Everything relating to His purposes and promises is important. Then it may well signify that God has risen up to take possession — it is the assertion of His title. Every false claim will be set aside. Everything wrongly seized will be removed. All will be established according to the measure of truth and righteousness.

We now come to the east gate, which is really a large building 25 cubits broad by 50 cubits long (that is, 30 feet by 60 feet). It is described in detail, and the other gates match it… These gate-buildings each have six guard-chambers. The arrangement seems designed to stress God's provision for keeping the house holy. It shows special care to exclude all that would profane these holy precincts.

This outer court has gate-buildings on the east, north, and south. It runs around the temple itself and the altar-court on three sides. To the west there are more buildings, with side chambers to the north and south of the temple, and a wall with no gate. In every direction the sanctity of the house is guarded.

God measures everything, from the details of the wall and the gates to the inheritance of each tribe. The wall shows that all evil will be shut out. The gates show that God's people have access… The last verse of Ezekiel states the privilege of the house, namely, 'the Lord is there.'

This first court is the place of general assembly. For worship the people must go within. The wall is too high for anyone outside to see what is going on within. People must enter in the way laid down, going up the seven steps of the gate-building. God orders both the way we approach Him and the character that belongs to that approach. Both must match what He is in Himself.

It seems significant that the work of sacrifice is connected with the northern gate. In Scripture the north is associated with judgment. From that direction the blow falls on both Israel and Judah. The word itself, tsaphon, strictly means "the hidden," "the dark." It is only used of the north as a region that is gloomy and unknown… In the moral and spiritual application, it is in relation to the north, taken as a symbol, that we need to learn the truth of sacrifice.

In the second section (verses 17-23) the outer court comes before us. Here the man measures its gate towards the north — its chambers, posts, porches, and steps — and the distance between it and the gate of the inner court.

We now come to the east gate. It is really a large building, 25 cubits broad by 50 cubits long (that is, 30 feet by 60 feet). It is described in detail, and the other gates conform to it… The design of these gate-buildings, with their six guard-chambers, seems meant to stress God's provision for keeping the house holy. It shows special care to shut out everything that would profane this holy place.

"Lodge" is tah. It occurs only in Ezekiel 40, 1 Kings 14:28 and 2 Chronicles 12:11. The last two passages translate it "guard-chamber," so the word means a room of some kind. Tah comes from a primitive root meaning to mark off or mark out. That root is used only in Numbers 34:7-8, for marking out the border of the land. So we get the idea of a room marked out in some special way inside a larger space.

Finally, we have the word rendered "projections." This is elam… In the text it appears only in the plural. Some take it to mean a colonnade, others vestibules, porches or recesses. It is admitted to be a hard word to understand and apply.

If the wall speaks of shutting out, and limits entry to the court to the gate-buildings, then the gates surely teach us the watchfulness that is always needed. We must guard against anything that would defile, or anything not according to the requirements of Jehovah. All must answer to the claims of His holiness. By these building forms He was preaching against the abuses and idol worship that prince and priest had allowed into the court of His house. They had even let such things be set up inside its walls. It was like saying to them in a parable of stone, "Holiness is fitting for My house forever."

The man has in his hand a cord of flax and a measuring reed. He is ready to measure… This work of measuring carries prophetic meaning. See Zechariah 2 and Revelation 11; Habakkuk 3:6. It suggests God's care and interest. Everything that touches His purposes and promises matters. It may well mean that God has risen up to take possession — it is the assertion of His title. He will set aside every false claim and remove all that others hold wrongly. Then He will establish everything by the measure of truth and righteousness.

The temple the prophet means must be looked for in the future, and all its surroundings point that way… Here it is a prophecy of what will only be accomplished for Israel in their land. It waits for the time when the church is changed at Christ's coming and reigns with Him over the earth… All the evidence favours a future temple for Israel under Messiah and the new covenant. Even so, many a lesson of truth and righteousness may lie hidden in the building and ritual and general order laid down here… But in such applications we need to keep careful watch, so that we do not pervert the holy word of God.

That list of four leaves out the fifth interpretation, and I have no doubt it is the only true one. It sees in these chapters the fitting conclusion to the entire prophecy, closely tied to the chapters before it. It predicts that in the last days Israel will be fully restored and converted. Israel will then hold every promised blessing forever in their land, with the glory of the Lord in their midst.

We now come to the east gate. It is really a large building, 25 cubits broad by 50 cubits long (that is, 30 feet by 60 feet). The text describes it in detail, and the other gates match it. This gate-building is in several ways the most important of all. It stands on the axis of the temple. By it the glory of God enters (Ezek. 43). It is shut, and no one may enter it because "the Lord, the God of Israel, has entered by it"... These gate-buildings, with their six guard-chambers, seem designed to stress God's provision for keeping the house holy. They show special care to shut out everything that would profane this holy place.

Seven steps lead up to the level of the outer court. This may suggest something to us about the way into these holy grounds of God's presence. It must match the perfection of Him who declares His character in this wall of separation. He must be sanctified in all those who draw near to Him.

We may see the Outer Court, with its flight of seven steps, as a picture of earthly rest in the thousand-year kingdom.

Only one feature of decoration is mentioned — the palm. It is the symbol of beauty (Song of Solomon 7:7), of righteousness, prosperity and fruitfulness (Ps. 92:12-14), of salvation and victory (Rev. 7:9), and of royal glory (John 12:13). Its wide use in the first temple links it with the kingdom and glory that Solomon's reign pictures... People also used palm branches at the Feast of Tabernacles (Lev. 23:40; Neh. 8:15). That feast pictures the time of peace and joy that will come when our Lord has set up His kingdom on earth. Then Israel will come into her possessions.

Last, there is the word rendered "projections." This is elam... People take it to mean a colonnade, or vestibules, porches, or recesses. Everyone agrees the word is hard to understand and apply... Whatever the word means, it has windows (verses 16, 25, 29, 33)... In the north and south gates of the outer court, the text puts whatever this word means before the steps. It does not say this about the east gate... In each case the steps come next, and this seems to tie them closely to whatever this word means.

If true, we must look for the temple the prophet means in the future. Everything around it points that way. We can understand a past tabernacle that pictured present heavenly things in Christ. But here we have a prophecy of what will only be carried out for Israel in their land. So there is no room for the Christian or allegorical application. Applying it to the past Jewish temple fails, as we have seen. In fact it is impossible. At the same time, I hold that all the evidence favours a future temple for Israel under Messiah and the new covenant. Even so, many a lesson of truth and righteousness may lie under the building and ritual and general order set out here.

The man has in his hand a cord of flax and a measuring reed. He is ready to measure. This work of measurement is prophetically significant. It suggests God's care and interest; everything relating to His purposes and promises is important. Then it may well signify that God has risen up to take possession — it is the assertion of His title. He sets aside every false claim, removes all that others wrongly hold, and establishes everything according to the measure of truth and righteousness.

This first court is the place of general assembly. For worship the people must go further in. The wall is too high for anyone outside to see what is going on within. Entry must be in the prescribed way, going up the seven steps of the gate-building. God orders both the way we approach Him and the character that belongs to that approach. Both must match what He is in Himself.

If the wall speaks of exclusion, limiting entrance to the court to the gate-buildings, then the gates certainly teach us watchfulness. We must always guard against anything that would defile, or anything not according to the requirements of Jehovah. All must answer to the claims of His holiness. Through these built forms He was preaching against the abuses and idolatrous evils of prince and priest. They had let those evils cross the court of His house, and even set them up inside its walls. It was like saying to them in a parable of stone, "Holiness befits My house forever."

These gate-buildings are much the same as those already described. They have eight steps, one more than the others. So the inner court stands the height of those eight steps above the outer court. This may be why the text calls the pavement of the outer court the lower one.

It seems significant that the work of sacrifice is connected with the northern gate. In Scripture the north is associated with judgment. From that quarter the blow falls on both Israel and Judah. The word itself, tsaphon, means "the hidden" or "the dark." It is used of the north only as a gloomy and unknown quarter. Certainly, in the moral and spiritual application, the north is where we need to learn the truth of sacrifice, symbolically speaking.

The prophet is now brought before the House by way of the north gate. This was the gate of sacrifice, as we have seen. Is this not significant? For only by the way of sacrifice can we be brought before the glory of God. He sees that glory filling the House, and bows low in worship. How suggestive the order — sacrifice, worship, revelation.

But this leaves out a fifth view, which I have no doubt is the only true one. It sees in these chapters the fitting close to the whole prophecy, closely tied to the chapters just before. They predict that in the last days Israel will be fully restored and converted, holding every promised blessing for ever in their land, with the glory of the Lord among them.

This work of measurement is prophetically significant... It suggests God's care and interest. Everything that relates to His purposes and promises matters. Then it may well signify that God has risen up to take possession — it is the assertion of His title. Every false claim is set aside and every wrongful possession removed. All will be established by the measure of truth and righteousness.

We now come to the east gate, which is really a large building 25 cubits broad by 50 cubits long (that is, 30 feet by 60 feet). The text describes it in detail, and the other gates conform to it... These gate-buildings, with their six guard-chambers, seem arranged to stress how God provides to keep the house holy. They show special care to shut out all that would defile these holy grounds.

Finally, we have the word rendered "projections."... In the text it appears only in the plural. Different writers take it to mean a colonnade, or vestibules, porches, recesses. Everyone admits the word is hard to understand and apply... Whatever the word signifies has windows, as mentioned in verses 16, 25, 29, 33.

This first court is the place of general assemblage. For worship the people must go within. The wall is too high for anyone outside to see what is going on inside. People must enter in the appointed way, by going up the seven steps of the gate-building. God orders both the way we approach Him and the character that belongs to that approach. Both must match what He is in Himself.

If the wall speaks of exclusion, limiting entrance to the court to the gate-buildings, then these buildings teach us about the watchfulness always needed. We must guard against anything that would defile, or anything not according to the requirements of the Lord. All must answer to the claims of His holiness. Through these building forms He was preaching against the abuses and idol-worship that prince and priest had let cross the court of His house, and even set up inside its walls. It was like saying to them in a parable of stone, "Holiness befits My house forever."

This leaves out the fifth view, and I have no doubt it is the only true one. It sees these chapters as the fitting close to the whole prophecy, closely tied to the chapters just before them. They predict that in the last days Israel will be fully restored. The nation will be converted, holding every promised blessing for ever in their land, with the glory of Jehovah among them. This is the only proper Messianic fulfilment of the vision. So we must take it in its plain and exact grammatical sense — literal, symbolic, or figurative, as the context in each passage decides.

This work of measuring carries prophetic meaning. See Zechariah 2 and Revelation 11; Habakkuk 3:6. It shows God's care and interest. Everything that touches His purposes and promises matters. It may well mean too that God has risen up to take possession — He is asserting His title. Every false claim is set aside and every stolen possession removed. Then all will be settled by the measure of truth and righteousness.

We now come to the east gate. It is really a large building, 25 cubits broad by 50 cubits long (about 30 feet by 60 feet). Ezekiel describes it in detail, and the other gates match it. In several ways this gate-building is the most important of all. It stands on the axis of the temple. Through it the glory of God enters (Ezekiel 43). It is then shut, and no one may enter it, because "Jehovah, the God of Israel, has entered in by it."

Windows were openings that let in light and air. They had no glass. Instead they were fitted with lattice work, so people could see what was happening outside without being seen themselves. Some had shutters. There was a window in the ark Noah built, and windows in the temple; and many windows are to be made in the temple Ezekiel describes. Gen. 6:16; Gen. 8:6; 1 Kings 7:4-5; Ezek. 40:16-36.

Last, we have the word translated "projections." This is elam, and it probably comes from ayil, the word for posts, which we have already looked at. In the text it appears only in the plural. People take it to mean a colonnade, or vestibules, porches, or recesses. Everyone admits it is a hard word to understand and apply… Whatever the word means, it has windows, as verses 16, 25, 29 and 33 say. The one exception is the north inner gate, where windows are not mentioned (verse 36).

So if the wall speaks of shutting out, and keeps entry to the court to the gate-buildings, then those buildings teach us the watchfulness that is always needed. We must guard against anything that would defile, or anything that does not meet what Jehovah requires. Everything must answer to the claims of His holiness. Through these shapes of stone He was preaching against the abuses and idol worship that prince and priest had let cross the court of His house, and even set up inside its walls. It was like saying to them in a parable of stone, "Holiness is fitting for My house forever."

In the second section (ver. 17-23) the outer court comes before us, and its gate towards the north is measured… In the third (ver. 24-27) we have the measure of the south gate, with its parts, as before, with the distance from a southern gate of the inner court.

This wall is not for protection against enemies; it is too low… The basic idea here is separation. The wall teaches that the enclosed space is sanctified, set apart, to Jehovah… It preaches the exclusion of all that defiles… Seven steps lead up to the level of the outer court. This may suggest to us that the way of approach to these holy grounds of God's presence must match the perfection of Him who declares His character in this wall of separation. He must be sanctified in all those who draw near to Him.

This first court is the place of general assemblage. For worship the people must go within. The wall is too high for any outside to observe what is going on within, and entrance must be in the prescribed way, and as ascending the seven steps of the gate-building. Both the way of our approach to God, and the character which pertains to it, are ordered by Him and must be according to what He is in Himself.

From the level of the inner court, the house and the chambers around it stand a full reed of six cubits higher. To reach this higher level there seem to have been 10 steps, if we accept the reading of the LXX. So seven steps led up to the outer court, eight to the inner court, and ten to the house. These 25 steps in all (5 x 5), in three sets, suggest perfection in new covenant relation according to the fulness of divine requirements.

Only one feature of decoration is mentioned — the palm. It is the symbol of beauty (Song 7:7), of righteousness, prosperity and fruitfulness (Ps. 92:12-14), of salvation and victory (Rev. 7:9), and of royal glory (John 12:13). Its wide use in the first temple ties it to the kingdom and glory which Solomon's reign pictures… Palm branches were also used at the Feast of Tabernacles (Lev. 23:40; Neh. 8:15). This feast pictures the time of peace and joy which will come when our Lord has established His kingdom on earth, and Israel will come into her possessions and flourish in Jehovah's blessings in the land.

The word rendered "projections" is elam, probably from ayil for posts, a word we have already considered. In the text it occurs in the plural only, and has been taken to mean a colonnade, or vestibules, porches, recesses. All agree that it is a word hard to understand and apply… We may also note that in each case a mention of the steps follows, and this seems to bring them and whatever this word means into close relation.

"You, son of man, show the house to the house of Israel, that they may be ashamed of their iniquities; and let them measure the pattern." God reveals His mind and purpose to His people for two reasons. First, so that they (and we too) may judge both themselves and their history rightly in the light of what He shows. Second, so that they may gain the wisdom they need to correct and direct all their ways.

If true, the temple the prophet means must be looked for in the future, and everything around it points that way. One can understand a past tabernacle as a picture of present heavenly things in Christ. But this is a prophecy. It will only be fulfilled for Israel in their land, when the church is changed at Christ's coming and reigns with Him over the earth.

This work of measurement is prophetically significant. It suggests God's care and interest; everything relating to His purposes and promises is important. Then it may well signify that God has risen up to take possession — it is the assertion of His title. Every false claim will be set aside. All that was wrongly seized will be removed. Everything will be established by the measure of truth and righteousness.

In the first section (verses 6-16) the eastern gate is measured: threshold and posts, porch within and without, chambers on both sides. The reed consists of six cubits, and each cubit is a handbreadth longer than the ordinary one. In the third section (verses 24-27) we have the measure of the south gate, with everything belonging to it as before, and the distance from a southern gate of the inner court.

If the wall speaks of exclusion, allowing entrance to the court only through the gate-buildings, then the buildings themselves teach us watchfulness. We must always guard against the intrusion of what would defile, or of anything not according to the requirements of Jehovah. All must answer to the claims of His holiness. By these structures He was preaching against the abuses and the evils of idol worship that prince and priest had allowed into the court of His house. They had even let such things stand inside its walls. It was like saying to them in a parable of stone, "Holiness is fitting for My house forever."

This first court is the place where the people gather. For worship the people must go within. The wall is too high for anyone outside to see what goes on inside. Entrance must be in the prescribed way, going up the seven steps of the gate-building. God orders both the way we approach Him and the character that belongs to that approach. Both must match what He is in Himself. This underlies the truth of redemption and all that flows out of it.

The gate-buildings are not much different from those already described. They have eight steps, one more than the others. So the inner court stands eight steps higher than the outer court.

The south affords another lesson. To go southward is to go toward Egypt — the land of the serpent. Egypt lures the flesh, and it holds the flesh in bondage too. With it may come a measure of ease and pleasure that gratifies the natural man. Abram travelled there to escape the famine and the exercise of depending on God alone. The south has a relaxing influence. It may be pleasant for a season. But there too we feel the burning heat that dries up the earth and destroys fruitfulness.

This is instruction for the restoration, not the historical one... It is prophecy for a time after Gog is destroyed. It comes so that all the nations may know that the Lord is Israel's God. He had led them into captivity, brought them out, and left none of them there at all. For there will be such days, whatever the critics may think. It is a prophecy.

This work of measurement has prophetic meaning... It suggests God's care and interest. Everything connected with His purposes and promises matters. It may well mean that God has risen up to take possession — it is the assertion of His title. Every false claim will be set aside. Everything wrongly seized will be taken away. All will be established according to the measure of truth and righteousness.

Within this inner court the priests performed their service in connection with the altar and the house. They must take off the garments they wore while serving inside before they go out to approach the things of the people.

In every direction the layout guards the holiness of the house. This arrangement is clearly different from that of the first temple, as Ezekiel 43:7-8 shows.

The gate-buildings are not much different from those already described. They have eight steps, one more than the others. So the inner court stands the height of those eight steps above the outer court. This may be why the pavement of the outer court is called the lower one (verse 18).

Note, too, that seven steps lead up to the outer court, eight to the inner court, and ten to the House. It is an entrance into what is perfect in its form and order (7); established in the blessing of the New Covenant, a new beginning for Israel (8); and all this through God made known in holy government according to the fullness of the divine measure (10). In learning and experience, God always leads the creature step by step into the secret of His presence.

It is the divine centre upon which every line of approach converges, east, north, and south. It surely stands as a lasting memorial of Christ and His sacrifice. This is central to all the blessing and glory in which Israel and the nations will share... It will always remind those who crowd the courts of the Lord's house of the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.

In the millennium they will look back to that one sacrifice for sin which was offered upon the cross, as those under the law of Moses foreshadowed it. They will therefore only recall to the grateful, worshipping hearts of God's people the blood of Jesus Christ His Son which cleanses from all sin.

The man has in his hand a cord of flax and a measuring reed. He is prepared to measure... This work of measurement is prophetically significant. It suggests God's care and interest; everything relating to His purposes and promises is important. Then it may well signify that God has risen up to take possession — it is the assertion of His title. He sets aside every false claim and removes all that others had wrongly taken. Then everything will be established by the measure of truth and righteousness.

If the wall speaks of shutting out, so that the only way into the court is through the gate-buildings, then those buildings teach us the watchfulness always needed. They guard against the entry of anything that would defile, or anything that does not meet what Jehovah requires. All must answer to the claims of His holiness. By these building forms He was preaching against the abuses and idolatrous evils that prince and priest had let cross the court of His house, and even let them be set up inside its walls. It was like saying to them in a parable of stone, "Holiness is fitting for My house forever."

"Lodge" is tah. It occurs only in Ezekiel 40, 1 Kings 14:28 and 2 Chronicles 12:11, and the last two passages translate it "guard-chamber." So the word means a room of some kind. Tah comes from a primitive root meaning to mark off... and so we get the idea of a room marked out in some special way inside a larger space.

Finally, we have the word translated "projections." This is elam... In the text it occurs only in the plural, and different translators take it to mean a colonnade, or vestibules, porches, recesses. Everyone admits the word is hard to understand and apply. Its use in this chapter... clearly marks it off from "posts." Whatever the word means, it has windows, as verses 16, 25, 29, 33 mention.

The gate-buildings are not much different from those already described. They have eight steps, one more than the others. So the floor of the inner court stands the height of those eight steps above the outer court.

The Court of the Priests and the Inner Court, which you reach by flights of eight steps, we may regard as a picture of resurrection and heavenly rest.

We come now to the altar, the real centre of the whole sacred enclosure. It stands at the centre of the inner court, which measures 100 cubits each way... It is the divine centre where every line of approach meets, from east, north, and south. It surely stands as an abiding memorial of Christ and His sacrifice.

People commonly say that interpreters divide along four main lines. The first is the plain historical view, which makes these chapters a simple description meant to preserve the memory of Solomon's temple. The second treats them as a vague announcement of future good. The third is the Jewish theory, which assumes the returned remnant actually adopted the plan. The fourth is the Christian or allegorical view. But this leaves out the fifth and, I have no doubt, the only true interpretation. It sees in these chapters the prediction that Israel will be fully restored in the last days, converted, and holding every promised blessing forever in their land, with the glory of Jehovah among them.

There is little to say about the details of our chapter. In the first section (vv. 6-16) he measures the eastern gate — threshold and posts, porch inside and outside, chambers on both sides, width of the entry, length of gate and pillars. The reed is six cubits long, and each cubit is a handbreadth longer than the usual cubit. In the second (vv. 17-23), where the outer court comes before us, he measures its north gate... In the third (vv. 24-27) we have the measure of the south gate, with its parts, as before. He measures this gate next (vv. 28-31), in the same way.

Finally, we have the word translated "projections." This is elam, and it probably comes from ayil, the word for posts, which we have already looked at. In the text it appears only in the plural, and people take it to mean a colonnade, or vestibules, porches, recesses. Everyone admits it is a word that is hard to understand and apply... Verse 30 gives the only measurements of these so-called "projections." But another difficulty faces us here. Davidson says of this verse that it "is missing from the old Greek version and from some manuscripts, and deleted in others. No object belonging to the gateways has been mentioned so far that the measurements can apply to. The verse may have arisen from an inaccurate repetition of the measurements given in the previous verse."

In the end there seems no better answer than to take the term as the sections of wall inside the gate that project from the posts and stand between the guard rooms... We may call these parts "wall-projections." They stand before the steps in the sense that they face you as you climb, since the steps run the full width of the gate-building. Then these wall-projections of the inner gates can rightly be described as toward the outer court, since these gates stand wholly in that court. This detail matters, for it fixes where the inner gates stand in relation to the courts. The one difference between the outer and inner gates seems to be this: in the inner gates the porch is at the outer end, toward the outer court; in the outer gates it is at the inner end, toward the House.

The man has in his hand a cord of flax and a measuring reed. He is prepared to measure. In fact, this is the work he keeps the prophet busy with as he guides him through the courts and around the buildings of the Sanctuary. This work of measuring has prophetic meaning... It suggests God's care and interest. Everything that touches His purposes and promises matters. It may also mean that God has risen up to take possession — He is claiming His right. Every false claim will be set aside and every stolen possession removed. All will be settled by the measure of truth and righteousness.

The arrangement of these gate-buildings with their six guard-chambers appears designed to emphasize the divine provision to preserve the sanctity of the house. It evidences special care to exclude all that would profane these holy precincts. The careful attention given to detail must impress upon all concerned God's care for the holiness of His dwelling-place, thus reminding the people of their own gross negligence and departure in the past, as a result of which they so wickedly defiled God's house.

Finally, we may note what this vision leaves out. It says almost nothing about the inside decoration or the furniture, though both were fully described for the tabernacle (the tent of worship) and the first temple. That silence only throws more weight on the one great basic idea that clearly fills the whole vision. We have tried to show that this idea is the holiness of Jehovah. "Show the house to the house of Israel, so that they may be ashamed of their sins; and let them measure the pattern." God reveals His mind and purpose to His people so that they (and we too) may judge themselves and their history rightly by what He has shown, and gain the wisdom they need to correct and direct all their ways.

The prophet now enters the inner court by the south gate. He is then taken to the east gate, and after that to the north. At this last gate is the provision for the work of sacrifice.

Within this inner court the priests served at the altar and at the house. They must take off the garments they served in here before they go out to approach the things of the people (Ezek. 42:14).

In the end the best explanation is that the term means the sections of wall that project from the posts inside the gate and form the side rooms... So we can rightly describe these wall-projections of the inner gates as facing the outer court, since these gates stand wholly in that court... The one point of difference between the outer and inner gates seems to be this. In the inner gates the porch stands at the outer end, toward the outer court. In the outer gates it stands at the inner end, toward the house.

Only one decoration appears — the palm. It is the symbol of beauty (Song of Solomon 7:7); of righteousness, prosperity and fruitfulness (Ps. 92:12-14); of salvation and victory (Rev. 7:9); of kingly glory (John 12:13). Its wide use in the first temple links it with the kingdom and glory that Solomon's reign pictures... The palm sets out exactly the character of the time these visions belong to, and it fits these buildings well.

A man's face looks towards a palm tree, and a lion's face looks towards a palm tree — the tree that stands for victory. In that day of display it will be plain that God in His wisdom and power has won the victory over every force of opposition.

The gate-buildings are not very different from the ones already described. They have eight steps, one more than the others. So the inner court stands the height of those eight steps above the outer court. This may be why verse 18 calls the pavement of the outer court the lower one.

EIGHT. A new start, outside the order of creation yet connected with it: so it belongs to resurrection. Circumcision was on the eighth day, when a new communion began... We may call the resurrection day the eighth, the day after the seventh, the Jewish sabbath.

Seven steps lead up to the outer court level. This may suggest that the way into these holy grounds of God's presence must match the perfection of the One who declares His character in this wall of separation. He must be sanctified in all those who draw near to Him.

So the vision is about Israel's hopes once God restores them to their land. It shows them how complete the work will be in the last days. Above all, in spite of their past sins, it shows God's presence in a new and fitting sanctuary — a presence never to be lost again.

The prophet now enters the inner court by the south gate, and is then taken on to the east and north gates. Connected with the last of these is the provision for the work of sacrifice.

Inside this inner court the priests did their service for the altar and the house. They must take off the garments they served in here before they go out to approach the things of the people (Ezek. 42:14).

The man has in his hand a cord of flax and a measuring reed. He is ready to measure... This measuring has prophetic meaning. See Zech. 2 and Rev. 11; Hab. 3:6. It suggests God's care and interest; everything to do with His purposes and promises is important. It may well also mean that God has risen up to take possession — it is His claim of title. Every false claim will be set aside, every wrongly held possession removed, and all will be established by the measure of truth and righteousness.

We now come to the east gate, which is in fact a large building 25 cubits wide by 50 cubits long (about 30 feet by 60 feet). The account describes it in detail; the other gates match it. This gate-building is in several respects the most important of all. It is on the axis of the temple; by it the glory of God enters (Ezek. 43); it is shut, and no one is allowed to enter it, because "the LORD, the God of Israel, has entered by it."

These gate-buildings with their six guard-chambers seem designed to stress God's provision for keeping the house holy. They show special care to shut out everything that would profane these holy places. The close attention to detail must impress on everyone involved how much God cares for the holiness of His dwelling-place. It also reminds the people of their own gross neglect and turning away in the past, when they so wickedly defiled God's house.

From the level of the inner court, the house and the chambers around it stand a full reed higher — six cubits. Ten steps seem to have led up to this higher level, if we accept the reading of the Septuagint, the early Greek version of these books. So seven steps led up to the outer court, eight to the inner court, and ten to the house.

It is enough to say here that, if this is true, the temple the prophet means must be looked for in the future, and everything around it points that way... At the same time, all the evidence favours a future temple for Israel under Messiah and the new covenant. Yet the building, the ritual and the whole order set out here may also hold many a lesson of truth and righteousness... But with such applications we must keep a close watch, or we will twist the holy word of God.

We come now to the altar, the actual centre of the whole sacred enclosure... It is the divine centre on which every line of approach converges — east, north, and south. It surely stands as a lasting memorial of Christ and His sacrifice. This is central to all the blessing and glory that Israel and the nations will share... It will always remind those who crowd the courts of the Lord's house of the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.

It is enough to say here that, if true, we must look for the prophet's temple in the future. Everything around it points that way. We can understand a past tabernacle as a type of present heavenly things in Christ. But here we have a prophecy of what will only be accomplished for Israel in their land. It will happen when the church is changed at Christ's coming and reigns with Him over the earth.

The man has in his hand a cord of flax and a measuring reed. He is ready to measure. In fact, measuring is his work as he guides the prophet through the courts and around the buildings of the Sanctuary. This work of measurement carries prophetic meaning. It suggests God's care and interest. Everything that touches His purposes and promises matters. Then it may well mean that God has risen up to take possession. He is asserting His title. Every false claim is set aside, every wrongly seized possession removed, and all will be established according to the measure of truth and righteousness.

The gate-buildings are not much different from those already described. They have eight steps, one more than the others. So the inner court stands eight steps higher than the outer court.

Inside this inner court the priests did their service at the altar and at the house. They had to take off the garments they served in here before they went out to approach the things of the people.

The wall speaks of exclusion, allowing entry into the court only through the gate-buildings. If that is so, these buildings teach us the watchfulness always needed to guard against anything that would defile, or anything that does not meet the requirements of Jehovah. All must answer to the claims of His holiness. Through these structures He was preaching against the abuses and idol worship of the past. Prince and priest had let them cross the court of His house, and even set them up inside its walls. It was like saying to them in a parable of stone, "Holiness is fitting for My house forever."

Last comes the word translated "projections." This is elam, probably from ayil, the word for posts, which we have already looked at. In the text it appears only in the plural. Different readers take it to mean a colonnade, or vestibules, porches, or recesses. Everyone agrees it is a hard word to understand and apply… Whatever the word means, it has windows, as mentioned in verses 16, 25, 29, 33. The one exception is the North inner gate, where they are not specified (verse 36).

Verse 16: Hebrew, closed, that is, not opened like ordinary windows. Usually windows were openings filled with lattice-work. It might be rendered "latticed windows."

Symmetry is another general principle shown in the plan and arrangements of this vision. Throughout, the different parts balance one another in proportion and harmony… In that perfect balance of every part we see that with God there is nothing uneven or out of proportion. Every element and feature of His character is perfectly adjusted and displayed in harmony.

In the third section (verses 24-27) we have the measure of the south gate, with its fittings, as before, with the distance from a southern gate of the inner court. This gate is next measured (verses 28-31) in the same way; and the eastern gate of the same court, and the northern also (verses 35-38).

The man has in his hand a cord of flax and a measuring reed. He is ready to measure. This work of measurement is prophetically significant. See Zechariah 2 and Revelation 11; Habakkuk 3:6. It suggests God's care and interest; everything relating to His purposes and promises is important. Then it may well signify that God has risen up to take possession — it is the assertion of His title. Every false claim is set aside. Everything wrongly seized is taken away. All will be established according to the measure of truth and righteousness.

The gate-buildings are not really different from those already described. They have eight steps, one more than the others. So the floor of the inner court stands above the floor of the outer court by the height of those eight steps. This may be why Scripture calls the pavement of the outer court the lower one (verse 18).

Only one feature of decoration is mentioned — the palm. It is the symbol of beauty (Song of Solomon 7:7). It is the symbol of righteousness, prosperity and fruitfulness (Psalm 92:12-14), of salvation and victory (Revelation 7:9), and of royal glory (John 12:13). Its wide use in the first temple ties it to the kingdom and glory that Solomon's reign pictures… Then palm branches were used at the Feast of Tabernacles (Leviticus 23:40; Nehemiah 8:15). This feast pictures the time of peace and rejoicing that will come when our Lord has established His kingdom on earth and Israel comes into her possessions. The feast includes an eighth day, which suggests the new beginning under grace, the day of the new covenant in which the nation will then stand and remain forever.

There were many images of palm trees in the decorations of the temple, as there will also be in the future temple… The palm tree is used as an emblem of fertility in Psalm 92:12. Some trees will bear more than a hundredweight of dates a year, and keep it up for about seventy years. The palm branches are a token of rest and peace after sorrow. Revelation 7:9.

If the wall speaks of exclusion, letting people into the court only through the gate-buildings, then those gate-buildings surely teach us about watchfulness. That watchfulness is always needed, to guard against the entry of what would defile, or of what would not meet the Lord's requirements. All must answer to the claims of His holiness… It was like saying to them in a parable of stone, "Holiness becomes My house forever."

…chapter 42 follows as a sequel, and we may take it as the close of the first part of the description. It matters, because it destroys the idea that there was, or could be, any real likeness between Ezekiel's prophetic vision and any temple yet built. The "wall on the outside of the house all round" (Ezekiel 40:5) is not measured until the end of Ezekiel 42. There it is declared to be 500 reeds square. The measurement is given with the most exact precision, so we cannot call it an exaggeration without shaking the character of the prophet, and of Scripture in general.

The prophet now enters the inner court by the south gate. The guide then takes him to the east gate, and after that to the north gate. At this last gate stands the provision for the work of sacrifice. There are also two cells in the court itself for those in charge of the house and the altar — one near the north gate, and one near the south gate.

This leaves out the fifth interpretation, which I have no doubt is the only true one. It sees in these chapters the fitting conclusion to the whole prophecy, closely related to the chapters just before them. They predict Israel's complete re-establishment in the last days: converted, holding every promised blessing forever in their land, with the glory of the Lord among them.

This work of measurement is prophetically significant. It suggests God's care and interest. Everything that relates to His purposes and promises matters. It may well also mean that God has risen up to take possession — it is the claim of His title. Every false claim will be set aside, every wrongly seized possession removed, and everything established according to the measure of truth and righteousness.

This outer court has gate-buildings on the east, north, and south. It wraps around the temple and the altar-court on three sides. On the west there are more buildings, with side chambers north and south of the temple, and a wall with no gate. The plan guards the holiness of the house in every direction. This arrangement is clearly different from that of the first temple.

Moving toward the divine centre, we have first Israel's separation from the nations. Then the oblation — the portion of land set apart for God — in the middle of the land. Then the Sanctuary with its walls and courts. Last of all the Temple, with its three graded rooms: porch, holy place, and most holy place. Note, too, that seven steps lead up into the outer court, eight into the inner court, and ten into the House. God always leads the creature into the secret of His presence step by step, in what it learns and experiences.

It seems significant that the work of sacrifice is connected with the northern gate. In Scripture the north goes together with judgment. The word itself, tsaphon, actually means "the hidden" or "the dark." Scripture uses it of the north only as a gloomy, unknown quarter. And in this connection we cannot fail to think of the darkness of Calvary. In the moral and spiritual application, symbolically speaking, it is at the north that we need to learn the truth of sacrifice.

The altar is the divine centre where every line of approach meets — east, north, and south. It surely stands as an abiding memorial of Christ and His sacrifice. It will always remind the crowds in the courts of the Lord's house of the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. The matchless glory that will clothe Him then will not hide the truth of that redemption by blood. Every act of His power rests on it.

The prophet now enters the inner court by the south gate. Then he is taken to the east gate, and after that to the north gate. With this last gate comes the provision for the work of sacrifice.

The gate-buildings are not much different from the ones already described. They have eight steps, one more than the others. So the floor of the inner court stands eight steps higher than the floor of the outer court.

If the wall speaks of shutting out, so that people enter the court only through the gate-buildings, then the gates teach us the watchfulness we always need. We must guard against anything that would defile, or anything that fails to meet what Jehovah requires. Everything must answer to the claims of His holiness. Through these building forms He was preaching against the abuses and idol worship that prince and priest had allowed to cross the court of His house… It was like saying to them in a parable of stone, "Holiness suits My house forever."

It seems important that the work of sacrifice belongs to the northern gate. In Scripture the north is linked with judgment… The word itself, tsaphon, means "the hidden," "the dark." It is used of the north only as a gloomy and unknown quarter… Here we cannot help thinking of the darkness of Calvary… So at the north gate of the inner court, the court of the altar, we have everything needed for this work, whether it is the burnt offering, sin offering, or trespass offering.

Last comes the word translated "projections." This is elam… taken in different ways to mean a colonnade, or entrance halls, porches, or recesses. Everyone agrees it is a hard word to understand and apply. The way this chapter uses it… keeps it plainly separate from "posts." Whatever the word means, it has windows, as mentioned in verses 16, 25, 29 and 33.

It is enough to say here that, if this is so, the temple the prophet means must be looked for in the future. Everything around it points that way… Here it is a prophecy of what will only be fulfilled for Israel in their land, when the church is changed at Christ's coming and reigns with Him over the earth… All the evidence favours a future temple for Israel under Messiah and the new covenant. At the same time, many a lesson of truth and righteousness may lie hidden in the building, the ritual and the whole order set out here… But with such applications we need to keep careful watch, so that we do not twist the holy word of God.

So even then God commands the prophet to set the house before Israel in its measured pattern, so that they might feel what their sin had robbed them of. The vision will work on them deeply in the day to come.

This is instruction for the restoration, not the historical one... It is prophecy for a time after Gog's destruction. It is so that all the nations may know that Jehovah is Israel's God, who had led them into captivity, brought them out, and left none of them there at all. For there will be such days, whatever the critics may think... When Ezra fixed the legal state of Israel, he did not fix Ezekiel's temple.

"Post," or posts, is ayil, anything strong, used for an oak or other strong tree, also for a ram, and in building for the beam over a door as well as for a post or pillar, since each is a strong support. So it also covers a wall that juts forward and serves as a partition or divider, and the side post of a doorway.

For the south and east gates of the inner court, the text says that what this word means faces the outer court. For the north gate it says nothing of the kind. Instead the text reads, "its posts toward the outer court," using the word for posts in place of the one rendered "projections" elsewhere.

If the wall speaks of exclusion, limiting entrance to the court to the gate-buildings, then these gates teach us about watchfulness. Such watchfulness is always needed to guard against the entry of what would defile, or of what does not meet the requirements of Jehovah. All must answer to the claims of His holiness. By these structures He was preaching against the abuses and idol worship that prince and priest had let into the court of His house. They had even allowed such things to be set up inside its walls. It was like saying to them in a parable of stone, "Holiness is fitting for My house forever."

The palm is the symbol of beauty (Song 7:7), of righteousness, prosperity and fruitfulness (Ps. 92:12-14), of salvation and victory (Rev. 7:9), and of royal glory (John 12:13). Its wide use in the first temple ties it to the kingdom and glory that Solomon's reign pictures... Palm branches were also used at the Feast of Tabernacles (Lev. 23:40; Neh. 8:15). That feast pictures the time of peace and joy that will come when our Lord has set up His kingdom on earth... The palm tree grows steadily through every season, so it stands for constancy and perseverance.

They have eight steps, one more than the others. So the inner court stands the height of these eight steps above the outer court. This may be the reason why the pavement of the outer court is referred to as the lower (ver. 18).

So seven steps led up to the outer court, eight to the inner court, and ten to the house. This points to perfection in new covenant relationship, matching the fulness of what God requires.

It seems significant that the work of sacrifice is connected with the northern gate. In Scripture the north is linked with judgment... The word itself, tsaphon, means "the hidden," "the dark," and it names the north only as a gloomy, unknown quarter. That idea of darkness fits well with judgment. And in this connection we cannot fail to think of the darkness of Calvary... In the moral and spiritual application, the north is where, as a symbol, we must learn the truth of sacrifice.

The rest of the book gives a vision of the most striking kind. In it the prophet sees, and then passes on, the pledge of more than restoration — of crowning glory — for Israel in their land. That is its plain meaning... There is scarcely more obscurity in Ezekiel 40–48 than in Exodus 25–40. The difficulty comes from detail about things outside our ordinary habits, or even our study... The details of the future temple in the land are no harder to understand than those of the past tabernacle in the wilderness.

Cell for washing the Burnt offering near North Gate — text does not definitely fix the location (Ezek. 40:38).

Some people find it hard to understand how animal sacrifices could be used again after the church has been caught up to heaven. They imagine that the Jewish ritual was done away with for ever once the Lord Jesus had offered Himself on the cross. But Scripture never says that the ritual given through Moses was abolished. The return of sacrifices is so plainly stated in Ezekiel 40–46 that the matter is settled at once for anyone who bows to the Word.

Some have felt a difficulty about sacrifices being brought back. The difficulty disappears once we remember that these sacrifices belong to an earthly people and an earthly temple, and that they will be acts of remembrance. Under the old order they had no power at all apart from the way they pointed to Christ... In the millennium they will look back to that one sacrifice for sin offered on the cross, as those under the law of Moses pictured it beforehand. They will simply recall to the grateful, worshipping hearts of God's people the blood of Jesus Christ His Son, which cleanses from all sin.

It seems significant that the work of sacrifice is tied to the northern gate. In Scripture the north is linked with judgment. From that direction the blow falls on both Israel and Judah. The word itself, tsaphon, means "the hidden," "the dark," and is used of the north only as a region gloomy and unknown. The idea of darkness that goes with it fits well with the idea of judgment. And here we cannot help thinking of the darkness of Calvary... So here at the north gate of the inner court, the court of the altar, everything is provided for this work to be done, whether it is the burnt offering, the sin offering, or the trespass offering.

In Leviticus 1:9 we see the priest washing the inner parts and the legs of the victim with water. This picture must match the reality that was to come — the offering of Christ to God in perfect purity. He who offered Himself as a sweet-smelling offering was holiness itself and needed no washing. But the picture had to be washed, to show the perfection of the offering of Christ.

The inner parts and legs washed in water picture Christ in the hidden springs of His being (the inner parts), and in all the detail and energy of His walk (the legs). Someone else has put it well: "The washing with water made the sacrifice, in picture, what Christ was in His very nature — pure."

We also have the porch with two tables on one side and two on the other for slaughtering the burnt offering, the sin offering, and the trespass offering, with other tables, making eight in all. Details are also given of the apparatus for other sacrificial service (Ezek. 40:5-43).

It seems significant that the work of sacrifice is connected with the northern gate. In Scripture the north is associated with judgment. From that quarter the stroke falls upon both Israel and Judah. The word itself, tsaphon, properly means "the hidden," "the dark," and is only used of the north as a quarter gloomy and unknown. The darkness linked with the north fits well with the thought of judgment. And here we cannot fail to think of the darkness of Calvary… In the moral and spiritual application, it is in relation to the north, symbolically speaking, that we need to learn the truth of sacrifice. So at this north gate of the inner court — the court of the altar — everything is provided for that work: the burnt offering, the sin offering, or the trespass offering.

For centuries such sacrifices have ceased. There was only one altar on which they could be offered — the one called the altar of burnt offering. In time that altar will be set up afresh, and made holy again for acceptable worship to the Lord. Then trespass offerings will be brought, as before, to God's altar at Jerusalem (Ezek. 40:39, Ezek. 42:13)… But Christians live between the time when sacrifice on the altar stopped and the time it starts again. They know now what the earthly people will then learn — that propitiation has already been made once for all, and substitution in its fullness and reality is a thing of the past, though never to be forgotten.

I know it has been said that the offering of millennial sacrifices would be a going back in the ways of God. But this is not true. Israel's sacrifices in the future will be different in their very nature from those in the past. Those of old were types of what Christ was coming to do as a sacrifice. In those future days they will be the appointed types of what Christ has accomplished by His one sacrificial offering and death.

The sin and trespass offerings both speak of the judgment of sin… The sin offering deals with sin in view of the divine nature; the trespass offering deals with sin in view of the divine government. The words "sin" and "trespass" convey this difference well: the thought of restitution has a prominent place in the trespass offering. The sin offering alone shows that necessary separation of God from sin, which is both what His nature requires and the most awful punishment of sin.

A writer once well known to many put the idea forward, and his thoughts are still more widely read. He said the sin offering was for sin in the flesh, and the trespass offering for acts of evil. But this is completely untenable. No such distinction was meant, nor could it be in Old Testament times: it was Christ who made that difference plain. Moral evil in general, as we have seen, was in view in the one case. In the other the wrongs were done to the Lord in holy things, or to a neighbour — yet against Him, by a breach of trust. Repayment was owed for them.

It surely stands as an abiding memorial of Christ and His sacrifice. This is central to all the blessing and glory Israel and the nations will share. It is central for the whole universe too (Col. 1:19-20). It will always remind those who fill the courts of the Lord's house of the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world… The unmatched glory that will then surround Him will not hide the truth of that redemption by blood. All action in power rests on that redemption.

Sacrificial tables belonging to the North Gate. They stand in the porch of the gate, beside the steps up to it (Ezek. 40:39-43).

The prophet now enters the inner court by the south gate, and is led next to the east gate and then to the north gate. At this last gate we find the provision for the work of sacrifice.

It seems significant that the work of sacrifice belongs to the northern gate. In Scripture the north goes with judgment. From that direction the blow falls on both Israel and Judah. The word itself, tsaphon, means "the hidden," "the dark," and is used of the north only as a gloomy, unknown region. That idea of darkness fits well with the idea of judgment. And here we cannot fail to think of the darkness of Calvary... In the moral and spiritual lesson, it is at the north, taken as a symbol, that we need to learn the truth of sacrifice.

We also have the porch, with two tables on one side and two on the other, for killing the burnt offering, the sin offering, and the trespass offering. With the other tables, there are eight in all. We are given details of the equipment for other sacrificial service too (Ezek. 40:5-43).

Some people find it hard to see how animal sacrifices could be used again after the church has been caught up to heaven. They imagine that the Jewish ritual was abolished once and for all... Scripture never says that the ritual given through Moses is abolished... But Ezekiel 40 - 46 states the return of sacrifices so clearly that the matter is settled at once for anyone who bows to the Word. Further, the sons of Zadok will be restored to their priestly office and duties, as the holy priesthood, to offer animal sacrifices (Ezek. 44:15-16).

Some have found it hard that sacrifices should be restored. The difficulty disappears once we remember that these sacrifices belong to an earthly people and an earthly temple, and that they will be memorials. Under the old order they had no power at all apart from what they pointed to in Christ, for it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins (Heb. 10:4). In the thousand-year reign they will look back to that one sacrifice for sin offered on the cross, just as the sacrifices under the law of Moses pointed forward to it. So they will simply recall to the grateful, worshipping hearts of God's people the blood of Jesus Christ His Son, which cleanses from all sin.

We come now to the altar, the real centre of the whole sacred enclosure... It is the divine centre where every line of approach meets, from east, north, and south. It stands as a lasting memorial of Christ and His sacrifice. It is central to all the blessing and glory that Israel and the nations will share... It will always remind those who crowd the courts of the Lord's house of the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.

If that is so, we must look for the prophet's temple in the future, and everything around it points that way. One can understand a past tabernacle that pictured present heavenly things in Christ. But here is a prophecy of what will only be carried out for Israel in their land. That will happen when Christ comes, the church is changed, and she reigns with Him over the earth. So there is no room for the Christian or allegorical application.

Verses 38 to 43 then describe the cells and entrances by the columns of the gates. They also describe the eight tables of hewn stone for killing the burnt offerings and the rest, four on each side.

Sacrificial tables connected with the North Gate. These are placed in the porch of the Gate and next to its ascent (Ezek. 40:39-43).

The north (tsaphon) means "what is hidden," and the reason the north is called this is that for people living in the northern hemisphere the sun travels through the southern sky, so the north side of anything is the dark side… So the north tells of mystery, the power of evil, the judgment of God. It also tells of His ways in providence, which so often search the heart and leave human wisdom completely baffled. And, as we have also seen, it is the place where the sacrifice is killed, which speaks of the cross with all its horror of great darkness.

Some have felt a difficulty about restored sacrifices. The difficulty disappears once we remember this: these sacrifices will belong to an earthly people and an earthly temple, and they will be commemorative in character. In the old order they had no power at all apart from their reference to Christ. For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins (Heb. 10:4). In the millennium they will look back to that one sacrifice for sin offered on the cross, just as those under the law of Moses pointed forward to it. So they will simply recall to the grateful, worshipping hearts of God's people the blood of Jesus Christ His Son, which cleanses from all sin.

I know some have said that offering millennial sacrifices would be a going back in the ways of God. But this is not true. Israel's sacrifices in the future will differ at the root from those of the past. The old ones were types of what Christ was coming to do in sacrifice. In those future days they will be the appointed types of what Christ has already done, by His one sacrificial offering and death.

So these sacrifices will testify to the atonement Christ made by His crucifixion and death. That testimony will secure a continual tribute of praise to the Messiah of Israel all through His millennial reign. The revival of sacrifices and feasts in Jerusalem will not be a backward step in God's dealings with this earth. It will mark the high point of His ways with the present heavens and earth, when "All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the LORD" (Ps. 22:27).

Verses 38 to 43 then describe the cells and entrances by the columns of the gates. They also describe the eight tables of hewn stone for killing the burnt offerings and so on, four on each side.

The background of this final vision of Ezekiel is the whole of his earlier prophecies. It takes the form of a great plan with its specifications. It is drawn with the utmost care and marked out with mathematical exactness. Its sharp outlines are meant to express those principles of God's holiness and government that the earlier messages of the book set out.

It seems significant that the work of sacrifice goes with the northern gate. In Scripture the north stands for judgment. From that quarter the stroke falls upon both Israel and Judah. The word itself, tsaphon, means "the hidden," "the dark." It is used of the north only as a region gloomy and unknown. The idea of darkness that goes with it fits well with judgment. And here we cannot fail to think of the darkness of Calvary... Darkness is also the word for man's state away from God, alienated by wicked works and darkened in his understanding. So at the north gate of the inner court — the court of the altar — we have everything needed to do this work, whether it is the burnt offering, the sin offering, or the trespass offering.

The name itself says so: it means the "offering that ascends" — it goes up to God... Of all the offerings burned on the altar, this is the only one burned whole — the "whole burnt-offering."... Yet, on the other hand, it was the offering "for acceptance"... The measure of our acceptance is not just that sin is put away. It is all the preciousness to God of that perfect "obedience to the point of death" by which sin is put away.

The sequel in chapter 42 closes the first part of the description. It is important because it destroys the idea that there was, or could be, any real likeness between Ezekiel's prophetic vision and any temple built so far.

I know it has been said that the offering of millennial sacrifices would be a going back in the ways of God. But this is not true. Israel's future sacrifices will differ from the old ones at the root. The old ones were pictures of what Christ was coming to do in His sacrifice. The future ones will be the appointed pictures of what Christ has accomplished by His one sacrificial offering and death.

The arrangements for killing the burnt offerings, sin offerings, and trespass offerings show that even in the Millennium perfection is not reached. This provision for relationship with God and for holiness is made for a people who can still sin.

Verses 38 to 43 then describe the cells and the entrances by the columns of the gates. They also describe the eight tables of cut stone for killing the burnt offerings and so on, four on each side.

It seems significant that the work of sacrifice is tied to the northern gate. In Scripture the north speaks of judgment. From that direction the blow falls on both Israel and Judah. The word itself, tsaphon, means "the hidden" or "the dark." It is used of the north only as a gloomy and unknown quarter. The darkness the word carries fits well with the idea of judgment. And here we cannot help thinking of the darkness of Calvary… So at the north gate of the inner court, the court of the altar, everything is provided for this work, whether it is the burnt offering, the sin offering, or the trespass offering.

We come now to the altar, the true centre of the whole sacred enclosure… It is the divine centre where every line of approach meets — east, north, and south. It stands as a lasting memorial of Christ and His sacrifice. This is central to all the blessing and glory that Israel and the nations will share… It will always remind those who crowd the courts of the Lord's house of the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.

Some have found a difficulty in sacrifices being restored. The difficulty disappears once we remember that these sacrifices belong to an earthly people and an earthly temple, and that they will be memorials. In the old order they had no power at all apart from their reference to Christ, for it was not possible that the blood of bulls and goats should take away sins (Hebrews 10:4). In the millennium they will look back to that one sacrifice for sin which was offered on the cross, just as those under the law of Moses pointed forward to it. So they will only recall to the grateful, worshipping hearts of God's people the blood of Jesus Christ His Son, which cleanses from all sin.

For centuries such sacrifices have stopped, because there was only one altar where they could be offered… In time that altar will be built again, and made holy again for worship the Lord accepts. Then, as before, people will bring trespass offerings to God's altar at Jerusalem… But Christians live between the time when sacrifice on the altar stopped and the time when it starts again. They know now what the earthly people will then learn — that propitiation has already been made once for all.

Ezekiel's cubit is one sixth larger. It is a cubit and a handbreadth (Ezekiel 40:5), the handbreadth counting as one sixth of the ordinary cubit. Ezekiel's reed of six great cubits is therefore equal to seven ordinary cubits… Seven is the Scriptural number for completeness or perfection. So it is interesting to see that the measurements of Ezekiel's temple, the millennial temple, are brought up to the scale of perfection.

Great care and exactness go into making this plan and into defining how the parts relate to each other… All this is designed to press on heart and conscience how deeply God cares about the important truth set out in this great picture.

In verses 44 to 47, outside the inner gate, there are cells for the singers. One looks south, for the priests who had charge of the house. One looks north, for those who had charge of the altar. The court itself is a hundred cubits square, with the altar before the house.

At the close of this chapter we learn about the housing built for the priests. They had charge of the house and of the altar. There were two chambers or cells, one at the north gate and one at the south gate. The prophet was told which branch of Aaron's family will occupy these cells in the temple service of Messiah's coming reign.

Cells for the priests who keep charge of the House and the Altar. The text does not fix the exact location. It only tells us they stand outside the inner gate, in the inner court (Ezek. 40:44-46).

Song is the outward expression of melody in the heart. It could not be left out of the order of temple worship. What melody there will be in that coming temple! What a joyful noise from all lands when Messiah reigns! Then the ark will rest in its place, prepared by the true David, Who will appoint the singers and set them over the service.

The sons of Zadok will be chosen in that day for approach to Jehovah in ministry. This was the branch of Aaron's line that came forward in the day of David. For hundreds of years the wrong line had seized the high priesthood. Eli came from the younger branch of Aaron's family. That branch took the high priesthood for itself with no right to it, despite Jehovah's solemn promise to Phinehas. But restoration came in Zadok, in the days of David and Solomon, for Jehovah is faithful despite man's failure and hostility.

The same principle of righteous government finds illustration in the priests of Zadok's line. They had remained faithful when Israel departed from Jehovah, and now in the day of Messiah's kingdom they fill the nearest place. Past faithfulness meets its reward.

Separation matters greatly for showing the character and name of God. Ezekiel 43:7-12 makes this plain, comparing the new plan with the first temple. There, great defilement had arisen because the royal buildings stood so close to the sanctuary. The people who often lived in them were wicked idolaters, and they carried their wickedness and idolatry into the sanctuary. The sharp distinction between the priests and the Levites makes the same point. It guards against all undue familiarity with the presence of Jehovah. This lesson is needed in every age. In the days these visions describe, it will not only be taught by command. It will be on display before the whole world in the plan and service of the sanctuary, where all nations will come to worship.

One can understand the tabernacle, Israel's old tent sanctuary, as a picture of present heavenly things in Christ. But here we have a prophecy. It will only be fulfilled for Israel in their land, when the church is changed at Christ's coming and reigns with Him over the earth. There is therefore no room for the Christian or allegorical application.

Outside the inner gate (verses 44-47) there are cells for the singers. One looks to the south, for the priests who had charge of the house. Another looks toward the north, for those who had charge of the altar. The court itself is 100 cubits square, with the altar in front of the house.

The prophet now enters the inner court by the south gate, and is taken in turn to the east and north gates. In connection with the last there is the provision for the work of sacrifice. In addition there are two cells for those having charge of the house and the altar, situated in the court itself, one near the north gate and one near the south gate.

Within this inner court the priests performed their service with respect to the altar and the house. They must take off the garments they ministered in there before they go out to approach the things of the people.

The sons of Zadok will be chosen in that day for approach to Jehovah in ministry. This was the branch of Aaron's line that came forward in the day of David. For hundreds of years the wrong line had usurped the high priesthood. Eli belonged to the younger branch of Aaron's family. That branch took the high priesthood for itself, though it had no right to it, and though Jehovah had made a solemn promise to Phinehas. But there was a restoration in the person of Zadok in David and Solomon's time, for Jehovah is faithful despite man's failure and hostility.

The same principle of righteous government appears in the priests of Zadok's line. They had remained faithful when Israel departed from Jehovah, and now in the day of Messiah's kingdom they fill the nearest place. Past faithfulness meets its reward.

The making of this plan shows minute care and great exactness, and so does the way it defines how the parts relate to each other. The same is true of the rules of service for the Prince, priests, Levites and people. God surely designed all of it to press on heart and conscience how intensely He is interested in the important truth shown in this great picture.

We hear of the priests. We hear of them as Levites. We even hear of the seed of Zadok, entrusted with the duties of the altar. Sin offerings, burnt offerings, thank offerings, all follow in due order. It is the renewal of sacrifice when the earth and Israel come under the reign of Messiah... To bring in the sacrificial system now is the apostasy of ritualism. We are called to act in faith of the one offering of Christ, accepted in heaven. But we ought not to close our eyes to what God reveals about this future day for the earth. In that day He sanctions priest and people, sacrifice and altar, for Israel.

At the close of this chapter, we learn about the space in the building made for the priests who had charge of the house and of the altar. There were two rooms, one at the north gate and one at the south gate.

The first of these passages (Ezek. 40:46) says that the priesthood will not be formed from just any family among the descendants of Aaron, or even of Phinehas. It will be formed from the family of Zadok itself.

In that day the sons of Zadok will be chosen to come near to Jehovah and minister to Him (Ezek. 40:46; Ezek. 43:19; Ezek. 44:15; Ezek. 48:11). This was the branch of Aaron's line that came forward in the day of David (1 Chron. 12:28). For hundreds of years the wrong line had seized the high priesthood. Eli came from the younger branch of Aaron's family. That branch took the high priesthood for itself, against Jehovah's solemn promise to Phinehas (Num. 25:12-13). But in the days of David and Solomon the office was restored in Zadok, for Jehovah is faithful despite man's failure and hostility.

Brighter days will yet dawn on the sons of Zadok. Ezekiel mentions them four times in the prophecies that describe the future kingdom of Christ, the millennium. Israel will be born again to new life. The scattered tribes will be gathered and their enemies put down. Most important of all, Messiah will be present among them. The temple will be built and the sacrificial system set up again. At that point Ezekiel names the sons of Zadok, and God grants them special blessing. It is given in recognition of the faithfulness of their forefather at a time of rebellion and unfaithfulness.

It is easy enough to understand a general description of the Church as a temple, a city, or the people Israel. The New Testament does use all these pictures for the Church. But Ezekiel is not giving that kind of general description of a temple. All the details are set out with the precision of an architect. Such precision makes no sense in a symbolic picture, but it is exactly what you need to describe the plan of a real building.

In the following chapter God orders that certain Levites, whose fathers had fallen into idolatry, should not come near to minister; while "the sons of Zadok, who kept the charge of My sanctuary when the people of Israel went astray from Me, shall come near to Me to minister to Me" (Ezek. 44:10-15).

Some have felt a difficulty about sacrifices being restored. The difficulty disappears when we remember that these sacrifices will be connected with an earthly people and an earthly temple, and that they will be memorials... In the millennium they will look back to that one sacrifice for sin which was offered on the cross, just as the sacrifices under the law of Moses pointed forward to it.

The Holy Spirit would teach us this. The Lord has sunny places for our souls to live in. But He also has places that are not so pleasant, places facing north, into the cold winds that come sweeping down. He sometimes keeps these for those who enjoy special closeness to Him. It is part of His gracious discipline.

The next sections describe two more courts, each 100 cubits square. The house itself stands in the first. In the second stands another building, whose purpose is not stated. So there is a series of three squares, each of 100 cubits, one after another toward the west. The first is the court of the altar already considered.

We come now to the altar. It is the actual centre of the whole sacred enclosure, standing at the centre of the inner court, which measures 100 cubits each way… It is the divine centre where every line of approach meets — east, north, and south. It surely stands as a lasting memorial of Christ and His sacrifice. This is central to all the blessing and glory in which Israel and the nations will share, as indeed it is in regard to the whole universe (Col. 1:19-20). It will always remind those who crowd the courts of the Lord's house of the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. On the Mount of Transfiguration His death was the subject of the conversation. That scene showed the glory of the kingdom of God come in power, and when the kingdom has come His death will not be forgotten. The glory that will then clothe Him will not hide the redemption by blood on which all action in power rests.

The altar stood at the centre of the whole enclosure, and directly before the house. God looks out, as it were, from the place of His rest upon that which presents the basis of all blessing and glory — the place of sacrifice. It stands as a memorial bearing witness to Christ. He is the true Burnt Offering. Every offering presented on this altar recalls His sacrifice, whose power never fails.

There is no feast of trumpets, for the people have already been summoned and gathered. There is no day of atonement any longer, for the work was done. They had truly humbled themselves when they looked on Him whom they pierced… The altar of burnt offerings has an absolutely central place, though of course outside the sanctuary.

Some have felt a difficulty about the return of sacrifices. The difficulty disappears when we remember that these sacrifices belong to an earthly people and an earthly temple, and will be commemorative in character. Under the old order they had no power at all apart from their reference to Christ, for it was not possible that the blood of bulls and goats should take away sins (Heb. 10:4). In the millennium they will look back to that one sacrifice for sin offered on the cross, just as those under the law of Moses foreshadowed it. They will only recall to the grateful, worshipping hearts of God's people the blood of Jesus Christ His Son, which cleanses from all sin.

It is prophecy for a time after Gog is destroyed, so that all the nations may know that the Lord is Israel's God. He led them into captivity, brought them out, and left none of them there at all. For there will be such days, whatever rationalists may think… When Ezra fixed the legal state of Israel, he did not fix Ezekiel's temple.

Now we come to what is called the house. The whole building is 60 cubits from north to south and 100 cubits from east to west… The porch, the holy place, and the most holy place are measured in turn… The whole building is called "the house." The porch is the first part described. The next part is called "the temple," which is 40x20 cubits; this is the holy place. The third room is "the holy of holies," 20x20 cubits.

The man has in his hand a cord of flax and a measuring reed. He is prepared to measure. In fact he keeps the prophet at this work as he leads him through the courts and around the buildings of the Sanctuary. This measuring has prophetic meaning… It suggests God's care and interest. Everything to do with His purposes and promises matters. Then it may well signify that God has risen up to take possession — it is the assertion of His title.

As we move toward the divine centre, we see first Israel's separation from the nations. Then comes the holy portion of land set apart in the middle of the country. Then the Sanctuary with its walls and courts. Last of all, the Temple with its three graded rooms — porch, holy place, and most holy place. The whole plan is a striking picture of the divine majesty and holiness… Note too that seven steps lead up to the outer court, eight to the inner court, and ten to the House… God always leads the creature into the secret of His presence by steps, one stage of learning and experience at a time.

Two is the number of testimony and fellowship, and above all of Christ Himself as the second Person of the holy Trinity. It rules throughout this threefold entrance to the place of the divine glory… And let us remember what leads up to it from the court where the great altar of sacrifice stands: a flight of ten steps. Shall we not say that this means every claim of the divine righteousness, toward God and toward man, has been fully met? And met, as we know, in the Person and work of the One of whom that very altar always speaks — CHRIST.

In the temple of Solomon the dimensions are similar. The holy and most holy places are the same size. But Solomon's porch was 20x10 cubits, and here it is 20x11 — while the old Greek translation gives 12… The account of Solomon's temple dwells on its rich decoration, its gold and precious stones. Ezekiel mentions no such details. In fact the only material he names is wood. This seems to show that one purpose, at least, is to impress on us how massive and solid these buildings are, rather than how beautiful in detail and decoration.

It was a divine disclosure of a new condition, when Israel shall be restored finally and for ever. It is a real, physical temple. Its feasts, sacrifices, rites and priesthood are literal, though in some serious ways unlike anything before. So is the whole ordering of the new capital and the nation. All of it stands in wholly new conditions, crowned with the glory of Jehovah, who once again is pleased to dwell in their land.

Now we come to what is called the house… The measuring goes in order: the porch, then the holy place, then the most holy… The whole building is called "the house," and the porch is the first part described.

It is easy enough to understand a general description of the Church pictured as a temple, a city, or the people Israel. The New Testament does use all these pictures for it. But Ezekiel is not giving that kind of general description of a temple. The details all fit together with an architect's precision. Such precision suits no allegory at all, but it is just what you need to describe the plan of a real building.

In the temple of Solomon the dimensions are similar. The holy and most holy places are the same size. But Solomon's porch was 20x10 cubits, and here it is 20x11 — though the Greek Old Testament gives 12. Solomon's account also gives the height; Ezekiel does not mention it… On the other hand, that account dwells on the rich decoration of Solomon's temple, its gold and precious stones. Ezekiel mentions none of this. In fact the only material he names is wood. So at least one purpose seems to be to impress on us how massive and solid these buildings are, not how beautiful their detail and ornament is.

As we move toward the divine centre, we have first Israel's separation from the nations. Then the portion of land set apart for God in the middle of the country. Then the Sanctuary with its walls and courts. Last of all the Temple and its three graded rooms — porch, holy place, and most holy place… Note, too, that you enter the outer court by seven steps, the inner court by eight, and the House by ten. It is an entrance into what is perfect in form and order (7); established in the New Covenant, a new beginning for Israel (8); and all this through God shown in holy government according to the fulness of the divine measure (10)… God always leads the creature into the secret of His presence by steps, one after another, in its learning and its experience.

And let us remember what leads up to this from the court where the great altar of sacrifice stands: a flight of ten steps. What do they mean? Surely this — that every requirement of divine righteousness, both toward God and toward man, has been fully met. And it was met, as we know, in the Person and work of the One that very altar always speaks of — CHRIST.

It is said in 1 Kings 7:21 — "He set up the pillars in the porch of the temple"; but this should be rendered "BY the porch." In harmony with this we read, in 2 Chron. 3:17 — "He set up the pillars in front of the temple, one on the right hand and the other on the left." In Ezek. 40:49, we read — "There were pillars by the posts (of the porch), one on this side, and another on that." So all these Scriptures agree.

JACHIN means 'He will establish,' and BOAZ, 'in Him is strength.' This implies that the kingdom will be established in strength and in peace, under the rule of Christ. So the names are pictures of the millennium.

Now we come to consider what is called the house. This whole building is 60 cubits from north to south and 100 cubits from east to west. An open space of 20 cubits runs along three sides — north, west, and south. He measures the porch, then the holy place, then the most holy… The vision calls the whole building "the house," and it describes the porch first. It calls the next part "the temple," 40x20 cubits; this is the holy place. The third compartment is "the holy of holies," 20x20 cubits.

How strange not to see this! The heavenly city in Revelation 21 has "no temple," while earthly Jerusalem will have the temple predicted in such detail in Ezekiel 40-48.

Moving toward the divine centre, we have first Israel's separation from the nations. Then the portion of land set apart as an offering, in the middle of the land. Then the Sanctuary with its walls and courts. Last, the Temple with its three graded rooms — porch, holy place, and most holy place… Note, too, that you enter the outer court by seven steps, the inner court by eight, and the House by ten… God always leads the creature, in its learning and experience, by successive steps into the secret of His presence.

Behind this final vision of Ezekiel stand all his earlier prophecies. It comes as a great plan with specifications, drawn with the utmost care and mathematical exactness. Its sharp outlines are meant to express those principles of God's holiness and government that the earlier messages of the book set out.

God measures everything, from the details of the wall and the gates to the inheritance of each tribe. The wall shows that all evil will be shut out. The gates show that God's people have access… The last verse of Ezekiel states the privilege of the house: "The LORD Is There."

Gold seems to be used regularly in Scripture as a symbol of divine righteousness… We see silver in certain parts of the tabernacle: in the sockets for the boards and the pillars, and in their hooks and bands. Silver pictures grace, since it was the ransom money of Israel… Yet the prophet names neither gold nor silver in his description of the millennial sanctuary now before us. No one can doubt that gold is implied here too. But that only makes the absence of any open mention of it more striking.

Ezekiel 43:7 says that the house is the throne and the footstool of the LORD, and that profane things should defile it no more. The prophet was then to say this: if Israel gave up their unfaithfulness, the LORD would return to dwell there. So this responsibility rests on the people at all times. The prophet was to show the house to Israel so they would repent. If they repented, he was to explain it to them in detail.

The whole building is 60 cubits from north to south and 100 cubits from east to west, with an open space of 20 cubits on three sides. All of it is called "the house," and the description starts with the porch. The next part, called "the temple," is 40x20 cubits; this is the holy place. The third room is "the holy of holies," 20x20 cubits.

The length of the house, in cubits of the old standard, was sixty cubits, and the breadth twenty cubits (1 Kings 6:2, 17; 2 Chronicles 3:3). That is the inside measurement, and it covers both the Holy and Most Holy places. Ezekiel 41:2, 4 states this plainly.

The preceding chapter gave us the surroundings of the temple; we now come to the temple itself. The door is its first feature. How reassuring that God should put entrance before us right away.

The man has in his hand a cord of flax and a measuring reed. He is ready to measure. In fact this is the work he keeps the prophet busy with, as he leads him through the courts and around the buildings of the Sanctuary. This measuring carries prophetic meaning. It suggests God's care and interest; everything to do with His purposes and promises matters. Then it may well mean that God has risen up to take possession — He is claiming His right of ownership. With every false claim set aside and every wrongly held possession taken away, He will establish everything by the measure of truth and righteousness.

Moving toward the divine centre, we have first Israel's separation from the nations. Then the offering set apart in the middle of the land. Then the Sanctuary with its walls and courts. Finally the Temple and its three graded rooms — porch, holy place, and most holy place. The whole plan is a most impressive portrayal of the Divine majesty and holiness... Note, too, that seven steps lead up into the outer court, eight into the inner, and ten into the House. It is an entrance into what is perfect in form and order (7); established in the blessing of the New Covenant, a new beginning for Israel (8); and all this through God revealed in holy government according to the fulness of the divine measure (10). God always leads the creature, in its learning and experience, step by step into the secret of His presence.

It has, I confess, struck me much that our prophet says nothing of gold or silver in his prediction of the future temple. It is notorious how prominent is the use of each in the tabernacle of old, and how characteristic of Solomon's building was the use at least of gold. Why is this?

In the temple of Solomon the dimensions are similar. The holy and most holy places are the same size. There the height was given as well, but Ezekiel does not mention it. The account of Solomon's temple dwells on its rich decoration, its gold and precious stones. Ezekiel mentions no such details — in fact the only material he names is wood. This seems to show one purpose at least: to impress on us how massive and stable these buildings are, rather than how beautiful in detail and ornament.

So this is a completely different measure of access to God from the one we know. We value the sacrifice of Christ as heaven values it, and so we enter through the torn veil. For Israel, though truly redeemed, the barrier will be in place again.

The Septuagint is probably right to take this measurement as the wall on either side of the entry.

The posts of the door were of olive wood, two cubits, and the door six cubits. The doors were divided in the centre into two folding leaves, reminding us of the torn veil — Christ crucified. They appear to picture Christ Jesus, by whom we draw near to God. Through Him, by faith in Him, we have boldness of access — not only into the Holy Place, but also into the Holiest of all.

The whole building is called "the house," of which the porch is the first part described. The next part is called "the temple," which is 40x20 cubits; this is the holy place. The third compartment is "the holy of holies," 20x20 cubits.

The sanctuary, God's dwelling-place, is a cube: ten cubits in the tabernacle, twenty in the temple. The final city, which the glory of God lights up, is a cube also: "the length and the breadth and the height of it are equal." There the counsels of God are realized. The holiness He seeks is attained.

The man has in his hand a cord of flax and a measuring reed. He is ready to measure. In fact this is the work he gives the prophet, as he guides him through the courts and around the buildings of the Sanctuary. This measuring carries prophetic meaning. It suggests God's care and interest. Everything to do with His purposes and promises matters. Then it may well mean that God has risen up to take possession — it is the assertion of His title. Every false claim will be set aside and everything wrongly taken will be removed. All will be established by the measure of truth and righteousness.

But why are there doors? May they not witness to God's absolute right to shut out from His presence, if occasion requires? There are two doors to each opening, and evidently two turning, or folding, leaves to each door.

This is a completely different measure of access to God from the one we know. We value the sacrifice of Christ at its worth in heaven, and so we enter through the torn veil. For Israel, though surely redeemed, the barrier will be set up again.

In the Holiest there is no sign, no ark needed: Jehovah fills it alone.

Land and people, priesthood and sanctuary have never matched the prophet's description. So faith is sure that every word must still come true — but for earth, not heaven, for the Jew, not the Christian. Herod's temple matched Ezekiel's temple in nothing. Nor did the state of Palestine, or of the Jews under Roman rule, look like what the prophecy shows. Everything waits for the day when Christ will appear and set up His kingdom.

This work of measuring has prophetic meaning. See Zech. 2 and Rev. 11; Hab. 3:6. It shows God's care and interest. Everything that touches His purposes and promises matters. It may well also mean that God has risen up to take possession — He is claiming what is His by right. Every false claim will be set aside, every stolen possession removed, and everything established by the measure of truth and righteousness.

Kings and Chronicles never give the thickness of any wall. They dwell instead on the rich decoration of Solomon's temple, its gold and precious stones. Ezekiel mentions no such details. In fact the only material he names is wood. This seems to show that at least one purpose is to impress on us how massive and solid these buildings are, rather than how beautiful and ornate.

One cannot doubt that gold is implied here too. But that only makes the complete silence about it more striking.

Again a different word appears for the side chambers of the house. It is tsalah. It means a rib — a rib of the body, or, as a picture, the sides or leaves of a double door. From there it comes to mean a side, and in building terms, in the plural, the ribs of a building, or planks for panelling a wall (1 Kings 6:15; 1 Kings 7:3). So the word fits these side chambers well: like ribs or side planks, they go round the house.

The account in 1 Kings 6 may help us understand the structure of the side chambers better. These were in three storeys too, and each storey grew wider by one cubit: five, six and seven cubits. So the wall of the house stepped back at each storey, making a resting place for the floor beams. The beams were not set into the wall. They rested on the one-cubit ledge that the stepped-back wall formed.

All around the temple, except of course at its entrance, were the side chambers, the homes of the priests. There was nothing like this in the tent in the wilderness. There God could indeed stoop to live among a people of flesh and blood, but only on the condition that He hid Himself in thick darkness. There He could not let man come and live with Him.

The wall is mentioned first. It stands for perfect protection, the shutting out of all evil. Then comes the gate, which takes in all that is right and good. Then come the chambers. God does not only dwell in the holiest place of all; there is room for His priests to dwell there too.

Ezekiel gives a very long description of the holy temple of the future. He describes its surroundings and its furniture in the glorious words of his book... He does describe many grand things in the millennial temple — but only to lead up to this, the high point and crown of all its many glories: JEHOVAH-SHAMMAH, or, THE LORD IS THERE.

Now we are brought to consider what is called the house. This building overall is 60 cubits from north to south, and 100 cubits from east to west, with an open space of 20 cubits on three sides — north, west, and south. The whole building is called "the house." The porch is the first part described. The next part is called "the temple," 40x20 cubits; this is the holy place. The third room is "the holy of holies," 20x20 cubits. Joined to this building are chambers that surround it, in three stories — 30 to each story, 90 in all.

Again a different word is used for the side-chambers of the House. It is tsalah, and it means a rib. It can mean a rib of the body, or, as a picture, the sides or leaves of a double door. So it comes to mean a side, and in building terms, in the plural, the ribs of a building, or planks for panelling (1 Kings 6:15; 1 Kings 7:3). The word fits these side-chambers well: like ribs or side planks, they go round the House.

The account in 1 Kings 6 may help us to better understand the structure of the side chambers. These were in three stories also, and increased in breadth one cubit, the dimensions being 5, 6, and 7 cubits. This means the wall of the house stepped back at each story. That step made a resting place for the floor beams. The beams were not set into the wall. They rested on the ledge of one cubit that the step-back formed.

The walls of the temple had offsets where the beams could be fastened without hurting the walls. In this way the priests' rooms fitted the house exactly, without weakening the building in any way. This is how we shall dwell in glory. Our being there will never lessen the perfection of God's house; it will only add to it.

The wall is mentioned first, a symbol of perfect protection, shutting out all evil. Then comes the gate, taking in all that is right and good. Then come the chambers — God not only dwells in the holiest of all, but there is room for His priests to dwell there too.

The rich decoration of Solomon's temple is dwelt upon, its gold and precious stones. Ezekiel mentions no such details. In fact the only material named is wood. This seems to show that one purpose here is to impress on us the mass and stability of these buildings, rather than beauty of detail and ornament. The courts, too, rise in height from the level beyond the outer court up to the level of the house. These courts and their gates surround the sanctuary, guarding it from all contact with what was common or would defile. That seems designed to drive home the rebuke and warning given in Ezekiel 43:1-12.

Again a different word is used for the side-chambers of the House. It is tsalah, meaning a rib. It can mean a rib of the body, or, as a picture, the sides or leaves of a double door. So it comes to mean a side, and in building terms, in the plural, the ribs of a building, or planks used for panelling (1 Kings 6:15; 1 Kings 7:3). The word suits these side-chambers well, for they go round the House like ribs or side planks.

The account in 1 Kings 6 may help us understand the structure of the side chambers better. These were in three stories too, and each grew one cubit wider than the one below, the sizes being 5, 6, and 7 cubits. This means that the wall of the house stepped back with each story. That step made a resting place for the floor beams. The beams were not set into the wall. They rested on the ledge of one cubit that the stepped-back wall made.

The rich decoration of Solomon's temple is dwelt on — its gold and precious stones. Ezekiel makes no mention of such details. In fact the only material he refers to is wood. This seems to show that at least one purpose is to impress on us how massive and solid these structures are, rather than the beauty of their detail and decoration.

The wall is mentioned first. It stands for perfect protection, shutting out all evil. Then comes the gate, which lets in all that is right and good. Then come the chambers. God dwells in the holiest of all, and there is room for His priests to dwell there too.

The side-chambers stand in three stories. They grow larger as they rise. They lead one into another from east to west, and they keep climbing higher and higher. This strongly suggests enlargement and progress in heavenly glory, greater heights, fuller likeness to God and fellowship with Him. These chambers do not only rise higher and grow larger. There is also a movement from east to west, from one chamber to the next, until you come to the innermost chamber — the one nearest to "the Holiest of all," nearest to the glory of God shown there.

The Temple-chambers stood in three stories, and winding stairs led up to the higher ones. The lowest stories were five cubits broad, the middle six cubits, and the third seven cubits. Is this meant to suggest continual progress in the Father's house above?

The wall outside the house all round is not measured until the end of Ezekiel 42, where it is declared to be 500 reeds square. That figure is given with the most exact precision. It cannot be allowed to be an exaggeration without shaking the character of the prophet, and of Scripture in general. That is, the temple grounds are to take in far more than the whole city did.

The bride is neither Israel nor Jerusalem, but "new Jerusalem." How strange not to see that the heavenly city in Revelation 21 has "no temple!" Earthly Jerusalem, on the other hand, will have the temple foretold in such detail in Ezekiel 40-48.

In Ezekiel 41:8 we read of a "great cubit." At the start of the description of the future temple, the reed measures "six cubits long by the cubit and a handbreadth" (Ezekiel 40:5). This agrees with that first passage, which speaks of "a full reed of six great cubits." So there was an ordinary cubit and a great cubit. The difference between them is a handbreadth, the same as the palm, a sixth of a cubit.

The cubit of Ezekiel is one sixth larger, since it is a cubit and a handbreadth (Ezekiel 40:5). So Ezekiel's reed of six great cubits equals seven ordinary cubits. … Seven is the Scripture number for completeness or perfection. Notice, then, how the measurements of Ezekiel's temple, the millennial temple, reach the scale of perfection.

What is the cubit? It is simply the human forearm, the measure taken from the elbow tip to the end of the little finger. … The cubit by itself is strictly human. But add the handbreadth to it, and we plainly have what is beyond man. Look at the only other place the handbreadth occurs, and we find it in the border made for the table of showbread, a "border of a handbreadth round about." If the table speaks of communion with God, which is the basic thought, then the handbreadth round it is at once the divine guard and the divine support. … Man may be permitted his part in the structure the prophet sees in vision, but it must be man enabled and guarded by the divine hand upon him.

In this whole detailed specification only one measurement is clearly a measurement of height (Ezekiel 41:8). As to the sanctuary, we are given only a ground-plan. This marks complete indifference to what seems to man a very great, if not the greatest, element of architecture. … It is typical of man in his pride and rebellion to aim at building a tower that will reach to heaven. … Man's blessing is not found through his efforts to reach up to God, but through God coming down to him.

From the level of the inner court, the house with its surrounding chambers stands a full reed of six cubits higher. To reach this higher level there seem to have been ten steps, if we accept the reading of the Septuagint.

Seven steps lead up to the outer court, eight to the inner court, and ten to the house. It is an entrance into what is perfect in form and order (7); established in the blessing of the New Covenant, a new beginning for Israel (8); and all this through God made known in holy government according to the fulness of the divine measure (10). God always leads the creature, in its learning and experience, step by step into the secret of His presence.

So, in the vision in the chapter before us, we have a measured description mainly of the temple courts and the buildings attached to them... with a continuation in chapter 42. That chapter may be seen as closing the first part of the description. It matters, because it destroys the idea that there was, or ever could be, any real likeness between Ezekiel's prophetic vision and any temple built so far.

The wall of the house, at the base of the side chambers, was six cubits thick. The wall for the lower side chamber was five cubits thick (verse 9). As the side chambers of the second and third floors each widened by one cubit, the wall grew thinner in proportion. The side chambers stood in three floors, fifteen on each side on every floor, ninety in all. Each was four cubits wide (Ezekiel 41:5) and five cubits high (1 Kings 6:10).

Notice that Kings and Chronicles give no wall thicknesses. They do dwell on the rich decoration of Solomon's temple, its gold and precious stones. Ezekiel mentions none of that; in fact the only material he names is wood. This seems to show that one purpose, at least, is to impress on us the mass and stability of these structures, rather than beauty of detail and decoration.

This outer court, with its east, north and south gate-buildings, runs around the temple itself and the altar court on three sides. To the west there are more buildings, with chambers along the north and south sides of the temple, and a wall with no gate in it. In every direction the holiness of the house is guarded. This plan is plainly different from that of the first temple, as Ezekiel 43:7-8 shows.

The priests' rooms could not be separated from the house. They formed one whole with it without spoiling any part of it. The temple walls had ledges where the beams could rest without cutting into the walls. In this way the priests' rooms fitted the house perfectly, and took nothing away from the soundness of the building. This is how we shall dwell in glory. Our being there, far from weakening the perfection of God's house, will only add to it.

The wall is mentioned first. It stands for perfect protection, the shutting out of all evil. Then comes the gate, which takes in all that is right and good. Then come the chambers. God not only dwells in the holiest of all; there is room for His priests to dwell there too.

All the multiples, and the totals you get by adding the measurements of different parts together, divide by five or ten. There are no uneven multiples, and none that would leave a fraction when divided. The whole gives a sense of evenness, unity, harmony and stability — and, in the moral sense, of equity, righteousness, peace and sanctification. This is the setting in which the service and worship of Jehovah goes on, and in which God exercises His government.

Now we come to what is called the house. This building over all is 60 cubits from north to south, and 100 cubits from east to west, with an open space of 20 cubits on three sides — north, west, and south. The porch, the holy place, and the most holy are measured one after another... Connected with this building are chambers surrounding it in three stories — 30 of these to each story, 90 in all.

What is called the separate place surrounds the house on three sides — north, west, south. It is a space of 20 cubits. This makes three sections of court, each measuring 100x20, each with an area of 2,000 square cubits, or 6,000 in all.

The Separate Place, on which the Temple stood, was one hundred cubits square.

The Separate Place, with the sanctuary built on it, teaches the need for separation from evil. It teaches that all who draw near to commune with a holy God need that holiness which suits God's house forever. In His sight evil cannot dwell.

We see at once that this wall is not for protection against enemies; it is too low... The basic idea here is separation. The wall teaches that the space it encloses is holy, set apart to Jehovah... It preaches the exclusion of all that defiles.

This work of measurement has prophetic meaning. See Zechariah 2 and Revelation 11; Habakkuk 3:6. It suggests God's care and interest; everything relating to His purposes and promises is important. It may well mean that God has risen up to take possession — He is asserting His title. Every false claim will be set aside and every wrongful hold removed, and all will be established according to the measure of truth and righteousness.

Here we may find [twelve] in the breadth of the house, which, including the free space on each side, is 60 (5x12) cubits... Every multiple, and every sum you get by adding the measurements of different parts together, divides by five or ten. There are no uneven multiples, and none that would leave a fraction when divided. The whole gives a sense of evenness, unity, harmony, stability — and in the moral sense, equity, righteousness, peace, sanctification.

All is measured and ordered to set forth divine perfection. Its base is the reed of six cubits, of four hand-breadths each, making 24 in all, or 12x2. For it will be the full testimony to the perfection and order of divine government set up on the earth, and this under the hand of man — the Man Christ Jesus.

[This description] is important in destroying the notion that there was, or could be, any real likeness between the prophetic vision of Ezekiel and any temple built so far... It is given with the most exact precision. So [the measurement] cannot be dismissed as exaggeration without shaking the character of the prophet, and of Scripture in general.

Now we come to what is called the house. This building over all is 60 cubits from north to south, and 100 cubits from east to west, with an open space of 20 cubits on three sides — north, west, and south... Connected with this building are chambers surrounding it in three storeys — 30 to each storey, 90 in all.

It seems there was only one entrance door from the galleries on each side of the temple, so the way through was from one room to another, right into the innermost (1 Kings 6:8; Ezekiel 41:11).

These chambers do not only rise higher and grow larger. There is also a progress from east to west, from one chamber to another, until you reach the innermost chamber — the one nearest to "the Holiest of all," nearest to the manifested glory of God. So the saints will have a growing capacity to enjoy and serve God in the countless ages of eternity to come.

The wall is mentioned first, a symbol of perfect protection, keeping out all evil; then the gate, taking in all that is right and good; then the chambers — God does not only dwell in the holiest of all, but there is room for His priests to dwell there too.

The priests' dwellings could not be separated from the house. They formed one whole with it without spoiling any one part. The temple walls had ledges where the beams could be fastened without damaging the walls. So the priests' rooms fitted the house perfectly, without harming the wholeness of the building in any way. This is how we will dwell in glory. Our being there will not weaken the perfection of God's house; it will only add to it.

This whole plan rebukes and corrects Israel's slackness and their lost sense of the great difference between Jehovah and themselves... They had failed badly to keep His holiness separate from evil. By these courts and gates, and the wide open spaces around them, Jehovah shows in concrete form the truth of His surpassing glory, His absolute pre-eminence, and His essential holiness.

So this is a wholly different measure of access to God from the one we know. We value the sacrifice of Christ as heaven values it, and so we enter through the torn veil. For Israel, though truly redeemed, the barrier will be put up again.

Another building stands to the west, with walls five cubits thick, measuring 80 x 100 cubits on the outside. The main measurements are then listed (verses 12-15a). The house is 100 cubits long. The separate place (20 cubits) and the building (80 cubits) come to 100 cubits together. The width of the house is 60 cubits, with the separate place 20 cubits on each side. So the total width at the east end of these two squares is 100 cubits.

What is called the separate place surrounds the house on three sides — north, west, south — a space of 20 cubits. It makes three sections of court, each measuring 100 x 20, so each has an area of 2,000 square cubits, or 6,000 in total. The largest measurement of the house is 60 x 100, the same total area of 6,000.

The Separate Place, on which the Temple stood, was one hundred cubits square. The Court of the Altar and the Separate Place together formed what was called the Inner Court. A wall five cubits thick ran all around it.

The record of Solomon's temple dwells on its rich decoration, its gold and precious stones. Ezekiel mentions no such details. In fact the only material he names is wood. This seems to show that at least one purpose is to impress on us the sheer mass and stability of these structures, rather than beauty of detail and ornament.

Gold, and not silver, marks the heavenly city in Revelation 21, while the prophet names neither in his description of the sanctuary now before us. No one need doubt that gold is implied here too, but that only makes the total silence about it more striking.

All of it is plainly designed to impress the observer with the distinct holiness of Jehovah and His dwelling-place. This is a needed lesson for all times. In the days these visions of God point to, it will not only be taught in words. It will be on continual display before the whole world, in the plan and service of the Sanctuary, where all nations shall come to worship.

It is absurd to suppose that details this small and this specific are mere literary decoration.

To look for these visions to come true literally is simply faith in the prophets. The return from Babylon in no way met the closing prophecies. That does not prove any flaw in Ezekiel's picture of things to come. It proves that his glorious expectations are still to be fulfilled.

To the west stands another building. Its walls are 5 cubits thick, and it measures 80x100 cubits on the outside. The main measurements then follow (verses 12-15a). (a) — The house, 100 cubits long. (b) — The separate place (20 cubits), and the building (80 cubits), total, 100 cubits. (c) — The breadth of the house, 60 cubits, with the separate place, 20 cubits on each side. That makes the total breadth at the east end of these two squares 100 cubits.

In Ezekiel 40-47 we get remarkable details of the house in its later glory. God measures everything, from the details of the wall and the gates to the inheritance of each tribe. The wall shows that all evil stays outside; the gates show that God's people have access. … The last verse of Ezekiel states the privilege of the house: "the Lord is there."

The sharp distinction between the priests and the Levites (Ezekiel 44:5-16) stresses separation. It guards against all undue familiarity with the presence of Jehovah, and it shows Him governing in holiness. Notice how past disorders come forward both to show the need for the ordinances of the new Sanctuary and to enforce them… The whole design is meant to impress the observer with the distinct sanctity of Jehovah and His dwelling-place.

We must look for the temple the prophet means in the future, and everything around it points that way. A past tabernacle can stand as a picture of present heavenly things in Christ. But here it is a prophecy of what will only come true for Israel in their land, when the church is changed at Christ's coming and reigns with Him over the earth. So there is no room for the Christian or allegorical application.

So even then the prophet must set the house before Israel in its measured pattern, so that they would feel what their sin had taken from them. The vision will affect them deeply in a day still to come.

God has His House, and He has His principles for running His House. And mark this: we cannot apply the law of God's House to a house that man has designed. You can only apply God's law to God's pattern. You cannot have a pattern of your own and then try to work that pattern on God's principles.

So this is a completely different measure of access to God from the one we know. We value the sacrifice of Christ at its worth in heaven, and so we enter through the torn veil. For Israel, though truly redeemed, the barrier will be put up again.

This leaves out the fifth interpretation, and I have no doubt it is the only true one. It sees in these chapters the fitting conclusion to the whole prophecy, and it ties them closely to the chapters just before: the prediction that in the last days Israel will be fully restored, then converted, holding every promised blessing for ever in their land, with the glory of Jehovah among them. This is the only proper Messianic fulfilment of the vision. So we must take it in its simple and just grammatical sense — literal, symbolic, or figurative, as the context of each passage may decide.

That figure is given with the most exact care. We cannot call it a "hyperbole" without shaking the character of the prophet, and of Scripture in general. In other words, the precincts will take in far more ground than the whole city did.

This work of measurement is prophetically significant. See Zech. 2 and Rev. 11; Hab. 3:6. It suggests God's care and interest. Everything to do with His purposes and promises matters. Then it may well signify that God has risen up to take possession — it is the assertion of His title. When every false claim is set aside and all stolen ground removed, everything will be established by the measure of truth and righteousness.

(a) — The house, 100 cubits long. (b) — The separate place (20 cubits), and the building (80 cubits), total, 100 cubits. (c) — The breadth of the house is 60 cubits. Add the separate place, 20 cubits on each side, and the total breadth at the east end of these two squares comes to 100 cubits.

The square of 100 cubits keeps returning. The whole sanctuary space is made up of 25 such squares, and the numbers five and ten dominate the measurements. All this is suggestive in the light of what these numbers mean in Scripture… In the perfect balancing of every part we see how with God there is nothing uneven or out of proportion. Every element and feature of His character is in perfect adjustment and harmonious display.

Great defilement had arisen because the royal buildings stood so close to the Sanctuary. The wickedness and idolatry of the people who often lived in those buildings came into the Sanctuary itself… All of it is designed to impress on the observer the distinct holiness of Jehovah and His dwelling-place. This is a needed lesson for all times. In the days these visions of God point to, it will not only be taught by words; it will be on continual show before the whole world, in the plan and service of the Sanctuary, to which all nations shall come to worship.

"And behold, the glory of the God of Israel came from the way of the east… And the glory of Jehovah came into the house by the way of the gate whose front was toward the east… and behold the glory of Jehovah filled the house" (Ezek. 43:2-5).

Another building stands to the west. Its walls are 5 cubits thick, and it measures 80x100 cubits on the outside. The main measurements are then listed (verses 12-15a). (a) The house, 100 cubits long. (b) The separate place (20 cubits), and the building (80 cubits), total, 100 cubits. (c) The width of the house, 60 cubits, plus the separate place, 20 cubits on each side. That makes the total width at the east end of these two squares 100 cubits.

The space called the separate place surrounds the house on three sides — north, west, and south. It is 20 cubits wide, and it forms three sections of court, each measuring 100x20.

The separate place, with the sanctuary built on it, teaches the need to be separate from evil. It teaches that everyone who draws near to have fellowship with a holy God needs the holiness that suits God's house for ever. In His sight evil cannot stay.

The whole building is called "the house," of which the porch is the first part described. The next part is called "the temple," which is 40x20 cubits; this is the holy place. The third compartment is "the holy of holies," 20x20 cubits. Chambers surround this building in three stories — 30 in each story, 90 in all.

So this is a completely different measure of access to God from the one we know. We value the sacrifice of Christ as heaven values it, and so we go in through the torn veil. For Israel, though certainly redeemed, the barrier will go up again.

The man holds a cord of flax and a measuring reed. He is ready to measure. This is the work he keeps the prophet busy with as he guides him through the courts and around the buildings of the sanctuary. The measuring carries prophetic meaning. It shows God's care and interest; everything that touches His purposes and promises matters. It may well mean, too, that God has risen up to take possession — He is claiming His title. Every false claim will be set aside and every seized possession removed. All will be established by the measure of truth and righteousness.

If that is so, we must look for the temple the prophet means in the future, and everything around it points that way. We can also understand a past tabernacle as a picture of present heavenly things in Christ. But here is a prophecy of what will only be done for Israel in their land. It waits for Christ's coming, when the church is changed and reigns with Him over the earth… All the evidence favours a future temple for Israel under Messiah and the new covenant. Even so, there may be many a lesson of truth and righteousness hidden in the building, the ritual and the general order set out here. But with such applications we need to keep a careful watch, or we will twist the holy word of God. I would rather hold back than offend in that way.

In Ezekiel 40-47 we get remarkable details of the house in its latter glory. God measures everything, from the details of the wall and the gates to the inheritance of each tribe. The wall shows that all evil will be shut out; the gates show that God's people have access.

Verse 16: the Hebrew word means closed — that is, not opened like ordinary windows. Windows were normally openings filled with lattice-work. This could be rendered "latticed windows."

Windows were openings that let in light and air. They had no glass. They were fitted with lattice-work, so people could see what was going on outside without being seen themselves.

Wood covered the whole of the Temple, inside and out. Cedar panelled the walls within. Cedar or cypress covered all the outside, including the galleries (see 1 Kings 6:15-16, 18; Ezekiel 41:16-17, 25, 26). Planks of cypress covered the floor of the Holy Place, and cedar covered the whole of the Most Holy Place.

Notice that Kings and Chronicles never give the thickness of the walls. They dwell instead on the rich decoration of Solomon's temple, its gold and precious stones. Ezekiel mentions no such details. In fact the only material he names is wood. This suggests that at least one purpose is to impress on us the massive size and stability of these structures, rather than beauty of detail and ornament.

We are told that the inside was panelled with wood and decorated with cherubim and palm trees, one alternating with the other. Each cherub had the face of a man and the face of a young lion... The two are spread out evenly; there is perfect balance, and symmetry rules throughout. In the Scriptures that mention the cherubim, they appear as "supports or guardians of the throne of God in His absolute righteousness and judgment."

One last thing to note. Much is left out here about the interior decoration and the details of the furniture, though all of it is given in full for both the tabernacle and the first temple. Leaving it out only gives more prominence and emphasis to the one great, basic idea that clearly fills the whole vision. We have sought to show that this is the holiness of Jehovah... God reveals His mind and purpose to His people so that they (and we too) may judge rightly both themselves and their history in the light of what He shows.

So this is a completely different measure of access to God from the one we know. We value the sacrifice of Christ as heaven values it, and so we enter through the torn veil. For Israel, though truly redeemed, the barrier will be put up again.

The chief ornaments in this temple are cherubim and palm trees; they were along the wall of the temple. So it was in the temple of Solomon. "Around all the walls of the house he carved figures of cherubim and palm trees and open flowers, in the inner and outer rooms" (1 Kings 6:29).

The man has in his hand a cord of flax and a measuring reed. He is prepared to measure. This is the work he keeps the prophet busy with as he guides him through the courts and around the buildings of the Sanctuary. This measuring has prophetic meaning. See Zechariah 2, Revelation 11 and Habakkuk 3:6. It suggests God's care and interest. Everything that touches His purposes and promises matters. Then it may well signify that God has risen up to take possession — it is the assertion of His title. He will set aside every false claim and remove every wrongly held possession. Then all will stand by the measure of truth and righteousness.

It is the symbol of beauty (Song 7:7), of righteousness, prosperity and fruitfulness (Ps. 92:12-14), of salvation and victory (Rev. 7:9), and of royal glory (John 12:13). Its wide use in the first temple ties it to the kingdom and glory that Solomon's reign pictures… Palm branches also belonged to the Feast of Tabernacles (Lev. 23:40; Neh. 8:15). That feast pictures a time of peace and rejoicing. It will come when our Lord has set up His kingdom on earth. Israel will then receive her possessions and flourish under the Lord's blessing in the land… The palm grows steadily through every season, and so it stands for constancy and perseverance.

Inside, the house is panelled with wood and decorated with cherubim and palm trees in turn. Each cherub has the face of a man and the face of a young lion… The two figures are spread evenly. There is perfect balance, and symmetry rules throughout. In the Scriptures that speak of the cherubim, they appear as supports or guardians of the throne of God in His absolute righteousness and judgment. They seem to represent the divine attributes of righteousness and the carrying out of that righteousness in judgment. This is the basis of all true government, human or divine. It is the only guarantee that whatever is under its rule will stand.

We read there that the cherubim in the temple have only two faces, that of a man and that of a lion. The face of an ox and the face of the eagle are not used… That display will not show the endurance and speed that opposition calls for, because God will have reached the goal He is working toward. What abides is the witness of His wisdom and power.

The Lord Jesus Christ has come again and visited the earth and the temple and appeared as the Glorified Man and the Lion of the tribe of Judah. His is the victory and the glory. One day this temple will stand in Israel's land. Its meaning, its measurements and its other details will then be fully known. People will see that His blessed work, His victory and His person are pictured throughout this house.

The words "silver and gold" are not mentioned once in Ezekiel 40-48. Silver typifies grace in redemption, being the ransom money. Gold typifies divine righteousness. Both are missing in the millennial temple. What the silver and gold pictured is now real in His redeemed people on earth.

The chief ornaments in this temple are cherubim and palm trees; they were along the wall of the temple. So it was in the temple of Solomon. "Around all the walls of the house he carved engraved figures of cherubim and palm trees and open flowers, in the inner and outer rooms" (1 Kings 6:29).

The inside is panelled with wood and decorated with cherubim and palm trees, one alternating with the other. Each cherub has the face of a man and the face of a young lion… Both are evenly distributed; there is perfect balance, and symmetry rules throughout… In the passages where Scripture mentions the cherubim, they appear as "supports or guardians of the throne of God in His absolute righteousness and judgment." They "seem clearly to represent the divine attributes of righteousness and its execution in judgment, which is the basis of all true government, human or divine, the only guarantee of the stability of that which is beneath its sway."

Only one feature of decoration is mentioned — the palm. It is the symbol of beauty (Song 7:7), of righteousness, prosperity and fruitfulness (Ps. 92:12-14); of salvation and victory (Rev. 7:9); of kingly glory (John 12:13)… Palm branches also belonged to the Feast of Tabernacles (Lev. 23:40; Neh. 8:15). That feast pictures the time of peace and rejoicing that will come when our Lord has established His kingdom on earth. Then Israel comes into her possessions and flourishes in the land under Jehovah's blessing.

The living creatures of the earlier vision are called cherubim in chapter 10, and there too we see them tied to the work of judgment. There they have four faces; here in the sanctuary only two are mentioned, with the ox and the eagle left out. This brings out the lesson of the other two. The face of the man suggests intelligence joined with all the tender and gracious affections of human nature. The face of the lion means majesty of bearing, fearless and irresistible in authority and power. These features will mark the government of God in the day of the kingdom and glory.

In that display the features of endurance and speed, once needed because of opposition, will no longer appear. God will have reached the end He is working toward. What does abide is the witness of His wisdom and power. The face of a man looks towards a palm tree, and the face of a lion looks towards a palm tree — the tree that stands for victory.

It means something that these cherubim have the face of a man and the face of a young lion, and that each face looks upon a palm tree. Its symbolical meaning is obvious. The Lord Jesus Christ has come again. He has visited the earth and the temple, and has appeared as the Glorified Man and the Lion of the tribe of Judah. His is the victory and the glory.

The truth they witness to orders and, as it were, controls the way of approach to the Divine Presence. The service and privilege of entering the house belong only to the priestly family. Even so, the lessons of its parts and arrangements are not only for the instruction of the priests. They are also there so that the people themselves may know Jehovah as He is revealed here (Ezek. 44:23).

As to the inside, we are told it is panelled with wood and decorated with cherubim and palm trees, one after the other. Each cherub has the face of a man and the face of a young lion... Both are spaced evenly; there is perfect balance, and symmetry rules throughout. Wherever the Scriptures mention the cherubim, they appear as "supports or guardians of the throne of God in His absolute righteousness and judgment." They "seem clearly to represent the divine attributes of righteousness and of carrying that righteousness out in judgment. This is the basis of all true government, human or divine, and the only guarantee that whatever is under its rule will stand."

We read there that the cherubim in the temple have only two faces, that of a man and that of a lion. The face of an ox and the face of the eagle are not used. This chapter describes the temple that will be built on earth to display God's glory to Israel. In that display you will not see endurance and speed, the features that opposition calls for, because God will have reached the end He is working toward. What remains is the witness of His wisdom and power.

Leaving out the ox and the eagle emphasizes the lesson of the other two. The face of a man suggests intelligence, joined with all the tender and gracious feelings of human nature. The face shows them all, in look, word and feature. The face of the lion means majesty of bearing, fearless and irresistible in authority and power. These features will mark the government of God in the day of the kingdom and glory.

It is the symbol of beauty (Song 7:7). It stands for righteousness, prosperity and fruitfulness (Ps. 92:12-14); for salvation and victory (Rev. 7:9); and for royal glory (John 12:13). Its wide use in the first temple ties it to the kingdom and glory that Solomon's reign pictures... The palm grows steadily through every season, a symbol of constancy and perseverance.

As often stated, these heavenly beings tell out the Lord Jesus Christ in His personal glory. The lion is His royal glory. The face of a man is His true humanity. The face of an ox is His servant character. The face of an eagle is His heavenly origin and destiny, Son of God... The Lord Jesus Christ has come again and visited the earth and the temple, and has appeared as the Glorified Man and the Lion of the tribe of Judah. His is the victory and the glory.

These are developed step by step through Scripture. First we find them simply named, with no description, at the gate of Eden, keeping in force God's sentence that drove man out of the garden. Next, at the mercy seat, the cover of the ark (Ex. 25:20), they have wings and one face each, looking toward each other... In Ezekiel, chapters 1 and 10 give a much fuller description, with wheels, hands, four faces, four wings and more. But in the future temple the faces will be only two, those of a man and of a lion (Ezek. 41:18-19).

The chief ornaments in this temple are cherubim and palm trees; they were along the wall of the temple. So it was in the temple of Solomon. "Around all the walls of the house he carved engraved figures of cherubim and palm trees and open flowers, in the inner and outer rooms" (1 Kings 6:29).

Only one feature of decoration is mentioned — the palm. It is the symbol of beauty (Song 7:7), of righteousness, prosperity and fruitfulness (Ps. 92:12-14); of salvation and victory (Rev. 7:9); and of royal glory (John 12:13). Its wide use in the first temple links it with the kingdom and glory that Solomon's reign pictures. These are the characteristic features of the Millennial age. Palm branches were also used at the Feast of Tabernacles (Lev. 23:40; Neh. 8:15). That feast pictures the time of peace and rejoicing that will come when our Lord has set up His kingdom on earth. Israel will then come into her possessions and flourish among the Lord's blessings in the land. The palm tree grows steadily through every season, and so it pictures constancy and perseverance.

The cherubim and palm trees are spaced evenly; there is perfect balance, and symmetry rules throughout. The Scriptures that mention the cherubim show them as "supports or guardians of the throne of God in His absolute righteousness and judgment." They "seem clearly to represent the divine attributes of righteousness and its execution in judgment." That righteousness is the basis of all true government, human or divine. It is the only guarantee that whatever lies under that government will stand.

We read there that the cherubim in the temple have only two faces, that of a man and that of a lion. The face of an ox and the face of the eagle are not used. This chapter describes the temple that will be built on earth to display the glory to Israel. That display will not show endurance and speed under opposition, because God will have reached the end He is working toward. What does abide is the witness of His wisdom and power.

The face of a man suggests intelligence, joined with all the tender and gracious affections of human nature. The face of a lion means majesty of bearing, fearless and irresistible in authority and power. These features will mark the government of God in the day of the kingdom and glory.

It is not without meaning that the face of a man and the face of a young lion are seen on these cherubim and each face looks upon a palm tree. Its symbolical meaning is obvious. The Lord Jesus Christ has come again. He has visited the earth and the temple. He has appeared as the Glorified Man and the Lion of the tribe of Judah. His is the victory and the glory. One day this temple will stand in Israel's land. Its meaning, its measurements and its other details will then be fully known and understood. People will see that His blessed work, His victory and His person are pictured throughout this house.

At once we think of the lampstand, incense altar, veil, ark, censer and all the many related vessels of service. They give a wealth of spiritual instruction. There is no mention of a bronze sea or basin, and we do not read of the lavish use of gold, as in the house built by Solomon.

The whole of Ezekiel's earlier prophecies stands behind this final vision. It takes the form of a great plan with detailed specifications. It is drawn with the utmost care and set out with mathematical exactness. Its sharp outlines are meant to express those principles of God's holiness and government that the earlier messages of the book set out.

"Post," or posts, is ayil. It means anything strong. It is used for an oak or other strong tree, and for a ram. In building it means a lintel as well as a post, or a flat column set into a wall, since each is a strong support. So it applies to a wall that projects forward and serves as a partition or division. It also means the side of an entry or doorway… we are not to think of the posts as pillars or columns, but as sections of wall.

The altar of wood, called "the table which is before Jehovah," seems from this to have stood on the central axis of the temple… It looks more like the golden altar of incense, both in its form and in its place. Yet the difference is very clear: wood is the only material mentioned, and it is called a table as well as an altar. We can say little about this, except that the thoughts of worship and communion combine in this, the only article of furniture mentioned. Because it is only wood, no sacrifice such as the burning of incense could actually be offered on it. And nothing is said about bread being placed on it.

It is remarkable that the altar is given the name of the table where the show-bread was set out before the Lord. The reader can compare Malachi 1:7, 12.

Clearly this is meant to press home its holiness. It stands in the sanctuary, in His immediate presence, and it bears the offerings made to His name… The altar was before Jehovah, and it was called by His name. That is what made the desecration so terrible.

The altar-table just described stands on the central axis of the temple. So the prophet now notices the doors of both parts of the house, in direct line with it. This line is the way of approach to the presence of the Glory, which is soon to enter the inner chamber. Across it lies this altar-table, with its combined lesson — if we have read it rightly — of worship and communion. The only station for such holy service is in direct line with the opened Sanctuary.

There will then be no evening lamp, for Jehovah their light has risen on Zion for ever. No lampstand is needed any more, but the altar within is Jehovah's table; and no high priest serves there… No table with the twelve loaves stands there, for Israel themselves were before Him. No lampstand, for the True Light had been seen. In the Holiest there is no sign and no ark needed: Jehovah fills it alone.

From this, the altar of wood — called "the table that is before the LORD" — seems to have stood on the central axis of the temple. That put it in line with the doors of the most holy place, the dwelling place of the glory soon to enter... It seems to be more like the golden altar of incense, both in its form and its location, yet the difference is very clear: wood is the only material mentioned, and it bears the name table as well as altar. We can say little about this, except that the thoughts of worship and communion combine in this, the only article of furniture mentioned. The fact that it is only wood rules out any actual sacrifice on it, such as the burning of incense, and we read nothing of bread placed on it.

We can hardly pass over this. For all the detailed description of arrangement and measure given here, the account never mentions many features that stood out in the first temple and the tabernacle. At once we think of the lampstand, incense altar, veil, ark, censer, and all the many related vessels of service. They carry a wealth of spiritual instruction. We read nothing of a bronze sea or basin, nor of the lavish use of gold, as in the house Solomon built.

It is remarkable that the altar here carries the name of the table that held the showbread before the Lord. The reader can compare Malachi 1:7, 12.

Someone may reply that the Old Testament does call the altar the table of the Lord. Malachi (Mal. 1:7, 12) writes this way of the altar of burnt offering, and Ezekiel (Ezek. 41:22; Ezek. 44:16) of the altar of incense... The altar was the Lord's table, because He there fed, as it were, on the sacrifice burned on it. It was His table, and He alone fed at it... Though the Old Testament could call an altar the table of the Lord, the New Testament never calls the table an altar... We have a place at the Lord's table, because we have an altar. We eat at the one, we glory in the other.

The word "altar" connects itself with the thought of sacrifice; the expression "the Lord's table" connects itself with the thought of food. Seen from God's side, the altar shows the way of approach to Him. The table shows the blessings that those who are there enjoy together — the favours given by the One they approach.

The expression "the Lord's table" also appears in the Old Testament, and its use there helps us understand what it means in the New Testament... The altar and the table, as Malachi 1:7 shows, are identical, and Ezekiel 41:22 supports this further... When we see this, we understand better the meaning of 1 Corinthians 10:18: "are not those who eat the sacrifices participants in the altar?" This verse is the key to the passage, and Paul uses it as an illustration. Since the altar and the table are identical, we might say "participants in the table" instead of "participants in the altar."

In Ezekiel's temple the prophet mentions an incense altar made of wood (41:22), for he never tells us he saw any gold or precious metals. He mentions no lampstand, and no table of showbread either... Further, he mentions no veil — but doors to the oracle, or most holy place. So after comparing the tabernacle, Solomon's temple, and Ezekiel's, we mark progress. In the first there was a veil, and that only, between the two chambers. In the second there was still a veil; for the Lord had not then died, but doors to the oracle as well... Christ's death tore the veil, so in the future there will be no veil at all.

The future temple will have double-leaved doors, instead of a screen and a veil then renewed. Yet the sons of Israel and even the prince have no entry into the house — only the priests. There is no question of going within.

But why are there doors? May they not witness to God's absolute right to shut out from His presence, if occasion requires? There are two doors to each opening, and clearly two turning, or folding, leaves to each door. So the numbers two and four appear. They may speak of bearing witness to creation — the kind of witness the carved cherubim and palm trees show. The truth to which they witness orders and controls, as it were, the way of approach to the divine presence. Only the priestly family has the service and privilege of entering the house. Yet the lessons of its parts and arrangements are not for their instruction only. They are also so that the people themselves may know Jehovah as He is revealed here.

This is a wholly different measure of access to God from the one we know. We value the sacrifice of Christ according to its worth in heaven, and so we enter through the torn veil. For Israel, though surely redeemed, the barrier will be set up again.

In that day of blessing, even those who are the most blessed on earth will never have the access into God's presence that we have. We come by the Spirit, through the veil.

The altar-table just described stands on the central axis of the temple. So the prophet now notices the doors of both parts of the house, in direct line with it. The Glory will soon enter the inner chamber. Across this line of approach to its presence lies this altar-table, with its combined lesson — if we have read it rightly — of worship and communion. The only place for such holy service is in direct line with the opened sanctuary. Through its open doors the shining light of the indwelling Glory would light up the altar-table. Its rays would run along the central line of its dwelling, pass through the doors at the porch, and fall on the great altar — "the hearth of God."

By Him there is entrance into full salvation. Having become Man, He is the lasting witness of all that the cherubim and palm tree stand for. He is that witness to all creation, and to creation He stands as Firstborn and the Image of the invisible God. Only by Him is there access to the altar-table and the indwelling Glory. He may give access, or be as a closed door shutting out forever. He may be the Saviour or the Judge.

The short description is enough to show that these doors are like those of Solomon's temple (1 Kings 6:31-35). But here it seems the doors themselves matter less than where we find them... Across this line of approach to the presence of the Glory, which we will soon see entering the inner room, lies this altar-table... The only place for such holy service is in direct line with the opened Sanctuary. Through its open doors the shining light of the Glory living inside would light up the altar-table. It would send its rays along the central line of its home, through the doors at the porch, to fall on the great altar — "the hearth of God."

But why are there doors? May they not witness to God's absolute right to shut people out of His presence, if there is reason to? There are two doors to each opening, and clearly two turning, or folding, leaves to each door. So the numbers two and four appear. They may speak of bearing witness toward the creation — the kind of witness that the carved cherubim and palm trees show. The truth they witness to orders and controls, as it were, the way of approach to the Divine Presence. The service and privilege of entering the house belong only to the priestly family. Yet the lessons of its parts and arrangements are not only for them, but so that the people themselves may know Jehovah as He is revealed here (Ezek. 44:23).

He applies the figure of the door to Himself, as we know. By Him there is entrance into full salvation. Since He has become Man, He is the lasting witness of all that the cherubim and palm tree stand for. He is that witness to all creation, and to creation He stands as Firstborn and the Image of the invisible God. Only by Him is there access to the altar-table and the indwelling Glory. He may give access, or be as a closed door shutting out forever. He may be the Saviour or the Judge, for to Him has been committed all in relation to salvation and judgment.

The doors divided in the centre into two folding leaves, and this reminds us of the torn veil — Christ crucified. They seem to be a picture of Christ Jesus, through whom we draw near to God. Through Him, by faith in Him, we have boldness to enter — not only the Holy Place, but the Holiest of all as well (Heb. 10:19-22).

So this is a completely different measure of access to God from the one we know. We value the sacrifice of Christ according to its worth in heaven, and so we enter through the torn veil. For Israel, though surely redeemed, the barrier will be set up again.

The doors appear in Ezekiel's Temple (Ezekiel 41:3, 23), but nothing says they stand open. The prince and the people will not have access to the Sanctuary (Ezek. 46:1, 10). So it may be that the priests will not have access to the most holy place either. Israel will be under law, even though the law will be written on their hearts so that they should not break it. Under law, people are at a distance from God. Under grace they can draw near, and that into the holiest of all. What a difference!

The Hebrew means closed — that is, not opened like ordinary windows. Windows were usually openings filled with lattice work. The word could be rendered "latticed windows."

"Windows of narrow lights" means broad inside and narrow outside. These appear to be for the Holy Place. The windows named in Ezekiel 41:26 were the windows of the porch and of the side rooms on either side.

Only one feature of decoration is mentioned — the palm. It is the symbol of beauty (Song 7:7), of righteousness, prosperity and fruitfulness (Ps. 92:12-14), of salvation and victory (Rev. 7:9), and of royal glory (John 12:13). Its wide use in the first temple links it with the kingdom and glory that Solomon's reign pictures… The steady growth of the palm tree through every season stands for constancy and perseverance. The palm exactly fits the character of the time these visions belong to, and it adorns these buildings well.

Palm branches are named here, and Scripture ties this tree to righteousness. Jeremiah 10:5 says, "They are upright as the palm tree," and Psalm 92:12 says, "The righteous flourish like the palm tree." During the reign of Christ on earth, righteousness will prevail. Not only will it be seen in all the homes of Israel; it will fill the whole kingdom of the Son of Man… If righteousness is not found in the assembly today, where else on earth will it be found?

A brief mention of the porch points to its threshold, its windows, and its decoration, which here, as with the other surrounding rooms (Ezek. 40:16), was simply the palm tree. The cherubim belong instead to the house itself, and to the interior in particular. There is another reading of the end of verse 25, and it has good support: "And there were wooden planks upon the front of the porch outside." If that reading is accepted, the close of verse 26 should read "and the planks" instead of "and the portals." These planks would then also have palm trees carved on them, as on the surrounding walls. So the approach to the outer doors of the house would be over these carved planks. The word rendered "wooden planks" is the one used where death by hanging on a tree is mentioned (Gen. 40:19; Deut. 21:22; Joshua 10:26). It is by the tree cut down and shaped to the proper form that this path of approach to the doors is made. Is it too much to draw from this a suggestion of the Cross? In any case, by it the way has been made, whether for us or for Israel, by which access is possible.

So this is a completely different measure of access to God from the one we know. We value the sacrifice of Christ according to its worth in heaven, and so we enter through the torn veil. For Israel, though truly redeemed, the barrier will be set up again.

The temple and its services will be revived in surpassing splendour (Ezek. 40-46). Some have found a difficulty in the restoring of sacrifices. The difficulty vanishes once we remember that these sacrifices belong to an earthly people and an earthly temple, and that they will be commemorative in character… In the millennium they will look back to that one sacrifice for sin which was offered on the cross, just as the sacrifices under the law of Moses pointed forward to it.

The survey of the house, or sanctuary, is finished. Now the prophet is shown the cells, or chambers, for the priests.

The vision now describes two cell buildings. They stand on the north and south sides of the separate place, and they are three stories high. Again the familiar factors, 3, 5 and 10, stand out in the measurements.

The special purposes of these buildings are then stated. They are called holy. In them the priests eat the most holy things. Their portion of the offerings is brought to them there. And once they have gone into the holy place, they may only come out again by passing through these buildings. In them they change their clothes. They lay aside the holy linen they serve in, in the inner court or the house, before they go out into the outer court to the people. This prevents their garments from making the people holy... The point here is that everything must be kept properly separate from all contact with what is common. So it insists on the essential holiness of everything belonging to the inner courts, the temple buildings and the place of the priests.

Ezekiel 43:7-12 shows how much this separation matters for displaying the character and name of God. It compares the new plan with the arrangements of the first temple. Great defilement had come in because the royal buildings stood so close to the Sanctuary... Everything is clearly designed to impress the observer with the distinct holiness of Jehovah and His dwelling place. This is a lesson needed at all times. And in the days these visions of God point to, it will not only be taught as a command. It will also be on display before the whole world, all the time, in the plan and service of the Sanctuary, to which all nations shall come to worship.

Whatever is precious in the offering of Christ, from every point of view — in His life and in His death; in that bread come down from heaven, seen in His life of devotion and grace here below; and in His death for us — all of it is the food and nourishment of our souls. We feed on it in that communion with God in which we ourselves are kept in our priesthood. The priests alone ate the holy things, and they ate them in a holy place. Only when we know the presence of God, and under the power of that oil which is not poured on flesh, can we truly realise what is precious in the work of Christ.

The doors appear in Ezekiel's Temple (Ezekiel 41:3, 23), but they are never described as standing open. The prince and the people will not be given access to the Sanctuary (Ezekiel 46:1, 10), and so, it may be, the priests will not be given access to the most holy place either. Those people will be under law — written on their hearts, so that they should not break it — and under law people stand at a distance from God. Under grace they can draw near, and that into the holiest of all. What a difference!

Now that the survey of the house, or sanctuary, is finished, the prophet is shown the cells or chambers for the priests.

These rooms are called holy. In them the priests eat the most holy things. The priests' portion of the offerings is brought into them. Once the priests have entered the holy place, they may only go out again by passing through these buildings. There they change their clothes. They take off the holy linen they serve in, inside the inner court or the house, before they go out into the outer court to the people… The point here is that everything must be kept properly separate from all contact with the common. This insists on the essential holiness of everything that belongs to the inner courts, the temple buildings, and the place of the priests.

The man holds a line of flax and a measuring reed in his hand. He is ready to measure. In fact this is the work he keeps the prophet busy with as he leads him through the courts and around the buildings of the Sanctuary. This measuring carries prophetic meaning… It shows God's care and interest. Everything that touches His purposes and promises matters. It may also well mean that God has risen up to take possession — He is claiming His title. Every false claim will be set aside. Every wrongly seized possession will be removed. All will be set up by the measure of truth and righteousness.

…chapter 42 follows as a sequel. We may see it as closing the first part of the description. It matters because it destroys the idea that there ever was, or ever could be, any real likeness between Ezekiel's vision and any temple built so far. The wall on the outside of the house all around (Ezek. 40:5) is not measured until the end of Ezekiel 42. There it is declared to be 500 reeds square. The figure is given with the most exact precision. We cannot dismiss it as an exaggeration without damaging the character of the prophet, and of Scripture in general.

The temple and its services will be brought back in surpassing splendour. (Ezek. 40 - 46) Some have felt a difficulty about sacrifices being restored. The difficulty disappears when we remember that these sacrifices belong to an earthly people and an earthly temple. They will be acts of remembrance… in the millennium they will look back to that one sacrifice for sin offered on the cross, just as those under the law of Moses pictured it in advance.

God reveals His mind and purpose to His people for a reason. They (and we too) are to judge themselves and their history correctly in the light of that revelation. They are also to gain the wisdom they need to correct and direct all their ways.

The survey of the house, or sanctuary, is finished. Now the prophet is shown the cells or chambers for the priests.

In the outer court, probably on the west, behind the Temple, Ezekiel saw in vision a building of attached chambers, three storeys high, with galleries in front (Ezek. 42:1-8). These galleries, it appears, stood opposite the galleries of the Temple on the north and south sides, and matched them… In front of the Temple's side chambers, on either side, stood galleries in three storeys. They reached outwards ten cubits, north and south. This building had the same arrangement: galleries in three storeys in front of its attached chambers, reaching outwards ten cubits on either side, north and south. So the galleries of the building, in three storeys, stood opposite the galleries in three storeys of the Temple. That explains the expression GALLERY AGAINST GALLERY in three storeys (Ezek. 42:3).

The text then states the special purposes of these buildings. They are called holy. In them the priests eat the most holy things. The priests' portion of the offerings is brought to them. Once the priests have entered the holy place, they may only pass out again by going through these buildings. In them they change their clothes. They lay aside the holy linen they serve in, in the inner court or the house, before going out into the outer court to the people (v. 14; Ezek. 44:17-19). This keeps their clothes from making the people holy… Here the point is that everything must be kept separate from all contact with the common.

This whole plan rebukes and corrects a slackness: Israel had lost the true sense of the great difference between Jehovah and itself. The prophet shows that this sense was completely absent from the life of the nation. So rulers and people had violated the holiness of the temple, and had even brought in idol worship. They had failed badly to keep His holiness separate from evil. By these courts and gates, and the wide open spaces around them, Jehovah shows by a concrete example the truth of His surpassing glory, absolute pre-eminence, and essential holiness.

Doubtless the space would be far larger than Mount Moriah as it is; but this is a small difficulty to the believer, who looks for great physical change according to prophecy. To treat it as exaggeration, and still claim the literal interpretation is left intact, seems to me not only unbelieving but absurd.

God reveals His mind and purpose to His people so that they (and we too) may judge both themselves and their history rightly in the light of that revelation, and also gain the wisdom they need to correct and direct all their ways.

The survey of the house or sanctuary is finished, and now the prophet is shown the cells or chambers for the priests.

Then comes the measurement of "the most holy place" and a detailed description of the "many rooms" for the priests — the kind of rooms our Lord referred to in John 14:2, speaking of the temple of that day.

The doors that led from one chamber to the next faced north. On each floor the galleries took a cubit out of these joined chambers, just as each floor of the side-chambers took a cubit out of the walls of the Temple. The joined chambers run from north to south — from the side that pictures justice and judgment to the side that pictures mercy and loving-kindness — and they shrink as they rise. They teach us this: the deeper our view of Divine love, and the higher our sight of Heavenly glories, the smaller self becomes, and the less space self takes up.

In short, ten stands for the perfection of divine government in ordering relations both toward God and toward man (5+5). We see this, for example, in the ten commandments… So ten also stands for full responsibility — and for judgment, since judgment deals with whether responsibility has been met or not. This is easy to understand, and Scripture illustrates it. All of these things will be shown in fullest measure in the Millennium… And 100 is a dominant factor throughout, so it stamps the essential meaning of ten on the whole arrangement spread out here for us to think about.

They are called holy. In them the priests eat the most holy things. Here they receive their portion of the offerings. And once a priest has entered the holy place, he may leave only by passing out through these buildings. In these rooms the priests change their clothes. They take off the holy linen they serve in, in the inner court or the house, before they go out to the people in the outer court… The point here is that everything must be kept properly separate from every contact with what is common.

Aaron and his family of priests were to feed on what was given to God — the most holy things. (At least twice, Scripture tells us plainly that we are a holy priesthood.)… We who believe now are brought so near — nearer we could not be — into "the holy places" (Heb. 10:19), to feast on what delights God. The beaten oil, the pressed wine, the bruised wheat — all speak of Christ.

This whole plan rebukes and corrects a carelessness in Israel. They had lost any true sense of the great difference between Jehovah and themselves… rulers and people had violated the holiness of the temple, even bringing in the worship of idols. They had failed badly to keep His holiness separate from evil. By these courts and gates, and the wide open spaces around them, Jehovah shows by a solid example the truth of His surpassing glory, His absolute supremacy, and His essential holiness.

This part of the description is important, because it destroys the idea that there was, or could be, any real likeness between Ezekiel's prophetic vision and any temple ever actually built.

In front of the side rooms of the Temple, on both sides, were walkways in three storeys, reaching out ten cubits north and south. In the same way, in front of the attached rooms of this building, north and south, were walkways in three storeys, reaching out ten cubits on each side. So the building's walkways, in three storeys, stood opposite the Temple's walkways in three storeys. The attached rooms of this building in the outer court, unlike the side rooms of the Temple, grew smaller as they went up — probably seven, six, then five cubits.

These attached rooms run from north to south, from the side that pictures justice and judgment to the side that pictures mercy and loving-kindness, and they get smaller as they go up. They teach us this: the deeper our view of divine love and the higher our sight of heavenly glories, the smaller self becomes, and the less space self takes up.

In this whole detailed plan there is only one measurement we can be sure is a height (Ezek. 41:8). For the sanctuary, what lies before us is only a ground plan... It is typical of man in his pride and rebellion to aim at building a tower that will reach to heaven. An important principle is pictured here. Man's blessing is not found through his efforts to reach up to God, but through God coming down to him.

They are called holy. In them the priests eat the most holy things, and the priests' share of the offerings is brought to them. After the priests have gone into the holy place, they may leave only by passing through these buildings. There they change their clothes and lay aside the holy linen they serve in... This keeps them from making the people holy through their clothes... The point here is that everything must be kept properly separate from all contact with the common.

The square of 100 cubits comes up again and again. The whole sanctuary space is made up of 25 such squares, and the numbers five and ten dominate the measurements. All this is suggestive in the light of what these numbers mean in Scripture... In the perfect balance of every part we see that with God there is nothing uneven and nothing out of proportion. Every part and feature of His character is perfectly adjusted and shown in harmony.

No doubt the space would be far larger than Mount Moriah is today. But that is a small problem for the believer, who expects great physical change, as prophecy says. To call the figures an exaggeration, and still claim the literal meaning is left intact, seems to me not only unbelieving but absurd.

This vision leaves out much about the inside decoration and the furniture, which are all set out in full for both the tabernacle and the first temple. Leaving them out only gives more prominence and emphasis to the one great basic idea that clearly fills the whole vision. We have tried to show that this idea is the holiness of Jehovah. "Son of man, show the house to the house of Israel, so that they may be ashamed of their sins; and let them measure the pattern." God reveals His mind and purpose to His people so that they — and we too — may judge themselves and their history correctly in the light of what He has shown.

With the survey of the house or sanctuary finished, the prophet is shown the cells or chambers for the priests.

The text now describes two cell buildings. They stand on the north and south sides of the separate place, and they are three storeys high. Again the familiar factors, 3, 5, and 10, stand out in the measurements.

In the outer court, probably on the west, behind the Temple, Ezekiel saw in vision a building made up of attached rooms, in three storeys, with galleries in front (Ezek. 42:1-8)... Unlike the side rooms of the Temple, the attached rooms of this outer-court building grew smaller as they rose, probably seven, six, and five cubits. The doors leading from one room to the next faced north. On each storey the galleries took a cubit out of the attached rooms.

These attached rooms run from north to south, from the side that stands for justice and judgment to the side that stands for mercy and loving-kindness. They also grow smaller as they rise. They teach us that the deeper our view of God's love, and the higher our thoughts of heavenly glory, the smaller self becomes, and the less space self takes up.

The text then states what these buildings are for. They are called holy. In them the priests eat the most holy things. Their portion of the offerings is brought to them there. Once the priests have entered the holy place, they may leave only by passing through these buildings. In them they change their clothes. They take off the holy linen they wear while serving in the inner court or the house, before they go out into the outer court to the people (ver. 14; Ezek. 44:17-19)... The point here is that everything must be kept properly separate from all contact with the common. This insists on the essential holiness of everything that belongs to the inner courts, the temple buildings, and the priestly place.

This final vision of Ezekiel has for its background the whole of his preceding prophecies. It takes the form of a great plan with specifications attached. It is drawn with the utmost care and set out with mathematical exactness. Its sharp outlines are meant to express those principles of God's holiness and government that the earlier messages of the book set out.

The reader will see that these last chapters give a revelation of the same kind as the one given to Moses for the tabernacle, and to David for the temple. The difference is that here the details remain in the writings given to the people by inspiration. They stand as a testimony for the time to come, and speak to conscience in all times. God takes an interest in His people. He will re-establish His sanctuary among men.

...a sequel in chapter 42. It may be seen as closing the first part of the description, and it matters because it destroys the idea that there was, or could be, any real likeness between Ezekiel's prophetic vision and any temple ever actually built.

With the survey of the house or sanctuary finished, the prophet is shown the cells or chambers for the priests.

The Temple on the west was fifty cubits wide, counting the sanctuary and the side chambers on the north and south. The walls of this structure, with its attached chambers, were also fifty cubits long (verse 7)… In front of the side chambers of the Temple, on either side, stood galleries in three storeys, reaching outwards ten cubits north and south. In front of the attached chambers of this building, north and south, stood the same: galleries in three storeys, reaching outwards ten cubits on either side… The attached chambers of this building in the outer court, unlike the side chambers of the Temple, grew smaller as they went up, being probably seven, six and five cubits.

This wall running all the way round is one reed high and one reed broad — a reed of six cubits, equal to 7.2 feet in our measure. We see at once that this wall is not for protection against enemies. It is too low. It means something other than a defence against attack. The basic idea here is separation. The wall teaches that the space it encloses is holy, set apart to Jehovah… It preaches the shutting out of all that defiles… He must be sanctified in all those who draw near to Him.

These rooms are called holy. In them the priests eat the most holy things. The priests' portion of the offerings comes to them. And once the priests have entered the holy place, they may only go out again by passing through these buildings. There they change their clothes. They lay aside the holy linen they serve in, in the inner court or the house, before they go out into the outer court to the people… The point here is that everything must be kept properly separate from all contact with the common.

…a sequel in chapter 42. We may take it as the close of the first part of the description. It matters because it destroys the idea that there was, or could be, any real likeness between Ezekiel's prophetic vision and any temple built so far. The wall on the outside of the house all round (Ezek. 40:5) is not measured until the end of Ezekiel 42. There it is called 500 reeds square. That figure is given with the most exact precision. We cannot call it an exaggeration without shaking the character of the prophet, and of scripture in general.

This whole plan rebukes and corrects a slackness in Israel. They had lost any true sense of the great difference between Jehovah and themselves… They had failed badly to keep His holiness separate from evil. By these courts and gates, and the wide open spaces around them, Jehovah is showing by a concrete example the truth of His surpassing glory, His absolute supremacy, and His essential holiness.

The survey of the house or sanctuary being ended, the prophet is given to see the cells or chambers for the priests.

Two cell buildings are now described. They are located on the north and south sides of the separate place, and are three stories high. Again the familiar factors, 3, 5, and 10, are prominent in the measurements.

The "wall on the outside of the house round about" (Ezek. 40:5) is not measured until the end of Ezekiel 42. There it is declared to be 500 reeds square. The figure is given with the most exact precision. You cannot call it a "hyperbole" without shaking the character of the prophet, and of scripture in general. That is, the grounds are to take in far more than the entire city did.

The true interpretation is the literal one. It looks on these chapters as a prophecy not yet fulfilled. It will be fulfilled when the Shepherd has restored Israel, and when His glory is seen among His people once more.

They are called holy. In them the priests eat the most holy things. The priests' portion of the offerings is brought there. And once the priests have entered the holy place, they may only go out through these buildings. In them they change their clothes. They lay aside the holy linen they wear when they serve in the inner court or the house, before they go out to the people in the outer court (ver. 14; Ezek. 44:17-19). This keeps them from making the people holy through their garments… Here the point is that everything must be kept in its proper separation from all contact with the common.

Then comes the measurement of "the most holy place" (Ezek. 45:3) and an elaborate description of the "many mansions" for the priests, such as were referred to in reference to the temple of that day by our Lord in John 14:2.

This whole plan is a rebuke and a correction. Israel had grown careless and had lost any true sense of the great difference between Jehovah and themselves… rulers and people had violated the holiness of the temple, even bringing in idol worship. They had failed badly to keep His holiness separate from evil. By these courts and gates, and the wide open spaces around them, Jehovah is showing by a concrete example the truth of His surpassing glory, absolute pre-eminence, and essential holiness.

So even then the prophet is commanded to set the house before Israel in its measured pattern, so that they might feel what their sin had taken from them. The vision will have a deep effect on them later on.

Having described his sight of the temple buildings (40-42), he now describes the glory of God coming to fill them. "And behold, the glory of the God of Israel came from the way of the east… And the glory of Jehovah came into the house by the way of the gate whose front was toward the east… and behold the glory of Jehovah filled the house" (Ezek. 43:2-5).

Now that the survey of the house, or sanctuary, is finished, the prophet is shown the cells, or chambers, for the priests.

The text now describes two cell buildings. They stand on the north and south sides of the separate place, and they are three stories high. Once again the familiar factors 3, 5, and 10 stand out in the measurements.

In the outer court, probably on the west, behind the Temple, Ezekiel saw in his vision a building made of attached chambers, in three storeys, with galleries in front (Ezek. 42:1-8)... You went into these attached, or joined, chambers from one to the next, from north to south... Unlike the side chambers of the Temple, the attached chambers of this building in the outer court grew smaller as they went up: probably seven cubits, then six, then five. The doors leading from one into another faced the north.

They are called holy. In them the priests eat the most holy things. Into them comes the priests' portion of the offerings. And once the priests have entered the holy place, they may go out only by passing through these buildings. There they change their clothes. They lay aside the holy linen they wear while ministering in the inner court or the house, before going out into the outer court to the people (ver. 14; Ezek. 44:17-19). This is to avoid making the people holy by their garments... The point here is that everything must be kept properly separate from all contact with the common. This insists on the essential holiness of everything belonging to the inner courts, the temple buildings, and the priests' place.

The whole design rebukes and corrects a careless attitude: the loss of any true sense of the great difference between Jehovah and Israel. The prophet shows that this sense was completely absent from the life of the nation. Rulers and people alike had violated the holiness of the temple, even bringing in idol worship. They had failed seriously to uphold His holiness in separation from evil. By these courts and gates, and the wide open spaces around them, Jehovah shows in concrete form the truth of His surpassing glory, absolute pre-eminence, and essential holiness.

It is easy enough to understand a general description of the Church as a temple, a city, or the people Israel. The New Testament does use all these images of it. But Ezekiel is not giving that kind of general description of a temple. Every detail is set out with an architectural precision completely unsuited to allegory, yet essential for describing the plan of a real building.

The wall comes first, a symbol of perfect protection, shutting out all evil. Then the gate, letting in all that is right and good. Then the chambers: God not only dwells in the holiest of all, but there is room for His priests to dwell there too.

The survey of the house, or sanctuary, is finished. Now the prophet is shown the cells, or chambers, for the priests.

Two cell buildings are now described. They are located on the north and south sides of the separate place, and are three stories high. Again the familiar factors, 3, 5, and 10, are prominent in the measurements.