It has been some twelve years since any recorded word of the Lord has come to Ezekiel. In what seems to be a mere continuation of his previous futuristic vision, Ezekiel now sees the great Temple.
The vision reminds one in many ways, particularly in its attention to detail, of two earlier descriptions of the tabernacle in the wilderness, and Solomon’s magnificent Temple in Jerusalem. The similarity suggests that, to the people of Israel, one of the most important features of the restoration is the rebuilding of the now ruined Temple.
Ezekiel’s prophecy must surely give renewed hope to the downcast nation, yet his vision casts another image far beyond the time when the nation shall be re-established, and the Temple rebuilt.
It becomes clear when it is realised that the new Temple will not have the physical beauty or dimensions of the one it replaces. There is also a great difference between the religious service in the Temple.
There will be no Ark of the Covenant, no Golden Lampstand, no bread of the presence, and no Veil. There is no observance of the Feast of Weeks, no day of Atonement, that holiest of holy days. Nor will the Levites serve as they had served under Moses’ Law.
Although there will still be priests, there will be no high priests. Instead, there will be a ‘prince’ or succession of ‘princes’, who will offer sacrifices on behalf of the people.
What Ezekiel is about to be shown is something far different from anything he or his people would have known at this time. As he was at the beginning of his ministry, Ezekiel was once again taken by the hand of the Lord to the Land of Israel.
There, he is shown symbolically the new Temple to come, its worship rituals, its celebrations, its servants and priests, its laws, and the division of the land surrounding it.
Ezekiel dates these prophecies in 572 B.C., Ezekiel 40:1, fourteen years after the fall of Jerusalem in 586 B.C. Again, we begin by noting that the prophet is receiving a vision, Ezekiel 40:1 / Ezekiel 1:1 / Ezekiel 8:3. In the vision, God wanted Ezekiel to see the restored Jerusalem.
Thus, the angel took Ezekiel to the land of Israel, probably Jerusalem, set him on a very high mountain, Ezekiel 40:2, possibly Mount Moriah, 2 Chronicles 3:1, in order that he might see in vision what he would never see in life, for he would be dead by the time this vision was fulfilled. But to give hope to the captives, he was to tell what he saw to the people throughout the Babylonian Empire.
Parunak, in his commentary, says the following.
‘Ezekiel’s transportation in a vision back to Israel amounted to a kind of homecoming for him. He had previously been in Babylon in his visions, Ezekiel 3:14-15 / Ezekiel 8:3 / Ezekiel 11:24, but now the Lord took him, as He would later take all the Israelites, back to the Promised Land.’
He is brought to Jerusalem and sees a man whose appearance was like bronze, Ezekiel 40:3, signifying that he is strong, 1 Kings 4:13 / Job 40:18. He is standing in the main gateway of this temple structure with a linen cord and measuring rod in his hand, Ezekiel 40:3. This man is to show Ezekiel something which the prophet is then to relate to the remnant, Ezekiel 40:4.
Clarke, in his commentary, says the following.
‘Like bright polished brass, which strongly reflected the rays of light. Probably, he had what we would term a nimbus or glory round his head. This was either an angel, or, as some think, a personal appearance of our blessed Lord.’
Ezekiel sees a wall completely surrounding the temple area, which would form a square, Ezekiel 40:5 / Ezekiel 40:2 / Ezekiel 42:20. The literal Hebrew word for ‘temple’ is the word ‘house,’ Ezekiel 40:5, and thus can be translated as ‘house’ throughout the remainder of these chapters.
The measuring rod in the man’s hand was six long cubits, eleven feet, Ezekiel 40:5. A cubit is about eighteen inches or forty-five centimetres, Deuteronomy 3:11.
The rod is about ten and a half feet or a little over three meters. Measuring of anything usually indicates ownership, Zechariah 2:1 / Revelation 11:1 / Revelation 21:15.
Next to be measured in the east gate, and so, the man climbs its steps, Ezekiel 40:6 / Ezekiel 40:22 / Ezekiel 40:26, and measures the threshold of the gate, and it measures one rod deep, which is ten feet, Ezekiel 40:6.
Constable, in his commentary, says the following.
‘He probably measured the east gate first because it was in a direct line with the entrance to the temple building proper. Temple gates provided access but restricted that access in relation to God’s presence.’
Vawter and Hoppe, in their commentary, say the following.
‘It is significant that the entrance into the temple is from the east, since it was toward the east that God left the temple according to Ezekiel 11:23.’
The alcoves for the guards, Ezekiel 40:10, were one rod long and one rod wide, that is, ten feet by ten feet, Ezekiel 40:12, and the projecting walls between the alcoves were eight and a half feet thick, Ezekiel 40:7. And the threshold of the gate next to the portico facing the temple was one rod deep, that is, ten feet deep and sixteen feet eight inches wide, Ezekiel 40:7.
Constable, in his commentary, says the following.
‘There were six guardrooms, three on each side of the hallway through the gate complex.’
Next to be measured is the portico of the gateway, Ezekiel 40:8. It measured fourteen feet deep and three and a half feet wide. The portico faced the temple, Ezekiel 40:9.
Inside the east gate were three alcoves on each side, all of which measured the same and the faces of the projecting walls on each side all measured the same, Ezekiel 40:10.
Feinberg, in his commentary, says the following.
‘In Ezekiel 40:10 reference was made again to the eastward gate, which was in some ways the most important of all, for through it the glory of God would return to the sanctuary, Ezekiel 43.’
Next to be measured is the entrance of the gateway, which measured eighteen feet wide and twenty feet long, Ezekiel 40:11. In front of each alcove was a wall measuring one foot eight inches high, and the alcoves were ten feet squared, Ezekiel 40:12.
Next to be measured is the gateway from the top of the rear wall of one alcove to the top of the opposite one, from one parapet opening to the opposite one; it measured forty-four feet, Ezekiel 40:13 / Ezekiel 40:21.
Constable, in his commentary, says the following.
‘Evidently, there were doors in the walls of the guardrooms that covered windows or niches in those walls, Ezekiel 40:16 / Ezekiel 41:16.
He measured along the faces of the projecting walls all around the inside of the gateway, Ezekiel 40:14. The measurement was up to the portico facing the courtyard; it measured one-hundred and five feet, Ezekiel 40:14. The distance from the entrance of the gateway to the far end of its portico was eighty-eight feet, Ezekiel 40:15.
Constable, in his commentary, says the following.
‘This may seem extraordinarily tall to modern readers, but imposing gates were common in the great cities of antiquity. The gate system’s walls wrapped around from the main wall of the temple enclosure to the doorjambs that framed the doorway into the courtyard, Ezekiel 40:9.’
Block, in his commentary, says the following concerning Ezekiel 40:16.
‘There were shuttered windows or alcoves in the exterior walls of the guardrooms and vestibule, perhaps creating cupboards for storing the utensils.’
The faces of the projecting walls were decorated with palm trees, Ezekiel 40:16 / Ezekiel 40:26 / Leviticus 23:40 / 1 Kings 6:29 / 1 Kings 6:32 / 1 Kings 6:35 / 1 Kings 7:36 / 2 Chronicles 3:5 / Song of Solomon 7:7 / Psalms 92:12-14 / Nehemiah 8:15 / Zechariah 14:16-21.
Alexander, in his commentary, says the following.
‘The entire gate system resembled the multiple entry gates archaeologists discovered from the Solomonic period. There were several guard rooms, 2 Chronicles 12:11, or alcoves, on either side of the inner part of Solomon’s gate.’
The man now takes Ezekiel into the outer court. The outer court has thirty rooms, Ezekiel 40:17. It abutted the sides of the gateways and was as wide as they were long; this was the lower pavement, Ezekiel 40:18 / 2 Chronicles 7:3 / Esther 1:6.
The man now measures the distance from the inside of the lower gateway to the outside of the inner court, and it measures one hundred and seventy-five feet on the east and the north, Ezekiel 40:19.
Next to be measured is the north gate which led to the outer court, Ezekiel 40:20. It’s alcoves had the same measurements as those of the first gateway, Ezekiel 40:6-16, which was eighty-three feet four inches long and forty-one feet eight inches wide, Ezekiel 40:21.
Its openings, portico and palm tree decorations had the same measurements as those of the gate facing east, Ezekiel 40:22 / Ezekiel 40:15-16. Seven steps led up to it, with its portico opposite them, Ezekiel 40:22 / Ezekiel 40:6.
There was a gate to the inner court facing the north gate, just as there was on the east. He measured from one gate to the opposite one, and it measured one-hundred and sixty-sixty feet eight inches, Ezekiel 40:23 / Ezekiel 40:19.
The man now takes Ezekiel to the south side, where he sees the south gate, where the jambs and portico are measured the same as others, Ezekiel 40:24. The gateway and its portico had narrow openings all around, like the openings of the others, which measured eighty-three feet four inches long and forty-one feet eight inches, Ezekiel 40:25 / Ezekiel 40:15 / Ezekiel 40:13 / Ezekiel 40:21.
Seven steps led up to it, Ezekiel 40:22 / Ezekiel 40:6, with its portico opposite them and it again has palm tree decorations on the faces of the projecting walls on each side, Ezekiel 40:26 / Ezekiel 40:16 / Ezekiel 40:26 / Leviticus 23:40 / 1 Kings 6:29 / 1 Kings 6:32 / 1 Kings 6:35 / 1 Kings 7:36 / 2 Chronicles 3:5 / Song of Solomon 7:7 / Psalms 92:12-14 / Nehemiah 8:15 / Zechariah 14:16-21.
The inner court also had a gate facing south, and he measured from this gate to the outer gate on the south side; it measured one-hundred and sixty-six feet eight inches, Ezekiel 40:27 / Ezekiel 40:19.
I’m sure you noticed that all these measurements taken from the south side are the same as they were on the east, Ezekiel 40:5-16, and north sides, Ezekiel 40:20-23.
In Ezekiel 40:28-47, we will read about the inner court with its gates, rooms, and slaughtering tables. Ezekiel is now taken into the inner court through the south gate, and the man measures the gate; it measured the same as the other gates, Ezekiel 40:28. Forty-one feet eight inches across and eight feet four inches deep, Ezekiel 40:9.
The alcoves, Ezekiel 40:29, ten feet by ten feet, Ezekiel 40:12, projecting walls and their portico also measured the same as the others, Ezekiel 40:29, one hundred feet, Ezekiel 40:15.
The porticoes of the gateways around the inner court were eighty-three feet four inches long and forty-one feet eight inches, Ezekiel 40:30 / Ezekiel 40:25 / Ezekiel 40:15 / Ezekiel 40:13 / Ezekiel 40:21.
Its portico faced the outer court, and more palm trees decorated its jambs, Ezekiel 40:31 / Ezekiel 40:26 / Ezekiel 40:16 / Ezekiel 40:26 / Leviticus 23:40 / 1 Kings 6:29 / 1 Kings 6:32 / 1 Kings 6:35 / 1 Kings 7:36 / 2 Chronicles 3:5 / Song of Songs 7:7 / Psalms 92:12-14 / Nehemiah 8:15 / Zechariah 14:16-21. Eight steps led up to it, Ezekiel 40:31 / Ezekiel 40:6 / Ezekiel 40:22.
The man takes Ezekiel to the inner court on the east side. He measured the gateway, and it had the same measurements as the others, Ezekiel 40:32. Forty-one feet eight inches across and eight feet four inches deep, Ezekiel 40:9.
Its alcoves, Ezekiel 40:33, ten feet by ten feet, Ezekiel 40:29 / Ezekiel 40:12, its projecting walls, and its portico one hundred feet, Ezekiel 40:15, all measured the same measurements as the others, Ezekiel 40:33. The gateway and its portico had openings measured one hundred feet long, and forty-one feet eight inches wide, Ezekiel 40:32.
Its portico faced the outer court, and once again, we see palm trees decorating the jambs on either side, Ezekiel 40:34 / Ezekiel 40:26 / Ezekiel 40:16 / Ezekiel 40:26. There were also eight steps that led up to it, Ezekiel 40:34 / Ezekiel 40:31.
I’m sure you notice that the eastern inner court was exactly like the southern inner court complex, Ezekiel 40:17-19. Ezekiel is then taken to the north gate, and the man measured it; the measurements were the same as the others, Ezekiel 40:35.
Its alcoves, its projecting walls and its portico measured eighty-three feet four inches long and forty-one feet eight inches wide, Ezekiel 40:36 / Ezekiel 40:30 / Ezekiel 40:25 / Ezekiel 40:15 / Ezekiel 40:13 / Ezekiel 40:21
Its portico faced the outer court, once again, palm trees decorated the jambs on either side, Ezekiel 40:37 / Ezekiel 40:31 / Ezekiel 40:26 / Ezekiel 40:16 / Ezekiel 40:26.
It had eight steps leading up to it, Ezekiel 40:37 / Ezekiel 40:34 / Ezekiel 40:31. Note again, this is identical to inner gate complex on the north side, Ezekiel 40:20-23.
Ezekiel sees a room outside each of the three inner gateways; this is where the priests would wash animals brought as burnt offerings, Ezekiel 40:38 / Ezekiel 43:13-46:24.
Within the portico of the gateway, there were two tables on each side, indicating there were four tables, Ezekiel 40:39. This is where priests slaughtered animals brought as burnt, sin, and guilt offerings, Ezekiel 40:39.
Alexander, in his commentary, says the following.
‘The sin and guilt offerings, therefore, reminded the Israelite that he was sinful and that he needed the Messiah’s innocent blood, typified in the animal, to cleanse him of his sin and to bring forgiveness from God.’
There were also four tables on the outside of the gateway, near the steps, two on each side of the entrance, giving us a total of eight tables, Ezekiel 40:41. Another four tables are mentioned; these ones are made of stone for the burnt offerings, Ezekiel 40:42. They measured two and two-thirds feet long and twenty-one inches high, Ezekiel 40:42.
The utensils for slaughtering the offerings and sacrifices were placed on these tables, Ezekiel 40:42. Ezekiel also sees double hooks about three and a half inches long hanging on the walls, Ezekiel 40:43. The tables were for putting the animal sacrifices on, Ezekiel 40:43.
Another two rooms are mentioned within the inner court, one at the side of the north gate and facing south, and another at the side of the south gate and facing north, Ezekiel 40:44. The Septuagint tells us that these were rooms for the singers.
Constable, in his commentary, says the following.
‘The Septuagint translators assumed that this room stood beside the south inner gate because this gives a more symmetrical arrangement. This is probably correct even though the Hebrew text locates it beside the east inner gate, Ezekiel 42:10.’
The room facing south is for the priests who guard the temple, Ezekiel 40:45, and the room facing north is for the priests who guard the altar, Ezekiel 40:46 / Ezekiel 43:13-17.
These priests were Levites, the descendants of Zadok, Ezekiel 40:46 / Ezekiel 44:15 / 1 Samuel 2:31-33 / 2 Samuel 15:24-29 / 1 Kings 1:5-26 / 1 Kings 1:32-35 / 1 Kings 2:26-27 / 1 Kings 2:35 / 1 Chronicles 6:3-8 / 1 Chronicles 24:3.
The man measures the court; it measures one-hundred and sixty-six feet eight inches on each side. The altar is in front of the temple.
Ezekiel is taken to the portico of the temple, and the man measured the jambs of the portico; it measured eight feet four inches wide on either side, Ezekiel 40:48. The width of the entrance measured was twenty-five feet, its projecting walls measured five and a half feet wide on either side, Ezekiel 40:48.
The portico measured thirty feet wide, twenty-one feet from front to back. It was reached by a flight of stairs, and there were pillars on each side of the jambs, Ezekiel 40:48 / 1 Kings 7:16-20.
Ezekiel is given this revelation in order to bring hope to the captives, reassuring them that though the temple had been destroyed, and the temple sacrifices terminated, they would, in the years to come, be reinstituted.
The purpose of the revelation, therefore, was to bring encouragement to the discouraged captives in the wake of the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple. It is difficult not to understand that these prophecies look beyond the physical restoration of Israel to the land of Palestine.
In this chapter, the man measured for the returnees the places for the restored sacrifices. When the return of the exiles happened, they would reinstitute sacrifices at the temple.
Since the word ‘house’ would metaphorically refer to the abiding place of God among His people, the physical symbol of the temple is used in prophecy to look forward to the house of God, the church, 1 Timothy 3:15.
In our hindsight view of the establishment of the church, we can see the symbolism of the physical return of God’s people to the land of Palestine as a metaphor that would refer to the establishment of the church in Acts 2.