Ezekiel 41

Ezekiel 41 THE SACRED Eze_41:1-15 a Holy Place (Ezekiel 41:1-2): And he brought me to the temple, and measured the posts, six cubits broad on the one side, and six cubits broad on the other side, which was the breadth of the tabernacle. (2) And the breadth of the entrance was ten cubits; and the sides of the entrance were five cubits on the one side, and five cubits on the other side: and he measured the length thereof, forty cubits, and the breadth, twenty cubits. Walking westward through the porch, Ezekiel entered the temple proper (hekal). This area he calls the tabernacle or tent (Ezekiel 41:1) “because the posts were shaped like an arch at the top like a tent.” The prophet does not mention the contents of this area, only its dimensions. The holy place— the area between the porch and the holy of holies— was forty cubits long and twenty cubits wide corresponding to the same room in Solomon’s temple (Ezekiel 41:2; 1 Kings 6:2­3). Most Holy Place (Ezekiel 41:3-4): Then went he inward, and measured each post of the entrance, two cubits; and the entrance, six cubits; and the breadth of the entrance, seven cubits. (Ezekiel 41:4) He measured the length thereof, twenty cubits, and the breadth, twenty cubits, before the temple: and he said unto me, This is the most holy place. Only the angel entered the most holy place, i.e., the holy of holies (Ezekiel 41:3). The entrance to the holy of holies was but seven cubits wide. The holy of holies was twenty cubits square corresponding to the dimensions of the same room in Solomon’s temple (cf. 1 Kings 6:16-17). The guide breaks the silence for the second time on this temple tour, to identify the area he has just measured (Ezekiel 41:4). There is no mention of the ark of the covenant that was housed in this area in Solomon’s temple. This harmonizes with Jeremiah’s prophecy that the ark would be missing in the messianic age (Jeremiah 3:16). Side Chambers (Ezekiel 41:5-12) The side chambers proper (Ezekiel 41:5-8): Then he measured the wall of the house, six cubits; and the breadth of every side-chamber, four cubits, round about the house on every side. (Ezekiel 41:6) The side-chambers were in three stories, one over another, and thirty in order; and they entered into the wall which belonged to the house for the side-chambers round about, that they might have hold therein, and not have hold in the wall of the house. (Ezekiel 41:7) And the side-chambers were broader as they encompassed the house higher and higher; for the encompassing of the house went higher and higher round about the house: therefore the breadth of the house continued upward; and so one went up from the lowest chamber to the highest by the middle chamber. (Ezekiel 41:8) I saw also that the house had a raised basement round about: the foundations of the side- chambers were a full reed of six great cubits. As in Solomon’s temple, attached to the wall of Ezekiel’s visionary temple on three sides were side-chambers (cf. 1 Kings 6:5-6). They were in three stories. The chambers of the second story were slightly larger than those on the ground floor, while those of the third story were still larger. This was possible because of abatements in the wall (v 7). Along the back or west wall there were three large chambers, one on each of the three levels.

There were fifteen along the south wall, and fifteen along the north wall, five chambers on each tier. The wall of the temple was six cubits thick at the base; but at two points it diminished as it ascended. These abatements served as supports for the beams of the second and third stories (Ezekiel 41:6). The upper-most story was reached by a spiral staircase. It passed from the ground floor through the middle tier (v 7). Other details about the side chambers (Ezekiel 41:9-11): The thickness of the wall, which was for the side- chambers on the outside, was five cubits: and that which was left was the place of the side- chambers, that belonged to the house. (Ezekiel 41:10) Between the chambers was a breadth of twenty cubits round about the house on every side. (Ezekiel 41:11) The doors of the side-chambers were toward the place that was left, one door toward the north, and another door toward the south: and the breadth of the place that was left was five cubits round about. A thick wall surrounded the chambers on the outside. Thus, the chambers were constructed between two massive walls (Ezekiel 41:9). Between these side-chambers and the chambers of the priests mentioned in Ezekiel 40:44-46 was a space of twenty cubits called in KJV the separate place and in the RSV the temple yard (Ezekiel 41:10). The side-chambers were entered from without through two doors, one in the north wall, the other in the south wall. These probably were located at the mid-point of the wall. Connecting doors made passage from one chamber to another possible (v 11).

The Hinder Building (Ezekiel 41:12): The building that was before the separate place at the side toward the west was seventy cubits broad; and the wall of the building was five cubits thick round about, and the length thereof ninety cubits. At the rear of the temple was a large separate building (seventy by ninety cubits) that probably served as a storage area.

External Dimensions (Ezekiel 41:13-15 a): So he measured the house, a hundred cubits long; and the separate place, and the building, with the walls thereof, a hundred cubits long; (Ezekiel 41:14) also the breadth of the face of the house, and of the separate place toward the east, a hundred cubits. (Ezekiel 41:15) He measured the length of the building before the separate place which was at the back thereof, and the galleries thereof on the one side and on the other side, a hundred cubits. The total length of the temple from east to west, from the wall of the porch to the back western wall, was one hundred cubits (Ezekiel 41:13 a). The pavement and building at the rear of the temple extended westward another one hundred cubits (Ezekiel 41:13 b). The front of the temple, along with its yard, was one hundred cubits (v 14). The overall breadth of the building at the rear of the temple was also one hundred cubits. Galleries or balconies were built along the outside of the wall (Ezekiel 41:15). TEMPLE Ezekiel 41:15-26 The Measuring (Ezekiel 41:15-17): [He measured] the inner temple, and the porches of the court; (16) the thresholds, and the closed windows, and the galleries round about on their three stories, over against the threshold, ceiled with wood round about, and from the ground up to the windows, (now the windows were covered) (17) to the space above the door, even unto the inner house, and without, and by all the wall round about within and without, by measure. The holy place, holy of holies and the porches of the court all had jambs, narrow windows and balconies (Ezekiel 41:15 b). The stone walls were covered with paneling from floor to ceiling (Ezekiel 41:16-17).

The Decorations (Ezekiel 41:18-21): It was made with cherubim and palm-trees; and a palm-tree was between cherub and cherub, and every cherub had two faces; (Ezekiel 41:19) so that there was the face of a man toward the palm-tree on the one side, and the face of a young lion toward the palm-tree on the other side: thus was it made through all the house round about. (Ezekiel 41:20) From the ground unto above the door were cherubim and palm-trees made: thus was the wall of the temple. (Ezekiel 41:21) As for the temple, the floor posts were squared; and as for the face of the sanctuary, the appearance thereof was as the appearance of the temple. As in Solomon’ s temple (1 Kings 6:29), the wooden panels were decorated with carved figures of cherubim and palm-trees (Ezekiel 41:18) from floor to ceiling (Ezekiel 41:20). These cherubim had two faces— that of a man and that of a lion— that were turned in opposite directions. Each palm-tree was between the human face of one cherub and the lion’ s face of another cherub (Ezekiel 41:19). The jambs or doorposts of the temple were square rather than round (Ezekiel 41:21).

The Altar (Ezekiel 41:22): The altar was of wood, three cubits high, and the length thereof two cubits; and the corners thereof, and the walls thereof, were of wood: and he said unto me, This is the table that is before the LORD. Ezekiel 41:22 describes one of the pieces of furniture of the holy place. For the third time the guide breaks silence to designate the altar as the table that is before the LORD. Opinions differ as to whether the altar of incense is being described metaphorically as a table, or the table of showbread is being described metaphorically as an altar.

THE DOORS Ezekiel 41:23-26 The temple and the sanctuary had two doors. (Ezekiel 41:24) And the doors had two leaves apiece, two turning leaves; two leaves for the one door, and two leaves for the other. (Ezekiel 41:25) There were made on them, on the doors of the temple, cherubim and palm-trees, like as were made upon the walls; and there was a threshold of wood upon the face of the porch without. (Ezekiel 41:26) There were closed windows and palm-trees on the one side and on the other side, on the sides of the porch: thus were the side-chambers of the house, and the thresholds. The holy place and the holy of holies each had a double door (Ezekiel 41:23). Each door had two leaves that could be folded back independently (Ezekiel 41:24). It would be possible for a door to be opened only a quarter of the full width of the entrance. The doors, like the walls, were decorated with cherubim and palm-trees (Ezekiel 41:25). Beams extended before the porch making a kind of overhang (Ezekiel 41:25). Ezekiel Chapter Forty-One

Verse 1 This whole chapter details the parts, decorations, and ornaments of the Temple: the posts, the doors, the walls, the sides, the chambers, the three terraces, the stairs, the narrow windows, the palm trees, the cherubim, and the young lions, the sanctuary, the altar, the tables, etc. The Sanctuary Of JehovahThe man with the measuring reed now proceeds to direct the prophet’ s attention particularly to the sanctuary itself, which according to the description given would be a most magnificent building, and yet differing in many respects from the temple which Solomon erected of old to the glory of the God of Israel. “ And be brought me to the temple, and measured the posts, six cubits broad on the one side, and six cubits broad on the other side, which was the breadth of the tabernacle. And the breadth of the entrance was ten cubits; and the sides of the entrance were five cubits on the one side, and five cubits on the other side: and he measured the length thereof, forty cubits, and the breadth, twenty cubits. Then went he inward, and measured each post of the entrance, two cubits; and the entrance, six cubits; and the breadth of the entrance, seven cubits. And he measured the length thereof, twenty cubits, and the breadth, twenty cubits, before the temple: and he said unto me, This is the most holy place” -Ezekiel 41:1-4. It will be observed that the dimensions given for the inner sanctuary are the same as those of Solomon’ s temple and just double the size of the tabernacle in the wilderness. That all the numbers here have definite significance we do not question, but others have taken this up very fully, and it will not be my task to go into it in this place. The sanctuary consists of two rooms as of old, the holy and the most holy places. It is noticeable that into the second the prophet apparently does not enter. The man with the measuring reed alone passes into this sacred enclosure while Ezekiel looks on. Details as to the building itself are given in the verses that follow: “ Then he measured the wall of the house, six cubits; and the breadth of every side-chamber, four cubits, round about the house on every side. And the side-chambers were in three stories, one over another, and thirty in order; and they entered into the wall which belonged to the house for the side-chambers round about, that they might have hold therein, and not have hold in the wall of the house. And the side-chambers were broader as they encompassed the house higher and higher; for the encompassing of the house went higher and higher round about the house: therefore the breadth of the house continued upward; and so one went up from the lowest chamber to the highest by the middle chamber. I saw also that the house had a raised basement round about: the foundations of the side-chambers were a full reed of six great cubits. The thickness of the wall, which was for the side-chambers, on the outside, was five cubits: and that which was left was the place of the side-chambers that belonged to the house. And between the chambers was a breadth of twenty cubits round about the house on every side. And the doors of the side-chambers were toward the place that was left, one door toward the north, and another door toward the south: and the breadth of the place that was left was five cubits round about” -Ezekiel 41:5-11. As we read this passage, whether or not our minds fully grasp the architectural arrangement, we cannot help but recognize a suggestion of hallowed fellowship between the priests of the Lord whose dwelling was to be in these side chambers and Jehovah Himself whose glory was to fill the house. God delights to have His people near Him. All His saints today are priests, and He would have them enter into the blessedness of intimate communion as those who abide constantly in the sanctuary. In Israel of old the priests were a separate family devoted especially to the things of the temple, and it would seem as though this will be the case again when the present dispensation comes to an end and millennial conditions are ushered in. While Israel as a whole will be a priestly nation, nevertheless a separated priesthood comes before us as those who are designated to represent the people before God and to carry on the service of the sanctuary. Anything like this in our dispensation is a reverting to Judaism and fails to take into account the present relation of the saints to Christ.

In other words, there is no such distinction now made in Scripture as a clergy and laity such as we see in some of the great ecclesiastical organizations of our day. The idea of a distinctive priesthood apart from that of all believers is foreign to the genius of Christianity; whereas it had its rightful place in Israel before the cross. In addition to the temple itself it is evident that another great building was pictured as standing upon the mount of God’ s holiness. This is indicated in the following verses. “ And the building that was before the separate place at the side toward the west was seventy cubits broad; and the wall of the building was five cubits thick round about, and the length thereof ninety cubits. So he measured the house, a hundred cubits long; and the separate place, and the building, with the walls thereof, a hundred cubits long; also the breadth of the face of the house, and of the separate place toward the east, a hundred cubits” -Ezekiel 41:12-14. While it is difficult to follow the description of the house so as to visualize each part distinctly, our minds are impressed with the fact that it is of magnificent dimensions and wondrous beauty, lined with cedar which speaks of the incorruptible Humanity of our Lord, and adorned with cherubim and palm-trees, emphasizing the victory of righteousness and the blessings to be enjoyed under the divine government when the once-rejected Jesus reigns as King over all the earth. “ And he measured the length of the building before the separate place which was at the back thereof, and the galleries thereof on the one side and on the other side, a hundred cubits; and the inner temple, and the porches of the court; the thresholds, and the closed windows, and the galleries round about on their three stories, over against the threshold, ceiled with wood round about, and from the ground up to the windows (now the windows were covered), to the space above the door, even unto the inner house, and without, and by all the wall round about within and without, by measure. And it was made with cherubim and palm-trees; and a palm-tree was between cherub and cherub, and every cherub had two faces; so that there was the face of a man toward the palm-tree on the one side, and the face of a young lion toward the palm-tree on the other side. Thus was it made through all the house round about: from the ground unto above the door were cherubim and palm-trees made; thus was the wall of the temple” -Ezekiel 41:15-20. The cherubim, as we have seen in our consideration of the earlier chapters of this book, symbolized the divine government-God’ s ways with men and particularly with His people Israel. The palm-tree is the recognized symbol both of righteousness and of victory, as indicated in the 92nd Psalm where the righteous are said to flourish as the palm-tree, and in the last book of the Bible where we see the triumphant overcomers who have won the victory over the beast and his satellite, standing before God with palms in their hands. As we read this description of the house, therefore, we are impressed with the fact that the day will come when in Jehovah’ s righteous government, all iniquity will be put down, and a King shall reign in righteousness, triumphant over all the powers of evil. We turn again to consider the temple as indicated in Ezekiel 41:21-26. “ As for the temple, the doorposts were squared; and as for the face of the sanctuary, the appearance thereof was as the appearance of the temple. The altar was of wood, three cubits high, and the length thereof two cubits; and the corners thereof, and the length thereof, and the walls thereof, were of wood: and he said unto me, This is the table that is before Jehovah. And the temple and the sanctuary had two doors. And the doors had two leaves apiece, two turning leaves: two leaves for the one door, and two leaves for the other. And there were made on them, on the doors of the temple, cherubim and palm-trees, like as were made upon the walls; and there was a threshold of wood upon the face of the porch without. And there were closed windows and palm-trees on the one side and on the other side, on the sides of the porch: thus were the Side-chambers of the house, and the thresholds” -Ezekiel 41:21-26. The altar referred to here is the altar inside the sanctuary, the altar of incense, and is not to be confounded with the great altar upon which sacrifices were offered outside in the court. This altar was of wood, speaking of the Humanity of our Lord Jesus Christ, and is called “ the table that is before Jehovah,” for in Christ, God finds His satisfaction. As to His people, He it is who presents their prayers and praises before God, taking from them all imperfection and adding to them His own gracious intercession. We forbear attempting any further comment on these verses as we dread mere human speculation in regard to divine things, and we confess to a lack of understanding as to the marvelous details here given. NOTE: For a much fuller and more satisfactory exposition of this great vision as a whole, it is a pleasure to refer the inquiring student to John Bloore’ s comments in The Numerical Bible. One complete volume is occupied with the book of Ezekiel. The late F. W. Grant was called home to be with Christ after he had written the comments on Ezekiel as far as chapter 37. The manuscript lay unpublished for some years, when it was taken up and edited by Mr. Bloore, who wrote on chapters 38 to 48 in a most illuminating and satisfactory manner. This volume can be had from the same publishers, and we are glad to commend it to those who are anxious for a better understanding of these chapters.

Ezekiel 41:1

Ezekiel 41:1. The heading on the pages of most Bibles, also the statements in works of reference, give to this chapter as a whole the subject of the temple. I believe that to be correct and will make my comments accordingly. In writing on that subject, however, the prophet makes occasional references to the temple of Solomon and the tabernacle built by Moses. It will assist the reader if he can take the time to read the description of those buildings as given in Exodus, chapters 25-30 and 1 Kings 6. But the descriptions that are in the present chapter will be found much more complicated and indefinite than the ones referred to. (See the KEY again.) The posts in this temple correspond to the boards of the tabernacle that Moses made.

Ezekiel 41:2

Ezekiel 41:2. The door was 10 cubits or 15 feet wide. The sides of the door, which means the door jambs, were 5 cubits or seven and a half feet square. Length thereof means that of the room to which the mentioned door was the entrance.

Ezekiel 41:3

Ezekiel 41:3. The measurements of this verse are what he found on the inside part of the entrance structure.

Ezekiel 41:4

Ezekiel 41:4. The dimensions of thiB most holy place were the same as those in the temple of Solomon (1 Kings 6:20).

Ezekiel 41:5

Ezekiel 41:5. The wall of this was 6 cubits or 9 feet thick, and all round the wall of the building there were chambers or rooms that were 4 cubits wide. These were similar to the chambers of which we read in the preceding chapter.

Ezekiel 41:6

Ezekiel 41:6. The chambers were three stories high and were attached to the wall but not built as a part of it. No doubt such an arrangement was had so that each chamber could be made steady but not weakened by being merged with the other material.

Ezekiel 41:7

Ezekiel 41:7. The three-storied groups of chambers were unique in their plan, for each one was wider than the one under it. In going from the ground floor or pavement to the top Btory, the stairway was on the inside so that it was necessary to ascend by way of the middle story. Such a plan might give the unit a top-heavy appearance, and that would explain why it was braced by being fastened to the side wall.

Ezekiel 41:8

Ezekiel 41:8. The side chambers were built upon a raised platform that was a reed thick. Great is not from a word that means size; it Is one that signifies something as a connection. The thought is that this platform that was supporting the chambers was in addition to the main wall or foundation of the building.

Ezekiel 41:9

Ezekiel 41:9. Much of the arrangement of this whole architecture was done so as to please the eye. For instance, it would look somewhat abrupt to hare the platform on which the chambers were resting to extend wide enough only to hold them, but Instead, there was an extension so as to give a margin of 5 cubits.

Ezekiel 41:10

Ezekiel 41:10. The chambers were not crowded up against each other in a way that would suggest any shortage of room; there was a space of 20 cubits between them.

Ezekiel 41:11

Ezekiel 41:11. These chambers had each a door on the side and one on the north. They were entered from the platform which was described in verses 8 and 9. This would be another reason why the chambers should not be jammed up against each other.

Ezekiel 41:12

Ezekiel 41:12. At one end of the building we have been studying was another that may be regarded as an addition or annex; it was 105 feet wide. Its wall was 8 feet thick and the whole annex was 135 feet long.

Ezekiel 41:13

Ezekiel 41:13. This verse is a summary of certain portions of the general structure that Ezekiel has been observing. The main house was 150 feet long, and besides this, there was an extension in length of 150 feet.

Ezekiel 41:14

Ezekiel 41:14. Separate place is from one original and refers to some part of the building on the east side. Face is evidently used figuratively because it was the rule to “ face’ ’ the east with important buildings.

Ezekiel 41:15

Ezekiel 41:15. Against the separate place means that part near the place noted in the preceding verse. Strong defines the original for galleries as “ a ledge or offset in a building." These were extensions of some kind on the outside of the main building and served as a walkway or arcade, and they reached 100 cubits or 150 feet.

Ezekiel 41:16

Ezekiel 41:16. Transparent glass was not known in those times, hence the narrow windows or latticed loopholes were provided to serve these arcades. There were three stories to these arcades and all of them were ceiled with wood. This ceiling not only covered the top as is usually done, but the walls also were ceiled from the ground up as far as the windows, and some kind of covering was made for the windows.

Ezekiel 41:17

Ezekiel 41:17. The ceiling described in the preceding verse extended over the parts named in this. By measure denotes that the ceiling was measured to harmonize with the areas already described and checked by the adopted standard.

Ezekiel 41:18

Ezekiel 41:18. These cherubims and palm trees were for ornamentation, and for added attractiveness the two kinds of ornaments were placed so as to alternate with each other. The cherubims had each two faces Which will be explained in the next verse.

Ezekiel 41:19

Ezekiel 41:19, We usually think of a person who is “two-faced” In an unfavorable light, but such is not always necessary, even when the faces are not alike. Things may differ without being contradictory, and hence they may co-operate with each Other in a common interest. By having two faces the cherubims could see the palm trees from two viewpoints or with two kinds of interests. The palm tree was one of the most admired of all the plants that grew in Palestine. It is referred to in poetic speech as a symbol of peace, and it was literally used for food and other practical purposes. Since the tree therefore was useful for both man and beast, it was appropriate that the faces of the cherubims would be those of a man and a lion.

Ezekiel 41:20

Ezekiel 41:20. The wall of the temple from the ground to the height of the door bad these ornamental engravings or pictures of lions and palm trees.

Ezekiel 41:21

Ezekiel 41:21. This verse means that the general appearance of the posts or supporting columns, and the face or front of the building, were uniform and were square or 4-sided.

Ezekiel 41:22

Ezekiel 41:22. The altar of wood was for the purpose of burning incense, hence did not require to be covered with metal. Table before the Lord is in allusion to the aitar of incense that was in the tabernacle, and located against the vail covering the ark of testimony where the Lord was represented by the glorious light.

Ezekiel 41:23

Ezekiel 41:23. There were two apartments in the temple hence the need for two doors,

Ezekiel 41:24

Ezekiel 41:24. The doors were what are called “ folding doors" today.

Ezekiel 41:25

Ezekiel 41:25. These doors had the same kind of ornamentation engraved on them as was on the walls. The thick planks were the kind used as stepping pieces or thresholds.

Ezekiel 41:26

Ezekiel 41:26. The narrow urindows were the same kind of latticed or perforated spaces that we have observed, because there was no transparent material in use at that time. The thick planks is from a different original from that in the preceding verse, and means some boards suitable for a protective covering or projection over the windows.