-In the twenty-fifth year of the Jewish exile at the hands
of the Babylonians, some time since Ezekiel’s last vision, the hand of the
LORD, at the beginning of that year on the tenth day of the first month and
fourteen years since the city of Jerusalem was taken by Nebuchadnezzar, came
upon His prophet and brought him in the Spirit to the land of Israel setting
him on a very high mountain (cross reference Isaiah 2:2). To the south of this
mountain there was a structure like a city. There was a man (either an angel or
a theophany of Christ) there whose appearance was like bronze, and he had a
line of flax and a measuring rod in his hand. He was standing in the gateway as
Ezekiel came to see the structure. The man then said to him, “Son of man, see
with your eyes, hear with your ears, and give attention to all that I am going
to show you; for you have been brought here in order to show it (the Temple) to
you. Declare to the house of Israel all that you see (Ezekiel 40:1-4).” This is
either interpreted literally or symbolically. If it is literal, the Temple that
was shown to Ezekiel was one that was given to Zerubbabel as a blueprint but
never obediently followed in 520-515 B.C., or it is a Temple to be rebuilt
during the millennial reign of Jesus Christ. Symbolical interpretation, which
to me would make all the measurements and structural details unnecessary, could
include either the Temple representing the true worship to God of the Christian
church now, or a symbolic future when God’s presence is filling and blessing
the earth. These last two interpretations are weak in my opinion and
understanding. The symbolic position’s only recourse is that the focal point
seems to be on the sacrificial system, which Christ has abolished by His work
on the cross. We are left to speculate on this issue since the Temple has not
been constructed to these specifications up to the current time.
-The remainder of the chapter deals with the details of the
layout of the Temple and its wall (Ezekiel 40:5-49).
-*Application* It is as if God went into the future and gave
him a DVD of exactly what His Messianic Temple would look like. God’s glory rests
in His precision and articulate creativity. He has created each of us with a
special call and destiny, which can only be accomplished if we surrender to His
will and purposes. Allow Him to design and the blueprint and complete the
calling that is on your life. Let His providence rule and do not resist His
dreams for you.
Verse to Memorize:
Ezekiel 40:4
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