And behold a wall on the outside of the house round about, and in
the man's hand a measuring reed of six cubits long by the cubit and
an hand breadth; so he measured the breadth of the building, one
reed, and the height, one reed. Then came he unto the gate which
looked toward the east, and went up the stairs thereof, and measured
the threshold of the gate which was one reed broad; and the other
threshold of the gate, which was one reed broad. And every little
chamber was one reed long, and one reed broad; and between the
little chambers were five cubits; and the threshold of the gate by
the porch of the gate within was one reed. He measured also the
porch of the gate within, one reed. Then measured he the porch of
the gate, eight cubits; and the posts thereof, two cubits; and the
porch of the gate was inward. And the little chambers of the gate
eastward were three on this side, and three on that side; they three
were of one measure; and the posts had one measure on this side and
on that side. And he measured the breadth of the entry of the gate,
ten cubits; and the length of the gate, thirteen cubits. The space
also before the little chambers was one cubit on this side, and the
space was one cubit on that side; and the little chambers were six
cubits on this side, and six cubits on that side. He measured then
the gate from the roof of one little chamber to the roof of another;
the breadth was five and twenty cubits, door against door. He made
also posts of threescore cubits, even unto the post of the court
round about the gate. And from the face of the gate of the entrance
unto the face of the porch of the inner gate were fifty cubits. And
there were narrow windows to the little chambers, and to their posts
within the gate round about, and likewise to the arches; and windows
were round about inward; and upon each post were palm trees (verses
5-16).
The house mentioned is the whole building of the Temple. A wall was
round about the building. A wall is also mentioned in chapter xlii:20
which had a length of five hundred reeds and a breadth of five hundred
reeds. The purpose of that wall is stated "to make a separation between
that which was holy and that which was common." This wall of five
hundred is not identical with the wall in the beginning of the vision as
mentioned in verse 5. The wall here surrounded the outer court; the wall
in chapter xlii:20 surrounds the whole temple area. That is why the
separation between the holy and the common is spoken of with that wall.
The length of the great wall which enclosed all the Temple area is not
given. But the man in the vision measures the breadth and the height,
and as the reed is six cubits we have 2x6 (breadth six cubits and height
six cubits), which gives us the number 12. So we meet the number 12, the
symbol of divine government on the threshold of this vision. How
prominent the number 12 is in the description of the heavenly Jerusalem
in the last book of the Bible (Rev. xxi) is known to every reader of
that book. The wall there has 12 gates and 12 foundations and is 12x12
cubits high, that is 144 cubits. All is perfection in that heavenly
Jerusalem. Here in Ezekiel we have the description of the earthly
sanctuary which will be in existence during the millennium. While in
Revelation the one who measures is an angel with a golden reed, it is a
man in Ezekiel and the cubit he uses (the length of the human forearm
from the elbow to the tip of the little finger) has a handbreadth added.
The eastern gate, the little chambers, the porch, etc.--everything is
measured. The lesson is that even to the details everything is here by
divine appointment. If the reed mentioned frequently is taken as six
cubits we have in the measure the number 12 several times. Every little
chamber (guard houses) was one reed long (six cubits) and six cubits
broad--twice 6--12. That all this must have a deeper meaning we doubt
not; and yet who can at this time give it to us in full? These
instructions will be literally followed and carried out in the coming
day of Israel's restoration.
In these verses we find the wall and its construction, surrounding the
outer court of this future temple described. Three gates were seen by
the prophet in this wall--an Eastern gate, a Northern gate (verse 10)
and a Southern gate (verse 24). The West side of the wall has no gate.
As we learn later the returning glory of the Lord will enter the temple
by the Eastern gate. Seven steps lead up to these gates. Seven is the
number of divine perfection and accomplishment. These gates must not be
thought of as mere openings in the wall; they are gateways forming
separate buildings which project into the outer court to a distance of
fifty cubits with a breadth of twenty-five cubits. On both sides of
these gateways the prophet saw six little chambers, three on each side,
and each six cubits square. There has been much speculation as to the
possible use of these little chambers and their meaning. The Hebrew word
used here is the same as in 1 Kings xiv:28, translated in this passage
"guard-chamber." This may be the purpose of these chambers in the
gateway building of this first wall. This seems to be confirmed by
chapter xliv:11 and 14, which speaks of the Levites having charge of the
gates of the house, so that in all probability these guard-chambers will
be in charge of the Levites. Let us also notice the prominence of the
numbers three and twelve. There are 2x3 guard-chambers in each gateway
both in the outer court and also in the inner court. This gives us
thirty-six guard-chambers, or 3x12. The number three means symbolically
fullness, a divine fullness, and twelve stands for divine sovereignty
and government. Three times twelve means, therefore, divine fullness in
sovereign power and government. God Himself will be the guardian and
protector of this millennial sanctuary of His earthly people.
Mention is made also of a porch in connection with each gateway. This
porch of the gate is inward, and it must be thought of in the form of a
hall. Such a porch-hall is mentioned in the architecture of Solomon's
temple (1 Kings vi:3; 2 Chron. iii:4; see also Joel ii:17). These
vestibule halls are the termination of the gateway leading into the
outer court itself. The porch-hall of the significant Eastern gate is
reserved for the Prince. He enters by way of the porch of that gate and
goes out the same way (chapter xliv:3). And there is a door for each
gate, for we read that the East gate was to be shut (xliv:1-2). The door
at the termination of the gateway is mentioned in verse 11. The width of
the doorway is ten cubits and the height of the door itself thirteen
cubits--10x3. The number ten signifies responsibility, and three, as
already stated, is symbolical of divine fullness. Then posts were seen
by the prophet. Each gateway had two posts and each post is two cubits
thick and sixty cubits high (verses 9, 14). Critics have declared that
the given dimension of sixty cubits is impossible. We do not know why
this should be declared impossible. Some critics have said that the man
could not have measured these sixty cubits; but the word measure is not
used at all. The windows of the little chambers will be closed windows.
Upon the posts were palm trees. These palm trees were ornamental and
artificial (xl:18). That palms are prominent in this millennial temple,
crowning first of all the high posts, which towered above all, so that
the palms were seen, is not without significance. Palms are the symbols
of victory. Branches of palm trees were also used during the celebration
of the feast of tabernacles, which dispensationally foreshadows the
millennial age of blessing and glory. And that is why palms are lifted
high above everything on the gateway pillars of the wall surrounding the
outer court. The time of blessing, victory, peace and glory has come.
We follow the prophet now into the inner court. This court is smaller,
exactly one hundred cubits square (verse 47). In the center of this four
square court stands the great altar, eighteen cubits square and twelve
cubits high (chap. xliii:13-17). West of this great altar is a higher
terrace upon which the temple itself stands. The approach to this inner
court is also through three gates corresponding to the three gates in
the wall surrounding the outer court. We must notice, however, that
there are eight steps in connection with the gateways leading into this
inner court, while the gateways leading into the outer court had only
seven steps. The number eight is symbolical of the new covenant and the
new creation.[38] This great place of worship, by these eight steps,
which lead to the interior, has the mark of the new age, the age when
all things are made new. These gateways have also the little chambers
like in the gateways of the outer court. The prophet in his vision
entered by the South gate; then he came next to the East gate (verse
32), and finally to the North gate (verse 35); and these three gateways
had their arches, posts and palm trees upon the posts. All is
symmetrical. These three gateways are seen in line with the gateways of
the outer court, but the porches were not towards the inside, but at the
other end next to the outer court. In measurement and everything else
they correspond to the gateways leading into the outer court.
[38] Seven days the priests had to take in their consecration; on the
_eighth_ day they entered upon their work. Circumcision was practised on
the _eighth_ day, symbolical of the death of Christ and the putting off
of the body of the flesh (Col. ii:1), the entrance into the new
creation. On the _eighth_ day Christ was transfigured and the
transfiguration is a type of His coming into the kingdom. The _eighth_
psalm shows Him the head of the new creation, with all things under His
feet.
The description of the great altar which stands in the middle of the
inner court is given later; we shall follow it when we come to the text.
The sacrifices are to be brought in this inner court and therefore we
find next the sacrificial tables mentioned on which the burnt offering,
the sin offering and the trespass offering will be slain. Two tables
were in the porch of the gate on this side and two on the other side.
Then at the steps of the gate on both sides were two tables, four tables
on the one side and four on the other. In all there are eight tables
whereupon to slay sacrifices. Besides these, there are four smaller
tables of hewn stone, especially for the burnt offering, whereupon they
also lay the instruments used in slaying the sacrifices. This gives 3x4
tables--twelve which are grouped on both sides of the steps, along the
sides of the gateway and in the porch. On these tables the sacrifices
are slain, washed and otherwise prepared and the smaller tables are for
the instruments. Are these twelve tables only at one gate or at all the
gates? There is reason to believe that each of the gateways leading to
the inner courts is furnished with these sacrificial tables. If this is
correct we have again the significant numbers and combination 3x12,
corresponding to the guard-chambers at the three gateways, which also
are 3x12.
Besides the chambers and the entries to the gates where they washed the
sacrifices (verse 38) there are without the inner gate chambers at each
gate for the singers and the priests (verses 44-46) who are the keepers
of the house. These chambers were evidently detached from the gateways
and yet near by. No measurement of these chambers is given. The inner
court itself was a hundred cubits square; in the outer was the great
altar.