And he brought me to the porch of the house, and measured each post
of the porch, five cubits on this side, and five cubits on that
side: and the breadth of the gate was three cubits on this side,
and three cubits on that side. The length of the porch was twenty
cubits, and the breadth eleven cubits; and he brought me by the
steps whereby they went up to it: and there were pillars by the
posts, one on this side, and another on that side.
These closing verses of this chapter introduce us to the temple
building. The prophet is brought in vision to the porch of the house.
The vestibule in which the prophet finds himself is twenty cubits long
and eleven cubits broad.[39] The number ten is here seen again two by
ten. The number of the steps leading up to the vestibule of the temple
are not given. Besides the posts of the vestibule there are two pillars
also, one on each side of the entrance gate, which remind us of the two
pillars "Jachin and Boaz" in Solomon's temple (1 Kings vii:21, 45). Many
of these details are obscure, their deeper and symbolical meaning
hidden. It would be an easy matter to make all kinds of spiritual
applications. As to such applications one has well said, "We need a
vigilant watch lest we pervert the holy Word of God; and I trust myself
to be reticent rather than thus offend." The construction the
measurements and arrangement tell out divine perfection. When at last
this great millennial temple is erected in Israel's land, it will be a
glorious witness for the Lord and as the central place of earthly
worship worthy of that coming age of peace and glory.
[39] The Septuagint gives ten cubits instead of only eleven, which
probably is correct.