The thresholds, and the closed windows, and the galleries round
about on their three stories, over against the door, ceiled with
wood round about, and from the ground up to the windows, and the
windows were covered; to that above the entry, even unto the inner
house, and without, and by all the wall round about within and
without, all was by measure. And it was made with cherubim and palm
trees, so that a palm tree was between a cherub and a cherub; and
every cherub had two faces; so that the face of a man was toward the
palm tree on the one side, and the face of a young lion toward the
palm tree on the other side: it was made through all the house round
about. From the ground unto above the door were cherubim and palm
trees made, and on the wall of the temple. The posts of the temple
were squared, and the front of the sanctuary had the same
appearance. 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 the Lord. And the temple and the sanctuary
had two doors. And the doors had two leaves, two turning leaves; two
leaves for the one door, and two leaves for the other door. 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 wooden
portal in front of the porch without. And closed windows and palm
trees on the one side and on the other side, on the sides of the
porch, and upon the side chambers of the house, and the portals[42]
(verses 16-26).
[42] Corrected text.
From verse 16 we learn that all was wainscoted with wood. The altar was
also of wood. It is significant that silver and gold, so prominent in
the tabernacle in the wilderness and in Solomon's temple, are entirely
absent in the millennial temple. The words "silver and gold" are not
mentioned once in Ezekiel xl-xlviii. Silver typifies grace in
redemption, being the ransom money. Gold typifies divine righteousness.
Both are absent in the millennial temple for what the silver and gold
foreshadows is now realized in His redeemed earthly people. The heavenly
Jerusalem has gold in it, but silver is not mentioned in the description
of the city in Revelation xxi.
The chief ornaments in this temple are cherubim and palm trees; they
were along the wall of the temple. So it was in the temple of Solomon.
"And he carved all the walls of the house round about with carved
figures of cherubim and palm trees and open flowers within and without"
(1 Kings vi:29).
A palm tree was between cherub and cherub. As stated in the previous
chapter palms are the emblems of victory and remind us of the feast of
tabernacles. They were seen high above on the posts. Cherubim speak of
the presence of the Lord, who enters this house and is worshipped here.
But the cherubim here have only two faces and not four as in the opening
vision of this book (chapter i:10-12). As often stated, these celestial
beings tell out the Lord Jesus Christ in His personal glory. The lion,
His kingly glory; the face of a man, His true humanity; the face of an
ox, His servant character; and the face of an eagle. His heavenly origin
and destiny, Son of God. It is not without meaning that the face of a
man and the face of a young lion are seen on these cherubim and each
face looks upon a palm tree. Its symbolical meaning is obvious. The Lord
Jesus Christ has come again and visited the earth and the temple and
appeared as the glorified Man and the Lion of the tribe of Judah. His is
the victory and the glory. When at last this temple stands in Israel's
land, and its meaning and measurements, as well as other details, are
fully known and understood, it will be known then that His blessed work,
victory and person are symbolically seen throughout this house.
The altar was of wood, three cubits high and two cubits long. "And he
said unto me, This is the table which is before Jehovah." The altar is
the altar of incense. The burnt offering altar is described in chapter
xliii:13, etc. In the tabernacle and Solomon's temple the altar of
incense was overlaid with gold. Note also the difference in the
measurement. The altar of incense in the tabernacle was two cubits high
and one cubit long and broad; the altar in the future temple is three
cubits high and two cubits long, nearly double in size. The incense
offered upon the altar is the symbol of the fragrance Christ is to God.
It also typifies praise and prayer (Ps. cxli:2; Rev. v:8; viii:3); being
communion with God it is here called "the table which is before
Jehovah." How great will be the fragrance of Christ, and the praise and
worship God will receive, in this great house of worship!
There were also two doors for the sanctuary with two turning leaves.
They were ornamented, like the walls, with cherubim and palm trees.