Ezek. 41:1 Afterward 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.
Ezek. 41:2 And the breadth of the door was ten cubits; and the sides of the door 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.
Ezekiel begins to relay the measurements of the temple proper. These posts would appear to be counterparts to the posts of the porch. Each post that flanked the doorway was 6 cubits wide. The doorway was 10 cubits wide and consisted of double doors each of which was 5 cubits wide. The sanctuary measured 20 cubits wide x 40 cubits long from the inside.
Ezek. 41:3 Then went he inward, and measured the post of the door, two cubits; and the door, six cubits; and the breadth of the door, seven cubits.
Ezek. 41:4 So 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 is then taken to the Holy of Holies, which is a 20 cubit square. Point is made that the measuring angel entered the Holy of Holies; it would seem that Ezekiel waited in the outer sanctuary. The posts flanking the door to the most holy place were 2 cubits wide and the door measured 6 cubits wide; the doorframe was 7 cubits wide, which would indicate a half cubit frame around the door.
The NIV Commentary made note that the successively narrowing entryways drew one’s focus to the Holy of Holies.
Ezek. 41:5 After 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.
Ezek. 41:6 And the side chambers were three, one over another, and thirty in order; and they entered into the wall which was of the house for the side chambers round about, that they might have hold, but they had not hold in the wall of the house.
It would seem that the walls of the sanctuary were 6 cubits thick. Mr. Jablonowski’s diagram indicates an additional 4 cubits were needed for the side chambers. This would make sense according to the last clause of verse 6. It would also seem that there were three stories of chambers and a total of 30 chambers. It would seem that the access to the chambers came from within the sanctuary walls.
Ezek. 41:7 And there was an enlarging, and a winding about still upward to the side chambers: for the winding about of the house went still upward round about the house: therefore the breadth of the house was still upward, and so increasedfrom the lowest chamber to the highest by the midst.
This verse seems to be describing an ascending staircase in the middle of the sanctuary walls that possibly led to hallways at each level. Several translations indicate that the width of each level increased as you ascended.
Ezek. 41:8 I saw also the height of the house round about: the foundations of the side chambers were a full reed of six great cubits.
Ezek. 41:9 The thickness of the wall, which was for the side chamber without, was five cubits: and that which was left was the place of the side chambers that were within.
Ezek. 41:10 And between the chambers was the wideness of twenty cubits round about the house on every side.
Ezek. 41:11 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 next alludes to the height of the temple proper, and point is made that the measurements are of “great” cubits. (The regular cubit measured from elbow to wrist, and the greater cubit from elbow to end of middle finger—according to JFB.) This emphasis would indicate to me that unless specified otherwise measurements are according to the regular cubit. Several translations note that this height is in reference to a terrace or base upon which the chambers were supported.
There were 20 cubits between each chamber.
Ezek. 41:12 Now the building that was before the separate place at the end 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.
This describes a separate building on the west side of the temple proper that was 70 cubits broad and 90 cubits long with walls that were 5 cubits thick. There seems to be no indication of the purpose of this structure.
Ezek. 41:13 So he measured the house, an hundred cubits long; and the separate place, and the building, with the walls thereof, an hundred cubits long;
Ezek. 41:14 Also the breadth of the face of the house, and of the separate place toward the east, an hundred cubits.
Ezek. 41:15 And he measured the length of the building over against the separate place which was behind it, and the galleries thereof on the one side and on the other side, an hundred cubits, with the inner temple, and the porches of the court;
Ezek. 41:16 The door posts, and the narrow windows, and the galleries round about on their three stories, over against the door, cieled with wood round about, and from the ground up to the windows, and the windows were covered;
Ezek. 41:17 To that above the door, even unto the inner house, and without, and by all the wall round about within and without, by measure.
This seems to be a summary of measurements of the temple and its adjacent structure on the west. Even though I can’t pretend to truly comprehend it all, it stands out to me as significant that the Lord is very particular about giving us these details. I keep reminding myself that if He is that particular about the details of this physical structure, then the details regarding the creation of each individual are very specific according to His purpose for us here on planet earth, especially since the body of believers form a temple whose foundation is Jesus Christ.
1Cor. 3:9-11 For we are labourers together with God: ye are God’s husbandry, ye are God’s building. According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
Ezek. 41:18 And it was made with cherubims and palm trees, so that a palm tree was between a cherub and a cherub; and every cherub had two faces;
Ezek. 41:19 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.
Ezek. 41:20 From the ground unto above the door were cherubims and palm trees made, and on the wall of the temple.
Cherubim and palm trees are dominant in the décor around the temple. I think the cherubim are significant regarding their service in emphasizing the holiness of God. Although the cherubim had four faces, two faces were singled out for use as part of the temple décor—the lion and the man. This makes sense to me since it pointed to the ministry of Jesus who came as a man, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, to redeem man and will culminate in victory as the King of kings. The temple declares the need for the sacrifice as well as serving as the throne of God’s presence on earth among His chosen people in His chosen land.
Revelation 5:5 “And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.”
In trying to find out the significance of the palm trees I came across an entry on Jericho, which was known as the city of palms and references “a place of fragrance.” This would definitely apply to the temple as a place of offerings and sacrifices that produce a fragrant aroma before the Lord.
Ezek. 41:21 The posts of the temple were squared, and the face of the sanctuary; the appearance of the one as the appearance of the other.
Point is made that the posts of the temple are square.
I’m not sure what the next phrase means. JFB makes application regarding the outer sanctuary and the Holy of Holies. To me it is a statement of balance and symmetry in the structure. Scripture, and this section of Ezekiel in particular, emphasizes that God desires that things are structured and orderly.
1Cor. 14:40 Let all things be done decently and in order.
Ezek. 41:22 The altar of wood was 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.
This altar of wood appears to be the only piece of furniture in this temple.
I found an article at www.templemount.org by Lambert Dolphin that pointed out some unique features of Ezekiel’s temple with scriptural support for the difference.
No wall of partition to exclude Gentiles (compare Ephesians 2:14)
The Gentiles were previously welcome in the Outer Courts, but excluded from the inner courts on pain of death.
Eph. 2:14 For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us….
No Court of Women (compare Galatians 3:28 (Outer Court and Inner Court only)
Gal. 3:28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.
No Laver (see Ezekiel 36:24-27, John 15:3)
Ezek. 36:24-27 For I will take you from among the heathen, and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into your own land. Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.
John 15:3 Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.
No Table of Shewbread (see Micah 5:4, John 6:35)
Mic. 5:4 And he shall stand and feed in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God; and they shall abide: for now shall he be great unto the ends of the earth.
John 6:35 And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.
No Lampstand or Menorah (see Isaiah 49:6, John 8:12)
Is. 49:6 And he said, It is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth.
John 8:12 Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.
No Golden Altar of Incense (Zechariah 8:20-23, John 14:6)
Zech. 8:20-23 Thus saith the LORD of hosts; It shall yet come to pass, that there shall come people, and the inhabitants of many cities: And the inhabitants of one city shall go to another, saying, Let us go speedily to pray before the LORD, and to seek the LORD of hosts: I will go also. Yea, many people and strong nations shall come to seek the LORD of hosts in Jerusalem, and to pray before the LORD. Thus saith the LORD of hosts; In those days it shall come to pass, that ten men shall take hold out of all languages of the nations, even shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, saying, We will go with you: for we have heard that God is with you.
John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
No Veil (Isaiah 25:6-8, Matthew 27:51)
Is. 25:6-8 And in this mountain shall the LORD of hosts make unto all people a feast of fat things, a feast of wines on the lees, of fat things full of marrow, of wines on the lees well refined. And he will destroy in this mountain the face of the covering cast over all people, and the vail that is spread over all nations. He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the LORD hath spoken it.
Matt. 27:51 And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent….
No Ark of the Covenant (Jeremiah 3:16, John 10:30-33)
Jer. 3:16 And it shall come to pass, when ye be multiplied and increased in the land, in those days, saith the LORD, they shall say no more, The ark of the covenant of the LORD: neither shall it come to mind: neither shall they remember it; neither shall they visit it; neither shall that be done any more.
John 10:30-33 I and my Father are one. Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him. Jesus answered them, Many good works have I shewed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me? The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God.
Major Changes to the Altar: The sacrificial Altar will be approached by a ramp from the East. Previous altars were all approached from the South. Now there will be stairs to the altar, not a ramp as previously. The top of the altar is now described by the Hebrew word "ariel" [Isaiah 29:1] meaning "hearth of God" or "lion of God." [Rev. 5:5].
Rev. 5:5 And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.
[end of Lambert Article excerpt]
Ezek. 41:23 And the temple and the sanctuary had two doors.
Ezek. 41:24 And the doors had two leaves apiece, two turning leaves; two leaves for the one door, and two leaves for the other door.
Ezek. 41:25 And there were made on them, on the doors of the temple, cherubims and palm trees, like as were made upon the walls; and there were thick planks upon the face of the porch without.
Ezek. 41:26 And there were narrow 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 thick planks.
Both the doors leading into the temple and the sanctuary consisted of double doors decorated with cherubim and palm trees. The outside porch was made of thick planks of wood. Reference is again made to the use of narrow windows and the side chambers as being well constructed and in symmetry with the whole design of the building.
Ezek. 42:1 Then he brought me forth into the utter court, the way toward the north: and he brought me into the chamber that was over against the separate place, and which was before the building toward the north.
Ezekiel is next taken into the outer court area on the north side of the temple complex. This appears to be focusing on the chambers in the outer court that were used to house the priests that take care of the altar.
Ezek. 42:2 Before the length of an hundred cubits was the north door, and the breadth was fifty cubits.
Ezek. 42:3 Over against the twenty cubits which were for the inner court, and over against the pavement which was for the utter court, was gallery against gallery in three stories.
These chambers appear to be three stories high.
Ezek. 42:4 And before the chambers was a walk of ten cubits breadth inward, a way of one cubit; and their doors toward the north.
Ezek. 42:5 Now the upper chambers were shorter: for the galleries were higher than these, than the lower, and than the middlemost of the building.
Ezek. 42:6 For they were in three stories, but had not pillars as the pillars of the courts: therefore the building was straitened more than the lowest and the middlemost from the ground.
The entry to this structure was from the north and measured 10 cubits x 1 cubit. The structure seems to narrow as it gets higher. The galleries seem to be referencing the hallways (per Webster).
Ezek. 42:7 And the wall that was without over against the chambers, toward the utter court on the forepart of the chambers, the length thereof was fifty cubits.
Ezek. 42:8 For the length of the chambers that were in the utter court was fifty cubits: and, lo, before the temple were an hundred cubits.
Ezek. 42:9 And from under these chambers was the entry on the east side, as one goeth into them from the utter court.
The measurement for the building is 100 cubmits by 50 cubits. There appears to be another entry for this building from the east.
Ezek. 42:10 The chambers were in the thickness of the wall of the court toward the east, over against the separate place, and over against the building.
Ezek. 42:11 And the way before them was like the appearance of the chambers which were toward the north, as long as they, and as broad as they: and all their goings out were both according to their fashions, and according to their doors.
Ezek. 42:12 And according to the doors of the chambers that were toward the south was a door in the head of the way, even the way directly before the wall toward the east, as one entereth into them.
As would be expected to maintain symmetry, the building on the south side mirrored the building on the north side. This building of chambers was for the use of the priests who take care of the “house,” the temple proper, the sons of Zadok.
Ezek. 42:13 Then said he unto me, The north chambers and the south chambers, which are before the separate place, they be holy chambers, where the priests that approach unto the LORD shall eat the most holy things: there shall they lay the most holy things, and the meat offering, and the sin offering, and the trespass offering; for the place is holy.
Ezek. 42:14 When the priests enter therein, then shall they not go out of the holy place into the utter court, but there they shall lay their garments wherein they minister; for they are holy; and shall put on other garments, and shall approach to those things which are for the people.
These chambers are to provide a holy environment for the priests to partake of the “most holy things,” the meat offerings, sin offerings, and trespass offerings.
After eating, the priests were to changes clothes before leaving the building. They are to leave the clothes that they wear when eating their portion of the offerings in the chamber building.
I am reminded that the millennium is a time during which man will still have a sinful nature. God is very clear about maintaining a clear distinction between what is holy and what is not. The purpose for this temple is different than that of the previous temples. The activities at the previous temples all pointed toward the ministry of Jesus Christ. The activities of the millennial temple will be reminders of what Christ has done and emphasizing the importance of righteousness in one’s life—righteousness that can only be obtained through the provision of the Savior.
Ezek. 42:15 Now when he had made an end of measuring the inner house, he brought me forth toward the gate whose prospect is toward the east, and measured it round about.
Ezek. 42:16 He measured the east side with the measuring reed, five hundred reeds, with the measuring reed round about.
Ezek. 42:17 He measured the north side, five hundred reeds, with the measuring reed round about.
Ezek. 42:18 He measured the south side, five hundred reeds, with the measuring reed.
Ezek. 42:19 He turned about to the west side, and measured five hundred reeds with the measuring reed.
Ezek. 42:20 He measured it by the four sides: it had a wall round about, five hundred reeds long, and five hundred broad, to make a separation between the sanctuary and the profane place.
Ezekiel is next taken through the east gate outside the walls that form the perimeter of the temple complex. The measurements are: 500 reeds on the east x 500 reeds on the north x 500 reeds on the south x 500 reeds on the west—a square. Reminder: A reed is over 6 cubits long.
Ezek. 40:5 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….
This is a huge complex—according to the NIV commentary about 1.5 miles square. This is a reminder of the changes in topography that will exist in Israel during the kingdom age.
Point is made that these walls provide a separation from the outside world which will not yet be purified; sin will still be present.