QT 9/21/2023 Ezek 42:15-20, Remembering the work of Jesus in the Millennium

Ezekiel 42:15–20 (ESV) —

15 Now when he had finished measuring the interior of the temple area, he led me out by the gate that faced east, and measured the temple area all around. 16 He measured the east side with the measuring reed, 500 cubits by the measuring reed all around. 17 He measured the north side, 500 cubits by the measuring reed all around. 18 He measured the south side, 500 cubits by the measuring reed. 19 Then he turned to the west side and measured, 500 cubits by the measuring reed. 20 He measured it on the four sides. It had a wall around it, 500 cubits long and 500 cubits broad, to make a separation between the holy and the common.

 

NOTE: Why a temple when Jesus' sacrifice is all-sufficient? Cooper's (1984) commentary on Ezekiel provides great information.

 

First, … this structure will be a reminder of God’s desire to dwell among his people. It was for this reason that the Messiah came and the “Word became flesh and lived [“tabernacled”] for a while among us” (John 1:14).58

 

Second is the use of the number eight.59 There were eight steps leading up to the inner court of the priests in the temple area (40:31, 34, 37). … Eight seems to have symbolized the Messiah. Eight steps showed that Messiah was the way to the inner sanctuary of God (John 14:6). There were eight slaughter tables for preparing sacrifices. These tables were a foreshadowing of the perfect Lamb of sacrifice that God sent for all people in the Messiah, Jesus Christ (John 1:29). The sacrifices of Ezekiel’s temple were done on the eighth day (43:27), the day of new beginning. These were dim but discernible allusions to the Messiah, who would be the “way” and the “sacrifice” (Heb 10:1–18; esp. v. 10).

 

Third were the three levels. The three temple sanctuary levels and the placement of these divisions are dim types of the triune nature of God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. There were side rooms on each of the three levels, which presumably were areas for individual worship. These side chambers could only be entered through the middle level (41:7). Just so the Messiah, the second Person of the Godhead, is the one through which we gain access to all three (John 14:6).

 

Fourth are the doors. Both the inner and outer courts of the temple area had three doors, and the sanctuary had three inner divisions, each having a doorway (see 40:5–42:20). Jesus used the figure of a door as a self-characterization (John 10:9).

 

Fifth were the palm trees. The use of palm trees carved in the woodwork of the sanctuary symbolized peace (40:16, 22, 26, 31; 41:18–20, 25–26) and long life.60 Isaiah revealed that the Messiah would be known as the Prince of peace (Isa 9:6). The people unknowingly acclaimed him to be the King of peace when he entered Jerusalem on the Sunday before his crucifixion (John 12:13; Ps 92:12).

 

Sixth was the altar of sacrifice (41–47), a reminder of the sacrificial work of Messiah (Isa 53:7–10; Heb 10:1–18; John 1:29; see 43:13–27).61

 

Seventh, was the year of release. The language of Ezek 40:1–4 makes a subtle but clear allusion to the year of release or Jubilee Year (Lev 25:8–17). Isaiah made it clear that the Messiah would come and initiate a glorious and eternal year of release (Isa 61:1–4). When Jesus began his first earthly ministry, he did so by announcing the advent of the year of release and by reading Isa 61:1–2, therefore claiming to be the Messiah (Luke 4:18–19).62 These seven examples are representative and serve to illustrate both subtle and overt messianic ideas in the temple of Ezekiel’s vision.

 

58 See discussion of 41:13–26 (esp. v. 26) and n. 48 and the use of ἐσκηνωσεν in John 1:14, which may refer to the tabernacle, a portable worship center with the same floor plan and pattern as the temple.

 

59 Caird, Revelation, 174–75; Deissman, Light from the Ancient East, 278 note; see also 40:28–37 note and 34:23–31 note.

 

60 Garber, “Reconstructing Solomon’s Temple,” BA XIV (1951): 11.

 

61 “Altar,” HBD, 37–40.

 

62 J. D. Pentecost, Things to Come (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1970), 452, 489–90.

 

Israel stumbled over the Messiah. Israel misunderstood Jesus' death. Israel did not understand the triune God. Israel did follow the commands concerning the year of Jubilee. This new temple reinforces the purposes of the original temple with corrections to their understanding of the new covenant. It reminds them of their failure to hear God amidst their worship of traditions and the oral law.

 

PONDER:

1. I don't have to wait until the millennium to remember God's work of salvation in history. When was the last time I thanked God for a salvation that I DID NOT deserve?

 

PRAYER: Father, thank you so much for a salvation that I did nothing worthy to receive. Thank you for sending your son to die for me. Thank you for opening my eyes and revealing my sin to me. Thank you for staying by my side all these years on earth. My childhood, and my working years have now passed. I am entering the third stage that I will not call, retirement, but will call my full-time ministry service.