A cup of coffee, a little milk, and I’m ready to start reading. Sip.
In Ezekiel chapter 40, we find Ezekiel in a vision of God, where God brought him to the land of Israel and set him upon a very high mountain. He could see the frame of a city on the south. Ezekiel saw a man whose appearance was like the appearance of bronze (brass or copper in the KJV) who had a measuring reed and stood in the gate.
This bronze man was getting ready to measure for the building of the Third Temple. Ezekiel had a front row seat. The Lord told him to declare everything he sees to the House of Israel. This is also a picture of Truths that we, believers in Messiah Jesus, are part of a spiritual house.
1 Peter 2:5 you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
Now remember, they didn’t use inches and feet or even centimeters, but cubits and a handbreadth, which was the width of a hand. (I’m guessing hand size was important to God, and so Satan mocks it.) Selah. Sip.
This bronze man measures the outer court, the inner court, the chambers, the pavement around the court, gates to the north, south, and east. Measuring continued for porches with windows and the altar.
There were palm trees were engraved on the posts to the porches to the outer court on each side, and the stairway had eight steps. Palm trees symbolize victory, triumph, peace and eternal life. Eight is the biblical number of new beginnings.
By the posts of the gates was a chamber where they washed the burnt offering. The porch had two tables on each side to slay the burnt offering, the sin offering and the trespass offering. Even the tables were measured.
The bronze man brought Ezekiel to the Temple and measured the posts, six cubits wide on one side, and six cubits wide on the other side, this was the width of the Tent/ Holy of Holies.
The man brought Ezekiel to the Outer Court, and brought him into the chamber that was opposite the Separate Place, and which was in front of the building facing north. In front of the chambers was a walk, ten cubits wide to the inside and a passageway of one cubit. That’s narrow!
Jesus said in Matthew 7:13-14 “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it. ”
More measuring takes place of walls and chambers. In front of the Separate Place, there are holy chambers where the priests who approach the Lord will eat the most holy things. There is a separation between holy things, the Sanctuary and the profane place—everything outside.
Oops, time for a refill.
Ok, I’m back.
To me, this is the power of the Bible to show us time-traveling. Ezekiel is shown a vision of a man measuring a Temple that does not yet exist. He writes it down and it becomes a blueprint. When the time is right, God will move upon the designated people to build the Temple according to the blueprint.
Ok then, I have chores to do. See you soon!
SueAnn Porter 