Read Ezekiel 41 - 42
Verses chosen for meditation: Ezekiel 41: 4, 22; 42: 13 ESV:
And he measured the length of the room, twenty cubits, and its breadth, twenty cubits, across the nave. And he said to me, “This is the Most Holy Place.”
an altar of wood, three cubits high, two cubits long, and two cubits broad. Its corners, its base, and its walls were of wood. He said to me, “This is the table that is before the Lord.”
Then he said to me, “The north chambers and the south chambers opposite the yard are the holy chambers, where the priests who approach the Lord shall eat the most holy offerings. There they shall put the most holy offerings—the grain offering, the sin offering, and the guilt offering—for the place is holy.
Reflect
What do you make of today's Scripture reading? Do you glean anything from the 2 chapters?
Besides the dimension of the various parts of the temple, is there any practical lesson for you?
What are some of your thoughts concerning the temple as mentioned in the text, or rather the vision? Do you think it refers to a temple in the past or in the future?
Relate
A sense of deja vu came upon me as I read the text. Not too long ago, I had covered an almost similar text about a temple. They have the same templespeak of cubits, cherubim and the like.
Here, we see Ezekiel being given a vision of a temple. In the vision, he was brought around by a bronze - looking man who showed him the various rooms, courts, chambers and gates of the 3 - storey temple, including their dimensions as recorded by a measuring rod. A few selected areas and items have the man even speaking to him about their purpose. These special areas and items are mentioned in the verses above.
The dimensions show that it is a sizeable temple. From the given dimensions, it is likely that the temple has yet to be built. For there is no temple either past or present that fits its descriptive proportions. This has led some scholars to think that it could be alluding to the millennial temple. Even then, there are some quarters who subscribe to the notion of a symbolic or figurative temple rather than a literal or physical one.
So much so that this portion of the Old Testament about the temple, in the running chapters of Ezekiel 40 – 48, has been deemed one of the hardest to interpret. Complicating it further is the confusion arising from the part on animal sacrifices in the subsequent chapters, which does not sit well with our understanding that Christ has already paid it all on the Cross, especially when it refers to a temple in the millennial age rather than the past.
Since I'm no bible scholar or theologian, I would stay clear from the arguments and look at the passage instead from a layman's point of view, inspired no less by the Holy Spirit.
From my reading and observation, I could draw 3 lessons. They are:
1. God reveals his vision to man. It is possible for a man (or woman) to receive a vision from the Lord. It is not confined only to those living in the past ages, but also to us in the present day. No one is exempt from receiving a vision since it is the will of God to reveal to whoever he chooses.
2. God describes his vision clearly. This may come across as a contradiction since the text has left us in a dilemma more than ever. But it is because man has yet to fully comprehend the thoughts of God.
3. God reminds through vision that he is the most holy and the innermost of all. That means he is the closest to the centre, or in other words, the centre of all things. It makes important sense then not to drift too far away from the centre. Instead, he should always remain the constant focus of our thoughts and actions.
And if we ever need a vision, there's an invitation to ask. For it is stated in his Word: “Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known. “(Jeremiah 33: 3)
Rest
Be thou my vision, O Lord of my heart. Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art. Thou my best thought, by day or by night. Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light. So, heart of my own heart, whatever befall, still be my vision, O ruler of all.
(from the hymn 'Be Thou My Vision')
Naville Chia
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