Having been cast into a trance and brought in spirit to the holy land, Ezekiel saw on the top of a high mountain what at first he thought to be a city but was in fact the Temple, with its courts and buildings. It was, however a new Temple. While the sanctuary itself was similar to that of Solomon’s Temple, the surroundings were very different. The prophet was met by a heavenly messenger, who had a measuring-tape of flax and a measuring-rod, and who acted as his guide.
- What two responsibilities did the heavenly messenger place upon the prophet? See verse 4. When judged by these standards, ho far is your own Bible study a success?
- With the aid of diagram I, follow the prophet’s route as he was shown the outer gateway on the east (verses 6-16), the outer court (verses 17-19), and the gateways on the north and south (verses 20-27); then the inner court on a higher level, also with three gateways (verses 28-37). In the inner court, alongside the north gate, were a chamber and tables (verses 38-43), and there were two chambers for the priests, one near the North gate and another near the south gate (verses 44-47).
- Note the symmetry of the ground plan of the Temple. Has this anything to teach us about God?
- Verse 5. Two cubits were in use, one being eighteen inches long and the other twenty-one inches-a ‘handbreadth' extra. The longer cubit was that used by Ezekiel. The measuring-reed would therefore have been 10ft. 6 in.
- Verse 12. ‘A barrier’: i.e., projecting wall.
