From Ezekiel 40-42

Ezekiel is about to be given a guided tour of the temple. Ezekiel’s guide will measure it out for him step by step. Why do you think the guide does this? Where do you worship the LORD?

This post is part of my bible in a year series.

Passage and Comments

Nearing the end of Ezekiel we now see a heavenly vision of the temple. Firstly, Ezekiel is taken to a place where he can see it all.

40 In the twenty-fifth year of our exile, at the beginning of the year, on the tenth day of the month, in the fourteenth year after the city was struck down, on that very day, the hand of the Lord was upon me, and he brought me to the city.1 2 In visions of God he brought me to the land of Israel, and set me down on a very high mountain, on which was a structure like a city to the south. 3 When he brought me there, behold, there was a man whose appearance was like bronze, with a linen cord and a measuring reed in his hand. And he was standing in the gateway. 4 And the man said to me, “Son of man, look with your eyes, and hear with your ears, and set your heart upon all that I shall show you, for you were brought here in order that I might show it to you. Declare all that you see to the house of Israel.” (Eze 40.1-4)

Ezekiel is about to be given a guided tour of the temple.

Ezekiel’s guide will measure it out for him step by step. Why do you think the guide does this?

What is the significance of this heavenly vision of the temple?

You might recall the temple gets destroyed when Jerusalem and Israel are taken into exile.

Story of Israel

It might be helpful to recall that after the exile Judah and Israel will return to the promised land. Those from Judah will rebuild the temple (Ezra) and the city wall (Nehemiah). Is this what Ezekiel is predicting? The second temple being rebuilt to specification?

Story of Jesus

Ezekiel’s prophecy is not really fulfilled until Jesus. Jesus is the new temple that was torn down and rebuilt in three days. After upsetting the money changers in the temple Jesus said;

18 So the Jews said to him, “What sign do you show us for doing these things?” 19 Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” 20 The Jews then said, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will you raise it up in three days?” 21 But he was speaking about the temple of his body. 22 When therefore he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this, and they believed the Scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken. (Jn 2.18-22)

I suggest John who wrote this Gospel is alluding to Ezekiel’s prophecy. Ezekiel in turn is (perhaps unknowingly) prophesying Jesus resurrection as the new temple by which his people come to worship God.

Ezekiel was told ‘Declare all that you see to the house of Israel’ (Eze 40.4)

Copyright © Joshua Washington and thescripturesays, 2014. All Rights