Eze 41:1 | KingComments | STEP | In this chapter, the Guide takes the prophet to the temple itself. He gives the measurements of the side pillars and doors, both of the holy place and the most holy place ( ). He continues with the measurements of the wall of the house and a description of the side chambers ( ). Then we hear about the location and measurements of the building west of the temple ( ). Then the house is measured ( ) and the materials and decorations of the house are mentioned ( ). Then the wooden altar is described ( ). The chapter ends with a description of the doors of the house and the latticed windows ( ). The Man leads Ezekiel further and further into the temple complex. Ezekiel is now brought “to the nave”, i.e. the main inner hall of the building ( ). There He measures the side pillars. These are six cubits wide on both sides of the entrance. “The width of the side pillar” is literally “the width of the tent”. According to some, the fact that the side pillars have “the width of the tent” emphasizes the great glory of this temple in comparison to the tabernacle. The width of the two side pillars together is twelve cubits. That is as wide as the tabernacle as a whole, that is, the eight boards on the west side of one and a half cubits each, which is twelve cubits, which is the total “width of the tent” ( ). The entrance, which is the space between the two side pillars, is ten cubits wide. The two sides (of the side pillars) of the entrance are five cubits each ( ). After the entrance, the Man and Ezekiel enter the space before the most holy place, which in the tabernacle is called “the holy place” ( ). That space is forty cubits long and twenty cubits wide. Those are also the dimensions of Solomon’s temple ( ). Ezekiel, as a priest, is allowed to go with the Man into the holy place. When the Man enters the most holy place, we do not read that Ezekiel goes in with Him. Ezekiel is not a high priest and therefore may not enter the most holy place (cf. ). The Man therefore enters alone ( ). For us, access to God in the most holy place has been opened through the work of Christ ( ). We know God as Father and have access to Him through Christ by one Spirit ( ). The side pillar of the entrance is two cubits. This is significantly narrower than that of the entrance to the holy place. The width of the entrance is given in two measures. The opening itself is six cubits and the wall next to the opening is seven cubits on both sides, which is twenty cubits together. The width of the entrance gets smaller the further into the building one goes. At the porch, the entrance is fourteen cubits, which is twenty cubits minus twice three cubits ( ). The next entrance is ten cubits wide ( ). The entrance to the most holy place is seven cubits wide ( ). Both the length and width of the most holy place is twenty cubits ( ). A height measure is not given. Here the Man breaks the silence for the second time. He tells Ezekiel that that space is “most holy [place]”. As a priest, Ezekiel will surely have known that. That the Man says it emphasizes the holiness of that place. Ezekiel will have been deeply impressed by what he sees from the holy place. Aaron was allowed to enter the most holy place only once a year, not without blood ( ) and enveloped as it were by the smoke of incense ( ).

‏ Ezekiel 41:1

Introduction

In this chapter, the Guide takes the prophet to the temple itself. He gives the measurements of the side pillars and doors, both of the holy place and the most holy place (Eze 41:1-4). He continues with the measurements of the wall of the house and a description of the side chambers (Eze 41:5-11). Then we hear about the location and measurements of the building west of the temple (Eze 41:12). Then the house is measured (Eze 41:13-15) and the materials and decorations of the house are mentioned (Eze 41:15b-21). Then the wooden altar is described (Eze 41:22). The chapter ends with a description of the doors of the house and the latticed windows (Eze 41:23-26).

The Holy Place and the Most Holy Place

The Man leads Ezekiel further and further into the temple complex. Ezekiel is now brought “to the nave”, i.e. the main inner hall of the building (Eze 41:1). There He measures the side pillars. These are six cubits wide on both sides of the entrance. “The width of the side pillar” is literally “the width of the tent”. According to some, the fact that the side pillars have “the width of the tent” emphasizes the great glory of this temple in comparison to the tabernacle. The width of the two side pillars together is twelve cubits. That is as wide as the tabernacle as a whole, that is, the eight boards on the west side of one and a half cubits each, which is twelve cubits, which is the total “width of the tent” (Exo 26:16 ; 25).

The entrance, which is the space between the two side pillars, is ten cubits wide. The two sides (of the side pillars) of the entrance are five cubits each (Eze 41:2). After the entrance, the Man and Ezekiel enter the space before the most holy place, which in the tabernacle is called “the holy place” (Exo 26:33). That space is forty cubits long and twenty cubits wide. Those are also the dimensions of Solomon’s temple (1Kgs 6:2-3).

Ezekiel, as a priest, is allowed to go with the Man into the holy place. When the Man enters the most holy place, we do not read that Ezekiel goes in with Him. Ezekiel is not a high priest and therefore may not enter the most holy place (cf. Heb 9:6-8). The Man therefore enters alone (Eze 41:3).

For us, access to God in the most holy place has been opened through the work of Christ (Heb 10:19-22). We know God as Father and have access to Him through Christ by one Spirit (Eph 2:18).

The side pillar of the entrance is two cubits. This is significantly narrower than that of the entrance to the holy place. The width of the entrance is given in two measures. The opening itself is six cubits and the wall next to the opening is seven cubits on both sides, which is twenty cubits together. The width of the entrance gets smaller the further into the building one goes. At the porch, the entrance is fourteen cubits, which is twenty cubits minus twice three cubits (Eze 40:47-48). The next entrance is ten cubits wide (Eze 41:2). The entrance to the most holy place is seven cubits wide (Eze 41:3).

Both the length and width of the most holy place is twenty cubits (Eze 41:4). A height measure is not given. Here the Man breaks the silence for the second time. He tells Ezekiel that that space is “most holy [place]”. As a priest, Ezekiel will surely have known that. That the Man says it emphasizes the holiness of that place. Ezekiel will have been deeply impressed by what he sees from the holy place. Aaron was allowed to enter the most holy place only once a year, not without blood (Heb 9:7) and enveloped as it were by the smoke of incense (Lev 16:12-13).