Eze 41:17 | KingComments | STEP | The Man also measures the actual temple, the house ( ). The length is a hundred cubits, which is measured from east to west, wall to wall. The width of the house, from north to south, is also a hundred cubits ( ). Length and width of the house are a hundred cubits, making it perfectly square. The same length of a hundred cubits has the building on the west side ( ). What Ezekiel passes on here are not just dead numbers. As a priest, he has the deepest interest in the temple as the place of the presence of God. Ezekiel must have felt the same kind of excitement as the apostle Paul when he writes to the Corinthians: “According to the grace of God which was given to me, like a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another is building on it. But each man must be careful how he builds on it. For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ” ( ). And a little further on he writes: “Do you not know that you are a temple of God and [that] the Spirit of God dwells in you?” ( ). We may join Ezekiel in being impressed that God for His earthly house, the temple, gave the measure of everything (in some translations ends with “everything had its measure”). For us, it means that we are impressed that in God's house now, the church, every member is in the right place and can function there as He determines. “One and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills” ( ). To exercise the gift in the right place, time and manner, each member grace is “given according to the measure of Christ’s gift” ( ). Any violation of God’s order causes disorder. We see this in church history. Many human institutions that have been introduced into the church – sometimes with the best of intentions – have pushed God’s order aside. It is not any longer God Who has the say in His house, but man who wants to regulate and govern things himself. But God never gives up His rights to His house. He still makes clear in His Word today how we are to conduct ourselves in His house, “which is the church of the living God” ( ). With , a new section begins. It points out the material of the interior of the temple, the porches of the court, the threshold, the latticed windows, and the galleries: everything is “paneled with wood all around” ( ). It is further said that against all the wall up to a certain height, that is, “over the entrance”, are panels all around, both inside and outside ( ). This means that the walls of the three sections of the temple building – the holy place, the most holy place, and the porch – are inside paneled with wood. Height measurements are not given here. On the one hand, the temple is on earth, an earthly building. On the other hand, the temple is in direct connection with heaven, it is as if it reaches into heaven, to a height that cannot be expressed in numbers. Because the glory of the LORD dwells there, a height measure falls away. Because of His presence on earth, heaven and earth are connected. It is striking that silver and gold are not mentioned either. Could that be because the glory of the LORD makes the temple radiant, so that even gold pales in comparison? The inner and outer walls are decorated with cherubim and palm trees ( ). Of the cherubim it says that they have two faces. One face is “a man’s face”, the other “a young lion’s face”. Each of the two faces looks to one side, that is, one face looks to the left and the other to the right. Since there is a palm tree between two cherubim each time, both the man’s face and the young lion’s face are looking at a palm tree ( ). These cherubim and palm trees are on “the wall of the nave”, that is in the holy of holies ( ). We also see them in Solomon’s temple ( ). The cherubim recall the holiness of God ( ). The human face recalls the Lord Jesus as the Son of Man to Whom the Father has given “authority to execute judgment, because He is [the] Son of Man” ( ). The young lion’s face brings to mind the dignity and majesty of the Lord Jesus as the Ruler in the realm of peace. He is “the Lion from the tribe of Judah” ( ). The palm trees are a picture of peace and victory and its fruit obtained through Christ’s work on the cross. They also speak of the coming victory in the end time and the subsequent peace with its enjoyment after the great tribulation. The doorposts of the temple – that is, the entire doorway with its side posts, lintel, and threshold – are square ( ). When Ezekiel looks at the entrance to the holy of holies (the sanctuary), it looks the same as the front of the temple. It indicates that both access to the church on earth (the temple, the house) and access to the sanctuary in heaven (the most holy place) is based on the Lord Jesus as “the door”. Faith in Him gives access to the one and to the other.

‏ Ezekiel 41:17

Sizes, Materials and Decoration

The Man also measures the actual temple, the house (Eze 41:13). The length is a hundred cubits, which is measured from east to west, wall to wall. The width of the house, from north to south, is also a hundred cubits (Eze 41:14). Length and width of the house are a hundred cubits, making it perfectly square. The same length of a hundred cubits has the building on the west side (Eze 41:15a).

What Ezekiel passes on here are not just dead numbers. As a priest, he has the deepest interest in the temple as the place of the presence of God. Ezekiel must have felt the same kind of excitement as the apostle Paul when he writes to the Corinthians: “According to the grace of God which was given to me, like a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another is building on it. But each man must be careful how he builds on it. For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ” (1Cor 3:10-11). And a little further on he writes: “Do you not know that you are a temple of God and [that] the Spirit of God dwells in you?” (1Cor 3:16).

We may join Ezekiel in being impressed that God for His earthly house, the temple, gave the measure of everything (in some translations Eze 41:17 ends with “everything had its measure”). For us, it means that we are impressed that in God's house now, the church, every member is in the right place and can function there as He determines. “One and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills” (1Cor 12:11). To exercise the gift in the right place, time and manner, each member grace is “given according to the measure of Christ’s gift” (Eph 4:7).

Any violation of God’s order causes disorder. We see this in church history. Many human institutions that have been introduced into the church – sometimes with the best of intentions – have pushed God’s order aside. It is not any longer God Who has the say in His house, but man who wants to regulate and govern things himself. But God never gives up His rights to His house. He still makes clear in His Word today how we are to conduct ourselves in His house, “which is the church of the living God” (1Tim 3:14-15).

With Eze 41:15b, a new section begins. It points out the material of the interior of the temple, the porches of the court, the threshold, the latticed windows, and the galleries: everything is “paneled with wood all around” (Eze 41:15b-16). It is further said that against all the wall up to a certain height, that is, “over the entrance”, are panels all around, both inside and outside (Eze 41:16b-17). This means that the walls of the three sections of the temple building – the holy place, the most holy place, and the porch – are inside paneled with wood.

Height measurements are not given here. On the one hand, the temple is on earth, an earthly building. On the other hand, the temple is in direct connection with heaven, it is as if it reaches into heaven, to a height that cannot be expressed in numbers. Because the glory of the LORD dwells there, a height measure falls away. Because of His presence on earth, heaven and earth are connected. It is striking that silver and gold are not mentioned either. Could that be because the glory of the LORD makes the temple radiant, so that even gold pales in comparison?

The inner and outer walls are decorated with cherubim and palm trees (Eze 41:18). Of the cherubim it says that they have two faces. One face is “a man’s face”, the other “a young lion’s face”. Each of the two faces looks to one side, that is, one face looks to the left and the other to the right. Since there is a palm tree between two cherubim each time, both the man’s face and the young lion’s face are looking at a palm tree (Eze 41:19). These cherubim and palm trees are on “the wall of the nave”, that is in the holy of holies (Eze 41:20). We also see them in Solomon’s temple (1Kgs 6:29 ; 32 ; 35 ; 1Kgs 7:36).

The cherubim recall the holiness of God (Gen 3:24). The human face recalls the Lord Jesus as the Son of Man to Whom the Father has given “authority to execute judgment, because He is [the] Son of Man” (Jn 5:27). The young lion’s face brings to mind the dignity and majesty of the Lord Jesus as the Ruler in the realm of peace. He is “the Lion from the tribe of Judah” (Rev 5:5). The palm trees are a picture of peace and victory and its fruit obtained through Christ’s work on the cross. They also speak of the coming victory in the end time and the subsequent peace with its enjoyment after the great tribulation.

The doorposts of the temple – that is, the entire doorway with its side posts, lintel, and threshold – are square (Eze 41:21). When Ezekiel looks at the entrance to the holy of holies (the sanctuary), it looks the same as the front of the temple. It indicates that both access to the church on earth (the temple, the house) and access to the sanctuary in heaven (the most holy place) is based on the Lord Jesus as “the door”. Faith in Him gives access to the one and to the other.