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Ezekiel Chapter Forty                            

 

Ezekiel 40

Chapter Contents

The Vision of the Temple.

Here is a vision beginning at ch. 40 and continued to the end of the book ch. 48 which is justly looked upon to be one of the most difficult portions in all the book of God. When we despair to be satisfied as to any difficulty we meet with let us bless God that our salvation does not depend upon it but that things necessary are plain enough; and let us wait till God shall reveal even this unto us. This chapter describes two outward courts of the temple. Whether the personage here mentioned was the Son of God or a created angel is not clear. But Christ is both our Altar and our Sacrifice to whom we must look with faith in all approaches to God; and he is Salvation in the midst of the earth Psalm 74:12 to be looked unto from all quarters.

── Matthew HenryConcise Commentary on Ezekiel

 

Ezekiel 40

Verse 1

[1] In the five and twentieth year of our captivity in the beginning of the year in the tenth day of the month in the fourteenth year after that the city was smitten in the selfsame day the hand of the LORD was upon me and brought me thither.

Of our captivity — Of those that were carried away into captivity with Jeconiah eleven years before Jerusalem was burnt. And this falls in with the three thousand three hundred and seventy fourth year of the world about five hundred and seventy four years before Christ's incarnation.

The beginning — In the month Nisan.

The tenth day — The day that the paschal lamb was to be taken up in order to the feast on the tenth day.

Brought me — To Jerusalem the place where it did stand.

Verse 2

[2] In the visions of God brought he me into the land of Israel and set me upon a very high mountain by which was as the frame of a city on the south.

In the visions of God — By this it appears it was not a corporeal transportation of the prophet.

The frame — The portrait of a city.

On the south — On the south of the mountain where the prophet was set.

Verse 3

[3] And he brought me thither and behold there was a man whose appearance was like the appearance of brass with a line of flax in his hand and a measuring reed; and he stood in the gate.

A man — The same no doubt that appeared to the prophet chap. 1:26 whose name is the branch and who builds the temple Zechariah 6:12 13 whose colour was like burnished brass; Revelation 1:15 which speaks glory and strength.

A line — A plumb-line a mason's line to discover the rectitude of the building or its defects.

In the gate — In the north gate next toward the east.

Verse 5

[5] And behold a wall on the outside of the house round about and in the man's hand a measuring reed of six cubits long by the cubit and an hand breadth: so he measured the breadth of the building one reed; and the height one reed.

A wall — This was that outmost wall that compassed the whole mount Sion upon whose top the temple stood.

The man's hand — Christ hath and keeps the reed in his own hand as the only fit person to take the measures of all.

A measuring reed — Or cane for this measuring rod was of those canes growing in that country long and light which architects made use of.

Six cubits long — Each cubit consisting of eighteen inches in our common account.

An hand breadth — Added to each six cubits.

The breadth — The thickness of the walls which were one reed and one hand's breadth or three yards and three inches thick.

Height — And the height equal taking the measure from the floor on the inside of the wall.

Verse 6

[6] Then came he unto the gate which looketh toward the east and went up the stairs thereof and measured the threshold of the gate which was one reed broad; and the other threshold of the gate which was one reed broad.

The east — Either of one of the inner walls or of the temple itself.

Went up — 'Till he was got up he could not measure the threshold which was at the top of the stairs and these were ten if the measurer be supposed in the gate of the house; or eight if in the gate of the court of the priests; or seven if in the court of Israel; and each stair was half a cubit in height too high for him to take the measure of the threshold if he did not go up the stairs.

The threshold — It is probable he measured the lower threshold first as next at hand.

The other threshold — The upper threshold or lintel of the gate which was of equal dimensions with the lower three yards and three inches broad or thick.

Verse 7

[7] And every little chamber was one reed long and one reed broad; and between the little chambers were five cubits; and the threshold of the gate by the porch of the gate within was one reed.

Chamber — Along the wall of the porch were chambers three on one side and three on the other each one reed square.

Five cubits — A space of two yards and one half between each chamber either filled with some neat posts or pillars or it may be quite void.

Within — The inward and outward threshold were of the same measures and curiously arched over head from side to side and end to end which was from east to west.

Verse 8

[8] He measured also the porch of the gate within one reed.

The porch — The posts which were joined together at the top by an arch and so made the portico.

Verse 9

[9] Then measured he the porch of the gate eight cubits; and the posts thereof two cubits; and the porch of the gate was inward.

The porch — Probably another porch or another gate distinct from that verse 6.

The posts — These were half columns that from the floor to the height of the wall jetted out as if one half of the column were in the wall and the other without and the protuberance of this half column was one cubit.

Verse 10

[10] And the little chambers of the gate eastward were three on this side and three on that side; they three were of one measure: and the posts had one measure on this side and on that side.

Chambers — These chambers were for the priests and Levites to lodge in during their ministration.

Verse 11

[11] And he measured the breadth of the entry of the gate ten cubits; and the length of the gate thirteen cubits.

Of the entry — It is meant of the whole length of the entry or walk through the porch to which they ascended by stairs of a semicircular form.

Verse 12

[12] The space also before the little chambers was one cubit on this side and the space was one cubit on that side: and the little chambers were six cubits on this side and six cubits on that side.

The space — The rails which were set up at a cubit distance from the front of these little chambers on the outside for convenient placing of benches for the priests to sit on.

The space — Between the rails and the chambers.

Verse 13

[13] He measured then the gate from the roof of one little chamber to the roof of another: the breadth was five and twenty cubits door against door.

From the roof — From the extremity of one little chamber on the north side of the gate to the extremity of the opposite chamber on the south side and so one cubit and half for the back wall of one chamber and as much for the back wall of the other chamber with the length of the chambers six cubits each and ten for the breadth of the gate amounts to twenty five cubits.

Door against door — It seems the doors of the chambers were two in each chamber in the east and west parts and so exactly set that the doors being all open you had a clear prospect through all the chambers to the temple.

Verse 14

[14] He made also posts of threescore cubits even unto the post of the court round about the gate.

He made — Measured and thereby shewed what kind of posts they should be.

Threescore cubits — Probably this refers to the height of this gate built up two stories above the arch and the posts in their height are only mentioned but imply all the rest of the building over the east gate.

Unto the post — These high columns on the inner front of this gate were so disposed that the last on each side was very near the first post or pillar of the court on either side of the gate and so the posts and buildings laid on those posts joined on each side of this gate.

Verse 15

[15] And from the face of the gate of the entrance unto the face of the porch of the inner gate were fifty cubits.

And — This verse seems to sum up all the dimensions; this gate its porch and thickness of its walls and so sum the cubits six in the thickness of the outer wall eighteen in the three chambers twenty in the spaces between the chambers and six cubits in the thickness in the inner wall of the porch.

Verse 16

[16] And there were narrow windows to the little chambers and to their posts within the gate round about and likewise to the arches: and windows were round about inward: and upon each post were palm trees.

Narrow windows — Windows narrowed inward to the middle.

Their posts — The upper lintel of each door over which was a window.

To the arches — Windows under the arches between post and post to give light to the five cubits space between chamber and chamber.

Round about — These were on both sides of the porch within the gate exactly alike.

Verse 17

[17] Then brought he me into the outward court and lo there were chambers and a pavement made for the court round about: thirty chambers were upon the pavement.

The outward court — So called in regard of the more inward court between that where he was and the temple itself; this court was the second about the temple.

Chambers — Not only lodging rooms for the priests but also store-houses for tithes and offerings.

A pavement — A beautiful floor laid with checker works. The whole floor of this court was thus paved.

Thirty chambers — That is fifteen on the south side of the gate and fifteen on the north side built over the pavement.

Verse 18

[18] And the pavement by the side of the gates over against the length of the gates was the lower pavement.

The pavement — That mentioned verse 17.

By the side — That part which lay on each side of the gate and from thence spread itself toward the chambers leaving a space of pavement of equal breadth with the porch or gate in the middle.

The length — The length was measured fifty cubits.

The inner pavement — The side pavement was laid somewhat lower than this middle pavement not only for state but for the more convenient keeping it clean; so the middle pavement rose with a little convex surface.

Verse 19

[19] Then he measured the breadth from the forefront of the lower gate unto the forefront of the inner court without an hundred cubits eastward and northward.

The breadth — Of the whole ground between the inner front of one gate and porch to the outer front of the next gate more inward to the temple.

The lower gate — Called so in respect to the next gate which was on the higher ground.

The forefront — To the outside front of the gate of the priests court which was next to this gate now measured that is from the west front of the lower to the east front of the upper gate.

The inner court — This court from the west front of the lower gate was one hundred cubits in length to the east front of the gate of the inner court.

East-ward and north-ward — And so was the space from the south front of the court to the north front. So the court was exactly square. Divers courts are here spoken of which may put us in mind of the diversity of gifts graces and offices in the church: as also of the several degrees of glory in the courts and mansions of heaven.

Verse 22

[22] And their windows and their arches and their palm trees were after the measure of the gate that looketh toward the east; and they went up unto it by seven steps; and the arches thereof were before them.

Before them — Within the steps or gate.

Verse 23

[23] And the gate of the inner court was over against the gate toward the north and toward the east; and he measured from gate to gate an hundred cubits.

Toward the east — The east gate of the inner court was directly over against the east gate of the outer court and equally distant from each other.

Verse 26

[26] And there were seven steps to go up to it and the arches thereof were before them: and it had palm trees one on this side and another on that side upon the posts thereof.

To it — The floor or square court.

Verse 28

[28] And he brought me to the inner court by the south gate: and he measured the south gate according to these measures;

Brought me — From the south-gate of the outer court through the porch and over the hundred cubit pavement to the south-gate of the inner court.

Verse 32

[32] And he brought me into the inner court toward the east: and he measured the gate according to these measures.

The inner court — The court of the priests which was next to the temple.

Verse 43

[43] And within were hooks an hand broad fastened round about: and upon the tables was the flesh of the offering.

Within — Within the porch where these tables stood.

Hooks — Hooks on which the slaughtered sacrifice might be hanged while they prepared it farther.

Fastened — To walls no doubt near these tables.

Verse 45

[45] And he said unto me This chamber whose prospect is toward the south is for the priests the keepers of the charge of the house.

The keepers — While according to their courses they had the charge of the house of God and attended on the service of it.

Verse 46

[46] And the chamber whose prospect is toward the north is for the priests the keepers of the charge of the altar: these are the sons of Zadok among the sons of Levi which come near to the LORD to minister unto him.

The keepers — To preserve the fire perpetually on the altar.

Verse 48

[48] And he brought me to the porch of the house and measured each post of the porch five cubits on this side and five cubits on that side: and the breadth of the gate was three cubits on this side and three cubits on that side.

The breadth — The whole breadth was eleven cubits but the breadth of each leaf of this folding-gate was three cubits and they met or shut on an upright post set in the middle of the gate space and this was one cubit broad. And each leaf hung on posts two cubits thick which amount to eleven cubits.

── John WesleyExplanatory Notes on Ezekiel

 

40 Chapter 40

 

Verses 1-49


Verse 2-3

Ezekiel 40:2-3

A measuring reed.

The measuring reed

It is a complex and mysterious thing --this human life which it is appointed us to live. At first glance it seems as if it were simply the outflowing of ourselves from day to day very much as water flows from a jar without effort or design or law of movement Take the history of a day or the larger history of a life from the cradle to the grave; what subtle breaths of desire of affection and repulsion determine its movements! What accidents casual contacts unexpected pressures of circumstance carve its outlines! Day by day the tapestry is woven. We cannot stop the play of the loom. But what a wilderness of aimless lines comes out in the fabric! What a blur of unfinished patterns overlying each other! What a tangle of broken threads! But a deeper glance reveals to us the persistent and inexorable action of law in the shaping of our life. Indeed it is easy to formulate a theory of life in which it seems as if it were all law nothing but law law that crushed all freedom and spontaneity out of life. This happens when you try to reduce life to a department of physics. You find everywhere law; only the law lies not so much in the life as in the things that press upon it and give it direction. The water that flows from a jar falls and sparkles and runs on the ground with no choice of its own. Every drop is the slave of law. So it seems when we look upon life and treat it as a chapter of mechanics; as if it were simply the product of the forces that beat upon it as if the measure of the forces gave the measure of the life as if the colours and shapes it takes in its outflow were all determined by the angle of the sunbeam that strikes it and the lay of the ground where it falls. It is evident that this conception of life is inadequate and false. It is all the more dangerous because it falls in with a current fashion of thought and contains a half-truth. We read so much nowadays of force and law that it is natural to speak of the energy of life under these terms; only if we take our conceptions of force and law entirely from the physical world we reduce all the intricate and mysterious movement of life to the irresponsible throbbings of a machine. The life which each of us is living is neither a formless accidental jumble of thoughts words and deeds which link themselves together without any compelling force or law of combination; nor is it the fixed and inevitable result of forces that lie outside the domain of the will and that beat resistlessly upon our life for good or evil. There is both freedom and law in our life; freedom working within law along the lines of law. Every human life is a structure like that temple in the prophet’s dream. It is built up stone by stone. And every stone has a meaning. It falls into its place in obedience to a law. The design of the structure determines the position of the stone. The building grows according to the law of the design. But what determines the design? Here is where the element of choice comes in. We can choose one design or another. But the design once chosen determines the character of the building. It gives the law of measurement to every stone and door post and pinnacle. It is like a man with a measuring reed standing in the gate. Now there are certain things which you will agree with me fall entirely within our choice which have such power and influence in the shaping of character that they become the measuring reeds of life. They give the design on the lines of which the structure of the life is built. One of these things is a man’s estimate of himself. What a man holds himself to be he tries to be and in the long run becomes. If he count himself a cur his life will be a kennel whatever money he may lavish on it and however richly he may decorate it. If he recognise and hold himself true to a royalty of soul his life will be a palace. Though it have the dimensions of a hut and the roof cover but a single room that room will be a throne chamber. Have you never noticed how Christ in His effort to lift men to higher levels of life kept in sight this law? Never was such dignity dreamed for human nature as He gave to it. He called men God’s children. And all that He might win them to a life that had the purity and beauty of God in it a life that should be worthy of the sons of God. Christ recognised the law: man is the measure of his life. His estimate of his own worth gives the quality of his daily deed and word. The law runs from the sublime heights to which Christ carried it to the beaten paths where men pass to and fro on the business of the world. If you hold yourself copper your life will be copper. If you count yourself gold and diamond your life will be gold and diamond. You must first estimate yourself as something cheap and mean before you can sell yourself to a cheap and mean sin. But there is another measuring reed of life. As he goes on with the years every man makes not only an estimate of himself but also a philosophy of life. If we choose to explain life as a selfish brutal struggle for existence as a dull lingering misery to be borne simply with patience or defiance as a hunt for pleasurable sensations as a plot for the mastery of our fellows as a school for the education of character as an opportunity of lighting up this earth with something of the life that pulses in the heart of God; in every case life rises up and answers: “Yes that is my explanation of myself. I can furnish proofs of your theory. You have translated the cipher on my heart. Take me read me treat me as you choose; I will supply you with plenty of facts to substantiate your philosophy of me.” Life echoes back our own answer. She comes to us and sits down by us and goes to and fro over our threshold in the very feature step and accent of our theory. The smallest details of life take tone and colour from our creed. Our life makes a constant effort to adjust itself to our theory. How can it be otherwise? Our theory is a measuring reed with which we stand in the gate and which we apply to every stone and beam that go into the structure of our life. Is it any wonder that the whole structure is simply a sort of flower which has blossomed on the stalk of our measuring reed? (W. W. Battershall D. D.)


Verse 4

Ezekiel 40:4

To the intent that I might shew them unto thee.

A good intent

I. The purpose of God to stain the pride of the glory of all flesh. We may gather some instruction upon this from the 4th chapter of Daniel. The testimony that Nebuchadnezzar himself bore at the last seems to me to be very expressive and may be as it were put into the mouth of everyone that God has humbled. It is truth that we all do need humbling by the power of God. Happy man you will be if you are brought to nothing. It is one of the hardest things in the world to be nothing--to be nothing but a sinner; not a good thought not a good word not a good work not a single grain or atom of goodness but a thing of nought altogether. Now God has purposed this; He has purposed to stain the pride of the glory of all flesh; and He has purposed to do so first in mercy and then He will do so in wrath; that is those that He does not deal so with in their lifetime as to humble them down that they may receive His truth He will deal with in wrath at that last great that tremendous day. Every man’s natural spirit is a spirit of ignorance a spirit of unbelief a spirit of enmity against God. Wherever true conviction enters the soul is divided from the spirit of ignorance and the soul comes into the knowledge of its own condition; the soul is divided from the spirit of unbelief and comes into the faith of the Gospel; the soul of the man his immortal soul is divided from the native enmity of the spirit; for the natural spirit that is in us lusteth to envy desireth to envy; it is the very desire of it the very essence of it. Now when God begins His work it severs the soul from this spirit.

II. The purpose of the Lord in bringing His people to receive the truth. If the Lord has thus brought you down far enough then I will name now the truths that you will be glad to receive. The man that is from his own experience prepared to receive that testimony certainly is not far from the kingdom of God; the man that is prepared from his heart and soul to receive that testimony in the understanding of it in the love of it and to abide thereby--there never was one so poor in spirit there never was one so humbled there never was one so led and at the same time lost. If we are really brought down and know our nothingness our hearts are prepared to receive the testimony in the 1st chapter of Second Timothy. The apostle knew the tendency; he knew that Timothy would get no worldly honour; he knew it would make Timothy rather what they call narrow-minded; he knew it would be offensive to many professors but he says “Be not thou ashamed of the testimony of our Lord nor of me His prisoner ” as I am a prisoner for that testimony. Now comes what the testimony is. “Who hath saved us”--that is the first thing He did. Believest thou this? Art thou brought down low enough to trace up thy salvation to this Divines this pure and heavenly source? “And called us with an holy calling not according to our works”--no--“but according to His own purpose and grace ” etc. There is a clear epitome of the Gospel itself. Doth this offend you or doth it please you? Are you sorry such testimonies are on record? or can you set your seal to it that unless you are saved after that Divine order you never can be saved at all? Then if so I may apply to you the words here which the Lord spake to Ezekiel --“Son of man behold with thine eyes.” So I say to you --Behold with your eyes; see after what a Divine see after what a righteous what a lovely what a gracious what a merciful what a glorious way God hath saved thee. “And hear with thine ears and set thine heart upon all that I shall shew thee; for to the intent that I might shew them unto thee art thou brought hither.” So poor sinner you may set your heart upon these truths and you will never have to take it away again.

III. The special purpose of bringing Ezekiel to where he was brought as meant in our text. Ezekiel was brought to the river of God. First its source--it came from under the threshold just the same as we read in the last chapter of the Revelation of a river proceeding from the throne of God and the Lamb. That river I take to represent the Gospel in the life and blessedness thereof. That is one thing then--its source. The second is its increase--it went on increasing. And just so the Gospel in direct contrast as we sometimes say to this life. For soma of us are getting into the shades a Lit; and this is narrowing and that is narrowing and the time is drawing nigh when we shall say we have no pleasure in this life. But then there is pleasure there--the river of God’s pleasure--and those who drink of that river “they shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be fat and flourishing”! Bless the Lord for this. And then mark also the power of this river. There is a lake on the southeastern side of Judea about forty-five miles long and from perhaps twelve to fifteen wide; that lake has nothing in it in a way of life. Nothing can live in it; it is so bituminous so nauseous and so deadly that nothing can live in it. Now this river was to turn this lake into a fresh-water lake; for the river was to come down into this Dead Sea and the waters were to be healed. You can see what that means can you not? that the souls of men are in a state of death and bitterness. And this water of the Dead Sea all travellers tell us is nasty to the last degree to drink; you could hardly be put to a greater punishment than to be obliged to drink half a pint of it; you would not forget it for a twelvemonth. And just so the mind--the soul. Ah could we see ourselves as God sees us could we see sin as He sees it we should indeed stand aghast; for “the heart is ” even beyond angelic comprehension “deceitful above all things and desperately wicked; who can know it?” Yet these waters were to heal this Dead Sea turn it into a fresh-water lake. Just so the Gospel comes destroys the bitterness destroys all that is unpleasant and turns the soul into that that is pleasant to holiness to righteousness as pleasant to God as it was before unpleasant. There is another view of the river that I may just name and that is that on its banks were trees whose leaves faded not and that brought forth new fruit “according to their months.” Let these trees all of them represent Jesus Christ and let their leaves that never fade represent His promises; and let the fruits that are perennial and immortal represent the blessings that come to us by those promises. (J. Wells.)

Declare all that thou seest to the house of Israel.--

Taught that we may teach

I. The manifestations with which certain of God’s servants are favoured.

1. The Lord Jesus Christ does draw near in a very special manner to some of His people. He will show Himself to any of you who seek Him. He will unveil the beauties of His face to every eye that is ready to behold them. There is never a heart that loves Him but He will manifest His love to that heart. But at the same time He does favour some of His servants who live near to Him and who are called by Him to special service with very remarkable manifestations of His light and glory.

2. These revelations are not incessant. I suppose that no man is always alike. John was in Patmos I know not how long; but he was “in the Spirit on the Lord’s day” on one occasion and he specially notes it. Days of heavenly fellowship are red-letter days to be remembered so long as memory holds her seat.

3. Yes and it is noteworthy that the occasion of these manifestations was one of great distress. Saints have seen Jesus oftener on the bed of pain than in robust health.

4. It appears in this case that the manifestation to Ezekiel was made when he was put into an elevated condition. God has ways of lifting His people right up away away away from mortal joy or sorrow care or wish into the spiritual realm. And then when the mind has been lifted above its ordinary level and the faculties are brought up by some divine process into a receptive state He reveals Himself to us.

5. When He had elevated him thus it appears that He conducted him to certain places for He says “For to the intent that I might shew them unto thee art thou brought hither.” God’s children are brought in experience to unusual places on purpose that they may get clearer sights of the love and grace and mercy of God in Christ than they could obtain elsewhere.

6. However it is not outward circumstances that can affect the Divine purpose there must always be a movement of the Divine Spirit. In the third verse you read “He brought me there.” We never learn a truth inwardly until God brings us to it. We may hear a truth we ought to be careful that we do not hear anything but the truth; but God must bring that truth home.

II. The responsibility of these chosen men while they are thus favoured. When the Spirit of God favours you with light mind that you see; and when there is a sound of grace mind that you hear. We tell our children to learn their lessons “by heart.” If we put the full meaning into that expression that is the way to learn the things of God.

1. “See with thine eyes.” What are the eyes for but to see with? He means this --look pry search with your eyes. Looking to Christ will save you but it is looking into Christ that gives joy peace holiness heaven.

2. “Hear with thine ears.” Well a man cannot use his ears for anything else can he? Ay but hear with your ears. Listen with all your might.

3. “Set thine heart upon all that I shall shew thee.” Oh but that is the way to learn from God--by loving all that He says--feeling that whatever God says it is the thing you want to know.

4. The Lord bids us do this towards all that He shall shew us. “Set thine heart upon all that I shall shew thee!” We are to be impartial in our study of the word and to be universal in its reception.

III. What is God’s reason for manifesting Himself to His servants? The object is this --“Declare thou all that thou seest to the house of Israel.” First see it yourself hear it yourself give your heart to it yourself and then declare it to the house of Israel. Dear brother you cannot tell who it may be to whom you are to speak but this may be your guide: speak about what you have seen and heard to those whom it concerns. Have you been in gloom of mind and have you been comforted? The first time you meet with a person in that condition tell out the comfort. Have you felt a great struggle of soul and have you found rest? Speak of your conflict to a neighbour who is passing through a like struggle. Has God delivered you in the hour of sorrow? Tell that to the next sorrowing person you meet. Ay but still this is not all your duty. God has shown us His precious word that we may tell it to the house of Israel. Now the house of Israel were a stiff-necked people and when Ezekiel went to them they cast him aside they would not listen. Yet he was to go and teach the word to them. We must not say “I will not speak of Christ to such a one; he would reject it.” Do it as a testimony against him even if you know he will reject it. (C. H. Spurgeon.)


Verse 49

Ezekiel 40:49

And he brought me by the steps whereby they went up to it.

The steps of the sanctuary

There are no such steps as these to be found anywhere in the world. A step to honour a step to riches a step to worldly glory: these are everywhere but what are these to the steps by which men do ascend to the house of the Lord! He then that entereth into the house of the Lord is an ascending man; as it is said of Moses he went up into the mount of God. It is ascending to go into the house of God. The world believe not this; they think it is going downwards to go up to the house of God. The steps then by which men go up into the temple are and ought to be opposed to those which men take to their lusts and empty glories. Hence such steps are said not only to decline from God but to take hold of the path to death and hell (Psalms 44:18; Proverbs 2:18). (John Bunyan.)

──The Biblical Illustrator