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Ezekiel Chapter
Forty-two
Ezekiel 42
Chapter Summary
In this chapter are described the priests' chambers
their use
and the dimensions of the holy mount on which the temple stood.
These chambers were many. Jesus said
In my Father's house are many mansions:
in his house on earth there are many; multitudes
by faith
are lodging in his
sanctuary
and yet there is room. These chambers
though private
were near the
temple. Our religious services in our chambers
must prepare for public
devotions
and further us in improving them
as our opportunities are.
── Matthew Henry《Concise Commentary on Ezekiel》
Ezekiel 42
Verse 2
[2] Before the length of an hundred cubits was the north
door
and the breadth was fifty cubits.
The length — The temple of one hundred cubits
long
and of fifty broad
was on the south prospect of these chambers.
Verse 3
[3] Over against the twenty cubits which were for the inner
court
and over against the pavement which was for the utter court
was gallery
against gallery in three stories.
Against gallery — That is
a gallery on the south
part toward the inner court
and a gallery toward the pavement north-ward
and
between the backs of these galleries were chambers.
Verse 4
[4] And before the chambers was a walk of ten cubits breadth
inward
a way of one cubit; and their doors toward the north.
A way — Before the galleries probably
was a ledge of one cubit
broad
running the whole length from east to west
called here a way
though
not designed for any to walk on it.
Verse 5
[5] Now the upper chambers were shorter: for the galleries
were higher than these
than the lower
and than the middlemost of the
building.
Shorter — At first view it should seem to refer to the length
but indeed it refers to the height of the chambers
of which the lowest chamber
was highest
the second lower pitched than the first
yet of greater height
than the uppermost between the floor and ceiling.
Verse 6
[6] For they were in three stories
but had not pillars as
the pillars of the courts: therefore the building was straitened more than the
lowest and the middlemost from the ground.
As the pillars — So thick and strong as those
were.
Verse 7
[7] And the wall that was without over against the chambers
toward the utter court on the forepart of the chambers
the length thereof was
fifty cubits.
The wall — A wall at a distance from them
perhaps some wall that
might keep up a terrace-walk.
Verse 11
[11] And the way before them was like the appearance of the
chambers which were toward the north
as long as they
and as broad as they:
and all their goings out were both according to their fashions
and according
to their doors.
The way — The walk.
Was like — Exactly uniform with the fabrick on the north-side.
All their goings — Every window and
door.
Were — Framed in the same manner. In all things exactly
alike.
Verse 13
[13] Then said he unto me
The north chambers and the south
chambers
which are before the separate place
they be holy chambers
where the
priests that approach unto the LORD shall eat the most holy things: there shall
they lay the most holy things
and the meat offering
and the sin offering
and
the trespass offering; for the place is holy.
Shall they lay — In some of these chambers the
holy things that might be eat
were laid up as in a store-house; and those
which were not for present use
were reserved
'till they were to be used.
Verse 14
[14] When the priests enter therein
then shall they not go
out of the holy place into the utter court
but there they shall lay their
garments wherein they minister; for they are holy; and shall put on other
garments
and shall approach to those things which are for the people.
Which are — Which common people may meddle
with.
Verse 20
[20] He measured it by the four sides: it had a wall round
about
five hundred reeds long
and five hundred broad
to make a separation
between the sanctuary and the profane place.
Five hundred broad — Each reed was above
three yards and an half
so that it was about eight miles round. Thus large
were the suburbs of this mystical temple
signifying the great extent of the
church in gospel times. It is in part fulfilled already
by the accession of the
Gentiles to the church: and will be throughly accomplished
when the fulness of
the Gentiles shall come in
and all Israel shall be saved.
A separation — To distinguish
and accordingly
to exclude
or admit persons
for all might not go in.
── John Wesley《Explanatory Notes on Ezekiel》
42 Chapter 42
Verses 1-20
And before the chambers
was a walk of ten cubits breadth inward.
Provision made in the temple
for social intercourse
Before these chambers
there were walks of five yards broad
in which those who had lodged in these
chambers might meet for conversation
might walk and talk together for their
mutual edification
might communicate their knowledge and experiences. For we
are not to spend all our time between the church and the chamber
though a
great deal of time may be spent to very good purpose in both. But man is made
for society
and Christians for communion of saints
and the duties of that communion
we must make conscience of. It is promised to Joshua
who was high priest in
the second temple
that God will “give him places to walk in among those that
stand by” (Zechariah 3:7). (M. Henry.)
.
The glory of the Lord filled the house.
The glory without the cloud
Though God may forsake His people for a small moment
He will return
with everlasting loving kindness. God’s glory filled the house
as it had
filled the tabernacle which Moses set up and thee temple of Solomon. Now we do
not find that ever the Shekinah did in that manner take possession of the
second temple
and therefore this was to have its accomplishment in that glory
of the Divine grace which shines so brightly in the Gospel Church
and fills
it. Here is no mention of a cloud filling the house as formerly
for we now
with open face behold the glory of the Lord
in the face of Christ
and not as
of old through the cloud of types. (M. Henry.)
In the uplifted life we are brought into closer fellowshi
p with God:--The Spirit took Ezekiel up and brought him into the
inner court
I want you to observe that while the prophet was in the inner
court he saw the glory of God and heard God speaking to him. That inner court
represents to us the innermost fellowship with God.
I. In the inner
court he saw the glory of God. You stand outside some great cathedral
looking
at the large stained-glass window that is said to be of such immense value and
noted for its exquisite loveliness. You have heard of its beautiful design
of
its rich colouring and delicate shadings. But you are disappointed. All you can
see is a dim
dull easement
blotched here and there. But that is because you
have been judging it from the standpoint of the exterior of the building. In
that position you can see no glory. Get into the interior
--into the inner
court
and your opinion will suddenly change. The scientist
if an unbeliever
cannot see the glory of God in Nature as can the man who has been brought into
the inner court of fellowship with God. The man in the outer court may see a
great deal of beauty in natural phenomena
and a wonderful design in “the operations
and effects of natural laws”; but there are beauties in Nature to the believer
that far surpass those. Jonathan Edwards
speaking of his own experience of
having enjoyed a wonderful sense of God’s pardoning mercy
said
“The wisdom
purity
and love of God seemed to appear in everything: in the sun
moon
and
stars; in the clouds and blue sky; in the grass
flowers
and trees; in the
water and all nature
which greatly fixed my mind. I beheld the sweet glory of
God in all these things
and in the meantime sang with a low voice my
contemplations of the Creator and Redeemer.” As with Nature
so with
Revelation. The Bible has been called a glorious temple. “When He the Spirit of
Truth is come
He will guide you into all truth.” There our Lord indicates the
faculty of spiritual perception and interpretation. How little of the glory of
God we have seen! How seldom
as by a mystic hand
are we led beyond the
vestibule into the inner sanctuary of the Most High! There was a time when God
maintaining strict reserve
dwelt in a peculiar way in the Holy of Holies of
the ancient Temple. On the mercy seat was the Shekinah--the great symbol of His
presence and unapproachable glory--which burned and glowed perpetually in
bright and vivid splendour. Before this was hung the closely woven veil. There
was no admission save for the High Priest
and he might pass within but once a
year. But now we have “boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of
Jesus
by a new and living way
which He hath consecrated for us
through the
veil
that is to say His flesh.” The High Priest of old could not look at the
glory without seeing the blood that was sprinkled on the mercy seat. “The same
blood
the same atonement by which we draw near to God
is the same by which we
must remain in communion with God.” “And
” says the prophet Ezekiel
“the man
stood by me.” Jesus Christ
the God-Man
is the glory of God. “God
Who
commanded the light to shine out of darkness
hath shined in our hearts
to
give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus
Christ.” The Holy Spirit is the light of God that we may see Him.
II. While Ezekiel
was in the inner court
God spake to him. Few live in the higher condition of
perpetual fellowship with the Father and the Son; but it is in that higher
condition that the noblest faculties of the soul are brought into use
Habakkuk
said
“I will stand upon my watch
and set me upon the tower
and will watch to
see what He will say unto me” (2:1). He would get above the crush and clamour
of worldly things. As he who stands upon some eminence of cliff is not
disturbed by the murmuring wavelets channelling the sands beneath
so the
“lifted up” spirit
liberated from a narrow
mundane view
is unaffected by the
carking cares which annoy and the anxieties which absorb the many
--the
frettings which disturb serenity and scare away peace. We want to live above
the corroding
cloying
flippant
superficial pleasures of time. We must get
into a calm atmosphere
--the “sphere of silence
”--the unbroken solitudes of
“the heavenlies
” if we are to hear His voice. Professor Smythe was engaged for
some weeks in making astronomical observations on the Rock of Teneriffe. When
he and his party descended from the height
they were surprised to find that a
storm had been raging of which they had heard and seen nothing. (A. W.
Welch.)
──《The Biblical Illustrator》