Herald Broadcasting Network presents Bible Banquet a Daily devotional on the Book of Ezekiel
Let’s read Ezekiel Chapter 40
Chapter Overview This chapter describes Ezekiel’s vision of a future Temple. Some Christian interpretations of Ezekiel’s temple say that it is the temple that Zerubbabel should have built; others see it as a literal temple to be rebuilt during the millennial reign of Christ; a temple which is symbolic of the worship of God by the Christian church today; or a symbol of the future and eternal reign of God.
In Chapter 40 of the book of Ezekiel, there’s a detailed description of a temple vision. It’s a symbolic representation rather than a literal blueprint for a physical temple. The purpose of this vision is to convey spiritual truths and divine symbolism rather than architectural plans. The temple symbolizes the presence of God among His people and the restoration of His covenant with them. It also portrays themes of purification, worship, and divine order.
Chapter Summary: The Vision of the Temple
Here are some beautiful lessons we may draw from this reading (credits to Matthew Henry):
1. In reading and understanding this chapter, we must bear in mind that “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works. “2 Peter 1:20-21 KJV reads: “Knowing this first that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.
2. The writers of the Bible were God’s Pen-men, and not His Pen (White). Thus, they freely expressed what God showed or spoke to them, in their imperfect human languages and in the context of their limited personal backgrounds. It suffices therefore that the Bible is the written Word of God to man, the authoritative revealer of His will building for our faith and practice. But we cannot by searching, find out the deep things of God, Job 11:7. Secret (mysteries) things belong to God, but revealed things belong to us and to our children, Deut 29:29.
3. Ezekiel’s vision of the temple began at chapter 40, and continued to the end of the book, chapter 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.
4. 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.
5. Some commentators believe that Ezekiel is giving us a picture of the New Earth in the prophetic terms with which his readers were familiar (Hoekema, The Bible and Future, 205). “This is a picture of the New Earth as the dwelling of God.” Ezekiel prophesies it in earthly terms (complete with all the temple utensils), while John describes its fulfilled version (in eschatological terms).
6. Based upon a number of factors, some other scholars think that the prophecy points to a non-structural end-times temple. First, because the prophecy cannot be interpreted literally and still make any sense. When God places the prophet on a very high mountain (40:1-2) He sees something like a city (obviously Jerusalem). Yet, there is no such high mountain near Jerusalem from which the prophet could have had such a vantage point. But this literal high mountain is required by the dispensational view. Where is it? Given the nature of Ezekiel’s prophecy, this language should alert us to the fact that what follows is given the symbolic geography of the prophet.
7. The above view seems affirmed in Rev 21:10, where John is carried away “in the Spirit” to a high mountain from which he sees the Holy City coming down out of heaven. Obviously, the visions are related to each other as type-antitype (earthly language, eschatological fulfillment). Thus, what Ezekiel promised in the OT, John sees as a reality in the NT, and yet the reality seen by John far exceeds anything in Ezekiel’s vision. As Beale points out, there is a significant number of other instances in this prophecy, which make the literal interpretation very unlikely, if not impossible.
8. Second, there are a number of features within the prophecy which refer to something much greater than a localized temple in Jerusalem. In verse 40:2, it is clear that Ezekiel sees a structure “like a city” (the temple), while in the final chapter and verse of the prophecy (48:35), he says that the cities’ name is “the Lord is there.” Here we have the expansion of the localized temple into an area the size of the entire city of Jerusalem. This expansion of God’s temple is a consistent theme throughout Ezekiel (Beale). There are allusions to Eden throughout the prophecy (47:1-12). The city is depicted as a perfect square and the reference to the river is obviously symbolic, since it is deep enough that it can only be crossed by swimming (47:5)
9. Finally, it is obvious that Rev. 21 presents Ezekiel’s vision in its consummated fulfillment. In other words, John is given a vision of the same temple, but now from the vantage point of Christ’s death and resurrection and the dawn of the new creation–something which would have made no sense whatsoever to Ezekiel or his hearers. As Beale points out, the New Heavens and New Earth are now the holy of holies, as well as the New Jerusalem, and the new Eden. On the last day, all creation becomes the temple of God. The temple has been expanded (extended) from a building, to a city, to all of creation.
10. It is therefore safe to conclude that Ezekiel’s vision is a prophecy, not of an earthly temple (although the prophet uses earthly language his readers could understand), but of an eschatological temple, depicted in its consummated form and unspeakable glory by John in Rev 21-22.Prayer: Now, we see things dimly as in a glass. May God help us to behold Him face to face, and to be transformed fully into the image His image, in Jesus’ name. Amen Songs: SDAH 428, 633
