Ezekiel 40:48
Then he brought me to the portico of the temple and measured the side pillars of the portico to be five cubits on each side. The width of the gateway was fourteen cubits and its sidewalls were three cubits on either side.
Then he brought me to the portico of the temple
This phrase indicates a continuation of the vision given to Ezekiel, where he is guided by a divine messenger. The portico, or porch, of the temple is a significant architectural feature, often serving as an entrance or transitional space. In the context of Solomon's Temple, the portico was a place of gathering and worship. The temple represents God's dwelling place among His people, and the portico symbolizes the threshold between the divine and the earthly. This vision is part of a larger prophetic message about restoration and the future glory of God's people.

and measured the side pillars of the portico to be five cubits on each side.
The act of measuring signifies order, precision, and divine intention. The side pillars, being five cubits each, reflect the importance of structure and stability in the temple's design. In biblical numerology, the number five can symbolize grace and God's goodness. The pillars may also represent strength and support, both physically and spiritually, as they uphold the entrance to the sacred space. This measurement underscores the meticulous care in the construction of God's house, reflecting His holiness and perfection.

The width of the gateway was fourteen cubits
The gateway's width of fourteen cubits suggests a grand and welcoming entrance. The number fourteen, being double seven, can symbolize completeness and spiritual perfection. This measurement may also indicate the accessibility of God's presence to His people, inviting them into a relationship with Him. The gateway serves as a passage from the outer world into the sacred, emphasizing the transition from the profane to the holy.

and its sidewalls were three cubits on either side.
The sidewalls, each measuring three cubits, provide a sense of enclosure and protection for the gateway. The number three often represents divine completeness and the Trinity in Christian theology. These sidewalls may symbolize the boundaries set by God to safeguard His holiness and the sanctity of the temple. They also highlight the importance of approaching God with reverence and respect, acknowledging His divine order and the separation between the sacred and the secular.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Ezekiel
A prophet and priest during the Babylonian exile, Ezekiel is the recipient of the vision of the new temple.

2. The Portico of the Temple
This is the entrance area of the temple, symbolizing the threshold between the secular and the sacred.

3. The Measuring Angel
An angelic figure who guides Ezekiel through the vision, measuring the temple's dimensions.

4. The Temple
Represents God's dwelling place among His people, a central theme in Ezekiel's vision.

5. The Jambs and Gateway
Architectural elements of the temple, symbolizing strength and the entrance to divine presence.
Teaching Points
Symbolism of Measurement
The precise measurements emphasize God's order and perfection. In our lives, we should strive for spiritual order and alignment with God's standards.

The Role of the Temple
The temple serves as a place of worship and communion with God. Today, our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, calling us to live holy lives.

Threshold of Transformation
The portico represents a transition from the ordinary to the sacred. We are invited to step into deeper fellowship with God, leaving behind worldly distractions.

Divine Presence
The temple signifies God's desire to dwell among His people. We should cultivate an awareness of God's presence in our daily lives.

Architectural Strength
The strong jambs and gateway remind us of the strength and security found in God's presence. We can trust in His protection and guidance.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does the vision of the temple in Ezekiel 40:48 reflect God's desire for order and holiness in our lives?

2. In what ways can we view our bodies as temples of the Holy Spirit, and how should this influence our daily actions?

3. What does the portico symbolize in terms of our spiritual journey, and how can we apply this symbolism to our relationship with God?

4. How do the architectural elements of the temple, such as the jambs and gateway, inspire confidence in God's strength and protection?

5. How can we draw parallels between Ezekiel's vision of the temple and the New Jerusalem described in Revelation, and what hope does this offer for our future?
Connections to Other Scriptures
1 Kings 6
Describes Solomon's temple, providing a historical context for the temple's design and significance.

Revelation 21
Offers a vision of the New Jerusalem, drawing parallels to Ezekiel's vision of a restored temple.

Hebrews 9
Discusses the earthly sanctuary and its heavenly counterpart, connecting to the idea of the temple as a shadow of heavenly realities.
Sacrifice Essential to Human WorshipJ.D. Davies
People
Ezekiel, Levi, Levites, Zadok
Places
Jerusalem
Topics
Breadth, Bringeth, Covered, Cubits, Doorway, Either, Entrance, Fourteen, Gate, Jambs, Measure, Measured, Measureth, Pillar, Porch, Portico, Post, Projecting, Sidewalls, Side-walls, Temple, Uprights, Vestibule, Walls, Wide, Width
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Ezekiel 40:1-49

     5207   architecture

Library
The Parts of the City. Sion. The Upper City: which was on the North Part.
There is one who asserts Jerusalem to stand on seven hills; but whether upon a reason more light, or more obscure, is not easy to say. "The whale showed Jonah (saith he) the Temple of the Lord, as it is said, 'I went down to the bottom of the mountains': whence we learn that Jerusalem was seated upon seven mountains." One may sooner almost prove the thing itself, than approve of his argument. Let him enjoy his argument to himself; we must fetch the situation elsewhere. "The city itself (saith Josephus)
John Lightfoot—From the Talmud and Hebraica

Jesus Tempted in the Wilderness.
^A Matt. IV. 1-11; ^B Mark I. 12, 13; ^C Luke IV. 1-13. ^c 1 And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan, ^b 12 And straightway the Spirit driveth him forth ^c and ^a 1 Then [Just after his baptism, with the glow of the descended Spirit still upon him, and the commending voice of the Father still ringing in his ears, Jesus is rushed into the suffering of temptation. Thus abrupt and violent are the changes of life. The spiritually exalted may expect these sharp contrasts. After being
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

The Millennium in Relation to Israel.
"And it came to pass, that, when the sun went down, and it was dark, behold a smoking furnace, and a burning lamp that passed between those pieces. In that same day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land" (Gen. 15:17, 18). Here the two great periods of Israel's history was made known to Abram in figure. The vision of the smoking furnace and the burning lamp intimated that the history of Abraham's descendants was to be a checkered one. It was a prophecy in
Arthur W. Pink—The Redeemer's Return

The Holy City; Or, the New Jerusalem:
WHEREIN ITS GOODLY LIGHT, WALLS, GATES, ANGELS, AND THE MANNER OF THEIR STANDING, ARE EXPOUNDED: ALSO HER LENGTH AND BREADTH, TOGETHER WITH THE GOLDEN MEASURING-REED EXPLAINED: AND THE GLORY OF ALL UNFOLDED. AS ALSO THE NUMEROUSNESS OF ITS INHABITANTS; AND WHAT THE TREE AND WATER OF LIFE ARE, BY WHICH THEY ARE SUSTAINED. 'Glorious things are spoken of thee, O city of God.'-Psalm 87:3 'And the name of the city from that day shall be, THE LORD IS THERE.'-Ezekiel 48:35 London: Printed in the year 1665
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3

Ezekiel
To a modern taste, Ezekiel does not appeal anything like so powerfully as Isaiah or Jeremiah. He has neither the majesty of the one nor the tenderness and passion of the other. There is much in him that is fantastic, and much that is ritualistic. His imaginations border sometimes on the grotesque and sometimes on the mechanical. Yet he is a historical figure of the first importance; it was very largely from him that Judaism received the ecclesiastical impulse by which for centuries it was powerfully
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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