Ezekiel 40:5
And I saw a wall surrounding the temple area. Now the length of the measuring rod in the man's hand was six long cubits (each measuring a cubit and a handbreadth), and he measured the wall to be one rod thick and one rod high.
And I saw a wall surrounding the temple area.
The vision of a wall surrounding the temple signifies protection and separation, a common theme in biblical architecture. Walls in ancient times were crucial for defense and demarcation. In Ezekiel's vision, this wall symbolizes God's holiness and the separation of the sacred from the profane. The temple area represents God's dwelling place among His people, echoing the tabernacle and Solomon's temple. This imagery connects to Revelation 21:12, where the New Jerusalem is described with a great, high wall, symbolizing divine protection and sanctity.

Now the length of the measuring rod in the man’s hand was six long cubits (each measuring a cubit and a handbreadth),
The measuring rod indicates precision and divine order. A cubit, an ancient unit of length, was typically the distance from the elbow to the tip of the middle finger, approximately 18 inches. A handbreadth adds about 3 inches, making a long cubit roughly 21 inches. The use of a specific measurement underscores the importance of exactness in God's plans. This precision reflects God's meticulous nature in creation and His covenant, as seen in the detailed instructions for the tabernacle in Exodus 25-27.

and he measured the wall to be one rod thick and one rod high.
The measurement of the wall as one rod thick and one rod high emphasizes the strength and sufficiency of God's protection. The rod, being a standard unit of measure, signifies completeness and stability. This measurement can be seen as a type of Christ, who is the ultimate protector and mediator between God and humanity. The wall's dimensions also suggest the impenetrable nature of God's kingdom, as echoed in Psalm 125:2, where the mountains surround Jerusalem, symbolizing God's enduring protection for His people.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Ezekiel
A prophet of God who was among the exiles in Babylon. He received visions from God, including the vision of the new temple.

2. The Man with the Measuring Rod
A divine figure, possibly an angel, who guides Ezekiel through the vision and measures the temple.

3. The Temple
The central place of worship for the Israelites, symbolizing God's presence among His people.

4. The Wall
Represents separation and protection, marking the boundary of the sacred space of the temple.

5. The Measuring Rod
A tool used to measure the temple, symbolizing precision and divine order.
Teaching Points
Divine Order and Precision
God's instructions are precise and purposeful. Just as the temple was measured with exactness, our lives should reflect God's order and holiness.

Separation and Holiness
The wall signifies separation from the profane. As believers, we are called to be set apart, living lives that reflect God's holiness.

God's Presence and Protection
The temple and its wall symbolize God's presence and protection. We can trust in God's safeguarding of our spiritual lives.

Symbolism of Measurement
The act of measuring indicates God's ownership and care. We are reminded that our lives are under God's watchful eye and guidance.

Vision and Hope for Restoration
Ezekiel's vision provided hope for the exiles. Similarly, we can find hope in God's promises of restoration and renewal.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does the act of measuring the temple in Ezekiel 40:5 reflect God's character and His expectations for His people?

2. In what ways can the concept of a "wall" around the temple be applied to our spiritual lives today?

3. How does the vision of the temple in Ezekiel provide hope and encouragement for believers facing difficult circumstances?

4. What are some practical ways we can ensure our lives reflect the order and holiness that God desires, as symbolized by the measuring rod?

5. How do the themes of separation and protection in Ezekiel 40:5 connect with other biblical teachings on holiness and God's safeguarding of His people?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Revelation 11:1
The measuring of the temple is echoed in John's vision, symbolizing God's protection and the establishment of His order.

Zechariah 2:1-2
Another vision of measuring, indicating God's plan and protection for Jerusalem.

Exodus 25:9
The detailed instructions for the tabernacle, showing God's desire for order and holiness in worship.
God's Kingdom Divinely OrganizedJ.D. Davies Ezekiel 40:5-27
People
Ezekiel, Levi, Levites, Zadok
Places
Jerusalem
Topics
Area, Base, Behold, Breadth, Building, Completely, Cubit, Cubits, Handbreadth, Hand-breadth, Hand's, Height, Hight, Length, Man's, Measure, Measured, Measureth, Measuring, Measuring-reed, Outside, Reed, Rod, Round, Six, Surrounding, Temple, Thick, Thickness, Wall
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Ezekiel 40:5

     4832   length

Ezekiel 40:1-49

     5207   architecture

Ezekiel 40:5-7

     5618   measures, linear

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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