Ezekiel 43:13
These are the measurements of the altar in long cubits (a cubit and a handbreadth): Its gutter shall be a cubit deep and a cubit wide, with a rim of one span around its edge. And this is the height of the altar:
These are the measurements of the altar in long cubits (a cubit and a handbreadth):
The use of "long cubits" indicates a specific measurement standard, slightly longer than the regular cubit, which was approximately 18 inches. A "long cubit" is about 21 inches, including a handbreadth. This precision underscores the importance of the altar's design, reflecting God's detailed instructions for worship. The altar's measurements are reminiscent of the detailed instructions given for the Tabernacle and Solomon's Temple, emphasizing the sacredness and orderliness required in worship.

Its gutter shall be a cubit deep and a cubit wide,
The gutter, or trench, around the altar served a practical purpose for collecting blood and other offerings. This design element highlights the sacrificial system's centrality in Israelite worship, pointing to the need for atonement and purification. The depth and width of the gutter ensure it can adequately handle the sacrifices, symbolizing the comprehensive nature of atonement provided by God.

with a rim of one span around its edge.
A span is approximately nine inches, indicating a protective border around the altar. This rim could symbolize the boundary between the holy and the common, a recurring theme in the Old Testament. It serves as a reminder of the separation between God and humanity due to sin, and the need for mediation, which is ultimately fulfilled in Christ.

And this is the height of the altar:
The height of the altar signifies its prominence and centrality in the temple complex. It is a focal point for worship and sacrifice, representing the elevation of spiritual matters above earthly concerns. The altar's height also points to the need for a mediator between God and man, a role fulfilled by Jesus Christ, who is both the ultimate sacrifice and the high priest.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Ezekiel
A prophet during the Babylonian exile, Ezekiel is the author of the book and the one receiving the vision of the new temple.

2. The Altar
Central to the vision, the altar represents the place of sacrifice and worship in the new temple.

3. The Temple Vision
This vision, given to Ezekiel, outlines the future temple's structure and serves as a symbol of God's presence and restoration.
Teaching Points
The Significance of Measurements
The detailed measurements emphasize God's order and precision in worship. Just as the altar's dimensions were specific, our worship should be intentional and reverent.

Symbolism of the Altar
The altar symbolizes atonement and reconciliation with God. In the New Testament, Christ is our ultimate sacrifice, fulfilling the altar's purpose.

Restoration and Hope
The vision of the altar in the new temple represents hope and restoration for God's people. It reminds us of God's promise to restore and dwell with us.

Holiness in Worship
The altar's design reflects the holiness required in approaching God. Our lives should reflect this holiness as we offer ourselves as living sacrifices.

God's Presence
The altar is central to the temple, symbolizing God's presence among His people. We are called to live with the awareness of God's presence in our daily lives.
Bible Study Questions
1. How do the specific measurements of the altar in Ezekiel 43:13 reflect God's character and expectations for worship?

2. In what ways does the altar in Ezekiel's vision connect to the concept of sacrifice in the New Testament?

3. How can the vision of the new temple and altar inspire hope and a sense of restoration in our personal spiritual lives?

4. What does the altar's centrality in the temple teach us about the importance of worship in our relationship with God?

5. How can we apply the principles of holiness and reverence, as seen in the altar's design, to our modern-day worship practices?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Exodus 27
Describes the altar of burnt offering in the tabernacle, providing a historical context for the altar's significance in worship.

Hebrews 13
Discusses the altar in the context of the new covenant, emphasizing the spiritual sacrifices of believers.

Revelation 21
Describes the new Jerusalem, drawing parallels to the vision of restoration and God's dwelling with His people.
Measuring by OrbitsJ. Parker, D. D.Ezekiel 43:13
Proportions of Altar UnintelligibleJ. Parker, D. D.Ezekiel 43:13
The Altar Measurable and ImmeasurableJ. Parker, D. D.Ezekiel 43:13
The Cross is Beyond MeasurementJ. Parker, D. D.Ezekiel 43:13
The Greatest Things MeasurableJ. Parker, D. D.Ezekiel 43:13
The Measurement of the AltarEzekiel 43:13
Purification and PreparationW. Clarkson Ezekiel 43:13-27
People
Ezekiel, Israelites, Levites, Zadok
Places
Chebar, Holy Place
Topics
Altar, Base, Border, Bottom, Breadth, Broad, Centre, Cubit, Cubits, Deep, Dimensions, Edge, Gutter, Handbreadth, Hand-breadth, Hand's, Hand-stretch, Height, Higher, Hollow, Measure, Measurements, Measures, Overhanging, Rim, Round, Span, Thereof, Upper, Wide, Width
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Ezekiel 43:13

     4813   depth
     4830   height
     5618   measures, linear

Ezekiel 43:10-17

     5207   architecture

Library
Solomon's Temple Spiritualized
or, Gospel Light Fetched out of the Temple at Jerusalem, to Let us More Easily into the Glory of New Testament Truths. 'Thou son of man, shew the house to the house of Isreal;--shew them the form of the house, and the fashion thereof, and the goings out hereof, and the comings in thereof, and all the forms thereof, and all the ordinances thereof, and all the forms thereof, and all the laws thereof.'--Ezekiel 43:10, 11 London: Printed for, and sold by George Larkin, at the Two Swans without Bishopgate,
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3

How the Impatient and the Patient are to be Admonished.
(Admonition 10.) Differently to be admonished are the impatient and the patient. For the impatient are to be told that, while they neglect to bridle their spirit, they are hurried through many steep places of iniquity which they seek not after, inasmuch as fury drives the mind whither desire draws it not, and, when perturbed, it does, not knowing, what it afterwards grieves for when it knows. The impatient are also to be told that, when carried headlong by the impulse of emotion, they act in some
Leo the Great—Writings of Leo the Great

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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