Wednesday - Ezekiel 41 - Much We Do Not Know...

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F we were given the task of designing and constructing a new house, a new ministry complex or maybe a museum, I assume that even the very smallest details of that project might become very important to us. On the other hand, we might walk through a mall, a capitol building or museum and think nothing at all of the floor plan, the height of the ceilings or the number of rooms in it. Consider the contrast of these 2 perspectives as you read Ezekiel 41. You and I may not care much about (nor even understand) the blueprint that is continued (from Ezekiel 40) into the chapter which we are now covering, but that doesn't indicate that it is unimportant or meaningless. Here we have about 100 verses in five chapters that are committed to describing the last earthly temple. Whether it's exciting reading or not is irrelevant. The schematic on the back of your refrigerator is not intended for leisure reading either, but that doesn't mean it's unimportant.

So, here we go. In chapter 40, we found the measurements of the three gates that will give entrance into the millennium temple complex. The gates will face north, east and south. We found descriptions of stairs, the thresholds, chambers, porches, posts, windows, arches, pavement, the courtyards, tables, utensils (tools), pillars and more. Now, in Ezekiel 41, we have additional details. The temple itself is described. Its doors, the Holy of Holies, the thick walls of the structure, three storied galleries (90 of them it seems), winding staircases, the wooden paneling, the drapes, the engravings on the walls (cherubs and palm trees), an altar and thick planks – all of these were brought to Ezekiel's attention. And, we have more to come.