Usually people say that a *vision is ‘like a dream’. But what happened to Ezekiel was much more powerful than a dream. Ezekiel emphasises this. He reports that the power of the *Lord came upon him. And then he seemed to be in the city. Or perhaps he was actually there. Certainly, it seemed to be rea... [ Continue Reading ]
EZEKIEL’S LAST *VISION EZEKIEL CHAPTER S 40 TO 48 _COMMENTARY: KEITH SIMONS; TRANSLATION: IAN MACKERVOY._ ABOUT EZEKIEL CHAPTER S 40 TO 48 Terrible events happened in Jerusalem during Ezekiel’s life. Unlike Jeremiah, Ezekiel was not present in Jerusalem when these things happened. Instead, he... [ Continue Reading ]
At first sight, Ezekiel thought that he saw a city. But actually, this was just the *temple and the *holy buildings that surrounded it. The old *temple was in a city, that is, Jerusalem. But Ezekiel saw a *temple which was not in a city. All the area round the *temple was very *holy (43:12). And the... [ Continue Reading ]
The man was like *bronze. Clearly, this was not an ordinary man. Ezekiel’s guide to this *temple would be an *angel. The *angel moved and walked like a man. But his skin seemed like metal. So the *angel was very impressive. And like metal, he was very strong and powerful. Too many people imagine tha... [ Continue Reading ]
This *vision was God’s message to the *Israelites. God did not merely show Ezekiel these things for Ezekiel’s own pleasure. God had an important message and the people needed to know that message. THE EAST GATE OF THE *TEMPLE – EZEKIEL 40:5-16 * Ezekiel begins here a list of the measurements of... [ Continue Reading ]
Ezekiel saw a wall. It surrounded the entire *temple area. It was strong and well-made. It made the area like a castle. Nobody could enter the *temple except through the gates. Nobody could *worship there unless they went through the gates. Some people think that there are many ways to God. In other... [ Continue Reading ]
Ezekiel recorded the measurements as the *angel measured the east gate. It was one of three gates that led into the *temple area. (That is, the ‘outer area’.) For us today, this description is hard to understand, even in EasyEnglish. But the basic plan was this. Each gate was a large, impressive bu... [ Continue Reading ]
When Ezekiel had gone through the gate, he saw a large yard. We have called this yard ‘the outer area’. It was on three sides of the *temple. Ordinary people could enter the outer area. Here, they could *worship God. But they could not go any further towards the *temple. The inner spaces and buildin... [ Continue Reading ]
For the present, Ezekiel had to remain in the outer area. The *angel showed him the other two outer gates. They too were very familiar to Ezekiel. Their design matched the east gate, which Ezekiel had already measured. THE GATES TO THE INNER AREA OF THE *TEMPLE – EZEKIEL 40:28-37 V28 Then the man... [ Continue Reading ]
When Ezekiel entered the inner area, he was standing in front of the *temple building. But before Ezekiel went into the *temple, he had to see the place of *sacrifice. A person can only *worship God in the proper manner after God has forgiven that person’s *sins. In the *temple in Ezekiel’s *vision,... [ Continue Reading ]
There was a lot of work for the priests who carried out the *sacrifices. The *temple needed many priests for these tasks. But there were only a few tasks in the *temple building. Only a few priests had the honour to serve there on any particular day. It was a very special honour. On that particular... [ Continue Reading ]
The inner area was the yard in front of the *temple building. Here the *altar stood. The fires of the *sacrifices would burn continuously here. And the smoke would rise towards God in heaven. Ezekiel describes the *altar in 43:13-27. THE ENTRANCE TO THE *TEMPLE BUILDING – EZEKIEL 40:48-49 V48 The... [ Continue Reading ]
Ezekiel probably thought that he would never receive the honour to serve God in his *holy *temple. But the *angel led Ezekiel past the *altar and up to the door of the *temple. Again, Ezekiel counted the steps as he entered. There were 10. And as he climbed, he was closer than ever to God’s most *ho... [ Continue Reading ]