LIFE-STUDY OF EZEKIEL
Message 21
THE ALTAR
WEEK 10 - WEDNESDAY
Scripture Reading: Ezek. 43
Read and pray: “It had a great and high wall, twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels; and names were inscribed on them, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel.”
THE DESIGN AND THE MEASUREMENTS OF THE ALTAR
How can we prove from the record in the book of Ezekiel that God, man, and all creatures died on the altar, on the cross? How can we prove that Christ’s death was such an all-inclusive death? How can we prove that the cross grants us God?
All this is proved by the design and the measurements of the altar. The precise details of the altar are a special feature of Ezekiel’s vision. The first books of the Bible do not speak specifically about the measurements of the altar in such a detailed way, but Ezekiel gives us details concerning the altar.
If we consider figure¹ 3 (the detail of the altar), we will see that according to Ezekiel’s vision the altar has four sections: the base, the small ledge, the larger ledge above the small ledge, and the upper altar above the larger ledge. The upper altar is called the heart of God, the place where something burns for God and by God.
We will now briefly consider the measurements. The base of the altar is one cubit high. The number one signifies the one God; thus, the base of the altar being one cubit high indicates that God is the base of the altar. This means that the cross was initiated by God.
The lower ledge, which is at the base of the altar, is two cubits high. Here, the number two signifies not only a testimony but also the second person of the Triune God. Christ is the second person of the Triune God as the testimony.
The third section, the large ledge, is four cubits high, signifying the creatures. The upper altar on top of the upper ledge is also four cubits high.
The top of the altar is a square, twelve by twelve cubits. The number twelve is composed of six times two or three times four. In this case, all these numbers are involved.
The number four signifying the creature, man signifying the number six, and the number three signifying the Triune God are all here. From all this we can see that God is here, that Christ is here, and that all the creatures, including man, are here.
God as the base includes Christ. When Christ died on the cross, God, man, and all the creatures died there with Christ. Therefore, this altar represents the all-inclusive death of Christ.
Because Christ’s death is mysterious, there are many different opinions concerning it. An unbelieving Jew might simply say that a man named Jesus, the Nazarene, died there.
Many believers today would say that the One who died on the cross was their Redeemer. Other Christians, who are more advanced in their spiritual understanding, may say that Christ, their Redeemer, and they themselves died on the cross.
However, I would declare that not only Christ, my Redeemer, and I died there, but also all the creatures and God died there. The entire universe along with the Creator passed through death. Because everything that passes through death can be tested. Whatever could be terminated by death was terminated.
Actually, only God was able to pass through the test of death. We and all creation were terminated, but God was able to pass through the test of death.
The all-inclusive death of Christ accomplished a mingling which brought man into God. In that death, God died in man to be released, and man died in God to be terminated.
Praise the Lord for the wonderful and all-inclusive death of Christ! God died in man and man died in God! Hallelujah for the death of Christ which releases and which terminates! In His death we were terminated and God was released.
THE HEARTH
The top part of the altar, the heart of God, is twelve cubits square. This is God’s hearth, God’s place to burn things by God, for God, and through God. It is significant that the hearth measures twelve by twelve cubits.
This is the first time the number twelve is used in the measurements of the temple. The number twelve is the number of the New Jerusalem and is composed of three times four. The number three is the number of the Triune God, and the number four is the number of man as a creature. The number twelve, therefore, signifies the Triune God mingled with man.
The New Jerusalem will be the consummate mingling of the Triune God with man. The church life today is also the mingling of the Triune God with man.
THE LARGER LEDGE
The larger ledge, the section that is directly under the upper altar, has a ledge on both sides measuring one cubit. Therefore, the larger ledge is fourteen cubits. The number fourteen is composed in two ways: seven times two and ten plus four.
Seven is the number of completion, two is the number of testimony, ten is the number of fullness in perfection, and four, of course, is the number of the creature. Putting all these numbers together, we can see that this means that the creature in fullness bears a complete testimony.
THE LOWER LEDGE
Under the larger ledge is the smaller ledge. This ledge also has two ledges of one cubit each, making a total of sixteen cubits. The number sixteen is composed of eight times two, signifying a testimony (two) in resurrection (eight). Christ is a living testimony in resurrection.
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¹ Unfortunately, we do not have the figures for this material.
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