LIFE-STUDY OF EZEKIEL
Read and pray: “that you may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ, which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled unto all the fullness of God” (Eph. 3:18-19)
The Passage
From the court, we go to the passage, which has many details.
The Guard Chambers
Ezekiel 40:10 says that in this passage there are six small chambers. Some of the best translations use the term guard chamber. These are the rooms where the guards stay to protect the temple.
Each of these chambers is six cubits square and is therefore equal in size to a cross section of the wall. This indicates that the Lord Jesus, in His person and work, is the real guard of the glory and holiness of God.
If there were no wall, the sinners would be able to enter the temple, and this would be an insult to the glory and holiness of God. Since the wall separates the sinners from God, the gate brings people into God and into His building.
In order to be the gate, the Lord Jesus had to fulfill all the requirements of the Ten Commandments. He was a proper and upright man, able to fulfill the Ten Commandments, and now He is the guard of the glory and holiness of God.
Only those who are qualified and who correspond to the glory and holiness of God can enter into the temple. If we want to be qualified in this way, we need to pass through the gate. By passing through Christ as the gate, we are qualified to enter into the building of God, which is full of the glory and holiness of God.
The six guard chambers are divided into two groups of three. Again we have the number three typifying the Triune God, who became a man and was “split” into two. This indicates that the guard chambers are a person, Christ Himself.
The Borders
Between the three guard chambers are two spaces of five cubits each. Again we have ten cubits composed of two groups of five cubits. This shows us once more that Christ has the responsibility to fulfill all the requirements of the Ten Commandments.
Furthermore, once again we have the number two, signifying testimony. On one side there are two spaces of five cubits each, and on the other side there are also two spaces of five cubits. This indicates that Christ has the full responsibility for the Ten Commandments and that this becomes a testimony. The Lord Jesus, as the Triune God, became a man and died on the cross to fulfill all the responsibilities of the Ten Commandments.
From the guard chambers we go to the borders. Instead of borders, the King James Version uses the word “space”; other versions use the word “platform.” Outside each of the guard chambers there is a border, a space, which is one cubit in width. These are in two groups of three, typifying the Triune God in resurrection.
We need to remember that the passage is ten cubits. However, there is a sense in which we can say that the passage is eight cubits wide. If we deduct one cubit for the border around the guard chamber on each side, this leaves the passage with only eight cubits in width.
Eight is the number of resurrection. The first day of the week, the day on which the Lord Jesus was resurrected, is also the eighth day. Thus, the eighth day is the day of resurrection and signifies a new beginning. When we pass through Christ, we pass through resurrection and have a new beginning.
The Pillars
Next, we need to consider the pillars, which are difficult to locate. Ezekiel 40:14 says that the distance to the pillars is sixty cubits and that each pillar (column) has two sides. Each pillar, each column, has two sides, and each side is two cubits. On the sides of the passage there are fifteen sides of two cubits each. Therefore, there are thirty cubits in width on both sides of the passage, totaling sixty cubits.
Fifteen is composed of three times five, typifying the Triune God in resurrection bearing all the responsibility. The number two, indicating testimony, is also present. The number thirty corresponds to the chambers of all the stories for the enjoyment of Christ.
The columns, which support the roof of the structure, indicate that we need to be received by the sustaining strength of Christ in order to enter into the enjoyment of Christ. The sustaining strength comes from the number thirty, and the enjoyment of Christ also. This indicates that we can enjoy only what Christ can sustain.
As we will see in a later message, the expression of Christ, as seen in the side chambers of the temple, is also represented by the number thirty. Therefore, the expression of Christ, the enjoyment of Christ, and the support of Christ are all typified by the number thirty. We can express only what we can enjoy, and we can enjoy only what Christ can sustain.
The Palm Trees
On both sides of each column there is a palm tree (v. 16). In the Bible, palm trees typify victory, even eternal victory. Christ, the guard of the holiness and glory of God, is the Eternal One, the Victorious One, who sustains, carries, supports, and prevails.
The Porch
From the pillars we go to the porch, where the number eight is used. In the previous portion, mainly the numbers five, six, and ten are used, but with the porch, the number eight is used. This indicates that now we are in resurrection, in a new beginning.
THE WINDOWS
The windows are for letting in light and air. These are not narrow windows, but latticed windows, with strips of material over them to protect the building from negative things. However, the windows are kept open for the air and the light.
These latticed windows typify the life-giving Spirit. There are thirty windows in total, fifteen on one side and fifteen on the other. The gate is full of windows. This indicates that Christ is full of the life-giving Spirit.
The life-giving Spirit brings in air and light and prevents the entrance of all negative things. The Hebrew word for lattice implies the idea of being beveled. This means that the outside of the window is narrow, but the inside is wider (40:16). The life-giving Spirit always works toward the inside. Outwardly He is not great, but inwardly He is very broad.
EXPANDING IN A BROAD WAY
Although Ezekiel mentions the height of the wall, he does not mention the height of the gate. The omission of this dimension is very significant. The entire temple complex does not give the impression of height, but of expansion in a broad way. Even the height of the wall is only six cubits. According to the design, the temple complex is five hundred cubits square. Thus, the height is not great, yet the expansion is very great.
The human concept is that one must go higher and higher to reach the heavens. This was the concept in the building of the tower of Babel. However, God’s intention is to be with man on the earth. God’s desire is to come to the earth and expand His testimony. Thus, God came to the earth as a man to expand His testimony over the whole earth.
In this message we saw that the gates typify Christ as the Triune God. Christ became a man who was upright, perfect, and complete. Christ bore the responsibility and fulfilled all the requirements of the Ten Commandments in order to open the way for us to enter into God and into His interests. Furthermore, Christ is the testimony of God, and as the Resurrected One, the life-giving Spirit, He is a living witness of the eternal victory.
🌿Enjoy more:
Hymn: Longings - “By Sanctification”
No comments:
Post a Comment