LIFE-STUDY OF EZEKIEL
Message 23
THE BUILDING AT THE REAR OF THE TEMPLE, THE WALLS,
THE ALTAR OF INCENSE, THE HOLY OF HOLIES, AND THE KITCHENS
WEEK 11 - WEDNESDAY
Scripture Reading: Exo. 26:29; 37:25-26; Ezek. 41:16-22
Read and pray: “And there were cherubim and palm trees, so that a palm tree was between a cherub and a cherub, and every cherub had two faces, namely, a man’s face toward the palm tree on one side, and a young lion’s face toward the palm tree on the other side; thus it was made throughout all the house all around.” (Ezek. 41:18-19)
THE WALLS OF THE TEMPLE
According to the record in Ezekiel, all the parts of the building related to the temple, including the temple itself, the porch, the side chambers, the building at the rear, and all the walls, are covered, paneled, with wood (41:16). Thus, when we enter the temple, we can see nothing but wood.
This is completely different from the tabernacle erected by Moses, in which gold could be seen everywhere. Every part was overlaid with gold (Exo. 26:29). Here in Ezekiel, by contrast, every part is overlaid with wood.
Considering that gold typifies divinity, wood typifies humanity, especially the proper humanity of the Lord Jesus. Ezekiel is a book full of humanity. In chapter one, Christ on the throne is a man. On the throne there is a man. Even in His glory, Christ is revealed as a man.
In chapter forty-three, when the glory returns to the temple, the man is there (vv. 2, 6). This man is the Lord Himself. In God’s building the main material is humanity. This indicates that we need to be human, but not in a natural way; instead, we need to be “Jesusly human.” The proper humanity is not our natural humanity; the proper humanity is the humanity of the crucified, resurrected, and ascended Jesus.
In the record concerning the temple, the number six is used many times. Almost every entry, gate, and threshold has the number six. The guard chambers are six by six, and the thirty chambers on the pavement are five by six.
Once again I would like to point out that the number six here typifies the humanity of the man Jesus. The wood that paneled the interior of the temple typifies the humanity of the Lord Jesus. The record does not tell us what kind of wood was used for the paneling. In the same way, it is difficult to describe the kind of humanity that the Lord Jesus has.
The humanity of Jesus is wonderful. We cannot describe it, but we can see it and we can possess it. In all the wooden paneling, cherubim and palm trees were carved (41:18-20).
The cherubim are the four living creatures described in chapter one. They typify the Lord’s glory manifested over the creatures. Among the cherubim are the palm trees, typifying the victory and the eternal and ever-existing power of Christ.
In chapter one, the cherubim had four faces, but in the carvings on the walls, they have only two—the face of a man and the face of a lion. The face of a man typifies and expresses humanity, and the face of a lion typifies victory in humanity.
Ezekiel 41:18-19 says, “And there were cherubim and palm trees, so that a palm tree was between a cherub and a cherub, and every cherub had two faces, namely, a man’s face toward the palm tree on one side, and a young lion’s face toward the palm tree on the other side; thus it was made throughout all the house all around.”
Here we are told that between every two cherubim there was a palm tree. This means that we manifest Christ’s victory in the manifestation of Christ’s glorious image. Each palm tree has the face of a man on one side and the face of a young lion on the other.
This means that the glory and the victory of Christ are manifested in a victorious man. This means that if we have fellowship with Christ and enjoy Christ and express Christ and are victorious because of Christ, then others will see in us both the face of a man and the face of a lion. Upon us there will be the image, the glory, and the victory of Christ.
We need to pay attention to the fact that the cherubim and the palm trees are not painted but carved in the wood. This reveals that, as the paneling, we need to be “carved” by the Lord. To be carved means to suffer something. When we meet with certain brothers and sisters, we have the impression that there is something of the Lord carved upon them.
The victory of Christ and the glory of the Lord have been carved into them. The eternal power, the freshness, and the ever-green life have been carved into their being. Because of the Lord’s carving, they bear this kind of image and impression wherever they go.
THE WOODEN ALTAR OF INCENSE
The altar of incense is made entirely of wood. Every part, including the horns, is made of wood (v. 22). This is completely different from the altar of incense in the tent erected by Moses. The altar of incense in the tabernacle was made of wood overlaid with gold, typifying humanity overlaid with divinity (Exo. 37:25-26). The altar of incense placed in this temple is made only of wood, typifying solely the humanity of Jesus.
In the tabernacle and in the temple, there were the altar, the lampstand, and the table of the bread of the Presence. But here in Ezekiel, the altar is also the table (41:22). As an altar, it is good for us to offer something to God, and as a table, it is good for God to minister something to us. The altar is for us to offer something to God for His satisfaction, and the table is good for God to prepare something for us for our satisfaction.
Thus, the altar serves two purposes: from us to God, it is the altar; from God to us, it is the table. We offer something of Christ to God on this altar, and God prepares something of Christ for us on this table. Both are upon the humanity of Christ.
Everything on this altar-table must be Christ. Christ on the altar is the incense to God, and Christ on the table is food to us. When we offer Christ to God on it, it is the altar for God’s satisfaction. When God prepares something of Christ for us on it, it is the table for our satisfaction.
In other words, Christ on the altar is the incense, and Christ on the table is food. The main point here is that the walls were paneled with wood and that the altar of incense was made of wood, typifying the humanity of the Lord Jesus.
The wooden altar of incense was three cubits high and two cubits long. This typifies the Triune God in resurrection as a testimony. The altar, which was made of wood, was placed in a place paneled with wood carved with cherubim and palm trees.
This indicates that if we are those who manifest the glory and the victory of Christ, we will have the altar-table for God and us to have fellowship together in Christ. Here God enjoys the incense that we offer in Christ, and we enjoy the food supplied by God in Christ. In this way, both we and God enjoy Christ. God is satisfied because of the fragrance in Christ, and we are satisfied by the supply of food in Christ.
Now we need to see that this mutual enjoyment can only be in an atmosphere and situation where there is a manifestation of the glory and the victory of Christ. If we overcome through Christ and manifest the image and the glory of Christ, then we will have an altar-table for us to have fellowship with God and enjoy Christ. This fellowship and enjoyment result from our victory in Christ and through Christ.
🌿Enjoy more:
Hymn: Praise the Lord - “His All-Inclusiveness”
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