Ezekiel

Todays’ bible passage comes from Ezekiel 40:44-49.

Before today I didn’t know that the priests split their duties.   Some priests would be in charge of the temple and other priests in charge of the altar. 

I also wasn’t aware that ONLY the sons of Zadok were allowed to “come near to the Lord to minister to him”.   Only them.  I knew vaguely there were some divisions in the priesthood, but it was just a vague thing .. you know?

I just figured it was divided up by seniority and whatever each family within the priesthood liked to do.  But here I realized that God had it all sorted out.

 44 On the outside of the inner gateway there were two chambers in the inner court, one at the side of the north gate facing south, the other at the side of the south gate facing north. 45 And he said to me, “This chamber that faces south is for the priests who have charge of the temple, 46 and the chamber that faces north is for the priests who have charge of the altar. These are the sons of Zadok, who alone among the sons of Levi may come near to the Lord to minister to him.” 47 And he measured the court, a hundred cubits long and a hundred cubits broad, a square. And the altar was in front of the temple.
48 Then he brought me to the vestibule of the temple and measured the jambs
of the vestibule, five cubits on either side. And the breadth of the
gate was fourteen cubits, and the sidewalls of the gate were three cubits on either side. 49 The length of the vestibule was twenty cubits, and the breadth twelve cubits, and people would go up to it by ten steps. And there were pillars beside the jambs, one on either side.

A cubit is 45.72 centimetres OR 18 inches. 

So the inner court is 150 feet square.  The door jams are 7.5 feet.

Can you imagine door jambs that large?  It gives you an idea of the overall size.

But more importantly… God had all the details worked out.  ALL of them.   From where the priests served, to what family could approach him in ministry, to the size of the building they served in.  God took all the guess work and politics out of the picture.

Rather cool that.

You can read more in my Ezekiel Studies here and here.

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Today’s passage comes from Ezekiel 40:28-43.   Ezekiel is now through the south gate and in the inner court.

Can you imagine the sheer size of everything?

I was asking hubby tonight (since all scripture can somehow tie into Christ) about how this whole scene ties into Christ and he mentioned “have you considered the size of what he is seeing?   Now think on that and remember how much bigger the city of God in Revelations is”.   One ties into the other.

 28 Then he brought me to the inner court through the south gate, and he measured the south gate. It was of the same size as the others. 29 Its side rooms, its jambs, and its vestibule were of the same size as the others, and both it and its vestibule had windows all around. Its length was fifty cubits, and its breadth twenty-five cubits. 30 And there were vestibules all around, twenty-five cubits long and five cubits broad. 31 Its vestibule faced the outer court, and palm trees were on its jambs, and its stairway had eight steps.
32 Then he brought me to the inner court on the east side, and he measured the gate. It was of the same size as the others. 33 Its
side rooms, its jambs, and its vestibule were of the same size as the
others, and both it and its vestibule had windows all around. Its length
was fifty cubits, and its breadth twenty-five cubits. 34 Its vestibule faced the outer court, and it had palm trees on its jambs, on either side, and its stairway had eight steps.
35 Then he brought me to the north gate, and he measured it. It had the same size as the others. 36 Its side rooms, its jambs, and its vestibule were of the same size as the others, and it had windows all around. Its length was fifty cubits, and its breadth twenty-five cubits. 37 Its vestibule faced the outer court, and it had palm trees on its jambs, on either side, and its stairway had eight steps.

With Hubby’s words in my mind… it’s just ringing with the size of this building and how carefully it was all measured out so it was just so.

Imagine the place that God is preparing for us now?  Cool eh?  Majestic, full of his glory, it’ll be amazing!

But you know what won’t need to be in the city of God?   An area of sacrifice.  Our sins have been covered already, but here in Ezekiel’s day they haven’t been.   Sin offerings, burnt offerings, guilt offerings… they all have to be made, and here there is a room just for them.
   
38 There was a chamber with its door in the vestibule of the gate, where the burnt offering was to be washed. 39 And in the vestibule of the gate were two tables on either side, on which the burnt offering and the sin offering and the guilt offering were to be slaughtered. 40 And
off to the side, on the outside as one goes up to the entrance of the
north gate, were two tables; and off to the other side of the vestibule
of the gate were two tables. 41 Four tables were on either side of the gate, eight tables, on which to slaughter. 42 And there were four tables of
hewn stone for the burnt offering, a cubit and a half long, and a cubit
and a half broad, and one cubit high, on which the instruments were to
be laid with which the burnt offerings and the sacrifices were slaughtered. 43 And hooks, a handbreadth long, were fastened all around within. And on the tables the flesh of the offering was to be laid.

Can you see it?  Imagine the size of this room with the needed implements.  The animals that would need to be sacrificed.  This part is all done and over with now.   Do we remember that?  I fear that too often I forget, that God’s people forget, the grace that he has bestowed upon our lives.  Our sins are covered!  No more need for a room for sacrifices!  Isn’t that just the best?

 
You can read more in my Ezekiel Studies here and here.

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Today we find Ezekiel being led to the south where he finds a gate.  Again, measurements are taken, steps are counted. and see what are one the jambs.
 
24 And he led me toward the south, and behold, there was a gate on the south. And he measured its jambs and its vestibule; they had the same size as the others. 25 Both it and its vestibule had windows all around, like the windows of the others. Its length was fifty cubits, and its breadth twenty-five cubits. 26 And there were seven steps leading up to it, and its vestibule was before them, and it had palm trees on its jambs, one on either side. 27 And there was a gate on the south of the inner court. And he measured from gate to gate toward the south, a hundred cubits.

The first thing that grabbed my attention when I saw this selection of verses was this.  Ezekiel was led.  In previous instances he was brought, like he had no choice, no ability to move on his own, like when you plunk a chess piece down on a new spot.   But here he was led, one who is led often has to move under their own power.  Granted, when being led, one doesn’t always have the power to deviate from the path, and does need to go where they are being led to, but one is moving under their own power. 

It just makes it seem to me… that Ezekiel is being an active participant.  And you know what?   Active participants remember things better.   I know the Lord God will help Ezekiel remember what he must, but I suspect it will be easier to remember details when he’s actually walking from one place to another.  Feeling those seven steps beneath his feet and seeing the palm trees on the jambs.  

Just like when we take part in something rather than just reading about it.  What you see and smell and hear and feel is remembered better if you are there to take part in it. 

Don’t you?   What do you see in these passages on measuring and noting steps and jambs?   

You can read more in my Ezekiel Studies here and here.

This post may contain affiliate links – using affiliate links from A Net in Time helps fuel this blog and our homeschool – thank you!

©2006-2017 A Net In Time. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. A Net In Time/

Today
we are reading from Ezekiel 40:16-23. Last time about how God measures in complete numbers.  So partial information here:  East Gate to Outer Court. You can read more in my Ezekiel Studies here and here.

The Lord continues to show Ezekiel what the temple city would look like.   First he takes him through the outer court.

17 Then he brought me into the outer court. And behold, there were chambers and a pavement, all around the court. Thirty chambers faced the pavement. 18 And the pavement ran along the side of the gates, corresponding to the length of the gates. This was the lower pavement. 19 Then he measured the distance from the inner front of the lower gate to the outer front of the inner court, a hundred cubits on the east side and on the north side.

And then through the North Gate.

20 As for the gate that faced toward the north, belonging to the outer court, he measured its length and its breadth. 21 Its side rooms, three on either side, and its jambs and its vestibule were of the same size as those of the first gate. Its length was fifty cubits, and its breadth twenty-five cubits. 22 And its windows, its vestibule, and its palm trees were of the same size as those of the gate that faced toward the east. And by seven steps people would go up to it, and find its vestibule before them. 23 And opposite the gate on the north, as on the east, was a gate to the inner court. And he measured from gate to gate, a hundred cubits.

I have to wonder…what is the point of all this measuring?   The temple had been built already.  Why is seeing this so important?  

I’m getting curious…  

Do you have insight reader?   What do you think is the point of seeing the building and knowing all the measurements of it.    

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©2006-2017 A Net In Time. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. A Net In Time/

Today we are reading from Ezekiel 40:1-4. Last time we met we learned about how He will Pout out his Spirit. You can read more in my Ezekiel Studies here and here.

Once again the hand of the Lord comes upon Ezekiel.   He was brought to the city where he saw visions, in those vision he was on a very high mountain and and he saw a structure

like a city down to the south.

He saw a man like bronze with a linen cord and a measuring rod in his hand standing in the gateway.

 And the man said to me, “Son of man, look with your eyes, and hear
with your ears, and set your heart upon all that I shall show you, for
you were brought here in order that I might show it to you. Declare all that you see to the house of Israel.”

This vision is going to be something Ezekiel has to tell the Israelites!   He needs to see this thing.  ACK!!!   I can hardly wait!   I find myself sitting here eagerly anticipating what this man in bronze is going to show Ezekiel.

As I realize that I wonder… do I go to church like that?   Do I regularly approach God’s word with the eagerness.   Right now I am listening to a fascinating book called Ariel and I am just enjoying this book and want to hear what happens next.  I compare those two feelings…this one of wanting to know what the man in bronze has to say and What will happen with the dragonriders in Ariel.

And you know what… right now it’s the same.  I want to know… but I know if life gets busy I can put off that anticipation.

I wonder though…
Should I allow that when it comes to God’s word?  Setting aside a book for a spell.. ah sure.. doable… and easily seen as right.

But what about God’s word?   If I set it off to the side for something else.. busyness or another interest.. what is that saying about my anticipation.. my EAGER anticipation to hear the word of the Lord?

Nothing good I fear.

So I am trying.. trying not to let illness or time or whatever get the best of me.  To find that 20 minutes in the day to spend time with the one who loves me best of all.   To keep that eagerness alive.  It’s important you know?

God gives us a clue about how to do this eh?   look with your eyes, and hear
with your ears, and set your heart upon all that I shall show you,

look 
hear
set your heart 

This is what I have to do.  It’s what YOU have to do.  Look at what the Lord has to say, HEAR those words (that implies active listening) and set your heart on it.  Make a determination.  Follow it through.   

Look
Hear
Set Your Heart 

Is it important for you?   How do you keep that eagerness alive and shown?  Let me know eh?  Would be appreciated.  

This post may contain affiliate links – using affiliate links from A Net in Time helps fuel this blog and our homeschool – thank you!

©2006-2017 A Net In Time. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. A Net In Time/