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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That stark reality of sacrifices – something that is good about reading through the Old Testament is that reminder that once, for all, that sacrifice was made at the cross by the Redeemer, Messiah, Christ. – Lori
I know… makes you think and remember.