Sharper Iron — The Faithful Watchman: Jesus Is the Entrance to God’s Presence

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Rev. Luke Zimmerman, pastor at Calvary Evangelical Lutheran Church in Mechanicsburg, PA, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Ezekiel 40:28-49.

Ezekiel’s vision of the new temple continues into the inner court of the temple. The measurements are again given in precise detail; the repeated use of the numbers 25, 50, and 100 may be a reference to the freedom from slavery given in year of Jubilee. The entrances from the outer court to the inner court are a reminder that the LORD must be the One to provide the way to come near to His holiness; His grace is seen in the fact that He does precisely that through His Son Jesus Christ.

“The Faithful Watchman” is a mini-series on Sharper Iron that goes through the book of Ezekiel. Just when Ezekiel should have begun his service as priest in the temple in Jerusalem, the LORD called him to be a prophet in exile in Babylon. Through fantastic visions and attention-grabbing action prophecies, the prophet Ezekiel is a faithful watchman who proclaims the word of the LORD to bring people to repentance over their sins and to faith in the coming Savior, Jesus Christ, the glory of the LORD made flesh.

Sharper Iron, hosted by Rev. Timothy Appel, looks at the text of Holy Scripture both in its broad context and its narrow detail, all for the sake of proclaiming Christ crucified and risen for sinners. Two pastors engage with God’s Word to sharpen not only their own faith and knowledge, but the faith and knowledge of all who listen.

Sharper Iron is underwritten by Lutheran Church Extension Fund, where your investments help support the work of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. Visit lcef.org.

Ezekiel 40:28-49

The Inner Court

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,[a] and it had windows all around. Its length was fifty cubits, and its breadth twenty-five cubits. 37 Its vestibule[b] faced the outer court, and it had palm trees on its jambs, on either side, and its stairway had eight steps.

38 There was a chamber with its door in the vestibule of the gate,[c] 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,[d] a handbreadth long, were fastened all around within. And on the tables the flesh of the offering was to be laid.

Chambers for the Priests

44 On the outside of the inner gateway there were two chambers[e] in the inner court, one[f] at the side of the north gate facing south, the other at the side of the south[g] 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[h] 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.

The Vestibule 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[i] were three cubits on either side. 49 The length of the vestibule was twenty cubits, and the breadth twelve[j] cubits, and people would go up to it by ten steps.[k] And there were pillars beside the jambs, one on either side.

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Footnotes

Ezekiel 40:36 One manuscript (compare verses 29 and 33); most manuscripts lack were of the same size as the others

Ezekiel 40:37 Septuagint, Vulgate (compare verses 26, 31, 34); Hebrew jambs

Ezekiel 40:38 Hebrew at the jambs, the gates

Ezekiel 40:43 Or shelves

Ezekiel 40:44 Septuagint; Hebrew were chambers for singers

Ezekiel 40:44 Hebrew lacks one

Ezekiel 40:44 Septuagint; Hebrew east

Ezekiel 40:46 Hebrew lacks alone

Ezekiel 40:48 Septuagint; Hebrew lacks was fourteen cubits, and the sidewalls of the gate

Ezekiel 40:49 Septuagint; Hebrew eleven

Ezekiel 40:49 Septuagint; Hebrew and by steps that would go up to it

English Standard Version (ESV)

The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.