Chapter 40
(((2024 Note - added after reading through 44. There is a 2024 note at the end of Chapter 43 that I think is a good "working theory" on what these chapters are all about. I get that it is a very dispensational approach to the problem. But it makes very good sense to me. It is worth going and reading that note before plunging into Chapter 40.)))
2022 - In these notes, I had not previously even tried to separate the chapters, but treated all three as sort of a whole. This year, I put the numbers in, but they should be taken as approximate divisions.
Time stamped in the 25th year of exile. Also stamped the 14th year, 10th day after the city was struck down. Interesting that God does not seem to make a big deal of anniversaries and such. He speaks when it suits Him, in the 14th year, not a nice round 15th, and not on the first day of the month, or on 14 14 so you can remember. God speaks in His own good time. Could be any time. Don't build expectations of God speaking on the days that you think He should, or days you expect to hear from Him. Listen, always, every day. Good for FB.
Ezekiel is taken to the city. Then we find he was on a high mountain in Israel and could see a structure like a city to the south. It does not say this is Jerusalem, nor Mt. Zion. Technically, it doesn't say city. Something like a city, resembling a city. MSB says it could have been the new temple specifically and a city generally. Fact is, this is not at all specific as to location, and so far we don't know what Ezekiel is really seeing. (We do know from vs 2 that this is a vision. Same rules apply as to other visions. Don't read too very much about it as literal. Some might be, but none might be.) Recall that chapters 37-39 were all about restoration. About the dry bones, the twigs, and then about Gog and Magog. So if this new vision is chronologically attached to those, this structure would be found in the Millennial Kingdom, on earth. It says he was brought to "the city" in ESV, but footnote says literally it would be translated "brought me there".
2022 - Ezekiel says he was on a very high mountain. Well...generally speaking, there are no "very high" mountains anywhere in Israel. So I think that means that whatever he is seeing is vision. Vision representative to some extent of reality. Perhaps the location is vision, but the precise measurements are precise measurements.
There, Ezekiel meets a man, appearing like bronze, with a measuring reed. He is standing in a gateway of some sort. He tells Ezekiel to pay attention, because Ezekiel has been brought there to be shown some things. Ezekiel is to tell all Israel what he has seen here. Note that it is the man that Ezekiel meets who does the measuring. Ezekiel isn't given a yardstick. In Rev. 11, John is given a rod and told to do the measuring himself.
And then the description begins.
First thing Ezekiel sees is a wall around the temple area. So still no mention of a city there at all. It is a temple area, with a wall around it. The measuring reed is not described as 6 long cubits, each a cubit and a hand breath. MSB says that's 21" x 6. 10' 6". MSB has many details. I prefer from here on to read it myself and put down my own words. The wall is 1 reed high, 1 wide. So a 10' fall 10' thick. Probably looked really solid. Many measurements of gates, vestibules, side rooms and jambs. I cannot picture these. I don't know how we can even be sure of what each term refers to. I do note that it was the bronze appearing man who does the measuring. Ezekiel wasn't given the yardstick. In Revelation, I believe John does his own measuring. I don't see how anyone reading this description would have any real clue as to what the area and building described might look like. The measurements have switched over to cubits rather than reeds also. I presume that is a correct translation.
I think the major divisions are pretty clear, and are used as labels to break up this long chapter. Labels like East Gate, outer court, North gate, and so on.
(Ignore all this. Not going to try and figure this out myself. There is a diagram in the notes on 46-48 to look at. There is also a diagram in MSB. The two are quite similar, but they are not exactly alike. The outer wall is a square, and the inner structure is offset toward the west wall. Maybe attached. Look at the diagram, not at my notes.)
These gates are in that outer wall, 10' high and thick. Inside that though is another area. The Holy place and Most Holy place would be a good guess as to the inner structure. From the gates to the inner structure there seem to be steps/stairs leading up. The inner structure is elevated. Can't tell if the steps are as you go through the gate, so the inner area around the inner structure is all raised, or it is just that inner structure. No idea what the vestibules are. Nor the jambs.
This is from JW.org
From Warren County Free Methodist Church
From Philadelphia Church of God.
From "I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ"
Obviously, there are many possible interpretations of this vision. All are alike in the primary dimensions, but as to how it really looks...
One interesting thing to me...Note how they all form a cross with it's base at the south gate, the cross piece from east to west and centered on the altar, and the top at the Holy of Holies. Did Solomon's Temple also look like this? Or have we "seen in hindsight what was never really there?" Doesn't seem to be in the renderings I found.
2022 - In the description of the inner court, in 40:28-43, it is obvious that this place is going to make animal sacrifices on a large scale. Two basins to wash them, two tables to slaughter the animals...no, there are eight tables on which to slaughter. There are hooks...perhaps to hang the slaughtered until their time to be offered on the altar. This is set up for efficient processing of burnt offerings of animals.