As the glory of the Lord entered the temple by the gate facing east,  Ezekiel 43:4 

Ezekiel 40:1–48:35 – Ezekiel: Renewing God’s Glory
Pentecost Sunday  – May 19, 2024 (am)    

The book of Ezekiel concludes on a glorious note, with a vision of [God] returning to his temple and establishing his residence in his city in the midst of his people (Block 1997 494). This is just what the exiles have longed to hear as the culmination of all the good news they’d been receiving since our c.34. Ezekiel has been systematically reinstating what we’ve been calling the four pillars that were systematically kicked out from under these folk in cc.4-24, the unconditional promises of God that require Israel’s obedience for them to be enjoyed: the covenant, the land, the temple, and David’s throne—relationship with God, a place to enjoy it, His presence among them, and His faithful King on the throne.

This is all God’s people truly want in any age. And it’s precisely what He’s promised them as the outcome of His salvation. We learned that with clarity when we were studying Revelation. And the interesting thing is, the further Ezekiel goes in explaining this good news to these exiles (cc.34-48), the more it sounds like the very same final salvation that was envisioned by John there in Rev.19-22. Much of Ezekiel’s vision of God on His mobile throne in c.1 reappears in John’s throne room vision in Rev.4. There’s the delivery of a new heart that desires obedience (36:26-27) as though its recipients were born again of the Spirit (Joh.3:1-17). There’s the resurrection of the dead (37:1-14; Rev.20:4-6, 12-13) and the great final battle, Gog and Magog (38:1-39:26; Rev.19:11-21; 20:7-10). And there’s the new creation, the new heaven and new earth (Rev.21:1), God’s salvation fully and finally delivered (40:1-48:35; Rev.21:1-22:21). I honestly believe that’s what we’re seeing here in cc.40-48. And I believe our response to this text should match what John calls for in Rev.22:20.

Let me explain why. We’ll take this long passage in two sections.
But we’ll also subdivide them for greater clarity.

Restoring God’s Presence Among His People 40:1-46:24

Preparing for It – 40:1-42:20 (God establishes His residence in the temple [Block 1997 498])

Ezekiel opens this section with familiar wording that lets us know he sees it as the beginning of a new major theme. And he gives us a double date-reference, much like he did back in 1:1-2. But there’s even more to it than that. Many commentators see an allusion to the Jubilee in his mention of the twenty-fifth year of our exile (40:1, Block 1997 512; Duguid 470), the mid-point of that fifty-year cycle when slaves would be freed and properties returned to their original owners. Accordingly, the twenty-fifth year may signal a turning of the corner in their bondage to the Babylonians. Instead of looking back on the moment of their enslavement, the exiles may from here on look forward to their release (Block 1997 512).

Also, [where] the opening vision of the heavenly King on his throne had been dated from the exile of the earthly king, Jehoiachin (1:1-2), this vision of the heavenly city is dated from the destruction of the earthly city, Jerusalem (Duguid 470). Let’s read.

40:1 In the twenty-fifth year of our exile, at the beginning of the year, on the tenth day of the month, in the fourteenth year after the city was struck down, on that very day, the hand of the Lord was upon me, and he brought me to the city, Jersualem. 2 In visions of God he brought me to the land of Israel, and set me down on a very high mountain…. So many significant things in redemption history occur on a mountain: the giving of the Law, Elijah’s victory over the prophets of Baal, the transfiguration, crucifixion, and ascension of Jesus, the initial sighting of the heavenly city…. 3 When he brought me there, behold, there was a man whose appearance was like bronze, with a linen cord and a measuring reed in his hand. And he was standing in the gateway. 4 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—this is the response we should all have to this text—for you were brought here in order that I might show it to you. Declare all that you see to the house of Israel.”

And what he showed Ezekiel over the next three chapters (40:5-42:20) were many specific details of the layout of a new temple, the dwelling place of God in the land, in the midst of His people. We could spend much time going through all these details. And there would be much profit in doing so. But for our purposes here, one of the biggest points to make regarding the intention of this section, what Ezekiel expected his readers to grasp, is that he’s not describing a temple that will be physically built. And I believe we have good reason to see that this is how his first hearers understood him. Why? Most simply because, when a group of the exiles was released and sent back to the land to rebuild the temple, they didn’t implement anything like Ezekiel’s vision here.

But there are additional reasons. Ezekiel’s account should not be interpreted as a blueprint to follow in an actual construction project. Although the analytic tone has a ring of realism, with numerous reminiscences of earlier plans, explicit instructions to build the described structure are missing. Furthermore, not only does the design display many idealistic features; the dimensions recorded are exclusively [511] horizontal measurements, apparently without regard for the vertical distances required by architectural plans (Block 1997 510-1). Just compare these chapters to Exo. 25-30 where Moses gave the details for construction of the tabernacle. Those were building plans, including everything from the design and materials and structure to the furnishings and implements and artwork used in Israel’s worship. Ezekiel didn’t ignore such things entirely, but he seems more taken up with the layout of this temple, and later also of the land (c.48), in a more idealized way with the dimensions of God’s sacred space fitted into an idealized layout of the land.

Dan Block explains the big picture well. Ezekiel’s salvation oracles (cc.34-48) have looked forward to the day when the twelve tribes of Israel would be regathered and returned to their… homeland, [David’s throne] restored, [God’s] covenant of peace… renewed, and… his permanent residence in their midst. It would have been inconceivable for Ezekiel to envision a full restoration of his people without a literal fulfillment of each of these elements. Nevertheless, [given a rather lengthy list of considerations cited in his introduction to this section], [Block concludes that] it seems best to interpret cc.40-48 ideationally. The issue for [Ezekiel] is not physical geography but spiritual realities. As in his earlier vision, historical events are described from a theological plane, and the interpreter’s focus must remain on the ideational, [the theological], value of that which [he] envisioned (Block 1997 505). We can’t lose sight of that as we move through all this temple’s detail in cc.40-42. What he’s most concerned with is the same as it’s been all along: restoring the centrality of God’s presence in holiness and great glory in the midst of His reconstituted people in the land and under a whole new covenant.

It’s like Ezekiel is describing new covenant realities as best he can using old covenant categories, which is exactly what we’d expect him to be doing at this point in his writing after he’s introduced the new covenant in c.36, resurrection in c.37, and God’s final victory over all opposing powers in this world in cc.38-39, each using old covenant points of reference. As D. A. Carson put it: The perfection of God’s plan to restore His people is symbolized in the immaculately perfect descriptions of the temple and the land, still described in the language and imagery and categories of the old covenant, all the way to the water of life that makes the Dead Sea live (Carson 2016).

We’ll get to that last image in a few moments, but before moving on I think it would be helpful to hear how Block folds this understanding of cc.40-48 into a broader biblical theology of the temple. In presenting this theological constitution for the new Israel, [God] announces the righting of all the old wrongs, and the establishment of permanent, healthy [God]-nation-land relationships. Ezekiel’s final vision presents a lofty spiritual ideal: Where God is, there is Zion. Where God is, there is order and the fulfillment of all his promises. Furthermore, where the presence of God is recognized, there is purity and holiness. Ezekiel hereby lays the foundation for [Paul’s] spiritualization of the temple. Under the new covenant, even [Gentile] communities may be transformed into the living temple of God (1Co.3:16-17). Moreover, through the indwelling presence of the Spirit of God, individual Christians become temples, residences of [God] (1Co.6:19) (Block 1997 506). Jesus’ body is the new temple (Joh.218-21), thus so is the church (Eph.2:21-22), the present body of Christ in this world.

This section finishes with the man with the measuring reed (40:3) measuring the temple area all around (42:15-20). Now, here’s something new: it’s a square (500 cubits on each side), not a rectangle. These dimensions recall the holy of holies more than the full tabernacle or temple. He also mentions that it had a wall around it, but to make a separation between the holy and the common (42:20). [The wall is] not constructed to keep enemy forces out…, but to protect the sanctity of the sacred area from the pollution of common touch and to prevent the contagion of holiness from touching the people. [It guarantees] that the violence done to [God’s Law] and the [profaning] of [sacred things] described back in 22:26 never occurs again. In the past priests had failed to maintain the distinction between… [571] holy and profane, but the present structures guard against such abominations under the new order. Later, in 44:23 (cf. 44:19; 46:20), Ezekiel will emphasize the role of the priests in [teaching] the [people] on [this] issue, and their own modeling of respect for these distinctions (Block 1997 570-1) as priests.

Realizing It – 43:1-27

The outcome of all this is the dramatic reversal of an earlier scene (cc.10-11). 43:1 Then he led me to the gate, the gate facing east. 2 And behold, the glory of the God of Israel was coming from the east. And the sound of his coming was like the sound of many waters, and the earth shone with his glory. 3 And the vision I saw was just like the vision that I had seen when he came to destroy the city, and just like the vision that I had seen by the Chebar canal. And I fell on my face. 4 As the glory of the Lord entered the temple by the gate facing east, 5 the Spirit lifted me up and brought me into the inner court; and behold, the glory of the Lord filled the temple.

But now, here comes another difference. 43:6 While the man was standing beside me, I heard one speaking to me out of the temple, 7 and he said to me, “Son of man, this is the place of my throne, that’s new, and the place of the soles of my feet, where I will dwell in the midst of the people of Israel forever. …

And then comes the purpose of the temple, the law of the temple (43:12) we could say. 10 As for you, son of man, describe to the house of Israel the temple, that they may be ashamed of their iniquities, there’s the perspective the people need to gain from this vision (cf. 9:4); and they shall measure the plan. 11 And if they are ashamed of all that they have done, make known to them the design of the temple, its arrangement, its exits and its entrances, that is, its whole design; and make known to them as well all its statutes and its whole design and all its laws, and write it down in their sight, so that they may observe all its laws and all its statutes and carry them out. 12 This is the law of the temple: the whole territory on the top of the mountain all around shall be most holy. Now, there’s the aim of this vision: establishing and protecting access to the sacred space of God’s presence among His people—helping them treat it as sacred, as holy. The function of these doorways is to regulate access to the respective levels of sacred space by offering entrance to authorized personnel and prohibiting access to unauthorized persons (Block 1997 589)—new covenant realities stated in old covenant categories. Behold, this is the law of the temple

Rules for It – 44:1-46:24 (Israel’s response to His presence in their midst [Block 1997 498])

Next Ezekiel will explain how this is supposed to work. Continuing on in old covenant categories, this is what it would look like for God’s people to engage appropriately with His presence among them, how to respect Him properly, how to live in right relationship with Him according to the law. But it becomes most clear in the following section that something far grander is going on here than just plans to rebuild the temple once God’s people return from exile.

Restoring God’s Presence in the Land 47:1-48:35

Tracing Its Effects – 47:1-23

Just listen to the first twelve verses of c.47 and see if they don’t remind you of John’s description of the new heavens and new earth in Rev.21-22. 47:1 Then he brought me back to the door of the temple, and behold, water was issuing from below the threshold of the temple toward the east (for the temple faced east). The water was flowing down from below the south end of the threshold of the temple, south of the altar. 2 Then he brought me out by way of the north gate and led me around on the outside to the outer gate that faces toward the east; and behold, the water was trickling out on the south side. 3 Going on eastward with a measuring line in his hand, the man measured a thousand cubits, and then led me through the water, and it was ankle-deep. 4 Again he measured a thousand, and led me through the water, and it was knee-deep. Again he measured a thousand, and led me through the water, and it was waist-deep. 5 Again he measured a thousand, and it was a river that I could not pass through, for the water had risen. It was deep enough to swim in, a river that could not be passed through. 6 And he said to me, “Son of man, have you seen this?” Then he led me back to the bank of the river. 7 As I went back, I saw on the bank of the river very many trees on the one side and on the other. 8 And he said to me, “This water flows toward the eastern region and goes down into the Arabah, and enters the sea (Dead Sea); when the water flows into the sea, the water will become fresh. 9 And wherever the river goes, every living creature that swarms will live, and there will be very many fish. For this water goes there, that the waters of the sea may become fresh; so everything will live where the river goes. 10 Fishermen will stand beside the sea. From Engedi to Eneglaim it will be a place for the spreading of nets. Its fish will be of very many kinds, like the fish of the Great Sea. 11 But its swamps and marshes will not become fresh; they are to be left for salt. 12 And on the banks, on both sides of the river, there will grow all kinds of trees for food. Their leaves will not wither, nor their fruit fail, but they will bear fresh fruit every month, because the water for them flows from the sanctuary. Their fruit will be for food, and their leaves for healing.”

For comparison, let me just read Rev.22:1 Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb 2 through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. 3 No longer will there be anything accursed, no confusion between sacred and secular, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him. 4 They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. 5 And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.

Gaining Access to It – 48:1-35(this five-point sub-outline adapted from Reimer)

From there, the boundaries of the land are established (47:13-23) and allotments are given to each of the twelve tribes of Israel, again in an idealistic sort of way—each tribe’s portion laid out in horizontal stripes across the land from east to west (c.48) with Judah (48:7) and Benjamin (48:23) on each side of the sacred space, north and south, respectively.

And the city, like the temple area (42:15-20), will be a square (48:30-35), even on all sides, as will be the new Jerusalem (Rev.21:16), which, like this city, will have twelve gates (Rev.21:21; cf. Eze.48:30-35).

I believe Ezekiel and John are seeing the same thing.

Conclusion

I want to highlight two pieces of good news for us as we close not only this morning, but this series in Ezekiel.

There will be room for us there. 47:21 So you shall divide this land among you according to the tribes of Israel. 22 You shall allot it as an inheritance for yourselves and for the sojourners who reside among you and have had children among you. They shall be to you as native-born children of Israel. With you they shall be allotted an inheritance among the tribes of Israel. 23 In whatever tribe the sojourner resides, there you shall assign him his inheritance, declares the Lord God. The nations are welcome!

All we desire will be there. 48:35 … And the name of the city from that time on shall be, “The Lord is There.” As Dan Block says, there not here (Block 2024)—there in His proper place, His unrivaled sacred space. In the words of the apostle John: Rev.21:3 … I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God” in the place He has prepared for [us] (Joh.14:2-3).

Can you even imagine hearing any sweeter words? Do you actually believe there could be any other place we’d rather be? So, what is our best response as new covenant believers to this closing vision of Ezekiel, knowing what we now know from NT revelation? Again, using the closing words from John: Rev.22:20 … Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!

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Resources

Block, Daniel I. 1997. New International Commentary on the Old Testament. The Book of Ezekiel, two vols. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans.

                  . 2021. Recording Series: Ezekiel, online recordings and notes. Wheaton: College Church.

                  . 2024. Personal Interview. Wheaton, IL.

Bullock, C. Hassell. 2007. An Introduction to the Old Testament Prophetic Books. Ch. 11, Ezekiel: The Merging of Two Spheres, 274-307. Chicago: Moody.

Calvin, John. Commentary on the Book of the Prophet Ezekiel, two vols. Translated by Thomas Myers. Logos.

Carson, D. A. 2116. D. A. Carson Sermon Library. Bellingham, WA: Faithlife.

                  . 2015. The Lord Is There: Ezekiel 40-48. TGC15: YouTube.

                  , R. T. France, J. A. Motyer, & G. J. Wenham, eds. 1994. New Bible Commentary 21st Century Edition. Ezekiel, by L. John McGregor, 716-744. Leicester, Eng.: InterVarsity.

Clendenen, E. Ray, gen. ed. 1994. New American Commentary. Vol. 17, Ezekiel, by Lamar Eugene Cooper, Sr. Nashville: Broadman & Holman.

Collins, C. John, OT ed. 2001. ESV Study Bible. Study notes on Ezekiel, 1495-1580, by David J. Reimer. Wheaton: Crossway.

Craigie, Peter C. 1983. The Daily Bible Study Series. Ezekiel. Louisville: Westminster John Knox.

Dever, Mark. 2006. The Message of the Old Testament. Ch. 26, The Message of Ezekiel: Paradise, 635-650. Wheaton: Crossway.

Duguid, Iain M. 1999. The NIV Application Commentary. Ezekiel. Grand Rapids: Zondervan.

Heschel, Abraham J. 2001.The Prophets, two vols. Peabody, MA: Prince.

Longman III, Tremper, & David E. Garland, gen. eds. 2010. Expositor’s Bible Commentary. Vol. 7, Jeremiah-Ezekiel. Ezekiel, by Ralph H. Alexander, 641-924. Grand Rapids: Zondervan.

Smith, Gary V. 1994. The Prophets as Preachers. Ch.14, Ezekiel: When Will You Acknowledge God, 251-281. Nashville: Broadman & Holman.

Smith, James E. 1995. The Major Prophets. The Book of Ezekiel, 351-508. Joplin, MO: College.

VanGemeren, Willem A. 1990. Interpreting the Prophetic Word. Ch. 11, The Message of Ezekiel, 321-353. Grand Rapids: Zondervan.

Walton, John H., gen. ed. 2009. Zondervan Illustrated Bible Background Commentary, Old Testament. Vol. 4, Isaiah-Daniel. Ezekiel, by Daniel Bodi, 400-500. Grand Rapids: Zondervan.

Walvoord, John F. & Roy B. Zuck. 1983. The Bible Knowledge Commentary. Vol. 1, Old Testament. Ezekiel, 1224-1323, by Charles H. Dyer. Colorado Springs: Victor.

Wiseman, Donald J., gen. ed. 1969. Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries. Vol. 22, Ezekiel, by John B. Taylor. Downers Grove: InterVarsity.

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