Ezekiel Chapter 41

Ezekiel 41

Measuring the New Temple

Ezekiel 41 continues the guided tour of the future temple. After the measurements of the outer court, inner court, gateways, sacrificial chambers, priestly chambers, and porch in Ezekiel 40, Ezekiel is now brought into the temple building itself. The sanctuary, the Most Holy Place, the walls, side chambers, western building, wood paneling, cherubim, palm trees, altar of incense, and doors are all measured or described in detail. The vision continues to read as a real architectural temple, not as a vague symbol. From a literal, dispensational, premillennial viewpoint, this is the future millennial temple connected with Israel’s restoration, Messiah’s kingdom, and the return of the glory of the LORD in Ezekiel 43. The chapter emphasizes order, holiness, beauty, worship, and the nearness of God’s presence.

A. The temple in general.

1. Ezekiel 41:1-4, The dimensions of the sanctuary.

Ezekiel 41:1, Afterward he brought me to the temple, and measured the posts, six cubits broad on the one side, and six cubits broad on the other side, which was the breadth of the tabernacle.

Ezekiel 41:2, And the breadth of the door was ten cubits; and the sides of the door were five cubits on the one side, and five cubits on the other side: and he measured the length thereof, forty cubits: and the breadth, twenty cubits.

Ezekiel 41:3, Then went he inward, and measured the post of the door, two cubits; and the door, six cubits; and the breadth of the door, seven cubits.

Ezekiel 41:4, So he measured the length thereof, twenty cubits; and the breadth, twenty cubits, before the temple: and he said unto me, This is the most holy place.

Afterward he brought me to the temple means Ezekiel is now brought from the courts and porch into the sanctuary building itself. The movement is inward and closer to the sacred center of the temple complex. Ezekiel, being a priest, could be brought into the sanctuary, the holy place.

Measured the posts continues the pattern of exact measurement. The radiant guide measures the temple because the temple belongs to the LORD. The prophet observes and records.

Six cubits broad on the one side, and six cubits broad on the other side gives the measurement of the entrance posts. The doorway into the sanctuary is carefully proportioned.

Which was the breadth of the tabernacle connects Ezekiel’s temple with earlier sanctuary patterns. The tabernacle was the original dwelling place of God among Israel in the wilderness, and the temple later developed that sanctuary pattern on a permanent scale.

The tabernacle itself was made according to God’s revealed pattern.

Exodus 25:8, And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them.

Exodus 25:9, According to all that I shew thee, after the pattern of the tabernacle, and the pattern of all the instruments thereof, even so shall ye make it.

The breadth of the door was ten cubits means the entry into the holy place was substantial and measured.

He measured the length thereof, forty cubits: and the breadth, twenty cubits gives the dimensions of the sanctuary proper, corresponding to the holy place. These dimensions follow the general pattern of Solomon’s temple.

Solomon’s temple also had a holy place of forty cubits by twenty cubits.

1 Kings 6:17, And the house, that is, the temple before it, was forty cubits long.

Then went he inward means the radiant guide goes farther in, into the Most Holy Place. Ezekiel does not say, “he brought me inward,” but then went he inward. This distinction matters. Ezekiel was a priest, but not the high priest. Under the old order, only the high priest entered the Most Holy Place, and only on the Day of Atonement.

The law restricted entrance into the holy place behind the veil.

Leviticus 16:2, And the LORD said unto Moses, Speak unto Aaron thy brother, that he come not at all times into the holy place within the veil before the mercy-seat, which is upon the ark; that he die not: for I will appear in the cloud upon the mercy-seat.

Leviticus 16:29, And this shall be a statute for ever unto you: that in the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, ye shall afflict your souls, and do no-work at all, whether it be one of your own country, or a stranger that sojourneth among you:

Leviticus 16:30, For on that day shall the priest make an atonement for you, to cleanse you, that ye may be clean from all your sins before the LORD.

Leviticus 16:34, And this shall be an everlasting statute unto you, to make an atonement for the children of Israel for all their sins once-a-year. And he did as the LORD commanded Moses.

Measured the post of the door, two cubits; and the door, six cubits; and the breadth of the door, seven cubits gives the entry measurements into the inner sanctuary.

He measured the length thereof, twenty cubits; and the breadth, twenty cubits describes the Most Holy Place. It was a perfect square, as in Solomon’s temple.

1 Kings 6:20, And the oracle in the forepart was twenty cubits in length, and twenty cubits in breadth, and twenty-cubits in the height thereof: and he overlaid it with pure gold; and so covered the altar which was of cedar.

This is the most holy place identifies the inner chamber. It is the holiest space in the temple, the place associated with the presence of God. In Ezekiel’s vision, there is no mention here of the ark of the covenant. This is significant. The ark and mercy seat pointed forward to the finished work of Christ, and in the millennial temple the central reality is not a return to the unfinished shadows of atonement, but the memorial worship of the One whose work is complete.

Jeremiah had already spoken of a future day when the ark would no longer be central.

Jeremiah 3:16, And it shall come to pass, when ye be multiplied and increased in the land, in those days, saith-the LORD, they shall say no more, The ark of the covenant of the LORD: neither shall it come-to mind: neither shall they remember it; neither shall they visit it; neither shall that be done any more.

2. Ezekiel 41:5-11, The walls of the temple with their chambers.

Ezekiel 41:5, After he measured the wall of the house, six cubits; and the breadth of every side chamber, four cubits, round about the house on every side.

Ezekiel 41:6, And the side chambers were three, one over another, and thirty in order; and they entered into the wall which was of the house for the side chambers round about, that they might have hold, but they had not hold in the wall of the house.

Ezekiel 41:7, And there was an enlarging, and a winding about still upward to the side chambers: for the winding-about of the house went still upward round about the house: therefore the breadth of the house was still upward, and-so increased from the lowest chamber to the highest by the midst.

Ezekiel 41:8, I saw also the height of the house round about: the foundations of the side chambers were a full reed of six great cubits.

Ezekiel 41:9, The thickness of the wall, which was for the side chamber without, was five cubits: and that which was left was the place of the side chambers that were within.

Ezekiel 41:10, And between the chambers was the wideness of twenty cubits round about the house on every side.

Ezekiel 41:11, And the doors of the side chambers were toward the place that was left, one door toward the north, and another door toward the south: and the breadth of the place that was left was five cubits round about.

After he measured the wall of the house, six cubits shows the massive construction of the temple building. The walls are thick, substantial, and secure. Ezekiel is not describing an imaginary spiritual concept, but a measured structure.

The breadth of every side chamber, four cubits, round about the house on every side means the temple had side chambers arranged around it. These chambers likely served practical purposes connected with temple service, storage, and priestly function.

Solomon’s temple also had side chambers around the temple building.

1 Kings 6:5, And against the wall of the house he built chambers round about, against the walls of the house round-about, both of the temple and of the oracle: and he made chambers round about:

1 Kings 6:6, The nethermost chamber was five cubits broad, and the middle was six cubits broad, and the third-was seven cubits broad: for without in the wall of the house he made narrowed rests round about, that the-beams should not be fastened in the walls of the house.

The side chambers were three, one over another, and thirty in order means there were three stories of side rooms, with thirty chambers in each story or arranged in order around the temple. The design shows organization and utility.

They entered into the wall which was of the house for the side chambers round about, that they might have hold means the chambers were supported by ledges or recesses associated with the wall structure.

But they had not hold in the wall of the house means the support did not penetrate or violate the main sanctuary wall. The temple wall remained distinct and secure.

There was an enlarging, and a winding about still upward to the side chambers means the chambers increased in width as they ascended, likely due to stepped supports in the wall. The access moved upward by a winding arrangement.

The breadth of the house was still upward, and so increased from the lowest chamber to the highest by the midst describes the widening of the chambers from lower to upper levels. The temple is architecturally ordered and carefully engineered.

I saw also the height of the house round about means Ezekiel continues to observe structure and dimensions, not symbolic abstractions.

The foundations of the side chambers were a full reed of six great cubits means the side chambers rested on a raised foundation, again measured by the long cubit.

The thickness of the wall, which was for the side chamber without, was five cubits gives another structural measurement. The temple is solidly built.

Between the chambers was the wideness of twenty cubits round about the house on every side describes space around the temple building and its chambers.

The doors of the side chambers were toward the place that was left, one door toward the north, and another door toward the south means access to the side chambers was from the north and south sides.

The breadth of the place that was left was five cubits round about gives the remaining space around the side chambers. The repeated measurements show exactness and order.

These chambers remind us that the service of God requires both visible worship and ordered support. The temple is not chaotic. It has courts, chambers, gates, tables, altars, singers, priests, and measured places.

3. Ezekiel 41:12, The building to the west of the temple.

Ezekiel 41:12, Now the building that was before the separate place at the end toward the west was seventy cubits broad; and the wall of the building was five cubits thick round about, and the length thereof ninety cubits.

The building that was before the separate place at the end toward the west describes a structure behind or west of the temple building. The west side had no gate, and this building occupied that area.

The separate place indicates a distinct space associated with the temple complex, set apart from other areas. The language again emphasizes separation and holiness.

Was seventy cubits broad gives the width of the western building.

The wall of the building was five cubits thick round about shows that this was also a substantial structure.

The length thereof ninety cubits gives its measured length. Ezekiel records this western building as part of the future temple complex, even though its exact function is not fully explained in the chapter.

B. Features of the temple.

1. Ezekiel 41:13-17, The temple building as a whole.

Ezekiel 41:13, So he measured the house, an hundred cubits long; and the separate place, and the building, with the walls thereof, an hundred cubits long;

Ezekiel 41:14, Also the breadth of the face of the house, and of the separate place toward the east, an hundred cubits.

Ezekiel 41:15, And he measured the length of the building over against the separate place which was behind it, and the galleries thereof on the one side and on the other side, an hundred cubits, with the inner temple, and the porches of the court;

Ezekiel 41:16, The door posts, and the narrow windows, and the galleries round about on their three stories, over against the door, cieled with wood round about, and from the ground up to the windows, and the windows were covered;

Ezekiel 41:17, To that above the door, even unto the inner house, and without, and by all the wall round about within and without, by measure.

So he measured the house, an hundred cubits long gives the total length of the temple building. The temple is measured as a whole, not only by individual rooms.

The separate place, and the building, with the walls thereof, an hundred cubits long shows the western portion also measured as a full unit.

The breadth of the face of the house, and of the separate place toward the east, an hundred cubits gives the breadth of the front area. The measurements are balanced and symmetrical.

He measured the length of the building over against the separate place which was behind it continues the measurement of the western building and its relation to the separate place.

The galleries thereof on the one side and on the other side indicates raised or tiered structures associated with the building.

With the inner temple, and the porches of the court means the measurements take in the temple proper and its associated porches.

The door posts, and the narrow windows, and the galleries round about on their three stories gives architectural details. Ezekiel notices posts, windows, galleries, and stories, showing again that the vision presents a real structure.

Cieled with wood round about means the interior was paneled or covered with wood. The temple is not only measured; it is finished and beautified.

From the ground up to the windows, and the windows were covered describes the wood paneling and covered windows.

By all the wall round about within and without, by measure means everything is measured and ordered. God’s future sanctuary is not haphazard. The LORD’s house is marked by precision, beauty, separation, and holiness.

2. Ezekiel 41:18-20, Designs on the temple building.

Ezekiel 41:18, And it was made with cherubims and palm trees, so that a palm tree was between a cherub and a cherub; and every cherub had two faces;

Ezekiel 41:19, So that the face of a man was toward the palm tree on the one side, and the face of a young lion toward the palm tree on the other side: it was made through all the house round about.

Ezekiel 41:20, From the ground unto above the door were cherubims and palm trees made, and on the wall of the temple.

It was made with cherubims and palm trees describes the carved designs inside the temple. These same images appeared in Solomon’s temple and the tabernacle pattern. They point to life, holiness, divine presence, and heavenly guardianship.

The tabernacle curtains included cherubim.

Exodus 26:1, Moreover thou shalt make the tabernacle with ten curtains of fine twined linen, and blue, and purple, and-scarlet: with cherubims of cunning work shalt thou make them.

Solomon’s temple also had cherubim and palm trees carved into the walls and doors.

1 Kings 6:29, And he carved all the walls of the house round about with carved figures of cherubims and palm trees and-open flowers, within and without.

1 Kings 6:32, The two doors also were of olive tree; and he carved upon them carvings of cherubims and palm-trees and open flowers, and overlaid them with gold, and spread gold upon the cherubims, and upon the palm-trees.

A palm tree was between a cherub and a cherub means the pattern alternated between cherubim and palm trees. Palm trees suggest life, fruitfulness, uprightness, and beauty. Cherubim are associated with the presence and holiness of God.

Cherubim guarded the way to the tree of life after man was expelled from Eden.

Genesis 3:24, So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and-a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.

In the tabernacle, cherubim were also associated with the mercy seat, where God met with Israel.

Exodus 25:18, And thou shalt make two cherubims of gold, of beaten work shalt thou make them, in the two-ends of the mercy seat.

Exodus 25:19, And make one cherub on the one end, and the other cherub on the other end: even of-the mercy seat shall ye make the cherubims on the two ends thereof.

Exodus 25:20, And the cherubims shall stretch forth their wings on high, covering the mercy seat with their wings, and-their faces shall look one to another; toward the mercy seat shall the faces of the cherubims be.

Exodus 25:22, And there I will meet with thee, and I will commune with thee from above the mercy seat,-from between the two cherubims which are upon the ark of the testimony, of all things which I will give-thee in commandment unto the children of Israel.

Every cherub had two faces is different from the fuller four-faced description Ezekiel saw earlier. Here only two faces are shown in the carved design, not necessarily the full reality of the cherubim.

Earlier Ezekiel saw cherubim with four faces.

Ezekiel 10:14, And every one had four faces: the first face was the face of a cherub, and the second-face was the face of a man, and the third the face of a lion, and the fourth the-face of an eagle.

Revelation also presents living creatures with faces connected to creation.

Revelation 4:7, And the first beast was like a lion, and the second beast like a calf, and the third-beast had a face as a man, and the fourth beast was like a flying eagle.

The face of a man was toward the palm tree on the one side, and the face of a young lion toward the palm tree on the other side shows two aspects of created life: man and lion. The man suggests intelligence, image-bearing life, and dominion under God. The lion suggests royal strength and majesty. These figures, set among palm trees, decorate the sanctuary with life, kingship, and heavenly guardianship.

It was made through all the house round about means these carvings covered the temple interior. The whole house proclaimed God’s holiness, life, and royal glory.

From the ground unto above the door were cherubims and palm trees made means the design extended vertically from floor level upward. The sanctuary was filled with visual testimony to God’s presence.

On the wall of the temple confirms that the sanctuary walls themselves carried these designs.

3. Ezekiel 41:21-22, The table before the LORD.

Ezekiel 41:21, The posts of the temple were squared, and the face of the sanctuary; the appearance of the one as the appearance of the other.

Ezekiel 41:22, The altar of wood was three cubits high, and the length thereof two cubits; and the corners thereof, and the length thereof, and the walls thereof, were of wood: and he said unto me, This is the table that is before the LORD.

The posts of the temple were squared means the doorposts had square form. The temple architecture is clean, stable, and ordered.

The face of the sanctuary; the appearance of the one as the appearance of the other likely refers to the consistency of appearance between the temple and sanctuary entrances. Again, symmetry and order mark the structure.

The altar of wood was three cubits high, and the length thereof two cubits describes a wooden altar-like object inside the temple building. This is not the large altar for animal sacrifice mentioned in Ezekiel 40:47. Its smaller size and location point to the altar of incense or an altar-like table before the LORD.

The tabernacle had an altar of incense before the veil.

Exodus 30:1, And thou shalt make an altar to burn incense upon: of shittim wood shalt thou make it.

Exodus 30:2, A cubit shall be the length thereof, and a cubit the breadth thereof; foursquare shall it be:-and two cubits shall be the height thereof: the horns thereof shall be of the same.

Exodus 30:3, And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold, the top thereof, and the sides thereof round about, and-the horns thereof; and thou shalt make unto it a crown of gold round about.

Exodus 30:6, And thou shalt put it before the vail that is by the ark of the testimony, before the mercy-seat that is over the testimony, where I will meet with thee.

Solomon’s temple also had an altar of incense.

1 Kings 7:48, And Solomon made all the vessels that pertained unto the house of the LORD: the altar of gold,-and the table of gold, whereupon the shewbread was.

The corners thereof, and the length thereof, and the walls thereof, were of wood means this altar or table was wooden in construction. The lack of mention of gold may be significant, because Ezekiel’s temple differs in several ways from earlier temple arrangements.

This is the table that is before the LORD identifies its theological function. It stands before the LORD. If this is the altar of incense, it represents prayer and worship ascending before God.

Incense in Scripture is associated with prayer.

Psalm 141:2, Let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense; and the lifting up of my hands as-the evening sacrifice.

Revelation 8:3, And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto-him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before-the throne.

Revelation 8:4, And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God-out of the angel’s hand.

The table before the LORD shows that the temple is not merely a place of structure and sacrifice, but also of prayer, fellowship, and nearness before God.

4. Ezekiel 41:23-26, The doors of the temple.

Ezekiel 41:23, And the temple and the sanctuary had two doors.

Ezekiel 41:24, And the doors had two leaves apiece, two turning leaves; two leaves for the one door, and two leaves for the other door.

Ezekiel 41:25, And there were made on them, on the doors of the temple, cherubims and palm trees, like as were made upon the walls; and there were thick planks upon the face of the porch without.

Ezekiel 41:26, And there were narrow windows and palm trees on the one side and on the other side, on the-sides of the porch, and upon the side chambers of the house, and thick planks.

The temple and the sanctuary had two doors means both the holy place and the inner sanctuary had doors. Access is real, structured, and regulated.

The doors had two leaves apiece, two turning leaves describes folding doors, with two leaves or panels for each door. Ezekiel is still observing physical architectural details.

Two leaves for the one door, and two leaves for the other door repeats the door design. The repetition reinforces the precision of the description.

There were made on them, on the doors of the temple, cherubims and palm trees means the same decorative pattern on the walls also appeared on the doors. Entryways into sacred space were marked by the symbols of divine presence, guarded holiness, life, and fruitfulness.

Like as were made upon the walls shows consistency of design throughout the sanctuary.

There were thick planks upon the face of the porch without describes wooden work or a canopy-like feature at the front of the porch.

There were narrow windows and palm trees on the one side and on the other side repeats the use of light and life imagery around the temple.

On the sides of the porch, and upon the side chambers of the house, and thick planks means the design extended across the porch and side chambers. The whole temple structure is marked by order, woodwork, carved imagery, and measured beauty.

Ezekiel 41 shows the temple building itself in measured detail. Ezekiel is brought into the sanctuary, while his guide enters and measures the Most Holy Place. The side chambers, thick walls, western building, inner temple, porches, wood paneling, cherubim, palm trees, altar or table before the LORD, and folding doors all show a real, ordered sanctuary. The chapter gives no impression that the details are disposable symbols. They reveal a future house arranged by God for holiness, worship, priestly service, memorial sacrifice, prayer, and the presence of the LORD. The temple’s carvings point back to Eden, the tabernacle, and Solomon’s temple, while also looking forward to the restored order of the kingdom. In this future sanctuary, Israel will see that the God who once departed because of abomination will return in glory to dwell among His restored people.