Movement in the Inner Parts of the Temple
The opening four verses of this chapter have some really neat
minor details. The first one is easy to
miss, because in a chapter on measurements the numbers can get confusing
quickly. However, notice that as the
guide leads Ezekiel through the temple that the doorways get smaller and
smaller.
You might think that this makes sense with respect to
construction, and it does. The inner
parts of a building are confined by the outer parts. Typically, the inner parts can be smaller
because fewer people have access to the innermost parts. This was a common method of designing worship
spaces in ancient Judaism. Only a few
special people could have access to holiest of places.
This point is furthered by the idea that Ezekiel is brought to the
nave of the temple but only the guide goes into the Holy of Holies to measure
it. See verse 3 in this chapter. Ezekiel, being a priest, can come to the edge
of the Holy of Holies. However, because
he is not a high priest, direct access to God’s dwelling place on earth is not
permitted.
For me, both of these observations point me to seeing this vision
as a symbolic vision of the life of the Hebrew people prior to the coming of
Jesus Christ. There will come a time
when all people have equal access to God; but that time is not here in this
vision. There will come a time when God
will dwell among His people and not in a special Most Holy Place; but that time
is not here in Ezekiel 41. Ezekiel is
speaking a symbolic spiritual message to the people in exile. There is a time for captivity and learning lessons. But there will come a time when that shall
end.
The Temple, Part 2
Again, there isn’t much to be said about this chapter as it is
mostly descriptions of the temple. There
are rooms. There are even stories within
the temple. There is a side building
whose purpose is unknown. It is a large
place.
However, there is something that we can take note here. There is a remarkable absence of furniture in
the holy places. We had mention
yesterday of the tables for sacrificing near the gates to this temple. But inside the temple we only find one object
mentioned. In fact, Ezekiel himself does
not seem too sure about what it is.
Ezekiel calls it something made of wood that resembles an altar.
But one needs to ask a few questions. Where is the Ark of the Covenant? Where is the table for the Showbread? Where is the lamp stand?
It is impossible to know the answers to these questions – just like
it is truly impossible to know whether this is a symbolic representation of the
temple built after the Babylonian captivity or a very real temple that is yet
to be built. At best, we can make hypotheses.
So, here is my hypothesis about the lack of furniture. I find it unlikely that Ezekiel simply left
out the other furniture. Rather, I believe
what we see here is God moving His people to a worship based on relationship
rather than items. God is moving His
people to worship God not in the implements but rather in spirit. Worship of God will happen in the people who
fill the space rather than the tools and the implements that carry out the process.
To put this in a modern perspective, it makes one wonder. If we have an organ, is our worship better
than if we only have a piano? If we have
beautiful dark wooden pews is our worship better than if we have folding
chairs? If we have carpet on the floor,
is our worship better than if we have the wood floor of a gymnasium? Is it the stuff we fill our space with what
makes our worship powerful?
In the Christian era, the answer is clearly “no.” Worship happens within people, not within an
object. Worship happens in the Spirit,
not in the stuff. I hypothesize that
this is the point God is making through Ezekiel.
There will come a time to worship God again. The Babylonian captivity will end. And when it does, God will refocus His people
once more. He will desire them to find
that which brings about true relationship with Him.
That’s pretty much always the trick, isn’t it?
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