Only one verse today, Ezekiel 40:5, so short a lesson?

For more than one reason, Yes.

This first section of the Ezekiel 40-48 “span” is loaded with numbers. And we MUST establish the criteria for these statistics. Architects and builders and even readers (of floor plans) must be aware of the dimensions of the structure they’re contemplating.

So today Ezekiel merely informs us: “And behold a wall on the outside of the house round about, and in the man’s hand a measuring reed of six cubits long by the cubit and an hand breadth: so he measured the breadth of the building, one reed; and the height, one reed.” Ezekiel 40:5

The “house” is the Jewish Temple, but one not yet built.

Not Solomon’s Temple.

Not Zerubbabel’s Temple.

Not Herod’s Temple.

These first three are history.

Not even the Tribulation Temple.

Yet future.

But here in Ezekiel 40 … it is the Millennial Temple!

Of course, future.

But the “reed” (in Hebrew “qaneh” means a “stalk, branch, cane,” and once even “bone”) by which all these Millennial dimensions are calculated is not the standard Old Testament length!

It here is said to be: “a cubit and an hand breadth.”

The “common” Old Testament “cubit” is normally 18 inches, thereabouts. It was the distance between a man’s elbow and his fingertips. But in this glorious (and huge) Temple all lengths and breadths are measured by the normal 18 inch criteria PLUS an additional “hand breadth.” That would be about 3 more inches!

So our “cubit” in this section of Ezekiel is 21 inches long!

And our measuring “reed” is “six cubits” long, or 21 inches times the six cubits … just over 10 feet in length! (Thus, about 126 inches was the “reed,” around 10 1/2 feet.)

Now, we can begin!

Without this information (statically speaking) we would have been lost in a sea of numbers.

By the way, in the book of Revelation we also encounter a bevy of numbers as John describes yet another city, New Jerusalem.

God obviously wants us to know the size, the grandeur of His future dwelling place!

Get this too, another set of dimensions with which we should be familiar, on which our minds should dwell:

“That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in LOVE, may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the BREADTH, and LENGTH, and DEPTH, and HEIGHT; and to know the LOVE of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.” Ephesians 3:17-19, amazing!

How deep is God’s Love?

How broad?

How long?

How high?

Wow!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

 

Another God-guided “tour” for Ezekiel!

And the beginning of a nine-chapter “vision” the Prophet was commanded to record!

Ezekiel 40:1-4, our Text for today’s Lesson. “In the five and twentieth year of our captivity, in the beginning of the year, in the tenth day of the month, in the fourteenth year after that the city was smitten, in the selfsame day the hand of the LORD was upon me, and brought me thither. In the visions of God brought he me into the land of Israel, and set me upon a very high mountain, by which was as the frame of a city on the south. And he brought me thither, and, behold, there was a man, whose appearance was like the appearance of brass, with a line of flax in his hand, and a measuring reed; and he stood in the gate. And the man said unto me, Son of man, behold with thine eyes, and hear with thine ears, and set thine heart upon all that I shall shew thee; for to the intent that I might shew them unto thee art thou brought hither: declare all that thou seest to the house of Israel.”

This experience is dated. (As are several in the Book of Ezekiel.)

So verse 1 screams for comment: “In the five and twentieth year of our captivity, in the beginning of the year, in the tenth day of the month, in the fourteenth year after that the city was smitten, in the selfsame day the hand of the LORD was upon me, and brought me thither.”

This vision occurred about a third of the way through the whole Babylonian Captivity, which was prophesied to last seventy years. According to Jeremiah 25:11-12 and 29:10. It furthermore happened “in the beginning of the year,” which would have been Passover Day, according to the Jewish calendar! Wow! (Though likely the Jews, most of them, no longer practiced those holy holidays.) Talk about “preaching” messages that fit the occasion! Deliverance, Redemption, God miraculously Working! (Passover compared to the Millennium!)

This too, “the Hand of the Lord was upon me,” testified Ezekiel. Six times I find that “string” of words in Ezekiel, this Prophet obviously knowing God that well! (This clause can be used in a good sense, in blessing … or in a bad sense, in judgment!) Here Ezekiel is being further educated, enlightened, inspired, very good!

Next in our Text … where does the Lord take Ezekiel, verse 2? “In the visions of God brought he (the Lord) me into the land of Israel, and set me upon a very high mountain, by which was as the frame of a city on the south.” The Man of God is (miraculously) “transported” from Babylon to Jerusalem, to Israel! To a “very high mountain” … as John on Patmos was many years later, Revelation 21:10. (Here Ezekiel sees a Millennial City but there John sees a Heavenly City, New Jerusalem!) The verb “set” is “nuach,” meaning “to rest!” And the noun “frame” means “structure, building.”

Now we meet Ezekiel’s “tour-guide, tutor,” verse 3. “And he brought me thither, and, behold, there was a man, whose appearance was like the appearance of brass, with a line of flax in his hand, and a measuring reed; and he stood in the gate.” Looks like here the Lord turns the Prophet over to a “man,” who glowed like brass! We’re going to figure he is an “angel.” Proof that an angelic being (a spirit) can assume the body of a person. And this creature has measuring tools in his hand. This is a “survey” trip, sounds like!

Then, in verse 4, the angel gives Ezekiel a fresh set of instructions. You might say the Prophet is being “re-commissioned.” Read with me: “And the man said unto me, Son of man, behold with thine eyes, and hear with thine ears, and set thine heart upon all that I shall shew thee; for to the intent that I might shew them unto thee art thou brought hither: declare all that thou seest to the house of Israel.”

Ezekiel, pay attention! Get good notes and share ALL THIS with the Jews, with your brethren in captivity! The verb “declare” is translated “expound” twice in the old Testament. Clearly the “intent” (in Hebrew ma-an = to this end) of this vision is revelation, encouragement to God’s people in Babylonian turmoil. (Note the three “gateways” of learning; one’s eyes, one’s ears, and one’s heart!)

This must be important, nine chapters of statistics and minute data, yet the crowning achievement (the grand opus) of the Prophecy we yet today call “Ezekiel.”

And as usual, tomorrow, the next paragraph, Lord willing.

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

 

We have come to the final (basic) section of Ezekiel’s prophecy. Chapters 40-48 focus on the 1,000 year reign of Christ on earth, a currently future Event, nonetheless a literal Occurrence.

There is more “specific detail” in this nine-chapter Unit (about the Millennium) … probably than we learn from all the other Old Testament Prophets combined!

One writer calls this Block of Scripture the Bible’s “Holy of Holies,” when it comes to the Millennium!

In fact, Ezekiel 40-48 may be the Book’s “crowing achievement,” the “goal” toward which all his previous pronouncements have been pointed!

We’re soon going to learn about the new Temple, new aspects of Worship, and even a new arrangement of the Land, the Holy Land!

A newly purified people (Israel now having been “saved” by the Grace of God) … apparently now require a purified land in which to live.

One study Bible calls chapters 40-48 “Ezekiel’s Last Vision.” Perhaps so, but let us remember these things will come to pass … literally, materially, exactly as God has promised.

The Lord willing, we begin tomorrow.

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

I just saw this quote, concerning our nine-chapter Text. “The Temple herein is the focal point of everything! Clearly showing that the ideal relationship with God is when all of life centers on Him!”

Amen!

 

Ezekiel chapters 38 and 39 form a unit. One describing an attack on Israel by a conglomeration of nations (likely Russia and her allies) in the latter days.

Thus far we have studied the alliance, wicked as it is, then the conflict itself … and its outcome!

Bad news for anti-Semitism!

Good news for Israel, the Jews!

There are even verses on how the massive number of dead bodies are to be handled. By literal burial or simply by rotting in the fields, fodder for vultures!

Then … comes today’s Paragraph.

Sort of a summary, ending to the war account. “Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Now will I bring again the captivity of Jacob, and have mercy upon the whole house of Israel, and will be jealous for my holy name; after that they have borne their shame, and all their trespasses whereby they have trespassed against me, when they dwelt safely in their land, and none made them afraid. When I have brought them again from the people, and gathered them out of their enemies’ lands, and am sanctified in them in the sight of many nations; then shall they know that I am the LORD their God, which caused them to be led into captivity among the heathen: but I have gathered them unto their own land, and have left none of them any more there. Neither will I hide my face any more from them: for I have poured out my spirit upon the house of Israel, saith the Lord GOD.” Ezekiel 39:25-29

To “bring again” (in Hebrew “shub”) one’s captivity means “to reverse” its effects. “Mercy” is now  being extended God’s people, no longer “judgment!”

Israel has (by the time this account is fulfilled) been fully punished for her sins! God says “they will have borne their shame.” And “carried the load” (in Hebrew “nasa”) of their transgressions!

Back in her land (another miracle of God  on Israel’s behalf, this world-wide regathering), Israel begins “to know” God as never before, maybe at first as Advocate, Defender, even Creator!

But ultimately, by chapter’s end (verse 29) as Saviour!

God here admits (so illustrative of the consequences of sin) that He had “turned His Back” on Israel! Well, more specifically, “hidden His Face!”

But all that is over!

Their “Day of Salvation” has come!

When God will have “poured out” His Holy Spirit upon that (now very little) Nation! The verb translated “pour out” is “shaphak” in Hebrew and means “to gush out,” all over, totally saturating an entity!

The “icing” on the cake!

The “ending” to a beautiful (and truthful) story!

Let’s hear God tell it again: “I have gathered them unto their own land, and have left none of them any more there (abroad). Neither will I hide my face any more from them: for I have poured out my Spirit upon the house of Israel, saith the Lord GOD.”

Wow!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

Now tomorrow we enter “Holy Ground” for sure. We begin our journey through Ezekiel chapters 40-48, what God plans to do (furthermore) for (now redeemed) Israel, her freshly renewed “worship” practices during (I believe) the Millennium!

Sounds interesting.

 

The noun is “theodicy.” It means “the justness of God,” literally. And in today’s Ezekiel Text God is giving us a prime example of “theodicy” at its very best! In fact … GOD IS HERE HIS OWN ADVOCATE, HIS OWN DEFENDER!

The question, “Why has God allowed Israel to suffer such agony?”

“Why the hardship she has faced?

Short answer: because of her unconfessed sin.

Even stubbornly continuing in iniquity … after God had sent her many a Prophet!

“So the house of Israel shall know that I am the LORD their God from that day and forward. And the heathen shall know that the house of Israel went into captivity for their iniquity: because they trespassed against me, therefore hid I my face from them, and gave them into the hand of their enemies: so fell they all by the sword. According to their uncleanness and according to their transgressions have I done unto them, and hid my face from them.” Ezekiel 39:22-24

The “reputation” of God’s Own Name is at stake.

He has said again and again that Israel is “the apple of His Eye.”

His “chosen” Nation!

He has pledged to be her “Protector!”

Yet she had been (apparently) forsaken of the God Who guaranteed her welfare.

Well, let’s look more closely at what God just said! “The heathen (gentiles, parts of nations who apparently did not take part in the attack on Israel) shall know that the house of Israel went into captivity (was taken prisoner) for their (own) iniquity (Israel brought such slavery upon herself): because they trespassed (‘maal’ = to act unfaithfully) against me, therefore hid I my face (‘sathar’ = concealed) from them, and gave them into the hand of their enemies (uses the root word for ‘hatred’): so fell they all by the sword (the ‘deadliest’ weapon of that day). According to their uncleanness (‘filthiness’ seven times in Scripture) and according to their transgressions (‘pesha’ = rebellion) have I done unto them.” Wow!

I think God just said, “Don’t blame Me!”

“I am Holy! I MUST judge sin!”

“ISRAEL has sinned egregiously!”

“I have chastened her according to her wickedness!”

God does NOT want to be accused of unfaithfulness toward Israel!

(Here’s a paragraph long “illustration” of GOD’S NAME being vitally important. Israel had just sinned at the foot of Mount Sinai, the “golden calf” incident. And God is so angry at her He plans to “blot” her out of His Book! But Moses prays, intercedes for the nation. “I prayed therefore unto the LORD, and said, O Lord God, DESTROY NOT thy people and thine inheritance, which thou hast redeemed through thy greatness, which thou hast brought forth out of Egypt with a mighty hand. Remember thy servants, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; look not unto the stubbornness of this people, nor to their wickedness, nor to their sin. LEST the land (its inhabitants, the Egyptians) whence thou broughtest us out SAY, BECAUSE THE LORD WAS NOT ABLE to bring them into the land which he promised them, and because he hated them, he hath brought them out TO SLAY THEM in the wilderness. YET THEY ARE THY PEOPLE AND THINE INHERITANCE, which thou broughtest out by thy mighty power and by thy stretched out arm.” Deuteronomy 9:26-29, “Lord … don’t let them say: “God couldn’t do it, could not keep them safe through the wilderness!”)

But in Ezekiel here today it is not Moses defending God. This is … GOD defending GOD!

What a “price,” the “cost” of sin!

(I once saw a little Sermon in pamphlet form, simply entitled, “The Most Expensive Thing in the World.” I just had to look inside! It is SIN! I should have already known that answer.)

Wow!

God never acts without reason.

Even when we don’t understand the reason.

But today, in Ezekiel 39:22-24, God’s “reason” has been made known. One of them, anyway.

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

One phrase caught my attention, verse 22, “from that day forward.”

That’s how dramatic the “deliverance” from Russia and her attacking allies will be! It’s the “clincher” that “proves” to Israel God’s Care for her.

She is beginning to see God as her Creator!

Protector!

Deliverer!

Shepherd!

But some day, not long after today’s Text, Israel will see God (know him) as her Saviour, Redeemer, Messiah! (“What a Day that will be!)