outer court

July 20, 2017

The cooking chambers in the court (Ezek 46:21-46:24)

“Then he brought me out

To the outer court.

He led me past

The four corners

Of the court.

In each corner

Of the court,

There was another court.

In the four corners

Of the court

Were small courts,

Forty cubits long,

Thirty cubits wide.

The four were

Of the same size.

On the inside,

Around each

Of the four courts,

Was a row of masonry?

They had hearths

Made at the bottom

Of the rows,

All around.

Then he said to me.

‘These are the kitchens

Where those who serve

At the temple

Shall boil

The sacrifices

Of the people.’”

The bronze man brought Ezekiel to the Temple outer court. There were four corners in this court. In each corner of the court, there was another court. There were 4 small courts about 40 by 30 cubits, about 70 feet by 50 feet, all the same size. Around the inside of each of these 4 courts was a mason hearth with rows all around it. Then the bronze man told Ezekiel that these were the kitchens where those who served at the Temple boiled the sacrifices for the people. Ezekiel, thus, had a first-hand look at the workings inside the Temple.

July 8, 2017

The holy garments (Ezek 42:14-42:14)

“When the priests enter

The holy place,

They shall not go out of it

Into the outer court

Without laying there

The garments

In which they minister.

These are holy garments.

They shall put on

Other garments

Before they go near

To the area

Open to the people.”

The bronze man further explained to Ezekiel that these chambers also held the holy garments that the priests wore when they entered the holy of holies. These priests were not to go out into the outer court, without changing their clothes. The garments or vestments themselves were holy, so that they had to be left in these holy chambers. The priests had to put on other clothes before they could go near the area where all the other people were.

July 8, 2017

The parallel wall (Ezek 42:7-42:10)

“There was a wall outside,

Parallel to the chambers,

Toward the outer court,

Opposite the chambers.

It was fifty cubits long.

The chambers

On the outer court

Were fifty cubits long.

Those opposite

The temple

Were one hundred cubits long.

At the foot

Of these chambers

Ran a passage

That one emerged

From the east,

In order to enter them

From the outer court.

The width of the passage

Was fixed by the wall

Of the court.”

Ezekiel further explained about an outside wall of 50 cubits or about 80 feet long. This wall was parallel and opposite to the chambers of the outer court, also 50 cubits long. Opposite the Temple, was a passage way that was 100 cubits long or about 160 feet. This walkway emerged from the east to enter the outer court. Obviously, this passageway length was fixed by the wall of the court along the side of it.

July 6, 2017

The passage way of the chambers (Ezek 42:4-42:6)

“In front of the chambers

Was a passage way.

On the inside,

It was

Ten cubits wide,

One hundred cubits deep.

Its entrance was

On the north.

Now the upper chambers

Were narrower.

The galleries

Took more away                              

From them

Than from the lower

Or the middle chambers

In the building.

They were

In three stories.

They had no pillars

Like the pillars

Of the outer court.

The upper chambers

Were set back

From the ground

More than the lower

Or the middle ones.”

This is another description of the passage way around the small chamber rooms that followed up on explanations of the preceding chapter. This passage way was on the inside with an odd rectangular shape, 10 cubits wide by 100 cubits deep, 17 feet by 170 feet, with a north side entrance. The upper chambers were narrower than the lower or middle story rooms. There were more galleries on this higher 3rd story than on the middle and lower 1st and 2nd stories. These 3 story chambers had no pillars, like those in the outer court. Thus, the upper chambers were set back more from the ground than the lower or middle story chambers.

July 6, 2017

The galleries (Ezek 42:3-42:3)

“Across the twenty cubits

That belonged

To the inner court,

Facing the pavement

That belonged

To the outer court,

The chambers arose,

Gallery by gallery

In three stories.”

There was a series of galleries between the inner court and the outer court for 3 stories that contained the 90 small rooms or chambers.

 


 

July 2, 2017

The southern inner court dimensions (Ezek 40:29-40:31)

“Its recesses,

Its pilasters,

Its vestibule

Were of the same size

As the others.

There were windows

All around within it,

As well as in its vestibule.

Its length was

Fifty cubits.

Its breadth was

Twenty-five cubits.

There were vestibules

All around.

They were

Twenty-five cubits deep,

Five cubits wide.

Its vestibule

Faced the outer court.

Palm trees were

On its pilasters.

Its stairway

Had eight steps.”

The inner court is somewhat similar to the outer court, since they were the same size as the others, with windows all around it. The vestibule was 50 cubits or 80 feet long and 25 cubits wide or 40 feet wide. There also was a vestibule that was 25 cubits or 40 feet deep and only 5 cubits or 8 feet wide. These vestibules faced the outer court with palm trees on its pilasters. This stairway had 8 steps, and not 7 like the others that came from the gates. Apparently, this Temple was built on different level terraces.

April 8, 2017

The cherubim in the Temple (Ezek 10:3-10:5)

“Now the cherubim

Were standing

On the south side

Of the house.

When the man went in,

A cloud filled

The inner court.

Then the glory of Yahweh

Rose up from the cherubim

To the threshold

Of the house.

The house was filled

With the cloud.

The court

Was full

Of the brightness

Of the glory

Of Yahweh.

The sound

Of the wings

Of the cherubim

Was heard

As far as the outer court,

Like the voice

Of God Almighty     

When he speaks.”

Once again, this is reminiscent of the vision in chapter 1. The cherubim in the Temple were surrounding the Holy of Holies on the south side of the Temple. The man in linen cloth with the writing case at his side went into the sanctuary as a cloud filled the inner court. Then the glory of Yahweh rose up from the cherubim and moved to the threshold of the Temple as in the last chapter. This glory of Yahweh was the real presence of God. The whole Temple was filled with a cloud, while the court was full of the brightness and glory of Yahweh. The sound of the wings of the cherubim could be heard as far away as the outer court, as in chapter 1. They sounded like the voice of God Almighty when he spoke.