The East Gate and its Threshold (2)
Ezekiel’s temple • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Scripture reading: Ezek. 40:6
Then he went into the gateway facing east, going up its steps, and measured the threshold of the gate, one reed deep.
CG lessons 16-18.
Introduction
The prophet Ezekiel visited 25 places Ezekiel’s temple. Last week, we looked at the east gate, and we stopped at the guardrooms. This morning, we’ll complete the remaining parts of the east gate.
The threshold of the gate
The threshold of the gate
The things about this gate is that it has two thresholds. One facing outside, and the other facing inside, toward the inner part of the temple.
Then he went to the gate which faced east, went up its steps and measured the threshold of the gate, one rod in width; and the other threshold was one rod in width.
Ezekiel 40:7–8 (NASB95)
The guardroom was one rod long and one rod wide; and there were five cubits between the guardrooms. And the threshold of the gate by the porch of the gate facing inward was one rod. Then he measured the porch of the gate facing inward, one rod.
Threshold of the gate (סַ֣ף הַשַּׁ֗עַר / sap hassaar)
Length = 1 rod (6 cubits / ~3.2 metres)
Porch of the gate (אֻלָ֥ם הַשַּׁ֛עַר / ulam hassaar)
8 cubits long (4.26m)
22 cubits wide (11.7m)
Shuttered Windows
Shuttered Windows
There were shuttered windows looking toward the guardrooms, and toward their side pillars within the gate all around, and likewise for the porches. And there were windows all around inside; and on each side pillar were palm tree ornaments.
Guardrooms
Side pillars within the gate
Thresholds
Window (חַלּון / challon)
Chalal (חָלָל) = to pierce through
Sabib-sabib (סָבִיב סָבִיב) = all around, surrounding, round about
The shuttered windows here are windows with bars installed so that people cannot enter through them. And where will we see these windows? Inside the guardrooms, on the side pillars inside the gate, and in the thresholds
it says that these windows are installed on the side pillars inside the gate, a
Windows allow for light to pierce through into a space. And this points toward Jesus, the light of the world.
Psalm 27:1 (ESV)
The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
And where can that light be found? Everywhere in Ezekiel’s temple. That’s why it says here that the windows are “all-around.” Sabib-sabib. All around.
And such windows were also installed toward the side pillars and in the porches of the gates.
There were shuttered windows looking toward the guardrooms, and toward their side pillars within the gate all around, and likewise for the porches. And there were windows all around inside; and on each side pillar were palm tree ornaments.
Side pillar (אַיִל / ayil) = pilasters.
Pilasters = columns that protrude from walls, which support an entire wall or building
60 cubits high (31.92 metres)
He measured also the vestibule, sixty cubits. And around the vestibule of the gateway was the court.
So as you walk through the east gate, you’re going to see beautiful natural lighting. That’s something we all look for in real estate right? So you’re going to see three guardrooms to your left, and three to your right, and between those guardrooms, there are these pillars with huge windows letting in natural light. Four pillars in total.
And that’s not all. It also says that there were windows on either side of the porch, and even on the side pillars of the inner gate’s threshold.
So what are the side pillars? The Hebrew word for side pillar is “ayil”. Pilasters are columns that protrude from walls, which support an entire wall or building.
Buildings back then were usually built with stone, and that made it hard to build a tall structure. So side pillars, these pilasters, would be set up first. And only then the walls would be built between them.
These side pillars could go as thick as 4 metres, but they still had widows built into them.
Palm tree decorations on the side pillars
Palm tree decorations on the side pillars
And the gateway had windows all around, narrowing inwards toward the side rooms and toward their jambs, and likewise the vestibule had windows all around inside, and on the jambs were palm trees.
Palm tree decorations are found all over in Ezekiel’s temple.
Side pillars of the porches of the other gates (Ezek. 40:22, 26, 31, 34, 37)
Panels of the wall all around the inner house and on the outside (Ezek. 41:16-18, 20)
Swinging leaves of the sanctuary (Ezek. 41:23-25)
The sides of the house porch, the side chambers of the house and the thresholds of wood (Ezek. 41:25-26)
Characteristics of palm trees
Characteristics of palm trees
The palm trees in the Bible are talking about date palms. They can grow to heights above 8 metres within 40 years, and produce fruit for about 150 years.
Every year, the Israelites would observe the Feast of Booths by living in booths made of palm branches to commemorate the 40 years wlderness journey.
And you shall take on the first day the fruit of splendid trees, branches of palm trees and boughs of leafy trees and willows of the brook, and you shall rejoice before the Lord your God seven days.
So why palm tree decorations? Palm trees symbolize abundance, increase, victory, and glory.
Psalm 92:12 (ESV)
The righteous flourish like the palm tree and grow like a cedar in Lebanon.
So these palm tree decorations throughout Ezekiel’s temple tell us about the Owner. God, not Ezekiel.
God is the origin of life, abundance, and glory.
It was carved of cherubim and palm trees, a palm tree between cherub and cherub. Every cherub had two faces: a human face toward the palm tree on the one side, and the face of a young lion toward the palm tree on the other side. They were carved on the whole temple all around. From the floor to above the door, cherubim and palm trees were carved; similarly the wall of the nave.
Redemptive-historical significance of palm trees
Redemptive-historical significance of palm trees
Waving palm branches was a way of welcoming conquerors and victors
On the twenty-third day of the second month, in the one hundred seventy-first year, the Jews entered it with praise and palm branches, and with harps and cymbals and stringed instruments, and with hymns and songs, because a great enemy had been crushed and removed from Israel.
Therefore, carrying ivy-wreathed wands and beautiful branches and also fronds of palm, they offered hymns of thanksgiving to him who had given success to the purifying of his own holy place.
When Jesus entered Jerusalem for the last time, the crowds welcomed Him by waving palm branches. Why? Because they thought He would free Israel from Roman rule. They thought He was a political Messiah.
So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, crying out, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!”
But the true saints in Revelation are described as holding palm branches in their hands.
After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands,
What does this tell us? The palm trees represent victory. So the true saints are the ones who will overcome the tribulation.
I said to him, “Sir, you know.” And he said to me, “These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
Therefore, the palm trees of Ezekiel’s temple signify the everlasting victory that comes from following Jesus Christ.