Ezekiel 41:13-26
13 So he measured the temple, one hundred cubits long; and the separating courtyard with the building and its walls was one hundred cubits long; 14 also the width of the eastern face of the temple, including the separating courtyard, was one hundred cubits. 15 He measured the length of the building behind it, facing the separating courtyard, with its galleries on the one side and on the other side, one hundred cubits, as well as the inner temple and the porches of the court, 16 their doorposts and the beveled window frames. And the galleries all around their three stories opposite the threshold were paneled with wood from the ground to the windows—the windows were covered— 17 from the space above the door, even to the inner room, as well as outside, and on every wall all around, inside and outside, by measure.
18 And it was made with cherubim and palm trees, a palm tree between cherub and cherub. Each cherub had two faces, 19 so that the face of a man was toward a palm tree on one side, and the face of a young lion toward a palm tree on the other side; thus it was made throughout the temple all around. 20 From the floor to the space above the door, and on the wall of the sanctuary, cherubim and palm trees were carved.
21 The doorposts of the temple were square, as was the front of the sanctuary; their appearance was similar. 22 The altar was of wood, three cubits high, and its length two cubits. Its corners, its length, and its sides were of wood; and he said to me, "This is the table that is before the LORD."
23 The temple and the sanctuary had two doors. 24 The doors had two panels apiece, two folding panels: two panels for one door and two panels for the other door. 25 Cherubim and palm trees were carved on the doors of the temple just as they were carved on the walls. A wooden canopy was on the front of the vestibule outside. 26 There were beveled window frames and palm trees on one side and on the other, on the sides of the vestibule—also on the side chambers of the temple and on the canopies.
The dimensions of the entire temple area and it decorations were explained as Ezekiel walked through it in his vision given by God. The length and width of the temple and courtyard were accounted for as well as the surrounding structures and inner court, as well as the height of the surrounding galleries. Even the details of the windows and gates with their posts were examined for the reader to piece together a complete mental picture of the glory of that place designed by the LORD. We read of the cherubim (Genesis 3:24) and palms there (1 Kings 6:29) as carved in the original temple, and find that the angelic creatures had faces of a man and lion facing the palm trees, imagery we have read before in Ezekiel 1:10 and 10:14 of these angelic servants accompanying the Most High God. The altar of atonement by sacrifice is described as “the table that is before the LORD.” Through that atonement they dined with God in a reconciled relationship, but it was temporary then until Christ sacrificed Himself one time for all time on our behalf that we might dine with Him forever! The meal we know as the Lord’s Supper celebrates that eternal relationship we will enjoy eternally (Psalm 22:26) when we are united in the temple whom is God and the Lamb and are satisfied forever. Furthermore, the vision’s temple had two doors with the same cherubim and palms as throughout the temple and on the sides of the entranceway. This again seems to point to God’s presence to come as in the visions initially given to Ezekiel in the beginning of his calling to speak God’s messages. We can take this to mean that God called the messenger to speak of not only judgment, but also of the glory to come at the end of time in reconciliation by everlasting atonement in Christ that we might serve in worship and enjoy gods forever! The description of the dimensions and decorations of the temple point to these things as our eternal hope and anticipation. These give us a lasting hope in Christ as our temple.
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