The Inner and Outer Courts

Ezekiel 40:17-37

The Outer Court
17 Then he brought me into the outer court; and there were chambers and a pavement made all around the court; thirty chambers faced the pavement. 18 The pavement was by the side of the gateways, corresponding to the length of the gateways; this was the lower pavement. 19 Then he measured the width from the front of the lower gateway to the front of the inner court exterior, one hundred cubits toward the east and the north.

The Northern Gateway
20 On the outer court was also a gateway facing north, and he measured its length and its width. 21 Its gate chambers, three on this side and three on that side, its gateposts and its archways, had the same measurements as the first gate; its length was fifty cubits and its width twenty-five cubits. 22 Its windows and those of its archways, and also its palm trees, had the same measurements as the gateway facing east; it was ascended by seven steps, and its archway was in front of it. 23 A gate of the inner court was opposite the northern gateway, just as the eastern gateway; and he measured from gateway to gateway, one hundred cubits.

The Southern Gateway
24 After that he brought me toward the south, and there a gateway was facing south; and he measured its gateposts and archways according to these same measurements. 25 There were windows in it and in its archways all around like those windows; its length was fifty cubits and its width twenty-five cubits. 26 Seven steps led up to it, and its archway was in front of them; and it had palm trees on its gateposts, one on this side and one on that side. 27 There was also a gateway on the inner court, facing south; and he measured from gateway to gateway toward the south, one hundred cubits.

Gateways of the Inner Court
28 Then he brought me to the inner court through the southern gateway; he measured the southern gateway according to these same measurements. 29 Also its gate chambers, its gateposts, and its archways were according to these same measurements; there were windows in it and in its archways all around; it was fifty cubits long and twenty-five cubits wide. 30 There were archways all around, twenty-five cubits long and five cubits wide. 31 Its archways faced the outer court, palm trees were on its gateposts, and going up to it were eight steps.

32 And he brought me into the inner court facing east; he measured the gateway according to these same measurements. 33 Also its gate chambers, its gateposts, and its archways were according to these same measurements; and there were windows in it and in its archways all around; it was fifty cubits long and twenty-five cubits wide. 34 Its archways faced the outer court, and palm trees were on its gateposts on this side and on that side; and going up to it were eight steps.

35 Then he brought me to the north gateway and measured it according to these same measurements— 36 also its gate chambers, its gateposts, and its archways. It had windows all around; its length was fifty cubits and its width twenty-five cubits. 37 Its gateposts faced the outer court, palm trees were on its gateposts on this side and on that side, and going up to it were eight steps.

The inner and outer courts of the temple vision were observed and recorded by Ezekiel as he was commanded by God for God’s people then and now to reflect upon.  The gates and gateways in and out of them all are described in enough detail which he measured and gave us a mental picture to reconstruct given the time and effort on the reader’s part to do so.  The outer court had thirty room chambers surrounding a pavement area and the inner court had the same arches, windows, and gateway entrances as the inner.  It had archways all around facing the outer court with eight steps going up.  He looked north, south, and east  with their own chambers around them for some holy use with gateposts like palm trees to signify fruitfulness most likely.  These descriptions meant much more to the people of God then who had their temple leveled years before as an encouragement that it would be rebuilt according to God’s intricate plan shown to Ezekiel in this vision.  It also has significance to us now as a foretaste of the heavenly pattern used then and the promise of the New Jerusalem’s tabernacle coming to rest where God Himself is described as our permanent temple (Revelation 21:3, 22) where we will worship before His face forevermore.  No more visions of the heavenly temple will be needed because the heavenly will come down to us to worship Him on earth as He ought to be and where He will once again walk among us as in Eden’s Garden (Genesis 3:8) at our creation.  This temple to come as a replacement for the Jerusalem temple which was leveled hinted at something far greater.  His inner and outer courts will be one and no more gates will be needed because the Lamb was the gate who gave us entrance to that holy place (Matthew 7:13-14, John 10:9, 14:6, Revelation 22:14).  May all who read hear His word and turn from sin to Him to be among those who enter that gate into this place to worship Him forever before His face!