The Temple in Ezekiel’s Vision

Ezekiel was born into a priestly line (Ezekiel 1:3), but he served God as a prophet. He began his prophetic ministry before Jerusalem and the Temple were destroyed by Babylon in 586 BC. Before the destruction, many false prophets assured the people that God was with them and nothing bad would happen (Ezekiel 13:8-16). True prophets like Jeremiah and Ezekiel warned the people that God’s judgment was imminent (Ezekiel 2:3-8). In Ezekiel chapters 8-11, the prophet saw the glory of God depart from the Temple.

During his exile, Ezekiel encouraged the Israelites, saying that judgment would not last forever and that God would restore Israel and live among them again. In Ezekiel chapter 37, he recounted the vision of the “dry bones coming to life,” where he described the unification and restoration of the entire house of Israel, which had been as good as dead. In chapters 38-39, Ezekiel prophesied a war with Gog and Magog, in which Israel’s enemies would be defeated. Then, in chapters 40-48, Ezekiel saw a detailed vision of a magnificent and glorious Temple. In the 25th year of the Israelites’ exile, Ezekiel described a massive new Temple (chapters 40-42). God’s glory returns (chapter 43), sacrifices are restored (chapters 44-46), and the land is returned to the Israelites (chapters 47-48). The people’s hearts would be changed (Ezekiel 36:26-27), and even Gentiles would have a place in the restored kingdom (Ezekiel 47:22). The land would be ruled by a descendant of David (Ezekiel 44:3; see also 37:24-25; 34:23-24).

In his vision of the Temple, Ezekiel was taken to Israel, where he saw a mountain and a city. The man he met “had the appearance of bronze, with a linen cord and a measuring rod in his hand; and he was standing in the gateway” (Ezekiel 40:3). This man told Ezekiel to pay careful attention to everything he saw and heard, and to relate all the details to God’s people (verse 4). The next three chapters of Ezekiel are dedicated to measuring the layout of the Temple. Unlike Solomon’s Temple, the Temple Ezekiel saw in his vision was much larger, its footprint being large enough to contain five Tiananmen Squares. Furthermore, the new Temple had some distinct features: there was no Ark of the Covenant, no golden lampstand, no table of showbread, and no high priest, yet the altar was retained.

In chapter 43, Ezekiel saw the glory return to the Temple. In his vision, he saw the Temple shining again, just as when Solomon offered his dedication prayer, and glory filled the Temple. Ezekiel, who had once witnessed the glory depart from the Temple, now saw the glory return. In the analogy of Ezekiel’s Temple, the prophet’s vision reiterates that God will once again dwell with His people in a perfect relationship. In later visions given to other prophets, God further revealed how He would fulfill this mission by replacing the Temple, sacrifices, and land with the Messiah Himself. Through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, God’s presence is more manifest than ever before.