All the parts of the building related to the temple were paneled with wood. This differs from the tabernacle raised up by Moses, in which every part was overlaid with gold (Exo. 26:29). Whereas gold signifies divinity, wood signifies humanity, especially the uplifted humanity of the Lord Jesus. In God’s building in Ezekiel, the primary material is the crucified, resurrected, and ascended humanity of Jesus.

See notes on 1 Kings 6:4.

This building, located at the back of the temple, was larger than the temple. Whereas the side chambers signify the fullness of Christ (see note Ezek. 41:6¹), this building signifies the riches of Christ, which are unlimited (Eph. 3:8). Christ is so rich that He is able to fulfill all the requirements and meet all the needs of both God and man and still have an abundance left over (cf. John 6:11-13). Concerning the riches of Christ and the fullness of Christ, see note Eph. 3:19^3c.

The chambers mentioned in Ezek. 42:10-14.

Lit., house.

The side chambers becoming wider as they go up indicates that as we go higher with the Lord, we become broader and richer in our experience (cf. Eph. 3:18). This indicates that the experience of God’s holy building is progressive.

See note 1 Kings 6:6¹.

The thirty side chambers for expression (see note 1 Kings 6:5³) are based on the thirty chambers for enjoyment (Ezek. 40:17). We can express Christ only to the extent that we have enjoyed Him. Our enjoyment of Christ eventually becomes the fullness, the expression, of Christ (Eph. 3:16-19).

The number six here in relation to the thickness of the wall signifies the humanity of the Lord Jesus as the standing strength of God’s dwelling place. In the tabernacle the boards of acacia wood standing upright also signify the humanity of the Lord Jesus (Exo. 26:15). As a proper human being, the Lord Jesus is the standing and supporting wall of God’s building.

I.e., the Holy Place.

The entrance of the porch measured fourteen cubits (Ezek. 40:48), the entrance to the outer temple (the Holy Place), ten cubits, and the entrance into the inner temple (the Holy of Holies), six cubits (v. 3). This indicates that the further inward we progress in our experience of God’s building, the narrower the way becomes. The closer we are to the Lord, the more we will be restricted by Him.

Following some versions; the Hebrew reads, tent.

See note Ezek. 41:18¹.

The functions of the “doors” in the church are to let the positive persons and things in and to keep the negative persons (cf. Matt. 7:15; Acts 20:29) and things out. The fact that each door had two swinging leaves (v. 24) indicates that the doors in the church should be flexible.

The dimensions of the incense altar signify the Triune God in resurrection (three) as a testimony (two).

The incense altar standing in this temple was made only of wood (cf. Exo. 30:1-5), signifying the humanity of Jesus. In the tabernacle and in the temple there were the incense altar and the table of the bread of the Presence. But here in Ezekiel the altar is also the table, the altar being for us to offer Christ as incense to God for His satisfaction, and the table being for God to prepare Christ as food for our satisfaction.

The altar of wood was put in a place of wood paneling carved with cherubim and palm trees, indicating that if we are those who manifest the glory and victory of Christ, we will have the altar-table for God and us to have fellowship together in Christ. Here God is satisfied by the incense we offer in Christ, and we are satisfied by the food supplied by God in Christ.

In ch. 1 the cherubim had four faces (Ezek. 1:6, 10), but in the carvings on the walls they had only two faces — the face of a man and the face of a lion, signifying and expressing victory in humanity (see note Ezek. 1:10^1a, par. 1). The fact that between every two cherubim there was a palm tree (v. 18 and note Ezek. 41:18¹) signifies that as parts of God’s building, we manifest the victory of Christ in the manifestation of the glorious image of Christ (cf. 2 Cor. 2:14-16; 3:18).

On all the wooden paneling, cherubim and palm trees were carved (vv. 18-20). Cherubim signify the glory of the Lord manifested upon the creatures (Ezek. 10:18; Heb. 9:5), and palm trees, which grow in the wilderness and are evergreen, signify the victory of Christ and the everlasting and ever-existing power of Christ (see note Ezek. 40:16^2b). The carving of the palm trees and the cherubim on the walls indicates that the victory of Christ and the glory of the Lord have been “carved” into our being through sufferings.

The fact that palm trees were carved on the walls next to the windows indicates that victory and everlasting power and strength always go together with spiritual air and divine light. This means that our victory and power are related to the life-giving Spirit (see note 1 Kings 6:4^1a). If we enjoy the life-giving Spirit, we will also enjoy Christ’s victory, power, and strength.