In this message we will consider the temple and the side chambers. The temple is composed of three sections: the porch, the Holy Place (outer temple), and the Most Holy (inner temple).
After we pass the altar, we come to the temple. The temple is composed of three main sections: the porch, the outer temple, which is called the Holy Place, and the inner temple, which is called the Most Holy or the Holy of Holies. In addition, there is an attachment which Ezekiel calls the side chambers. The side chambers surround the entire building of the temple. Thus, the temple is composed of three sections with an attachment.
Let us begin with the first main part of the temple, the porch.
Ten steps lead up to the porch (40:49). Now we can see that the compound of the temple has three levels: the first level in the outer court, the second level in the inner court, and the third level in the temple. The ground floor of the temple is on the third level. We need to remember that the street outside the wall is on a level even lower than that of the outer court. If we count from the street outside of the wall of the compound of the temple, there are four levels, with the street as the first level, the outer court as the second, the inner court as the third, and the ground floor of the temple as the fourth. This gives us some idea of the elevation of the temple. (see figure 4)
It also indicates that the further inward we proceed in the temple, the higher we rise. When we are outside the wall, we are on the lowest level. But when we enter and progress inward, we rise higher and higher. When we go from the street to the outer court, we must ascend seven steps higher. When we go from the outer court to the inner court, we must ascend another eight steps higher. When we go from the inner court into the temple, we must ascend an additional ten steps higher. From this we can see that the temple is altogether twenty-five steps above the level of the street.
Although we must climb twenty-five steps to go from the level of the street to the level of the temple, we actually ascend only fifteen cubits in height. We can calculate this because the ten steps to the temple are equal to the height of the platform of the temple. In 41:8 Ezekiel says that he saw an elevation of the temple which was six cubits high. This equals the height of the ten steps. The platform, which is six cubits high, is the base of the whole building of the temple and the side chambers. The height of the ten steps equals the six cubits. Therefore, the twenty-five steps from the level of the street to the level of the temple should be fifteen cubits.
Once again, the numbers are significant. Twenty-five is five times five, which indicates responsibility within responsibility. Fifteen is five times three, indicating the responsibility borne by the Triune God in resurrection. By putting these things together, we can see that the way to ascend higher and higher in the temple is by the responsibility within the responsibility borne by the Triune God in resurrection. We have no way to ascend higher apart from the Triune God bearing responsibility in resurrection.
From the steps we go on to the two pillars. We need to differentiate the pillars from the posts of the temple (41:21). The posts are square, whereas the pillars are round. While the measurements of the posts are given, they are not given concerning the pillars. The fact that Ezekiel does not give us the measurement of the pillars indicates that they must be unlimited. Thus, these pillars signify Christ as God’s witness bearing the house of God with a strength which is unlimited and immeasurable.
Now we come to the porch itself. Ezekiel 40:48 says, “He brought me to the porch of the house, and measured each post of the porch, five cubits on this side, and five cubits on that side: and the breadth of the gate was three cubits on this side, and three cubits on that side.” Here we have two posts which measure five cubits each. Since the number five indicates responsibility and the number two indicates testimony, the significance of these two posts is responsibility in testimony. Again the number three signifies the Triune God in resurrection.
The height of the porch is twenty cubits, and the entry of the porch is fourteen cubits. As we have seen, the number fourteen is composed either of seven times two or of ten plus four. Seven signifies completion, two signifies a testimony, ten signifies fullness, and four signifies the creatures. Thus, the porch also signifies that the creatures bear a complete testimony in fullness.
An additional point concerning the porch is that it is used as a lobby. This makes the temple easy to approach. In the church life we also should have a lobby, making it easy for others to come in. This means that we need to have an atmosphere that is stretching out and making it easy for others to contact us and touch us. Such a lobby makes the church accessible and enables us to take others in and hold them. In addition to making the temple approachable, the porch, or lobby, is a place where we can slow down, draw near, and prepare ourselves to enter the temple.