The incense altar is made wholly of wood. Every part, including the horns, is made of wood (v. 22). This is altogether different from the incense altar in the tabernacle erected by Moses. The incense altar in the tabernacle was made of wood overlaid with gold, signifying humanity overlaid with divinity (Exo. 37:25-26). The incense altar standing in this temple is made only of wood, signifying only the humanity of Jesus.
In the tabernacle and in the temple there were the altar, the lampstand, and the showbread table. But here in Ezekiel the altar is also the table (41:22). As an altar it is good for us to offer something to God, and as a table it is good for God to minister something to us. The altar is for us to offer something to God for His satisfaction, and the table is good for God to prepare something for us for our satisfaction. Hence, the one altar serves two purposes: for us to God, it is the altar; for God to us it is the table. We offer something of Christ to God on this altar, and God prepares something of Christ for us on this table. Both are upon the humanity of Christ.
Whatever is on this altar-table must be Christ. Christ on the altar is incense for God, and Christ on the table is food for us. When we offer Christ to God on it, it is the altar for God’s satisfaction. When God prepares something of Christ for us on it, it is the table for our satisfaction. In other words, Christ on the altar is incense, and Christ on the table is food.
The main point here is that the walls were covered with wood and that the incense altar was made of wood, signifying the humanity of the Lord Jesus. The wooden incense altar was three cubits high and two cubits long. This signifies the Triune God in resurrection as a testimony.
The altar, which was made of wood, was put in a place of wainscoted wood carved with cherubim and palm trees. This indicates 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 enjoys the incense we offer in Christ and we enjoy the food supplied by God in Christ. In this way, both we and God enjoy Christ. God is satisfied because of the fragrance in Christ, and we are satisfied by the food supply in Christ. Now we need to see that this mutual enjoyment can only be in an atmosphere and situation where there is a manifestation of the glory and victory of Christ. If we overcome through Christ and manifest the image and glory of Christ, then we will have an altar-table for us to fellowship with God and enjoy Christ. This fellowship and enjoyment issue from our victory in Christ and through Christ.
In this temple there is no lampstand for giving light. In the tabernacle, there was no window, or opening, in the Holy Place, so it needed the lampstand. But in the temple described in the book of Ezekiel, there are many windows letting in light and air. Thus, there is no need of a lampstand.
Both the outer temple and the inner temple had doors at the entrance (v. 23). At both gates there were two doors, each of two folding sections. The gates were simply openings, but within the gates were doors which could be opened and closed. As we apply this to our situation today, we may say that when positive ones, such as the apostles, come, we should surely open the door. However, when negative ones, such as wolves (Matt. 7:15), come, we must close the door.
Does the local church in your place have doors? I am concerned that the church in your locality may have only ways in but may not have gates with doors. In the church life we need the gates with the doors. On the one hand, we should be open to positive people and positive things; on the other hand, we should be closed to negative people and negative things. We should shut the door and refuse to let them in. The function of the doors is similar to that of screens on windows: They are open to let in the positive things, but they are closed to keep out the negative things.
Each gate has two doors which are made of two pieces. This makes a total of four pieces on each gate (Ezek. 41:24). The fact that each door is made of two folding pieces shows us that the doors are flexible, turning and folding. Sometimes in the church life the leading ones are not flexible. They do not know how to be folded and turned. The church needs turning, folding, flexible doors that are easy to open and easy to shut.