Having passed through the porch, we come to the outer temple where the entrance measures ten cubits (41:2). The first entrance, that of the porch, measures fourteen cubits, but the second entrance to the outer court measures ten cubits. This indicates that the further inward you progress, the more narrow the way becomes. The entry of the inner temple is even narrower, measuring six cubits. According to Ezekiel 41:2 there were five cubits on the sides of the doors. There were two posts measuring five cubits indicating responsibility in testimony. The length of the outer temple was forty cubits, and the breadth was twenty cubits, making a total of eight hundred square cubits. The number eight hundred indicates one hundred times resurrection.
The first entry, the entry of the porch, was fourteen cubits wide; the second entry, into the outer temple, was ten cubits wide; the third entry, into the inner temple, was six cubits wide (41:3). According to this picture, the further inward we travel, the narrower the entry becomes. These figures are very meaningful. If we are outside the porch, we have no restriction, but when we come inside the porch, we have some restriction. That restriction, however, is not so narrow; it is still fourteen cubits wide. But when we pass from the porch to the outer temple, the entry is narrowed to ten cubits. Finally, when we travel further and reach the inner temple, the entry is narrowed to six cubits. According to our experience we know that the closer we get to the Lord, the more we are restricted by Him. If we are able to be loose and sloppy, it is a sign that we are away from the presence of the Lord. The closer we get to the presence of the Lord, the more we will be restricted.
From the outer temple we proceed to the inner temple. Ezekiel 41:3 says, "Then went he inward, and measured the post of the door, two cubits; and the door, six cubits; and the breadth of the door, seven cubits." The post of the door measured two cubits, indicating testimony. The door was six cubits high and seven cubits broad.
According to 41:4 the inner temple was twenty cubits square. The Holiest of Holies in the tabernacle in the wilderness was a square (Exo. 26), and the Holiest of Holies in the temple that was built in the good land was also a square (2 Chron. 3:8). The wall of the house, according to verse 5, measured six cubits, signifying the humanity of the Lord Jesus. The humanity of the Lord Jesus is the standing strength of God's dwelling place. In the tabernacle, the acacia boards standing upright signified the humanity of the Lord Jesus (Exo. 26:15). The wall of the temple also signified the humanity of Jesus. Jesus as a proper human being is the wall. He is the standing and supporting wall.
Ezekiel 41:5 says, "After he measured the wall of the house, six cubits; and the breadth of every side chamber, four cubits, round about the house on every side." On the south, the west, and the north sides of the temple were the side chambers in three stories. There were three stories, each having thirty side chambers, making a total of ninety side chambers. According to the diagram the wall of the temple was in three sections: the first floor of the wall was six cubits wide, the second floor of the wall was five cubits wide, and the third floor of the wall was four cubits wide. Because these were set one upon the other, a ledge of one cubit was created, and the beam of the side chambers was placed upon that ledge. The beam of the first story of the side chambers was put on the first ledge, and the beam of the second story of the side chambers was put on the second ledge. As the side chambers which surrounded the house increased in height, they also increased in breadth. The lowest side chamber was four cubits wide, the second story of the side chambers was five cubits wide, and the third story of the side chambers was six cubits wide. The breadth of the temple, however, continued straight upward with no change. As the side chambers went higher, they also became broader. This indicates that as we go higher and higher with the Lord, we also become broader and richer in our experience. As we progress inward we ascend higher, and as we ascend higher we become broader and broader. Because the side chambers at the first level were four cubits broad, they signify us as the creatures in a general way. But as we become higher and broader, we become the number five bearing some responsibility. The number four becomes the number five. Then as we go higher and broader, we become the number six, the proper man created by God on the sixth day. This means that we will be in the same measurement as the Lord Jesus, the wall. In the church life we do need the proper humanity of the Lord Jesus. Merely to be a creature is not sufficient, and merely to bear some responsibility is not sufficient; we all must become a proper man bearing the number six.
According to 41:8, around the house there was an elevation which was a platform or a base on which the temple and all the side chambers were built. This elevation was six cubits high, signifying again the humanity of the Lord Jesus. The humanity of the Lord Jesus is the foundation, the base, and the wall.