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no blending in

Ezekiel 42:15-20 (JDV)

Ezekiel 42:15 When he finished measuring inside the house complex, he led me out by way of the gate that faced east and measured all around the complex.
Ezekiel 42:16 He measured the east wind with a measuring branch; it was 500 cubits by the measuring branch.
Ezekiel 42:17 He measured the north wind; it was 500 cubits by the measuring branch.
Ezekiel 42:18 He measured the south wind; it was 500 cubits by the measuring branch.
Ezekiel 42:19 Then he turned to the west wind and measured 500 cubits by the measuring branch.
Ezekiel 42:20 He measured the house complex on all four winds. It had a wall all around it, 500 cubits long and 500 cubits wide, to separate the devoted from the common.

no blending in

Harlow writes “In chapter 40 we read about the gates leading from the outside into the inner court of the temple. Now we learn that the temple will be in the center of a much larger area. The angel brought Ezekiel to the east gate and measured this area with a reed” (189).

He suggests that the difference between God’s holy temple and the rest of the earth is the point of these chapters.

As believers read these words today, we should reflect on the fact that we are the Lord’s temple. We should seek to reflect his uniqueness, not try to blend in with the normal world around us.

Harlow, R. E. The Prophet Ezekiel. Scarborough, Ont: Everyday Publications, 1989.