What is the meaning of Ezekiel 40:38? There was a chamber Picture Ezekiel walking through the visionary temple. He sees an actual room—four walls, a roof, and a defined purpose. The text does not present a symbol but a literal space, just as earlier temples had real storage and priestly rooms (1 Kings 6:5; Ezekiel 42:13). By including a chamber, God confirms that worship in the coming age retains order and structure, reflecting His character of precision and holiness (1 Corinthians 14:33). with a doorway A doorway signals access. Priests could enter, but the common worshiper could not, preserving the sanctity required for sacrificial service (Numbers 18:7). Doors appear repeatedly in temple descriptions—Solomon’s temple, the restored temple of Ezra, and here—underscoring the truth that fellowship with God is available yet guarded (John 10:9; Hebrews 10:19-22). The literal doorway foreshadows Christ, who opens the way while still requiring purity for entry. by the portico in each of the inner gateways The portico (or vestibule) marks the transition from outer courts to holier ground (2 Chronicles 3:4). Placing the chamber near every inner gate ensures that wherever a priest enters, preparation for sacrifice is immediately at hand. This mirrors the earlier bronze laver set between the altar and the tent of meeting (Exodus 30:18-19). The strategic location teaches that cleansing precedes deeper intimacy with God—both then and now (Psalm 24:3-4; James 4:8). There the burnt offering was to be washed The burnt offering symbolized total consecration (Leviticus 1:9: “The entrails and legs must be washed with water, and the priest is to burn all of it on the altar; it is a burnt offering, an offering made by fire, a pleasing aroma to the LORD,”). Washing removed defilement so the sacrifice could be wholly given to God. Ezekiel’s future temple preserves that ritual, affirming that God’s demand for holiness never diminishes (Malachi 3:6; Hebrews 13:8). Even in a prophetic, millennial context, cleansing remains mandatory before worship. The water points ahead to the ultimate cleansing provided by Christ’s blood and the ongoing sanctification by the Word (Ephesians 5:26; 1 John 1:7). summary Ezekiel 40:38 records a literal room, literal doorway, strategic placement, and a clear function: washing the burnt offering. Each detail conveys God’s unwavering standard of ordered, purified worship. The verse reminds believers that access to His presence is real but never casual; cleansing and consecration are always required. |
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