What is the meaning of Ezekiel 43:3? setting the scene Ezekiel is being shown the future temple (Ezekiel 40–42). In 43:1-2 “I saw the glory of the God of Israel coming from the east… and the earth shone with His glory”. The verse we are studying explains why this moment carries such weight for the prophet. the vision I saw was like the vision I had seen • Ezekiel immediately recognizes what he is seeing; it is the same divine glory he has encountered before. • The repetition underscores that God is consistent in His self-revelation: His holiness, majesty, and splendor do not change (Malachi 3:6; James 1:17). • Because the earlier visions proved trustworthy, Ezekiel can trust that this new revelation about a restored temple and renewed worship will also be fulfilled literally (Isaiah 55:11). when He came to destroy the city • Ezekiel recalls the vision in chapters 8–11, where God’s glory departed Jerusalem as judgment approached, culminating in the Babylonian destruction foretold in 586 BC (Ezekiel 10:18-19; 11:22-23). • That memory highlights both God’s justice and His mercy. The same glory that once withdrew in judgment now returns in restoration (Psalm 85:10). • It assures Israel that God has not abandoned His covenant promises (Jeremiah 31:35-37; Romans 11:1). and like the visions I had seen by the River Kebar • Ezekiel’s first encounter with God’s glory came by the Kebar Canal in Babylon (Ezekiel 1:1-28). • What seemed distant exile territory became holy ground when God appeared, teaching that His presence is not confined to geographic Jerusalem (Psalm 139:7-10; Acts 7:48-49). • By linking the temple vision to Kebar, God reminds His people in exile that He has been with them all along and will bring them home (Ezekiel 11:16-17). I fell facedown • The only fitting response to divine glory is humble worship (Joshua 5:14; Revelation 1:17). • Ezekiel’s posture models the reverence God deserves from His people, pointing us to approach Him with “reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire” (Hebrews 12:28-29). • His fall also signals readiness to receive instruction (Ezekiel 2:1-2); God will now speak about temple ordinances (43:4-12). summary Ezekiel 43:3 ties past, present, and future together. The prophet recognizes the same unchanging, holy glory he saw at Kebar and during Jerusalem’s judgment. God’s return to the temple guarantees that the exile’s sorrow will give way to restoration. The verse calls every reader to remember God’s faithful track record, trust His literal promises, and respond with wholehearted worship. |
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