Then he brought me into the outer court, and there were chambers and a pavement laid out all around the court. Thirty chambers faced the pavement, Sermons
I. THE CONTRIBUTION OF STRENGTH. There are disciples who add little to the Church but feebleness. They want to be continually comforted or corrected; to be shielded or to be sustained. We feel that the community to which they belong would be the stronger for their absence, except as they supply suitable objects for the exercise of Christian kindness, and in this way for the development of the Church's strength. But it cannot be said that this is at all a satisfactory way of rendering service. We rejoice, and we believe that our Lord himself rejoices, in those who bring a solid contribution of strength to the cause of wisdom and of piety. These are they who, with their Christian principles, bring a trained and robust intelligence, a sacred sagacity, a well-gathered knowledge of men and things; or who bring a liberal spirit, an open hand, a large proportion of their substance; or who bring a loving spirit, a spirit of conciliation and concession into the council, and who are on the side of concord; or who bring warmth, vigor, energy, sustained zeal and hopefulness to the work which is undertaken; or who bring a large measure of devotion, of the spirit of true reverence to the worship of the Church. These are the "posts" of the temple; they "seem to be pillars," and they are such. And there is no reason why the same members of the Church who bring their contribution of strength should not add - II. THE ELEMENT OF BEAUTY." Upon each post were palm trees." These posts were not unsightly props, whose one and only service was that of sustaining that which rested upon them; they were so fashioned that they adorned what they upheld. It is not always so in the spiritual temple. Some posts have no palm trees engraved upon them; they are rude, bare, uncomely. They are tolerated for the service they render; but for what they are in themselves they are heartily disliked. But this need never be. Why should not the strong be beautiful as well as helpful? why should they not add grace to power? It is a serious mistake men make when they think that they may dispense with the finer excellences of Christian character and life because they contribute an efficiency which others cannot render. The uncultivated rudeness of many a pillar in the Christian "temple" detracts most seriously from its worth; on the other hand, the palm trees upon the posts constitute a very appreciable addition. Be beautiful as well as strong. "Whatsoever things are lovely and of good report" should be "considered" well, and should be secured as well as "whatsoever things are true, honest, just, and pure." Add to your faith virtue (manliness) and knowledge, but do not fail to add temperance (self-command), patience, and charity as well. Strive after, pray for, carefully cultivate, all that is beautiful in the sight of man, in temper, in bearing, in spirit, in word and deed; so shall the value of your strength be greatly enhanced in the estimate of Christ. - C.
Even thus shall the children of Israel eat their defiled bread. They had sinned in excess, and God would take away their plenty. Hosea 13:6, "According to their pasture, so were they filled"; they had full pastures, fed largely, exalted their hearts, and thought they should never want; they forgot God in their fulness, and He made them to remember Him in a famine. Fulness of bread was the sin of Sodom, and the sin of Jerusalem also. God brake the staff of bread. They sinned in defiling themselves with idols, and offered meal and oil, honey and flour, for a sweet savour to their idols (Ezekiel 16), and now they must eat polluted bread among the Gentiles.(W. Greenhill, M. A.). People Ezekiel, Levi, Levites, ZadokPlaces JerusalemTopics Along, Behold, Bringeth, Cells, Chambers, Constructed, Court, Faced, Floor, Fronted, Open, Outer, Outward, Pavement, Rooms, Round, Square, Stone, ThirtyOutline 1. The time, manner, and end of the vision of the city and temple6. The description of the east gate of the outer court 20. of the north gate 24. of the south gate 27. of the south gate of the inner court 32. of the east gate 35. and of the north gate 39. Eight tables 44. The chambers 48. The porch of the house Dictionary of Bible Themes Ezekiel 40:1-49Library The Parts of the City. Sion. The Upper City: which was on the North Part. There is one who asserts Jerusalem to stand on seven hills; but whether upon a reason more light, or more obscure, is not easy to say. "The whale showed Jonah (saith he) the Temple of the Lord, as it is said, 'I went down to the bottom of the mountains': whence we learn that Jerusalem was seated upon seven mountains." One may sooner almost prove the thing itself, than approve of his argument. Let him enjoy his argument to himself; we must fetch the situation elsewhere. "The city itself (saith Josephus) … John Lightfoot—From the Talmud and Hebraica Jesus Tempted in the Wilderness. The Millennium in Relation to Israel. The Holy City; Or, the New Jerusalem: Ezekiel Links Ezekiel 40:17 NIVEzekiel 40:17 NLT Ezekiel 40:17 ESV Ezekiel 40:17 NASB Ezekiel 40:17 KJV Ezekiel 40:17 Bible Apps Ezekiel 40:17 Parallel Ezekiel 40:17 Biblia Paralela Ezekiel 40:17 Chinese Bible Ezekiel 40:17 French Bible Ezekiel 40:17 German Bible Ezekiel 40:17 Commentaries Bible Hub |