“The side chambers (G) were in three stories, one above the other, thirty chambers in each story; they rested on ledges which were for the side chambers all around, that they might be supported, but not fastened to the wall of the temple. As one went up from story to story, the side chambers became wider all around, because their supporting ledges in the wall of the temple ascended like steps; therefore the width of the structure increased as one went up from the lowest story to the highest by way of the middle one.” (Ezek 41:6, 7)

In antitype, the side chambers with their treasures picture for us character treasures laid up in the memory of the Christ. The character treasures of the Little Flock will be represented by the uppermost chambers. The middle chambers will type the character treasures of the Great Company and others on the spirit realm, and last the lowest chambers will represent the character treasures of the human family developed during the millennial age. (See Matt 6:20 and comments. Matt 19: 21; Col 2:1-3; 1 Cor. 3:12-15 comment on Verse 12).

“I also saw an elevation all around the temple (H); it was the foundation of the side chambers, a full rod, that is, six cubits high.” (Ezek 41:8)

Different elevations type different planes of life. The inner court platform level being lower than the temple platform typifies that the plane of life of the Great Company will be lower than that of the Little Flock. The fact that the temple will be elevated one reed (rod) above the surrounding inner court, suggests that the Little Flock will be fully elevated in accordance with all the promises of the word of God to the highest plane of life, the Divine Plane. (Luke 1:76; Eph. 1:21; Phil. 3:21; Acts 26:13-15; Col. 3:4; Romans 8:16-18)

The brazen altar (I) (described in Ezek 43:13-17) will be situated at the mathematical center of the inner court proper, of the sanctuary, of the land of the priest and of the whole land of Israel, symbolizing that the ransom sacrifice and the completed sin-offering which it types is the center and hub of the entire Plan of Salvation. (1 John2: 2; Rev. 5:11-13; E. 98, par.1, lines 5-8. E. Foreword 1, par. 3) All the gates to both inner and outer courts are in line with the altar, so that anyone going through the gates and looking ahead must see the altar, symbolizing that all who attain unto life must first appreciate the ransom sacrifice of our Lord and the completed sin-offering. (Acts 4:12; John 3:16)

The great size of the altar suggests the immensity and great magnitude of the work of the ransom and the sin offering and the importance of it. The elevation of the altar above its bottom and the two settles (ledges) show the lofty exaltation of the Christ, far above angels, principalities and powers, and every name that is named. (Eph. 1:21-23; Phil. 2:9; Col. 2:10; 1 Peter 3:22, A.134, lines 7-9)

The altar is reached by a stairway on the east side. The sacrifices being carried to the high elevation of the altar, up this stairway, symbolizes that the evidence of the consecrations of the people will be carried into Heaven itself. (Psa. 51:19; Luke 15:7).

This stairway (entrance) (J) leading into the priest chambers is mentioned in Ezek 42:9 and 46:19, this separate entrance into the priest chambers represents that the general convention and the love feast of the Little Flock will be exclusively for them alone. (John 14:2, 3; 17:24)

There is yet still another possible significance to this private entrance into the outer court and that is found in Ezek 44:25-27. The offerings and cleansing’s of the Priest typify that while the Little Flock will not come in contact with fallen humanity as a whole, they will be permitted to come near those whom they were intimately connected in the flesh (their natural children, parents, etc.), to give them special help up the “ highway of holiness”. In this way they will come in contact with that which is defiling, but by the close of the millennial age (seventh day) the application of the merit of the Ransom will have cleansed or destroyed all such cases and The Christ will no more be in touch with such defilement’s.

Fallen humanity is referred to as dead, note the following scriptures: Luke 9:60; 2Tim 4:1; Rev. 20:12, 13; 1 Cor. 15:29.

“There was a chamber (K) and its entrance by the gatepost of the gateway, where they washed the burnt offerings.” (Ezek 40:38)

Here the Levites will wash the burnt offerings of the people. The washing of these sacrifices with water would typify the cleansing of mankind with the water of the Word in the millennial age. The Levites (Great Company) are shown doing the work of cleaning. Other pictures of this cleansing work are given in (2 Kings 5:10-14 and John 9:7). In 2 Kings, Naaman types mankind, and Elisha types the Ancient Worthies directing the work of cleansing. In comparing this picture with the one in our question, it is noticed that the Great Company will have to come in direct contact with the people (typed by washing the sacrifice), whereas the Ancient Worthies will not come in such close contact, but direct the work of cleansing through another. (See also Ezek 36:25) This direct contact with humanity will of necessity require that the Great Company (spirit beings) manifest themselves in fleshly bodies first, just as angelic beings had done in the past.

NOTE: The three little chambers (K, M, and P) in our layout above have presented quite a bit of trouble, as their exact number and placement has been debatable.  A quick view of some of the various illustrations of the temple on the internet will confirm this. Some have simply chosen to avoid the problem altogether and have not illustrated them at all. Even in the two we have chosen you will note there is a difference in placement.

Nevertheless if you consider closely Ezek 40:37 you will note that when describing the northern (inner) gateway “the man” mentions that its gateposts faced the outer court. Then in the next verse he mentions a chamber (K) whose entrance was situated by the gateposts, this would seem to imply that the chamber was located outside the gateway in the outer court. This seems correct as one would naturally assume that before a sacrifice could be accepted it must first be washed, therefore it would only seem right that this little chamber was located outside the gate.

“In the vestibule of the gateway were two tables on this side and two tables on that side, on which to slay the burnt offering, the sin offering, and the trespass offering (these are not marked in our illustration). At the outer side of the vestibule, as one goes up to the entrance of the northern gateway, were two tables (L); and on the other side of the vestibule of the gateway were two tables. Four tables were on this side and four tables on that side, by the side of the gateway (two in the vestibule and two outside in the outer court), eight tables (total) on which they slaughtered the sacrifices.” (Ezek 40:39-41). Verse 42 describes the same eight tables giving further information regarding the size of the stone tables and the instruments used in the sacrifices.

These tables typify the character pattern of Our Lord and His Church to which the people must endeavor to conform. (A242, par. 3 Isa. 51:1; 1 Peter 2:5 and comments refer to the Church, but mankind will be hewn, shaped and chiseled in the millennial age).

Continued with next post.