The Pulpit Commentary — Ezekiel — Volume 2 — Section 351

EXPOSITION. CHAPTER XLIIL resplendent manifestations of the Godhead, which were to be given in conneotion with The consecration of the new temple by the the new dispenslltion for which Ezekiel's entrance into it of the glory of the God or "house" was being prepared. This, how- Isr-a.el (vers. 1-12), and a description of the ever, e.s Keil has shown, cannot be main- altar with its dedication to the solemn ritual tained in face of the facts that in both Exodus and 1 Kings " the glory of the for which it was in future to be emploved Lord" is used synonymously with "the (vers. 13-27), form the contents or ~hu cloud," and that in Ezekiel's vision "the present chapter, and complete the prophet's glory" and " the cloud" were alike present picture of the future sanctuary of Israel. (see eh. x. 3, 4). Kliefoth and Schroder Vera. 1-12.-The consecration of the hold "the earth" which we.a illnmined to have been "the whole globe," "the entire temple by the entrance into it of the glory region _of humanity," e.e in Isa. vi. 8: Ix. I, of the God of Israel etc. : but there does not appear ground for departing from the ordinary sense of the Ver. 1.-Afterwa.rd, etc. Having com- words, that "the path" of the advancing pleted the survey of the temple precincts God we.a irradiated by the brilliance of his (eh. xlii 15-20), the prophet's guide," tbe material glory. measuring man," condncted him be.ck to the Ver. 8.-The prophet identifies the vision gate that looked towards tbe east, i.e. to on which he now looks e.e the some he had the gate lee.ding into the outer court from formerly beheld on the banks of the Ohebar, the east (see on eh. xL 6), perhaps because when he came to destroy the oity, i.e. when, this we.a the principal entrance to the in obedienoe to Divine command, he stood se.nctne.ry, but chiefly because through it forth to announce the destruction of J erusa,- the impending theophany was to pass. lem. Ewald and Smend follow the Vulgate, Ver. 2.-Sce.rcely had the prophet taken quando TJenit ut disperdef'et, in substituting up his station e.t or near the gate when the "he," Jehovah, for "I," Ezekiel; but the glory of the God of Israel (see on eh. i. 28; change is unnecessary, as the prophet's iii. 23) ea.me from the way of the east, e.e if language is perfectly intelligible and quite intending to enter the temple by the very correct, since " the prophet destroyed the door through which it had previously eit,v ideally by his prophecy" (Hitzig), and departed from the temple (comp. eh. :z:. 19 ; it 1s not unusual for Scripture to represent a xi. 22, 23). The voioe which proceeded prophet e.s 11,imself doing what he is only from the theopha.ny and resembled the noise sent to predict (comp. eh. iv. 2; :z:xxii. 18: of many_waten, is after the LXX. (,cal ,pr,,n, J er. i. 10). The prophet's reason for intro- rijs ,ra.peµ./3oll.'ijs) by Keil and Bmend under- dncing this clause was manifestly the same stood to have been the sound produced by he ha.cl for identifying the visions-to show the motion of the wheels e.ud the rustling that, while it we.a the same Jehovah who of the wings of the cherubim (see on eh. i. had departed from the old temple that was 2, 4; x. 5), but is better taken, with Kliefoth now returning to the new, there was nothing and Hengetenberg, to signify the voice of incongruous in the idea that he who in the the Al.mighty himself, i.e. of the personal past had shown himself a God or jnstice and Jehovah (comp. Rev. i. 15). The statement jndgment by overturning and destroying that the earth shined with hi.I! glory (comp. the old, should in the future exhibit himeolf Rev. xvili. I) he.s by Hiivernick, Klicfoth, e.s e. God of gro.oe and mercy by condescend- and others been supposed to indicate the ing to establish hie abode in the new. The i.bsence of that" cloud" in which the glory impression produced upon the prophet's soul of Jehovah appeared in both the Mosaic by his vision we.a the same that had been tabernacle (Exod. :z:l. 3-1, 35) and the Frodoced by the former-he/ell upon hi• jllOd Solomonic temple (1 Kings viii 10, 11), and m awe and wonder. thereby to point to the clearer and more Yere. 4, 5.-The prophet next narrates arr, XLIII. 1-27.J THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET EZEKIEL. 365