from Tyre to which it properly belonged, it is rightly held to be a symbolic number, as in the book of Revelation and elsewhere, seven being the well-known symbol of completeness.  With the announcement of the fall of Jerusalem (33:21) the thunders of God’s wrath that had so long rolled over her die away; and the series of prophecies that follows is mainly occupied, like the last part of Isaiah, with predictions of the future glory of Zion, in connection with God’s awful judgments upon the wicked within and without her borders.  Of these the last nine chapters contain a description of the vision which God vouchsafed to the prophet of a new Jerusalem, with its temple, priests and altars, rising out of the ruins of the former, of larger extent and in a more glorious form.  He sees the land of Canaan also divided out to the returning captives by lot, as it was in the days of Joshua, but upon an entirely different plan.

The general plan of the temple is after the model of Solomon’s; yet this vision is not to be understood as a mere prophecy of the rebuilding of Solomon’s temple with the city in which it stood, and of the repossession of the land after the Babylonish captivity.  Several particulars in the description make it plain that it was not intended to be literally understood.  See chaps. 42:15-20; 45:1-8; 47:1-12; and the whole of chap. 48.  It is rather a symbolical representation of the coming deliverance and enlargement of the true spiritual Zion, which is God’s church, the same in all ages.  The resettlement of the land of Canaan, and the rebuilding of the temple and city after the captivity, were a part indeed, but only a very small part of the “good things to come” which the vision shadowed forth.  Its fulfilment belongs to the entire history of the church from Ezekiel’s day onward, and it will be completed only in her final triumph over the kingdom of Satan, and her establishment in permanent peace and holiness.

As the time had not yet come for the old covenant to pass away, Ezekiel, who was himself a priest under the law of Moses, saw the future enlargement of God’s kingdom under the forms of this covenant.  The New Jerusalem which God revealed to him had its temple, priests, altar, and sacrifices.  All these were shadows of Christ’s perfect priesthood, of the spiritual temple of which he is the chief corner-stone, and of the spiritual priesthood of his people. 1 Peter 2:5-9.  The literal priesthood, altar, and sacrifices are for ever done away in Christ’s one perfect offering for the sins of the world on Calvary.  Heb. chaps. 9, 10.

In interpreting the vision before us we should not curiously inquire after the meaning of every particular chamber and pillar and door, but rather look to the general meaning of the whole.  The angel measures, and the prophet records all the parts of the building.  This signifies, in general, that God’s care extends to all parts of his spiritual temple, and that he will see that they are in due time made perfect.