Today's Scripture Reading (July 16, 2020): Ezekiel 42
Temple Mount is believed to be the place where both of Solomon's Temple and Zerubbabel's Temple, which Herod began to enhance significantly during his reign just before the life of Jesus, had been built. The Western Wall, a relatively short segment of an ancient limestone wall built by Herod the Great in his enhancement of Zerubbabel's Temple, can be found on one side of Temple Mount. Because of entrance restrictions, the Western Wall is the closest place to the Temple Mount, where Jewish believers are allowed to pray.
Today, the top of Temple Mount is dominated by Islamic believers. The top of Temple Mount is open for tourists who are Jewish or Christian, but here their prayers are not welcome there. Only Muslims are allowed to pray on top of Temple Mount.
One of the main features of the top of Temple Mount is "The Dome of the Rock," an Islamic Shrine that was built in 691-92 C.E. At the center of the Dome of the Rock, is the Foundation Stone, a large stone with a small hole in the southeastern corner. Entering into the hole, one gains access to the "Well of Souls," which some believe to be the Holy of Holies of the Temple, and therefore the most sacred place in Judaism. The entire Temple Mount, expanded and built up by Herod the Great, covers an area of about thirty-seven acres.
It is the area of Temple Mount that gives rise to questions about Ezekiel's description of his Temple. The NIV has chosen to represent the area of the Ezekiel's Temple as being a square measuring five hundred cubits on each side. But that is not what the original text says. The original prophecy says that the measurement of Ezekiel's Temple was not five hundred cubits, but rather five hundred rods. The problem with that measurement is that, if that is true and conservative scholars often see no reason other than the grandness of size to change the measurement from rods to cubits, then that means that Ezekiel's Temple would cover an area of six hundred and thirty-three acres, almost twenty times the size of Temple Mount.
It is this grandness of size that is partially seen as the reason why many scholars believe that this Temple is one that is yet to be built. It is also the reason why some believe that Ezekiel's Temple cannot be constructed except by God after his return to the earth. Changing the measurement from rods to cubits allows us to see the possibility of its construction by human hands. But leaving the measurement as rods just might represent the final Temple of God on the earth, one that is so large and secure that, at least in Ezekiel's mind, no enemy could ever hope to destroy it.
Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Ezekiel 43
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