I saw a wall completely surrounding the temple area. The length of the measuring rod in the man's hand was six long cubits, each of which was a cubit and a handbreadth. He measured the wall; it was one measuring rod thick and one rod high. – Ezekiel 40:5

Today's Scripture Reading (October 10, 2026): Ezekiel 40

I have a dream house. My dream house has two levels. The basement opens to a private, treed yard at the back of the property. At one end of the house is a massive library that spans both stories. The library, of course, would hold my current book collection (I know, I have to deal with my addiction), plus some significant additions: books and collections I don't own but would like to have. And in my dream, the whole house is covered with big windows that let in a lot of light.

It is fun to dream about my house, but I am under no illusions that it will ever be built. The house is and will remain a house that lives only in my imagination. It is simply a dream. And, to be honest, the house of my dreams is probably too large to be practical. But during those holiday times when the whole family gathers, a house a little larger than our present home would be an asset. However, I know it is all just a dream.

Ezekiel dedicates the last nine chapters of his prophecy to a dream. The dream is of a temple. When Ezekiel began to dream of this Temple, no temple existed in Jerusalem. Babylon had already destroyed the First Temple (Solomon's Temple), and the Second Temple (Zerubbabel's or Herod's Temple) had not yet been built. The only Temple that existed was the one inside Ezekiel's head. Like many buildings and houses we dream about, this Temple was much grander than the one Solomon built, which was itself significantly larger than the Second Temple that Zerubbabel would build. The description of the outer wall surrounding the Temple area indicates that this dream temple encompassed all of the Temple Mount, not just the portion of the Mount that Solomon's Temple had occupied.

This Temple was vast, yet it was never built. In fact, Ezekiel's Temple is sometimes called the Third Temple, the one some Jews and Christians are waiting for and expect to be built sometime in the future. But it doesn't seem possible that this Temple will ever be built unless it is the one built after Jesus's return. Too many conditions and buildings would have to be removed for the Temple to be constructed. However, it is fun to dream of Ezekiel's Temple, even if, for now, Ezekiel's vast Temple remains nothing more than a dream.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Ezekiel 41