Ezekiel 43:2. The glory of the God of Israel— The Lord appeared upon his chariot borne by the cherubim, in the same manner as we have seen described in the first, eighth, and ninth chapters. The glory of the Lord, when it forsook the temple, is described as departing from the eastern gate of it; afterwards it is represented as quite forsaking the city, and removing to a mountain on the east side of it; and now it returns by the same way it departed. See chap. Eze 10:11 and Calmet.

Ezekiel 43:3. When I came to destroy, &c.— When he came, &c. Houbigant, and Vulgate. The Chaldee paraphrases it, "When I prophesied concerning the destruction of the city."

Ezekiel 43:7. Son of man, the place— Son of man, thou seest the place. Houbigant. The prophet here refers to the promise formerly made in relation to the tabernacle and temple; alluding to Christ, in whom all the prophesies of the Old Testament are to have their final accomplishment. Zechariah prophesies of the Messiah, that he should build the temple of the Lord, and bear the glory; that is to say, as the spiritual sense of these prophesies is explained in the New Testament, "He shall build the Christian church;" in him shall all the fulness of the Godhead dwell bodily, and reign; not in types and figures. Calmet explains the last phrase thus, "By adoring idols in my temple, and by burying their kings in my holy mountain." Others, by carcases of their kings, understand the lifeless images which were erected to those dead monarchs, who were deified and worshipped.

Ezekiel 43:8. And the wall— And but a wall. Houbigant.

Ezekiel 43:10. Shew the house, &c.— Relate these things concerning the temple to the house, &c. See the next verse. Houbigant.

Ezekiel 43:12. The whole limit—shall be most holy— "From the beginning of its declivity to the very top, in all the circumference of the temple, there shall no more be erected any building; no burial shall be performed there, nor any garden or other thing made, which is applicable to the common use of men. It shall be entirely holy, sacred, separate from all other employment, but that of the worship of the Lord." We find in Josephus, Antiq. lib. 15: cap. 14 that this was very ill observed in future time. The Asmonaean princes built up close to the north side a tower, which became very famous toward the latter end of the Jewish republic, under the name of the Antonian tower. On the west side there were four gates, one of which led to the royal palace; though elsewhere he describes the mountain of the temple as surrounded with very high walls, from the foot to the summit, except on the east side. The Jews tell us, that so profound a veneration was paid not only to the inclosure of the temple, but also to the whole extent of the mountain where it was built, that no one was permitted to walk there with a staff in his hand, or shoes on his feet, or his feet soiled with dust. They never carried money there, bound in their girdles or handkerchiefs; nor ever spat upon the ground or pavement; never passed from one gate to another, in order to shorten the way; but whatever gate they entered, they were to walk gravely and composedly on, straight to the place they were to go to. The excommunicated, and those who were in mourning, never ascended the mountain in the ordinary way, but obliquely, the left side foremost: the priests, Levites, and all the Israelites in general, who retired from the presence of the temple, never turned their back upon it; but with their head and body inclined to one side, left it respectfully, walking backward, till they were entirely got from it. These rabbinical observations are the more suspicious, as the law enjoins nothing of the kind; and we read nothing either in the Old or New Testament, or in Josephus's History, which gives us any idea of these ceremonies; some indeed of which appear childish and ridiculous. The only prohibition hereafter given is, not to quit the temple by the same gate by which it was entered. See chap. Ezekiel 46:9.

Ezekiel 43:13. Even the bottom, &c.— And the foundation shall be a cubit [in height], and the breadth a cubit over; and the border thereof, by the edge thereof and about, a span; and this shall be the ridge [or protuberant part] of the altar. Houbigant.

Ezekiel 43:15. So the altar, &c.— And the fire-grate, or hearth, shall be four cubits, and from the fire-place and upwards, &c. and so Ezekiel 43:16. Houbigant, instead of altar, reads the higher part, and instead of settle, Ezekiel 43:14, &c. he reads border.

Ezekiel 43:17. And his stairs— And its ascent. Ezekiel 43:21. He shall burn it] It shall be burnt.
REFLECTIONS.—1st, The temple was great and glorious, but infinitely greater the glory of the divine Inhabitant, who condescended there to take up his abode.
1. The same bright vision which had before been seen by the prophet, again appears from the east. It was the glory of the God of Israel; like many waters his voice was heard far off, his gospel having spread into distant lands, and the earth shined with his glory; his church, as the moon, reflecting the lustre that she has borrowed from him the Sun of righteousness.
2. This glory of God filled the house; and when the prophet in humble adoration had fallen prostrate on the earth, the Spirit took him up, and brought him to the inner court, to behold God's glory, and receive his instructions; and the man, Christ Jesus, stood by him; for through him alone can we hold communion with God, or hear his voice with comfort.
2nd, God, having taken possession of his temple, admonishes them of the obligations lying upon them, to be more faithful to him than, they had ever yet been.
1. They had formerly grievously offended, and had been deservedly punished. They and their kings had been gross idolaters, and worshipped on the high places. They had corrupted the service of the sanctuary by their own inventions; had even dared to erect their idols and altars in that sacred place; and by such abominations had provoked God's wrath and indignation against them. Note; They who faithlessly depart from God, provoke him to take up the scourge, and to plague them for their offences.
2. He calls on them to repent, and graciously promises on that condition to make them such as he would have them be. They must put away their whoredoms, their idolatrous services, and the carcases of their kings; which some suggest were buried in or near the house of God; or perhaps the idols themselves are meant, as loathsome in God's sight as a putrid corpse in ours; and in order to induce them hereunto, the prophet must shew them the house, that a sense of the mercy which God hath in store for them may work upon their hearts, and his goodness lead them to repentance; and if they expressed shame and confusion on the view of their past conduct, then he must go farther, and give them a more distinct view of the glorious fabric and all its parts; and give them in writing all the ordinances thereof, that they may keep them and do them. And while God is thus using the strongest motives, he promises to make them effectual to every penitent, believing soul. They shall defile my name no more; yea, he will engage their hearts to his blessed self, and, in consequence thereof, dwell in the midst of them for ever, yea, with all his faithful people, as their God. Note; (1.) When we begin to return to God, every step we take will give us fresh reason for deeper humiliation and self-loathing. (2.) They who are restored to God's favour, will above all things desire to walk henceforth in his ways.
3. The law of God's house is declared; not only the sanctuary, but the whole mountain is now most holy; no veil in the gospel church excludes the believer, but by the blood of Jesus we have boldness to enter into the holiest, Heb 10:19 and are called upon as his disciples to perfect holiness in the fear of God.
3rdly, We have,
1. The altar: typical of the Lord Jesus, through whom all our sacrifices find acceptance with God; and the sinner who flies to the horns of this altar shall find a sure refuge from fear of evil.
2. The consecration of the altar, and the service to be performed on it, which God promises to accept. Christ, by offering his own blood as the atonement, has consecrated himself as the altar, and every believer is now a spiritual priest, ordained to offer spiritual sacrifices thereon, acceptable and well-pleasing to God through him.