Ezekiel 40:32-37: a reflection

32He brought me into the inner court toward the east. He measured the gate according to these measurements; 33with its lodges, its posts, and its arches, according to these measurements. There were windows in it and in its arches all around. It was fifty cubits long, and twenty-five cubits wide. 34Its arches were toward the outer court. Palm trees were on its posts on this side and on that side. The ascent to it had eight steps. 35He brought me to the north gate, and he measured it according to these measurements— 36its lodges, its posts, and its arches. There were windows in it all around. The length was fifty cubits and the width twenty-five cubits. 37Its posts were toward the outer court. Palm trees were on its posts on this side and on that side. The ascent to it had eight steps.

Ezekiel's vision of the temple is full of careful, exact measurements: gates measured to the cubit, chambers, posts, arches, windows, palm-tree carvings on the walls, and an ascent of eight steps up to each gate. It can read as tedious architectural detail. But the very care of it says something: the house of God in the vision is ordered, measured, beautiful, and approached by a deliberate ascent. Nothing is haphazard; everything has its place and proportion.

Notice two things in the description. First, the order and beauty: the precise measurements, the symmetry, the palm trees carved on the posts. God's dwelling is not thrown together but ordered and adorned, a place of beauty and proportion. And second, the ascent: eight steps up to the gate. To enter, one climbed, drew near by a deliberate going up. Approaching God's house had a shape, a way, an ascent toward his presence.

Without building temples, we can take something from this. God is a God of order and beauty, and his presence is approached, not casually stumbled into, but drawn near to deliberately, as by an ascent. There is a shape to seeking him: an intentional drawing near, a going up from the ordinary toward his presence. Let the ordered beauty of the vision lift your sense of who God is, and let its ascending steps remind you that seeking God is a deliberate drawing near, a lifting of the heart up toward him. Approach him intentionally, and with reverence for his beauty and order.

Lord, the vision of your house was ordered, measured, adorned with beauty, and approached by an ascent of steps. Lift my sense of who you are, a God of order and beauty. And remind me that seeking you is a deliberate drawing near, an ascent of the heart toward your presence, not a careless stumbling in. Help me approach you intentionally and with reverence, lifting my heart up toward you. Draw me up into your presence.