Nehemiah 12:1 - Meaning and Application

The waters of the sanctuary that this prophet saw in vision (Ezekiel 47:1) fit this prophecy well. Up to this point, the water has sometimes been only to the ankles, then to the knees, or to the waist. Now the water has risen until it becomes a river that cannot be crossed.

This is one long vision, beginning here and running to the end of the book. It is rightly seen as one of the hardest parts of Scripture in all God’s Word. The Jews do not allow anyone to read it until age thirty, and they tell those who do read it that, even if they cannot understand everything, Elijah will explain it when he comes. Many commentators, old and new, have admitted that they are unsure how to understand it or how to use it.

But because it is hard to understand, we should not throw it aside. We should humbly search into it, learn as much as we can from it, and be content when we cannot solve every difficulty. We can thank God that our salvation does not depend on these details, because the things we must know are clear enough. We wait for God to show even this to us in time.

These chapters deserve careful attention because the last two chapters of Revelation seem to refer to them clearly, just as Revelation 20:1-15 refers back to the earlier prophecy of Gog and Magog. Here we have the vision of a glorious temple, in this chapter and chapters 41 and 42. Then comes God taking possession of it in chapter 43, followed by instructions for the priests who will serve there in chapter 44. Chapter 45 gives the division of the land, the part set apart for the sanctuary, the part for the city, and the part for the prince, both in his rule over the people and in his worship of God. Chapter 46 gives more instructions for him and for the people.

After the vision of the holy waters, we read about the borders of the holy land, the portions assigned to the tribes, and the size and gates of the holy city in chapters 47 and 48. Some think all this simply pictures what had been true in the best days of the Jewish church, especially the glory of Solomon’s temple, so the captives could see what they had lost by sin and be humbled. But that does not seem likely.

The main purpose, as I understand it, is this. First, it assures the captives that they would not only return to their own land and settle there, as had often been promised before, but that they would also have another temple, one God would own and where he would meet them and bless them. The worship services would begin again, and the sacred priesthood would serve there. They would not have a king living in former splendor, but they would have a prince, or ruler, often mentioned in this vision. He would support God’s worship among them and set an example by faithfully attending it himself. Prince, priests, and people would all have a settled and comfortable life in their own land.

Second, this vision points them beyond all this to the coming of the Messiah, who had already been promised under the name David, because he was the one who planned the temple. The Messiah would set up a spiritual temple, the gospel church, whose glory would far surpass Solomon’s temple and continue to the end of time. The buildings in this vision are so large, the new temple larger than all old Jerusalem and the new Jerusalem larger than all the land of Canaan, that this plainly shows, as Dr. Lightfoot notes, they cannot be taken literally. They must be understood in a spiritual way.

The gospel temple, built by Christ and his apostles, was closely joined to the second material temple. It was set up carefully just as that old temple was fading, so it would be ready to receive its glory when the other gave way. For that reason, it was fitting that both should be included in one vision. Under the picture of a temple and altar, priests and sacrifices, the vision shows the spiritual worship of gospel times, worship more suited to the nature of both God and man. It also points forward to the worship made complete in the kingdom of glory, where these visions may find their full meaning. Some think there may also be a happy and glorious state of the gospel church on earth in the latter days.

In this chapter we have, first, a general account of the vision of the temple and city (Ezekiel 40:1-4). Then follows a more detailed description. It begins with the outside wall (Ezekiel 40:5), then the east gate (Ezekiel 40:6-19), the north gate (Ezekiel 40:20-23), and the south gate (Ezekiel 40:24-31), along with the rooms and other parts connected to these gates. After that comes the inner court, both on the east and on the south (Ezekiel 40:32-38), the tables (Ezekiel 40:39-43), the rooms for the singers and the priests (Ezekiel 40:44-47), and finally the porch of the house (Ezekiel 40:48-49).