Page 217 - NOTES ON EZEKIEL

CHAPTER XL. 211

CHAPTER XL.

T h e remaining chapters o f the book present a vision of
the most striking character, in which the prophet sees
and communicates the pledge of more than restoration
—of crowning glory—for Israel in their land. Such is its
plain meaning, though there may be deep details, as in­
deed there are, most minute, and not without difficulty
as is usual in all such descriptions. But there is scarce
more of obscurity in Ezekiel xl.—xlviii. than in Exodus
xxv.—xl. It is a difficulty because of circumstantial de­
tail outside our ordinary habits or even study. There
is really none as to its general scope except to those who
misapply the vision. That it is unfulfilled prophecy is
very true, but that this is not the real source of its
difficulty to us will appear from the parallel to which
reference has been made. The details of the future
temple in the land are not harder to understand than
those of the past tabernacle in the wilderness.
It is well known that some consider that the vision
applies to the church that now is. Those who think so
should on tlieir own shewing find it easy to explain its
figures and symbols, for such writers generally assume
that we cannot have an accurate understanding of a
prophecy till it be accomplished, and certainly the church
has been in existence for more than 1800 years. On
this score therefore they ought to have the amplest ma­
terials for illustration. But these are the very persons
who find insuperable difficulty in interpreting the pro­
phecy. Nor need we wonder; for thewhole thought is
a mistake. Jerome and Gregory can make nothing of