Online Bible 1995 March/ROM-1025.iso/olb/gill/6_200.lzh/6_220.TXT

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post, and three for each leaf of the door that were hung
Upon them, and one for the upright post in the middle
on which they shut; in all eleven: and he brought me
by the steps whereby they went up to it ;. as there was an
ascent of seven steps to the several gates that led into
the outward court; and another of eight steps, which
led from that to the gates of the inner court; so there
was an ascent from the inner court to the porch of
the house, or temple; but how many steps there were
is not said. The $eptuagint and Arabic versions read
ten steps; and the Vulgate Latin version eight steps.
According to the Misnah {w}, there were twelve lathe
second temple; so say Jarchi and Kimchi, with whom
Josephus {x} agrees. Cocceius thinks there could not be
more than two, since the ground of the inward court
and temple were continued; but as their number is
not given, a determination cannot be made; only it
may be observed, that the saints' progress in the know-
ledge of Christ, and of divine things, and in faith and
holiness, is gradual. And there were pillars by the
posts, one on this side, and another on that side; one on
the north side, and the other on the south, somewhat
like the two pillars of Jachin and Boaz, in Solomon's
temple; which some apply to the ordinances of the
Gospel saints partake of at their entrance into the
Gospel church; but rather they are an emblem of
Christ, the supporter of his church, and of all those
that aright enter into it; and who, through his grace
and strength, become pillars there also, Rev. iii. 12. he
is their Jachin, who establishes them on himself, the
sure foundation; and their Boaz, in whom their
strength is, and from whom they have it to exercise
grace, discharge duty, and persevere to the end.

CHAP. XLI.

In this chapter the divine and illustrious Person, the
prophet's guide, brings him to the temple itself, and
gives the dimensions of the posts and doors, both of
the holy and the most holy place, yet. 1, o., 3, 4. then
of the wall of the house, its side-chambers, the wind-
ing about to them, and the doors of them, ver..5---11.
next of a building before the separate place, its door-
posts, narrow windows, and galleries, ver. 12--17. after
that the several ornaments of the house are described,
yet. 18--2l. then the altar of incense, yet. 22. and the
chapter is concluded with observing the. decorations
and lights on the doors, porch, and side-chambers of
the temple and sanctuary, yet.
Vet. 1. Afterward he brought me to the temple, &c.]
Having measured the porch into it, its posts, and gate.
This is the body of the building, which was the frame
of a city first shewn, the principal fabric; for hitherto he
had been only measuring the outward and inner courts,
and their gates, and what were in them ;. but now he is
come to the house itself, called a temple; by which not
only particular Gospel churches are called, 1 Cot. iii.
16,17. 2 Cot. vi. 16. gphes. ii. 21. but the Gospel church-
state in general, Zech. vi. 12, 13. and especially as
in the latter day; so the Philadelphian church-state,
which represents the spiritual reign of Christ, or the
glory of the latter day, is called the temple of my God,
Rev. iii. 12. which will be a holy. temple to the Lord
where he will dwell in a gracious manner, and be
worshippeel in spirit and in truth; and here his glory
will be seen; it will be built up of precious and costly
stones, even living and lively ones; a spiritual house
to offer up the spiritual sacrifices of prayer and praise:
and, as in the material temple or holy place stood the
candlestick and table of shew-bread; here the light of
the Gospel will burn clearly; and Christ the bread of
life be held forth in the ordinance of the supper; where,
as at a table, saints shall have intimate fellowship
with him: and measured the posts, six cubits broad on
the one side, and six cubits broad on the other side
these were the posts of the door of the temple, and
stood on each side of it, on the north and south; and
this was the thickness, six cubits ors reed each, three
yards and a half; this was the frontispiece of the door
of the palace of the King of kings: which was the
breadth of the tabernacle; the tabernacle of Moses;
that is, these posts, or this frontispiece, were as broad
as the whole tabernacle of Moses was; which had
eight boards in the breadth, each board being a cubit
and a half, made twelve cubits, just the breadth of
these two posts, Exod. xxvi. 16, 25. this shews how
far superior the Gospel church is to the old synagogue;
how larger is the one, and the entrance into it wider,
than the other. Some understand by the tabernaclt
the upper lintel, of the same breadth with the posts;
and was in a recurve, and as a covering to the door; so
the Jewish commentators, and others that follow
them.
Ver..o..4rid the breadth of the door was ten cubits,
&c.] The temple-door: great care is taken to observe
and give the dimensions of the doors and gates of
various places; to put us in mind of Christ the door
and gate into the churclt, and into fellowship with
God: th:,s was as broad again as the door of Solomon's
temple; for that was but the fourth part of the wall
of it, five cubits, 1 Kings vi. 1, 33: and the sides of
the door were five cubits on the one side, and five cubits
on the other side; the side-walls of the door, both
on the north and south, were five cubits each; which,
with the ten, the breadth of the door, made twenty;
and is just the breadth of the temple or holy place
afterwards given: and he measured the length thereof
forty cubits, and the breadth twenty cubits; that is,
the length of the temple from east to. west, and the
breadth of it from north to south, were of this mea-
sure; which exactly answers to the dimensions of
Solomon's temple, a figure of the Gospel church, as
this; see I Kings vi. 2`, 17.
Vet. 3. Then went he inward, &c.] Through the
temple or holy place he had measured, to the holy
of holies: and measured the post of the door two cubits;

{w} Middot, c. 2. sect. 3.
{x} De Bello Jud. I. 5. c. 5. sect. 4.