What does Ezekiel 42:14 mean?
“When the priests enter therein, then shall they not go out of the holy place into the utter court, but there they shall lay their garments wherein they minister; for they are holy; and shall put on other garments, and shall approach to those things which are for the people.” — Ezekiel 42:14
Ezekiel 42:14 (KJV) says, "When the priests enter therein, then shall they not go out of the holy place into the utter court, but there they shall lay their garments wherein they minister; for they are holy; and shall put on other garments, and shall approach to those things which are for the people."
This verse is part of a larger passage that describes the construction and layout of the newly revealed temple in Ezekiel's vision. The book of Ezekiel is written during the Babylonian exile, and it is important to note that the temple being described here is not the physical temple of Ezekiel's time, but a vision of a future temple that symbolizes God's presence and restoration of the land.
The verse is speaking specifically about the duties and regulations for the priests who serve in the temple. It emphasizes the separation between the holy place and the outside world, and the purity and sanctity that is required for those who serve in the temple. The priests are to change their garments before going from the holy place to the outer court, signifying the need for a clean and pure heart and mind when approaching the things of God.
One of the key themes in this verse is the concept of holiness and separation. The priests are not to mix the holy with the profane, but to maintain a strict separation between the sacred and the secular. This echoes the broader theme of holiness throughout the Bible, where God's people are called to be set apart and consecrated for His service. It also serves as a reminder of the need for purity and sanctification in our approach to God and His presence.
Another important theme in this verse is the idea of spiritual transformation. The changing of garments by the priests symbolizes a change in identity and approach. They are to lay aside their ministerial garments before entering the outer court, and put on new garments before approaching the people. This speaks to the idea of leaving behind the trappings of religious duty and ritual, and approaching others with a fresh and transformed mindset. It reminds us that our outward actions and appearance should reflect the inner transformation that comes from encountering the holy presence of God.
The context of this verse within the larger passage is also significant. The vision of the temple that Ezekiel describes is a symbol of God's restoration and renewal. The detailed instructions for the construction and regulations for the priests convey the importance of order, purity, and reverence in the worship of God. It emphasizes the need for a proper understanding of the sacred and the need for disciplined and respectful approach to God's presence.
The symbolism of the temple and the priestly duties in this verse also point forward to the ultimate fulfillment in Jesus Christ. He is the true High Priest who brings about a new and perfect temple, not made with hands, where the barriers between the holy place and the outer court are removed, and all are invited to approach God through Him.
In conclusion, Ezekiel 42:14 emphasizes the themes of holiness, separation, transformation, and restoration in the context of the construction and regulations for the temple and its priests. It is a reminder of the need for purity and reverence in our approach to God, and a foreshadowing of the ultimate restoration and transformation that comes through Jesus Christ. The verse serves as a powerful reminder of the sacredness of God's presence and the need for a reverent and transformed heart and mindset in our approach to Him.
Get our apps
Artwork for Ezekiel 42:14
Ezekiel 42:14 - "When the priests enter therein, then shall they not go out of the holy place into the utter court, but there they shall lay their garments wherein they minister; for they are holy; and shall put on other garments, and shall approach to those things which are for the people."
"When the priests enter therein, then shall they not go out of the holy place into the utter court, but there they shall lay their garments wherein they minister; for they are holy; and shall put on other garments, and shall approach to those things which are for the people." - Ezekiel 42:14
Ezekiel 42:18 - "He measured the south side, five hundred reeds, with the measuring reed."
Ezekiel 42:2 - "Before the length of an hundred cubits was the north door, and the breadth was fifty cubits."
Ezekiel 42:19 - "¶ He turned about to the west side, and measured five hundred reeds with the measuring reed."
Ezekiel 42:17 - "He measured the north side, five hundred reeds, with the measuring reed round about."
Ezekiel 42:9 - "And from under these chambers was the entry on the east side, as one goeth into them from the utter court."
Ezekiel 42:16 - "He measured the east side with the measuring reed, five hundred reeds, with the measuring reed round about."
Ezekiel 42:8 - "For the length of the chambers that were in the utter court was fifty cubits: and, lo, before the temple were an hundred cubits."
Ezekiel 42:4 - "And before the chambers was a walk of ten cubits breadth inward, a way of one cubit; and their doors toward the north."
Ezekiel 42:10 - "The chambers were in the thickness of the wall of the court toward the east, over against the separate place, and over against the building."
Ezekiel 42:5 - "Now the upper chambers were shorter: for the galleries were higher than these, than the lower, and than the middlemost of the building."
Ezekiel 42:7 - "And the wall that was without over against the chambers, toward the utter court on the forepart of the chambers, the length thereof was fifty cubits."
Numbers 14:42 - "Go not up, for the LORD is not among you; that ye be not smitten before your enemies."
Mark 14:42 - "Rise up, let us go; lo, he that betrayeth me is at hand."
Genesis 42:14 - "And Joseph said unto them, That is it that I spake unto you, saying, Ye are spies:"
Ezekiel 42:6 - "For they were in three stories, but had not pillars as the pillars of the courts: therefore the building was straitened more than the lowest and the middlemost from the ground."
Job 42:14 - "And he called the name of the first, Jemima; and the name of the second, Kezia; and the name of the third, Keren-happuch."
1 Samuel 14:42 - "And Saul said, Cast lots between me and Jonathan my son. And Jonathan was taken."
Ezekiel 16:42 - "So will I make my fury toward thee to rest, and my jealousy shall depart from thee, and I will be quiet, and will be no more angry."
Ezekiel 42:12 - "And according to the doors of the chambers that were toward the south was a door in the head of the way, even the way directly before the wall toward the east, as one entereth into them."
Ezekiel 42:3 - "Over against the twenty cubits which were for the inner court, and over against the pavement which was for the utter court, was gallery against gallery in three stories."
"He measured the south side, five hundred reeds, with the measuring reed." - Ezekiel 42:18
"Before the length of an hundred cubits was the north door, and the breadth was fifty cubits." - Ezekiel 42:2
Ezekiel 42:1 - "Then he brought me forth into the utter court, the way toward the north: and he brought me into the chamber that was over against the separate place, and which was before the building toward the north."
Ezekiel 42:20 - "He measured it by the four sides: it had a wall round about, five hundred reeds long, and five hundred broad, to make a separation between the sanctuary and the profane place."
Ezekiel 42:11 - "And the way before them was like the appearance of the chambers which were toward the north, as long as they, and as broad as they: and all their goings out were both according to their fashions, and according to their doors."
Ezekiel 23:42 - "And a voice of a multitude being at ease was with her: and with the men of the common sort were brought Sabeans from the wilderness, which put bracelets upon their hands, and beautiful crowns upon their heads."
Ezekiel 42:15 - "Now when he had made an end of measuring the inner house, he brought me forth toward the gate whose prospect is toward the east, and measured it round about."
Ezekiel 14:6