What Are You Waiting For?

Ezekiel 43:1-12

Three entire chapters of Ezekiel (40-42) are devoted to a detailed description of a vision of the new temple. Recall that in Ezekiel 10 the prophet has a vision of God’s glory leaving the temple in Jerusalem. This symbolizes the removal of God’s provision and protection, felt acutely by God’s people during the Babylonian invasion.

Through Ezekiel God assures his people that this isn’t the end of the story. After a greatly protracted chronicle of Israel’s sins and the requisite punishment, Ezekiel details his God-given vision of a new temple. I confess that as a reader I glaze over when I get to Ezekiel 40. The ensuing three chapters are tedious at best. And you can’t help wondering about the point. Why all the detail about the dimensions, contents, and decorations of the new temple?

The response to this question has layers that can’t be explored fully here. However, there are two simple answers that provide some impetus for taking some time over Ezekiel 40-42. The first is that Ezekiel’s vision captures the completeness and perfection of the new temple. This will be a temple to top all temples. The second is that this extended description is intended to build anticipation. The whole time Ezekiel recounts his vision we the readers should be thinking, “Why? Why all this detailed preparation?” The answer, of course, is that this will be God’s dwelling place. Everything has to be just right for this event – the event for which God’s people have been waiting: the return of God’s glory to the temple. “God with us.”

This week marks the beginning of Advent. Once again we commence a season that symbolizes our communal waiting. Sometimes the waiting feels interminable. Let’s spend the time getting our houses in order. Preparing ourselves for this event all creation has been waiting for: the consummation of God with us.