Hey Bible readers, I'm Tara Lee Cobble and I'm your host for the Bible recap.

Today we continue with Ezekiel's vision tour of a new temple design.

But instead of the whole place being empty, today we get to see it being filled, with people

and their jobs and even with Yahweh himself.

But before we jump in, just a reminder that this section of Scripture, Ezekiel 40-48,

is one of the most challenging for commentators.

So take it easy on yourself if you're having a hard time with this.

Even Bible scholars find it difficult.

And take it easy on me if we happen to disagree on any points.

Remember back in chapter 10 when God's presence left the temple on his cherubim chariot and

headed east to Babylon?

Today in chapter 43 we see him returning the same way he left, through the eastern gate.

When he sees this, Ezekiel falls on his face in worship.

But then the spirit lifts him up again, as is his way, and takes him from the outer court

to the inner court where Ezekiel hears God speaking to him from inside the temple.

In the layout of the temple complex, the outer courts are very large, the inner courts

are smaller, the holy place is smaller, and the most holy place, the holy of holies, where

God's manifest presence dwells in his most saturated form, is the smallest of all.

You may wonder why God's room is the smallest, why he doesn't get the most square footage.

But as we know, he's actually everywhere, so he does.

He's in dimensions we haven't even accessed yet, so we don't have to worry about him being

confined to a 900 square foot space.

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