Ezekiel Chapter 42 Vs. 15-20

The outer walls of the temple 

Ezekiel 42:15-20

After the angel measured everything within the temple complex, he led Ezekiel outside to record the external dimensions of the temple. This gate is on the outer wall. This would be the eastern gate.

The complex was a square measuring (500 cubits) on each side. A reed is just less than 10 feet so this is almost a mile. This would be between 4500 and 5000 feet, according to how long a reed is. He measured the east wall first. The north is the same as the east. The south side is the same measurement as the east, or the north.

Again, the west side is the same as the north, south and east. We see a square of 4500 to 5000 feet each way. This is an area, so large that the top of Mount Moriah would not be big enough to hold it. The area is bigger than the flat top of the mountain. Just using the 4500 foot measurement this area would have 20,250,000 square feet, or 2,250,000 square yards in it. This is a very large area.

This is an area set aside, that was to be used for God's purposes. There was no profane thing to come within this wall of separation. A mile square is a section of land. 640 acres is a section. You can get an idea how large this is from that.