Ezekiel Chapter 42 Vs. 20

 The Temple's Chambers

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. Eze 42:20

to make a... If the measurement is 500 reeds instead of 500 cubits as it seems to be here, then the reference is to a place separate from the 500-cubit square and wall of Ezekiel 40-41. The purpose of such a large square of 5,250 feet (besides the one of 875 feet) would be to have a profane place which could be used by the people coming to the sanctuary itself—the 500-cubit enclosure. It is called "profane," meaning for common uses of man instead of purely sacred or divine uses. If this is the case, then there were 4 main squares in the whole picture here:

1. The 500-reed (5,250 feet) square and the wall around it (Eze. 42:14-20).

2. The 500-cubit (875 feet) square, or the sanctuary area and its wall (Eze. 40:19, 40:23, 40:27).

3. The 300-cubit square and its wall (Eze. 40:27).

4. The 100-cubit square and its wall—the place containing the altar in the very center of all the 4 squares (Eze. 40:47).

On the west side of 2 of these squares were built the temple (see, Eze. 41:10) and the other building for general use.

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.

The angel led Ezekiel outside to record the external dimensions of the temple. The complex was a square measuring 875 feet (500 cubits) on each side. The total area occupied by this temple area was 765,625 square feet — enough square feet for more than 13 football fields!