The Inner Court - the Court of the Priests.
It is extraordinary to me that given that the difference between priest and laity has been cancelled by the new covenant, so that all God's people are royal priests (1Pe 2:5; 1 Peter 2:9; Revelation 1:6; Revelation 5:10), some would argue on the basis of this vision (and belief in a millennium) that the difference is once again to be introduced by God in Israel. This is especially strange in the light of Isaiah 62:6.
For the truth is that this vision of the inner court spoke directly to Ezekiel's time. Then the difference between priest and laity was still maintained, and the way to God was still shown to be difficult because He was substantially unapproachable by man because of His awful holiness. At the root of this vision of the heavenly temple established by God on earth is the fact that His people had to be made aware of this extreme holiness, for it was a lesson that they had still not learned. That was why they had become idolatrous. But the detail of the heavenly temple demonstrated quite clearly that He dwelt in unapproachable light and was so holy that the way into His presence was heavily restricted and protected from those who were unworthy. And all must come through the shedding of blood and through a carefully revealed ritual.
But once this temple was transferred to Heaven, and Jesus was made High Priest (Hebrews 9:24), and the one sacrifice for all had been offered (Hebrews 9:28), the way into His presence was opened up for all His people and they had direct access into His presence (Hebrews 10:19; Revelation 7:9). Christ's priesthood would then replace the earthly priesthood, for He would take their place by entering into a more glorious and unchanging priesthood (Hebrews 7:11-12; Hebrews 7:24), and His people too would become ‘royal priests' (1 Peter 5:9) with access into the presence of God. Thus the significance of the temple was transformed and there was no way in which it could go backwards to the picture described here.
But this does not mean that we can enter the presence of God lightly. The blood has been shed, the price has been paid, and it is with reverence and awe that we must ensure that we are cleansed in that blood before we approach Him (1 John 1:5-10). We too must remember that God is holy.
Having recognised this principle let us go back to the lessons that this heavenly temple on earth has to teach us.
The Measurement of the South Gate of the Inner Court.
‘Then he brought me to the inner court by the south gate, and he measured the south gate in accordance with this measurement, and its side rooms, and its posts, and its colonnades, in accordance with these measurements. It was fifty cubits long and twenty five cubits broad. And there were colonnades round about, twenty five cubits long and five cubits broad. And its colonnades were toward the outer court, and palm trees were on its posts, and the ascent to it had eight steps.'
The descriptions of the gates of the inner court are abbreviated because they were much like the East gate of the outer court. Note again that the measurements are in multiples of five. This is covenant territory. And the palm trees, symbols of creation and fruitfulness, are prominent. The fact that there are such gates indicates that the inner court was also surrounded by a wall. The vestibule faces outwards towards the outer court.
There were eight steps up to the inner court, one more than for the outer court. This is probably in order to stress that entry becomes more difficult, and the way harder, the nearer men approach to God. Having climbed the seven steps of divine perfection there is yet one more step to go. It reveals an increasing degree of holiness. The inner court was barred to all but priests, those especially set apart and prepared to deal with holy things. God was too holy to be approached lightly or by any not especially chosen and prepared.