The Literal Reality of the Bible
“In the visions of God brought he me into the land of Israel, and set me upon a very high mountain, by which was as the frame of a city on the south. And he brought me thither, and, behold, there was a man, whose appearance was like the appearance of brass, with a line of flax in his hand, and a measuring reed; and he stood in the gate. . . . And behold a wall on the outside of the house round about, and in the man’s hand a measuring reed of six cubits long by the cubit and an hand breadth: so he measured the breadth of the building, one reed; and the height, one reed.” -Ezekiel 40:2-3, 5-6
In the above selection we read of a vision from God given to the prophet Ezekiel. But in the midst of this dream, (continuing on for the rest of chapter 40 of Ezekiel), you’ll notice an interesting detail: there’s a lot of measurements. Not only does Ezekiel get divine revelation in seeing and exploring this heavenly city, but he gets a lot of fine details and very specific dimensions on nearly every aspect of the city.
Why were all of these tiny details even included?
Because Ezekiel’s vision is real
It’s my belief that God went to such length, and described this heavenly city in such detail because it was real. If Ezekiel’s vision was merely meant to be spiritualized and interpreted in some ethereal or cloudy way, then certainly God would not have bothered to include so many measurements and minute details involving the city and its dimensions.
We’ve seen such measuring before in the Old Testament, in the case of Moses, who received instructions on building the Ark of the Covenant, and the Tabernacle, and the associated table, altar, etc. And what was the reason for such measurements? Because God really did have every intention of having these structures built. They were real.
“According to all that I shew thee, after the pattern of the tabernacle, and the pattern of all the instruments thereof, even so shall ye make it.” -Exodus 25:9
We must have faith in the reality of God’s goodness, and not simply explain away everything that we do not or cannot understand as being “impossible” or too spiritual to apprehend. God said it, and we ought to believe it and consider the matter settled.
“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. . . . But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. . . . By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went. . . . For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God. . . . These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country. . . . But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.” -Hebrews 11:1, 6, 8, 10, 13-14, 16
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