GATEWAY RESTORATION NETWORK
RESEARCH - 'PLUMBLINES' and 'MEASURING RODS'- according to Scripture
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'PLUMBLINES' and 'MEASURING RODS - ACCORDING TO SCRIPTURE (from NIV) and from BibleGateway
Also some related notes/Scriptures re LIES/DECEPTION
Intro: Plumblines/Measuring Rods are important tools in laying solid foundations and building/restoring walls/buildings that will stand up over time. Consider the following in the context of seeing restoration in the Gateway region.
Some questions to consider:
What are the plumblines and measuring rods referred
to?
What is the purpose of plumblines/measuring rods?
Who will do the measuring/evaluating?
What is being measured?
Where was the measuring done?
What did it entail?
What is being seen as the problem? - the areas that aren't measuring up to
THE ORIGINAL BLUEPRINT?
What is/what are the solutions to the problem of faulty foundations being
built?
What does it mean to be 'true to plumb' according
to Scripture?
How do we ensure that we are building 'true to
plumb' in our own lives? as the Church?
How does this relate to us today?
+ + +
Isaiah 28:17 I will make JUSTICE the measuring line and RIGHTEOUSNESS the plumb line; hail will sweep away your refuge, the lie, and water will overflow your hiding place.
Notes by G. Wiebe: A couple things to note in this regard:
+ it is interesting to note what some of the measuring lines and plumblines are: JUSTICE and RIGHTEOUSNESS. (others are mentioned as well)
The Bible also says that JUSTICE and RIGHTEOUSNESS are the FOUNDATIONS of God's Throne! (Psalm 89:14)
Matthew 6:33 also says that if we 'Seek first HIS KINGDOM and His RIGHTEOUSNESS (and apparently some translations based on the original Greek text use the word JUSTICE instead of Rightouesness), 'all these things will be added to you as well.' (Apparently many translations have used the word RIGHTEOUSNESS in place of JUSTICE in many passages...as a result, the Church has ended up having a weakened understanding of GOD'S JUSTICE and His HEART to seeing His Body cooperating with Him to bring about His Justice in the earth - helping to defend the oppressed, the poor, the fatherless, the widow, etc. and to stand up against injustice.
I find the close correlation between JUSTICE
and RIGHTEOUSNESS very significant! and something
that God seems to really want us to understand and increasingly grasp and
live out as He reveals it to our hearts by His Spirit!
-- --
+ Isaiah 28:17 indicates that a faulty foundation, refuge or wall has been built on LIES, which have become a HIDING PLACE and a REFUGE...
This continues to be the case in our lives and these lies,
if not replaced with the Truth, become strongholds in our lives. They become
integrated and expressed through every area of our lives, it seems...(ie.
1 Cor. 3:10 "...By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation
as an expert builder, and someone else is building on it. But each
one should be careful how he builds. 11For no one can lay any foundation other
than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12If
any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood,
hay or straw, 13his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will
bring it to light...")
These lies are lies which we have had handed down to us through the generations, through our culture/society - where we've been taught and raised on the 'systems of the world' all our lives - ie. performance orientation, striving to get ahead, resisting weakness to show our strength rather than rejoicing in our weakness so God's strength can be revealed, etc. etc.), through ways we have been raised, through things we have been told so many times over the years that we ended up believing them and living out of what we perceived as the truth...
Eventually these lies have become hiding places for us because they have become familiar and 'seemingly safe' places for us because they became comfortable.
And often, even though we read the Word of God, we see it only through the 'colored glasses' through which we were raised, believing that to be the truth. As a result, even though God says many things about us, about Who HE is in us, for example, or Who WE are IN HIM, or the amazing things He wants to do in and through our lives IF WE REMAIN IN HIM (John 15, Ephesians 3:16-21) we do not tend to believe that until He reveals the truth to our HEARTS by the power of His Holy Spirit.
As such, as we continue to speak out of our mouths what we believe in our hearts, we are often directly speaking and believing opposite things to what God, The TRUTH, has said. In effect, we are calling God a liar!!
If God, THE TRUTH, says something, it is TRUE even if we
don't perceive it to be true. We must therefore learn to AGREE WITH HIM instead
of bringing on ourselves the consequences of calling Him a liar. Romans 3:4
"...Let God be true, and every man a liar. As it is written: “So
that you may be proved right when you speak..."
It is only as our minds are renewed by His Word and as His TRUTH speaks to our hearts that our hearts are renewed as the lies are exchanged for His Truth, which then sets us free.
It is then that we also begin to BELIEVE in our HEARTS God's Word in these areas where the lies were, and begin to SPEAK His Truth instead... ie. 2 Cor. 4:13.."I BELIEVED, THEREFORE I have SPOKEN...with that same spirit of faith we also believe and THEREFORE SPEAK...(ie. Romans 10:9,10 "...that if you confess with your MOUTH that 'JESUS IS LORD' AND..BELIEVE IN YOUR HEART that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your HEART that you BELIEVE AND ARE JUSTIFIED, and it is with your MOUTH that you CONFESS AND ARE SAVED.")
The Bible says that Satan 'masquerades as an angel of light' (2 Cor 11:14..."for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. 15 It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness...)- and so, often we are deceived by his lies and don't even realize it because they came to us through loved ones we trusted and through tradition (which we often tend to think MUST be right because that's what we were taught), or they came through people that deeply hurt us or through subtle manipulations which have taken on many forms, and in situations where we didn't realize we were being duped.
I have found, personally, as well, that it's much easier for us to believe that OTHERS are being deceived, rather than for us to believe that WE might actually be living in deception without realizing it! A huge part of the problem with being deceived is WE DON'T KKOW WE ARE BEING DECEIVED! I have been finding that I need to keep asking God to bring the deceptions in my life into His Light, to expose and expel them, otherwise they just remain hidden and continue to destroy my life! It is humbling to admit that WE may be deceived, especially if we have been involved in ministry for many years or know the Bible quite well! But ALL of us have areas of deception in our lives...so may His Truth continue to set us free!! and let us graciously receive His Truth rather than fighting to hold onto our pride :) (I need to keep reminding myself of this, too!) :)
Satan is of course also called the FATHER OF LIES...(John 8: "... 42Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and now am here. I have not come on my own; but he sent me. 43Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say. 44You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies. 45Yet because I tell the truth, you do not believe me! 46Can any of you prove me guilty of sin? If I am telling the truth, why don't you believe me? 47He who belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God...”
So he is the originator and source of all lies/deception..and intent on raising us on his lies so he can effectively destroy our lives and keep us from seeing God as He truly is or ourselves as God sees us!...but when we become children of God - the Father of Truth, He exhorts and encourages us to RENEW OUR MINDS...Why? Not to be a taskmaster but to enable us to walk in the fullness of what He has called us to in our INHERITANCE in Him in the COVENANT He has made with us!
John 10:10 makes it clear that the enemy is out to steal, kill and destory our lives, families, cities and nations...while God's desires for us are provide for us a life that is full and abundant with His Presence and blessings!
We are all living at various levels of deception in our lives...and the Bible says that Satan, the enemy, seeks to devour us...He does this mainly through deception... If you look closely at the roots of all sin, it appears that all sin is rooted in some lie that we have unwittingly believed...
THAT is why it is sooo crucial for us to know THE TRUTH...the
TRUTH sets us free!! That is why Scripture is so insistent upon us RENEWING
OUR MINDS, (Romans 12:2
"..Do not conform any longer to the pattern of
this world,..." (some of the patterns of this world are mentioned
above) "...but be transformed by
the renewing of your mind. Then
you will be able to test and approve what God's will is–his good, pleasing
and perfect will..."
Without our minds being renewed, we continue to be held captive by the lies/deception/strongholds of the enemy which continue to hold us as prisoners in various aspects of our lives until the TRUTH penetrates our hearts and replaces the lies that have been there for so long (and which have become strongholds and brought distruction into our lives and the lives of those around us)! (Often in the process of this TRANSFORMATION, we find that God is revamping, overhauling or tweaking 'our theology'. This can be a very disconcerting process which can make us feel like we have betrayed others we may may wonder if we're betraying God because we have so often thought our traditional ways of thinking were GOD's ways of thinking - when that is often so NOT!!! the case!!; it can make us fearful and feel insecure and very vulnerable because God is shaking our foundations - uprooting the lies in order to be able to plant/rebuild with the Truth, etc.)...
2 Corinthians 10:3 gives us another approach to dealing with these lies: "...For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. 4The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. 5We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. 6And we will be ready to punish every act of disobedience, once your obedience is complete..."
Look what happens once we return to the Lord and walk increasingly in His Truth and righteousness!
"...Isaiah 61
The Year of the LORD 's Favor
1 The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed
me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim freedom for
the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners,
[a] 2 to proclaim the year of the LORD's favor
and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort
all who mourn, 3 and provide for those who grieve in Zion- to bestow on them
a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning,
and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They
will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the display
of his splendor.
4 They will rebuild the ancient ruins
and restore the places long devastated;
they will renew the ruined cities
that have been devastated for generations..."
Often, over the generations, we have come to rely on what
people and tradition says rather than being "BEREANS"
and checking out what the Word of God says for ourselves! It is often because
of this that the lies continue in our lives...Acts 17:11
}"...Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians,
for they received the message with great eagerness and examined
the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true..."
We need to be hearers of the Word, AND be DOERS of the Word, because
it says if we are HEARERS ONLY, we DECEIVE OURSELVES....James 1:21,22 "...
22Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves.
Do what it says. 23Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it
says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror 24and, after looking
at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 25But the
man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives
freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard,
but doing it–he will
be blessed in what he does..."
Joshua 1:7,8 "...7 Be strong and very courageous.
Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from
it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go.
8 Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate
on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in
it. Then you will be prosperous and successful...."
We are also told to SPEAK, PROCLAIM, DECLARE, etc. the
Word...why? Because our words have power in the spirit realm, (ie. Proverbs
18:21
The tongue has the power of life and death,
and those who love it will eat its fruit...")
and because we need to hear our words as well..it helps to build us and others
up...
The Word of God is infused with His LIFE and that it was powerful enough to create the universe! One of the ways that He has created us in His image is to create us with the power of life and death in our words, as well...we have all experienced this, as well, when we have heard/EXPERIENCED positive encouraging words from a heart of love, or negative and abusive words from somone that is angry with us or hates us. The Bible has MUCH to say about the power of our words!
Romans 10: 14-17 "...How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? 15And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”17 Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ. (the WORD of Christ referred to here is a RHEMA word - here is a definition from HERE -
Rhema
Source Scripture: Ephesians 6:17
"And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which
is the word of God…."
Definition: Rhema : (Greek), "that which is spoken, what is uttered in
speech or writing; a word or saying."
Additional comments: Rhema is distinct from logos in that it does not just refer to the Bible as a whole. Instead, it refers to a revelation, word or insight from God through the Holy Spirit concerning an individual scripture or series of scriptures. Ephesians 6:17 says that the Word of God is the "sword of the Spirit." Hence, rhema is the "revealed Word of God"-the insight revealed to one's born-again spirit.
Additional scriptural references: Matthew 4:4; 16:16-18; Luke 1:38; Romans 10:17; 2 Corinthians 12:1-4, AMP; Hebrews 1:1-3; 11:3; 1 Peter 1:25, AMP
Another important and VERY significant biblical way to RENEW OUR MINDS and HEARTS is to DECLARE, PROCLAIM, etc. His PROMISES...(which have pre-requisites)
2 Corinthians 1:20
For no matter how many promises God has made, they are
“Yes” in Christ. And so through him the “Amen” is spoken
by us to the glory of God.
This is absolutely amazing!! ALL of His promises are YES - IN HIM - (as we abide by the pre-requisites) and so when we do that, when we AGREE with Him (we say AMEN - 'so be it') about His promises, by faith, even if we can't see/feel it yet (faith is the substance of things HOPED for...(Heb 11:1 - we walk by faith and not by sight...), this honors Him and this is part of the process of bringing His promises from heaven to use here on the earth..!!
So back to the
plumblines/measuring rods...
---
2 Kings 21:13 I will stretch out over
Jerusalem the measuring line used against Samaria
and the plumb line used against the house of
Ahab. I will wipe out Jerusalem as one wipes a dish, wiping it and turning
it upside down.
Amos 7:1 This is what the Sovereign LORD showed me: He
was preparing swarms of locusts after the king's share had been harvested
and just as the second crop was coming up.
Amos 7:7 This is what he showed me: The Lord was standing
by a wall that had been built true to plumb, with a
plumb line in his hand.
Amos 7:8 And the LORD asked me, "What do you see, Amos?" "A plumb line," I replied. Then the Lord said, "Look, I am setting a plumb line among my people Israel; I will spare them no longer.
What was the reason? What were the reasons for sending the locusts, etc.?
The name "Amos" means 'burden' or 'burden-bearer'. He was sent to the Israelites during a time of riches and wealth. According to God's 'plumbline/measuring rod', they were being judged for:
+ turning away from God
+ being cruel to the poor (ie. Amos 5:7.."You who turn JUSTICE into bitterness and cast RIGHTEOUSNESS to the ground..." (note again that JUSTICE & RIGHTEOUSNESS go together very often throughout Scripture. What should they have been doing instead? Amos 5:24 "...but let JUSTICE roll on like a river, RIGHTEOUSNESS like a never-failing stream!
+ living selfishly - ie. Amos 6:1,6,8 ..."Woe to you who are COMPLACENT in Zion (GOD's PEOPLE!!)...and to you who FEEL SECURE on Mount Samaria......but do not grieve over the ruin of Joseph...I abhor the pride of Jacob..."
Amos was sent to call them back to repentance and to give them hope if there would be repentance, as His desire and plans for them werethat David's kingdom would be re-established and that God's people would dwell in safety... (Amos 9:11,12...In THAT DAY I WILL RESTORE David's fallen tent. I WILL REPAIR its broken places, RESTORE ITS RUINS, and BUILD IT as it used to be, SO THAT they may possess the remnant of Edom and all the nations that bear my Name.
It appears to me that we are in very much a similar state in these days, and that God is calling us to put our house in order and re-establish our foundations on the True Foundation so that we can build TRUE TO PLUMB!
(paraphrased notes from introduction to the book of AMOS by NIV)
----------
Isaiah 34:11 The desert owl [ 34:11 The precise identification of these birds is uncertain. ] and screech owl [ 34:11 The precise identification of these birds is uncertain. ] will possess it; the great owl [ 34:11 The precise identification of these birds is uncertain. ] and the raven will nest there. God will stretch out over Edom the measuring line of chaos and the plumb line of desolation.
What was the reason? What were the reasons?
Basically the same reasons as above... Here's a bit more on that...Is. 29:12,13 ..."These people come near to me with their mouth and honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me. Their worship of Me is made up only of rules taught by men (often 'traditions' - -
Is 30:9-13.."these are rebellious people, deceitful children, children unwilling to listen to the Lord's instruction..They say to the seers, "See no more visions," and to the prophets, "Give us no more visions of what is right! Tell us pleasant things, prophesy illusions. Leave this way, get off this path, and stop confronting us with the Holy One of Israel"...THEREFORE, this is what the Holy One of Israel says: "Because you have rejected this message, relied on oppression and depended on deceit, this sin will become for you a high wall for you, cracked and bulging, that collapses suddenly, in an instant...." v. 15..'This is what the Sovereign Lord, the Holy One of Israel says, "in REPENTANCE and REST is your SALVATION (what is the FULL, BIBLICAL MEANING OF SALVATION??? It is much greater than we generally have understood in the western Church!!)...in QUIETNESS and TRUST is your strength, but you would have none of it.." v. 18 YET THE LORD LONGS TO BE GRACIOUS TO YOU; He RISES (why??) TO SHOW YOU COMPASSION. (Why??) For the Lord is a GOD OF JUSTICE. Blessed are all who WAIT FOR HIM..".v.19-26, etc. "19 O people of Zion, who live in Jerusalem, you will weep no more. How gracious he will be when you cry for help! As soon as he hears, he will answer you. 20 Although the Lord gives you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, your teachers will be hidden no more; with your own eyes you will see them. 21 Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, "This is the way; walk in it." 22 Then you will defile your idols overlaid with silver and your images covered with gold; you will throw them away like a menstrual cloth and say to them, "Away with you!"
23 He will also send you rain for the seed you sow in the ground, and the food that comes from the land will be rich and plentiful. In that day your cattle will graze in broad meadows. 24 The oxen and donkeys that work the soil will eat fodder and mash, spread out with fork and shovel. 25 In the day of great slaughter, when the towers fall, streams of water will flow on every high mountain and every lofty hill. 26 The moon will shine like the sun, and the sunlight will be seven times brighter, like the light of seven full days, when the LORD binds up the bruises of his people and heals the wounds he inflicted..."
Isaiah 32
The Kingdom of Righteousness: "...1 See, a king will reign in righteousness
and rulers will rule with justice. 2
Each man will be like a shelter from the wind and a refuge from the storm,
like streams of water in the desert and the shadow of a great rock in a thirsty
land...12 Beat your breasts for the pleasant
fields, for the fruitful vines 13 and for the land of my people, a land overgrown
with thorns and briers- yes, mourn for all houses of merriment and for this
city of revelry. 14 The fortress will be abandoned, the noisy city deserted;
citadel and watchtower will become a wasteland forever, the delight of donkeys,
a pasture for flocks, 15 till the Spirit is poured upon
us from on high, and the desert becomes a fertile field, and the fertile field
seems like a forest. 16 Justice
will dwell in the desert and righteousness
live in the fertile field. 17 The fruit of righteousness
will be peace; the effect of righteousness will
be quietness and confidence forever. 18 My people will live in peaceful
dwelling places, in secure homes, in undisturbed places of rest. 19 Though
hail flattens the forest and the city is leveled completely, 20 how blessed
you will be, sowing your seed by every stream, and letting your cattle and
donkeys range free..."
"... 5 The LORD is exalted, for he dwells on high; he will fill Zion with justice and righteousness. 6 He will be the sure foundation for your times, a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge; the fear of the LORD is the key to this treasure..." (see the rest of the chapter as well)
34:8"... 8 For the LORD has a day of vengeance, a year of retribution, to uphold Zion's cause..." (check out Isaiah chptr. 35 - awesome!)... 8 And a highway will be there; it will be called the Way of Holiness. The unclean will not journey on it; it will be for those who walk in that Way; wicked fools will not go about on it..."
Isaiah 37:14-20 Hezekiah's Prayer
"...14 Hezekiah received the letter from the messengers and read it.
Then he went up to the temple of the LORD and spread it out before the LORD
. 15 And Hezekiah prayed to the LORD : 16 "O LORD Almighty, God of Israel,
enthroned between the cherubim, you alone are God over all the kingdoms of
the earth. You have made heaven and earth. 17 Give ear, O LORD , and hear;
open your eyes, O LORD , and see; listen to all the words Sennacherib has
sent to insult the living God. 18 "It is true, O LORD , that the Assyrian
kings have laid waste all these peoples and their lands. 19 They have thrown
their gods into the fire and destroyed them, for they were not gods but only
wood and stone, fashioned by human hands. 20 Now, O
LORD our God, deliver us from his hand, so that all kingdoms on earth may
know that you alone, O LORD , are God..."
---
Zechariah 4:6-10 6 "...So he said to me, "This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: 'Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,' says the LORD Almighty. 7 "What [a] are you, O mighty mountain? Before Zerubbabel you will become level ground. Then he will bring out the capstone to shouts of 'God bless it! God bless it!' " 8 Then the word of the LORD came to me: 9 "The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this temple; his hands will also complete it. Then you will know that the LORD Almighty has sent me to you. 10"Who despises the day of small things? Men will rejoice when they see the plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel (means 'shoot of Babylon'). "(These seven are the eyes of the LORD , which range throughout the earth.)"
Why would they REJOICE when they saw the plumb line in Zerubbabel's hand when the 'plumb line' seems to be a negative thing, at least at first, to God's people when it is used by God to measure His people?
??
6:15 "...Those who are far away will come and help
to build the temple of the LORD , and you will know that the LORD Almighty
has sent me to you. This will happen if you diligently
obey the LORD your God..." 7:9-10 "...9 "This is what the LORD
Almighty says: 'Administer true justice;
show mercy and compassion to one another. 10 Do not oppress the widow or the
fatherless, the alien or the poor. In your hearts do not think evil of each
other...'
8:2,4 "...2 This is what the LORD
Almighty says: "I am very jealous for Zion; I am burning with jealousy
for her."
3 This is what the LORD says: "I will return to Zion and dwell in Jerusalem.
Then Jerusalem will be called the City of Truth, and the mountain of the LORD
Almighty will be called the Holy Mountain." 4 This
is what the LORD Almighty says: "Once again men and women of ripe old
age will sit in the streets of Jerusalem, each with cane in hand because of
his age. 5 The city streets will be filled with boys and girls playing there."
13:9 "...9 This third I will
bring into the fire; I will refine them like silver and test them like
gold. They will call on my name and I will answer them; I will say, 'They
are my people,' and they will say, 'The LORD is our
God.' "
- - -
Lamentations 2:8 The LORD determined to tear down the wall
around the Daughter of Zion.
(Why??) He stretched out a measuring line and
did not withhold his hand from destroying. He made ramparts and walls lament;
together they wasted away..."
What was the context? - Jeremiah was reflecting on the total destruction that had taken place in Jerusalem and the temple, although recognizing that this was due to judgments from God against them due to their rebellion, etc. This book is about his heart of lament and intercession for the people. (paraphrased from introduction to the book of Lamentations in NIV)
2:18,19 "... 18 The hearts of the people cry out to the Lord. O wall of the Daughter of Zion, let your tears flow like a river day and night; give yourself no relief, your eyes no rest. 19 Arise, cry out in the night, as the watches of the night begin; pour out your heart like water in the presence of the Lord. Lift up your hands to him for the lives of your children, who faint from hunger at the head of every street..."
---
Where was the measuring done?
What did it entail?
Ezekiel 40:3 He took me there, and I saw a man whose appearance
was like bronze; he was standing in the
gateway with a linen cord
and a measuring rod in his hand.
Ezekiel 40:5 I saw a wall completely surrounding the temple area. The length
of the measuring rod in the man's hand was six long cubits, each of which
was a cubit [ 40:5 The common cubit was about 1 1/2 feet (about 0.5 meter).
] and a handbreadth. [ 40:5 That is, about 3 inches (about 8 centimeters)
] He measured the wall; it was one measuring rod thick and one rod high.
Ezekiel 42:15 When he had finished measuring what was inside
the temple area, he led me out by the east gate and measured the area all
around:
He measured the east side with the measuring rod; it was five hundred cubits.
[ 42:16 See Septuagint of verse 17; Hebrew [ rods ] ; also in verses 18 and
19. ]
Is this referring to Him judging us as the Church first - dealing with us INSIDE our hearts before He uses us to assist in tearing down and replanting OUTSIDE ourselves and the Church?
What was the purpose of measuring in this context?
Ezekiel 42:17 He measured the north side; it was five hundred cubits [ 42:17 Septuagint; Hebrew [ rods ] ] by the measuring rod.
Ezekiel 42:18 He measured the south side; it was five hundred cubits by the measuring rod.
Ezekiel 42:19 Then he turned to the west side and measured; it was five hundred cubits by the measuring rod.
Ezekiel 47:3 As the man went eastward with a measuring line in his hand, he measured off a thousand cubits [ 47:3 That is, about 1,500 feet (about 450 meters) ] and then led me through water that was ankle-deep.
Is there some significance to the water mentioned? And to the depth of the water? It reminds me of the passage where there is a river flowing from God's throne - at different levels/heights… what was at the ankle-deep stage?
Zechariah 1:16 "Therefore, this is what the LORD says: 'I will return to Jerusalem with mercy, and there my house will be rebuilt. And the measuring line will be stretched out over Jerusalem,' declares the LORD Almighty.
Zechariah 2:1 Then I looked up-and there before me was a man with a measuring line in his hand!
And then what?
Zechariah 5:6 I asked, "What is it?" He replied, "It is a measuring basket. [ 5:6 Hebrew [ an ephah ] ; also in verses 7-11 ] " And he added, "This is the iniquity [ 5:6 Or [ appearance ] ] of the people throughout the land."
What is a measuring basket?
Revelation 11:1 I was given a reed like a measuring rod and was told, "Go and measure the temple of God and the altar, and count the worshipers there.
Revelation 21:15 The angel who talked with me had a measuring rod of gold to measure the city, its gates and its walls.
2 Kings 21:13
I will stretch out over Jerusalem the measuring line
used against Samaria and the plumb line used
against the house of Ahab. I will wipe out Jerusalem as one wipes a
dish, wiping it and turning it upside down.