GIZRAH – THE SEPARATE PLACE
I am doing a study on the Temples and one of the most intriguing parts in Ezekiel’s Temple is the space directly behind (or west of) the Holy of Holies called the Gizrah (Strong’s # 1508) or the “separate place.” (Ezek. 41:12-15; 42:1, 10, 13).
The word gizrah means a separate enclosure or “a separate place.” It’s a place for polishing or making something smooth by friction. It comes from the root word gezer (Strong’s # 1506) which means “a portion cut off” and the primitive root gazar (Strong’s # 1504), which means to exclude. Gizrah is used eight times in the Bible: seven in reference to the Temple in Ezekiel chapter 41 and 42, and once in reference to the polishing of a godly sect in Lamentations 4:7.
The Gizrah is a “separate place” for cutting and polishing in order to produce a refined and magnificent finish. [According to the Jewish Encyclopedia, Marriage, pg. 342]. - “If the word gizrah contained an ayin then the second raw would have a negative connotation; but it does not, therefore, this space has some mysterious but beneficial purpose.”
Again, the wall of separation between the sanctuary itself and the Gizrah was very visible (Ezek. 42:20). It emphasized the separation of the holy and the common.
These walls of separation were intended for human instruction. It was God’s divine intention. The Gizrah was a place where everything that was rejected or excluded from the worship service was kept. It was an unsanctified area; separate from the sanctified region.
In Ezek. 42:20, the Gizrah is called “the profane place.” (Strong’s #2455, Chol) which means ‘expose’ and ‘common’, opposed to ‘sanctified’ and ‘holy’. Chol is from the root word chalal (Strong’s #2490), which means to break one’s word, to defile, to pollute or to defile one’s inheritance. Wow! That should be enlightening.
Could this be the “separate place” into which the unsanctified and disobedient believers that have not overcome but are overcome are “cast,” while the rest of the body of Christ enjoys fellowship with the Lord in some other room? Could this gizrah possibly be the place that is called “the outer darkness” or the “darkness outside” that is spoken of in the three Matthew parables? This darkness, remember, is just beyond the brilliant light of Christ’s presence in the sanctuary.
The Gizrah is a real place in Ezekiel’s Temple. But what its function actually is, scholars have debated for years. I therefore suggest, like the saints at Berea; you search the Scriptures and see what the Lord shows you.
Acts 17:11
11 These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.
KJV
Remember that Ezekiel’s prophecy is giving us a blue print of the Millennial Temple which in itself is a “separation,” a place apart. The Gizrah was a separate place for things that had become ritually unclean and unholy. According to Messiah’s Coming Temple, pg. 98: by John W. Schmitt: These things had to be separated, so that “such items may later be cleansed and restored.”
God’s purpose in judgment is often to provide redemption.
Ps 49:15
15 But God will redeem me from the power of Sheol (the place of the dead); for He will receive me. Selah [pause, and calmly think of that]!
AMP
Probably God will use the thousand years of the Millennium to restore and renew those that did not make it into the kingdom and bring them back to holiness.
Rev 21:3-4
3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.
4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
KJV
The National Spelling Bee contest of the United States, recently gave the word “genizah” as one of the words in the contest. They explained that it was a Hebrew word and it came from the root word gezrah. The definition that they gave for genizah was: “a strong room where the priests of the temple kept damaged, but sacred objects. How interesting!”
I believe this is the explanation to the “Five Foolish Virgins” (where they ended up) [Matt. 25:1-13], the ‘guest’ [Matt. 22:1-14], the “unfaithful servant” [Matt. 24:45-51] and [Luke 12:41-46].
Let us “watch” and “be ready” as Christians, for the return of Christ.
I am doing a study on the Temples and one of the most intriguing parts in Ezekiel’s Temple is the space directly behind (or west of) the Holy of Holies called the Gizrah (Strong’s # 1508) or the “separate place.” (Ezek. 41:12-15; 42:1, 10, 13).
The word gizrah means a separate enclosure or “a separate place.” It’s a place for polishing or making something smooth by friction. It comes from the root word gezer (Strong’s # 1506) which means “a portion cut off” and the primitive root gazar (Strong’s # 1504), which means to exclude. Gizrah is used eight times in the Bible: seven in reference to the Temple in Ezekiel chapter 41 and 42, and once in reference to the polishing of a godly sect in Lamentations 4:7.
The Gizrah is a “separate place” for cutting and polishing in order to produce a refined and magnificent finish. [According to the Jewish Encyclopedia, Marriage, pg. 342]. - “If the word gizrah contained an ayin then the second raw would have a negative connotation; but it does not, therefore, this space has some mysterious but beneficial purpose.”
Again, the wall of separation between the sanctuary itself and the Gizrah was very visible (Ezek. 42:20). It emphasized the separation of the holy and the common.
These walls of separation were intended for human instruction. It was God’s divine intention. The Gizrah was a place where everything that was rejected or excluded from the worship service was kept. It was an unsanctified area; separate from the sanctified region.
In Ezek. 42:20, the Gizrah is called “the profane place.” (Strong’s #2455, Chol) which means ‘expose’ and ‘common’, opposed to ‘sanctified’ and ‘holy’. Chol is from the root word chalal (Strong’s #2490), which means to break one’s word, to defile, to pollute or to defile one’s inheritance. Wow! That should be enlightening.
Could this be the “separate place” into which the unsanctified and disobedient believers that have not overcome but are overcome are “cast,” while the rest of the body of Christ enjoys fellowship with the Lord in some other room? Could this gizrah possibly be the place that is called “the outer darkness” or the “darkness outside” that is spoken of in the three Matthew parables? This darkness, remember, is just beyond the brilliant light of Christ’s presence in the sanctuary.
The Gizrah is a real place in Ezekiel’s Temple. But what its function actually is, scholars have debated for years. I therefore suggest, like the saints at Berea; you search the Scriptures and see what the Lord shows you.
Acts 17:11
11 These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.
KJV
Remember that Ezekiel’s prophecy is giving us a blue print of the Millennial Temple which in itself is a “separation,” a place apart. The Gizrah was a separate place for things that had become ritually unclean and unholy. According to Messiah’s Coming Temple, pg. 98: by John W. Schmitt: These things had to be separated, so that “such items may later be cleansed and restored.”
God’s purpose in judgment is often to provide redemption.
Ps 49:15
15 But God will redeem me from the power of Sheol (the place of the dead); for He will receive me. Selah [pause, and calmly think of that]!
AMP
Probably God will use the thousand years of the Millennium to restore and renew those that did not make it into the kingdom and bring them back to holiness.
Rev 21:3-4
3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.
4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
KJV
The National Spelling Bee contest of the United States, recently gave the word “genizah” as one of the words in the contest. They explained that it was a Hebrew word and it came from the root word gezrah. The definition that they gave for genizah was: “a strong room where the priests of the temple kept damaged, but sacred objects. How interesting!”
I believe this is the explanation to the “Five Foolish Virgins” (where they ended up) [Matt. 25:1-13], the ‘guest’ [Matt. 22:1-14], the “unfaithful servant” [Matt. 24:45-51] and [Luke 12:41-46].
Let us “watch” and “be ready” as Christians, for the return of Christ.
