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it's a picture of The Church and New Jerusalem.
the same city john saw.
Ezekiel 40:1-2
“In the twenty-fifth year of our exile, at the beginning of the year, on the tenth of the month, in the fourteenth year after the city was taken, on that same day the hand of the LORD was upon me and He brought me there. In the visions of God He brought me into the land of Israel and set me on a very high mountain, and on it to the south there was a structure like a city.”
Revelation 21:10
“And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God,”
the same city john saw.
Ezekiel 40:1-2
“In the twenty-fifth year of our exile, at the beginning of the year, on the tenth of the month, in the fourteenth year after the city was taken, on that same day the hand of the LORD was upon me and He brought me there. In the visions of God He brought me into the land of Israel and set me on a very high mountain, and on it to the south there was a structure like a city.”
Revelation 21:10
“And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God,”
K
Personally, I believe what Ezekiel was describing was God's intention of what the Temple would be, if, when we came to our full stature in Christ, we then used that stature to define a new Temple. He was offering Israel (and us eventually) a vision of the perfection that could be when Israel accepted Jesus as Messiah, and offering them the return to their homeland and the Second Temple as a down-payment on the future. The Temple Ezekiel prophesied was never built, of course, which is why it is referred back to, in the book of Revelation, with an even more perfect vision, based on what became the reality of only a portion of Israel accepting Jesus at the end.
J
The Ezekiel temple doesn't have any relationship to the second temple, or the temple of the tribulation period. It is the millennial temple, and absolutely mind boggling in its implications regarding current eschatology beliefs, which are rife with error. Ezekiel 40-48 is very difficult scripture, but a crying shame threads like this die, or will surely devolve into a rejection of things these chapters contain, that gore many the ox in best selling books.
It is His millennial temple that will be built just after the battle of Armageddon in the previous chapter [Ezekiel 38; 39]
And here we see the Lord preparing the land for this enormous temple .... much bigger than the previous two
.... the next temple for Israel
Zechariah
14:9 And the LORD shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one LORD, and his name one.
14:10 All the land shall be turned as a plain from Geba to Rimmon south of Jerusalem: and it shall be lifted up, and inhabited in her place, from Benjamin's gate unto the place of the first gate, unto the corner gate, and from the tower of Hananeel unto the king's winepresses.
And here we see the Lord preparing the land for this enormous temple .... much bigger than the previous two
.... the next temple for Israel
Zechariah
14:9 And the LORD shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one LORD, and his name one.
14:10 All the land shall be turned as a plain from Geba to Rimmon south of Jerusalem: and it shall be lifted up, and inhabited in her place, from Benjamin's gate unto the place of the first gate, unto the corner gate, and from the tower of Hananeel unto the king's winepresses.
there's also this:
So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.
(Ephesians 2:19-21)
&
As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
For it stands in Scripture:
(1 Peter 2:4-8)
So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.
(Ephesians 2:19-21)
&
As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
For it stands in Scripture:
“Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone,
a cornerstone chosen and precious,
and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.”
So the honor is for you who believe, but for those who do not believe,a cornerstone chosen and precious,
and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.”
“The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone,”
andhas become the cornerstone,”
“A stone of stumbling,
and a rock of offense.”
They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do.and a rock of offense.”
(1 Peter 2:4-8)
Please explain WHY God would allow the temple in Ezekiel 40-48 to be built? First they would be once again sacrificing animals for a SIN OFFERING.
Ezekiel 43
[SUP]18 [/SUP]Then he said to me, “Son of man, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: These will be the regulations for sacrificing burnt offerings and splashing blood against the altar when it is built: [SUP]19 [/SUP]You are to give a young bull as a sin offering[SUP][l][/SUP] to the Levitical priests of the family of Zadok, who come near to minister before me, declares the Sovereign Lord. [SUP]20 [/SUP]You are to take some of its blood and put it on the four horns of the altar and on the four corners of the upper ledge and all around the rim, and so purify the altar and make atonement for it. [SUP]21 [/SUP]You are to take the bull for the sin offering and burn it in the designated part of the temple area outside the sanctuary.
[SUP]22 [/SUP]“On the second day you are to offer a male goat without defect for a sin offering, and the altar is to be purified as it was purified with the bull. [SUP]23 [/SUP]When you have finished purifying it, you are to offer a young bull and a ram from the flock, both without defect. [SUP]24 [/SUP]You are to offer them before the Lord, and the priests are to sprinkle salt on them and sacrifice them as a burnt offering to the Lord.
[SUP]25 [/SUP]“For seven days you are to provide a male goat daily for a sin offering; you are also to provide a young bull and a ram from the flock, both without defect. [SUP]26 [/SUP]For seven days they are to make atonement for the altar and cleanse it; thus they will dedicate it. [SUP]27 [/SUP]At the end of these days, from the eighth day on, the priests are to present your burnt offerings and fellowship offerings on the altar. Then I will accept you, declares the Sovereign Lord.”
Why would God have them go BACK to animal sacrifices for a SIN OFFERING when scripture PLAINLY says this in Hebrews
Hebrews 9
[SUP]11 [/SUP]But when Christ came as high priest of the good things that are now already here,[SUP][a][/SUP] he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not made with human hands, that is to say, is not a part of this creation. [SUP]12 [/SUP]He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, thus obtaining[SUP][b][/SUP] eternal redemption. [SUP]13 [/SUP]The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. [SUP]14 [/SUP]How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death,[SUP][c][/SUP] so that we may serve the living God!
[SUP]15 [/SUP]For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance—now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant.
[SUP]16 [/SUP]In the case of a will,[SUP][d][/SUP] it is necessary to prove the death of the one who made it, [SUP]17 [/SUP]because a will is in force only when somebody has died; it never takes effect while the one who made it is living. [SUP]18 [/SUP]This is why even the first covenant was not put into effect without blood. [SUP]19 [/SUP]When Moses had proclaimed every command of the law to all the people, he took the blood of calves, together with water, scarlet wool and branches of hyssop, and sprinkled the scroll and all the people. [SUP]20 [/SUP]He said, “This is the blood of the covenant, which God has commanded you to keep.”[SUP][e][/SUP] [SUP]21 [/SUP]In the same way, he sprinkled with the blood both the tabernacle and everything used in its ceremonies. [SUP]22 [/SUP]In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.
[SUP]23 [/SUP]It was necessary, then, for the copies of the heavenly things to be purified with these sacrifices, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. [SUP]24 [/SUP]For Christ did not enter a sanctuary made with human hands that was only a copy of the true one; he entered heaven itself, now to appear for us in God’s presence. [SUP]25 [/SUP]Nor did he enter heaven to offer himself again and again, the way the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood that is not his own. [SUP]26 [/SUP]Otherwise Christ would have had to suffer many times since the creation of the world. But he has appeared once for all at the culmination of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself. [SUP]27 [/SUP]Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, [SUP]28 [/SUP]so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.
Ezekiel 43
[SUP]18 [/SUP]Then he said to me, “Son of man, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: These will be the regulations for sacrificing burnt offerings and splashing blood against the altar when it is built: [SUP]19 [/SUP]You are to give a young bull as a sin offering[SUP][l][/SUP] to the Levitical priests of the family of Zadok, who come near to minister before me, declares the Sovereign Lord. [SUP]20 [/SUP]You are to take some of its blood and put it on the four horns of the altar and on the four corners of the upper ledge and all around the rim, and so purify the altar and make atonement for it. [SUP]21 [/SUP]You are to take the bull for the sin offering and burn it in the designated part of the temple area outside the sanctuary.
[SUP]22 [/SUP]“On the second day you are to offer a male goat without defect for a sin offering, and the altar is to be purified as it was purified with the bull. [SUP]23 [/SUP]When you have finished purifying it, you are to offer a young bull and a ram from the flock, both without defect. [SUP]24 [/SUP]You are to offer them before the Lord, and the priests are to sprinkle salt on them and sacrifice them as a burnt offering to the Lord.
[SUP]25 [/SUP]“For seven days you are to provide a male goat daily for a sin offering; you are also to provide a young bull and a ram from the flock, both without defect. [SUP]26 [/SUP]For seven days they are to make atonement for the altar and cleanse it; thus they will dedicate it. [SUP]27 [/SUP]At the end of these days, from the eighth day on, the priests are to present your burnt offerings and fellowship offerings on the altar. Then I will accept you, declares the Sovereign Lord.”
Why would God have them go BACK to animal sacrifices for a SIN OFFERING when scripture PLAINLY says this in Hebrews
Hebrews 9
[SUP]11 [/SUP]But when Christ came as high priest of the good things that are now already here,[SUP][a][/SUP] he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not made with human hands, that is to say, is not a part of this creation. [SUP]12 [/SUP]He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, thus obtaining[SUP][b][/SUP] eternal redemption. [SUP]13 [/SUP]The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. [SUP]14 [/SUP]How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death,[SUP][c][/SUP] so that we may serve the living God!
[SUP]15 [/SUP]For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance—now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant.
[SUP]16 [/SUP]In the case of a will,[SUP][d][/SUP] it is necessary to prove the death of the one who made it, [SUP]17 [/SUP]because a will is in force only when somebody has died; it never takes effect while the one who made it is living. [SUP]18 [/SUP]This is why even the first covenant was not put into effect without blood. [SUP]19 [/SUP]When Moses had proclaimed every command of the law to all the people, he took the blood of calves, together with water, scarlet wool and branches of hyssop, and sprinkled the scroll and all the people. [SUP]20 [/SUP]He said, “This is the blood of the covenant, which God has commanded you to keep.”[SUP][e][/SUP] [SUP]21 [/SUP]In the same way, he sprinkled with the blood both the tabernacle and everything used in its ceremonies. [SUP]22 [/SUP]In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.
[SUP]23 [/SUP]It was necessary, then, for the copies of the heavenly things to be purified with these sacrifices, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. [SUP]24 [/SUP]For Christ did not enter a sanctuary made with human hands that was only a copy of the true one; he entered heaven itself, now to appear for us in God’s presence. [SUP]25 [/SUP]Nor did he enter heaven to offer himself again and again, the way the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood that is not his own. [SUP]26 [/SUP]Otherwise Christ would have had to suffer many times since the creation of the world. But he has appeared once for all at the culmination of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself. [SUP]27 [/SUP]Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, [SUP]28 [/SUP]so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.
J
This is the "of course" reaction of the Christian, was my reaction first studying the Ezekiel temple, that sacrifices cannot be. I don't recall the details, but I once accepted an explanation it was commanded to be built, but never built, as the Jews rejected Jesus Christ at His first advent, but that God provisioned for a path of obedience. I've long since rejected this theory, on account of explicit detail and detail that places the temple in the millennium.If you refuse to go from here, that the temple is real and is in the millennium, then just forget the rest. (The rest becomes beside the point, if you reject the foundation.) But if you see this, there is animal sacrifice, various sacrifices. Read the account in the Bible and study it. The sacrifices are there and the whole ceremonial system different than existed in Judaism before, the structure of the temple in terms of the players and the sacrifices different that existed in Judaism before. Study it, and then begin with an informed comment.