The Glorious God Returns To His Temple
Ezekiel 40-48
Introduction:
An interesting map is on display in the British Museum in London. It's an old mariner's
chart, drawn in 1525, outlining the North American coastline and adjacent waters. The
cartographer made some intriguing notations on areas of the map that represented
regions not yet explored. He wrote: "Here be giants," "Here be fiery scorpions," and
"Here be dragons." Eventually, the map came into the possession of Sir John Franklin,
a British explorer in the early 1800s. Scratching out the fearful inscriptions, he wrote
these words across the map: "Here is God."
The fall of Jerusalem mentioned in Ezekiel 33:21 raised new questions in the minds of
the people of Israel. Was everything lost? Like the cartographer just mentioned, the
people are fearful about what the future will hold for them. After Jerusalem’s
destruction, God affirms He isn’t yet done with Israel. He gives them good news about
the restoration He will provide in the future. Just as Sir John Franklin concluded that
there need be no fear of traveling unchartered waters when there is the assurance that
God is there, the people of God need not fear what the future of the nation will
ultimately be like for they have the assurance that God will be there.
The climax to Israel’s history and the book of Ezekiel is the return of God’s glory,
the restoration of His people, and the reestablishment of fellowship with them.
The people of God have a bright future to look forward to. Ezekiel gives the captives
good news of what it will be like when God establishes His kingdom.
When Misty and I bought our first home in Winona Lake on 7th street, we had no idea
how much our neighborhood would change over the years we lived there. At the time
we moved in, there were a lot of old, run down, empty buildings around us. You
wouldn’t know it today. The improvements that have been done in Winona Lake are
incredible. It’s fun to watch these old, historic building restored. Our former neighbor,
like Misty and I, was also excited to see the improvements going on. However, I
noticed that many of the times when we talked to her about the latest restorations that
were in process, she would frequently change the subject from the excitement of what
was new to memories of the way it was. The new and restored Winona Lake is nice,
but for the old timers, it is nothing like the good old days.
When God establishes His kingdom, it won’t be like this. No one will be looking
back to the good old days.
VISION OF THE NEW TEMPLE (40-42)
God promised to rebuild His sanctuary among His people:
“I will make a covenant of peace with them; it will be an everlasting covenant. I will
establish them and increase their numbers, and I will put my sanctuary among them
forever. My dwelling place will be with them; I will be their God, and they will be my
people. Then the nations will know that I the LORD make Israel holy, when my
sanctuary is among them forever” (Ezekiel 37:26-28).
Fourteen years after the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple, Ezekiel is taken by a
vision of God to the land of Israel. A man whose appearance was like bronze gives
Ezekiel a rod measuring about 10 ½ feet in length to mark the measurements of the
new city and the new temple (40:5).
The temple’s description brings comfort to those who saw the old one
destroyed.
Remember, the temple was the visible symbol of God’s presence among His people. It
was the delight of their eyes, the object of their affection. When God’s glory departed
from the temple and it was later destroyed, it caused intense groaning and despair.
News of a future temple would bring comfort to God’s people even while they were in
exile.
When the captives later returned to the land and rebuilt the city of Jerusalem, seeing
the new temple did not bring only joy, but also sorrow. Those who knew what the old
temple was like wept at seeing the new one because it was like nothing in comparison.
They remembered the good old days!
Ezra 3:10-13– “When the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the LORD, the
priests in their vestments and with trumpets, and the Levites (the sons of Asaph) with
cymbals, took their places to praise the LORD, as prescribed by David king of Israel.
With praise and thanksgiving they sang to the LORD: ‘He is good; his love to Israel
endures forever.’ And all the people gave a great shout of praise to the LORD,
because the foundation of the house of the LORD was laid. But many of the older
priests and Levites and family heads, who had seen the former temple, wept aloud
when they saw the foundation of this temple being laid, while many others shouted for
joy. No one could distinguish the sound of the shouts of joy from the sound of weeping,
because the people made so much noise. And the sound was heard far away.”
Haggai 2:3 describes the unfavorable comparison that the people made between the
old and new temple– “Who of you is left who saw this house in its former glory? How
does it look to you now? Does it not seem to you like nothing?”
God assures His people that He is with them; He will fill the new house described in
Ezekiel 40-42 with His glory. This yet future temple will not be a disappointment. It will
cause rejoicing–no one will lament the loss of any previous temple.
Haggai 2:6-9– “This is what the LORD Almighty says: ‘In a little while I will once more
shake the heavens and the earth, the sea and the dry land. I will shake all nations, and
the desired of all nations will come, and I will fill this house with glory,’ says the LORD
Almighty. ‘The silver is mine and the gold is mine,’ declares the LORD Almighty. ‘The
glory of this present house will be greater than the glory of the former house,’ says the
LORD Almighty. ‘And in this place I will grant peace,’ declares the LORD Almighty.”
It will be different than any temple ever built
It’s function will be unique–it will facilitate millennial worship
The description of this temple doesn’t fit any of the temples of history. It hasn’t been
built yet. It will be established in the future during the millennium, after Christ’s comes
to establish God’s kingdom on earth.
Why do we believe that Ezekiel 40-42 describes a literal, future sanctuary? It is not
God’s character to give such an immense number of details without a purpose. It is
clear from the text that the details were given to the people of Israel so that the design
for the temple would be observed– “Write these down before them so that they may be
faithful to its design and follow all its regulations” (Ezekiel 43:12). Many object that
animal sacrifices won’t be reinstated in the future and use this as a reason for denying
a literal temple. This objection indicates a misunderstanding of the nature and purpose
of animal sacrifices in general and of millennial sacrifices in particular. More on this
later.
Another unique aspect to this temple will be its size.
It’s size will be much larger than any previous temple.
The descriptions of each section of the temple indicate a structure much larger than any other temple in history. However, most impressive is the measurements of the surrounding wall of the temple area. Ezekiel measured this wall as being five hundred rods (cubits is better translated rods) by 500 rods (Ezekiel 42:20). We know from Ezekiel 40:5, that the measuring rod Ezekiel used was approximately 10 ½ feet long . When we do the math, we learn that the surrounding wall of the temple area will be approx. 1 sq. mile. To some, this presents a problem. A wall of these vast dimensions wouldn’t fit today.
God will make its building possible
The current topographical problems with building a structure of this size will not be a problem for God when it comes time to build the millennial temple. The changes predicted after Messiah’s coming will make building a structure of this size possible (Isaiah 40:4-5; Zechariah 14:4-9).
RETURN OF GOD’S GLORY (43:1-12)
When God’s glory departed (Ezekiel 10-11), God left His people without His presence.
Now He returns. Ezekiel sees the same vision he saw in the beginning. Again, he is so
impressed with God’s glory that He falls down before Him.
“Then the man brought me to the gate facing east, and I saw the glory of the God of Israel coming from the east. His voice was like the roar of rushing waters, and the land was radiant with his glory. The vision I saw was like the vision I had seen when he came to destroy the city and like the visions I had seen by the Kebar River, and I fell face down. The glory of the LORD entered the temple through the gate facing east. Then the Spirit lifted me up and brought me into the inner court, and the glory of the LORD filled the temple” (Ezekiel 43:1-5).
The most significant event predicted in Ezekiel’s vision is the return of God’s glory to the Millennial temple.
The temple will be God’s dwelling place and center of His
government.
“He said: ‘Son of man, this is the place of my throne and the place for the soles of my
feet” (43:7a)
Once God’s glory returns, He will never again depart.
“This is where I will live among the Israelites forever. The house of Israel will never again defile my holy name–neither they nor their kings–by their prostitution and the lifeless idols of their kings at their high places. When they placed their threshold next to my threshold and their doorposts beside my doorposts, with only a wall between me and them, they defiled my holy name by their detestable practices. So I destroyed them in my anger. Now let them put away from me their prostitution and the lifeless idols of their kings and I will live among them forever” (Ezekiel 43:7b-9).
The nation will never again defile His name, but will exalt it instead.
They will never again be the laughingstock before the pagan nations. His name will be
exalted among them forever. Even though God lived in their midst, even though His
threshold and doorposts were next to theirs, the nation of Israel forgot His greatness,
holiness, and glory. They needed a reminder. His presence would remind them that
HE IS THE LORD.
We sometimes fall into the same pattern. We lose sight of who God is. When we forget, the way we live reflects it. We need to be careful to take time with God focusing on Him, reflecting on His glory, His holiness, and His greatness. If we don’t chose to remember and reflect on who God is, He will be faithful to remind us and that might not be any fun. Better to learn from Israel’s example than to have to learn ourselves the hard way.
Ezekiel is charged to describe to God’s people plans for the Millennial Temple and
God’s promise to dwell there. The intended result is that Israel be ashamed. A clear
vision of God’s plan for restoration would remind the people of their sins that led to the
destruction of the old temple and bring an appropriate shame. They were also told the
plans so they will know what faithfulness to its design and regulations requires and so
that they will appreciate God’s stress on the holiness of His dwelling place.
REGULATIONS CONCERNING WORSHIP (43:12-46:24)
1. The altar of burnt offering (43:13-27)
What is the altar for burnt offering that will be used for the sacrifices of animals doing in
the millennial temple?
Don’t passages like Hebrews 7:27; 9:12, 26 indicate that Christ was offered once and for all as an acceptable sacrifice to God? Since this is true, why would sacrifices be reinstated? Wouldn’t this be a step backwards in God’s program?
The view that literal animal sacrifices won’t be offered again because they contradict
these New Testament passages reflects the misunderstanding that the Mosaic Order
and the Aaronic priesthood will be re-established. They won’t be. Millennial sacrifices
will not be the same as Old Testament sacrifices. Also, what Ezekiel predicts does not
contradict what the writer of Hebrews wrote. The book of Hebrews is addressed to the
church. The people of the church have been redeemed. The context concerns animal
sacrifices in the day of grace, the church age, not in the millennium.
The church is a parenthesis in the middle of God’s purpose for Israel. The millennium
will be the climax of God’s program for Israel. When the millennial sacrifices are
viewed in connection with this program, and their purpose is properly understood, they
are seen as an advance, not a step back. Israel will worship Christ in the Millennium as
they have never done before.
Some of those who object to animal sacrifices in the millennium conclude that the sacrifices of the Old Testament took away sin. Believing this, why would sacrifices be re-instated? Hebrews 10:4 clearly says that it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sin. Salvation and forgiveness of sin has always been based on the one sacrifice of Christ. Old Testament sacrifices never took away sins and millennial ones won’t either. What then is the purpose of sacrifices offered during the millennium?
Sacrifices are presented in the temple as a reminder of Christ’s
death.
There will be millennial sacrifices, but the focus of all worship will be on the person and work of Jesus Christ. The sacrifices will be retrospective–they look back to what the Savior has done. They serve as a memorial. They won’t contradict Christ’s work, but will instead serve to worship and exalt Him for what He has done.
The centerpiece of millennial worship is the altar where Christ’s
death is memorialized.
The altar will be ceremonially cleansed and dedicated (43:18-26).
The end of this process will mark the resumption of God’s
fellowship with His people (43:27).
“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” (43:27).
2. Ministers (44)
God gives firm standards for worshiping Him:
No one is allowed to enter the gate through which God’s glorious presence entered the
temple except the prince. God’s presence passing through had set apart this gate. It
was to be treated in a set apart manner.
Purification is required for those who serve in the temple. No foreigners who are
uncircumcised in heart or flesh are allowed into the sanctuary.
Levites could serve in the temple, but not as priests because they turned away from the
Lord to worship idols:
“The Levites who went far from me when Israel went astray and who wandered from me
after their idols must bear the consequences of their sin. They may serve in my
sanctuary, having charge of the gates of the temple and serving in it; they may
slaughter the burnt offerings and sacrifices for the people and stand before the people
and serve them. But because they served them in the presence of their idols and made
the house of Israel fall into sin, therefore I have sworn with uplifted hand that they must
bear the consequences of their sin, declares the Sovereign LORD. They are not to
come near to serve me as priests or come near any of my holy things or my most holy
offerings; they must bear the shame of their detestable practices. Yet I will put them in
charge of the duties of the temple and all the work that is to be done in it” (44:10-14).
The sons of Zadok minister as priests because they remained faithful.
“But the priests, who are Levites and descendants of Zadok and who faithfully carried
out the duties of my sanctuary when the Israelites were astray from me, are to come
near to minister before me; they are to stand before me to offer sacrifices of fat and
blood, declares the Sovereign LORD. They alone are to enter my sanctuary; they alone
are to come near my table to minister before me and perform my service” (44:15-16).
Strict standards of purity and holiness are required of priests.
By their purity and holiness they teach what God requires
(44:23)
The priests were responsible to teach God’s people by their example the difference
between the holy and the common, the clean and the unclean. The church ought to live
that way today. Leaders must demonstrate what holy, godly living looks likes so that
God’s people are led to follow in His ways.
3. Divisions of the land (45:1-12)
A specific portion of Israel’s land in the Millennium will be set apart as the land for the
priests and the sanctuary. Another area will be set apart for the city and yet another
area will be set aside for the prince. The land divisions in the millennium will be
dramatically different from those of the past. The old inheritance boundaries will be
significantly changed–because of the new topography, old divisions won’t work.
Following the description as to how the land will be divided is a promise that the princes
of Israel will no longer be allowed to oppress God’s people. The unrighteous, unjust
treatment of the leaders towards God’s people needed to stop in Ezekiel’s day. It will
not be permitted to continue in the millennial kingdom. The leaders will no longer be
able to seize property that was not theirs. The house of Israel will possess land
according to their tribes. Ezekiel exhorted the contemporary leaders of Israel to give up
their violence and oppression and do what is right. They are to stop dispossessing
God’s people and begin using accurate scale. In detail, Ezekiel describes the standard
of measurement they were to use.
Ezekiel provides a pattern here that we should always keep in mind when studying
future things. What God is going to do in the future was used as Ezekiel’s basis for
challenging his contemporaries how they were to live right then. The study of the future
should be done with the understanding of God’s desire that the revelation of what will
happen in the future should motivate us to live righteous lives today.
4. Offerings and sacrifices (45:13-46:24)
The system is completely different from the Levitical system
The basic requirements for worship of a holy God haven’t changed
Furniture in the temple and rituals have radically changed
The furniture of the temple that will still be present are the altar of burnt offerings
(43:13-27) and the altar of incense (41:22). Absent from the millennial temple will be
the Ark of the covenant– including the mercy seat, the table of shewbread, the
lampstand, the veil, and the laver.
Some of the Old Testament annual feasts established by Moses will be restored. For
example, the Passover feast which typified the death of Christ and the feast of
unleavened bread will be observed as a memorial of deliverance from bondage (45:21-24).
Others of the Old Testament annual feasts will be eliminated. For example, there will
be no Day of Atonement. Israel will already be purified.
All of the offerings will be restored. The burnt offering, the meal offering, the peace
offering, the sin offering, and the trespass offering will all be observed.
Remember, these offerings never were the basis of salvation. In the Old Testament,
animal sacrifices depicted the barrier that sin caused, the necessity for our sins being
covered, the provision of forgiveness on the basis of an appropriate sacrifice, but they
did so only as a shadow. It is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away
sins (Hebrews 10:4). The reality these sacrifices pointed to was the once and for all
sacrifice of Christ.
The Old Testament sacrifices were a shadow of what was to come. They were forward
looking. The Millennial sacrifices will be a memorial of the work Christ has already
completed. They are retrospective–they look back to Christ’s finished work. The focus
of all worship will be on the Savior. The ritual of the millennial temple will serve as a
daily reminder of fallen man’s need of a holy God and of how God lovingly removed the
obstacle of human sin for those who trust in Christ.
In Ezekiel 45-46, much mention is made of a prince. Who is this man? We don’t know
for sure. We do know that He is not Christ. He will offer a sin offering for himself
(Ezekiel 45:22) and he will have sons (Ezekiel 46:16). His function is to serve as both a
governor and priest. His position is between the priests and the people. He comes
nearer to God than others and is positioned at the east gate, but he can’t enter the
interior court. He governs, but doesn’t have the full authority of the King. In his priestly
role, he collects their gifts and uses them to maintain the temple sacrifices and he leads
in the celebration of Passover.
Vision of the land 47-48
River from the temple (47:1-12)
Ezekiel describes the life giving river that will flow from the temple. Fruit trees of all
kinds will grow along each side of it, bearing fruit on a monthly basis and bringing
healing by their leaves. When it comes to the Dead Sea, the river will produce life there
also. The sea that is now six times saltier than the ocean will become fresh water–truly
a work of God. This lifeless body of water now will then support life. Fisherman will
crowd its shores to collect its harvest of fish. This river will serve as a visible reminder of
God’s blessing.
Borders of the land 47:13-23
This will be an enlarged Canaan. This will be the ultimate fulfillment of God’s promise
to Abraham that his descendants would possess the land of Palestine. When Israel
possesses the land, they will do so because God keeps His promises– “You are to
divide it equally among them. Because I swore with uplifted hand to give it to your
forefathers, this land will become your inheritance” (47:14).
Divisions of the land (48:1-29)
Ezekiel describes the portions of land that will be distributed to each tribe, seven tribes
to the north and five to the south. The central part of the land will include the city and
the land allotted to the priests, the Levites, and the prince.
Gates of the city (48:30-35a)
The city will have three gates on each side; named for the 12 tribes of Israel. The book
of Ezekiel has come full circle. The city which was doomed to destruction and was in
fact destroyed is now restored to glory.
Description of the city (48:35b)
A new name will be placed on the city: “The LORD is there.”
Main Characteristic of the Millennium: The LORD is present!
What was missing in the rest of the book after the departure of God’s glory from the
temple is now present.
The result of the events in the climax of Israel’s story is the key theme of the book:
“They shall know that I am the LORD!”
Israel will know Who God is. His name will be exalted among the nations and never
again defiled. He will receive all the glory.
Implications for our lives today:
God is holy and requires that His worshipers be holy.
The same God who sent judgment will one day bring about a glorious restoration. We
need to be careful not to so focus on one attribute of God that we forget or ignore
another. God is just and will judge His people and God is gracious and will restore His
people. God sometimes deals with His people today as He did with Israel in the past.
When we fail to remember who He is and fail to trust Him, when we disobey His Word,
He disciplines us and allows us to experience the consequences of what we have done.
When we trust Him and obey His Word, He delights in bringing blessing.
We must not lose sight of the greatness and glory of God.
Summary of Ezekiel:
The book began with the revelation of God’s glory. This revelation helps Ezekiel keep
perspective (1).
Then we learned from Ezekiel’s example of what the character of God’s messenger
should be. Ezekiel is a man ready to obey God no matter how difficult it might be for
him to do what God asks (2-3).
Rebellion and idolatry amongst God’s people provoked Him to jealousy. The God of
glory couldn’t tolerate such abominations. God’s glory left and allowed His people to
suffer the consequences of sin. God sent general announcements of judgment to warn
people to repent (4-19). Following these general announcements, Ezekiel presents a
series of specific predictions concerning coming judgment (20-24). What was the
purpose of these judgments? To teach them Who God is! They failed to honor God
before the pagan people around them. God glorifies Himself, before Israel and nations,
to teach Who He is.
The judgments not only affected Israel, but also the neighboring nations, who never
recognized God. They made fun of His people and looked down on their God. Their
interest was to exploit Israel’s weakness for their own gain. God teaches them He is
God. There are no other gods like Him (25-32).
God demonstrated His faithfulness to promises–of blessing for obedience and cursing
for disobedience.
The turning point of the book, the fall of Jerusalem, raised a new question: Was
everything lost? Captives in Babylonia thought so! Pagan nations thought so too!
After all the destruction, God affirms: “I will open your graves and will bring you up from
the grave and will bring you back into your land!” God wasn’t done with them. Israel
took its punishment and then learned about God through restoration.
God would demonstrate before all nations what He is like. He would gather His people
from all nations where they were scattered. He would judge nations that mistreated
them and made fun of their God. Then He would give them a new heart, to follow His
commands (33-39).
After the preparation, God gives them back their inheritance in the land. He constructs
a new temple. The glory of God comes back to His temple to live among them (40-48).
Ezekiel begins in God’s presence; watches the glory depart; and ends with His
presence in the land again. The result of all that takes place: “they will know that I am
the Lord.”
Israel’s problems occurred because they lose sight of God’s glory. We are capable of the same.
Our concept of God that He is our friend can, if we are not careful, predispose us to
ignore the implications of the glory of God to our lives! God is more than just a friend.
He is Almighty God! He is glorious! He is Holy! He is Creator of the universe. He
deserves awe, respect, and worship. He deserves worshipers who are concerned
about being holy as He is holy. If we lose sight of the greatness and glory of God, He
may have to teach us who He is, just as He did with Israel. Let us learn our lesson from
Ezekiel: He is the LORD. Let us respond in worship to Him exalting and praising Him
for all He is and all He has done.
Open the eyes of our hearts LORD. Open the eyes of our hearts. We want to see you. To see You high and lifted up, shining in the light of your glory. Pour out Your pow’r and love, as we sing holy, holy, holy. (Paul Baloche, Open The Eyes Of My Heart).