The Third Temple

[Bible2]

mevosper said in post 23:

 

I'm of the belief that the third temple, Christ being the corner stone, is not a physical temple, but is the body of Christ.

 

While the church as a whole is indeed a figurative temple building (Ephesians 2:21), note that it isn't the only temple of God. For it coexisted with the literal, 2nd temple building which was in Jerusalem in the 1st century AD (Luke 24:53, Acts 2:46, Acts 22:17), just as the church coexisted, and still coexists today, with the literal temple building in heaven (Revelation 11:19), and with the temple of Jesus' individual human body (John 2:21), and with the temple of every Christian's individual human body (1 Corinthians 6:19). And if the church-as-a-whole temple can currently coexist with all of these other temples of God, it will be able to coexist with the future, 3rd-earthly-literal temple building which Revelation 11:1-2, Matthew 24:15, Daniel 11:31,36, and 2 Thessalonians 2:4 show will exist in Jerusalem during the future tribulation of Revelation chapters 6 to 18 and Matthew 24. This 3rd temple building will be accepted by God as a valid temple, just as the 2nd temple building was accepted by God as a valid temple, even at the time of Jesus' first coming (Matthew 23:21), and even at the time of the early church (Luke 24:53, Acts 2:46, Acts 22:17).

 

For the ultra-Orthodox Jews will build the 3rd temple, and they will offer animal sacrifices in front of it, under the auspices of the Old Covenant Mosaic law, which remains holy before God (Romans 7:12). That is why God still keeps an ark of the Old Covenant Mosaic law in his temple building in heaven (Revelation 11:19), and why it was possible for the apostle Paul one time to involve himself with the 2nd temple's Old Covenant Mosaic law practices without him committing sin (Acts 21:20-26; 1 Corinthians 9:20). This isn't to say that the Jesus-denying motives of the ultra-Orthodox Jews will be holy before God, but that the Old-Covenant-Mosaic-law 3rd temple in itself and its animal sacrifices in themselves will be holy before God, because the Old Covenant Mosaic law in itself remains holy before God (Romans 7:12), even though its letter is no longer meant to be practiced by people (Romans 7:6), because the New Covenant has been inaugurated by Jesus and his once-for-all-time sacrifice on the Cross for our sins (Hebrews 10:1-23, Matthew 26:28).

 

mevosper said in post 23:

 

Ezekiel's temple, more than not, describes the saving power of Christ's redemptive work on the cross.

 

Ezekiel chapters 40 to 48 could have been a conditional vision which Israel had to fulfill literally while it was still in Old Testament/Old Covenant times (Ezekiel 43:11). For the vision refers to literal animal sacrifices for sin (e.g. Ezekiel 43:21-22), which were abolished by Jesus on the Cross, along with all the rest of the letter of the Old Covenant Mosaic law (Ephesians 2:15-16, Colossians 2:14-17, Hebrews 7:18-19, Romans 7:6; 2 Corinthians 3:6-18). Jesus' New Covenant sacrifice for sin (Matthew 26:28) completely and forever replaced all the Old Covenant animal sacrifices for sin (Hebrews 10:1-23).

 

Nonetheless, when Jesus returns and begins his millennial reign on the earth (Revelation 20:4-6, Zechariah 14:3-21), he will still build a literal, New Covenant, 4th temple building in Jerusalem; and literal New Covenant animal sacrifices will be offered in front of that temple (Zechariah 14:20-21, Zechariah 6:12-13). Instead of these sacrifices being for sin, they could be for thanksgiving (cf. Leviticus 22:29). Jesus could build that temple, and it could be operated according to the description in Ezekiel chapters 40 to 48, but leaving out the parts about animal sacrifices for sin. Another possibility is that New Covenant animal sacrifices for sin will be made, but only as a remembrance of Jesus' New Covenant sacrifice on the Cross for our sins (Matthew 26:28), like how communion is currently partaken of in remembrance of Jesus' sacrifice (Luke 22:19). The current practice of communion could cease at Jesus' return (1 Corinthians 11:26).

 

Also, after the millennium and subsequent events (Revelation 20:7-15), when the literal city of New Jerusalem will land on the new earth (Revelation 21:1-3), there will no longer be any temple building (Revelation 21:22).

 

--

 

If Ezekiel chapters 40 to 48 are a prophecy of future events, and weren't only a conditional vision which now will never be fulfilled, the sabbath and feasts (e.g. Ezekiel 46:4,9) won't be those of the letter of the Old Covenant Mosaic law, but a better version of them, under the New Covenant. For on Jesus' Cross, for both Jews and Gentiles (John 11:51-52), of all times, the letter of the Old Covenant Mosaic law was abolished (Ephesians 2:15-16, Colossians 2:14-17; 2 Corinthians 3:6-18), disannulled (Hebrews 7:18), rendered obsolete (Hebrews 8:13, Galatians 3:2-25, Galatians 4:21 to 5:8), taken away and replaced (Hebrews 10:9) by the better hope (Hebrews 7:19), the better covenant (Hebrews 7:22, Hebrews 8:6-12), the 2nd covenant (Hebrews 8:7, Hebrews 10:9), of Jesus' New Covenant law (Galatians 6:2, John 1:17, Matthew 26:28, Hebrews 12:24, Hebrews 9:15), so that the law was changed (Hebrews 7:12).

 

The rules in Ezekiel chapters 40 to 48 are different in detail from the letter of the Old Covenant Mosaic law. For example, note all the differences in the details of the passover animal sacrifice requirements of Ezekiel 45:21-25 and those of Numbers 28:16-24.

[BlindSeeker]

Here is an interesting study by Pastor Carl Gallups, "Red Heifers and a 3rd Temple?"

 

He provides a very thorough and convincing word study, both OT and NT on various words used for referencing literal and metaphoric temples, i.e. The Tempe vrs our bodies as temples.

 

"...Following, I have provided a quick WORD STUDY concerning the subject of the antichrist "setting himself up in the temple" and whether or not this "temple" is a literal rebuilt temple in Jerusalem - or, perhaps, a metaphor for the "temple mount" or perhaps even the "church" (corrupted) in the last days. 

 

I am not dogmatic about this subject either way. I am just taking an honest look at the two biblically allowed possibilities. There certainly could be a literal rebuilt temple in the last days before the return of Christ and occupied by the antichrist. Alternatively, there is ample BIBLICAL evidence to support a metaphorical "temple" and not a literal rebuilt temple."

[mevosper]

Bible2 - My response was actually addressed to Tigger, the author of the original post. But since you have offered your opinion, I feel obligated to respond.

 

Ezekiel's Temple description is shared with John's vision of why there is no temple in the New Jerusalem. See in Revelation 22 where the river proceeds from the throne of God? This is the same river that proceeds from Ezekiel's temple in chapter 47: 

 

Eze 47:1-2 KJV - [1] Afterward he brought me again unto the door of the house; and, behold, waters issued out from under the threshold of the house eastward: for the forefront of the house stood toward the east, and the waters came down from under from the right side of the house, at the south side of the altar. [2] Then brought he me out of the way of the gate northward, and led me about the way without unto the utter gate by the way that looketh eastward; and, behold, there ran out waters on the right side.

 

Rev 22:1-2 KJV - [1] And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. [2] In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.

 

How do I know this is the same temple and river? Looking further into Ezekiel's river, it gets wider and deeper until Ezekiel is unable to cross it (Ez 47:5). Ezekiel continues to describe this river as a healing river. It heals the many waters. (Ez 47:9). Revelation's river is for the healing of nations, meaning it has the saving grace that Christ's work on the cross provided. These are the same river. 

 

Think about this for a moment, also.

1. Where are these waters coming from?
   1. Ezekiel:from under the threshold of the house.
   2. Revelation: out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.
2. Where is the throne of God?
   1. ​It is the ark of the covenant, between the 2 cherubims:
      1. ​​Exodus 25:22 KJV - [22] And there I will meet with thee, and I will commune with thee from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubims which are upon the ark of the testimony, of all things which I will give thee in commandment unto the children of Israel.
      2. ​The throne of God, where he would meet with Moses, was in the temple, between the Cherubim, in the Holy of Holies in the temple. 

 The flowing of this river is the living water that Christ talks about with the woman at the well:

Jhn 4:14 KJV - But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.

 

Same healing waters, same healing rivers, same temple.  

Edited August 9, 2015 by mevosper

[Bible2]

mevosper said in post 26:

 

Ezekiel's Temple description is shared with John's vision of why there is no temple in the New Jerusalem.

 

Since there is no temple building in New Jerusalem (Revelation 21:22), Ezekiel chapters 40 to 48 can't refer to New Jerusalem. For Ezekiel 40:5 through Ezekiel 42:20 give a highly-detailed blueprint for a literal temple building. And the ordinances regarding its altar, animal sacrifices, and priests, are given in great detail from Ezekiel 43:12 through Ezekiel 44:31, and from Ezekiel 45:13 through Ezekiel 46:24.

 

Also, Ezekiel chapters 40 to 48 refer to a future, literal, earthly temple building, just as Ezekiel 45:1-8, and Ezekiel 47:13 through Ezekiel 48:35, refer to how the literal, earthly land of Israel will be apportioned for this temple, its priests, a secular city, and the prince and tribes of Israel.

 

mevosper said in post 26:

 

Eze 47:1-2 KJV - [1] Afterward he brought me again unto the door of the house; and, behold, waters issued out from under the threshold of the house eastward: for the forefront of the house stood toward the east, and the waters came down from under from the right side of the house, at the south side of the altar. [2] Then brought he me out of the way of the gate northward, and led me about the way without unto the utter gate by the way that looketh eastward; and, behold, there ran out waters on the right side.

 

Note that the waters in Ezekiel 47 will be literal waters, which will reach literal locations on the earth, such as Engedi and Eneglaim (Ezekiel 47:10), to the east of the literal, earthly Jerusalem.

 

mevosper said in post 26:

 

Rev 22:1-2 KJV - [1] And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. [2] In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.

 

The water in Revelation 22:1 which flows from God's throne in the literal, heavenly city of New Jerusalem (Revelation 21:10 to 22:5), like the water in Zechariah 14:8 can be both literal and at the same time symbolic of the life-giving properties of the Holy Spirit (John 7:38-39), just as, for example, the fruitless fig tree which Jesus cursed was a literal tree which at the same time symbolized fruitless, unbelieving, Old Covenant Israel (Matthew 21:19,43).

 

Zechariah 14:8 refers to a literal, future river which will flow during the millennium from the literal, earthly Jerusalem in 2 directions, into the Mediterranean and the Dead Sea (Zechariah 14:8-21), which are to the west and east of Jerusalem. For in Zechariah 14:8, the original Hebrew word (chay: H2416) translated as "living" can be translated, with regard to literal, flowing water, simply as "springing" (Genesis 26:19) or "running" (Leviticus 14:5, Leviticus 14:6b, Leviticus 14:50, Leviticus 14:51b, Leviticus 14:52, Leviticus 15:13b, Numbers 19:17b).

[Bible2]

mevosper said in post 28 (a post that was lost):

 

Ezekiel 47:12 goes on to talk about the trees growing on the bank of the river.

 

Eze 47:12 KJV - [12] And by the river upon the bank thereof, on this side and on that side, shall grow all trees for meat, whose leaf shall not fade, neither shall the fruit thereof be consumed: it shall bring forth new fruit according to his months, because their waters they issued out of the sanctuary: and the fruit thereof shall be for meat, and the leaf thereof for medicine.

 

Compare this to Revelation 22:2

 

Rev 22:2 KJV - [2] In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.

 

Ezekiel 47:12 and Revelation 22:2 refer to 2 different places with similar trees. For Ezekiel 47:12 refers to a place on the earth during a future time, and Revelation 22:2 refers to a place in heaven now and in the future. Ezekiel 47:12 and Revelation 22:2 can't be referring to the same place, because Ezekiel 47:12 refers to a temple building out of which the water flows, while Revelation 22:2 refers to a place without any temple building (Revelation 21:22).

 

The context of Ezekiel 47:12 is the literal, earthly land of Israel, which includes places like Engedi and Eneglaim (Ezekiel 47:10), and places like Hethlon and Zedad (Ezekiel 47:15), and places like "Hamath, Berothah, Sibraim, which is between the border of Damascus and the border of Hamath; Hazarhatticon, which is by the coast of Hauran" (Ezekiel 47:16). Etc.

 

So there is no reason to spiritualize-away the wonderful, literal, earthly, future prophesied by Ezekiel chapters 40 to 48.

 

mevosper said in post 28 (a post that was lost):

 

The eternal life is not of the flesh, but of the spirit.

 

Believers need to be careful not to be deceived by the Gnostic/antichrist lie that Christ isn't in the flesh (2 John 1:7), and that believers won't forever be in the flesh. For the Bible shows that on the 3rd day after his death (Luke 24:46; 1 Corinthians 15:3-4), Jesus Christ wasn't resurrected as a disembodied spirit, but in his human, flesh and bones body (Luke 24:39, Hebrews 2:17). That is why his tomb is empty (Matthew 28:6), and why he still has the wounds of the crucifixion on his resurrection body (John 20:25-29). And Luke 24:39 didn't stop being true once Jesus ascended into heaven. For he will remain forever the human mediator/high priest of believers (1 Timothy 2:5, Hebrews 7:24-26), in human flesh, just like they are in human flesh (Hebrews 2:17). And when he returns, he will still have the wounds of the crucifixion on his resurrection body (Zechariah 13:6, Zechariah 12:10-14).

 

Gnosticism mistakenly thinks flesh is evil in itself, and that only pure spirit can be good. But Jesus proves that flesh isn't evil in itself, for he has been made flesh (John 1:1,14, Romans 1:3, Luke 24:39), and remains wholly without sin (Hebrews 4:15). Genesis also proves that flesh isn't evil in itself, but was created by God as something very good (Genesis 1:31). Adam and Eve were flesh, for they were the progenitors of the human race alive today. And they were immortal before they fell into sin, for it was only their falling into sin which made them become mortal (Genesis 2:17). So Adam and Eve started out as immortal flesh. And so the future resurrection (if dead) or changing (if alive) of saved people into immortal flesh bodies like Jesus has (1 Corinthians 15:21-23,51-53, Philippians 3:21, Luke 24:39, Romans 8:23-25) will be God allowing them to partake of the original, immortal-flesh condition of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden before their fall into sin.

 

Also, beware the more-general Gnostic lie that even the entire physical universe is evil in itself, and that only a purely-spiritual heaven can be good. For this lie is employed by Gnosticism to wrongly revile the Creator God YHWH as an evil, tyrant, lesser god, whom Gnosticism says created the physical universe to be the foul prison house of human spirits, whom Gnosticism says by some mistake fell from bliss in a purely-spiritual heaven down into the physical universe, to become trapped in suffering, fleshly bodies. No doubt the coming Antichrist will employ this lie as part of his utter reviling of YHWH (Revelation 13:6, Daniel 11:36). But Genesis shows that our physical world was created by YHWH as something very good (Genesis 1:31).

 

And the Bible shows that the whole plan of Creation wasn't that humans, who are both flesh and spirit (1 Thessalonians 5:23, Luke 24:39), would become purely-spiritual ghosts and float forever on clouds in a purely-spiritual heaven with God, but that God would become both flesh and spirit like man (John 1:1,14), and that God would ultimately come down from heaven to live with man on a future, new earth (Revelation 21:1-4), just as God had walked on the earth in the Garden of Eden with Adam and Eve (Genesis 3:8). Also, on the new earth, saved humanity will be allowed to eat from the tree of life (Revelation 2:7, Revelation 22:2,14), just as Adam and Eve hadn't been forbidden to eat from it in their unfallen state (Genesis 2:9,16,17). So, with regard to saved people, God will completely undo the effect of the fall of Adam and Eve. Saved people will be able to live in an earthly, physical paradise forever with God (Revelation 2:7), just as Adam and Eve and their descendants might have done had not Adam and Eve fallen into sin.

 

So beware the Gnostic lie. Beware the Antichrist.

[BlindSeeker]

There are two main reasons why many people believe a third temple will be built again. One reason would be because of Ezekiel’s Temple which many believers holding to the popular theology insist must be a “Third Temple.” Many of these believers confidently state that there has been no temple ever built with its descriptive size. However Commentator Adam Clarke writes, “This is the measurement of the sanctuary, or holy of holies. This also was the exact measurement of Solomon’s Temple, see I Kings 6:20. This, and the other resemblances here, sufficiently prove that Ezekiel’s temple and that of Solomon were on the same plan; and that the latter temple was intended to be an exact resemblance of the former.”

Likewise, the commentary of Jamieson - Fausset - Brown and that of Patrick - Lowth - Whitby - Lowman, both acknowledge the dimensions of Ezekiel’s temple comparable with those of Solomon’s Temple which was destroyed fourteen years prior to Ezekiel’s vision. Regarding this issue of the temple’s size I cannot speak authoritatively. Nevertheless, much discord continues among believers who clearly have given exhaustive time endeavoring to substantiate their positions on whether Ezekiel’s temple was intended to be literally rebuilt or if it was intended to spiritually represent the Body of Christ of which the believers are said to be its “lively stones.”

Ephesians 2:21 - In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: 22 In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit. 

I Peter 2:5 - Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.

Hebrews 3:6 - But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house [temple] are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.

Because Ezekiel speaks of animal sacrifices occurring in his temple, I fail to see how that could be acceptable to God in the present Christian Age; for scripture clearly reveals to us such sacrifices were but prophetic types and shadows of Christ’s sacrificial death pointing to that which was “to come.” To allow such sacrifices now would be to crucify Christ afresh and put Him to an open shame, which would be an abomination from the get-go.

Colossians 2:17 - Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.

Hebrew 10:1 - For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect. 2 For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins. 3 But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year. 4 For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins. 5 Wherefore when He cometh into the world, He saith, Sacrifice and offering Thou wouldest not, but a body hast Thou prepared Me: 6 In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin Thou hast had no pleasure.

Plus, in light of 1st Peter 2:5 mention earlier, it is evident that the believers are now that “holy priesthood… [who] offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.” Which would seem to be in disparity with Ezekiel’s reference to “the keepers of the charge of the altar: these are the sons of Zadok among the sons of Levi, which come near to the LORD to minister unto Him.” 

Thus when considering whether God would once again permit animal sacrifices to be reinstated and routinely offered as holy offerings unto Him, the concept to many believers seems to be a radical change of direction; a going backwards towards death and not forward towards life. Such a change would appear presently to only detract from the present glory that has been wonderfully revealed in the cross and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Hebrews 9:28 - So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for Him shall He appear the second time without sin unto salvation.

Hebrews 10:10 - By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

Christ was offered to bear the sins of many, once, and for all; that is for all sin, for all mankind, for all eternity. Providing atonement and redemption for all that would confess all their sins and repent by turning from all their wicked ways and calling upon the Lord in broken surrender and humility. But for those who refuse, the Lord is coming “To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him,” (Jude 1:15). This is the sure promise and judgment of the New Covenant; for scripture clearly states regarding the Old Covenant which was adjoined to the last temple with all its sacrifices, oblations and priests of men, "In that He saith, A new covenant He hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away." 

Still, there are still those who adamantly insist a third temple must be constructed, even if it is later in the millennium; though as already mentioned, that too disagrees with scripture.

Revelation 21:22 - And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it.

The second reason is because people believe an endtime antichrist figure must sit in a temple and claim to be god in order to fulfill what Paul wrote to the Thessalonians.

 

[mevosper]

 

 

mevosper said in post 28 (a post that was lost):

 

Ezekiel 47:12 goes on to talk about the trees growing on the bank of the river.

 

Eze 47:12 KJV - [12] And by the river upon the bank thereof, on this side and on that side, shall grow all trees for meat, whose leaf shall not fade, neither shall the fruit thereof be consumed: it shall bring forth new fruit according to his months, because their waters they issued out of the sanctuary: and the fruit thereof shall be for meat, and the leaf thereof for medicine.

 

Compare this to Revelation 22:2

 

Rev 22:2 KJV - [2] In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.

 

Ezekiel 47:12 and Revelation 22:2 refer to 2 different places with similar trees. For Ezekiel 47:12 refers to a place on the earth during a future time, and Revelation 22:2 refers to a place in heaven now and in the future. Ezekiel 47:12 and Revelation 22:2 can't be referring to the same place, because Ezekiel 47:12 refers to a temple building out of which the water flows, while Revelation 22:2 refers to a place without any temple building (Revelation 21:22).

 

The context of Ezekiel 47:12 is the literal, earthly land of Israel, which includes places like Engedi and Eneglaim (Ezekiel 47:10), and places like Hethlon and Zedad (Ezekiel 47:15), and places like "Hamath, Berothah, Sibraim, which is between the border of Damascus and the border of Hamath; Hazarhatticon, which is by the coast of Hauran" (Ezekiel 47:16). Etc.

 

So there is no reason to spiritualize-away the wonderful, literal, earthly, future prophesied by Ezekiel chapters 40 to 48.

 

 

 

mevosper said in post 28 (a post that was lost):

 

The eternal life is not of the flesh, but of the spirit.

 

Believers need to be careful not to be deceived by the Gnostic/antichrist lie that Christ isn't in the flesh (2 John 1:7), and that believers won't forever be in the flesh. For the Bible shows that on the 3rd day after his death (Luke 24:46; 1 Corinthians 15:3-4), Jesus Christ wasn't resurrected as a disembodied spirit, but in his human, flesh and bones body (Luke 24:39, Hebrews 2:17). That is why his tomb is empty (Matthew 28:6), and why he still has the wounds of the crucifixion on his resurrection body (John 20:25-29). 

Just in case it does need to be clarified, I do believe Christ was raised in the flesh. The Bible indicates that Christ was raised in the flesh and ascended into heaven in the flesh. 

I'm not into gnosticism.

 

[Retrobyter]

 

 

mevosper said in post 26:

 

Ezekiel's Temple description is shared with John's vision of why there is no temple in the New Jerusalem.

 

Since there is no temple building in New Jerusalem (Revelation 21:22), Ezekiel chapters 40 to 48 can't refer to New Jerusalem. For Ezekiel 40:5 through Ezekiel 42:20 give a highly-detailed blueprint for a literal temple building. And the ordinances regarding its altar, animal sacrifices, and priests, are given in great detail from Ezekiel 43:12 through Ezekiel 44:31, and from Ezekiel 45:13 through Ezekiel 46:24.

 

Also, Ezekiel chapters 40 to 48 refer to a future, literal, earthly temple building, just as Ezekiel 45:1-8, and Ezekiel 47:13 through Ezekiel 48:35, refer to how the literal, earthly land of Israel will be apportioned for this temple, its priests, a secular city, and the prince and tribes of Israel.

 

 

 

mevosper said in post 26:

 

Eze 47:1-2 KJV - [1] Afterward he brought me again unto the door of the house; and, behold, waters issued out from under the threshold of the house eastward: for the forefront of the house stood toward the east, and the waters came down from under from the right side of the house, at the south side of the altar. [2] Then brought he me out of the way of the gate northward, and led me about the way without unto the utter gate by the way that looketh eastward; and, behold, there ran out waters on the right side.

 

Note that the waters in Ezekiel 47 will be literal waters, which will reach literal locations on the earth, such as Engedi and Eneglaim (Ezekiel 47:10), to the east of the literal, earthly Jerusalem.

 

 

 

mevosper said in post 26:

 

Rev 22:1-2 KJV - [1] And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. [2] In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.

 

The water in Revelation 22:1 which flows from God's throne in the literal, heavenly city of New Jerusalem (Revelation 21:10 to 22:5), like the water in Zechariah 14:8 can be both literal and at the same time symbolic of the life-giving properties of the Holy Spirit (John 7:38-39), just as, for example, the fruitless fig tree which Jesus cursed was a literal tree which at the same time symbolized fruitless, unbelieving, Old Covenant Israel (Matthew 21:19,43).

 

Zechariah 14:8 refers to a literal, future river which will flow during the millennium from the literal, earthly Jerusalem in 2 directions, into the Mediterranean and the Dead Sea (Zechariah 14:8-21), which are to the west and east of Jerusalem. For in Zechariah 14:8, the original Hebrew word (chay: H2416) translated as "living" can be translated, with regard to literal, flowing water, simply as "springing" (Genesis 26:19) or "running" (Leviticus 14:5, Leviticus 14:6b, Leviticus 14:50, Leviticus 14:51b, Leviticus 14:52, Leviticus 15:13b, Numbers 19:17b).

Shalom, Bible2.

Just drop the figurative, "symbolic" nonsense. You’re right; the “water of life,” that is, the “living water” that will be in the river of the New Jerusalem, is "MOVING water.” It’s water that is not stagnant! Therefore, it is constantly being aerated and oxygenated. It is also water that flows throughout the city and then out the gates of the city to provide water to all the New Earth. This water will be potable water - pure, clean, drinkable water - flowing down the median of the street. It doesn’t have to “represent” ANYTHING! It splits to the 12 gates and goes out of the New Jerusalem, 3 rivers in each of the 4 compass directions, to water the surface of the earth.

Similarly, the water in Zechariah is also “MOVING water.” It will be where life is soon discovered on its banks and in its depths. There will be fish again in the Dead Sea (except in the Salt Marshes)! There will be trees growing in abundance along the banks of this new river! And, wild animals will live within these woods. Fishermen will fish all along this river.

I had a very wise teacher in high school who taught our Bible curriculum and later became our pastor. He gave us a very simple outline of the Bible:

I. What ought to be - Genesis 1 & 2

II. What is - Genesis 3

III. How to get from what is to what ought to be - Genesis 4 through Revelation 22

It might seem a bit too simplistic to the casual observer, but it explains much that we see in Revelation 21 and 22! What we are seeing in these last two chapters is the REBUILDING of the original Creation! Just as in Genesis 1 and 2 there was no curse as yet (since the curse didn’t come into effect until the Fall in Genesis 3), there will be no more curse in the New Earth! Just as there was peace and harmony among the animals and mankind before the Fall (and the Flood), there shall be animals that are no longer carnivores dwelling together with animals that have always been herbivores. And, just as there was a river that came out of Eden and was parted into four heads (or the headwaters of four different rivers), there shall be TWELVE rivers that extend from the one river of the city, three rivers in each of the four compass directions! I would imagine that each of the rivers will be named for the particular gate from which it flows.

[JohnD]

Ezekiel 43:8 suggests only a wall will separate the holy from the unholy, that the Temple may be built up on Temple Mount beside at least one mosque there. Tuvia Sagiv suggests to the south of the Dome of the Rock and Asher Kaufman to the north of the Dome. I lean towards Kaufman since as can clearly be seen the Temple would line up with the Eastern Gate. I am very rusty on this but I believe it was Josephus who wrote that one could see from the Mount of Olives through the Eastern Gate into the Temple itself when the doors were open. 

 

[mevosper]

 

Ezekiel 43:8 suggests only a wall will separate the holy from the unholy, that the Temple may be built up on Temple Mount beside at least one mosque there. Tuvia Sagiv suggests to the south of the Dome of the Rock and Asher Kaufman to the north of the Dome. I lean towards Kaufman since as can clearly be seen the Temple would line up with the Eastern Gate. I am very rusty on this but I believe it was Josephus who wrote that one could see from the Mount of Olives through the Eastern Gate into the Temple itself when the doors were open. 

 

If one reads through and maps out Ezekiel 40-48, it will be discovered that the sanctuary is not within the city walls, but more towards the north/north east (by quite a lot).