The Wedding Feast

[AdHoc]

55 minutes ago, George said:

The question of "outer darkness" is puzzling ... while I can clearly see how it works with damnation in some passages, in others, it appears it could be something different!  

So that's what I'm pondering ... 

Perhaps a little known room will shed some light - or darkness.

As I have said before, both the Church and Israel are not destroyed by God when they fail. God's People are dealt with to achieve the councils of God. Ezekiel's Temple, which many scholars judge to be the Millennial Temple, has an unexplained room attached hard to the building. It is found in Ezekiel 41:12, 13, 14, 15, 42;1, 10, 13: "Now the building that was before the separate place at the end toward the west"

This room was so close to the Holy of Holies, but separated by a thick wall. It had no windows, so it was pitch dark - in stark contrast to the "Light" dwelling in the Holy of Holies. It was attached to the West wall of the Temple, indicating that it was on God's side. It is called "the Gizrah". Its purpose is a store room for all the furniture and implements of the Temple WHICH HAVE BEEN DAMAGED OR CORRUPTED. The are to wait there until they have been ground and polished back to being fit to serve in the Temple. You can see that meaning in Lamentations 4:7:

"than milk, they were more ruddy in body than rubies, their polishing was of sapphire:"

If say, one of the candlestick's snuffers fell and got a scratch and a dent, it would be moved to the Gizrah and have to wait there until it was beaten and polished to perfection. This would take some time and would entail some physical violence.

Is this not a picture of Outer Darkness? The implement belongs in the House of God. It has been dedicated by blood. It suddenly loses it luster and is made unfit for the Temple, House of the Living God. But it is not cast out into the Valley of Hinnom (Gehenna), the valley on te South side of Jerusalem where fires burned day and night to consume the trash of the city. Here is an artists impression by Bible Knowledge Dictionary.

[George]

@AdHoc  I considered that idea, but it would seem that it may simply be a room for broken objects.  It seems too small for so many people who are simply "saved".

I do wonder, however, if its similar to the idea of the levitical priests who are not allowed to minister directly to the Lord.  They are on the "outside" looking in.  If you read carefully, Shabbat is unique in the sense that this is the only day that "outsiders" will be able to view the King sitting in His glory!

Eze 46:1  So says the Lord Jehovah: The gate of the inner court that faces eastward shall be shut the six working days. But on the Sabbath it shall be opened, and in the day of the new moon it shall be opened. 

Eze 46:2  And the ruler shall enter by the way of the porch of that gate outside, and shall stand by the gatepost. And the priests shall prepare his burnt offering and his peace offerings, and he shall worship at the threshold of the gate. And he shall go out, but the gate shall not be shut until the evening. 

Eze 46:3  And the people of the land shall worship at the door of that gate before Jehovah on the sabbaths and in the new moons. 

I'm still working this out in my mind ...

[George]

I've also debated three types of believers as in comparison to the Temple.

Outer Court ... the brazen altar, and the laver to cleanse -- the sacrifice is accepted and the word purifies ... those who simply believe the gospel.

Inner Court ... burning of incense (prayer of the saints), table of shewbread (eating the Word), and the lamp that is burning ... the maturing saint ... one that is seeking more in deepness in prayer, eating the Word and desiring to be a light to the World.

Holy of Holies ... those who fully matured and are seeking to live in perfect fellowship with the Father through His Son!  In the Holy of Holies, held the Ark of the Covenant ... which held Aarons' Rod that budded, the Ten Commandments, and the Golden Pot of Manna.  

Aaron's rod that budded, if you read the story closely, it was during a rebellion and those who fought against God's priesthood, all took a rod and it was Aaron's rod that budded.  It's a dead stick, and rose to living item.  So could this be similar to those who have been born again, and living as they have been called, living life and living life abundantly as a priest in the midst of opposition?

The Ten Commandments ... the idea of living a life obedient to His Word!

Finally, not just eating "bread" as the table of showbread, but seeking the deeper manna ... the hidden manna ... the desire to seek the hidden riches of His Word ... being fed literally "angels' food!"

I've debated this thought process in my mind ... is there something more ... something deeper ... 

[AdHoc]

34 minutes ago, George said:

@AdHoc  I considered that idea, but it would seem that it may simply be a room for broken objects.  It seems too small for so many people who are simply "saved".

I do wonder, however, if its similar to the idea of the levitical priests who are not allowed to minister directly to the Lord.  They are on the "outside" looking in.  If you read carefully, Shabbat is unique in the sense that this is the only day that "outsiders" will be able to view the King sitting in His glory!

Eze 46:1  So says the Lord Jehovah: The gate of the inner court that faces eastward shall be shut the six working days. But on the Sabbath it shall be opened, and in the day of the new moon it shall be opened. 

Eze 46:2  And the ruler shall enter by the way of the porch of that gate outside, and shall stand by the gatepost. And the priests shall prepare his burnt offering and his peace offerings, and he shall worship at the threshold of the gate. And he shall go out, but the gate shall not be shut until the evening. 

Eze 46:3  And the people of the land shall worship at the door of that gate before Jehovah on the sabbaths and in the new moons. 

I'm still working this out in my mind ...

I think that, like everything in the Tabernacle, the Gizrah is a Type.  It shows a principle, not the actual thing. But, of course, there is not much evidence, so if anybody doesn't agree I understand.

As to the "ruler", you're not the only one a bit mystified. I have read some good commentaries but never been satisfied. Jeremiah 30:9 gives David as immediate subordinate of Emmanuel -Jesus. But David is not a Levite, so the apparent duties reserved fro a Levite would make David illegal. On the other hand, David will be in his resurrection body and will not need any offering. But then again, the burnt Offering is not the same as the Sin- or Trespass Offering.

Mysterious ...

[George]

4 minutes ago, AdHoc said:

As to the "ruler", you're not the only one a bit mystified. I have read some good commentaries but never been satisfied. Jeremiah 30:9 gives David as immediate subordinate of Emmanuel -Jesus. But David is not a Levite, so the apparent duties reserved fro a Levite would make David illegal. On the other hand, David will be in his resurrection body and will not need any offering. But then again, the burnt Offering is not the same as the Sin- or Trespass Offering.

Actually I believe this is easily answered in Scripture ... I look for nuances in the Word ...

Eze 37:24  And David my servant shall be king over them; and they all shall have one shepherd: they shall also walk in my judgments, and observe my statutes, and do them. 

[Servant King is a picture of Jesus Himself as King over all the nations]

Eze 37:25  And they shall dwell in the land that I have given unto Jacob my servant, wherein your fathers have dwelt; and they shall dwell therein, even they, and their children, and their children's children for ever: and my servant David shall be their prince for ever.

[ Resurrected David as Prince and King over the Jewish people ]

Eze 37:26  Moreover I will make a covenant of peace with them; it shall be an everlasting covenant with them: and I will place them, and multiply them, and will set my sanctuary in the midst of them for evermore. 

Eze 37:27  My tabernacle also shall be with them: yea, I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 

Eze 37:28  And the heathen shall know that I the LORD do sanctify Israel, when my sanctuary shall be in the midst of them for evermore. 

So I'm looking at this as a two-fold prophecy, the King sitting on His throne is Jesus, however, the Prince is David Himself as He offers up worship to the King on His Throne.

I think that's the way it fits together nicely.

[George]

In regard to the Temple analogy ... I think of it this way ... God reveals Himself TO someone ... God reveals Himself IN someone ... and the final stage is God reveals Himself THROUGH someone! 

The idea of the maturing saint ... 

 

[George]

15 minutes ago, AdHoc said:

On the other hand, David will be in his resurrection body and will not need any offering. But then again, the burnt Offering is not the same as the Sin- or Trespass Offering.

The offerings I believe are so that mankind can visit the holiness of God ... the sacrifices were for the Temple ... not the person per say, and it was so they could stand in the presence of a Holy God!  I wrote about this on a different thread ...

 

[AdHoc]

5 minutes ago, George said:

Actually I believe this is easily answered in Scripture ... I look for nuances in the Word ...

Eze 37:24  And David my servant shall be king over them; and they all shall have one shepherd: they shall also walk in my judgments, and observe my statutes, and do them. 

[Servant King is a picture of Jesus Himself as King over all the nations]

Eze 37:25  And they shall dwell in the land that I have given unto Jacob my servant, wherein your fathers have dwelt; and they shall dwell therein, even they, and their children, and their children's children for ever: and my servant David shall be their prince for ever.

[ Resurrected David as Prince and King over the Jewish people ]

Eze 37:26  Moreover I will make a covenant of peace with them; it shall be an everlasting covenant with them: and I will place them, and multiply them, and will set my sanctuary in the midst of them for evermore. 

Eze 37:27  My tabernacle also shall be with them: yea, I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 

Eze 37:28  And the heathen shall know that I the LORD do sanctify Israel, when my sanctuary shall be in the midst of them for evermore. 

So I'm looking at this as a two-fold prophecy, the King sitting on His throne is Jesus, however, the Prince is David Himself as He offers up worship to the King on His Throne.

I think that's the way it fits together nicely.

I'll go for that. But David wrote profusely about Messiah in the Psalms. He must be a believer. He would not need a Burnt Offering.

However, Israel in the Millennium is a special case. You have David ruling (a Christians) and under him the 12 Apostles, each over a Tribe. And they are Christians. This is a special circumstance. Men who have had the Law nailed to Christ's cross administering Israel who have the New Covenant of Law. I think that it is alluded to in 2nd Corinthians Chapter 3.

[George]

Just now, AdHoc said:

I'll go for that. But David wrote profusely about Messiah in the Psalms. He must be a believer. He would not need a Burnt Offering.

Which verse are you referring ... just so I can look it up.

[AdHoc]

5 minutes ago, George said:

The offerings I believe are so that mankind can visit the holiness of God ... the sacrifices were for the Temple ... not the person per say, and it was so they could stand in the presence of a Holy God!  I wrote about this on a different thread ...

 

Bingo!

13 For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh:

The Nations that must visit at Tabernacles will still be in the flesh. And so will Israelites who survived the Great Tribulation. They do not have their sins put away by animal sacrifices, but they are purified for audience with Christ.

I'm tired and will turn in soon, so I'll read your paper tomorrow. Thanks George.