Temple of Ezekiel 40-48

[Crusader4Christ]

Thank you George. Such informative posts.

[Dad Ernie]

Greetings all,

The following is actually about 3 pages long, rather lengthy for a post, but I thought it worth while to post it. It offers one of many alternate views of Ezekiel 40-48. Please excuse any of my typos. Since I am not completely settled on this subject, I'm afraid I won't be able to offer much help if you have questions.

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From the tome: "A Systematic Theology of the Christian Religion by J. Oliver Buswell, Copyright 1962 by Zondervan, Vol II, Pgs. 535-538

F. Thoughts on Ezekiel 40-48

1. Two Kinds of Material

That the last nine chapters of Ezekiel hold forth a glorious picture of perfection, interspersed with much admonition of Ezekiel's contemporaries, is quite clear. The two kinds of material, horatory and predictive, are sometimes clearly distinguishable and at other times not distinguishable with complete certainty. The vision of a perfect state of worship and fellowship with the Lord, expressed in terms of a greatly magnified and glorified form of the Levitical ritual, is quite certainly eschatological. The description does not fit anything which ever took place or ever was built in Palestine, and the dimensions are quite impossible for Palestinian geography. From these chapters of Ezekiel John quotes extensively, and to them he alludes frequently in his description of the new heavens and the new earth and the new Jerusalem in revelation 21 and 22.

The horatory and didactic material, with which the predictive descriptions of perfected and magnified Levitical worship are interspersed, seems to be addressed directly to Ezekiel's contemporaries who are hoping and expecting to return to their own land and to rebuild their city and their temple. That some of Ezekiel's exhortations were not heeded when the people returned to their land does not indicate that these exhortations were not so intended. Some of Moses' direct commands relative to the worship of the Lord when the people should occupy the promised land were never carried out. It is, therefore, not strange that Ezekiel's exhortations were not fully heeded wen the people returned from the Babylonian captivity.

It is difficult to segregate the two kinds of material in Ezekiel 40-48. Chapter 40 is clearly a part of the vision of perfection. Chapter 41:7-11 is quite definitely an exhortation addressed to Ezekiel's contemporaries. The prince of 45:22 who brings an offering "for himself" and "for all the people" is not the Messiah, for this would contradict Hebrews 7:27,28. He is one of the princes rebuked in 41:7-11 and elsewhere in this section of Ezekiel's prophecy.

The words for "healing" or "medicine" in Ezekiel 47:12 and Revelation 22:2, teruphah and therapeia, do not constitute evidence that there is to be sickness to be healed in the situation which ezekiel describes as perfect in every other respect. The words imply general utility and service in their primary sense and are perfectly consistent with the view that Ezekiel is describing the same conditions of perfection which John describes in Revelation 21 and 22.

I should, therefore, very tentatively suggest that the following portions of Ezekiel 40-48 predict the conditions of the new heavens and the new earth: 40:1-43:6; 43:12-44:5; 45:1-8; 46:19-48:35.

Similarly, I suggest that the following portions are addressed directly to Ezekiel's contemporaries: 43:7-11; 44:6-31; 45:9-46:18.

As I have said above, this classification of materials is very tentative. There are difficulties connected with it. For example, I have included Ezekiel 47:22 in the material referring to the new heavens and the new earth. But here is a reference to "strangers that sojourn among you, which shall beget children among you," and there is the command, "And they shall be unto you as born in the country among the children of Israel; they shall have inheritance with you among the tribes of Israel."

This command changes the provisions of Leviticus 25:45 which describes the position of the children of stranges born in Israel's land as decidedly inferior to the position of the children of the Israelites themselves.

I suggest that the words of Ezekiel 47:22 need not imply the begetting of children by strangers during the future period of time of perfection. The Hebrew words might just as clearly refer to the children of strangers "previously born" within the "spiritual" heritage of Israel. The point of this verse seems to be that the children of strangers will have equal privileges within Israel's heritage. In the new heavens and the new earth the status of Gentile saints will be in no way inferior to that of redeemed Israel.

I shaould make it clear that my suggestion that the eschatological element in Ezekiel 40-48 has to do with the new heavens and the new earth is by no means essential to the pre-millennial view. It is simply a suggestion which I think acceptable. I believe that the suggestion is harmonious with all the data found in the scriptures.

2. The Sacrificial System Predicted

Whether the eschatological predictions of Ezekiel 40-48 are to be fulfilled in the Millennium (as the majority of pre-millennial Bible teachers would hold) or in the new heavens and the new earth as I have suggested, in either case Ezekiel's prediction of a future re-establishment of a greatly magnified and glorified Levitical system of sacrifices has seemed a problem to many Bible students. I would suggest two possible solutions of the problem, either one of which seems to me perfectly consistent with all the data at present available.

(1) The Levitical form of worship was instituted by the Lord as a form to be "observed forever". This is indicated emphatically, and repeated frequently. For example, Exodus 12:14,17; 27:21; 28-43; 30:21; Leviticus 6:18,22; 10:15; 16:29; 23-21,41; 24:3, etc. Yet the New Testament writers, inspired by the Holy Spirit, have no difficulty in teaching that the ritual law is fulfilled in Christ. This is the main theme of the epistle to the Hebrews. When we accept the blood of christ as our atonement for sin and observe the Lord's Supper in genuine faith, we are keeping the Passover as God intended it to be kept in our day. See 1 Corinthians 5:7.

It seems to me quite consistent to understand that Ezekiel, prophesying of the new heavens and the new earth, but prophesying at a time when the appropriate form of worship was the Levitical ritual, should have been given his vision in terms of that ritual, highly magnified and glorified. It would seem to me quite consistent to understand that just as the Passover and the sin offering are fulfilled in the Atonement, so Ezekiel's predictions of a glorious temple with all of its ordinances will be fulfilled in the new heavens and the new earth in terms of the immediate presence of Christ, and the perfect felicity and communion of Christ with the redeemed. In the new Jerusalem, John saw no temple, not because there was none in the spiritual significance of the word, but because, as he says, "The Lord god almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it" (Revelation 21:22).

(2) There are, on the other hand, competent pre-millennial Bible teachers who insist that the forms of worship described in Ezekiel's vision must be literally fulfilled either in the Millennium or in the new heavens and the new earth. Pre-millennialists generally explain that the re-establishment of the Levitical ritual after the completion of the Atonement of Christ on the cross of Calvary would no more contradict the fact that the Atonement is completed than our present celebration of the Lord's Supper. Those who hold to a literal re-establishment of the sacrifical system as described in Ezekiel generally agree that the significance could only be memorial, and could not possibly have the significance of the sacrifices which pointed forward to the coming of Christ.

As for myself, I am inclined to the former of these two interpretations, but I see nothing inconsistent in the latter.

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I neither accept nor reject the above.

Blessings,

Dad Ernie

[George]

Interesting post Dad Ernie -- as you can see I avoided the Prince issue of Ezekiel 40-48. Why? Because I haven't a clue whom it is referring though I have serious doubts that this is the Messiah because of several references.

What did you think of the altar actually being the altar of the lion instead of the altar of the lamb? The altar of the lamb would symbolize atonement whereas the altar of the lion symbolizes victory. Does that make sense that this could be a valid interpretation of the passage? That the sacrifices of the Ezekiel Temple are memorials of victory? Just wondering.

Your brother in Christ with much agape love,

Geroge

[nebula]

as you can see I avoided the Prince issue of Ezekiel 40-48. Why? Because I haven't a clue whom it is referring though I have serious doubts that this is the Messiah because of several references.

Interesting. I was reading Ezek. 45 to see what all this "prince" stuff is. Check out what I found.

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7 " 'The prince will have the land bordering each side of the area formed by the sacred district and the property of the city. It will extend westward from the west side and eastward from the east side, running lengthwise from the western to the eastern border parallel to one of the tribal portions.

8 This land will be his possession in Israel. And my princes will no longer oppress my people but will allow the house of Israel to possess the land according to their tribes.

9 " 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: You have gone far enough, O princes of Israel! Give up your violence and oppression and do what is just and right. Stop dispossessing my people, declares the Sovereign LORD.

16 All the people of the land will participate in this special gift for the use of the prince in Israel. 17 It will be the duty of the prince to provide the burnt offerings, grain offerings and drink offerings at the festivals, the New Moons and the Sabbaths-at all the appointed feasts of the house of Israel. He will provide the sin offerings, grain offerings, burnt offerings and fellowship offerings to make atonement for the house of Israel.

19 The priest is to take some of the blood of the sin offering . . . . 22 On that day the prince is to provide a bull as a sin offering for himself and for all the people of the land.

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Interesting use of the title prince and of princes. I think there might be something there, though what, I do not know.

[traveller]

The BlueLetterBible.com cross references the prince of Ezekiel 40-48 with

Mat 20:28 Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.

And from the Matthew Henry commentary

III. This oblation must be given for the prince in Israel, v. 16. Some read it to the prince, and understand it of Christ, who is indeed the prince in Israel, to whom we must offer our oblations, and into whose hands we must put them, to be presented to the Father. Or, They shall give it with the prince; every private person shall bring his oblation, to be offered with that of the prince; for it follows (v. 17). It shall be the prince

[George]

Hello Nebula,

This is the word in Hebrew for Prince and Princes in the Ezekiel passage are all the same --

05387 aysn nasiy

[Dad Ernie]

Greetings George,

What did you think of the altar actually being the altar of the lion instead of the altar of the lamb? The altar of the lamb would symbolize atonement whereas the altar of the lion symbolizes victory. Does that make sense that this could be a valid interpretation of the passage? That the sacrifices of the Ezekiel Temple are memorials of victory? Just wondering.

In looking back at sacrifices, I can see clearly that Israel allowed them to become an abomination, an afront to God - typical of man. The "quality" of the sacrifice was to be "without blemish", and I can think of nothing on this earth that meets that qualification. The ONE that WAS "without blemish" did away with the sacrifices by becoming a sacrifice Himself. So looking forward to the "sacrifices" in the mill. reign of Christ, I see love, piety, humility, joy, worship, peace etc. Here is our appropriate sacrifice:

Romans 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

Anything more than this is "works based" and prideful. Anything "less" than this reveals we are none of His. So whatever references to "sacrifices" in the future there are in scripture MUST take into full account the completeness of our Holy Atonement found in Christ Jesus.

Blessings,

Dad Ernie

[George]

Agreed Dad Ernie!

[Crusader4Christ]

George, I think Michael the Archangel is this prince referred to in Ezekiel 47. Is he not referred to as the great prince of Israel?

Daniel 12:1

"And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time

thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book."

[Dad Ernie]

Greetings C4C,

You know, you could be right. As I've thought about it, Michael, being the "guardian of Israel", once HE is taken out of the way, the severe times of Jacob's troubles would begin, when the "nations" come against her, not much is there for her protection. But before the land can be thoroughly destroyed, the Lord is going to step in. It is HIS land and He is the seed to whom it is promised.

Blessings,

Dad Ernie