The Millennial
Ezekiel 40-42
Lesson XIII
In the Bible there are references to at least seven Temples or
Sanctuaries.
First The
Tabernacle in the wilderness in the days of Moses. It existed from 1500-1000
B.C.
The purpose is stated in Exodus
25:8 “And let them make me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them.”
When the Tabernacle was completed, it was owned by God when He filled
it with His glory.
Exodus 40:33-35
(33) And he reared up the court round about
the tabernacle and the altar, and set up the hanging of the court gate. So
Moses finished the work.
(34) Then a cloud covered the tent of the
congregation, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.
(35) And Moses was not able to enter into
the tent of the congregation, because the cloud abode thereon, and the glory of
the LORD filled the tabernacle.
Exodus 40:33-35 “And he reared up
the court round about the tabernacle and the altar, and set up the hanging of
the court gate. So Moses finished the
work. Then a cloud covered the
tent of the congregation and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. And Moses was not able to enter into the tent
of the congregation, because the cloud abode thereon, and the glory of the LORD
filled the tabernacle.”
The ark became the center of the tabernacle. When it was taken, the glory departed. See 1 Samuel 4:17-22, cf
Jeremiah 3:16.
1 Samuel 4:17-22
(22) And she said,
The glory is departed from Israel: for the ark of God is taken.
Jeremiah 3:16
(16) And it shall come to pass, when ye be
multiplied and increased in the land, in those days, saith the LORD, they shall
say no more, The ark of the covenant of the LORD: neither shall it come to
mind: neither shall they remember it; neither shall they visit [it]; neither
shall [that] be done any more.
The tabernacle, after the wilderness journey, was set-up at Shiloh (1
Samuel 1:3 and 1 Samuel 4:3).
1 Samuel 1:3
(3) And this man went up out of his city
yearly to worship and to sacrifice unto the LORD of hosts in Shiloh. And the
two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, the priests of the LORD, [were] there.
1 Samuel 4:3
(3) And when the people were come into the
camp, the elders of Israel said, Wherefore hath the LORD smitten us to day
before the Philistines? Let us fetch the ark of the covenant of the LORD out of
Shiloh unto us, that, when it cometh among us, it may save us out of the hand
of our enemies.
Second The Temple of Solomon from 1000 to 600
B.C.
It was built on Mount Moriah.
See 2 Chronicles 3:1; 1 Kings 6:1.
It was owned by God when His glory filled the temple (2 Chronicles
7:1).
More details can be found in 1 Kings 8:1-49 and 2 Chronicles chapters
5, 6,and 7.
This temple was destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar in 586 B.C. (2 Chronicles
36: 17-20).
2 Chronicles 3:1
(1) Then Solomon began to build the house
of the LORD at Jerusalem in mount Moriah, where [the] LORD appeared unto David
his father, in the place that David had prepared in the threshingfloor of Ornan
the Jebusite.
1 Kings 6:1
(1) And it came to pass in the four hundred
and eightieth year after the children of Israel were come out of the land of
Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon's reign over Israel, in the month Zif,
which [is] the second month, that he began to build the house of the LORD
2 Chronicles 7:1
(1) Now when Solomon had made an end of
praying, the fire came down from heaven, and consumed the burnt offering and
the sacrifices; and the glory of the LORD filled the house.
2 Chronicles 36: 17-20
Third The Second Temple from 536 B.C. to 70 A.D.
The record of the building of this temple is found in: 2 Chronicles 36:22-23; Ezra 6:15;
Haggai 2:9; John 2:20.
2 Chronicles 36:22-23
(22) Now in the first year of Cyrus king of
Persia, that the word of the LORD [spoken] by the mouth of Jeremiah might be
accomplished, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, that he
made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and [put it] also in writing,
saying,
(23) Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, All
the kingdoms of the earth hath the LORD God of heaven given me; and he hath
charged me to build him an house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Who [is
there] among you of all his people? The LORD his God [be] with him, and let him
go up.
Ezra 6:15
(15) And this house was finished on the
third day of the month Adar, which was in the sixth year of the reign of Darius
the king.
Haggai 2:9
(9) The glory of this latter house shall be
greater than of the former, saith the LORD of hosts: and in this place will I
give peace, saith the LORD of hosts.
John 2:20
(20) Then said the Jews, Forty and six
years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days?
This temple was enlarged and made beautiful with the help of Herod
during his years.
This structure was owned by God by the presence of Jesus in it (John
2:13-16).
John 2:13-16
(13) And the Jews' passover was at hand,
and Jesus went up to Jerusalem,
(14) And found in the temple those that
sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting:
(15) And when he had made a scourge of
small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen;
and poured out the changers' money, and overthrew the tables;
(16) And said unto them that sold doves,
Take these things hence; make not my Father's house an house of merchandise.
Its desolation and destruction were both foretold by Jesus (Matthew
23:38). “My father’s house” had become
“your house” (Matthew 24:1-2). The veil
in this temple was rent from the top to the bottom (Matthew 27:51, Hebrews
9:24).
It was totally destroyed by the Romans in 70 A.D.
Matthew 23:38
(38) Behold, your house is left unto you
desolate.
Matthew 24:1-2
(1) And Jesus went out, and departed from
the temple: and his disciples came to [him] for to shew him the buildings of
the temple.
(2) And Jesus said unto them, See ye not
all these things? verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone
upon another, that shall not be thrown down.
Matthew 27:51
(51) And, behold, the veil of the temple
was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the
rocks rent;
Hebrews 9:24
(24) For Christ is not entered into the
holy places made with hands, [which are] the figures of the true; but into
heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us:
Fourth The Temple of Jesus body.
What the visible Temple at Jerusalem had been for Israel, Jesus became
(John 2:19-21).
John 2:19-21
(19) Jesus answered and said unto them,
Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.
(20) Then said the Jews, Forty and six
years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days?
(21) But he spake of the temple of his
body.
He was God’s house on earth (2 Corinthians 5:19, 1 Timothy 3:16).
2 Corinthians 5:19
(19) To wit, that God was in Christ,
reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them;
and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.
1 Timothy 3:16
(16) And without controversy great is the
mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit,
seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received
up into glory.
“He tabernacled among us” (John 1:14).
John 1:14
(14) And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt
among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the
Father,) full of grace and truth.
If the Tabernacle in the wilderness is a picture or type of Christ in
His First Coming, Solomon’s Temple is a type of Christ’s Second Coming in all
His glory.
In Christ, God and man came together (Job 9:32-33).
Job 9:32-33
(32) For [he is] not a man, as I [am, that]
I should answer him, [and] we should come together in judgment.
(33) Neither is there any daysman betwixt
us, [that] might lay his hand upon us both.
Fifth The Temple of the Church.
This is true collectively and individually (1 Corinthians 3:16-17; 1
Corinthians 6: 19-20; Ephesians 2: 21-22; 1 Peter 2:4,5).
God lives in us!
1 Corinthians 3:16-17
(16) Know ye not that ye are the temple of
God, and [that] the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
(17) If any man defile the temple of God,
him shall God destroy; for the [temple] of God is holy, which temple ye are.
1 Corinthians 6: 19-20
(19) What? know ye not that your body is
the temple of the Holy Ghost [which is] in you, which ye have of God, and ye
are not your own?
(20) For ye are bought with a price:
therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.
Ephesians 2: 21-22
(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.
1 Peter 2:4-5
(4) To whom coming, [as unto] a living
stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, [and] precious,
(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.
This Temple was owned by God on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:1-4;
Galatians 2:20; Colossians 1:27).
Acts 2:1-4
(1) And when the day of Pentecost was fully
come, they were all with one accord in one place.
(2) And suddenly there came a sound from
heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were
sitting.
(3) And there appeared unto them cloven
tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.
(4) And they were all filled with the Holy
Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them
utterance.
Galatians 2:20
(20) I am crucified with Christ:
nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I
now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and
gave himself for me.
Colossians 1:27
(27) To whom God would make known what [is]
the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in
you, the hope of glory:
This Temple will also be removed from the earth! 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18.
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
(13) But I would not have you to be
ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even
as others which have no hope.
(14) For if we believe that Jesus died and
rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
(15) For this we say unto you by the word
of the Lord, that we which are alive [and] remain unto the coming of the Lord
shall not prevent them which are asleep.
(16) For the Lord himself shall descend
from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump
of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
(17) Then we which are alive [and] remain
shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the
air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
(18) Wherefore comfort one another with
these words.
Sixth The Tribulation Temple.
A Temple during the time of the great Tribulation is implied in the following
Scriptures: Daniel 9:27; Matthew 24:15;
and it is stated in 2 Thessalonians 2:4.
Daniel 9:27
(27) And he shall confirm the covenant with
many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice
and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall
make [it] desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be
poured upon the desolate.
Matthew 24:15
(15) When ye therefore shall see the
abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy
place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:)
2 Thessalonians 2:4
(4) Who opposeth and exalteth himself above
all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the
temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.
The Tribulation Temple may be built with the help of the
Anti-Christ, as Herod helped the Jews enlarge and beautify their temple the 46
years before Christ came to it (John 2:20).
John 2:20
(20) Then said the Jews, Forty and six
years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days?
When the Jews returned from Babylon, they rebuilt their temple.
We believe the Jews who have and are returning to the same land and the
same city will do so again.
In this temple an abomination, an idol will be set up (Matthew 24:15;
Revelation 13:6).
Matthew 24:15
(15) When ye therefore shall see the
abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy
place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:)
Revelation 13:6
(6) And he opened his mouth in blasphemy
against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in
heaven.
Seventh The Temple as described in Ezekiel
40-42.
It will be rebuilt or built anew by Jesus Christ Himself (Zechariah
6:13).
It is this temple that is described in Ezekiel.
Zechariah 6:13
(13) Even he shall build the temple of the
LORD; and he shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon his throne; and
he shall be a priest upon his throne: and the counsel of peace shall be between
them both.
Ezekiel
chapter forty.
Ezekiel 40:1-4
Ezekiel 40:1-4
Ezekiel had visions after the city of
Ezekiel 40:5-6
Ezekiel 40:5-6
Verse 5 Ezekiel saw a
wall around the city when there was no wall! I believe he saw the wall that we can see and
walk around to this very day.
Verse 6 Ezekiel saw the
eastern gate in the wall. This too, when
as yet there was no gate. And in Ezek. 44:1 he saw that that gate was
shut. Exactly as we see it today.
Ezekiel 44:1
(1) Then he brought me back the way of the
gate of the outward sanctuary which looketh toward the east; and it [was] shut.
Ezekiel 40:7-37 Ezekiel describes
a building
Ezekiel 40:7-37
(8) He measured also
the porch of the gate within, one reed.
(14) He made also
posts of threescore cubits, even unto the post of the court round about the
gate.
(30) And the arches
round about [were] five and twenty cubits long, and five cubits broad.
(35) And he brought
me to the north gate, and measured [it] according to these measures;
Verses 7-37 The prophet continues
to describe what he saw after he entered the eastern gate.
He describes a building:
Verse
7
with little chambers (rooms),
Verse
8
then a porch,
Verse
9
then gate posts,
Verse
11
the width of the gate,
Verse
14
the court,
Verses
16,22,25,29,33 the windows,
Verse
17
the outer-court,
Verses
22,26,31,34,37 the palm trees,
Verse
22,26 seven steps,
Verse
37
eight steps,
Verses
23,32 the inner court,
Verse
22
an eastern gate,
Verses
23,35 a north gate,
Verses
24,27,28 a south gate, and
Verses
30,31,34,36 arches.
We can summarize the whole to be a building, the entrances to it and
the court yards surrounding it.
Ezekiel 40:38-43
Ezekiel 40:38-43
Here he describes the place for the burnt-offering, trespass-offering
and the place for the slaying of the sacrifices. This has become a major problem for many. There are those who say, now that Christ has
died no offering will ever be made again. These are the same people who said “there will
never be a National Restoration of the Jews.”
We face the problem of having seen many prophecies in this book of Ezekiel
having been literally fulfilled and so ask, “Why not in these chapters also?”
Hebrews 1:3
(3) Who being the brightness of [his]
glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the
word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the
right hand of the Majesty on high;
What Ezekiel wrote was written after thousands of sacrifices had been
offered and not one sacrifice had put away even one sin.
Not all the blood on Jewish
altars slain
Could give the sinner peace
or wash away his stain.
Christ, and Christ alone by His death did that (Hebrews 1:3).
Unbelief has always questioned the need for blood-shedding. Unbelief is one of the problems here. Blood shed before the cross did not put away
sin. It did, however, point forward to
the cross. Therefore, we do not object
to blood-shedding during the millennial reign of Christ. It will not be shed to put away sin, but in a
world delivered from the curse caused by sin and enjoying great peace, these
sacrifices will point backward to the cross as a reminder
that it was the Cross that made the millennial world possible.
1 Corinthians 11:26
(26) For as often as
ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he
come.
Remember, today we have the Lord’s table. Something visible, ordained of the Lord to be
in remembrance of His death. This will
cease at the Rapture (1 Corinthians 11:26). Therefore a remembrance of His
death in the millennium is not unreasonable. It will not be a sacrifice for sin for there
is no more sacrifice for sin required.
We ask: If it is not wrong to have a visible reminder of the cross now,
why will it be wrong to have such then?
1 Corinthians 15:26
(26) The last enemy [that]
shall be destroyed [is] death.
Do not forget that the millennium is still part of time. Death is not destroyed until after Christ has
reigned (1 Corinthians 15:26). And also
remember, we are dealing primarily with the Jews and not with the Church. The Church has never offered sacrifices, but
the Jews have.
Ezekiel 40:44-49
Ezekiel 40:44-49
Ezekiel saw the chambers (the rooms) that will be for the Priests who
will be in charge of the
Ezekiel
chapter forty-one.
Ezekiel 41:1-26
(10) And between the
chambers [was] the wideness of twenty cubits round about the house on every
side.
(23) And the temple
and the sanctuary had two doors.
Ezekiel 41:1 Ezekiel saw a
temple, again, when there was none.
Repeatedly in this chapter he tells us that he saw a building, a house:
a House (verses
5,6,7,10,14,17,19,26),
a Building (verse 12),
a House and Building (verse
13),
a Building, a Temple (verse 15),
a Temple, a Sanctuary (verse
20), and
a Temple (verse 25).
He also speaks of:
“chambers” in verses 5,6,7;
“foundations” in verse 8;
“thickness of walls” in
verses 5,6,9,12,13,17;
“doors” in verses 11,16,17,23,24,25;
“windows” in verse 16;
“three stories” also in
verse 16;
“cherubims and palm trees” in
verses 18,19,20,25,26;
“posts” in verse 21;
an “altar” in verse 22;
a “table” in verse 22; and
“planks” in verses 25 and 26.
The chapter is given to describing another Temple that will yet be
built at Jerusalem.
Who are we to say that these things have to be taken spiritually and are
not a literal building?
Ezekiel
chapter forty-two.
Ezekiel 42:1-20
(2) Before the
length of an hundred cubits [was] the north door, and the breadth [was] fifty
cubits.
(17) He measured the
north side, five hundred reeds, with the measuring reed round about.
(18) He measured the
south side, five hundred reeds, with the measuring reed.
(19) He turned about
to the west side, [and] measured five hundred reeds with the measuring reed.
Looking back to Ezekiel 40:2,
in his vision Ezekiel was brought to the land of Israel.
Then in Ezekiel 41:1, he was
brought to the Temple.
Now in Ezekiel 42:1, he is
brought to the “utter court”, north of the Temple area.
This is mentioned in verses 3,7,8,9, and 14. The word “building” is used in verses 1,5,6,
and 10.
The word “
Verses 13-14 we are told
about the area to be used by the priests, where they eat and lay their
garments.
We conclude that all seems as literal as the design of the Tabernacle
of Moses or the design of Solomon’s Temple.
All three are called a “sanctuary”.
If chapters 40 through 42 of Ezekiel are not to be taken literally, then
it follows that what we are told in the following chapters cannot be taken
literally either. For us that becomes
serious because the following chapters will fully reveal the final purpose of
God in these earthly buildings.
It is because these things in Ezekiel are not taken at face value,
Bible readers are forced to conclude that there will not be a return of Christ
to this earth and a literal reign on David’s throne at
1 Corinthians 15:17-19
(17) And if Christ be not raised, your
faith [is] vain; ye are yet in your sins.
(18) Then they also which are fallen asleep
in Christ are perished.
(19) If in this life only we have hope in
Christ, we are of all men most miserable.
The danger is that eventually the literalness of the First
Coming is also taken away.
And without it, we are of all men most miserable (1 Corinthians 15:19)
because without the literal Coming of Christ to earth, there is no literal
resurrection. And apart from it there is
no hope! The Coming of Christ and events
leading up to that Coming will change the Holy Land in ways we cannot
imagine. We will not fully understand
until it takes place.
Revelation 6:14
(14) And the heaven departed as a scroll
when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of
their places.
Revelation 16:18-20
(18) And there were voices, and thunders,
and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men
were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, [and] so great.
(19) And the great city was divided into
three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in
remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness
of his wrath.
(20) And every island fled away, and the
mountains were not found.
Revelation 6:14 tells us that when
the sixth seal is broken, “... every mountain and island were moved out of
their places.”
Revelation 16:18-20 When the 7th
vial of God’s wrath is poured out on the earth, first “the great city was
divided into three parts”.
We understand the great city to be Jerusalem. Then the cities of the nations fell. There seems to be none except
“And the mountains were not found.”
It seems from all Scripture, the only mount that will not have been
removed is the
Zechariah 14:3-5
(3) Then shall the LORD go forth, and fight
against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle.
(4) And his feet shall stand in that day
upon the mount of Olives, which [is] before Jerusalem on the east, and the
mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward
the west, [and there shall be] a very great valley; and half of the mountain
shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south.
(5) And ye shall flee [to] the valley of
the mountains; for the valley of the mountains shall reach unto Azal: yea, ye
shall flee, like as ye fled from before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah
king of Judah: and the LORD my God shall come, [and] all the saints with thee.
Then Zechariah 14:3-5: That the
Lord will come to fight against the nations that have gathered against
Jerusalem. And his feet shall stand upon
the Mount of Olives. But the moment His
feet touch that mountain, it will cleave in two so that one half moves north
the other south and this creates a great valley that will run east and west:
East to the Dead Sea, and on to the Persian Gulf, and west to the Mediterranean
Sea. At the same time it seems from
other Scripture that where
Isaiah 2:2
(2) And it shall come to pass in the last
days, [that] the mountain of the LORD'S house shall be established in the top
of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall
flow unto it.
Isaiah 2:2 “And it shall come to pass in the last days,
that
the mountain of the LORD’S house shall be established in the top of the
mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills...” This mountain of the Lord
will be above every other part of the earth.
Micah
4:1-2
(1) But in the last days it shall come to
pass, [that] the mountain of the house of the LORD shall be established in the
top of the mountains, and it shall be exalted above the hills; and people shall
flow unto it.
(2) And many nations shall come, and say,
Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, and to the house of the God
of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for
the law shall go forth of Zion, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.
Micah 4:1-2 “But in the last days it shall come to pass,
that the
mountain of the house of the LORD shall be established in the top
of the mountains, and it shall be exalted above the hills; and people
shall flow unto it. And many nations shall come and say, Come, let us go up to
the house of the God of Jacob; and we will walk in his paths: for the law shall
go forth of
Isaiah 27:13
(13) And it shall come to pass in that day,
[that] the great trumpet shall be blown, and they shall come which were ready
to perish in the land of Assyria, and the outcasts in the land of Egypt, and
shall worship the LORD in the holy mount at Jerusalem.
Isaiah 27:13 “.......... and
shall worship the LORD in the holy mount at
Isaiah 56:7
(7) Even them will I bring to my holy
mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer: their burnt offerings and
their sacrifices shall be accepted upon mine altar; for mine house [shall be]
called an house of prayer for all people.
Isaiah 56:7 “..... Even them
will I bring to my holy mountain...”
Isaiah 66:20
(20) And they shall bring all your brethren
[for] an offering unto the LORD out of all nations upon horses, and in
chariots, and in litters, and upon mules, and upon swift beasts, to my holy
mountain Jerusalem, saith the LORD, as the children of Israel bring an offering
in a clean vessel into the house of the LORD.
Isaiah 66:20 “.......and they
shall bring all your brethren......to my holy mountain
Ezekiel 20:40-41
(40) For in mine holy mountain, in the
mountain of the height of Israel, saith the Lord GOD, there shall all the house
of Israel, all of them in the land, serve me: there will I accept them, and
there will I require your offerings, and the firstfruits of your oblations,
with all your holy things.
(41) I will accept you with your sweet
savour, when I bring you out from the people, and gather you out of the
countries wherein ye have been scattered; and I will be sanctified in you
before the heathen.
Ezekiel 20:40-41 “For in mine holy
mountain, in the mountain of the height of Israel, saith the LORD GOD,
there shall all the house of Israel, all of them in the land, serve me: there
will I accept them, and there will I require your offerings, and the
first-fruits of your oblations, with all your holy things. I will accept you with your sweet savour,
when I bring you out from the people, and gather you out of the countries
wherein ye have been scattered; and I will be sanctified in you before the
heathen.”
Ezekiel 40:2
Ezekiel 40:2 “In the visions of God brought he me into the
There are no “very high mountains” in Israel yet!
So having read these Scriptures, and no doubt there are others, we must conclude that:
Before Messiah builds the Millennial Temple, He will
prepare the ground by removing the present mountains and creating a mountain
above all others on which will stand Jerusalem and the Temple.