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Why did Ezekiel describe a temple?

March 8, 2012 Leave a commentGo to comments

Ezekiels vision of the temple included copious details. His description was given before the

second temple was built, but there was no attempt by the Jews who returned from the exile tofollow his design. It was a much larger and more impressive structure than either the second

temple, or the previous one built by Solomon. In comparison, the one actually built was not

ideal, and would not be the temple which was to be filled with Gods glory, as promised for

Ezekiels temple. [Ezekiel 43:5; 44:4]

Stephen said to the Jews, when Herods temple was standing, Howbeit the most High

dwelleth not in temples made with hands. [Acts 7:48] Paul said the same to the men of

Athens. [Acts 17:24]

A temple is where people offer sacrifices to God. Some wonder why Ezekiel described an

altar, and sacrifices, if his temple has to do with the Christian church, as those things have

passed away; but in Hebrews we read, We have an altar, whereof they have no right to eat

which serve the tabernacle. [Hebrews 13:10]

In the New Testament, the saints are described as a temple. [Ephesians 2:20-22] They offer

spiritual sacrifices. The sacrifices offered in Ezekiels temple must be types and figures of

these spiritual offerings. Peter said, 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. [1

Peter 2:5]

Some claim that in the millennium, animal sacrifices will be resumed, but that contradictsscriptures such as Isaiah 65:25, The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, and the lion shall

eat straw like the bullock: and dust shall be the serpents meat. They shall not hurt nor

destroy in all my holy mountain, saith the LORD. How can animal sacrifices be offered, if

nothing may be hurt there?

Jesus identified himself with the temple of God, and the Spirit was given to him beyond

measure. [John 3:34] He said Gods temple is to be a house of prayer. [Luke 19:46, citing

Isaiah 56:7] He said, destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up. [John 2:19]

Since Jesus was raised up from the grave, the temple of Godwas revived, and ascended to

heaven.

According to Paul, every believer is a temple of God. [1 Corinthians 3:16; 6:19] The church,

consisting of those who are in Christ, is depicted as a temple, [Ephesians 2:20-22] and the

saints sit together in heavenly places. [Ephesians 2:5-6]

Living holy lives, acceptable unto God, is our reasonable service, Paul said. [Romans 12:1]

He encouraged believers to be fervent in spirit; serving the Lord; rejoicing in hope; patient

in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer. [Romans 12:11-12] He wrote: the kingdom of

God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. For he

that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God therefore follow after the things

which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another. [Romans 14:17-19]
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Peter said the saints are a royal priesthood, who shew forth the praises of him who hath

called you out of darkness into his marvellous light. [1 Peter 2:9]

John said the saints who overcome will be madepillars in the temple. [Revelation 3:12] In

his vision of the New Jerusalem, John saw no temple, but said the Lord God Almighty and

the Lamb are the temple of it. [Revelation 21:22]

When Jesus was raised from the grave, and ascended to heaven, Isaiahs prophecy was

fulfilled: And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the Lords house

shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills. [Isaiah

2:2] Jesus represents the mountain of the Lords house.

The dimensions of the temple provided by Ezekiel reveal that its courts are spacious, and that

everything in the temple conforms to a plan; its dimensions need to be taken in a spiritual

sense. A spiritual temple is not measured in units consisting of literal cubits. Ezekiel specified

that the cubits in his prophecy differed from regular cubits. The measuring reed employed

was six cubits long by the cubit and a hand breadth. [Ezekiel 40:5] The dimensions of thealtar are also specified in these unusual units. [Ezekiel 43:13] Similarly the heavenly

Jerusalem is described in terms of angelic cubits. [Revelation 21:17] Who knows what an

angelic cubit might be? It signifies aspiritualstandard of measurement. Of one thing we

can be certain; it is not a literal, earthly cubit, as spiritual things are not designed with

dimensions given in earthly units.

The location of Ezekiels temple also has a spiritual significance; it is removed from the

existing Jerusalem. Ezekiel connected the temple with the promised land, and with the

mountains of Israel. It is, in fact, one of the mountains of Israel, as it is a revelation that

included several promises, and those mountains represent Gods promises. By its central

location, on a high mountain, Ezekiels temple appears as the most prominent feature of the

land. Within its boundaries, territory is assigned to the priests and Levites, and to the city.

Ezekiels description includes the wall, porches, gates, courts, the altar, and the temple itself.

The wall signifies a boundary that separates the church from the outside world. This implies

the temple must be designed for the present age, as in the age to come, why would there be

any need for a wall? In the day when the earth is full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the

waters cover the sea, why have a wall?

Since there is a wall, it could not be a millennial temple, as some have claimed; in some

millennial theories, the hordes of Gog and Magog are said to come against a land ofunwalled villages. That would not apply to the existing Jewish state, where there is a very

prominent wall, and neither could it apply in a millennium, if Ezekiels temple was present,

with its impressively thick wall; how could it be a future millennial temple, when it has a

prominent wall?

Ezekiels prophecy of the temple depicts the church as a spiritualtemple located in the

promised land. The land is associated with Christ, as for the priests who minister there,

possessing God is in lieu of possessing land. I am their inheritance: and ye shall give them

no possession in Israel: I am their possession. [Ezekiel 44:28]

The spiritual temple, located in the promised land, is not an earthly, literal one. The landwhere it is located represents the better country in Hebrews 11:16, But now they desire a


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better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for

he hath prepared for them a city. It is the place Jesus said he would prepare for his saints:

John 14:1-3

Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.

In my Fathers house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go toprepare a place for you.

And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that

where I am, there ye may be also.

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