Ezekiel's Temple

Ezekiel the prophet was a Levite priest and among the first wave of God’s people forcefully removed from the land by King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon after he had laid siege to the city and removed what treasures he could find. Jerusalem was spared but left bare, pillaged and with only the poor to tend to the land. The Israelites were hardened by the event and turned towards Idol worship and the practices they knew were detestable before God.

The book opens when Ezekiel is near the river that ran along the side of the Israelite refugee camp in Babylon. On his 30th year, the year he would have been assigned as an active priest in the Temple, God appears to him in the glorious visage known as “Ezekiel’s Wheels.” Ezekiel observes four cherubim with wings outstretched and touching end to end. Underneath each Cherub was a set of living wheels the followed in perfect synchronicity. Above the Cherubim was a platform that supported a throne and sitting on the throne was “the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord.”

However unsettling this may be, the most unsettling aspect of the vision is that God’s presence is in Babylon. Why has God abandoned his designated resting place in the Holy of Holies?

Ezekiel drops face down in reverence. As God speaks, the spirit raises Ezekiel to his feet. God then commissions Ezekiel as a prophet to give warning to Jerusalem, words of “lament and woe.” In Ezekiel 8, he is given a vision of the temple in Jerusalem to witness the dark decline of his people. He is shown an Idol that has been placed in the north gate of the altar, at the entrance of the gate women are mourning the god Tammuz and between the portico and the altar, five men are facing the east, bowing to the sun. At the entrance of the court, Ezekiel finds a hole in the wall that he is commanded to dig. After digging, a door is revealed. Inside, he finds a room full of unclean animals on display and all the idols of Israel. Standing at the shrine of each idol stood seventy elders praying and holding censors of incense.

Ezekiel watches as the Glory of the Lord moves from the inner court to the threshold of the temple, and from the threshold to the east gate. God’s glory is forced to depart the Temple and the land because of the persistent idolatry, and the evil practices the Jewish people thought they were committing in secret outside the sight of the Lord: ‘The Lord does not see us; the Lord has forsaken the land.’ (Ezekiel 8:12)

With God’s presence gone from the land, and the people refusing to heed to the words of warning and prophecies of doom it would have seemed that God has forsaken them all. However God does offer some hope through Ezekiel. Ezekiel speaks of God’s plan to restore his people and give them a heart of obedience through the “New Covenant.” A prophecy is also given regarding the tribes of the North that were conquered by Assyria. They are depicted as dry dead bones that come to life. And finally, Ezekiel is given a vision regarding the return of God’s presence. However, the presence of the glory of the Lord does not return to Solomon’s Temple. The Temple of this vision is dramatically different. For one, it is much bigger: the area of the temple courts would be larger than the entire walled city of Jerusalem and the “Holy portion” for priests and Levites would cover an area many times bigger than the size of greater London. Parts of the Temple complex are instructed to be 100 to 120 feet high. In addition, the design and furnishings of this temple breaks the established pattern used for the tabernacle and Solomon’s Temple entirely:

The Ark of the Covenant is not mentioned. Ezekiel is silent regarding the veil of separation and the placement of the Menorah, Table of Shewbread and Altar of Incense. The Altar of Sacrifice has a place but the entrance is a stairway facing the East when the orientation for the tabernacle/temple has always been facing south. Between the Altar of Sacrifice and the entrance there is no placement described for the Laver of brass. Although some instructions were given regarding the activities of the Levitical priesthood nothing is mentioned regarding the Office of the High Priest, however much is described regarding the duties of the obscure “Prince.”

The entire section of Ezekiel 40-48, describing the Temple is incredibly perplexing under the mindset of Judaism. Deviation from Mosaic instruction regarding the placement of the Holy items does not make sense, and the absence of a High Priest is unthinkable. Perhaps this may offer a reason why, that when construction began for the second temple they spent little time fretting over which design the Temple should be modeled after. Also the Temple had associated with it, futuristic aspects tying it with end time prophecy.

Future Prophecy

The prophet Isaiah prophesied of a time when the Lord would come and settle disputes among nations putting an end to war. A Temple is mentioned, sitting on a high and exalted “Holy Mountain”:

“The mountain of the Lord’s temple will be established as the highest of the mountains; it will be exalted above the hills, and all nations will stream to it. Many peoples will come and say, "Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the temple of the God of Jacob. He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths.” The law will go out from Zion, the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. He will judge between the nations and will settle disputes for many peoples. They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore. Come, descendants of Jacob, let us walk in the light of the Lord.” – Isaiah 2

Compare Isaiah’s description of a Temple located on a high and exalted mountain with Ezekiel’s vision:

“In visions of God he took me to the land of Israel and set me on a very high mountain, on whose south side were some buildings that looked like a city. 3 He took me there, and I saw a man whose appearance was like bronze; he was standing in the gateway with a linen cord and a measuring rod in his hand. 4 The man said to me, “Son of man, look carefully and listen closely and pay attention to everything I am going to show you, for that is why you have been brought here. Tell the people of Israel everything you see.” – Ezekiel 40:2-4

Ezekiel’s Temple is located on a very high mountain. I would venture to believe it’s the very same Temple and mountain mentioned in Isaiah in 2. In Ezekiel 20, before he is given a vision of the Temple he delivers a prophecy:

For in my holy mountain, in the mountain of the height of Israel, says the Lord Yahweh, there shall all the house of Israel, all of them, serve me in the land: there will I accept them, and there will I require your offerings, and the first fruits of your offerings, with all your holy things. – Ezekiel 20:40

The Holy Mountain is described as the height of Israel, in other words it’s the tallest thing in Israel. On that Holy Mountain, God will require offerings and Holy things. Offerings and Holy things imply the presence of a Temple. Could the references to the Holy Mountain refer to an actual monumentally high mountain when mentioned in the context of the reign of the Lord when he returns?

This is what the Lord says:“I will return to Zion and dwell in Jerusalem. Then Jerusalem will be called the Faithful City, and the mountain of the Lord Almighty will be called the Holy Mountain.” – Zechariah 8.

If a high and exalted mountain is to exist as described in Ezekiel 20:40 and Isaiah 2 then what is to happen to the land of Jerusalem and Israel to cause such a change in the geography of the land?

”Behold, a day is coming for the LORD when the spoil taken from you will be divided among you. For I will gather all the nations against Jerusalem to battle, and the city will be captured, the houses plundered, the women ravished and half of the city exiled, but the rest of the people will not be cut off from the city. Then the LORD will go forth and fight against those nations, as when He fights on a day of battle. In that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, which is in front of Jerusalem on the east; and the Mount of Olives will be split in its middle from east to west by a very large valley, so that half of the mountain will move toward the north and the other half toward the south.” – Zechariah 14:1-4

When the Lord returns and his feet plant themselves on the ground of the Mount of Olives, a massive earthquake will hit the land resulting in a very large Valley separating the mountain into two, as half of it moves towards the North and the other South. This will no doubt be a great and terrible earthquake. This may be the earthquake that shakes the entire earth and splits Jerusalem into three parts mentioned in Revelation:

“And there were flashes of lightning, and rumblings, and rolls of thunder, and a great earthquake, the likes of which had not occurred since men were upon the earth—so mighty was the great quake. 19The great city was split into three parts, and the cities of the nations collapsed. And God remembered Babylon the great and gave her the cup of the wine of the fury of His wrath.” – Revelation 16:17-20

After the earthquake Zechariah states that on that day water will flow from Jerusalem, half towards the Dead Sea and half towards West:

On that day living waters shall flow out from Jerusalem, half of them to the eastern sea and half of them to the western sea. It shall continue in summer as in winter. – Zechariah 14:8

Does Ezekiel mention anything regarding water flowing into the Dead Sea in his vision? Yes! A resounding YES!

“Then he brought me back to the door of the house; and behold, water was flowing from under the threshold of the house toward the east, for the house faced east. And the water was flowing down from under, from the right side of the house, from south of the altar. He brought me out by way of the north gate and led me around on the outside to the outer gate by way of the gate that faces east. And behold, water was trickling from the south side. When the man went out toward the east with a line in his hand, he measured a thousand cubits, and he led me through the water, water reaching the ankles. Again he measured a thousand and led me through the water, water reaching the knees. Again he measured a thousand and led me through the water, water reaching the loins. Again he measured a thousand; and it was a river that I could not ford, for the water had risen, enough water to swim in, a river that could not be forded. He said to me, “Son of man, have you seen this?” Then he brought me back to the bank of the river. Now when I had returned, behold, on the bank of the river there were very many trees on the one side and on the other. Then he said to me, “These waters go out toward the eastern region and go down into the Arabah (The Dead Sea); then they go toward the sea, being made to flow into the sea, and the waters of the sea become fresh.” – Ezekiel 47:1-8

Water is found flowing from underneath the Temple towards the East, reviving the surrounding land and stretching a vast distance as a massive river until finally emptying into the Dead Sea. As a result, the Dead Sea, which has remained devoid of life for some 18,000 years, becomes fresh!

Ezekiel is told fisherman will come to stand beside it to go fishing!

“It will come about that every living creature which swarms in every place where the river goes, will live. And there will be very many fish, for these waters go there and the others become fresh; so everything will live where the river goes. “And it will come about that fishermen will stand beside it; from Engedi to Eneglaim there will be a place for the spreading of nets. Their fish will be according to their kinds, like the fish of the Great Sea, very many. “But its swamps and marshes will not become fresh; they will be left for salt. “By the river on its bank, on one side and on the other, will grow all kinds of trees for food. Their leaves will not wither and their fruit will not fail. They will bear every month because their water flows from the sanctuary, and their fruit will be for food and their leaves for healing.” – Ezekiel 47:9-12

Despite the enormous significance of this section of Ezekiel, it is surprisingly ignored and discussed very little; both by the Christians and the Jews. The Jews have considerable confusion regarding the seemingly unwarranted changes and at the same time are very aware of its prophetic nature. They placed it aside as they press on with the hope of the construction of a present time Temple. Prophecy however, makes it clear that the final Temple will be built by the Lord himself at his coming:

“Tell him this is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘Here is the man whose name is the Branch, and he will branch out from his place and build the temple of the Lord.” – Zechariah 6:12

The very next verse God states it again; that the Lord will be the one responsible for building the Temple:

It is he who will build the temple of the LORD, and he will be clothed with majesty and will sit and rule on his throne. – Zechariah 6:13

At the same time, the Christian church has resented this revelation by ignoring these passages through silence on the subject when it can get away with it. When it can’t, the church has gone through a number of ways to escape the conclusion that there will be an actual Temple:

“This text, one continuous prophecy, is also one of the most glaringly difficult for amillennialists who deny there will be a literal, future, messianic, millennial kingdom in Israel [and the construction of an active Temple]. Because these nine chapter contain such a tremendous amount of meticulous detail, any effort to interpret them symbolically or metaphorically will inevitably result in a circus of bizarre interpretations and speculation…” – When a Jew rules the world, Joel Richardson.

Starting from chapter 40, Ezekiel goes through an exhaustive description of intimate details regarding the construction and layout of the Temple. Clearly, these are real instructions for a real and literal Temple:

“Then he went to the east gate. He climbed its steps and measured the threshold of the gate; it was one rod deep. The alcoves for the guards were one rod long and one rod wide, and the projecting walls between the alcoves were five cubits thick. And the threshold of the gate next to the portico facing the temple was one rod deep. Then he measured the portico of the gateway; 9 it was eight cubits deep and its jambs were two cubits thick. The portico of the gateway faced the temple. Inside the east gate were three alcoves on each side; the three had the same measurements, and the faces of the projecting walls on each side had the same measurements. Then he measured the width of the entrance of the gateway; it was ten cubits and its length was thirteen cubits. In front of each alcove was a wall one cubit high, and the alcoves were six cubits square….”- Ezekiel 40:6-12

It goes on and on describing: The East Gate to the Outer Court, the Outer Court, the North Gate, The South Gate, The gates to the Inner Court, etc.

Jesus is the fulfillment of it all

Ironically, Ezekiel’s Temple can only be understood according to the Christian context. Why all the changes? Why the removal of all the Holy Items? It all represented Christ; therefore at his coming they are no longer needed:

1. Ark of the Covenant:

What need is there for the Ark of the Covenant and the presence resting above the Cherubim when we will have the Lord, the Messiah, the Son of God dwelling in the Holy of Holies in the flesh? The Prophet Jeremiah tells of a time when the Ark will no longer be remembered:

“In those days, when your numbers have increased greatly in the land,” declares the Lord, “people will no longer say, ‘The ark of the covenant of the Lord.’ It will never enter their minds or be remembered; it will not be missed, nor will another one be made.” – Jeremiah 3:16

2. Veil of Separation:

Before the Cross, the most Holy place had to remain separate and covered with a veil that only the High Priest could enter through. However because of the sacrifice of Jesus, man is no longer separate from God and we are free to approach his throne boldly as it says in Hebrews 4:6.

3. Menorah:

Inside the Tabernacle and the Temple of Solomon the only light to illuminate the darkness inside was from the Menorah. However in Ezekiel’s Temple, the light and Glory of Jesus will fill and illuminate the Temple:

“He will judge between the nations and will settle disputes for many peoples. They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore. Come, descendants of Jacob, let us walk in the light of the Lord.” – Isaiah 2:4,5

“In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.” – John 1:4

“When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” – John 8:12

4. Table of Shewbread:

Inside the Tabernacle/Temple 12 loaves of unleavened bread were placed on the Table of Shewbread. Jesus however, is the true bread of life:

“Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.” – John 6:35

5. High Priest

The Prophecy of Zechariah 6 shows that the Messiah will reign as both King and High Priest. The Lord used Joshua, the High Priest during the time of Zechariah as an image of the future arrival of the Messiah. Zechariah was instructed to make a crown of Gold and Silver and place it on the head of Joshua:

“Take the silver and gold and make a crown, and set it on the head of the high priest, Joshua son of Jozadak. Tell him this is what the LORD Almighty says: ‘Here is the man whose name is the Branch, and he will branch out from his place and build the temple of the LORD. It is he who will build the temple of the LORD, and he will be clothed with majesty and will sit and rule on his throne. And he will be a priest on his throne. And there will be harmony between the two.’ – Zechariah 6:11-13

David in the Psalms writes that the Messiah will be a priest in the Order of Melchizek:

“The LORD has sworn and will not change his mind: "You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek." – Psalms 110:4.

Melchizedek was the only Holy man in the Bible with a sanctioned claim to both royalty and priesthood in the Old Testament. When Jesus comes he will come as both King and eternal High priest mediating between man and the Father.

“Now there have been many other priests, since death prevented them from continuing in office. But because Jesus lives forever, He has a permanent priesthood. Therefore He is able to save completely those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to intercede for them.” – Hebrews 7:23-28

6. Altar of incense

The Altar was located just before the veil. The High Priest was instructed to take one of the burning coals from the altar and place it into a censor of incense before walking through the veil on the Day of Atonement. The resulting incense and sweet aroma would fill the Holy of Holies and gather as a cloud to cover the mercy seat as the High Priest stepped in. The cloud of sweet aroma acted to protect the High Priest, as entrance without it would result in death. This will not apply to our Lord, who has already suffered the wrath of God unto death for our sins.

7. The Laver of Brass

The Laver of Brass was very important for the Tabernacle and the Temple. It was used to hold the water the priests were commanded to use in order to wash and cleanse themselves before entering into the Holy place. This was symbolic of spiritual purity, however with Christ, we are made clean through faith and the finished work of his shed blood.

“Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way opened for us through the curtain of His body, 21and since we have a high priest over the house of God, 22let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.” – Hebrews 10:19-22

“Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her 26to sanctify her, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, 27and to present her to Himself as a glorious church, without stain or wrinkle or any such blemish, but holy and blameless.” – Ephesians 5:26

"On that day a fountain will be opened to the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, to cleanse them from sin and impurity.” –Zechariah 13:1

The Controversy

Stopping here, all this sounds rather fine and acceptable, maybe exciting. However after reading through several sections in the just the first chapter, once you have overcome the meticulous details something alarming suddenly hits you to violently shake you from your boredom:

“The Rooms for Preparing Sacrifices. A room with a doorway was by the portico in each of the inner gateways, where the burnt offerings were washed. In the portico of the gateway were two tables on each side, on which the burnt offerings, sin offerings and guilt offerings were slaughtered. By the outside wall of the portico of the gateway, near the steps at the entrance of the north gateway were two tables, and on the other side of the steps were two tables. So there were four tables on one side of the gateway and four on the other—eight tables in all—on which the sacrifices were slaughtered. There were also four tables of dressed stone for the burnt offerings, each a cubit and a half long, a cubit and a half wide and a cubit high. On them were placed the utensils for slaughtering the burnt offerings and the other sacrifices. And double-pronged hooks, each a handbreadth long, were attached to the wall all around. The tables were for the flesh of the offerings.” – Ezekiel 38:43

This is the problem. The revelation of Ezekiel’s temple is terribly threatening to established Christian doctrine. Scrolling through the comment section of various Youtube video’s addressing either Jewish or Christian/Jewish partnership organizations devoted towards preparations for a coming Temple yields an endless stream of Christians who are against it, claiming the need for a Temple and the ritual of animal sacrifice has been done away with:

“God does not need a temple of stone. True temple is (a) spiritual one, in heaven. Hebrews 9: 11,12.” – Youtube profile: Victoria David.

“You guys are wack jobs. A third temple wasn’t prophesied. It was the second temple they referred to. The new Israel is the church and God’s chosen people are Christians…To resume animal sacrifices will be an abomination. Christ ended all of that..” – Youtube Profile: Brian Bailey.

“…God will accept no man-made temple where useless sacrifices are made. Jesus made the ultimate sacrifice. It is finished.” – Youtube Profile: Brenda Philips.

“Exactly non of this is Biblical…” – Youtube Profile: Haansgruber

As ZachuaryBaur, Producer of www.New2Torah.com often says before he ends his instructional videos: “Read your Bible.”

There will be a Millennial Reign of the Lord when he comes and there will be a Temple established. It is determined. The Lord has already detailed his plans for this through the prophets.

Ezekiel describes that during the initiation of the Messianic Kingdom, David will rule over the people and a sanctuary (Temple) will be in the midst of Israel “Evermore”:

…And David my servant will be their priest forever. 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.27 My tabernacle also shall be with them: yea, I will be their God, and they shall be my people. – Ezekiel 37:26,27

On the day of the Lord, there will be people who come to Jerusalem to sacrifice:

On that day holy to the Lord will be inscribed on the bells of the horses, and the cooking pots in the Lord’s house will be like the sacred bowls in front of the altar. 21 Every pot in Jerusalem and Judah will be holy to the Lord Almighty, and all who come to sacrifice will take some of the pots and cook in them. And on that day there will no longer be a Canaanite[c]in the house of the Lord Almighty. – Zech 14:20,21

During the Messianic Age the gentiles will rebuild the walls of Jerusalem and kings will travel from afar to serve the Lord and Israel. At this time the gates will remain perpetually open in order to allow in the wealth of the nations:

“Foreigners will rebuild your walls, and their kings will serve you. Though in anger I struck you, in favor I will show you compassion. 11Your gates will always stand open, they will never be shut, day or night, so that people may bring you the wealth of the nations— their kings led in triumphal procession.” – Isaiah 60:10,11

Among this wealth, various fine woods will be delivered in order to adorn a standing sanctuary/Temple!:

The glory of Lebanon will come to you, the juniper, the fir and the cypress together, to adorn my sanctuary; and I will glorify the place for my feet. - Isaiah 60:12

After the devastation of the wrath of the day of the Lord - survivors will be sent to declare God's glory to the nations and to bring the Israelites back to the land:

“I will set a sign among them and will send survivors from them to the nations: Tarshish, Put, Lud, Meshech, Tubal and Javan, to the distant coastlands that have neither heard My fame nor seen My glory. And they will declare My glory among the nations. “Then they shall bring all your brethren from all the nations as a grain offering to the LORD, on horses, in chariots, in litters, on mules and on camels, to My holy mountain Jerusalem,” says the LORD. - Isaiah 66:19 - 20

Then the Lord will take some of the Israelite's and make them priests and Levites:

“just as the sons of Israel bring their grain offering in a clean vessel to the house of the LORD. 21“I will also take some of them for priests and for Levites,” says the LORD. - Isaiah 66:2

The Lord will purify the Levites (indicating that the Levites and the priesthood will become active again) and he will have men bring offerings:

But who can endure the day of his coming? Who can stand when he appears? For he will be like a refiner’s fire or a launderer’s soap. 3 He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; he will purify the Levites and refine them like gold and silver. Then the Lord will have men who will bring offerings in righteousness, 4 and the offerings of Judah and Jerusalem will be acceptable to the Lord, as in days gone by, as in former years. – Malachi 3:2-4

Although it may be difficult to accept, and despite what we have been taught, God’s word very clearly tells us there will be a Temple and sacrifice. Again, we must direct our attention to this verse:

“God is not human, that he should lie, not a human being, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?” – Numbers 23:19

The Altar of Sacrifice:

In Ezekiel 43:13, Ezekiel is shown the Altar of Sacrifice. He is then given the regulations for sacrificing burnt offerings and splashing blood against it for a number of days in order to dedicate the altar and cleanse the structure.

Circumcision:

Ezekiel 44:9 God gives the command to block entry to the Temple any foreigner that is uncircumcised in heart and flesh.

Levitical Priesthood:

In Ezekiel 44:10 the Levites who went astray and led Israel into sin are admonished. Although they may serve in the Temple and slaughter the offerings they are forbidden to come near the Lord or any of the Holy things. Afterward, the descendants of Zadak who remained faithful to their calling are praised and alone are granted access to the Lord to minister before him and to stand as guards. Detailed instructions are given regarding dress and appearance for the Levitical priests who serve at this time with the following mandates given:

“‘They are to teach my people the difference between the holy and the common and show them how to distinguish between the unclean and the clean.In any dispute, the priests are to serve as judges and decide it according to my ordinances. They are to keep my laws and my decrees for all my appointed festivals, and they are to keep my Sabbaths holy.” Ezekiel 44:23, 24.

The Prince:

In Ezekiel 5, prophecy details the land inheritance that would go to the priests and the mysterious figure called the “Prince.” The responsibilities of the prince include:

“…burnt offerings, grain offerings and drink offerings at the festivals, the New Moons and the Sabbaths—at all the appointed festivals of Israel. He will provide the sin offerings,[p] grain offerings, burnt offerings and fellowship offerings to make atonement for the Israelites.” – Ezekiel 45:17

Holy Days:

Instructions regarding the Temple activities for Passover, Unleavened Bread and the Feast of Tabernacles are given in Ezekiel 45:18-25:

In the first month on the fourteenth day you are to observe the Passover, a festival lasting seven days, during which you shall eat bread made without yeast. On that day the prince is to provide a bull as a sin offering for himself and for all the people of the land. Every day during the seven days of the festival he is to provide seven bulls and seven rams without defect as a burnt offering to the LORD, and a male goat for a sin offering. He is to provide as a grain offering an ephah for each bull and an ephah for each ram, along with a hin[q] of olive oil for each ephah.

During the seven days of the festival, which begins in the seventh month on the fifteenth day, he is to make the same provision for sin offerings, burnt offerings, grain offerings and oil.”

Atonement is made for the Temple and unintentional sin:

‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: In the first month on the first day you are to take a young bull without defect and purify the sanctuary. The priest is to take some of the blood of the sin offering and put it on the doorposts of the temple, on the four corners of the upper ledge of the altar and on the gateposts of the inner court. You are to do the same on the seventh day of the month for anyone who sins unintentionally or through ignorance; so you are to make atonement for the temple.

Sabbath and New Moons:

The gate entry into the inner court of the east is to remain shut for 6 days, but on the Sabbath day and the New Moon the gate is open:

“‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: The gate of the inner court facing east is to be shut on the six working days, but on the Sabbath day and on the day of the New Moon it is to be opened. The prince is to enter from the outside through the portico of the gateway and stand by the gatepost. The priests are to sacrifice his burnt offering and his fellowship offerings. He is to bow down in worship at the threshold of the gateway and then go out, but the gate will not be shut until evening. On the Sabbaths and New Moons the people of the land are to worship in the presence of the LORD at the entrance of that gateway. The burnt offering the prince brings to the LORD on the Sabbath day is to be six male lambs and a ram, all without defect. The grain offering given with the ram is to be an ephah, and the grain offering with the lambs is to be as much as he pleases, along with a hin of olive oil for each ephah. On the day of the New Moon he is to offer a young bull, six lambs and a ram, all without defect. He is to provide as a grain offering one ephah with the bull, one ephah with the ram, and with the lambs as much as he wants to give, along with a hin of oil for each ephah. When the prince enters, he is to go in through the portico of the gateway, and he is to come out the same way.” – Ezekiel 46:1-8

Daily sacrifice:

”Every day you are to provide a year-old lamb without defect for a burnt offering to the LORD; morning by morning you shall provide it. You are also to provide with it morning by morning a grain offering, consisting of a sixth of an ephah with a third of a hin of oil to moisten the flour. The presenting of this grain offering to the LORD is a lasting ordinance. So the lamb and the grain offering and the oil shall be provided morning by morning for a regular burnt offering.” Ezekiel 46:13-15

The Torah:

It’s clear, that the Torah at this time has not been done away with. The distinctions between clean and unclean evidently remain as the priests are responsible to teach the people to identify the differences. Justice is administered according to the laws of the Torah. The people and the Levites are required to keep the appointed festivals and Sabbaths and New moons Holy, as the Torah has always dictated. Offerings are still made on an altar. Circumcision is required of the Gentile in order to enter into the gates of the Temple.

Although changes have been made regarding the Temple, priesthood and its activities, everything else can be found in the Torah detailed in the 5 books of Moses.

The Presence of the Lord returns

In Ezekiel 43, Ezekiel beholds the glory of God coming from the east, illuminating the surrounding land as his radiant presence advances to the Temple. The Lord entered in where he left. The presence moves through the East gate and Ezekiel is carried by the spirit and lifted to the inner court.

This is why the East gate in the city of modern Jerusalem has been sealed by Muslim authorities. It’s a futile attempt at sabotaging prophecy; little do they know that Ezekiel’s Temple will be built over the ruins of modern Jerusalem. The eastern gate that the Lord passes through will be the gate that he constructs himself upon his return after everything is destroyed, thus anything built before the Messiah lands on the Mount of Olives is irrelevant and will be destroyed in a great earthquake anyway.

A voice shouts at Ezekiel:

”He said: “Son of man, this is the place of my throne and the place for the soles of my feet. This is where I will live among the Israelites forever. The people of Israel will never again defile my holy name—neither they nor their kings—by their prostitution and the funeral offerings for their kings at their death. When they placed their threshold next to my threshold and their doorposts beside my doorposts, with only a wall between me and them, they defiled my holy name by their detestable practices. So I destroyed them in my anger. Now let them put away from me their prostitution and the funeral offerings for their kings, and I will live among them forever. Son of man, describe the temple to the people of Israel, that they may be ashamed of their sins. Let them consider its perfection, and if they are ashamed of all they have done, make known to them the design of the temple—its arrangement, its exits and entrances—its whole design and all its regulations and laws. Write these down before them so that they may be faithful to its design and follow all its regulations.” Ezekiel 43:6-11

Revelation 21:22

Many Christians have used Revelation 21:22 to disprove the presence of a Temple during the return of Christ:

“I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple.”

If you check the title assigned to Revelation 21, you will find that everything in the Chapter is a description of the new heaven and New Earth. Revelation 21 takes place a thousand years after the return of the Messiah and the establishment his kingdom. After the old earth passes, John states that there will be no sea, no more mourning or crying, pain or death. The New Jerusalem is said to descend from heaven, radiant and shimmering as if made of crystal. The City had twelve gates, one for every tribe, decorated and made of a single pearl. The City will have no sun, no moon, but is illuminated by the light of God and the Lamb! It is this dreamy, ideal, utopian world of Joy and purity that John then says will be absent of a central Temple structure to orient worship: “Because the Lord almighty and the Lamb are its temple.”