EZEKIEL MEMORY CHALLENGE THEME: The Glory of the Lord OUTLINE: I. THE DEPARTURE OF GOD S GLORY AND JERUSALEM S DESTRUCTION (EZEKIEL 1-32) II. THE RETURN OF GOD S GLORY AND JERUSALEM S DELIVERANCE (EZEKIEL 33-48) KEY CHAPTERS: Ezekiel s Vision of God (Ezekiel 1) Ichabod: The Glory has Departed (Ezekiel 8-11) The Valley of Dry Bones (Ezekiel 37) Gog and Magog (Ezekiel 38-39) The New Temple: The Glory Restore (Ezekiel 40-43) KEY PASSAGES: Ezekiel 1:26-28 Now above the expanse that was over their heads there was something resembling a throne, like lapis lazuli (sapphires) in appearance; and on that which resembled a throne, high up, was a figure with the appearance of a man. Then I noticed from the appearance of His loins and upward something like glowing metal that looked like fire all around within it, and from the appearance of His loins and downward I saw something like fire; and there was a radiance around Him. As the appearance of the rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day, so was the appearance of the surrounding radiance. Such was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. And when I saw it, I fell on my face and heard a voice speaking. Ezekiel s vision of God s glory Ezekiel 11:19-20 And I will give them one heart, and put a new spirit within them. And I will take the heart of stone out of their flesh and give them a heart of flesh, that they may walk in My statutes and keep My ordinances and do them. Then they will be My people, and I shall be their God. the New Covenant (cf. Jer. 31) Ezekiel 14:13-14 Son of man, if a country sins against Me by committing unfaithfulness, and I stretch out My hand against it, destroy its supply of bread, send famine against it and cut off from it both man and beast, even though these three men, Noah, Daniel and Job were in its midst, by their own righteousness they could only deliver themselves," declares the Lord GOD. even if Noah, Job, and Daniel had lived in Ezekiel s day, the sin of the people would be so great that God would not spare them from judgment. Ezekiel 28:13-15 You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone was your covering: The ruby, the topaz and the diamond; the beryl, the onyx and the jasper; the lapis lazuli, the turquoise and the emerald; and the gold, the workmanship of your settings and sockets, was in you. On the day that you were created they were prepared. You were the anointed cherub who covers, and I placed you there. You were on the holy mountain of God; You walked in the midst of the stones of fire. You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created until unrighteousness was found in you. description of Lucifer before his rebellion Ezekiel 36:24-27 For I will take you from the nations, gather you from all the lands and bring you into your own land. Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances. the New Covenant restated KEY PEOPLE: Ezekiel prophet of God to the Jewish exiles in Babylon, whose name means God strengthens Baruch recorder, scribal secretary, and companion to Jeremiah (Jer. 36:4-8). 168
I. INTRODUCTION: I. TITLE: The Book of Ezekiel, like the other prophetical books, bears the name of its author to whom the Word of the Lord came expressly (1:3). The name Ezekiel is translated from the Hebrew word, yehezqe l, which literally means God strengthens or may God strengthen. Such a name is only fitting as the prophet Ezekiel was truly a tower of strength in the midst of a defeated people. Without question, God equipped Ezekiel with great strength in order to resist the stubborn, hardhearted, rebellious Israelites (Ezek. 3:8-9). To be sure, Ezekiel was strong and fearless as God made him to be. Yet though his disposition was firm, he maintained a shepherd s heart for his fellow countrymen. In fact, the Lord addresses Ezekiel by the title, son of man ninety-three times in the book, a title only used once of Daniel and Jesus eighty times. The title appears to emphasize the prophet s oneness with his kinsmen, especially as he pronounced judgment on them. As one OT commentator notes, Ezekiel is the one who, in the first place, breaking into pieces the hard hearts with the hammer of the law, represents the strict inexorable judge, but therefore, pouring soothing balm into the open wounds, approves himself as the healing physician to his people. While the scroll of Ezekiel has always been included in the Hebrew canon, later Jewish scholars dispute the book s canonicity over what they perceive to be discrepancies between the prophet s understanding of temple ritual and the prescription of Mosaic law (particularly in regard to the New Temple, which will be set up in Christ s millennial kingdom and was huge in its dimensions compared with Moses tabernacle and Solomon s/herod s Temple). Today, some rabbis even restrict the public and private use of the book of Ezekiel. II. AUTHOR: Unlike many OT prophets, a good bit of detail is known concerning Ezekiel. Like Jeremiah, Ezekiel was born of a priestly heritage, the son of Buzi, possibly of the Zadok line (1:3; 40:46; 44:15). If the phrase thirtieth year of Ezek. 1:1 refers to Ezekiel s age at that time of his writing (593-92 B.C.), the fifth year of Jehoiachin s reign (1:2), then he would have been born around 623-22 B.C., at the height of King Josiah s reformation in Jerusalem. Such an interpretation is likely and significant as a priest s ministry began at the age of thirty (Num. 4:3). Unlike Jeremiah, Ezekiel was married, but his wife died on January 10, 588, the day the siege of Jerusalem began (24:1, 15-18). He was likely taken to Babylon during one of the early waves of deportation: either alongside Daniel, Hanianha, Azaria & Michiael (605), or later with Jehoiachin (597). Five years after his arrival in this strange land, Ezekiel received his prophetic call to minister to the exiles in Babylon. Although Ezekiel s prophetic activities during this five-year period are not chronicled for us, we can still assume that he ministered to his people s spiritual needs, and did much studying of the Law and other Scriptures. God was preparing the priest to be the prophet during these early years. In Babylon, some of the exiles were incarcerated; others were made slaves; but many were allowed to settle down in various exile settlements (cf. Jeremiah 29:1-7; Ezra 2:59; 169
Nehemiah 7:61), the latter of these being the case for Ezekiel. He lived in his own house at a Jewish colony called Tel Abib by the Chebar River, a canal evidently near Nippur about 50 miles southeast of Babylon (1:1; 3:15). This canal ran around Babylon between the Euphrates and Tigris rivers and was located about 150 miles south of modern Baghdad and about 125 miles north of Ur, Abraham s native city. Here Ezekiel used his own home as a meeting place for exiled Jews. We are told that he ministered to the elders that gathered for his counsel, perhaps inaugurating the synagogue system (Ezek. 8:1; 14:1; 20:1). His ministry continued at least twenty-two years into his exile, until 570, the latest date given for his prophecies (29:17). It is not known how much longer his prophetic ministry continued or how he died. With this said, Ezekiel s authorship is almost universally accepted. Though his name is never mentioned in any other book of the Bible, Ezekiel is identified as the author of this book in several ways: 1) He identifies himself by name in 1:3 and 24:24. 2) He writes in autobiographical style throughout the book. Personal and possessive pronouns like I, me, and my pervade every chapter of this book. 3) He uses a unique, graphic literary style writing in the form of visions, parables, allegories, and symbolic actions throughout the book. In other words, Ezekiel uses a widely recognized uniformity of language and style that is consistent with the book s theme and central message; and 4) The priestly emphasis and references (altar, temple, sacrifices, offerings, etc.) throughout, also point to Ezekiel as the likely author. III. DATE: Ezekiel is extremely precise in dating many of his prophecies. The actual date of writing for the book can be determined, in large part, on the basis of this internal evidence. 1:1 July 5, 592 5 th year Ezekiel s first vision of the glory. 8:1 Sept. 5, 591 6 th year His transport in vision to Jerusalem 20:1 Aug. 10, 590 7 th year His instruction given to the elders 24:1 Jan. 10, 588 9 th year The day the siege of Jerusalem began 26:1 Apr. 1, 586 11 th year The prophecy of Tyre s devastation 29:1 Jan. 12, 587 10 th year The first prophecy against Pharaoh 29:17 Apr. 1, 570 27 th year The sixth prophecy against Pharaoh 30:20 Apr. 7, 586 11 th year The second prophecy against Pharaoh 31:1 June 1, 586 11 th year The third prophecy against Pharaoh 32:1 Mar. 1, 585 12 th year The fourth prophecy against Pharaoh 32:17 Apr. 15, 585 12 th year The fifth prophecy against Pharaoh 33:21 Jan 5, 585 12 th year The report of Jerusalem s fall arrives, having occurred five months earlier 40:1 Apr. 10, 572 25 th year The vision of the new temple received Thirteen of Ezekiel s messages are dated precisely according to the day, month, and year in which King Jehoiachin was taken captive to Babylon (597 B.C.). We are told that Ezekiel s prophetic ministry began five years into Jehoiachin s exile (1:2) around 593 B.C. Since Ezekiel says nothing of Jehoiachin s release from prison in Babylon in 562 B.C., we can assume that his prophetic ministry would have concluded prior to this date 170
and that his writings would have been compiled before then. As such, many OT scholars suggest a dating around 571-570 B.C. for the book of Ezekiel, with the events of this book occurring between 592-570. IV. OVERVIEW: This book advances from the time of Judah s vassalage under Babylon (605 B.C.) through the time of her captivity in Babylon (586 B.C.). As God sent His people into Babylonian exile as punishment for their sin, He, nevertheless, continued to speak to them through men such as Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel. This was God s means of purging the nation, His remnant, of their corrupt, spiritual idolatry. They needed to hear more of the very Word, which they had so stubbornly resisted. What a display of God s lovingkindness and patience even in the midst of judgment. 171
Among the ten thousand Jews taken captive by King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon in his second invasion of Judah in 597 B.C. (2 Kings 24:10-17) was a man named Ezekiel. This was the one whom God now chose to be His mouthpiece to the defeated nation. Ezekiel was to be God s prophet to the exiles, while Daniel served as God s ambassador to the court of the captor king. As one OT scholar notes, Ezekiel was the prophet of the captivity. (Jeremiah was prophet mainly to the Jews in Jerusalem, before the city fell. Daniel was prophet mainly to the court of King Nebuchadnezzar, in Babylon. Ezekiel was prophet mainly to the exiles in Babylon, before and after the fall of Jerusalem.) At this time in history, Israel is not only without a king and country, but without a temple and the facilities by which to carry on her religious rituals. Without a temple, of course, their ritual system of slain animals, feasts, and all priestly functions related to the temple was inoperative. Still, the spiritual condition of these Babylonian exiles, to whom Ezekiel ministered, was little better than those to whom Jeremiah ministered in Jerusalem. In fact, much of what Ezekiel preached was very similar to Jeremiah s message, which is certainly providential given that Ezekiel, no doubt, heard Jeremiah preach at various points in Jerusalem until his exile at the age of twenty-five. For this reason, Ezekiel has been called, the prolongation of the voice of Jeremiah (ref. Jeremiah 29). Judah s idolatry, which Ezekiel saw as Judah s downfall prior to his exile (597) was the same spiritual condition that he faced in the Jewish settlements in Babylon (ref. Ps. 137 for a picture of the spiritual condition of the captives). The change of geographical location into captivity did not initially change their dispositions toward the Lord. Tragically, the judgment of captivity did not stir the hearts of the first exiled contingents to repentance. In fact, these Jews found it very hard to believe, as Ezekiel was prophesying (between the years 597-586 B.C.), that Jerusalem would ultimately be destroyed by the Babylonians. They were reluctant to believe that YHWH, the covenant God, would give world dominion to such a heathen nation as Babylon, and that His will for His chosen people was to submit to this godless enemy. Hence, it was necessary for 172
both Ezekiel in Babylon, and Jeremiah in Jerusalem, to show the people how unfounded were their expectations of an immediate deliverance and restoration. Nevertheless, it would be during the captivity years that some of the Jews would return to God spiritually. Those who had heard and rejected the judgment proclamations of the prophet Jeremiah and Ezekiel, yet saw these prophecies fulfilled, eventually remembered and accepted their words of a future restoration and deliverance of His people. Thus, God s remnant people repented of their past sins and found hope in the covenant promises of God made to their forefathers. In many respects, this exilic return to God was the beginning of the religion of Judaism, and because Ezekiel was the prominent prophet at this time, he has been called the father of Judaism. V. THEME: The book of Ezekiel underscores the essential truths concerning the glory of the Lord and His transcendent majesty (1:1b, 28b; 2:3; and 3:23). Whereas the prophet Isaiah stressed the salvation of the Lord, Jeremiah the judgment of the Lord, and Daniel the kingdom of the Lord Ezekiel highlights the sovereignty and splendor of the Lord. In so doing, Ezekiel accentuates three primary points in his preaching: 1) It was sin that brought about God s judgment in the form of exile. Therefore, the people must repent and return to God! 2) Before the Jews could return to Jerusalem, they must return to the Lord. The exile would last for seventy years, even though false prophets were preaching an early return and false hope through an Egyptian alliance. The seventy-year captivity began in 605 B.C., with the first deportation of Jews (Jeremiah 25:11-173
12; Zechariah 7:5) and ended in 536 B.C. with the first return of exiles led by Zerubbabel. 3) There would be a future restoration of Israel for a believing remnant. The prophet constantly stressed the Lord s sovereignty and glory. It is upon the glorious backdrop of God s sovereignty that the people s spiritual condition is exposed in its full darkness and depravity. Because of the weight that Ezekiel puts on God s sovereignty and dominion throughout this book, he has been called the first dogmatist of the Old Testament. He wasn t just dogmatic about God s sovereignty, he was bull-dogmatic! VI. PURPOSE: Ezekiel s purpose was twofold as evidenced by the two main divisions of the book itself: 1) To promote repentance and faith by warning of God s imminent judgment upon Jerusalem and the nations; and 2) To stimulate hope and trust in God through his later message of assurance, that the nation would eventually be re-gathered, the city restored, and a new temple built. The first message was stressed during the first six years of his ministry (ca. 592-586 B.C.), stressing that Jerusalem and the temple would be utterly destroyed. The purpose was to warn a generation of obstinate and hardened Israelites of impending judgment (2:3-8), to underscore each generation s accountability for sin (18:20), and to call those willing to heed the counsel, Repent and live (18:21-23, 32). For this reason, Ezekiel has often been called, the prophet of personal responsibility. After the fall of Jerusalem (586 B.C.), however, Ezekiel became the prophet of hope, foretelling of Israel s final restoration. At this time, Ezekiel turned his attention to the nations surrounding Israel that had been active participants in, or gleeful onlookers to, the day of Jacob s trouble (chaps. 25-32). In chapters 33-48 Ezekiel instills hope, among the captive Hebrew remnant, by encouraging them with the promise of a new covenant of peace superintended by the Davidic shepherd (34:20-31). In short, he provided them with a detailed picture of their future glory and holiness, lest they settle down in the prosperous ways of Babylon and forget the holy city, Jerusalem. VII. SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS: In many respects, one may consider Ezekiel s prophetic ministry to be a bit unorthodox, or at the very least, odd. For example, we learn such facts from this book that Ezekiel was a recluse at times; he experienced temporary paralysis; he was mute for a period of time (3:26), he lay motionless on his side for months (4:4); he was bound by ropes in his own house (3:25); he was ordered not to mourn for his dead wife (24:16-17); and he packed all of his belongings and dug through the city walls. To us, this may sound rather bizarre. But we must king in mind that Ezekiel was dealing with a stubborn people who continuously refuse to listen to the Word of the Lord through the mouth of the prophet. They had rejected the warnings of Jeremiah that judgment was at hand. They had ignored the cries of Zephaniah concerning the Day of the Lord. And they had disregarded the prophecies of Habakkuk that God would use Babylon as His instrument of destruction. In short, this obstinate people remained unmoved by every normal style of communication! 174
Therefore, it should come as no surprise that the book of Ezekiel abounds with visions, parables, allegories, apocalyptic imagery, metaphor, dramatic action, sermon, rhetorical questions, argument, proverbs, riddles, and various symbolic acts. To be sure, no other prophet made such liberal use of pictorial language or visual aids than Ezekiel. In fact, this book is one of the richest anthologies or collections of Hebrew literary forms in the OT. For this reason, the Church Father, Jerome, called this book an ocean and labyrinth of the mysteries of God. Ezekiel s words and actions served to underscore the urgency of this hour in Judah s history as YHWH s wrath was about to be unleashed against them. Further, it gave shock value to a nation that was otherwise callous by sin. His bold and provocative language was designed to captivate the attention of his listeners and impress truth to their hard hearts. Specifically, Ezekiel is known as the Prophet of Visions. The very first verse of his book reads, The heavens were opened and I saw visions of God. A vision was a miraculous experience of a man of God, whereby God revealed truth to him in some pictorial and audible form. Visions could vary in kind, differing in such things as length, intensity, number of symbols, and whether the vision was perceived in the spirit, as in a dream, or by the conscious physical senses. There are six visions recorded in Ezekiel: 1. Vision of the Cherubim (Ezekiel s inaugural vision of God) 1:4-28 2. Vision of the Scroll 2:9 3:3 3. Vision of the Plain 3:22-23 4. Visions of Jerusalem a) Four abominations in the Temple 8:1-18 b) Inhabitants of the city slain 9:1-11 c) City destroyed by fire 10:1-22 d) Departure of God s glory 11:1-25 5. Vision of Dry Bones 37:1-10 6. Vision of the New Temple and Associated Scenes 40:1 48:35 Ezekiel, perhaps more than any other prophet, taught by symbolic actions. In fact, God told Ezekiel, I have set you as a sign to the house of Israel (12:6). So his symbolic actions were, in reality revelatory signs that were intended to grab the attention of the bullish people. Following is a list of the main symbolic actions of the prophet Ezekiel: SIGN TEACHING PASSAGE Sign of the Brick Jerusalem s siege and fall 4:1-3 Sign of the Prophet s Posture Discomforts of captivity 4:4-8 Sign of Famine Deprivations of captivity 4:9-17 Sign of the Knife and Razor Utter destruction of the city 5:1-17 Sign of House Moving Removal to another land 12:1-7, 17-20 Sign of the Sharpened Sword Judgment imminent 21:1-17 Sign of Nebuchadnezzar s Sword Babylon the captor 21:18-23 Sign of the Smelting Furnace Judgment and purging 22:17-31 Sign of Ezekiel s Wife s Death Blessings forfeited 24:15-27 Sign of the Two Sticks Judah 37:15-17 175
Moreover, Ezekiel use of allegory serves a similar purpose as his symbolic actions. Following I a list of allegories in the book of Ezekiel: ALLEGORY PASSAGE The Vine 15:1-8 The Faithless Wife 16:1-63 The Two Eagles 17:1-21 The New Cedar 17:22-24 The Lioness and Her Cubs 19:1-9 The Uprooted Vine 19:10-14 The Two Women 23:1-49 The Boiling Caldron 24:1-14 The Sinking of the S.S. Tyre 27:1-36 The Two Cedars 31:2-18 Although Daniel and Revelation are the two books that are most commonly associated with apocalyptic literature, that is prophecies concerning things to come at a yet future eschatological time, the book of Ezekiel contains many such apocalyptic passages. In keeping with apocalyptic style, these passages are filled with symbolism and imagery, but are clear in both their explanation and application. For this reason, many of these were borrowed by the Apostle John in the writing of the book of Revelation. These resemblances include: EZEKIEL REVELATION EZEKIEL REVELATION 1:1 19:11 14:21 6:8 1:5 4:6 26:13 18:22 1:10 4:7 27:28-30 18:17-19 1:22 4:6 37:10 11:11 1:24 1:15 37:27 21:3 2:9 5:1 40:2 21:10 3:1-3 10:10 40:3 11:1 7:2 7:1 43:2 1:15 9:4 7:3 43:16 21:16 9:11 1:13 47:1,12 22:1-2 10:2 8:5 48:31 21:12 Like Jeremiah, the messianic references in Ezekiel are quite limited as far as explicit, specific statements are concerned. There are, however, several indirect references and prophecies in this book alluding to the Messiah. These passages include: PROPHECY PASSAGE The Lord, the Sanctuary 11:16-20 The Wonderful Cedar Sprig 17:22-24 The Rightful King 21:26-27 The Faithful Shepherd 34:11-31 176
The Great Purification 36:25-35 The Great Resurrection 37:1-14 The Great Reunion 37:21-28 The Overthrow of Gog 38:1 39:29 The Life-giving Stream 47:1-12 II. OUTLINE OF EZEKIEL: I. THE DEPARTURE OF GOD S GLORY AND JERUSALEM S DESTRUCTION: (EZEKIEL 1-32) a. THE PROPHECIES OF EZEKIEL S MISSION (Ezek. 1-3) i. His vision of the Lord s glory (1) 1. Vision of 4 Beings, 4 Wheels and Divine Glory 2. One of 6 books that begin with a scene in heaven (Gen., Job, John, Eph., Rev.) 3. This vision speaks of God s constant working in the world, His power and glory, His presence in all places, and His purpose for man. 4. The entire vision of God s glory shows God at work in the world, judging the sins of His people, but still keeping His covenant of mercy. ii. His mission to a rebellious people (2-3) 1. They shall know that I am the Lord used 70 times throughout Ezekiel, it summarizes the ministry and message of Ezekiel. b. THE PORTRAYAL OF JERUSALEM S DESOLATION (Ezek. 4-7) i. Two parables of the city s doom (4-5) ii. Plain announcement of the city s doom (6-7) c. THE PARTING OF GOD S GLORY FROM THE TEMPLE (Ezek. 8-11) i. Idolatry of the elders revealed (8) ii. Preservation of the righteous insured (9) iii. Departure of the Glory observed (10-11) 1. The glory of God came again to Ezekiel in 8:4 but could not stay in such close proximity to wickedness. So, the glory moved to the threshold of the temple (9:3), to above it (10:4), then the cherubim and the glory moved off the threshold to the eastern gate of the temple (10:19), and finally the glory moved out of the temple to the Mount of Olives (11:22-23) -- Ichabod the glory has departed! (1 Sam. 4:21). 177
d. THE PRESENTATION OF JUDAH S REBELLION (Ezek. 12-24) i. Their blind and wicked leadership (12-14) ii. Their deadness as the Lord s vineyard (15) iii. Their history of lewd prostitution (16-17) iv. Their individual sins as a people (18-19) v. Their long history of idolatry (20-21) vi. Their national conspiracy of violence (22) vii. Their rejection of correction (23-24) e. THE PROPHECIES AGAINST JUDAH S NEIGHBORS (Ezek. 25-32) i. Judgment East: Ammon, Moab, and Edom ii. Judgment West: Philistia and Tyre 1. 28:11-19 this section with its superhuman references apparently describes Lucifer, Satan, as the King of Tyre. 2. Here, his unique privileges before his fall are described (vv. 12-15), and his judgment is pronounced (vv. 16-19) iii. Judgment South: Egypt and Ethiopia II. THE RETURN OF GOD S GLORY AND JERUSALEM S RESTORATION: (EZEKIEL 33-48) a. THE PROPHETIC PROCESS OF ISRAEL S RESTORATION (Ezek. 33-39) i. Israel s requirement of personal response (33) ii. Israel s regathering by the divine Shepherd (34-35) iii. Israel s regathering for divine cleansing (36) iv. Israel s regathering for divine life and ministry (37) 1. The Valley of Dry Bones bones were considered unclean and would have therefore defiled the land and made it unusable. 2. This picture describes the Jewish nation (Israel and Judah) in its utter state of defeat. 3. But by God s Word, the bones are given life. Through the power of the Spirit, their future revival is portrayed. Politically, this took place on May 14, 1948, when the modern nation of Israel entered 178
into the family of nations. But one day, this revival will also occur spiritually, at the time of Christ s Second Advent. v. Israel s regathering after a final purge (38-39) 1. The final attack of Gog and Magog a. Following Israel s partial regathering, a great northern power (e.g. Russia; ref. Meshech = Moscow & Tubal = Tobolsk) will invade Israel and then be challenged by a large southern and western alliance (e.g. the revived Roman Empire) (38) b. This will occur during the first 3 ½ years of the tribulation period and is not the same battle referred to in Rev. 20:7-9 that will occur at the close of the 1000 year millennial reign of Christ c. Gog is the prince s name (1 Chron. 15:4); Magog the name of the land. Noah s grandson settled by the Black Sea and the name came to refer to the people group led by Gog d. God will intervene and destroy the army of Russia in demonstration to the world of His sovereignty (39:1-8; 21:24). e. Their defeat will be so great that it will take seven months to bury the dead (39:12), and seven years to burn the abandoned instruments of war. f. With Russia no longer a dominant world power, the ruler of the Roman Empire (the Antichrist) will hasten to keep his covenant with Israel and will declare himself the world dictator the Abomination of Desolation and the beginning of the Great Tribulation (Dan. 9:27). 2. The final purge of God and His Spirit a. The latter day house of Israel will experience spiritual rebirth when the Spirit of God is poured out on them at a time subsequent to this battle (39:25-29) b. THE PRIESTLY GLORY OF ISRAEL S RESTORATION (Ezek. 40-48) i. Return of the God s Glory to the New Temple (40-43) 1. Notice the enormous dimensions of this New Temple. The entire Temple site in Ezekiel s vision is approximately 50 square miles. So, how will this fit on the temple mount in Jerusalem? Moreover, how will it even fit into Jerusalem? Are we to take this vision literally or figuratively? 2. A literal interpretation is best!!! This is not a symbolic reference to the NT Church for several reasons: a. All of Ezekiel s prophecies that precede these chapters are fulfilled literally. Therefore, we are not to interpret these allegorically. 179
b. Interpreting this Temple as being fulfilled in the Church, when it is a vision that is specifically given as a hope for Israel, makes the prophecy a gross deception and a vain hope for the people to whom it is directed (43:7, 10) c. The detailed dimensions of this temple are almost devoid of real significance if applied figuratively to the Church. Taken literally, they relate consistently to the Lord s method of giving specific, detailed dimensions on such occasions as Noah s ark, Moses tabernacle, and Solomon s temple. The careful dimensions given suggest this temple will be as literal as all the others. 3. Notice that Ezekiel s temple has glaring omissions: a. No ark b. No mercyseat c. No cherubim d. No altar of incense e. No candlestick f. No table of showbread g. No veil h. No high priest 4. These omissions are well explained in a literal sense if one interprets this as the Temple that will be built during the 1000-year millennial reign of Christ. At this time, there will be no need for these parts of the temple as they were types that find fulfillment in the Person of Christ. These shadows will be obsolete and disappear as Christ will be present. Therefore, they are omitted from this vision. ii. Renewal of worship in the New Temple (44-46) 1. So, why is the sacrificial system reinstated in Ezekiel s temple? According to Hebrews 8-10, Jesus has made a once and for all time atonement for sin. Therefore, we can surmise that these sacrifices will not serve a redemptive purpose as God will not contradict Himself and will certainly not require additionally atonement as this would diminish the significance and effectiveness of Christ s sacrifice. a. Most likely, the purpose of the renewed system of animal sacrifices in the Millennial Temple will serve and important memorial function similar to how the ordinances of baptism and the Lord s Supper serve for the NT church today. iii. Re-division of the land around the temple (47-48) 180
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