Temple Theology in Ezekiel THE SYMBOL OF RENEWED WORSHIP The vision is intended to depict the perpetual worship of the God of heaven in the Kingdom of Christ. To the mind of an Israelite the proper figure to represent this would be the temple and its services, with people, priest, and prince, each doing their fitting part. The most appropriate services to exhibit this worship would be those of continual recurrence, in which day by day, week by week, month by month, prayer and praise ascended to the throne of heaven; namely, the Morning Sacrifice, the Sabbath and the New moon festival. Here we have the Israelite symbol of perpetual public adoration. This will also account for the absence of all mention of the high priest and his office. - Barnes Notes (Chapter notes on Ezekiel 40) "The reference to sacrifices is not to be taken literally, in view of putting away such offerings, but is rather to be regarded as a presentation of the worship of redeemed Israel, in her own land using terms that the Jews were familiar in Ezekiel's day." - Scofield pg. 888 - The New Scofield Reference Bible ed. E. Schuyler English (New York, Oxford University Press, 1967), p. 864. Ezekiel describes the future in prophetic-temporal terms while John uses descriptions relating to eternity.
THE THREE MOVEMENTS OF GOD S PRESENCE IN RELATION TO TEMPLE 1. The Shekinah presence of God has departed from the Jerusalem temple This is because the temple has become defiled and rejected through idolatrous practices. (Ezekiel 10:4) And the glory of the LORD went up from the cherub to the threshold of the house, and the house was filled with the cloud, and the court was filled with the brightness of the glory of the LORD. (Ezekiel 10:18-19) Then the glory of the LORD went out from the threshold of the house, and stood over the cherubim. And the cherubim lifted up their wings and mounted up from the earth... And they stood at the entrance of the east gate of the house of the LORD, and the glory of the God of Israel was over them. (Ezekiel 11:23) And the glory of the LORD went up from the midst of the city and stood on the mountain that is on the east side of the city. 2. God himself will be a temple for his people in Exile. The Shekinah glory is first seen by Ezekiel by the Kebar River, as though God had accompanied his people into exile, sharing their punishment as it were and living with them as he had during the 40 years of wandering in the wilderness outside the land due to disobedience in the time of Moses. (Ezekiel 11:16) "Therefore say: Thus says the Lord GOD: Though I removed them far away among the nations, and though I scattered them among the countries, yet I have been a sanctuary to them for a little while in the countries where they have gone." 3. God s Shekinah glory will return to the eschatological temple. (Ezekiel 43:2) And behold, the glory of the God of Israel was coming from the east. And the sound of his coming was like the sound of many waters, and the earth shone with his glory. [3] And the vision I saw was just like the vision that I had seen when he came to destroy the city, and just like the vision that I had seen by the Chebar canal. And I fell on my face. [4] As the glory of the Lord entered the temple by the gate facing east, [5] the Spirit lifted me up and brought me into the inner court; and behold, the glory of the Lord filled the temple.
EZEKIEL S VISION IS APOCALYPTIC LITERATURE The verse below begins a new section in Ezekiel. This is indicated by the giving of a date for the vision which has been a characteristic of a new section throughout the book of Ezekiel. {40:1} In the twenty-fifth year of our exile, at the beginning of the year, on the tenth day of the month (either the anniversary of Joshua s entry into the promised land OR the Day of Atonement), in the fourteenth year after the city was struck down, on that very day, the hand of the Lord was upon me, and he brought me to the city. Visions from a high mountain characterize apocalyptic literature. {40:2} In visions of God he brought me to the land of Israel, and set me down on a very high mountain, on which was a structure like a city to the south. A heavenly intermediary is also characteristic of apocalyptic literature. In this case an angelic architect. {40:3-4} When he brought me there, behold, there was a man whose appearance was like bronze, with a linen cord and a measuring reed in his hand. And he was standing in the gateway. And the man said to me, "Son of man, look with your eyes, and hear with your ears, and set your heart upon all that I shall show you, for you were brought here in order that I might show it to you. Declare all that you see to the house of Israel. Other features of apocalyptic literature includes the use of symbols, numerical symmetry and futurism.
THEMES IN EZEKIEL S APOCALYPSE: The centrality of worship a future defined in terms of the past (Levitical worship as in the Torah but with differences) God s presence among his people Blessings which flow from God s presence to barren places of the earth (river of life) Restoration of the covenant promises of people, land and blessing. Symmetry expressing perfection An emphasis on details emphasizing separation between clean and unclean e.g. measurements STRUCTURE OF EZEKIEL S APOCALYPSE: re-erected temple (Ezekiel 40-43) reorganized worship (Ezekiel 44-46) redistributed territory (Ezekiel 47-48)
THE IMPORTANCE OF THE MEASUREMENTS Within the description of the New Temple there is an emphasis on details relating to THE THICKNESS and HEIGHT OF WALLS and on OPEN SPACES surrounding holy spaces (e.g. the courtyard and open fields). The reason for these emphasis is to highlight the separation of what is holy from what is not. Ezekiel 43:7-8 He said: " This is where I will live among the Israelites forever. The house of Israel will never again defile my holy name 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 " Ezekiel 43:10-12 "Son of man, describe the temple to the people of Israel, that they may be ashamed of their sins. Let them consider the plan, 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. This is the law of the temple: All the surrounding area on top of the mountain will be most holy. Such is the law of the temple. Ezekiel 42:20 So he measured the area on all four sides. It had a wall around it, five hundred cubits long and five hundred cubits wide, to separate the holy from the common. There is a significant interest in the GATES (i.e. entrances and exits) approaching holy areas with the purpose on emphasizing access to holy space. The details concerning the KITCHENS AND VARIOUS CHAMBERS is for the purpose on emphasizing what should be done where in relation to the holy place. Again the idea of separation is apparent. Ezekiel 46:20 He said to me, "This is the place where the priests will cook the guilt offering and the sin offering and bake the grain offering, to avoid bringing them into the outer court and consecrating the people."
OTHER NOTES The purpose of the vision is to: 1. cause the people to feel ashamed of their past sin 2. cause them to observe all its laws and all its statutes and carry them out i.e. its laws and all its statutes (i.e. to distinguish between holiness and common e.g. see below) (43:12) This is the law of the temple: the whole territory on the top of the mountain all around shall be most holy. Behold, this is the law of the temple. (44:23) They shall teach my people the difference between the holy and the common, and show them how to distinguish between the unclean and the clean. In terms of sacrifice The Messiah Prince is responsible for the provision of all sacrifices for the removal and cleansing of sin. Where it states that the sacrifices are for himself as well as the people perhaps this is a reference to his identification with the people in sacrifice rather than a reference to personal sinfulness c.f. as in Jesus baptism and death. (45:17) It shall be the prince's duty to furnish the burnt offerings, grain offerings, and drink offerings, at the feasts, the new moons, and the Sabbaths, all the appointed feasts of the house of Israel: he shall provide the sin offerings, grain offerings, burnt offerings, and peace offerings, to make atonement on behalf of the house of Israel. (45:22) On that day the prince shall provide for himself and all the people of the land a young bull for a sin offering. In terms of Gentile participation. {47:2} So you shall divide this land among you according to the tribes of Israel. You shall allot it as an inheritance for yourselves and for the sojourners who reside among you and have had children among you. They shall be to you as native-born children of Israel. With you they shall be allotted an inheritance among the tribes of Israel. The vision then incorporates Eden like characteristics such as living water which causes barren land and sea to flourish as well as a tree of life.