Ezekiel - The Watchman of Israel - Part 3
The Messianic Era for Israel Comes With the Promise of the Most Glorious Temple Ever
“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 40:4
In Ezekiel 38-39 God reveals his plan to bring his chosen people to repentance from rejecting Jesus Christ as their Messiah. It is recorded that two-thirds of the Jewish people will perish in what is stated by Jesus himself in Matthew 24 as the worst time of tribulation ever recorded in human history. But that dire picture comes with an even more compelling promise in the closing chapters of Ezekiel.
The final eight chapters of Ezekiel are devoted to detailed plans for a new temple, a new holy district, a new Jerusalem, and a new nation of Israel. The idea is, as bad as things are going to get, there is hope. And in the end, the trouble will be worth it.
Ezekiel 40-48 may be divided into five sections concerning:
“The presentation of the (millennial) temple”, the center of worship for the entire earth (40:1–42:20);
“The return of the glory of God” to the nation of Israel, not seen since the destruction of Solomon’s temple (43:1–12);
“The (restored) priesthood and sacrifices”, symbols celebrating the work of Jesus Christ and a restored Jewish state. Also provides those serving in the temple with brisket . . . literally (43:13–46:24);
“The river of life” providing rich pasture and farmland for the region as well as making the dead sea fresh and alive with wildlife (47:1–12);
The reorganization of “the land and the city” according to the tribes of Israel (47:13–48:35). (Lamar Eugene Cooper, Ezekiel, vol. 17, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1994), 353.)
This section of the book of Ezekiel is introduced with an angelic visitation and vision:
Ezekiel 40:1 In the twenty-fifth year of our exile, at the beginning of the year, on the tenth of the month, in the fourteenth year after the fall of the city—on that very day the hand of the Lord was on me and he took me there. 2 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 gets to literally lay eyes on the land, the city, and the sanctuary that was promised to Abraham, but that Abraham only got to see through the eyes of faith:
Hebrews 11:8 By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. 9 By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. 10 For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God.
13 All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth. 14 People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. 15 If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. 16 Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.
The defeat of Gog and Magog, which will be accomplished by the return of Jesus Christ, marks the dawn of a new era of human history. The Messianic Era. This is an era long anticipated by both Jewish leaders and by most all early church fathers. They believed, based upon ancient Jewish thinking, that since God created the earth in six days, followed by a day of rest, that he would therefore finish history in six millennial days, followed by a millennial “day” of rest (millennial meaning 1,000 years). It would be an era of unprecedented peace and prosperity for humanity. Here are some examples of their statements:
“I was taught by the Apostle John, himself, that after the resurrection of the dead, Jesus will personally reign for one thousand years.” Papias, Fragment 6
Johnson, Ken. The End-Times by the Ancient Church Fathers (p. 14).
Barnabas, AD First Century “Therefore, children, in six days, or in six thousand years, all the prophecies will be fulfilled. Then it says, ‘He rested on the seventh day.’ This signifies at the Second Coming of our Lord Jesus, He will destroy the Antichrist, judge the ungodly, and change the sun, moon, and stars. Then He will truly rest during the Millennial reign, which is the seventh day.” Epistle of Barnabas 15:7-9
Irenaeus, AD 180 “The day of the Lord is as a thousand years; and in six days created things were completed. It is evident, therefore, they will come to an end in the six thousandth year.” Against Heresies 5.28
Hippolytus, AD 205 “The Sabbath is a type of the future kingdom... For “a day with the Lord is as a thousand years.” Since, then, in six days the Lord created all things, it follows that in six thousand years all will be fulfilled.” Fragment 2; Commentary on Daniel 2.4
Commodianus, AD 240 “We will be immortal when the six thousand years are completed.” Against the Gods of the Heathens 35
“Resurrection of the body will be when six thousand years are completed, and after the one thousand years [millennial reign], the world will come to an end.” Against the Gods of the Heathens 80
Victorinus, AD 240 “Satan will be bound until the thousand years are finished; that is, after the sixth day.” Commentary on Revelation 20.1-3
Methodius, AD 290 “In the seventh millennium we will be immortal and truly celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles.” Ten Virgins 9.1
Lactantius, AD 304 “The sixth thousandth year is not yet complete. When this number is complete, complete, the consummation must take place.” Divine Institutes 7.141
The Talmud, Midrash, and Zohar state that the date by which the Messiah will appear is 6,000 years from creation. (Wikipedia)
The Messianic Era will consist of an additional 1,000 years of human history under the leadership of Jesus Christ, with a reconstituted nation of Israel, with resurrected believers on the earth, and with the forces of evil totally bound. It is taught implicitly throughout the Old Testament, including these final chapters of Ezekiel, but it is taught explicitly in Revelation 20:
Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding in his hand the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain. 2 And he seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years, 3 and threw him into the pit, and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he might not deceive the nations any longer, until the thousand years were ended. After that he must be released for a little while.
4 I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony about Jesus and because of the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
As a sabbath, it will be a time of unprecedented peace, prosperity, and development without the hindrances that plague our progress in this age. The peace will extend even to the animal kingdom . It will be inaugurated at the return of Jesus Christ. Since the city of Jerusalem will be destroyed, that likely explains why upon his return Jesus initially houses the Jewish people in the wilderness and forests (34:25-31).
Jesus’ first order of business will be reorganizing and rebuilding the Old Testament nation of Israel according to very specific instructions from chapters 40-48. He will be making appointments and handing out assignments to begin rebuilding the nation, the city, and the sanctuary. Keep in mind, he is a resurrected man, so he can’t be everywhere at once. (Let the reader understand) He will have to rely on other people who are trained, competent, and morally good to complete projects.
One might ask, why such specific instructions? Why do we need all of this detailed information about something we will never see or build in this age? God gave Moses similar instructions, but that was for an actual tabernacle that the Israelites were supposed to actually build and really use for worship . . . . . wait . . . . . oh.
Friends, we are given this information so that we can be sure, this will be an actual tabernacle that will be built after the return of Jesus Christ that we will really use. It isn’t merely symbolic, like some goofy Christian commentators like to suggest. It is real. It is so real that God is handing us the blueprint in advance to let us know that the plan has already been thought through and prepared. It is guaranteed to happen, so hang in there on this bumpy ride called life. Something amazing is coming, and it will be worth enduring the misery of this current corrupt and evil age.
We are given such detailed information to let us know that this reconstituted nation of Israel will be the center of worship for all the earth. The place of worship will also be the center of government. King David, under Old Testament Israel, had a separate governmental headquarters and place of his throne from the temple. In the millennial kingdom, the two will be combined into one. This is only made possible by the man who is also God, both priest and king according to the order of Melchizedek, king of Salem:
Zechariah 8:12 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. 13 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.’ 14 The crown will be given to Heldai, Tobijah, Jedaiah and Hen son of Zephaniah as a memorial in the temple of the Lord. 15 Those who are far away will come and help to build the temple of the Lord
The nation of Israel will specialize in governance and worship. As you can see from the above passage, some slots for leadership have already been assigned. Other countries will specialize in other things. Notice, it is the nations that caused Israel so much trouble that will be charged with the craftsmanship for rebuilding and refurnishing what they destroyed.
Isaiah 60:5
Then you will look and be radiant,
your heart will throb and swell with joy;
the wealth on the seas will be brought to you,
to you the riches of the nations will come.
6 Herds of camels will cover your land,
young camels of Midian and Ephah.
And all from Sheba will come,
bearing gold and incense
and proclaiming the praise of the Lord.
7 All Kedar’s flocks will be gathered to you,
the rams of Nebaioth will serve you;
they will be accepted as offerings on my altar,
and I will adorn my glorious temple.
We know all of this information applies to the time of the millennium, because scripture informs us that in the eternal state there will be no temple: Rev. 21:22 “I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple.”
Now, in closing, this center of worship and governance is described in both Ezekiel and Revelation as functioning for “the healing of the nations” (Ez. 47:12; Rev. 21:2). We can infer that this means this newly built country, city, and sanctuary will serve as a center for further training of the leaders of the nations of the earth in kingdom righteousness, in order to provide a good life for the people over which they rule. They are coming to present themselves in worship so that their minds and hearts can come under the influence of kingdom principles and values. Sound familiar?
Zechariah 14:16 Then everyone who survives of all the nations that have come against Jerusalem shall go up year after year to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, and to keep the Feast of Booths. 17 And if any of the families of the earth do not go up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, there will be no rain on them. 18 And if the family of Egypt does not go up and present themselves, then on them there shall be no rain; there shall be the plague with which the Lord afflicts the nations that do not go up to keep the Feast of Booths. 19 This shall be the punishment to Egypt and the punishment to all the nations that do not go up to keep the Feast of Booths.
I leave you with this reminder. The word in the New Testament that we translate “church” is the Greek word “eccclesia”. It is a word borrowed from ancient Greece, referring originally to:
“The ekklesia of ancient Athens is particularly well-known. It was the popular assembly, open to all male citizens as soon as they qualified for citizenship. In 594 BC, Solon allowed all Athenian citizens to participate, regardless of class. The assembly was responsible for declaring war, military strategy and electing the strategoi and other officials. It was responsible for nominating and electing magistrates (árchontes), thus indirectly electing the members of the Areopagus. It had the final say on legislation and the right to call magistrates to account after their year of office.”
Church we are in training here and know to play a pre-ordained role in this coming kingdom. But be warned, and you can do with it what you will:
Matthew 22:14 “Many are called, but few are chosen.”
Johnson, Ken. The End-Times by the Ancient Church Fathers (p. 13). Unknown. Kindle Edition.