The Glory of the Lord Fills the Temple

 

Ezekiel 43:1-12

 

February 13, 2024

 

The Glory of the Lord Fills the Temple

Then he led me to the gate, the gate facing east.  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.  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.  As the glory of the Lord entered the temple by the gate facing east, the Spirit lifted me up and brought me into the inner court; and behold, the glory of the Lord filled the temple.

While the man was standing beside me, I heard one speaking to me out of the temple, and he said to me, “Son of man, this is the place of my throne and the place of the soles of my feet, where I will dwell in the midst of the people of Israel forever. And the house of Israel shall no more defile my holy name, neither they nor their kings, by their whoring and by the dead bodies of their kings at their high places, by setting their threshold by my threshold and their doorposts beside my doorposts, with only a wall between me and them. They have defiled my holy name by their abominations that they have committed, so I have consumed them in my anger.  Now let them put away their whoring and the dead bodies of their kings far from me, and I will dwell in their midst forever.

“As for you, son of man, describe to the house of Israel the temple, that they may be ashamed of their iniquities; and they shall measure the plan.  And if they are ashamed of all that they have done, make known to them the design of the temple, its arrangement, its exits and its entrances, that is, its whole design; and make known to them as well all its statutes and its whole design and all its laws, and write it down in their sight, so that they may observe all its laws and all its statutes and carry them out.  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.

As followers of Christ, we were grafted into the vine, Romans 11:11,12, “So I ask, did they stumble in order that they might fall? By no means! Rather, through their trespass salvation has come to the Gentiles, so as to make Israel jealous.  Now if their trespass means riches for the world, and if their failure means riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their full inclusion mean!”

 

 ^“But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, although a wild olive shoot, were grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing root of the olive tree, do not be arrogant toward the branches. If you are, remember it is not you who support the root, but the root that supports you.  Then you will say, “Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in.”  That is true. They were broken off because of their unbelief, but you stand fast through faith. So do not become proud, but fear.  For if God did not spare the natural branches, neither will he spare you.  Note then the kindness and the severity of God: severity toward those who have fallen, but God's kindness to you, provided you continue in his kindness.” (Romans 11:17-22)

 

You and I were bought with a great price by God, your payment for your sins was the cruel death of His only Son, to buy you out of eternal hell.  We the Church, must never take light the kindness and love of our Father or His Son, Jesus Christ.

 

Will we the Church be part of this Temple, yes if it happens with the return of Christ, but as stated yesterday, you are the temple that God’s Spirit lives in do not get arrogant, but share all that God has done for you.  We must learn to be still and find a place of quietness to listen to the Spirit of God, to engage in fellowship with Him.

 

From the Back Porch,

 

Bob Rice

The Temple's Chambers

 

 

 

 

 

Ezekiel 42,1-20

 

February 12, 2023

 

The Temple's Chambers 

Then he led me out into the outer court, toward the north, and he brought me to the chambers that were opposite the separate yard and opposite the building on the north.  The length of the building whose door faced north was a hundred cubits, and the breadth fifty cubits.  Facing the twenty cubits that belonged to the inner court, and facing the pavement that belonged to the outer court, was gallery against gallery in three stories.  And before the chambers was a passage inward, ten cubits wide and a hundred cubits long, and their doors were on the north.  Now the upper chambers were narrower, for the galleries took more away from them than from the lower and middle chambers of the building.  For they were in three stories, and they had no pillars like the pillars of the courts. Thus, the upper chambers were set back from the ground more than the lower and the middle ones.  And there was a wall outside parallel to the chambers, toward the outer court, opposite the chambers, fifty cubits long.  For the chambers on the outer court were fifty cubits long, while those opposite the nave were a hundred cubits long.  Below these chambers was an entrance on the east side, as one enters them from the outer court.

 In the thickness of the wall of the court, on the south also, opposite the yard and opposite the building, there were chambers with a passage in front of them. They were similar to the chambers on the north, of the same length and breadth, with the same exits and arrangements and doors,  as were the entrances of the chambers on the south. There was an entrance at the beginning of the passage, the passage before the corresponding wall on the east as one enters them. 

Then he said to me, “The north chambers and the south chambers opposite the yard are the holy chambers, where the priests who approach the Lord shall eat the most holy offerings. There they shall put the most holy offerings—the grain offering, the sin offering, 

and the guilt offering—for the place is holy.  When the priests enter the Holy Place, they shall not go out of it into the outer court without laying there the garments in which they minister, for these are holy. They shall put on other garments before they go near to that which is for the people.”

Now when he had finished measuring the interior of the temple area, he led me out by the gate that faced east and measured the temple area all around.  He measured the east side with the measuring reed, 500 cubits by the measuring reed all around.  He measured the north side, 500 cubits by the measuring reed all around.  He measured the south side, 500 cubits by the measuring reed.  Then he turned to the west side and measured, 500 cubits by the measuring reed.  He measured it on the four sides. It had a wall around it, 500 cubits long and 500 cubits broad, to make a separation between the holy and the common.

How has Grace freed us from the bondage of the law?  The Jewish people were and are the chosen of God, and they were given laws to live by but they were also promised the Messiah.  They were looking for a king to fight their battles and allow them to live a carefree life, but the Messiah came in the form of a baby, not born in a king's palace but in a stall for animals.  It was well witnessed, by both angels and shepherds and sometime later by wise men from the east.  You can read the full account in the gospel of Luke 2:1-21.  

 

It is sad when we are not willing to accept God's perfect plan when it conflicts with our expectations.   The religious group had their minds set on a Messiah, that came as a king and they would not receive a baby born in a manager.   They had no room for anyone else, but God is showing us a temple that is like no other, its future, and in that temple, the Jewish people will worship the Messiah they rejected.  

 

Can you imagine taking care of that temple, and while we are on that my fellow brothers and sister in Christ, how are you taking care of your temple.  Are you keeping it clean?  That is a question I ask myself often, how much of this world has got into my temple.  The Scriptures are clear our bodies, our temples, that is all who have received Christ by faith and grace, 

 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So, glorify God in your body.”

 

As I reflected on this, I wanted to see what “Got Questions” had to say on the subject of our bodies being the temple of the Holy Spirit, this is the part that got my full attention: “If God meant simply to convey the idea that the Spirit lives within the believer, He could well have used words such as “home,” “house,” or “residence.” But by choosing the word “temple” to describe the Spirit’s dwelling, He conveys the idea that our bodies are the shrine, or the sacred place, in which the Spirit not only lives, but is worshiped, revered, and honored. Therefore, how we behave, think, and speak, and what we let into the temple through our eyes and ears becomes critically important as well, for every thought, word, and deed is in His view. Even though He will never leave us, it is entirely possible to grieve the Holy Spirit “

 

Dear Holy Spirit, please forgive me for allowing the foolishness of this world to clutter your temple, fear, and anger over the temporal and not the eternal.  

 

When we live as if this life is going to last and it is all about who we are and what we have acquired, we have our ladder on the wrong wall.

 

From the Back Porch,

 

Bob Rice

God is a Promise Keeper

 

 

 

Ezekiel 41:13-26

 

February 11, 2024

 

Then he measured the temple, a hundred cubits long; and the yard and the building with its walls, a hundred cubits long; also, the breadth of the east front of the temple and the yard, a hundred cubits.

Then he measured the length of the building facing the yard that was at the back and its galleries on either side, a hundred cubits.

The inside of the nave and the vestibules of the court, the thresholds and the narrow windows and the galleries all around the three of them, opposite the threshold, were paneled with wood all around, from the floor up to the windows (now the windows were covered), to the space above the door, even to the inner room, and on the outside. And on all the walls all around, inside and outside, was a measured pattern.  It was carved of cherubim and palm trees, a palm tree between cherub and cherub. Every cherub had two faces:  a human face toward the palm tree on the one side, and the face of a young lion toward the palm tree on the other side. They were carved on the whole temple all around.  From the floor to above the door, cherubim and palm trees were carved; similarly, the wall of the nave.

The doorposts of the nave were squared, and in front of the Holy Place was something resembling an altar of wood, three cubits high, two cubits long, and two cubits broad. Its corners, its base, and its walls were of wood. He said to me, “This is the table that is before the Lord.”  The nave and the Holy Place had each a double door.  The double doors had two leaves apiece, two swinging leaves for each door.  And on the doors of the nave were carved cherubim and palm trees, such as were carved on the walls. And there was a canopy^[j] of wood in front of the vestibule outside.  And there were narrow windows and palm trees on either side, on the sidewalls of the vestibule, the side chambers of the temple, and the canopies.

In this vision where God has sent His Messager to detail the temple that will be built, and is yet to be built it will be an amazing structure that will hold many people.  As the Church, we must not forget that God is faithful to fulfill every promise in the Scripture.  Numbers 23:19, “God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind.

Has he said, and will he not do it?  Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?”

 

There is no greater blessing than the promise in Romans 1:16-17, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.  For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.” It is a great need at this time of ignorance for people to know that the Messiah has come and was rejected, His name is Jesus Christ, and the apostle Paul gave us the way we must put our faith to receive this free gift.  Romans 10:9-10, “because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.  For with the heart, one believes and is justified, and with the mouth, one confesses and is saved.”

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

The Inner Temple

 

Ezekiel 41:1-12

 

February 10, 2024

 

The Inner Temple

Then he brought me to the nave and measured the jambs. On each side, six cubits was the breadth of the jambs.  And the breadth of the entrance was ten cubits, and the sidewalls of the entrance were five cubits on either side. And he measured the length of the nave, forty cubits, and its breadth, twenty cubits.  Then he went into the inner room and measured the jambs of the entrance, two cubits; and the entrance, six cubits; and the sidewalls on either side of the entrance, seven cubits.   And he measured the length of the room, twenty cubits, and its breadth, twenty cubits, across the nave. And he said to me, “This is the Most Holy Place.”

Then he measured the wall of the temple, six cubits thick, and the breadth of the side chambers, four cubits, all around the temple.  And the side chambers were in three stories, one over another, thirty in each story. There were offsets all around the wall of the temple to serve as supports for the side chambers, so that they should not be supported by the wall of the temple.  And it became broader as it wound upward to the side chambers because the temple was enclosed upward all around the temple. Thus, the temple had a broad area upward, and so one went up from the lowest story to the top story through the middle story.  I saw also that the temple had a raised platform all around; the foundations of the side chambers measured a full reed of six long cubits. The thickness of the outer wall of the side chambers was five cubits. The free space between the side chambers of the temple and the other chambers was a breadth of twenty cubits all around the temple on every side.  And the doors of the side chambers opened on the free space, one door toward the north, and another door toward the south. And the breadth of the free space was five cubits all around.

The building that was facing the separate yard on the west side was seventy cubits broad, and the wall of the building was five cubits thick all around, and its length ninety cubits.

 

When you read this your first thought is what detail, what precision, God is giving meticulous instruction on how His Temple was to be built.  As one who is a follower of Christ you are a temple that God has sent His Spirit to live in, has He not done the same with you?  As we have explored the Scripture have you not seen your true identity in Christ?  In 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, "Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So, glorify God in your body.” You find that God has done a precision job in your temple, and it is a place where you learn how to be still and listen to that quiet voice of the Holy Spirit.  He will never tell you that you deserve anything, and He will never tell you have little value, when you hear those voices that sound like your voice it is not from God's Spirit, but from the one that John 10:10, tells us has come to kill, steal, and destroy. 

 

God used the apostle Peter to give us insight into our true identity, in 1 Peter 2:9, “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.”

 

That is grace, not earned, but freely given from God to all who have received Jesus by faith.  Now do not stop reading, for that old flesh did not die with the old you, the new you in Christ has for all those years learned how to get its needs met outside of Christ, Scripture calls that flesh.  And that is why we are told not to allow it to rule over us.  1 Peter 2:11, ^“Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul.”  He refers to your flesh and the world system that is under the control of the devil.  In Ephesians 6:10-13, the apostle Paul gives us this warning; ^“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.  Put on the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.  For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.”

 

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

Chambers for the Press & The Vestibule of the Temple

 

Ezekiel 40:43-49

 

February 9,2024

 

Chambers for the Priests

On the outside of the inner gateway, there were two chambers in the inner court, one at the side of the north gate facing south, the other at the side of the south gate facing north.  And he said to me, “This chamber that faces south is for the priests who have charge of the temple, and the chamber that faces north is for the priests who have charge of the altar. These are the sons of Zadok, who alone among the sons of Levi may come near to the Lord to minister to him.”  And he measured the court, a hundred cubits long and a hundred cubits broad, a square. And the altar was in front of the temple.

The Vestibule of the Temple

Then he brought me to the vestibule of the temple and measured the jambs of the vestibule, five cubits on either side. And the breadth of the gate was fourteen cubits, and the sidewalls of the gate were three cubits on either side.  The length of the vestibule was twenty cubits, and the breadth twelve cubits, and people would go up to it by ten steps.  And there were pillars beside the jambs, one on either side.

I know this is going to happen. The vision was for a time to come, and it has not been built at this time, but it will. Once more, I went to “Got Questions” for their insights.  

“Most who expect a literal fulfillment of Ezekiel’s temple expect it to be erected in the millennial kingdom, a 1,000-year reign of Christ upon the earth. During the millennium, glorified saints from the present age will live in contact with natural human beings who will still need to make a decision for Christ in order to be saved—and many will choose not to trust Him. The sacrificial system described in Ezekiel cannot be for the forgiveness of sins, for Christ has accomplished that once and for all (Hebrews 10:1–4, 11–14). In this interpretive approach, the sacrifices are seen as memorials of Christ’s death or as rites for the ceremonial cleansing of the temple, but not as a means to forgive sins.

In the figurative view of Ezekiel’s temple, the prophet’s vision simply reiterates that God will once again dwell with His people in a perfect relationship. This relationship is described in the language that the people of the day (and especially for Ezekiel as a priest) would have understood—a Jewish temple of magnificent proportions, with regular, perfect sacrifices, with the Messiah presiding, and with the glory of God visibly evident. In later visions to other prophets, God revealed more about how He would accomplish this with the Messiah Himself replacing the temple, the sacrifices, and the land. The presence of God through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit would be more immediately evident than ever before. The fulfillment of Ezekiel’s temple could thus be realized in the church age to some degree and, in the age to come, to perfection.

Regardless of which approach is taken, the vision of Ezekiel’s temple says that God has not forsaken His people and that His relationship with them will be restored and elevated to a new, never-before-conceived glory and intimacy. Present circumstances should never cause one to doubt the promises of God.” (Taken from Got Questions)

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

The South Gate & The Inner Court

 

Ezekiel 40: 24-27- 28-43

 

February 8, 2024

 

The South Gate

And he led me toward the south, and behold, there was a gate on the south. And he measured its jambs and its vestibule; they had the same size as the others. Both it and its vestibule had windows all around, like the windows of the others. Its length was fifty cubits, and its breadth twenty-five cubits.  And there were seven steps leading up to it, and its vestibule was before them, and it had palm trees on its jambs, one on either side.  And there was a gate on the south of the inner court. And he measured from gate to gate toward the south, a hundred cubits.

The Inner Court

Then he brought me to the inner court through the south gate, and he measured the south gate. It was of the same size as the others.  Its side rooms, its jambs, and its vestibule were of the same size as the others, and both it and its vestibule had windows all around. Its length was fifty cubits, and its breadth twenty-five cubits.  And there were vestibules all around, twenty-five cubits long and five cubits broad.  Its vestibule faced the outer court, and palm trees were on its jambs, and its stairway had eight steps.

Then he brought me to the inner court on the east side, and he measured the gate. It was of the same size as the others.  Its side rooms, its jambs, and its vestibule were of the same size as the others, and both it and its vestibule had windows all around. Its length was fifty cubits, and its breadth twenty-five cubits.  Its vestibule faced the outer court, and it had palm trees on its jambs, on either side, and its stairway had eight steps.

Then he brought me to the north gate, and he measured it. It had the same size as the others.  Its side rooms, its jambs, and its vestibule were of the same size as the others, and it had windows all around. Its length was fifty cubits, and its breadth twenty-five cubits.  Its vestibule faced the outer court, and it had palm trees on its jambs, on either side, and its stairway had eight steps.

 There was a chamber with its door in the vestibule of the gate, where the burnt offering was to be washed.  And in the vestibule of the gate were two tables on either side, on which the burnt offering and the sin offering and the guilt offering were to be slaughtered.  And off to the side, on the outside as one goes up to the entrance of the north gate, were two tables; and off to the other side of the vestibule of the gate were two tables.  Four tables were on either side of the gate, eight tables, on which to slaughter.  And there were four tables of hewn stone for the burnt offering, a cubit and a half long, and a cubit and a half broad, and one cubit high, on which the instruments were to be laid with which the burnt offerings and the sacrifices were slaughtered.  And hooks, a handbreadth long, were fastened all around within. And on the tables, the flesh of the offering was to be laid.

I once more sought help, and this is what “Got Questions” said on the subject: “In his vision of the temple, Ezekiel is taken to Israel where he sees a mountain and a city. He is met by “a man whose appearance was like bronze; he was standing in the gateway with a linen cord and a measuring rod in his hand” (Ezekiel 40:3). The man tells Ezekiel to pay careful attention to everything he sees and hears and to relate all the details to God’s people (verse 4). The measuring of the layout of the temple complex fills the next three chapters of Ezekiel.

The question is when and how will the vision of Ezekiel’s temple be fulfilled? Should we look for a literal fulfillment? Or is this vision symbolic of the future perfection of God’s presence among His people? Has it already been fulfilled? Or is the fulfillment still future? If Ezekiel’s temple is future, will it be fulfilled in the church age, the millennium, or in the eternal state? The answers to these questions will be determined, most likely, by the interpreter’s presuppositions regarding the literal or symbolic nature of prophecy and fulfillment.

Arguing for a literal fulfillment of the prophecy of Ezekiel’s temple are the numerous details of Ezekiel’s vision and the specific dimensions of the temple. If the vision is to be literally fulfilled, then the fulfillment must be future, for nothing like what is described in Ezekiel 40–48 has taken place up to this point. The dimensions of Ezekiel’s temple are far larger than the temple in Jesus’ day, and that temple was a grand structure.

Most who expect a literal fulfillment of Ezekiel’s temple expect it to be erected in the millennial kingdom, a 1,000-year reign of Christ upon the earth. During the millennium, glorified saints from the present age will live in contact with natural human beings who will still need to make a decision for Christ in order to be saved—and many will choose not to trust Him. The sacrificial system described in Ezekiel cannot be for the forgiveness of sins, for Christ has accomplished that once and for all (Hebrews 10:1–4, 11–14). In this interpretive approach, the sacrifices are seen as memorials of Christ’s death or as rites for the ceremonial cleansing of the temple, but not as a means to forgive sins.”

 

From the Back Porch,

 

Bob Rice

Your Freedom as a Follower of Christ

 

Your  Freedom as a Follower of Christ

 

The question is are you walking in that Freedom?

 

The Scriptures are very clear we are free and how that freedom should be used to bless not to harm?  So, the question that must be answered is how are you doing with that freedom?

 

Let us begin with Galatians 5:1, “For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.”  Many I believe dismiss this verse, believing they never have been a slave.  So, allow me to remind you that all women in the time of Christ were seen as not slaves but more as property, Jesus set them free.  Also, many a person who goes by the title of Christian is a slave to a world system of bondage to many things, just to list one credit card.  The church often does not stand firm, and Covid 19 is a great example of the Church allowing fear to control, and not God.

 

2 Corinthians 3:17, “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. “   If by faith in Christ action on the Cross, taking you place, paying for your sins, then the Spirit of God is living in you.  Jesus makes that clear, in John 14:20, “On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you.”  We have been enveloped in God’s spirit.  The Spirit of God is where you are so allow the Lord to give you the freedom over your trials.

 

Romans 14:5 says, “One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind.”  I have experienced many of my brothers and sisters in Christ have freedoms that I do not have.  As a very young believer in Jesus a man I looked up to told me, he had the freedom to go to a bar and have a beer, and witness to the guy next to him, I knew that I could not do so.  I do understand this Scripture was referring to the Sabbath, but we are told not to be a judge of others' actions unless they are not abiding in, Christ.  It is easy to be a Pharisee, and judge others, I know I’ve been one.

 

Colossians 2:16 is very clear on how one who is a follower of Christ should act to a fellow follower.  “Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath.”

 

1 Corinthians 8:9, “But take care that this right of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak.”  With freedom comes responsibility.  If you are a follower of Christ and God gives you the freedom to have an adult beverage, that freedom comes with a lot of responsibility.  First, it should be in moderation, second, you should remember that many of your brothers and sisters in Christ do not have that freedom.  A wise person would not ever willingly cause a brother in Christ to go back into such bondage, of alcoholism.

   

As a follower of Christ, one must be looking at how his walk affects those who are watching them.  Your children, your family, your friends, and your neighbors. Galatians 5:13-14 “For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.  For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”  As a person in Christ and Christ in us, we are free to do as the Spirit of God allows us, but not to use that freedom to harm anyone.  So yes, you are free but you are also reasonable to live out that freedom to bring glory to your Lord.  So, the question you must answer is are you walking in the gift of freedom, no matter, your trials or circumstances?  

 

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice 

 

The Outer Court

 

Ezekiel 40:17-23

 

February 7, 2024

 

The Outer Court

Then he brought me into the outer court. And behold, there were chambers and a pavement, all around the court. Thirty chambers faced the pavement.  And the pavement ran along the side of the gates, corresponding to the length of the gates. This was the lower pavement.  Then he measured the distance from the inner front of the lower gate to the outer front of the inner court, a hundred cubits on the east side and on the north side.

What detail, it is believed the timeline for chapter 40 is 573 BC and King Solomon began the building of the temple in 966 BC and completed it in 959 BC. The Second Temple was in 538 BC was the one that Herod built.  

The North Gate

As for the gate that faced toward the north, belonging to the outer court, he measured its length and its breadth.  Its side rooms, three on either side and its jambs and its vestibule were of the same size as those of the first gate. Its length was fifty cubits, and its breadth twenty-five cubits.  And its windows, its vestibule, and its palm trees were of the same size as those of the gate that faced toward the east. And by seven steps people would go up to it, and find its vestibule before them.  And opposite the gate on the north, as on the east, was a gate to the inner court. And he measured from gate to gate, a hundred cubits.

Our Father is such a detailed God, He let Ezekiel see this and tell the people long before they were allowed to return to Jerusalem.

 

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

Vision of the New Temple

 

Ezekiel 40:1-16

 

November 20, 2024

 

Vision of the New Temple

In the twenty-fifth year of our exile, at the beginning of the year, on the tenth day of the month, 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.  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.  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.”

Ezekiel was born into the priestly line (Ezekiel 1:3), but he served God as a prophet. the word of the Lord came to Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the Chebar canal, and the hand of the Lord was upon him there. (Taken from Got Question)

The East Gate to the Outer Court

And behold, there was a wall all around the outside of the temple area, and the length of the measuring reed in the man's hand was six long cubits, each being a cubit and a handbreadth in length. So, he measured the thickness of the wall, one reed; and the height, one reed.  Then he went into the gateway facing east, going up its steps, and measured the threshold of the gate, one reed deep.  And the side rooms, one reed long and one reed broad; and the space between the side rooms, five cubits; and the threshold of the gate by the vestibule of the gate at the inner end, one reed.  Then he measured the vestibule of the gateway, on the inside, one reed.  Then he measured the vestibule of the gateway, eight cubits; and its jambs, two cubits; and the vestibule of the gate was at the inner end.  And there were three side rooms on either side of the east gate. The three were of the same size, and the jambs on either side were of the same size.  Then he measured the width of the opening of the gateway, ten cubits; and the length of the gateway, thirteen cubits.  There was a barrier before the side rooms, one cubit on either side. And the side rooms were six cubits on either side.  Then he measured the gate from the ceiling of the one side room to the ceiling of the other, a breadth of twenty-five cubits; the openings faced each other.  He measured also the vestibule, sixty cubits. And around the vestibule of the gateway was the court.  From the front of the gate at the entrance to the front of the inner vestibule of the gate was fifty cubits.  And the gateway had windows all around, narrowing inwards toward the side rooms and toward their jambs, and likewise the vestibule had windows all around inside, and on the jambs were palm trees.

I believe it is helpful to understand what a reed was used in measuring is in feet, about 10 feet.  A Cubit was about 1.5 feet, so you do the math, it you want to find the answer to how big this new Temple was going to be.

 

But the real question is has this Temple already happen, and I would agree with the majority that it is still future.  So once again I looked at Got Question to see how they handle the subject.

 

Most who expect a literal fulfillment of Ezekiel’s temple expect it to be erected in the millennial kingdom, a 1,000-year reign of Christ upon the earth. During the millennium, glorified saints from the present age will live in contact with natural human beings who will still need to make a decision for Christ in order to be saved—and many will choose not to trust Him. The sacrificial system described in Ezekiel cannot be for the forgiveness of sins, for Christ has accomplished that once and for all (Hebrews 10:1–4, 11–14). In this interpretive approach, the sacrifices are seen as memorials of Christ’s death or as rites for the ceremonial cleansing of the temple, but not as a means to forgive sins.

In the figurative view of Ezekiel’s temple, the prophet’s vision simply reiterates that God will once again dwell with His people in a perfect relationship. This relationship is described in the language that the people of the day (and especially for Ezekiel as a priest) would have understood—a Jewish temple of magnificent proportions, with regular, perfect sacrifices, with the Messiah presiding, and with the glory of God visibly evident. In later visions to other prophets, God revealed more about how He would accomplish this with the Messiah Himself replacing the temple, the sacrifices, and the land. The presence of God through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit would be more immediately evident than ever before. The fulfillment of Ezekiel’s temple could thus be realized in the church age to some degree and, in the age to come, to perfection.

Regardless of which approach is taken, the vision of Ezekiel’s temple says that God has not forsaken His people and that His relationship with them will be restored and elevated to a new, never-before-conceived glory and intimacy. Present circumstances should never cause one to doubt the promises of God.

 

From the Back Porch,

 

Bob Rice

The Lord Will Restore Israel

 

Ezekiel 39:25-29

 

February 7, 2024

 

The Lord Will Restore Israel

“Therefore, thus says the Lord God: Now I will restore the fortunes of Jacob and have mercy on the whole house of Israel, and I will be jealous for my holy name.  They shall forget their shame and all the treachery they have practiced against me, when they dwell securely in their land with none to make them afraid,  when I have brought them back from the peoples and gathered them from their enemies' lands, and through them have vindicated my holiness in the sight of many nations.  Then they shall know that I am the Lord their God because I sent them into exile among the nations and then assembled them into their own land. I will leave none of them remaining among the nations anymore.  And I will not hide my face any more from them, when I pour out my Spirit upon the house of Israel, declares the Lord God.”

“According to most biblical interpretations, the events described in Ezekiel 39:25-29, which detail the restoration of Israel after the battle of Gog and Magog, are considered to be yet to come and are generally understood to be a future prophecy related to the end times; meaning they haven't happened yet.”   (Taken from the internet)

I have to agree with this statement above, it is referring to the end time and the nations of the earth coming against Israel, it not going to be a good day for those who do battle with God’s chosen people.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

 

A sacrificial feast for the birds and beasts

 

Ezekiel 39:17-24

 

February 5, 2024

 

A sacrificial feast for the birds and beasts

“As for you, son of man thus says the Lord God: Speak to the birds of every sort and to all beasts of the field: ‘Assemble and come, gather from all around to the sacrificial feast that I am preparing for you, a great sacrificial feast on the mountains of Israel, and you shall eat flesh and drink blood. You shall eat the flesh of the mighty, and drink the blood of the princes of the earth—of rams, of lambs, and of he-goats, of bulls, all of them fat beasts of Bashan.  And you shall eat fat till you are filled, and drink blood till you are drunk, at the sacrificial feast that I am preparing for you.  And you shall be filled at my table with horses and charioteers, with mighty men and all kinds of warriors,’ declares the Lord God.

“And I will set my glory among the nations, and all the nations shall see my judgment that I have executed, and my hand that I have laid on them.  The house of Israel shall know that I am the Lord their God, from that day forward.  And the nations shall know that the house of Israel went into captivity for their iniquity, because they dealt so treacherously with me that I hid my face from them and gave them into the hand of their adversaries, and they all fell by the sword.  I dealt with them according to their uncleanness and their transgressions and hid my face from them.

God is telling Ezekiel to call the birds and beasts of the fields to come have a feast.  When the nations come against Israel, God will all Michael the Archangel, and the prince of Israel to fight and kill the nations that come against Israel.

 

What is going to require us as a people to believe what is written and act on it?  We have seen the report of the six-day war where many nations thought they would destroy Israel and it was clear that God fought for Israel, and once more He is going to do so.

 

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

God has Spoken against Gog

 

Ezekiel 39:1-13

 

February 4, 2024

 

“And you, son of man, prophesy against Gog and say, Thus, says the Lord God: Behold, I am against you, O Gog, chief prince of Meshech and Tubal.  And I will turn you about and drive you forward, and bring you up from the uttermost parts of the north, and lead you against the mountains of Israel.  Then I will strike your bow from your left hand and will make your arrows drop out of your right hand.  You shall fall on the mountains of Israel, you and all your hordes and the peoples who are with you. I will give you to birds of prey of every sort and to the beasts of the field to be devoured.  You shall fall in the open field, for I have spoken, declares the Lord God. I will send fire on Magog and on those who dwell securely in the coastlands, and they shall know that I am the Lord.

“And my holy name I will make known in the midst of my people Israel, and I will not let my holy name be profaned anymore. And the nations shall know that I am the Lord, the Holy One in Israel.  Behold, it is coming and it will be brought about, declares the Lord God. That is the day of which I have spoken.

“Then those who dwell in the cities of Israel will go out and make fires of the weapons and burn them, shields and bucklers, bow and arrows, clubs, and spears; and they will make fires of them for seven years so that they will not need to take wood out of the field or cut down any out of the forests, for they will make their fires of the weapons. They will seize the spoil of those who despoiled them, and plunder those who plundered them, declares the Lord God.

“On that day I will give to Gog a place for burial in Israel, the Valley of the Travelers, east of the sea. It will block the travelers, for there Gog and all his multitude will be buried. It will be called the Valley of Hamon-Gog.  For seven months the house of Israel will be burying them, in order to cleanse the land.  All the people of the land will bury them, and it will bring them renown on the day that I show my glory, declares the Lord God.  They will set apart men to travel through the land regularly and bury those travelers remaining on the face of the land, so as to cleanse it. At the end of seven months, they will make their search.  And when these travel through the land and anyone sees a human bone, then he shall set up a sign by it, till the buriers have buried it in the Valley of Hamon-gog. (Hamonah is also the name of the city.) Thus, shall they cleanse the land?

 

A day is coming when God is going to get the nations from the north to attack Israel, and it will be God who fights for Israel, and this mass army will be killed by God.  When Jesus comes, we know that the old serpent will be bound for a thousand years and then we will have the final battle, and Jesus and His bride will rule, and they will be no more evil, for the source of evil will be cast into hell.

We do not know who Gog is but it is believed that it is a person.  It looks as if Russia or that area will be the ones to gather the other nations to attack Israel.  It not going to go well for them.

 

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

Prophecy Against Gog

 

Ezekiel 38: 1-23

 

February 3, 2024

 

Prophecy Against Gog

The word of the Lord came to me:  “Son of man, set your face toward Gog, of the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him and say, Thus says the Lord God: Behold, I am against you, O Gog, chief prince of Meshech and Tubal.  And I will turn you about and put hooks into your jaws, and I will bring you out, and all your army, horses and horsemen, all of them clothed in full armor, a great host, all of them with buckler and shield, wielding swords.  Persia, Cush, and Put are with them, all of them with shield and helmet; Gomer and all his hordes; Beth-Togarmah from the uttermost parts of the north with all his hordes—many peoples are with you.

“Be ready and keep ready, you and all your hosts that are assembled about you, and be a guard for them.  After many days you will be mustered. In the latter years, you will go against the land that is restored from war, the land whose people were gathered from many peoples upon the mountains of Israel, which had been a continual waste. Its people were brought out from the peoples and now dwell securely, all of them.  You will advance, coming on like a storm. You will be like a cloud covering the land, you and all your hordes, and many peoples with you.

“Thus says the Lord God: On that day, thoughts will come into your mind, and you will devise an evil scheme and say, ‘I will go up against the land of unwalled villages. I will fall upon the quiet people who dwell securely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having no bars or gates,’ to seize spoil and carry off plunder, to turn your hand against the waste places that are now inhabited, and the people who were gathered from the nations, who have acquired livestock and goods, who dwell at the center of the earth.  Sheba and Dedan and the merchants of Tarshish and all its leaders^[c] will say to you, ‘Have you come to seize spoil? Have you assembled your hosts to carry off plunder, to carry away silver and gold, to take away livestock and goods, to seize great spoil?’

“Therefore, son of man, prophesy, and say to Gog, Thus, says the Lord God: On that day when my people Israel are dwelling securely, will you not know it?  You will come from your place out of the uttermost parts of the north, you and many peoples with you, all of them riding on horses, a great host, a mighty army.  You will come up against my people Israel, like a cloud covering the land. In the latter days I will bring you against my land, that the nations may know me, when through you, O Gog, I vindicate my holiness before their eyes.

“Thus says the Lord God: Are you he of whom I spoke in former days by my servants the prophets of Israel, who in those days prophesied for years that I would bring you against them?  But on that day, the day that Gog shall come against the land of Israel, declares the Lord God, my wrath will be roused in my anger.  For in my jealousy and in my blazing wrath I declare, On, that day there shall be a great earthquake in the land of Israel.  The fish of the sea and the birds of the heavens and the beasts of the field and all creeping things that creep on the ground, and all the people who are on the face of the earth, shall quake at my presence. And the mountains shall be thrown down, and the cliffs shall fall, and every wall shall tumble to the ground.  I will summon a sword against Gog^] on all my mountains, declares the Lord God. Every man's sword will be against his brother.  With pestilence and bloodshed, I will enter into judgment with him, and I will rain upon him and his hordes and the many peoples who are with him torrential rains and hailstones, fire, and sulfur.  So, I will show my greatness and my holiness and make myself known in the eyes of many nations. Then they will know that I am the Lord.

 

As I stated earlier the book of Ezekiel is about two areas of prophecy that will happen in the days of Ezekiel, and those that are in the future, chapters 38-39 are yet to happen.  So, I went to a reliable source to see their thoughts on these two chapters.  The following is from (Got Questions).

 

“Gog and Magog appear in Ezekiel 38-39 and in Revelation 20:7-8. While these two passages use the same names, a close study of Scripture clearly demonstrates they do not refer to the same people and events. The events are separated by at least 1,000 years. In Ezekiel’s prophecy, Gog will be the leader of a great army that attacks the land of Israel, which is “peaceful and unsuspecting” at the time (Ezekiel 38:11). Gog is described as “of the land of Magog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal” (Ezekiel 38:2–3). When will Ezekiel’s battle of Gog and Magog occur? 

 

Gog is a person. Whoever Gog is, he is from the land of Magog and is the leader of Tubal and Meshek (some translations add “Rosh” to the list) and a confederacy of other nations: Persia, Cush, Put, Gomer, and Beth Togarmah (Ezekiel 38:5–6). And, whoever he is, he will have plans to “attack a peaceful and unsuspecting people,” viz., Israel (verses 11, 14, and 18). But, regardless of Gog’s plans, the Lord God is against him and will defeat him soundly (Ezekiel 38:4, 19–23; 39:3–5).

Magog is a land “in the far north,” from Israel’s point of view (Ezekiel 38:15; 39:2). Most Bible commentators interpret “Magog” as Russia—and, indeed, Russia is straight north of Israel, all the way up to the Arctic Circle. According to this view, “Rosh” is a reference to Russia, “Meshek” is either Moscow or the people north of the Black Sea (the area of southern Russia and Ukraine), and “Tubal,” which is always listed with Meshek in Scripture, is identified as a city in Siberia or an area in central Turkey.

 

From the Back Porch,

 

Bob Rice