Ezekiel Chapter 40 Verse 1
• According to Leviticus 16, the tenth day after the beginning of a new year (Rosh Hashanah), or the tenth day of Tishri, is Yom Kippur. The Day of Atonement. This is the holiest day on the Jewish Calendar.
Ezekiel Chapter 40 Verses 2 – 5
• Chapters 40 through 48 are one grand vision of the new temple in the new city. The timing of these things coming to pass are an interesting discussion. Some offer that this is the temple in the New Jerusalem but that offering is Biblically unfounded as Revelation 21:22 says, “I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple.”
• Others offer that this is the temple during the Millennial Reign of Christ. That perspective in my opinion seems to fit the best but it too has issues because we are going to read of sacrifices and burnt offerings continuing which causes a difficulty. Why do they continue? It could be as a remembrance of sorts and I’m ok with accepting that because Jesus said in Luke 22:16, speaking of the Passover supper, “I will no longer eat of it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” Which perhaps allows for sacrifice of remembrance during the Millennial Reign.
• The description we are given in these chapters of the coming temple also seems to fit the Millennial Reign period because of what we do not read of. We do not read of the veil, it is not mentioned, the Ark of the Covenant is not mentioned, no high priest is mentioned…all elements and items necessary for the temple unless Jesus is there Himself…
• Chuck Smith offers an interesting spiritual perspective on these chapters…that they represent in some way, the church…I can’t get with that personally…and yet others offer that this is a heavenly view of the temple that is actually in heaven. We have numerous verses in the Bible, more than 20 specifically, that speak to the things commanded on this earth in terms of the construction of the Tabernacle and the Temple itself are modeled after heaven itself. (Verses like Hebrews 8:4-5)
• One super interesting verse regarding this temple in heaven is Revelation 11:19, “Then the temple of God was opened in heaven, and the ark of His covenant was seen in His temple.” Raiders of the Lost Ark! Where is the Ark today? Ethiopia? Maybe according to the History channel…ha. I believe we have biblically that the Ark of the Covenant is in heaven. I can also make a case that the Ark itself, the presence of the glory of God, the mercy seat of God, God’s presence on this earth, the meeting place of God and man, is Jesus Himself. And when Jesus came, the Ark was gone.
• The last time the Ark is mentioned in the Bible, in terms of location, before Revelation Chapter 11 is 2 Chronicles 35:1-6 and a parallel passage in 2 Kings 23:21-23 when King Josiah ordered the caretakers of the Ark of the Covenant to return it to the temple in Jerusalem. Forty years later, King Nebuchadnezzar captured Jerusalem and less than 10 years after that, he burned it to the ground. It’s interesting and mysterious for sure. A biblical puzzle…that truly cannot be solved…unless you approach the scriptures simply which is my default and then the answer is simple, it is in heaven. Removed from the earth and no longer necessary once Jesus was deployed!
• Now, just a thought I had that encourages me to no end…if the Ark is in Heaven, then that means manna is there too. The tablets of the law…and one other thing…the rod of Aaron. The first two items are from God directly but I think it is wonderfully encouraging, intriguing even, that Aaron’s rod is there. Why? Its earthly…used by God on earth. Blessed by God on earth. But somehow it belongs and resides in heaven. Perhaps just like you and just like me…
• One more thing here, this angelic being says to Ezekiel, “Look with your eyes, and hear with your ears, and fix your mind.” I like that a lot. Because we are told in Psalm 34:8 to taste and see that the Lord is good…and God said specifically of Jesus in Luke 9:35, “This is My Son, hear Him!” We do those two things…it will fix everything else. And doing those things never gets to the status of having done those things. This is a continual thing, a journey, a life…that’s why we each have our own walks with the Lord…not our own “stands…”
Ezekiel Chapter 40 Verses 6 – 16
• Interesting that the on each gatepost were palm trees. Palm trees symbolize almost indescribable strength. One species of the Palm tree can grow to 200 feet tall! They are just a long pillar in looks and yet they stand! And they stand for long periods of time. Upwards of a century thus symbolizing life, growth and strength.
• From the earliest of civilizations, the palm tree was a symbol of life itself and you can see that on ancient Assyrian reliefs that we still have today. It was leaves and branches of the palm tree that they laid before Jesus as He rode into Jerusalem to accomplish and secure eternal life for mankind. Even more, the Coco De Mer Palm Tree has the largest seeds of any plant on the earth and there are more than 2,500 species of the Palm. Just awesome. All of these facts relevant and these are the symbols we find on the gateposts throughout the Lord’s temple.
Ezekiel Chapter 40 Verses 17 – 43
• So, we have the description of the elements for the offerings, including the sin offerings, and yet there is no active sacrificing happening. There in verse 43 we read that the flesh was already on the tables…., which to me further supports the remembrance perspective…
Ezekiel Chapter 40 Verses 44 – 49
• Reading through all of this is no doubt quite tedious but it does strike me that 25 times in this chapter alone we read of the representative of heaven measuring to specific measurements. The point that can be taken from that is that God is entirely so very very precise. He sees, measures, understands, fully and perfectly comprehends everything and He is aware and involved in everything. Not a fraction of a cubit slips by His precision of sight!
• Let that be an encouragement tonight as we go our way…back to our homes, our jobs tomorrow, our nation that is in such disarray, our world that is in complete upheaval. That this is not how the story ends… That God is the one who measures it all…He is sovereign and above it all…it implies ownership…even over your life and situation. Quite comforting indeed.