Exact Ezekiel; Chapters 40-43
ZADOK PUBLICATIONS - Dr. C. R. OLIVER
March 1, 2018






C. R. Oliver









This Newsletter may be watched in a video HERE.


ZADOK PUBLICATIONS MONTHLY NEWSLETTER

March 1, 2018

Exact Ezekiel
Chapters 40-43


Introduction:

How should one describe this unit of Scripture??

Perhaps it might be better to start by summarizing several elements found in the massive number of descriptive verses--all of which could be under the heading of, "the realm of the Holy." No doubt, as the reader tackles Chapters 40 through mid 42 there will arise a certain awe in trying to wrap one's head around the myriad of dimensional readings. Fret not! Categorically, what these chapters contain is found by using the following criteria.
  1. Ezekiel describes in detail the dimensions and situation of a new Holy Temple. Its vastness and beauty exceeds anything Solomon built. God dwelled in the old Temple then moved away from its corruption prior to the Babylonian siege in 586BC. He now offers a detailed picture of the New Holy Temple, which He will establish for His Throne. It is grander, more ornate and larger than anyone could have imagined. Its arrangement not only is different, but more accommodating to worship. It is a spiritual Temple.

  2. Along with the Temple is a description of the placement of that Temple into a New Jerusalem which will be made a Holy site surrounded by Holy Ground. In the old Temple, just the ground it sat on and the hill it occupied was holy ground; here, the whole city is holy.

  3. A Holy people will occupy the New Jerusalem and they are described (which includes a holy priesthood comprised of the Sons of Zadok). Imagine a worship setting in a place where every person in attendance is holy!!

  4. These chapters give the reader a sense of meaning to the days after the last battle and a New heaven and New earth are laid down-the scenes parallel the vision of John in Revelation 21.
Along with the architectural aspects, God injected summary statements that clarify some details necessary to appreciate the beauty of this place of worship.

Even though the bulk of Ezekiel 40-42.5 is technical and feature many items, such as the number of steps at a certain height or the different apartments facing in several directions and the placement of furnishing in them, such cannot be fully appreciated without asking, "Why did God want a captive and punished people to know this information?

The answer may dwell in the upbeat, gorgeous splendor of a truly functional Holy Temple renewing the model from which theirs was originally patterned. (Perhaps, the current church needs a fresh look at the Early Church as its model for comparison!)

Below is a graphic using the description found in these chapters. Hopefully, it will help visualize what Ezekiel witnessed. Following it is the long Scriptural text for which there are bold print selections emphasizing points of interest to the discussions later-one may scan downward and familiarize himself or herself with that material.


Before reading the Scriptures, ponder the following comments:

     The commentator Barnes says it this way:

     "The subject of the closing chapters of Ezekiel (Ezek. 40-48) is the restitution of the kingdom of God. This is expressed by a vision, in which are displayed not only a rebuilt temple, but also a reformed priesthood, reorganized services, a restored monarchy, a reapportioned territory, a renewed people, and, as a consequence, the diffusion of fertility and plenty over the whole earth.

"…Ezekiel was simply guided to leave behind patterns on the basis of which the temple should in after days be rebuilt, and its services restored. Not only was this plan never carried out, but it was incapable of execution…compatible neither with history nor geography.

"…The numbers and figures employed are not without their meaning. The symbolic numbers of the Temple of Solomon were repeated in the vision of Ezekiel. Among the Hebrews the perfect figure was the square or the cube, and harmony was thought to be attained by exact equality, or by the repetition of like dimensions (Rev. 21:16 describes the New Jerusalem as a cube measuring 12000 furlongs X the 12 sides of the cube equaling 144000).

"…The enclosing wall of the outer court has strange dimensions in order that height, width, and thickness, may all be equal. The minute details are after the same pattern. The guard-chambers, the bases of the columns, are all square. The series of chambers for the Levites and for the priests are in fixed numbers and symmetrically placed."

Jim Haddock writes:
"As I see it, these dimensions do not represent a literal temple which is further demonstrated by Revelation 21:22, and I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it."

Now, the Scriptures:

Ezekiel 40:1-41:1:

In the twenty-fifth year of our captivity, at the beginning of the year, on the tenth day of the month, in the fourteenth year after the city was captured, on the very same day the hand of the LORD was upon me; and He took me there. 2 In the visions of God He took me into the land of Israel and set me on a very high mountain; on it toward the south was something like the structure of a city. 3 He took me there, and behold, there was a man whose appearance was like the appearance of bronze. He had a line of flax and a measuring rod in his hand, and he stood in the gateway.
4 And the man said to me, "Son of man, look with your eyes and hear with your ears, and fix your mind on everything I show you; for you were brought here so that I might show them to you. Declare to the house of Israel everything you see." 5 Now there was a wall all around the outside of the temple. In the man's hand was a measuring rod six cubits long, each being a cubit and a handbreadth; and he measured the width of the wall structure, one rod; and the height, one rod.

6 The Eastern Gateway of the Temple

Then he went to the gateway which faced east; and he went up its stairs and measured the threshold of the gateway, which was one rod wide, and the other threshold was one rod wide. 7 Each gate chamber was one rod long and one rod wide; between the gate chambers was a space of five cubits; and the threshold of the gateway by the vestibule of the inside gate was one rod. 8 He also measured the vestibule of the inside gate, one rod. 9 Then he measured the vestibule of the gateway, eight cubits; and the gateposts, two cubits. The vestibule of the gate was on the inside. 10 In the eastern gateway were three gate chambers on one side and three on the other; the three were all the same size; also the gateposts were of the same size on this side and that side.

11 He measured the width of the entrance to the gateway, ten cubits; and the length of the gate, thirteen cubits. 12 There was a space in front of the gate chambers, one cubit on this side and one cubit on that side; the gate chambers were six cubits on this side and six cubits on that side. 13 Then he measured the gateway from the roof of one gate chamber to the roof of the other; the width was twenty-five cubits, as door faces door. 14 He measured the gateposts, sixty cubits high, and the court all around the gateway extended to the gatepost. 15 From the front of the entrance gate to the front of the vestibule of the inner gate was fifty cubits. 16 There were beveled window frames in the gate chambers and in their intervening archways on the inside of the gateway all around, and likewise in the vestibules. There were windows all around on the inside. And on each gatepost were palm trees.

17 The Outer Court

Then he brought me into the outer court; and there were chambers and a pavement made all around the court; thirty chambers faced the pavement. 18 The pavement was by the side of the gateways, corresponding to the length of the gateways; this was the lower pavement. 19 Then he measured the width from the front of the lower gateway to the front of the inner court exterior, one hundred cubits toward the east and the north.

20 The Northern Gateway

On the outer court was also a gateway facing north, and he measured its length and its width. 21 Its gate chambers, three on this side and three on that side, its gateposts and its archways, had the same measurements as the first gate; its length was fifty cubits and its width twenty-five cubits. 22 Its windows and those of its archways, and also its palm trees, had the same measurements as the gateway facing east; it was ascended by seven steps, and its archway was in front of it. 23 A gate of the inner court was opposite the northern gateway, just as the eastern gateway; and he measured from gateway to gateway, one hundred cubits.

24 The Southern Gateway

After that he brought me toward the south, and there a gateway was facing south; and he measured its gateposts and archways according to these same measurements. 25 There were windows in it and in its archways all around like those windows; its length was fifty cubits and its width twenty-five cubits. 26 Seven steps led up to it, and its archway was in front of them; and it had palm trees on its gateposts, one on this side and one on that side. 27 There was also a gateway on the inner court, facing south; and he measured from gateway to gateway toward the south, one hundred cubits.

28 Gateways of the Inner Court

Then he brought me to the inner court through the southern gateway; he measured the southern gateway according to these same measurements. 29 Also its gate chambers, its gateposts, and its archways were according to these same measurements; there were windows in it and in its archways all around; it was fifty cubits long and twenty-five cubits wide. 30 There were archways all around, twenty-five cubits long and five cubits wide. 31 Its archways faced the outer court, palm trees were on its gateposts, and going up to it were eight steps.
32 And he brought me into the inner court facing east; he measured the gateway according to these same measurements. 33 Also its gate chambers, its gateposts, and its archways were according to these same measurements; and there were windows in it and in its archways all around; it was fifty cubits long and twenty-five cubits wide. 34 Its archways faced the outer court, and palm trees were on its gateposts on this side and on that side; and going up to it were eight steps. 35 Then he brought me to the north gateway and measured it according to these same measurements - 36 also its gate chambers, its gateposts, and its archways. It had windows all around; its length was fifty cubits and its width twenty-five cubits. 37 Its gateposts faced the outer court, palm trees were on its gateposts on this side and on that side, and going up to it were eight steps.

38 Where Sacrifices Were Prepared

There was a chamber and its entrance by the gateposts of the gateway, where they washed the burnt offering. 39 In the vestibule of the gateway were two tables on this side and two tables on that side, on which to slay the burnt offering, the sin offering, and the trespass offering. 40 At the outer side of the vestibule, as one goes up to the entrance of the northern gateway, were two tables; and on the other side of the vestibule of the gateway were two tables. 41 Four tables were on this side and four tables on that side, by the side of the gateway, eight tables on which they slaughtered the sacrifices. 42 There were also four tables of hewn stone for the burnt offering, one cubit and a half long, one cubit and a half wide, and one cubit high; on these they laid the instruments with which they slaughtered the burnt offering and the sacrifice. 43 Inside were hooks, a handbreadth wide, fastened all around; and the flesh of the sacrifices was on the tables.

44 Chambers for Singers and Priests

Outside the inner gate were the chambers for the singers in the inner court, one facing south at the side of the northern gateway, and the other facing north at the side of the southern gateway. 45 Then he said to me, "This chamber which faces south is for the priests who have charge of the temple. 46 The chamber which faces north is for the priests who have charge of the altar; these are the sons of Zadok, from the sons of Levi, who come near the LORD to minister to Him."

47 Dimensions of the Inner Court and Vestibule
     (cf. 1 Kings 7:14-22)

And he measured the court, one hundred cubits long and one hundred cubits wide, foursquare. The altar was in front of the temple. 48 Then he brought me to the vestibule of the temple and measured the doorposts of the vestibule, five cubits on this side and five cubits on that side; and the width of the gateway was three cubits on this side and three cubits on that side. 49 The length of the vestibule was twenty cubits, and the width eleven cubits; and by the steps which led up to it there were pillars by the doorposts, one on this side and another on that side.

Notice: The Sons of Zadok are the only priests able to minister to God. The others are taken up with daily ministrations for the people. In Chapter 44, it is better explained as to why. (A huge question for the modern church is, "How much of your ministry is to the people and how much is ministering to God?")

Next is chapter 41, with its intriguing additions and omissions.

Note: See if you can locate what is added or missing from the earthly Temple using these observations:

1. Ezekiel 41:10:
The interior of the temple stands empty, waiting for His entrance to fill it with His glory (Ezek 43:1-12). It is the same temple, but the courts of it have become different, to accommodate a more numerous people. The entire compass of the temple mount has become a holy of holies (Ezek 43:12).

2. Ezekiel 41:25:
The temple herein described in detail, as about hereafter to be, corresponds to the former temple as antitype corresponds to type. The dimensions are almost all on a larger scale, to accommodate a more numerous people. Then, too, there is to be no space within the precincts or suburbs of the temple which is not consecrated to the Lord.

3. Ezekiel 41:25:
The spiritual lesson to be learned by us from the description here is that the Church of God, the temple of the Holy Spirit, as it shall hereafter be manifested on earth, shall be on a scale of grandeur such as has never yet been witnessed, and its worship shall be on a corresponding scale of glory, beauty, and blessedness. Not until then shall the Lord be worshipped visibly "in the beauty of holiness."

4. Ezekiel 41:25:
None of the defects which attend our present liturgical worship shall alloy the perfection of the public services of God, which shall then be rendered to Him through Christ.

5. Ezekiel 41:25:
There was no ark of the covenant in the second temple, reared after the return from Babylon. Instead of it, the Lord Jesus, the living antitypical ark of the covenant, embodying in Himself the fulfillment of the law, as the "Messenger of the covenant" visited the temple and thereby caused the unseen spiritual "glory of the latter house to be greater than that of the former (Hag 2:9)."
(All the above five references are from Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown Commentary, Electronic Database. Copyright (c) 1997 by Biblesoft)

Ezekiel 41:1ff:

41:1 Dimensions of the Sanctuary

Then he brought me into the sanctuary and measured the doorposts, six cubits wide on one side and six cubits wide on the other side - the width of the tabernacle. 2 The width of the entryway was ten cubits, and the side walls of the entrance were five cubits on this side and five cubits on the other side; and he measured its length, forty cubits, and its width, twenty cubits.
3 Also he went inside and measured the doorposts, two cubits; and the entrance, six cubits high; and the width of the entrance, seven cubits. 4 He measured the length, twenty cubits; and the width, twenty cubits, beyond the sanctuary; and he said to me, "This is the Most Holy Place."

5 The Side Chambers on the Wall

Next, he measured the wall of the temple, six cubits. The width of each side chamber all around the temple was four cubits on every side. 6 The side chambers were in three stories, one above the other, thirty chambers in each story; they rested on ledges which were for the side chambers all around, that they might be supported, but not fastened to the wall of the temple. 7 As one went up from story to story, the side chambers became wider all around, because their supporting ledges in the wall of the temple ascended like steps; therefore the width of the structure increased as one went up from the lowest story to the highest by way of the middle one. 8 I also saw an elevation all around the temple; it was the foundation of the side chambers, a full rod, that is, six cubits high. 9 The thickness of the outer wall of the side chambers was five cubits, and so also the remaining terrace by the place of the side chambers of the temple. 10 And between it and the wall chambers was a width of twenty cubits all around the temple on every side. 11 The doors of the side chambers opened on the terrace, one door toward the north and another toward the south; and the width of the terrace was five cubits all around.

12 The Building at the Western End

The building that faced the separating courtyard at its western end was seventy cubits wide; the wall of the building was five cubits thick all around, and its length ninety cubits.

13 Dimensions and Design of the Temple Area

So he measured the temple, one hundred cubits long; and the separating courtyard with the building and its walls was one hundred cubits long; 14 also the width of the eastern face of the temple, including the separating courtyard, was one hundred cubits. 15 He measured the length of the building behind it, facing the separating courtyard, with its galleries on the one side and on the other side, one hundred cubits, as well as the inner temple and the porches of the court, 16 their doorposts and the beveled window frames. And the galleries all around their three stories opposite the threshold were paneled with wood from the ground to the windows - the windows were covered - 17 from the space above the door, even to the inner room, as well as outside, and on every wall all around, inside and outside, by measure.
18 And it was made with cherubim and palm trees, a palm tree between cherub and cherub. Each cherub had two faces, 19 so that the face of a man was toward a palm tree on one side, and the face of a young lion toward a palm tree on the other side; thus it was made throughout the temple all around. 20 From the floor to the space above the door, and on the wall of the sanctuary, cherubim and palm trees were carved.
21 The doorposts of the temple were square, as was the front of the sanctuary; their appearance was similar. 22 The altar was of wood, three cubits high, and its length two cubits. Its corners, its length, and its sides were of wood; and he said to me, "This is the table that is before the LORD."
23 The temple and the sanctuary had two doors. 24 The doors had two panels apiece, two folding panels: two panels for one door and two panels for the other door. 25 Cherubim and palm trees were carved on the doors of the temple just as they were carved on the walls. A wooden canopy was on the front of the vestibule outside. 26 There were beveled window frames and palm trees on one side and on the other, on the sides of the vestibule - also on the side chambers of the temple and on the canopies.
NKJV

Notice: The decision to incorporate such a large volume of Scripture is in keeping with providing Scripture with comments in other chapters. Hopefully, readers will understand and appreciate not having to open to the various passages.

Chapter 42 holds bold type in a significant portion which will help in further understanding Chapter 44.

Ezekiel 42:

42:1 The Chambers for the Priests

Then he brought me out into the outer court, by the way toward the north; and he brought me into the chamber which was opposite the separating courtyard, and which was opposite the building toward the north. 2 Facing the length, which was one hundred cubits (the width was fifty cubits), was the north door. 3 Opposite the inner court of twenty cubits, and opposite the pavement of the outer court, was gallery against gallery in three stories. 4 In front of the chambers, toward the inside, was a walk ten cubits wide, at a distance of one cubit; and their doors faced north. 5 Now the upper chambers were shorter, because the galleries took away space from them more than from the lower and middle stories of the building. 6 For they were in three stories and did not have pillars like the pillars of the courts; therefore the upper level was shortened more than the lower and middle levels from the ground up. 7 And a wall which was outside ran parallel to the chambers, at the front of the chambers, toward the outer court; its length was fifty cubits. 8 The length of the chambers toward the outer court was fifty cubits, whereas that facing the temple was one hundred cubits. 9 At the lower chambers was the entrance on the east side, as one goes into them from the outer court.

10 Also there were chambers in the thickness of the wall of the court toward the east, opposite the separating courtyard and opposite the building. 11 There was a walk in front of them also, and their appearance was like the chambers which were toward the north; they were as long and as wide as the others, and all their exits and entrances were according to plan. 12 And corresponding to the doors of the chambers that were facing south, as one enters them, there was a door in front of the walk, the way directly in front of the wall toward the east.

13 Then he said to me, "The north chambers and the south chambers, which are opposite the separating courtyard, are the holy chambers where the priests who approach the LORD shall eat the most holy offerings. There they shall lay the most holy offerings - the grain offering, the sin offering, and the trespass offering - for the place is holy. 14 When the priests enter them, they shall not go out of the holy chamber into the outer court; but there they shall leave their garments in which they minister, for they are holy. They shall put on other garments; then they may approach that which is for the people."

15 Outer Dimensions of the Temple

Now when he had finished measuring the inner temple, he brought me out through the gateway that faces toward the east, and measured it all around. 16 He measured the east side with the measuring rod, five hundred rods by the measuring rod all around. 17 He measured the north side, five hundred rods by the measuring rod all around. 18 He measured the south side, five hundred rods by the measuring rod. 19 He came around to the west side and measured five hundred rods by the measuring rod. 20 He measured it on the four sides; it had a wall all around, five hundred cubits long and five hundred wide, to separate the holy areas from the common.
NKJV

Now it is time to read Revelation 21 and discover John's Holy Jerusalem and the statement:

Revelation 21:22-27:
But I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. 23 The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it. The Lamb is its light. 24 And the nations of those who are saved shall walk in its light, and the kings of the earth bring their glory and honor into it. 25 Its gates shall not be shut at all by day (there shall be no night there). 26 And they shall bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it. 27 But there shall by no means enter it anything that defiles, or causes an abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb's Book of Life.
NKJV

Chapter 43:

Ezekiel 43:1-5:

Afterward he brought me to the gate, the gate that faces toward the east. 2 And behold, the glory of the God of Israel came from the way of the east. His voice was like the sound of many waters; and the earth shone with His glory. 3 It was like the appearance of the vision which I saw - like the vision which I saw when I came to destroy the city. The visions were like the vision which I saw by the River Chebar; and I fell on my face. 4 And the glory of the LORD came into the temple by way of the gate which faces toward the east. 5 The Spirit lifted me up and brought me into the inner court; and behold, the glory of the LORD filled the temple.
NKJV

The East Gate in the city of Jerusalem faces the Mount of Olives, the last place of prayer before the crucifixion. That gate is closed and not used in the city today; the citizens expect the Messiah to enter through that gate.

"Similar to the experience at the river Chebar," signals where Ezekiel was taken into the presence of God initially in order to witness cherubim and wheels in the middle of the wheel and the Throne. Ezekiel was overwhelmed by what he beheld then and now.

Ezekiel 43:6-9:
6 Then I heard Him speaking to me from the temple, while a man stood beside me. 7 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 children of Israel forever. No more shall the house of Israel defile My holy name, they nor their kings, by their harlotry or with the carcasses of their kings on their high places. 8 When they set their threshold by My threshold, and their doorpost by My doorpost, with a wall between them and Me, they defiled My holy name by the abominations which they committed; therefore I have consumed them in My anger. 9 Now let them put their harlotry and the carcasses of their kings far away from Me, and I will dwell in their midst forever.
NKJV

Notice three facets:

1. God says He will occupy a Temple of Holiness and nothing less. (The Temple of the Holy Spirit is in the believer's inner being. Scriptures say the completed Temple has foundations made of the apostles and prophets with Jesus Christ the cornerstone and in which the believers themselves are living stones forming a Holy Temple.)

Ephesians 2:19-22:
Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, 20 having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, 21 in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, 22 in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.
NKJV

2. In this message, God lists the abominations He wanted to stay away from. The greatest of those being that of setting their polluted Temple door adjacent to His Holy Temple door (and welcoming a non-holy congregation?). Note: the wall of separation. (Defiling His Holy Name by Christian abomination needs to be addressed today, just as the church needs to examine if their door is the same kind as the one described.)

3. Ezekiel is told to "show the house to the house," by showing the House of Israel what could have been a holy Temple (thus having sacrifices and ministry which was pleasing to God). This is a message to cause a punished people to mend their ways (the criteria for receiving all of this word was based on shame and repentance, which should have been the motivation to rebuild on God's terms-which they did not.). Their Temple had lost sight of the model they were to emulate. (The Emerging Church should scrutinize what they are proposing and ask, "Is it HOLY, like the early church?")

Ezekiel 43:10-12: 10 "Son of man, describe the temple to the house of Israel, that they may be ashamed of their iniquities; and let them measure the pattern. 11 And if they are ashamed of all that they have done, make known to them the design of the temple and its arrangement, its exits and its entrances, its entire design and all its ordinances, all its forms and all its laws. Write it down in their sight, so that they may keep its whole design and all its ordinances, and perform them. 12 This is the law of the temple: The whole area surrounding the mountaintop is most holy. Behold, this is the law of the temple. NKJV

Holiness and Holy living are not optional. Note: This is a conditional situation (If, Then) determined by their repentance; otherwise, they are to be deprived of the dimensions for the Holy Altar.

Ezekiel 43:13-17:
"These are the measurements of the altar in cubits (the cubit is one cubit and a handbreadth): the base one cubit high and one cubit wide, with a rim all around its edge of one span. This is the height of the altar: 14 from the base on the ground to the lower ledge, two cubits; the width of the ledge, one cubit; from the smaller ledge to the larger ledge, four cubits; and the width of the ledge, one cubit. 15 The altar hearth is four cubits high, with four horns extending upward from the hearth. 16 The altar hearth is twelve cubits long, twelve wide, square at its four corners; 17 the ledge, fourteen cubits long and fourteen wide on its four sides, with a rim of half a cubit around it; its base, one cubit all around; and its steps face toward the east." NKJV

This conditional setting opens the door to the Sons of Zadok. God makes it plain that Holiness is the requisite of ministry to Him. The other priests can take care of the Temple duties, such as weddings, funerals, making decisions and counseling the multitudes-BUT only those of the Sons of Zadok can approach Him. The Sons of Zadok separated the Holy from the Profane and taught the people the difference. They ministered in holiness and even their outer garments were changed in order to approach the Lord. (Could the church learn a lesson here? The other priests faced the people with their backs to God, while the Sons of Zadok ministered with their backs to the people and facing the Lord.)

1 Peter 2:5, "Ye also ... are ... an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ."

Ezekiel 43:18-27:
And He said to me, "Son of man, thus says the Lord GOD: 'These are the ordinances for the altar on the day when it is made, for sacrificing burnt offerings on it, and for sprinkling blood on it. 19 You shall give a young bull for a sin offering to the priests, the Levites, who are of the seed of Zadok, who approach Me to minister to Me," says the Lord GOD. 20 "You shall take some of its blood and put it on the four horns of the altar, on the four corners of the ledge, and on the rim around it; thus you shall cleanse it and make atonement for it. 21 Then you shall also take the bull of the sin offering, and burn it in the appointed place of the temple, outside the sanctuary. 22 On the second day you shall offer a kid of the goats without blemish for a sin offering; and they shall cleanse the altar, as they cleansed it with the bull. 23 When you have finished cleansing it, you shall offer a young bull without blemish, and a ram from the flock without blemish. 24 When you offer them before the LORD, the priests shall throw salt on them, and they will offer them up as a burnt offering to the LORD. 25 Every day for seven days you shall prepare a goat for a sin offering; they shall also prepare a young bull and a ram from the flock, both without blemish. 26 Seven days they shall make atonement for the altar and purify it, and so consecrate it. 27 When these days are over it shall be, on the eighth day and thereafter, that the priests shall offer your burnt offerings and your peace offerings on the altar; and I will accept you,' says the Lord GOD."
NKJV

Some commentators claim the mention of these sacrifices proves the symbolic nature of this vision, for Jesus fulfilled all the Law and this is proven by showing His body as the sin offering and the burnt offerings on a heavenly altar.

Others claim this is a last time accommodation for those Jews who believed and wanted to sacrifice according to the Old Testament in this glorious Temple.

The bold section may mean this is a picture of Temple worship as it should have been in the restored Temple of Zarubbabel, Ezra and Nehemiah. Others declare it is a last days' Temple to be built by the Jews in Jerusalem.

I say, we wait not for a last days' Temple to be built in Jerusalem and long for the eighth day!

Next month, we will enter Ezekiel 44-46 and my favorite of all sections, the basis for the book , The Sons of Zadok.


Until Next month,



Dr. Cosby R. Oliver, PhD.





MINISTRY CONTACT INFORMATION!


          Zadok Publications
          P.O. Box 132874
          The Woodlands, Texas 77393

          (936) 230-3543

          Email: zadokbookstore@zadokpublications.com
          On The Web: ZadokPublications.com




Dr. OLIVER'S BOOKS ARE NOW AVAILABLE FOR THE KINDLE ON AMAZON.COM AND FOR THE NOOK AT BARNES & NOBLE!



Paperback volumes may still be ordered through our website.


To see the currently available books from Amazon, click on the cover images below.


The Sons of Zadok HR The Regal Pair Solomon's Secret Called to be Saints


Consumed By His Fire Double Grace En Punto A Study in Isaiah




The Road to Captivity Exact Ezekiel


Study Guide - The Sons of Zadok Study Guide - Called to be Saints Study Guide - The Road To Captivity




In Spanish:



Called to be Saints El Secreto de Salomon Los Hijos de Sadoc


In German:



Die Sohn Zadoks




To see the currently available books from Barnes & Noble, click on the cover images below.




Sons of Zadok Double Grace HR The Regal Pair Consumed By His Fire


Called to be Saints Solomon's Secret En Punto A Study in Isaiah




The Road to Captivity Exact Ezekiel




In Spanish:



Called to be Saints El Secreto de Salomon Los Hijos Sadoc




In German:



Die Sohn Zadoks













Last modified: 02/04/2019