EZEKIEL’S TEMPLE
Ezekiel 40:1 In the five and twentieth year of our captivity, in the beginning of the year, in the tenth day of the month, in the fourteenth year after that the city was smitten, in the selfsame day the hand of the LORD was upon me, and brought me thither. 2 In the visions of God brought he me into the land of Israel, and set me upon a very high mountain, by which was as the frame of a city on the south. 3 And he brought me thither, and, behold, there was a man, whose appearance was like the appearance of brass, with a line of flax in his hand, and a measuring reed; and he stood in the gate. 4 And the man said unto me, Son of man, behold with thine eyes, and hear with thine ears, and set thine heart upon all that I shall shew thee; for to the intent that I might shew them unto thee art thou brought hither: declare all that thou seest to the house of Israel.
The Lord has begun his revelation to the Priest Ezekiel, now called to be His prophet, by showing him spiritual things. He has shown him the life of God in the soul of man, both in the soul’s regeneration and the Lord’s Incarnation! (See Ezekiel 1:5, 26.) And he is now revealing to him his eternal intent regarding the inclusion of the Gentiles into the house of God, heretofore occupied almost exclusively by Israel. But both Rahab, the harlot, and Ruth the Moabitess are listed in the physical lineage of the Lord Jesus. (See Matthew 1:5.) Ezekiel 39:21 And I will set my glory among the heathen, and all the heathen shall see my judgment that I have executed, and my hand that I have laid upon them. 22 So the house of Israel shall know that I am the LORD their God from that day and forward.
The Apostle Paul clearly lays this out in his epistles. Colossians 1:26 Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints: 27 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:
Ephesians 2:11 Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands; 12 That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: 13 But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. 19 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; 20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; 21 In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: 22 In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.
Therefore we have our eyes opened to the fact that Ezekiel, and others of the Old Testament prophets, had awareness given to them, of not just earthy and natural things pertaining to the then, people of God. But they also had awarenesses given of the heavenly and spiritual intent of God to all kinds of people. 1 Peter 1:10 Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you: 11 Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow. 12 Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.
And that spiritual awareness brought forth to Ezekiel the manifestation of the spiritual church, born of the Holy Spirit. For they were to be God’s temple. In that Ephesians two passage listed above we clearly have it laid out for us that those brought near to God by the blood of Christ are intended to be the holy habitation of God. Therefore we see that beginning with chapter forty of Ezekiel’s writings, we do not have a description of some physical edifice to be constructed in the physical city of Jerusalem, but that of the spiritual body of Christ, His Bride, the church! For the church is a city without walls! Zechariah 2:4 And said unto him, Run, speak to this young man, saying, Jerusalem shall be inhabited as towns without walls for the multitude of men and cattle therein:
No more would the true church be contained in just one physically defined location, as the land of Israel was among the nations of the world! But the “city” of God would be wherever regenerate souls were feasting off the heavenly Bread of Life! They are those who were eating his flesh and drinking his blood; spiritually speaking. Matthew 24:24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. 25 Behold, I have told you before. 26 Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not. 27 For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. 28 For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together.
Buzzards will eat any old dead thing. But eagles have to have hot blood, from a fresh kill! Religionists will swallow down any old dead thing, but true believers who hunger and thirst for righteousness can only be satisfied by the appropriation of Christ being made their sustenance! Matthew 5:6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.
And in this spiritual feasting of the regenerated soul is seen the spiritual mystery of Jesus Christ living from the Father as his Provision! John 6:57 As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me. John 4:32 But he said unto them, I have meat to eat that ye know not of. 34 Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.
1 Corinthians 11:23 For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread: 24 And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. 25 After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.
This is the new Jerusalem which John saw descending from heaven, which took place at Pentecost. Hebrews 12:22 But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, 23 To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect,
Revelation 21:2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. John 14:23 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.
For the Lord Christ taught that Israel’s ‘house’ would be destroyed and he would raise up his body as the place of God’s abode! Matthew 23:37 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not! 38 Behold, your house is left unto you desolate.
Matthew 24:1 And Jesus went out, and departed from the temple: and his disciples came to him for to shew him the buildings of the temple. 2 And Jesus said unto them, See ye not all these things? verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.
John 2:18 Then answered the Jews and said unto him, What sign shewest thou unto us, seeing that thou doest these things? 19 Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up. 20 Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days? 21 But he spake of the temple of his body. 22 When therefore he was risen from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this unto them; and they believed the scripture, and the word which Jesus had said.
The prophets prophesied of the Eternal Son of God becoming the temple of the Lord God. Malachi 3:1 Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: (that is, John the Baptist), and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, (the Eternal Son of God shall suddenly become Incarnate in the womb of Mary. Luke 1:35 And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.), even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the LORD of hosts. And they prophesied that the Holy Humanity of Jesus of Nazareth was to be filled with the Holy Spirit. Haggai 2:7 And I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come: and I will fill this house (the temple of Christ’s body), with glory, saith the LORD of hosts. John 3:34 For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him.
The Old Testament temple had a degree of glory. Exodus 29:43 And there I will meet with the children of Israel, and the tabernacle shall be sanctified by my glory.
But the degree of glory in Christ and his church have a far higher degree of glory, which greatly excels that of the law! 2 Corinthians 3:9 For if the ministration of condemnation (that is the letter of the law), be glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness (the glory of Christ and the gospel kingdom), exceed in glory. 10 For even that which was made glorious (the law), had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that excelleth. (That is when compared with the glory of the gospel.) 18 But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord. Seeing Christ’s glory and the glory of his cross does change the one who beholds it!
Seeing the glory is necessary for justification. For if Jesus Christ is to you just a historical person, and his life and ministry just a history lesson, you shall die in your sin. But if God, by the Holy Spirit has made him to be to you the essential hope and love of your soul, you shall be saved from eternal damnation. John 2:11 This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory; and his disciples believed on him. Isaiah 45:22 Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else.
And as just stated, seeing the glory of Christ is necessary for progressive sanctification. 2 Corinthians 3:18 But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.
And seeing the physical appearance of the glorified Christ is essential for glorification. 1 John 3:2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. For only this shall bring in God as all in all. 1 Corinthians 15:28 And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all.
Habakkuk 2:14 For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea. Psalm 22:27 All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the LORD: and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee. 86:9 All nations whom thou hast made shall come and worship before thee, O Lord; and shall glorify thy name.
Isaiah 6:3 And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.
Revelation 11:15 And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever. 15:4 Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy: for all nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy judgments are made manifest.
To many religionists Christ is but as a fire extinguisher hanging on the wall in case they need him to put out the fires of life’s afflictions. But to the truly redeemed, He is constantly worshipped and praised for their salvation. Revelation 5:9 And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;
Pastor Gene Breed
May 04, 2019