After God had exiled his people and destroyed the temple, God needed to provide future direction and hope to his people. To have his divine purpose to be realized by all of his creation. So, he provided a vision and prophecy to a known true prophet.
The following consideration of the following is meant to be merely an outline of what I found to be interesting. You should by all means read the Scriptures in their entirety for yourself.
Ezekiel 40:1-4… 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 Jerusalem had been captured, on that very day the Lord’s hand was on me, and He brought me there. 2 In visions of God He took me to the land of Israel and set me down on a very high mountain. On its southern slope was a structure resembling a city. 3 He brought me there, and I saw a man whose appearance was like bronze, with a linen cord and a measuring rod in his hand. He was standing by the gate. 4 He spoke to me: “Son of man, look with your eyes, listen with your ears, and pay attention to everything I am going to show you, for you have been brought here so that I might show it to you. Report everything you see to the house of Israel.”
Ezekiel begins to see the measuring out of the wall around the temple structure, as the measurements are being given a description of what’s being measured has also been told. There are dining halls and tables for sacrifices to be prepared. Next were introduced to the sons of Zadok from the sons of Levi these are the ones who will approach God and officiate at the altar from now on.
As we continue reading Ezekiel chapter 41 we see the continued measurement of the temple and in the description we discover a Great Hall and in the description we read about carvings on the walls.
Ezekiel 41:15-20… The interior of the great hall and the porticoes of the court 16 the thresholds, the beveled windows, and the balconies all around with their three levels opposite the threshold were overlaid with wood on all sides. They were paneled from the ground to the windows (but the windows were covered), 17 reaching to the top of the entrance, and as far as the inner temple and on the outside. On every wall all around, on the inside and outside, there was a pattern 18 carved with cherubim and palm trees. There was a palm tree between each pair of cherubim. Each cherub had two faces: 19 a human face turned toward the palm tree on one side, and a lion’s face turned toward it on the other. They were carved throughout the temple on all sides. 20 Cherubim and palm trees were carved from the ground to the top of the entrance and on the wall of the great hall…
The Cherub is not an angel even though it has wings, but it is referred to as a living creature in God word. They represent God’s manifested attribute. Because of having multi faces that of a lion for courage, and that of a man signifying love. Whereas the palm tree represents righteousness. The Great Hall would symbolically be filled with righteous loving and courageous things. It takes courage to be righteous, and it takes loving acts to be called righteous.
Reading on we have the measurement of the temple complex, then we come upon a three-story building that has chambers, and they are facing the temple.
Ezekiel 42:13-14… Then the man said to me, “The northern and southern chambers that face the temple yard are the holy chambers where the priests who approach the Lord will eat the most holy offerings. There they will deposit the most holy offerings the grain offerings, sin offerings, and restitution offerings, for the place is holy. 14 Once the priests have entered, they must not go out from the holy area to the outer court until they have removed the clothes they minister in, for these are holy. They are to put on other clothes before they approach the public area.”
These chambers are for the priest, in some of them they will eat in, and others will be for the changing of their clothes. Later on, Ezekiel was told why they would have to change their clothes. It was so that they would not convey or transmit holiness to the people by means of the clothes they wore.
Ezekiel 44:18-19… They must wear linen turbans on their heads and linen undergarments around their waists. They are not to put on anything that makes them sweat. 19 Before they go out to the outer court, to the people, they must take off the clothes they have been ministering in, leave them in the holy chambers, and dress in other clothes so that they do not transmit holiness to the people through their clothes.
Ezekiel 46:20 gives the same reasoning. There was a principal that was made into a slogan or expression for the nation of Israel to understand. Were given the meaning of that expression engraved upon a shining plate of gold that was to be worn upon the head of the high priest.
Exodus 28:36-38… And you must make a shining plate of pure gold and engrave upon it with the engravings of a seal, ‘Holiness belongs to Jehovah.’ 37 And you must fasten it with a blue string, and it must come to be upon the turban. On the forefront of the turban it should come to be. 38 And it must come to be upon Aaron’s forehead, and Aaron must answer for the error committed against the holy objects, which the sons of Israel will sanctify, that is to say, all their holy gifts; and it must stay upon his forehead constantly, to gain approval for them before Jehovah.
All things that belong to God are holy. We need to acknowledge that it is God alone that is holy. We need to remember that God has punished his people in the past for being unholy in their conduct. This is caused a separation between God and man.
Now picking back up on our reading of Ezekiel chapter 43:
We read about God returning to this rebuilt temple by means of the east gate. We have a declaration by God to Ezekiel about his returning to this temple.
Ezekiel 43:6-8… While the man was standing beside me, I heard someone speaking to me from the temple. He said to me: “Son of man, this is the place of My throne and the place for the soles of My feet, where I will dwell among the Israelites forever. The house of Israel and their kings will no longer defile My holy name by their religious prostitution and by the corpses of their kings at their high places. Whenever they placed their threshold next to My threshold and their doorposts beside My doorposts, with only a wall between Me and them, they were defiling My holy name by the detestable acts they committed. So, I destroyed them in My anger.
God makes it very clear as to what happened to the Israelite nation because of their unfaithfulness. God destroyed them and exiled them until the appointed time to restore all things.
This reminds me of the Scripture in Revelation 21:1-5 that the apostle John received in a vision.
Revelation 21:1-5… Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea no longer existed. I also saw the Holy City, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared like a bride adorned for her husband. Then I heard a loud voice from the throne say: Look! God’s dwelling is with humanity, and He will live with them. They will be His people, and God Himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Death will no longer exist; grief, crying, and pain will exist no longer, because the previous things have passed away. Then the One seated on the throne said, “Look! I am making everything new.” He also said, “Write, because these words are faithful and true.”
We have a guarantee from God that he will dwell with his people.
Many questions start coming to mind that we need to propose. One question is when is all this to happen Lord? How will we serve you? What are you going to require from us?
Starting at Ezekiel 43:10 we read:
Ezekiel 43:10-12… As for you, son of man, describe the temple to the house of Israel, so that they may be ashamed of their iniquities. Let them measure its pattern, and they will be ashamed of all that they have done. Reveal the design of the temple to them, its layout with its exits and entrances, its complete design along with all its statutes, design specifications, and laws. Write it down in their sight so that they may observe its complete design and all its statutes and may carry them out. This is the law of the temple: all its surrounding territory on top of the mountain will be especially holy. Yes, this is the law of the temple.
Now there is very clear direction given about the altar and the sacrifices that are to be offered on it, to rededicate it and to reinstitute the Law of worship.
Ezekiel chapter 44 is about the priestly duties, and the duties of the Levites after God gives them a rebuke for their unfaithfulness, breaking his laws, and covenants. The sons of Zadok are now going to be responsible to service as priest before God.
Read on in Ezekiel chapter 45 there is to be a holy land around the temple and city that is to be measured out. God calls out for an area of land for the princes. Then God gives a rebuke for the princes. Next God calls out for the contribution for the nation of Israel by the tribes to give for the sacrifices at the temple.
Then God reviles the festivals that are going to be observed or reinstituted.
Ezekiel 45:16-17… “All the people of the land must take part in this contribution for the prince in Israel. Then the burnt offerings, grain offerings, and drink offerings for the festivals, New Moons, and Sabbaths, for all the appointed times of the house of Israel, will be the prince’s responsibility. He will provide the sin offerings, grain offerings, burnt offerings, and fellowship offerings to make atonement on behalf of the house of Israel…
Ezekiel 45:21… “In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month, you are to celebrate the Passover, a festival of seven days during which unleavened bread will be eaten.
Ezekiel 45:25… At the festival that begins on the fifteenth day of the seventh month (Festival of Booths), he will provide the same things for seven days, the same sin offerings, burnt offerings, grain offerings, and oil.
Will the Jubilee year be reinstituted also? God does mention the year of freedom at Ezekiel 46:17 so yes it will also be reinstituted.
When are we going to start observing these festivals and what Calander are we going to use?
I have been given the privilege to be shown that God’s calendar has never stop functioning or been adjusted because a man. God’s timetable is continued unstoppable unchanged. So, I would like to introduce you to God’s calendar and timeline. By following this hyperlink, The Adam and Eve Timeline
The following is a list of the observed festivals and their dates and their requirements:
God’s Renewed Festival Days
New Moon – Numbers 10:10, Numbers 28:11-15, Isaiah 66:23, Ezekiel 46:3, Psalms 81:3, 1 Samuel 20:5-35. Jubilees 13:8, Jubilees 6:23, Jubilees 12:16
Sabbath – Day of Rest every 7th day Ezekiel 46:1-6, Exodus 16:23-26, Exodus 31:16-17.
Year of Liberty – Ezekiel 46:17 every 7th year.
Spring Equinox / Nisan is first month; it is the New Moon closest to the Spring Equinox.
Purify the Sanctuary – Nisan 1st Ezekiel 45:18-20.
Atonement for the House -Nisan 7th Ezekiel 45:18-20.
Passover – Nisan 14th– 20th Festival of Unfermented Ezekiel 45:21-24
Fall Equinox is for the Feast of Booths – Tishri 15th – 21st Ezekiel 45:25.
For more information on this follow the hyperlink to God’s Festivals Reinstituted
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