Ezekiel’s Vision of the Millennial Temple (I)
Ezekiel 40

Lesson 38

background notes

doctrinal / teaching points

1.  The Temple of Ezekiel’s vision was not a rebuilt temple.

2.  The Temple of Ezekiel’s vision is not the Christian church now.

3.  The Temple of Ezekiel’s vision is the future Temple of the Millennium.

 

practical application 

Remember, our present eschatology will become our future experience!

 

questions 

1. The prophecies in chapters 40-48 have to do with Israel’s future, and contain prophecies concerning Israel during the ______________ Kingdom of Christ here on this earth. Chapters 40-43 give a description of the future _________ that will be built for that kingdom.

2. What was the year of Ezekiel’s vision of the future here in chapter 40?  This was ____ years after Jerusalem fell to the Babylonians, and was the 25^th year of Ezekiel’s captivity.

3. We believe that the high mountain upon which Ezekiel saw the vision, The high mountain upon which Ezekiel saw “something like the structure of a city” (v 2), is the literal location of the city of _______________ in the future. List 2 scriptural references which indicate that this city will be raised above all surrounding hills and mountains.

4. What are the reasons that the temple described in detail here in chapters 40-43 cannot be a description of the Temple rebuilt by Zerubbabel when the Jewish people returned from captivity in Babylon, or the Temple built by Herod that stood on the Temple Mount at the time of Christ?

5.  List the reasons that clearly indicate that the temple described here in Ezekiel’s vision is not a spiritualized description of the church of today.

 

answers

1. Prophecies from chapters 40-48 concern what will take place during the Millennial Kingdom of Christ here on this earth. Chapters 40-43 describe the future temple that will be built for that kingdom.

2. Ezekiel’s vision of the Millennial Temple took place in the year 573 BC, 14 years after the city of Jerusalem fell to the Babylonians.

3.  The high mountain described by Ezekiel in verse 2 of this chapter is the literal location of the city of Jerusalem in the future. Both Isaiah 2:2 and Zechariah 14:10 predict that Jerusalem and the Temple Mount will be raised above the surrounding hills and mountains at that time because of major topographical changes that will take place in Israel.

4. The dimensions of the Temple built by Zerubbabel do not agree with the dimensions of the Temple described here by Ezekiel, and the Temple built by Herod was not a new temple.

5.  The specific details given in Ezekiel’s vision of the Temple would have no meaning if they were to be spiritualized to the Church. Also, Ezekiel’s description of the first Jewish Temple in chapters 7-12 came true literally, right down to the very details.  There is no reason to change principles of hermeneutics or interpretation regarding the description of the Temple in chapters 40-43. We expect them to be literally fulfilled in the future.

 

discuss / consider

Discuss the timing of the building of the Millennial Temple in the future. Consider the events described in the biblical passages regarding the temple of the Tribulation Period which precedes the Millennial Kingdom.

 

challenge

Has your faith been strengthened by the prophecies concerning the coming return of Christ, His Millennial Kingdom, and the anticipation of His reign here on this earth?  Be encouraged by the reality of your future experience of being part of the Millennial Kingdom of Christ.

memorize

• “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 . . . there was a man whose appearance was like the appearance of bronze . . . 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.’” From Ezekiel 40: 2-4