Fear No Fear

(All scripture from Lexham English Bible, Copyright 2012 Logos Bible Software)

Remember that earthquake God used to defend Israel? Around 84% of Gog’s army would die in the earthquake and fire that followed. And the Lord would bring fire and judgment on the people that supported Gog, but stayed home safely. All those who stand against Israel will not do well. The Lord would disable their weapons and vast numbers of the enemy would die. Many of them wouldn’t get buried, but devoured by wild animals and carrion birds. This would be so startling and so obviously the divine hand of God that Israel would turn back to Him in total belief and worship. Even the nations of the world that DIDN’T believe in Yahweh would admit it was Yahweh that did this.

There are various places in history that this COULD have taken place, but two aspects of this prophesy make it seem obvious that there is a future fulfillment of it still heading to us. First, at no point so far has anything happened that has made unbelieving nations admit Yahweh God saved Israel. Second, so many people die in this event that it takes MONTHS to bury them (giving over an entire valley to be a mass grave) and YEARS to deal with all the weapons left behind. That has not occurred yet. Since this is a carnage that the world hasn’t witnessed yet, we are assured that we will in the future. The world will see it. The world will witness it. The world will admit Yahweh saved Israel. Israel will turn to the Lord and His Spirit will not depart from them again. They would forget the shame of their sins. God would restore their fortunes. They would be gathered again into Israel in the knowledge that He was their God and they were His people.

“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 the city was destroyed, in this day exactly, the hand of Yahweh was on me, and he brought me there in visions from God. He brought me to the land of Israel and put me on a very high mountain, and on it was something like a structure of a city to the south. And he brought me there, and look, there was a man whose appearance was like the appearance of bronze, and a cord of linen was in his hand and a reed for measurement; he was standing in the gate.” (Ezekiel 40:1-3)

This starts Ezekiel’s vision of a restored Temple. This Temple doesn’t SEEM to have been built yet, because the dimensions of it don’t match ANYTHING that has been built to this point. The time of this vision was fourteen years after the fall of Jerusalem. There are scholars that believe this was in a Jubilee year and that the tenth day of the month referred to the Day of Atonement. If so, it was symbolizing freedom, release, and a total dependence on God. The ‘shining man’ based on his description and his actions in future chapters appears to be a pre-incarnate Jesus.

There are a lot of little tidbits in this description of the Temple. The palms that are mentioned symbolize victory and praise. Palm branches were featured in the Jewish Feast of Tabernacles. They were also waved (inappropriately based on Feasts, but very appropriately based on identity) when Jesus entered Jerusalem on a symbol of royalty (Matthew 21). There are seven steps leading up into the outer court (where everyone could gather – including women). Seven is the number of completion, symbolizing our journey toward God who completes us (Colossians 2:10). From that outer courtyard there are fifteen steps into the inner courtyard. As pilgrims approached Jerusalem for the Feasts, they would sing Psalms of Ascent signifying their journey toward God. The Psalms were 120-134. Some believe they weren’t sung on the way to Jerusalem, but that they would stop on each step and sing the corresponding Psalm as they walked into the inner court. These are also the Psalms David was thought to sing with the people as they brought the ark of the covenant to Jerusalem (2 Samuel 6). There were places for preparing sacrifices – eight tables in total. Eight is the number of new beginnings. There were places for Levitical priests to sing during times of prayer and preparation (Psalm 100:4). David appointed singers and musicians for the Temple (1 Chronicles 6:31; 15:16-22). The sons of Zadok who had charge of the altar were descendants of Zadok, a high priest in David’s time (1 Kings 1:38), who was descended from Phineas who was told by God that he would always have priests in his line serving before the Lord (Numbers 25:13) – God is faithful in all His promises.

Whether this Temple being described is the heavenly Temple of Revelation 11:19 or whether it is the third Temple yet to be built here on Earth, Ezekiel’s Temple does not seem to have been seen by us yet. Only in this vision. But it is a vision meant to be shared with all of us. The dimensions and measurements can be confusing, but there is worth in noting everything that God places in the Temple. All the spaces He makes available for all the aspects of worship and sacrifice. All the details that point to Jesus and our relationship with Him. God cares about details. God leaves nothing out. Just like God cares about each and every human being. God ignores NO ONE. Everyone has a chance to follow Him and God never stops making the invitation to abundant life.

Summary

Key Players: God, Ezekiel

Key Verse(s): Ezekiel 39:1-10, 25-29; 40:1-4, 16, 22, 31, 34, 41-42, 44, 46