Some say Ezekiel's vision of a temple hasn't been fulfilled yet and must be fulfilled in future during a 'millennium', because they say a priest has never yet functioned as a prince in Israel, like Ezekiel foretold.
But in fact, the priesthood did play a governmental role in Israel, in the inter-testament period, and in the first century AD.
In Old Testament times, scribes played a role that was associated with government - both in Gentile nations and in the Jewish kingdoms. In New Testament times Israel had scribes associated with the priesthood, which shows the priesthood was regarded by Israel as playing somewhat of a governmental role in Israel, especially the chief priests and high priest. (In the Gospels you see the high priest speaking in an advisory role among the rulers of the Jews, due to being the high priest.)
Aside from the Temple priesthood, there were also other sects within first-century Judaism which saw a governmental role for the priesthood according to whatever version of it their sect had - like the Essenes, and Zealots and other 'messianic' splinters.
In the inter-testament period before the first century there was a dynasty of Zadok-family high priests, which groups like the Essenes still believed in, probably up until the first century AD. And those Zadokite high priests had functioned somewhat like a 'prince' in Israel.
So it's plausible that Ezekiel's vision of a temple with Zadok-family priests serving like a prince in Israel, may have indeed been fulfilled already - especially considering the apocalyptic genre that Ezekiel wrote in, which allows a bit more leeway in interpretation (unlike if Ezekiel had written in straight prose).
To allocate the entire prophecy literally instead to the future, implies a return to Levitical worship and sacrifices in future - which in light of New Testament theology is untenable.
But in fact, the priesthood did play a governmental role in Israel, in the inter-testament period, and in the first century AD.
In Old Testament times, scribes played a role that was associated with government - both in Gentile nations and in the Jewish kingdoms. In New Testament times Israel had scribes associated with the priesthood, which shows the priesthood was regarded by Israel as playing somewhat of a governmental role in Israel, especially the chief priests and high priest. (In the Gospels you see the high priest speaking in an advisory role among the rulers of the Jews, due to being the high priest.)
Aside from the Temple priesthood, there were also other sects within first-century Judaism which saw a governmental role for the priesthood according to whatever version of it their sect had - like the Essenes, and Zealots and other 'messianic' splinters.
In the inter-testament period before the first century there was a dynasty of Zadok-family high priests, which groups like the Essenes still believed in, probably up until the first century AD. And those Zadokite high priests had functioned somewhat like a 'prince' in Israel.
So it's plausible that Ezekiel's vision of a temple with Zadok-family priests serving like a prince in Israel, may have indeed been fulfilled already - especially considering the apocalyptic genre that Ezekiel wrote in, which allows a bit more leeway in interpretation (unlike if Ezekiel had written in straight prose).
To allocate the entire prophecy literally instead to the future, implies a return to Levitical worship and sacrifices in future - which in light of New Testament theology is untenable.
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