Ezekiel's and John's Visions

 

A popular interpretation of Bible Prophecy is that the animal sacrifices described in the Book of Ezekiel shall be required during what they call 'The Millennium', only not for actual atonement but as a memorial.

But in Ezekiel it stated that the animal sacrifices would be for atonement: it didn't say anything about it merely being a memorial.

It also stated that the Levite priest would officiate the sacrifices. But the New Testament states that the Levitical priesthood has been superseded by the endless Priesthood of our Lord Jesus Christ. His sacrifice was once for all.

So, Ezekiel's vision wasn't all about the future: part of its purpose was to provide inspiration and instruction for the Jews who would be returning from captivity, while the Old Covenant still stood.

But the grandiose scenarios described by Ezekiel never came to pass, some may say. But Ezekiel was describing visions - he wasn't writing in prose, unlike Moses who saw face to face Moses wasn't describing visions, he gave instructions for the building of the former tabernacle, in prose. It is the nature of visions that they need interpreting. So, the imagery in Ezekiel required interpreting: it wasn't meant to be taken as prose. That's just how a lot of ancient Jewish vision and prophecy worked.

Ezekiel was also told upfront that his hearers wouldn't do what they were being told through his prophesying. So, the fact they didn't fully complete all that was intended in Ezekiel's visions doesn't mean it is instead all about the future.

And yet, everything that was said and done in the Old Testament also foreshadowed New Testament realities. So, Ezekiel's visions were also pregnant, we could say, with the eternal spiritual realities which were later to be birthed, which have now have been birthed by the New Covenant. In the Book of Revelation John described seeing much of the same imagery and themes as Ezekiel but with a completely Christ-centred gospel shape to it all.

It's a mistake therefore to take visions like Ezekiel's and try to treat it as if it was all a video of the future-still. That forces an unintended meaning onto the prophecies, and attempts to artificially place things in the future when the future is meant to be different since Jesus came.

Ezekiel's visions were intended as inspiration and instruction for the Jews returning from captivity - and all of that also foreshadowed the eternal realities which we all now enjoy in Christ Jesus.

The Levitical priesthood has been superseded by Jesus' high priesthood forever.

Sacrifices were done away with by His own once-for-all sacrifice.

Earthly Jerusalem is no longer the required place of worship: we have come to the heavenly Jerusalem.

The true river is the river of life that flows from above.

It's all about JESUS now. The future won't be about pilgrimages to a stone temple in Jerusalem with Levite priests to offer blood sacrifices either for atonement or for memorial. Isn't that freeing!

Plus, the term 'The Millennium' isn't in the Bible anyway. Give that some thought!