Ezekiel's Temple - Not Predictive but Instructional

Some people say Ezekiel's vision of the Temple will literally be fulfilled during a future Millennium or Great Tribulation. That's awkward seeing the Old Covenant with its Levitical priesthood and blood sacrifices has been abolished.

Others say it is symbolic, and was prophetic of the work of God through the Church.

But tonight a third possibility dawned on me: it wasn't written as a prophecy of a certain future event, rather it was written as instructions for Israel returning from captivity. Whether or not Israel obeyed it to the letter is another matter.

The instructions about the Temple are not worded like a prediction; rather, it is written like instructions. Ezekiel saw the pattern in a vision, similar to how Moses was shown a pattern for the tabernacle while in the mountain, and how David was given the pattern for the Temple by the Spirit. Some of it was obviously symbolic, like the part about the river flowing from under the threshold of the Temple. This represented the blessing that Israel was meant to be, if Israel had obeyed God. It also represents the blessing that true Israel - the believing and faithful - succeeded at becoming.

Moses gave instructions to Israel before entering the land. It was necessary therefore that Israel again be given instructions upon re-entering the land after the Babylonian captivity.

A prophet's instructions led Israel into the land; a prophet's instructions would lead them to re-enter the land.

Moses and Ezekiel's instructions alike included instructions about the house of God, the service of the house and the division of the land.

In the first instance, no strangers were given inheritance; but in the second instance they were to. Israel had been softened through their time in captivity.

Israel did seek to follow these instructions through Ezra and Nehemiah. How far the nation co-operated with them and completed the task is another matter. But Ezekiel's vision gave them their blueprint.

God said He would again bring the Jews to the land. They would be purified. He would again require their offerings. They and their rulers would again serve him again without wickedness, potentially. And potentially forever. We now know that only the remnant of the believing and faithful did so to the full extent. But all the prophets predicted that would be the outcome - the remnant, the true Israel, would inherit what was promised, along with believing Gentiles, rather than the nation as a whole.

So in summary, it seemed to me tonight upon reading the Book of Ezekiel, that the passage about the Temple was not written as a sure prediction of a future outcome in Israel but as instructions for the nation returning from captivity.

If you buy a model aeroplane kit, and look at the instruction sheet - the sheet is not a prophetic instruction about the future. It's just an instruction sheet! Similarly, the passage about the Temple is not worded like a prediction of the future, but like an instruction sheet. There are other passages in the Prophets which do include specific prediction. Other parts are instruction, not prediction. Ezekiel's Temple is written about instructionally, not predictively.

Just because something was written by a prophet, does not mean it was all predictive. Moses was a prophet, but most of what he wrote was instructional not predictive. Some passages in Ezekiel were intended to be instructional to Israel not predictive to us.

In conclusion, if this is correct, it means we need not look for a future fulfilment of this passage either literally or symbolically.

But spiritually, the spiritual blessings foreshadowed by it are experienced in fulness and in reality and perpetuated in the true Israel, the true house of God, through the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.

God's Will in Paul's Journey to Jerusalem

Was it or was it not God's will for Paul to go up to Jerusalem?

Paul said, "And now I go bound in the spirit unto Jerusalem." 

I take that to mean that Paul felt he had no choice - it was God's will.

Paul said he didn't know what would happen to him there. Everywhere he went, however, the Holy Spirit was indicating that he was headed for some troubles.

He was in a hurry, hoping to be there for Pentecost. But on the way, he was told through the Holy Spirit that he should not go up to Jerusalem.

I take this to mean that Paul was to delay his journey. He did end-up staying somewhere for "many days" after this prophecy.

But Paul still felt constrained to go to Jerusalem eventually. Finally it was indicated by a prophet that the Jews in Jerusalem would tie Paul up when he goes there. This time there was no instruction that he should not go - he was told only what would happen when he arrives there.

When Paul's acquaintances heard this, they tried to persuade him not to go up to Jerualem, but Paul wouldn't be moved. He was ready. So his colleagues ceased, saying, "The will of the Lord be done". They had attempted to dissuade him not because it wasn't God's will that he go, but out of concern, knowing what would happen to him once he arrived. So they packed up their things and went to Jerusalem with him.

So apparently although God had His proper timing, it was after all God's will for Paul to go to Jerusalem despite what would befall him there.

That is the manner in which my friend Jolon understood the will of God in the matter of the two prophecies about Paul's journey to Jerusalem.

144,000 from Each Tribe

144,000 from the twelve tribes were sealed (in the Book of Revelation). There were 288 singers in David's tabernacle. 144 is half of 288. Does the figure of 144,000 therefore symbolize that it was only a remnant of Israel that was sealed? And yet 144=12x12. It was therefore a complete number, in its own right. The election according to grace hath obtained it, and the rest were hardened. And so [in this manner?] all Israel shall be saved [i.e., the true Israel amongst the Israelites].