A God-Ordained Glimpse into Israel’s Future

15 And he took up his discourse and said,

“The oracle of Balaam the son of Beor,
    the oracle of the man whose eye is opened,
16 the oracle of him who hears the words of God,
    and knows the knowledge of the Most High,
who sees the vision of the Almighty,
    falling down with his eyes uncovered:
17 I see him, but not now;
    I behold him, but not near:
a star shall come out of Jacob,
    and a scepter shall rise out of Israel;
it shall crush the forehead of Moab
    and break down all the sons of Sheth.
18 Edom shall be dispossessed;
    Seir also, his enemies, shall be dispossessed.
    Israel is doing valiantly.
19 And one from Jacob shall exercise dominion
    and destroy the survivors of cities!”

20 Then he looked on Amalek and took up his discourse and said,

“Amalek was the first among the nations,
    but its end is utter destruction.”

21 And he looked on the Kenite, and took up his discourse and said,

“Enduring is your dwelling place,
    and your nest is set in the rock.
22 Nevertheless, Kain shall be burned
    when Asshur takes you away captive.”

23 And he took up his discourse and said,

“Alas, who shall live when God does this?
24     But ships shall come from Kittim
and shall afflict Asshur and Eber;
    and he too shall come to utter destruction.”

25 Then Balaam rose and went back to his place. And Balak also went his way. – Numbers 24:15-25 ESV

Balaam, the seer, had seen and heard all he needed to determine the will of Jehovah. No more altars were necessary and there was no need to spill the blood of another animal. God had made Himself perfectly clear and left nothing up to doubt or debate. Meanwhile, King Balak was still holding out hope that a curse of the Israelites was forthcoming, But Balaan had seen the handwriting on the wall and was more than convinced that any attempt to curse the people of Israel would fail miserably. In a sense, he was saying, “I can see clearly now!”

“This is the message of Balaam son of Beor,
    the message of the man whose eyes see clearly,
the message of one who hears the words of God,
    who has knowledge from the Most High,
who sees a vision from the Almighty,
    who bows down with eyes wide open…” – Numbers 24:15-16 NLT

There was no further need to consult with the Lord. This newly enlightened soothsayer was transformed into a spokesman of God and given a series of disturbing prophecies to deliver to King Balak. First, true to his reputation as a seer, Balaam spoke of seeing an individual whose arrival was sometime in the distant future.

“I see him, but not now;
    I behold him, but not near…” – Numbers 24:17 ESV

Balaam informs King Balak that the origins of this coming one would be of a supernatural nature and accompanied by kingly authority.

“…a star shall come out of Jacob,
    and a scepter shall rise out of Israel…” – Numbers 24:17 ESV

God was informing Balaam and his royal patron that a future king would arise from the very people group that Balak had hoped to curse.

“That stars could be used metaphorically for kings is suggested by Isaiah 14:12, where the king of Babylon is called ‘Day Star’, and Revelation 22:16, which calls Jesus ‘the offspring of David, the bright morning star.’ That a king is meant here is confirmed by the second line of the couplet: a sceptre shall rise out of Israel, a sceptre being part of the royal insignia (Ps. 45:6; Amos 1:5,8; Gen. 49:10).” – Gordon J. Wenham, Numbers, Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries

And God informs Balak that his future king will “crush the forehead of Moab” (Numbers 24:17 ESV). This reference appears to be a direct message to Balak himself, the king of Moab. This bit of bad news only confirmed Balak’s earlier suspicions and further fueled his desire to see the Israelites cursed. They were a direct threat to his rule and reign.

But the news only gets worse. Balaam goes on to mention the sons of Sheth as well as the kingdoms of Edom and Seir. This coming king would defeat and dispossess them all.

“Edom will be taken over,
    and Seir, its enemy, will be conquered,
    while Israel marches on in triumph.” – Numbers 24:18 NLT

No one would be able to stand against God’s appointed leader and His chosen people; that included the Amalekites and the Kenites. This future king would be powerful and successful in leading the Israelites against all the inhabitants of the land of Canaan. This divine pronouncement was right in line with the blessing that Jacob had given to his son Judah centuries earlier.

“The scepter will not depart from Judah,
    nor the ruler’s staff from his descendants,
until the coming of the one to whom it belongs,
    the one whom all nations will honor.” – Genesis 49:10 NLT

Whether he realized it or not, Balaam was being used by God to confirm that very prophecy. The promise of a future king who would come from the tribe of Judah was still yet to be fulfilled. There is a sense in which much of this prophecy was fulfilled under the reign of King David, a member of the tribe of Judah. David would prove to be a warrior-king whose military victories helped put Israel on the map politically speaking. He would expand the boundaries of Israel through military conquest and create one of the most powerful nations on the face of the earth at that time. And he would bequeath that nation to his son, Solomon, who would continue to build and expand the kingdom of Israel. But the day would come when Solomon’s kingdom would be divided in half, never again to enjoy its former glory. So, the final phase of Balaam’s prophecy remains unfulfilled.

“Alas, who can survive
    unless God has willed it?
Ships will come from the coasts of Cyprus;
    they will oppress Assyria and afflict Eber,
but they, too, will be utterly destroyed.” – Numbers 24:23-24 NLT

This appears to be a reference to future kingdoms that will come to power in the region and attempt to overthrow God’s people. But even these powers-to-be will meet a similar fate as that of the Moabites, Kenites, and Edomites. They will be utterly destroyed by God’s people with the help of the “star” who holds the “scepter” in his hand. The book of Revelation predicts this coming time when a descendant of Jacob from the tribe of Judah will bring victory over all of Israel’s enemies once and for all.

To all who are victorious, who obey me to the very end,

To them I will give authority over all the nations.
They will rule the nations with an iron rod
    and smash them like clay pots.

They will have the same authority I received from my Father, and I will also give them the morning star! – Revelation 2:26-28 NLT

And in Revelation 22, the apostle John provides insight into the identity of “the morning star.”

“I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this message for the churches. I am both the source of David and the heir to his throne. I am the bright morning star.” – Revelation 22:16 NLT

Jesus is the one of whom Balaam spoke, and at some future date, He will bring destruction upon the enemies of Israel. The apostle John was given a vision of this end-times event, which he recorded in the book of Revelation.

Then I saw heaven opened, and a white horse was standing there. Its rider was named Faithful and True, for he judges fairly and wages a righteous war. His eyes were like flames of fire, and on his head were many crowns. A name was written on him that no one understood except himself. He wore a robe dipped in blood, and his title was the Word of God. The armies of heaven, dressed in the finest of pure white linen, followed him on white horses. From his mouth came a sharp sword to strike down the nations. He will rule them with an iron rod. He will release the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty, like juice flowing from a winepress. On his robe at his thigh was written this title: King of all kings and Lord of all lords. – Revelation 19:11-16 NLT

There is no way that Balaam understood the full import of his words. Despite being a seer, he could not see into the future and identify this conquering king to come. Once he had delivered his Spirit-inspired message to King Balak, he went on his way, leaving Balak to consider the words of Jehovah and the impact they might have on his life and kingdom.

But while this story ends with Balaam disappearing into the sunset as he returns to his hometown of Aram, his interactions with the Israelites are far from over. In fact, he will play a role in the sordid affairs described in the very next chapter. While he had been used by God to pronounce blessings on the people of Israel, he would show up again, this time providing the king of Moab with less-than-godly counsel designed to bring about the demise of the chosen people of God.

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The Lord of Heaven's Armies

27 And Balak said to Balaam, “Come now, I will take you to another place. Perhaps it will please God that you may curse them for me from there.” 28 So Balak took Balaam to the top of Peor, which overlooks the desert. 29 And Balaam said to Balak, “Build for me here seven altars and prepare for me here seven bulls and seven rams.” 30 And Balak did as Balaam had said, and offered a bull and a ram on each altar.

1 When Balaam saw that it pleased the Lord to bless Israel, he did not go, as at other times, to look for omens, but set his face toward the wilderness. 2 And Balaam lifted up his eyes and saw Israel camping tribe by tribe. And the Spirit of God came upon him, 3 and he took up his discourse and said,

“The oracle of Balaam the son of Beor,
    the oracle of the man whose eye is opened,
4 the oracle of him who hears the words of God,
    who sees the vision of the Almighty,
    falling down with his eyes uncovered:
5 How lovely are your tents, O Jacob,
    your encampments, O Israel!
6 Like palm groves that stretch afar,
    like gardens beside a river,
like aloes that the Lord has planted,
    like cedar trees beside the waters.
7 Water shall flow from his buckets,
    and his seed shall be in many waters;
his king shall be higher than Agag,
    and his kingdom shall be exalted.
8 God brings him out of Egypt
    and is for him like the horns of the wild ox;
he shall eat up the nations, his adversaries,
    and shall break their bones in pieces
    and pierce them through with his arrows.
9 He crouched, he lay down like a lion
    and like a lioness; who will rouse him up?
Blessed are those who bless you,
    and cursed are those who curse you.”

10 And Balak’s anger was kindled against Balaam, and he struck his hands together. And Balak said to Balaam, “I called you to curse my enemies, and behold, you have blessed them these three times. 11 Therefore now flee to your own place. I said, ‘I will certainly honor you,’ but the Lord has held you back from honor.” 12 And Balaam said to Balak, “Did I not tell your messengers whom you sent to me, 13 ‘If Balak should give me his house full of silver and gold, I would not be able to go beyond the word of the Lord, to do either good or bad of my own will. What the Lord speaks, that will I speak’? 14 And now, behold, I am going to my people. Come, I will let you know what this people will do to your people in the latter days.” – Numbers 23:27-24:14 ESV

The third time would be the charm, or so Balak hoped. In his relentless effort to have Balaam curse the Israelites, Balak suggested that they try their luck at a third location. He still harbored hopes that Balaam might be able to convince Jehovah to change His mind and curse His own people. In a sense, Balak was attempting to treat God as he had Balaam, by trying to buy Him off. Balak seemed to believe that deities were no different than humans and were susceptible to bribes and influence peddling. He had already authorized the construction of 14 altars and the sacrifice of 56 bulls and seven rams in an attempt to sway the mind of Israel’s God, and his obsession with defeating the Israelites drove him to up the ante one more time.

But on this occasion, Balaam refused to seek the will of Jehovah because he already knew what the answer would be. The seer had already determined that nothing would convince the God of Israel to do anything but bless His people. Balak’s sacrifices were an exercise in futility and a waste of time.

Rather than follow Balak to Mount Peor, Balaam headed to the wilderness, where it appears he was given a vision by God. As he lay prostrate on the ground, the Holy Spirit opened his eyes to see the Israelites “camping tribe by tribe” (Numbers 24:2 ESV). In the previous accounts, Balaam had stood on higher ground and seen a portion of the Israelite camp with his own eyes. But this time, he was given a vision that allowed him to see each of the 12 tribes of Israel, and this Spirit-induced dream was accompanied by yet another message from God.

“This is the message of Balaam son of Beor,
    the message of the man whose eyes see clearly,
the message of one who hears the words of God,
    who sees a vision from the Almighty,
    who bows down with eyes wide open…” – Numbers 24:3-4 NLT

Balaam was left without any doubts regarding the countless number of Israelites camped in the plains of Moab. He was given a panoramic vision of the entire nation of Israel and was overwhelmed by what he saw.

“How beautiful are your tents, O Jacob;
    how lovely are your homes, O Israel!
They spread before me like palm groves,
    like gardens by the riverside.
They are like tall trees planted by the Lord,
    like cedars beside the waters…” – Numbers 24:5-6 NLT

In his trance-like state, Balaam envisioned Israel as tall trees planted by the hand of God. They grew tall and strong beside the waters and were cared for by their divine gardener.

“He will pour the water out of his buckets,
and their descendants will be like abundant water;
their king will be greater than Agag,
and their kingdom will be exalted.” – Numbers 24:7 NET

As God had promised to Abraham centuries earlier, He was going to bless His people and transform them into a mighty nation.

“I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse…” – Genesis 12:2-3 ESV

God had delivered them from their captivity in Egypt and led them through the wilderness for the last four decades. But soon, they would no longer be wanderers in the wilderness but citizens of a mighty kingdom ruled over by a powerful king. The promised blessings of Jehovah would be fully realized and there was nothing anyone could do to prevent this predetermined outcome.

“God brought them out of Egypt.
They have, as it were, the strength of a young bull;
they will devour hostile people,
and will break their bones,
and will pierce them through with arrows.” – Numbers 24:8 NET

Once again, Balak was receiving far-from-pleasant news from his hired gun. Rather than pronouncing a curse on Israel, Balaam was singing the praises of their God and warning against any attempts to do them harm. None of this was what Balak wanted to hear. To make matters worse, Balaam describes God as a hungry apex predator, waiting to attack and destroy any who would dare stand against His will. Part of the message God gave to Balaam was a direct quote from His covenant promise to Abraham.

“Blessed are those who bless you,
    and cursed are those who curse you.” – Numbers 24:9 ESV

This reiteration of God’s commitment to curse all those who cursed His people was intended to provide Balak with one final warning to rethink his strategy. Israel was favored by God and there was nothing Balaam or anyone else could do to alter that fact. Their future was in the hands of Jehovah. He had great plans for them and would see to it that the covenant promises He made to Abraham were fully fulfilled.

But Balak refused to accept Balaam’s assessment and angrily fired his disappointing diviner. He reneged on his promise of reward and sent Balaam home empty-handed.

“I called you to curse my enemies! Instead, you have blessed them three times. Now get out of here! Go back home! I promised to reward you richly, but the Lord has kept you from your reward.” – Numbers 24:10-11 NLT

But before he departed, Balaam had one more thing to say to his former employer. He reminded Balak that from the very beginning, he had been open and above board about his inability to curse the Israelites. He had warned Balak that regardless of how much reward he was offered, he “would be powerless to do anything against the will of the Lord” (Numbers 24:13 NLT). While Balaam confessed that he could be easily bought off, Jehovah was not susceptible to bribes. The God of Israel had made promises to His people and He would faithfully fulfill them, despite anyone’s attempts to deter or dissuade Him.

As Balaam prepared to return home, he gave Balak one final series of messages that would leave the over-confident king in a state of despair and disillusionment. Not only would God never curse His own people, but He would use them to pour out curses on the nations of Canaan. This wandering band of former slaves would become a force to be reckoned with, as Jehovah carried out His promise to transform them into a mighty nation and give them the land of Canaan as their home. God would keep every covenant commitment He had made to Abraham, including the promise of many descendants and the gift of a homeland.

“Look as far as you can see in every direction—north and south, east and west. I am giving all this land, as far as you can see, to you and your descendants as a permanent possession. And I will give you so many descendants that, like the dust of the earth, they cannot be counted! Go and walk through the land in every direction, for I am giving it to you.” – Genesis 13:14-17 NLT

More than half a millennium later, God was preparing to fulfill the promise He had made to Abraham, and nothing would stand in his way. King Balak of Moab and his forces would prove to be little more than a speed bump for God Almighty. Like Pharaoh and the army of Egypt, this foreign power would discover the nation of Israel to be a formidable foe backed by an omnipotent God. 

On his way out the door, Balaam will deliver one final message to his former client, detailing the fate of the nations of Canaan. Once again, this pagan seer from Aram will become God’s chosen instrument to declare a divine pronouncement on Israel’s future and Moab’s fate. But God will expand the scope of His plans for Israel’s future conquests by including the Kenites and Amalekites. This final message from Jehovah, delivered through this unlikely envoy, will outline an expansive plan for Israel’s destiny that spans thousands of years and will culminate with the second coming of the Messiah and the establishment of His Kingdom on earth.

Balak would soon learn the painful lesson that it doesn’t pay to curse God’s chosen people. The most powerful nations of this earth are no match for Jehovah Sabaoth – the Lord of Heaven's Armies.

The kings of the earth prepare for battle;
    the rulers plot together
against the Lord
    and against his anointed one.
“Let us break their chains,” they cry,
    “and free ourselves from slavery to God.”

But the one who rules in heaven laughs.
    The Lord scoffs at them.
Then in anger he rebukes them,
    terrifying them with his fierce fury.
For the Lord declares, “I have placed my chosen king on the throne
    in Jerusalem, on my holy mountain.” – Psalm 2:2-6 NLT

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The Lord is There

1 “These are the names of the tribes: Beginning at the northern extreme, beside the way of Hethlon to Lebo-hamath, as far as Hazar-enan (which is on the northern border of Damascus over against Hamath), and extending from the east side to the west, Dan, one portion. 2 Adjoining the territory of Dan, from the east side to the west, Asher, one portion. 3 Adjoining the territory of Asher, from the east side to the west, Naphtali, one portion. 4 Adjoining the territory of Naphtali, from the east side to the west, Manasseh, one portion. 5 Adjoining the territory of Manasseh, from the east side to the west, Ephraim, one portion. 6 Adjoining the territory of Ephraim, from the east side to the west, Reuben, one portion. 7 Adjoining the territory of Reuben, from the east side to the west, Judah, one portion.

8 “Adjoining the territory of Judah, from the east side to the west, shall be the portion which you shall set apart, 25,000 cubits in breadth, and in length equal to one of the tribal portions, from the east side to the west, with the sanctuary in the midst of it. 9 The portion that you shall set apart for the Lord shall be 25,000 cubits in length, and 20,000 in breadth. 10 These shall be the allotments of the holy portion: the priests shall have an allotment measuring 25,000 cubits on the northern side, 10,000 cubits in breadth on the western side, 10,000 in breadth on the eastern side, and 25,000 in length on the southern side, with the sanctuary of the Lord in the midst of it. 11 This shall be for the consecrated priests, the sons of Zadok, who kept my charge, who did not go astray when the people of Israel went astray, as the Levites did. 12 And it shall belong to them as a special portion from the holy portion of the land, a most holy place, adjoining the territory of the Levites. 13 And alongside the territory of the priests, the Levites shall have an allotment 25,000 cubits in length and 10,000 in breadth. The whole length shall be 25,000 cubits and the breadth 20,000. 14 They shall not sell or exchange any of it. They shall not alienate this choice portion of the land, for it is holy to the Lord.

15 “The remainder, 5,000 cubits in breadth and 25,000 in length, shall be for common use for the city, for dwellings and for open country. In the midst of it shall be the city, 16 and these shall be its measurements: the north side 4,500 cubits, the south side 4,500, the east side 4,500, and the west side 4,500. 17 And the city shall have open land: on the north 250 cubits, on the south 250, on the east 250, and on the west 250. 18 The remainder of the length alongside the holy portion shall be 10,000 cubits to the east, and 10,000 to the west, and it shall be alongside the holy portion. Its produce shall be food for the workers of the city. 19 And the workers of the city, from all the tribes of Israel, shall till it. 20 The whole portion that you shall set apart shall be 25,000 cubits square, that is, the holy portion together with the property of the city.

21 “What remains on both sides of the holy portion and of the property of the city shall belong to the prince. Extending from the 25,000 cubits of the holy portion to the east border, and westward from the 25,000 cubits to the west border, parallel to the tribal portions, it shall belong to the prince. The holy portion with the sanctuary of the temple shall be in its midst. 22 It shall be separate from the property of the Levites and the property of the city, which are in the midst of that which belongs to the prince. The portion of the prince shall lie between the territory of Judah and the territory of Benjamin.

23 “As for the rest of the tribes: from the east side to the west, Benjamin, one portion. 24 Adjoining the territory of Benjamin, from the east side to the west, Simeon, one portion. 25 Adjoining the territory of Simeon, from the east side to the west, Issachar, one portion. 26 Adjoining the territory of Issachar, from the east side to the west, Zebulun, one portion. 27 Adjoining the territory of Zebulun, from the east side to the west, Gad, one portion. 28 And adjoining the territory of Gad to the south, the boundary shall run from Tamar to the waters of Meribah-kadesh, from there along the Brook of Egypt to the Great Sea. 29 This is the land that you shall allot as an inheritance among the tribes of Israel, and these are their portions, declares the Lord God.

30 “These shall be the exits of the city: On the north side, which is to be 4,500 cubits by measure, 31 three gates, the gate of Reuben, the gate of Judah, and the gate of Levi, the gates of the city being named after the tribes of Israel. 32 On the east side, which is to be 4,500 cubits, three gates, the gate of Joseph, the gate of Benjamin, and the gate of Dan. 33 On the south side, which is to be 4,500 cubits by measure, three gates, the gate of Simeon, the gate of Issachar, and the gate of Zebulun. 34 On the west side, which is to be 4,500 cubits, three gates, the gate of Gad, the gate of Asher, and the gate of Naphtali. 35 The circumference of the city shall be 18,000 cubits. And the name of the city from that time on shall be, The Lord Is There.” – Ezekiel 48:1-35 ESV

In this closing chapter of his book, Ezekiel provides a detailed layout of the tribal allotment within the Millennial Kingdom. Beginning in the north and working his way down, he describes God’s plan for the geographical arrangement of the 12 tribes, beginning with Dan and ending with Gad. Each tribe will occupy a portion of the land of promise that extends from east to west, from the Mediterranean Sea to the Jordan River. The tribes of Issachar, Zebulun, and Gad will have the “Brook of Egypt” as their western border. Unlike the division of the land under Joshua, the Millennial Kingdom will allot equal portions of real estate to each of the tribes. When Moses had set aside the land for the people of Israel, he had done so based on the population size of each tribe. But in the Millennial Kingdom, the distribution of the land will be based on very different criteria. Rather than size, it appears to be based on faithfulness.

Genesis 35 provides the names of the 12 sons of Israel (Jacob).

Now the sons of Jacob were twelve. The sons of Leah: Reuben (Jacob's firstborn), Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun. The sons of Rachel: Joseph and Benjamin. The sons of Bilhah, Rachel's servant: Dan and Naphtali. The sons of Zilpah, Leah's servant: Gad and Asher. These were the sons of Jacob who were born to him in Paddan-aram. – Genesis 35:21-26 ESV

In examining the north-to-south allotment of the land, it becomes clear that there is an intended progression to their order. Dan, one of the most unfaithful tribes, will find itself located in the far north of the land.  The tribe of Gad will bookend the land from its location in the south. It’s interesting to note that the four sons born to Jacob’s concubines (Dan, Asher, Naphtali, and Gad) all occupy land on the extreme edges of the Kingdom. Yet Judah and Benjamin are located on either side of the holy district, the site of the Millennial Temple. These were the two tribes that made up the southern kingdom of Judah after God split Solomon’s kingdom in two. During the days of the divided kingdom, the tribes of Judah and Benjamin displayed the greatest degree of faithfulness to Yahweh and yielded the largest number of godly kings. Their reward for their faithfulness will be in the form of land allotments on either side of the holy district. The rest of the sons born to Jacob’s two wives, Leah and Rachel, will occupy land toward the center of the kingdom.

Proximity to the Millennial Temple seems to be the point in all of this because that is where God’s presence will dwell. Ezekiel saw the vision of God’s glory reentering the new temple and taking up residence in the Most Holy Place (Ezekiel 43:4). The Millennial Temple will sit within the holy city, and Ezekiel describes this future Jerusalem (Zechariah 14:8) as being six miles in circumference. It will have 12 gates, three on each side, dedicated to the 12 tribes of Israel. 

His description of the city and its gates mirrors the one given by the apostle John in the book of Revelation. But John was describing the New Jerusalem.

And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great, high mountain, and showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God, having the glory of God, its radiance like a most rare jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal. It had a great, high wall, with twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and on the gates the names of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel were inscribed— on the east three gates, on the north three gates, on the south three gates, and on the west three gates. – Revelation 21:10-13 ESV

He was not describing the Jerusalem of the Millennial Kingdom, but yet another iteration of the holy city that will appear at the end of the millennial age when God makes all things new (Revelation 21:5). This New Jerusalem will have 12 gates named after the 12 tribes of Israel, but it will also feature 12 foundations, dedicated to the 12 apostles.

And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. – Revelation 21:14 ESV

The greatest difference between these two versions of the city of Jerusalem appears to be the timing of their appearance. The Jerusalem that will exist during the Millennial Kingdom will feature a temple and a reinstated sacrificial system. The city will be occupied by both Jews and Gentiles, but not all will be Christ followers. In the New Jerusalem, the occupants will be from every tribe, nation, and tongue, and share a common faith in Christ. It will be filled with the elect of God from all eras, including both Jews and Gentiles.

The Millennial Kingdom is dedicated to the nation of Israel, the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Its very existence culminates God’s covenant promises to the patriarchs and fulfills every commitment He had made to them. But that kingdom will come to an end and be replaced by the New Jerusalem and the eternal state, and at that time, “it will be “true” Israel—those who have trusted in Jesus Christ—that will enter the gates of the Kingdom of Heaven. It is through the twelve gates of the New Jerusalem that the true tribal people—believers of Jewish descent as well as Gentiles who have been “grafted in” with God’s people (Romans 11:17–25)—will enter the joy of the Lord (see Matthew 25:21). (https://www.gotquestions.org/twelve-gates-Revelation.html).

But there is one important factor that both Jerusalems have in common: The presence of God. John describes his vision of the New Jerusalem descending out of heaven.

I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” – Revelation 21:1-4 ESV

The dwelling place of God will be with man. He will dwell with them. God himself will be with them as their God. There is a promise of permanence in this passage. God will come to live among His people – on earth. Our final destination is not heaven, but earth. All the redeemed will live in perfect unity with God the Father and God the Son – for all eternity. And in this future Jerusalem, there will be no temple.

And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb. By its light will the nations walk, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it… – Revelation 21:22-24 ESV

But the Jerusalem of the Millennial Kingdom, with its glorious temple filled with the glory of God, will also enjoy God’s presence. In fact, the very name of the main gate that will lead into this future city is “The Lord Is There” (Ezekiel 48:35 ESV).

The book of Ezekiel has finally come to an end. It has been 22 years since Ezekiel first saw his vision of God and received his commission as God's prophet to the people of Judah. His ministry began with an unbelievable glimpse of the glory of God. He was given a word to deliver from the very mouth of God, predicting the coming siege of Jerusalem, the destruction of the temple, and the deportation of the people of Judah to Babylon. In chapter ten, Ezekiel was shown the real tragedy of it all – the glory of God departing the temple. The very presence and power of God were removed from the midst of the people due to their sin and rebellion. But two decades later, God gave Ezekiel another vision of a rebuilt temple, a restored Jerusalem, and a revived relationship with the people of God.

The book of Ezekiel ends with the city of Jerusalem referred to by the name, "The Lord Is There," and if the Lord is there that means His glory has returned once again to the city. This book began with the glory of God and ends with it. God will one day take up residence in the city of Jerusalem. The abiding presence of God is a powerful image with which to sum up this book. While God had to punish His people for their sins, He never abandoned them completely. He remained faithful and committed to His plan for them. Even while they were in exile, He sent His prophets to communicate His message to them. And ultimately, God returned them to the land. But there is a day yet future when God will complete His plan for the people of Israel and fully fulfill His promises to them. He will once again make His place among them, so that the city of Jerusalem can truly be called, "The Lord Is There."

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Just As He Promised

13 Thus says the Lord God: “This is the boundary by which you shall divide the land for inheritance among the twelve tribes of Israel. Joseph shall have two portions. 14 And you shall divide equally what I swore to give to your fathers. This land shall fall to you as your inheritance.

15 “This shall be the boundary of the land: On the north side, from the Great Sea by way of Hethlon to Lebo-hamath, and on to Zedad, 16 Berothah, Sibraim (which lies on the border between Damascus and Hamath), as far as Hazer-hatticon, which is on the border of Hauran. 17 So the boundary shall run from the sea to Hazar-enan, which is on the northern border of Damascus, with the border of Hamath to the north. This shall be the north side.

18 “On the east side, the boundary shall run between Hauran and Damascus; along the Jordan between Gilead and the land of Israel; to the eastern sea and as far as Tamar. This shall be the east side.

19 “On the south side, it shall run from Tamar as far as the waters of Meribah-kadesh, from there along the Brook of Egypt to the Great Sea. This shall be the south side.

20 “On the west side, the Great Sea shall be the boundary to a point opposite Lebo-hamath. This shall be the west side.

21 “So you shall divide this land among you according to the tribes of Israel. 22 You shall allot it as an inheritance for yourselves and for the sojourners who reside among you and have had children among you. They shall be to you as native-born children of Israel. With you they shall be allotted an inheritance among the tribes of Israel. 23 In whatever tribe the sojourner resides, there you shall assign him his inheritance, declares the Lord God.” – Ezekiel 47:13-23 ESV

In this brief, yet critical, passage, God provides Ezekiel with a detailed description of the tribal land allotment in the Millennial Kingdom. With the people of Israel returning to the land, there will need to be a reassignment of the boundaries that will determine each tribe’s portion of the newly reconstituted nation. Over the centuries, those boundaries have all but been eliminated, and in its current state, the land of Palestine no longer reflects the territorial boundaries that God had given to Moses.

Prior to entering the land of Canaan for the first time, Moses received a detailed description from God as to what the actual boundaries of the “Promised Land” would be.

“Give these instructions to the Israelites: When you come into the land of Canaan, which I am giving you as your special possession, these will be the boundaries.” – Numbers 34:2 NLT

What God described to Moses is similar to what He shares with Ezekiel. The exterior boundaries of the Millennial Kingdom will be virtually the same as those of the Promised Land given to the descendants of Abraham. But the actual tribal allotment will look quite different. There is an order to the arrangement of the tribes that sets it apart from the original layout given to Moses. Things appear to be arranged in a more linear/sequential order, with the tribes dispersed from north to south in a very particular pattern. The boundary to the west is “the Great Sea,” which refers to the Mediterranean Sea. The primary boundary to the east is the Jordan River. The southern boundary extends from Kadesh Barnea to the “Brook of Egypt,” which Jewish tradition takes to be a reference to the Nile. To the north, the boundaries will run from the  Mediterranean Sea (Mount Hor) to Hamath to Zedad.

Within these borders, each of the 12 tribes will receive a new allotment of land to occupy, and at the center will be the special holy allotment that will contain the temple compound in Jerusalem. Ezekiel recorded the layout and dimensions of this holy district in chapter 45.

“When you divide the land among the tribes of Israel, you must set aside a section for the Lord as his holy portion. This piece of land will be 8 1⁄3 miles long and 6 2⁄3 miles wide. The entire area will be holy. A section of this land, measuring 875 feet by 875 feet, will be set aside for the Temple. An additional strip of land 87 1⁄2 feet wide is to be left empty all around it. Within the larger sacred area, measure out a portion of land 8 1⁄3 miles long and 3 1⁄3 miles wide. Within it the sanctuary of the Most Holy Place will be located. This area will be holy, set aside for the priests who minister to the Lord in the sanctuary. They will use it for their homes, and my Temple will be located within it. The strip of sacred land next to it, also 8 1⁄3 miles long and 3 1⁄3 miles wide, will be a living area for the Levites who work at the Temple. It will be their possession and a place for their towns.” – Ezekiel 45:1-5 NLT

The tribe of Levi would live within this central section of holy (set apart) land. It would be their portion within the new Millennial Kingdom. But each of the other tribes would receive new allotments, with the two tribes of Joseph (Ephraim and Manasseh) receiving two portions. Just before Jacob died in the land of Egypt, he pronounced a blessing on his sons, including his favorite son, Joseph. As part of that blessing, he swore to adopt Joseph’s two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, as his own, guaranteeing them a right to his inheritance.

“Now I am claiming as my own sons these two boys of yours, Ephraim and Manasseh, who were born here in the land of Egypt before I arrived. They will be my sons…” – Genesis 48:5 NLT

The descendants of those two boys did receive their allotment of land in Canaan. And in the Millennial Kingdom, they will also occupy their own tracts of land.

The arrangement of the tribes in the Millennial Kingdom is fascinating to consider. First of all, the tribes of Gad, Asher, Dan, and Naphtali are all located on the northern and southern edges of the land. These were the sons born to Zilpah and Bilhah, the two concubines given to Jacob by his two wives so that he might bear additional sons. The descendants of these four sons will have land in the Millennial Kingdom, but it will be further from the holy district at the center.

The two tribes that will sandwich the holy district where the new Millennial Temple will reside are those of Judah and Benjamin. Those were the two tribes that made up the southern kingdom of Judah after God divided the kingdom of Solomon as punishment for his idolatry. What set the southern kingdom apart was the city of Jerusalem, the nation’s capital and the home of the temple that Solomon had built to honor Yahweh. Even in the Millennial Kingdom, these two tribes will still find themselves in close proximity to God’s house.

It’s interesting to note that every tribe will receive an equal apportionment of the land. No one tribe will have a large portion. God makes it clear that “each tribe will receive an equal share” (Ezekiel 47:14 NLT). And God reminds Ezekiel that this would all be in fulfillment of His covenant promise.

“I took a solemn oath and swore that I would give this land to your ancestors, and it will now come to you as your possession.” – Ezekiel 47:14 NLT

God will keep His word. He will honor His commitment to the people of Israel by restoring them to the land He promised to their forefather, Abraham.

But this land will not be strictly reserved for the descendants of Abraham. God makes it clear that there will be Gentiles living among His chosen people in the Millennial Kingdom.

“Distribute the land as an allotment for yourselves and for the foreigners who have joined you and are raising their families among you. They will be like native-born Israelites to you and will receive an allotment among the tribes.” – Ezekiel 47:22 NLT

The Millennial Kingdom will into being as a result of Christ’s second coming. He will return at the end of the seven years of the Tribulation, defeat the armies of the world, and reestablish the Davidic line by ascending the throne in Jerusalem, where He will rule for 1,000 years on earth.

With the end of the Tribulation, all those who survived the judgments of God will still remain on earth. That will include Jews who survived the persecutions of the Antichrist, Gentiles who lived through the judgments of God, and all those (Jews and Gentiles) who came to faith in Christ during those terrible days. All of these people will be living on the earth during Christ’s earthly reign. Over the ten centuries of His rule, children will be born and generations will come and go. There will be unbelievers living on the earth with Jesus Christ, the righteous King ruling over them. There will be unbelieving Jews who will be participating in the newly inaugurated sacrificial system in the new Millennial Temple. But salvation will come by faith in Christ alone, not by the blood of bulls and goats. Everything in the Millennial Kingdom will point to Christ. He will occupy the throne of David in Jerusalem from within that holy district that lies in the center of the newly restored land of Israel.

The presence of Gentiles within the land should not surprise us. God will still be redeeming those who are willing to seek salvation through His Son. While the land belongs to the Israelites, the chosen people of God, He sent His Son to be the Savior of the world. All of this is in keeping with the promise God made to Abraham when He first called him.

“I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others. I will bless those who bless you and curse those who treat you with contempt. All the families on earth will be blessed through you.” – Genesis 12:2-3 NLT

All of this will be a preface for what is yet to come. While the Millennial Kingdom will be 1,000 years in length, it will still be temporary and not eternal. It will be followed by the eternal state. But this future time period is when God will finally fulfill all the promises He has made to His covenant people. He will honor His word by returning them to the land and restoring them to a right relationship with Himself, because He is faithful, righteous, and good.

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Hindsight is 20/20

1 “Thus says the Lord God: The gate of the inner court that faces east shall be shut on the six working days, but on the Sabbath day it shall be opened, and on the day of the new moon it shall be opened. 2 The prince shall enter by the vestibule of the gate from outside, and shall take his stand by the post of the gate. The priests shall offer his burnt offering and his peace offerings, and he shall worship at the threshold of the gate. Then he shall go out, but the gate shall not be shut until evening. 3 The people of the land shall bow down at the entrance of that gate before the Lord on the Sabbaths and on the new moons. 4 The burnt offering that the prince offers to the Lord on the Sabbath day shall be six lambs without blemish and a ram without blemish. 5 And the grain offering with the ram shall be an ephah, and the grain offering with the lambs shall be as much as he is able, together with a hin of oil to each ephah. 6 On the day of the new moon he shall offer a bull from the herd without blemish, and six lambs and a ram, which shall be without blemish. 7 As a grain offering he shall provide an ephah with the bull and an ephah with the ram, and with the lambs as much as he is able, together with a hin of oil to each ephah. 8 When the prince enters, he shall enter by the vestibule of the gate, and he shall go out by the same way.

9 “When the people of the land come before the Lord at the appointed feasts, he who enters by the north gate to worship shall go out by the south gate, and he who enters by the south gate shall go out by the north gate: no one shall return by way of the gate by which he entered, but each shall go out straight ahead. 10 When they enter, the prince shall enter with them, and when they go out, he shall go out.

11 “At the feasts and the appointed festivals, the grain offering with a young bull shall be an ephah, and with a ram an ephah, and with the lambs as much as one is able to give, together with a hin of oil to an ephah. 12 When the prince provides a freewill offering, either a burnt offering or peace offerings as a freewill offering to the Lord, the gate facing east shall be opened for him. And he shall offer his burnt offering or his peace offerings as he does on the Sabbath day. Then he shall go out, and after he has gone out the gate shall be shut.

13 “You shall provide a lamb a year old without blemish for a burnt offering to the Lord daily; morning by morning you shall provide it. 14 And you shall provide a grain offering with it morning by morning, one sixth of an ephah, and one third of a hin of oil to moisten the flour, as a grain offering to the Lord. This is a perpetual statute. 15 Thus the lamb and the meal offering and the oil shall be provided, morning by morning, for a regular burnt offering.

16 “Thus says the Lord God: If the prince makes a gift to any of his sons as his inheritance, it shall belong to his sons. It is their property by inheritance. 17 But if he makes a gift out of his inheritance to one of his servants, it shall be his to the year of liberty. Then it shall revert to the prince; surely it is his inheritance—it shall belong to his sons. 18 The prince shall not take any of the inheritance of the people, thrusting them out of their property. He shall give his sons their inheritance out of his own property, so that none of my people shall be scattered from his property.”

19 Then he brought me through the entrance, which was at the side of the gate, to the north row of the holy chambers for the priests, and behold, a place was there at the extreme western end of them. 20 And he said to me, “This is the place where the priests shall boil the guilt offering and the sin offering, and where they shall bake the grain offering, in order not to bring them out into the outer court and so transmit holiness to the people.”

21 Then he brought me out to the outer court and led me around to the four corners of the court. And behold, in each corner of the court there was another court— 22 in the four corners of the court were small courts, forty cubits long and thirty broad; the four were of the same size. 23 On the inside, around each of the four courts was a row of masonry, with hearths made at the bottom of the rows all around. 24 Then he said to me, “These are the kitchens where those who minister at the temple shall boil the sacrifices of the people.” – Ezekiel 46:1-24 ESV

God is giving Ezekiel a tour of the new temple that will exist in the Millennial Kingdom. This is the period of 1,000 years after Christ's return when He will rule and reign in the city of Jerusalem from the throne of David. During this time, God will have the temple rebuilt, the priesthood reestablished, and the sacrificial system reinstated. But that begs the question, "Why?"

If Christ died for sins once for all (1 Peter 3:18), then why would there be the need for a sacrificial system? If Christ's death on the cross paid the price for our sins and fully satisfied the just demands of a holy God, there seems to be no purpose for having the sacrifices reinstated during the Millennial Kingdom.

But God is very specific when describing what He will expect during those days. He provides precise details concerning which sacrifices are to be offered and the method for doing so. So, God must have a purpose.

It’s interesting to note that the two feasts God seems to emphasize are the Feast of Passover and the Feast of Tabernacles or Booths. Both of these events were associated with the Exodus and God's deliverance of the people from their bondage in Egypt. The Passover was instituted as a memorial commemorating and celebrating God's miraculous deliverance of the people of God from the Death Angel that visited the land of Egypt and struck down the firstborn male of every household. God spared the Israelites as long as they followed His instructions to sacrifice an unblemished lamb and put its blood on the doorways of their homes.

The Feast of Booths was meant to commemorate the time when the people had been forced to erect hastily-built shelters to protect them as they made their way through the wilderness on the way to the land of promise. All throughout their history, God had ordered them to reenact this event through this annual celebration. It was meant to remind them of the years they had spent wandering through the wilderness.

These festivals were to be symbols of God's provision and protection during those difficult years as they made their way to the promised land. All of these sacrifices and celebrations were intended to serve as reminders of God's grace, provision, and deliverance. They were all designed to point to God's future provision and deliverance through Christ. They were representative of the future work of Christ.

In the Millennial Kingdom they will continue to be representative, but more by way of reminder. They will be looking BACK, not forward. These sacrifices, once symbolic of Christ's coming and His future sacrifice on the cross, will be reminders of what Christ has DONE. He will be living among the people, reigning and ruling from the throne of David. They will be looking back, in retrospect, to Christ's redemptive work on the cross. So in that sense, they will be memorials and will probably have nothing to do with forgiveness of sins.

But God is very clear with Ezekiel that these sacrifices will be a part of worship in the Millennial Kingdom and they must be done according to God's exacting standards. It should remind us that God has a reason for everything that He does. The sacrificial system was not just a temporary requirement that lived out its usefulness and purpose. God has a reason behind all that He does and one day that same sacrificial system will be reinstated, completing its purpose of pointing men to Christ. The Lamb of God will sit on the throne in Jerusalem, and innocent, unblemished lambs will be sacrificed as a visual reminder of the redemptive work that Jesus did on the cross.

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

A Habitat of Holiness

1 “When you allot the land as an inheritance, you shall set apart for the Lord a portion of the land as a holy district, 25,000 cubits long and 20,000 cubits broad. It shall be holy throughout its whole extent. 2 Of this a square plot of 500 by 500 cubits shall be for the sanctuary, with fifty cubits for an open space around it. 3 And from this measured district you shall measure off a section 25,000 cubits long and 10,000 broad, in which shall be the sanctuary, the Most Holy Place. 4 It shall be the holy portion of the land. It shall be for the priests, who minister in the sanctuary and approach the Lord to minister to him, and it shall be a place for their houses and a holy place for the sanctuary. 5 Another section, 25,000 cubits long and 10,000 cubits broad, shall be for the Levites who minister at the temple, as their possession for cities to live in.

6 “Alongside the portion set apart as the holy district you shall assign for the property of the city an area 5,000 cubits broad and 25,000 cubits long. It shall belong to the whole house of Israel.

7 “And to the prince shall belong the land on both sides of the holy district and the property of the city, alongside the holy district and the property of the city, on the west and on the east, corresponding in length to one of the tribal portions, and extending from the western to the eastern boundary 8 of the land. It is to be his property in Israel. And my princes shall no more oppress my people, but they shall let the house of Israel have the land according to their tribes.

9 “Thus says the Lord God: Enough, O princes of Israel! Put away violence and oppression, and execute justice and righteousness. Cease your evictions of my people, declares the Lord God.

10 “You shall have just balances, a just ephah, and a just bath. 11 The ephah and the bath shall be of the same measure, the bath containing one tenth of a homer, and the ephah one tenth of a homer; the homer shall be the standard measure. 12 The shekel shall be twenty gerahs; twenty shekels plus twenty-five shekels plus fifteen shekels shall be your mina.

13 “This is the offering that you shall make: one sixth of an ephah from each homer of wheat, and one sixth of an ephah from each homer of barley, 14 and as the fixed portion of oil, measured in baths, one tenth of a bath from each cor (the cor, like the homer, contains ten baths). 15 And one sheep from every flock of two hundred, from the watering places of Israel for grain offering, burnt offering, and peace offerings, to make atonement for them, declares the Lord God. 16 All the people of the land shall be obliged to give this offering to the prince in Israel. 17 It shall be the prince's duty to furnish the burnt offerings, grain offerings, and drink offerings, at the feasts, the new moons, and the Sabbaths, all the appointed feasts of the house of Israel: he shall provide the sin offerings, grain offerings, burnt offerings, and peace offerings, to make atonement on behalf of the house of Israel.

18 “Thus says the Lord God: In the first month, on the first day of the month, you shall take a bull from the herd without blemish, and purify the sanctuary. 19 The priest shall take some of the blood of the sin offering and put it on the doorposts of the temple, the four corners of the ledge of the altar, and the posts of the gate of the inner court. 20 You shall do the same on the seventh day of the month for anyone who has sinned through error or ignorance; so you shall make atonement for the temple.

21 “In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month, you shall celebrate the Feast of the Passover, and for seven days unleavened bread shall be eaten. 22 On that day the prince shall provide for himself and all the people of the land a young bull for a sin offering. 23 And on the seven days of the festival he shall provide as a burnt offering to the Lord seven young bulls and seven rams without blemish, on each of the seven days; and a male goat daily for a sin offering. 24 And he shall provide as a grain offering an ephah for each bull, an ephah for each ram, and a hin of oil to each ephah. 25 In the seventh month, on the fifteenth day of the month and for the seven days of the feast, he shall make the same provision for sin offerings, burnt offerings, and grain offerings, and for the oil.” – Ezekiel 45:1-25 ESV

This chapter provides detailed dimensions for Christ’s Millennial Kingdom. Notice how many times God uses the term “holy” to describe this future realm. It was essential that Ezekiel understand that this future Kingdom will be like no other kingdom that has ever existed on earth.

There is a predetermined and precise layout for this Kingdom to come and there will be non-negotiable requirements for all those who inhabit it. Justice and righteousness will reign throughout the land, and God will expect His leaders to set an example.

“Enough, you princes of Israel! Stop your violence and oppression and do what is just and right. Quit robbing and cheating my people out of their land. Stop expelling them from their homes, says the Sovereign Lord. Use only honest weights and scales and honest measures, both dry and liquid.” – Ezekiel 45:9-10 NLT

God seems to be going out of His way to ensure that Ezekiel understands that things will be different in this future Kingdom. Jerusalem will be under the reign and rule of the Messiah. He will sit on the throne of David and rule with righteousness and integrity. He will have a prince who rules under him and will be in charge of the city of Jerusalem and the temple grounds. This prince will be holy, righteous, and just. He will be honest and above-board, ethical in his behavior, and just in the administration of his duties – unlike the princes that had ruled in Jerusalem in the years leading up to the nation's fall to Babylon.

For hundreds of years, the leadership in Judah had been characterized by greed, corruption, immorality, unfaithfulness, dishonesty, and disobedience to the laws of God. Even in Ezekiel's day, the pattern continued. So God tells them, "I've put up with you long enough, princes of Israel! Quit bullying and taking advantage of my people. Do what's just and right for a change" (Ezekiel 45:9 MSG).

They were guilty of embezzlement, fraud, graft, and all kinds of corruption. They had been taking advantage of the helpless and hopeless. And the corruption of the leadership had infected the people. Amos describes conditions among the people of Israel this way:

How you hate honest judges! How you despise people who tell the truth! You trample the poor, stealing their grain through taxes and unfair rent. Therefore, though you build beautiful stone houses, you will never live in them. Though you plant lush vineyards, you will never drink wine from them. For I know the vast number of your sins and the depth of your rebellions. You oppress good people by taking bribes and deprive the poor of justice in the courts. So those who are smart keep their mouths shut, for it is an evil time. – Amos 5:10-13 NLT

Corruption is contagious. It spreads like cancer and ends up infecting everyone it touches. Violence, greed, oppression, and injustice go hand-in-hand. A nation with lousy leadership is toxic to its people. And God points out that there is a day coming when Israel’s poor leaders will be replaced with righteous and godly men. No longer will the leaders take advantage of the people. Righteousness will reign. And God's point to Ezekiel and the leaders of his day seems to be, if that is the way it is to be in God's Millennial Kingdom, why not pursue righteous leadership now?  Why not rule justly, honestly, and righteously in the present if that is the standard for the future?

God's vision of His future kingdom here on earth provides a glimpse into His heart. It shows us what He desires. It reveals what is important to Him. Holiness, righteousness, honesty, order, compassion, obedience, responsibility, justice – all these things will exist in His future kingdom, but they are just as important to God in the here and now. And while sin and the influence of the enemy make it impossible to practice these things perfectly, we are to pursue them passionately. We are to "do what is just and right" each and every day within those areas over which we have responsibility.

Our lives, as believers, are to be little kingdoms of righteousness in the middle of a very dark world. We of all people should be attempting to live holy and set-apart lives, doing what is just and right, so that the world might get a glimpse of what true justice, love, and mercy look like. What is important to God in the future is important to God now. So let's make His priorities our priorities.

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Enough is Enough

1 Then he brought me back to the outer gate of the sanctuary, which faces east. And it was shut. 2 And the Lord said to me, “This gate shall remain shut; it shall not be opened, and no one shall enter by it, for the Lord, the God of Israel, has entered by it. Therefore it shall remain shut. 3 Only the prince may sit in it to eat bread before the Lord. He shall enter by way of the vestibule of the gate, and shall go out by the same way.”

4 Then he brought me by way of the north gate to the front of the temple, and I looked, and behold, the glory of the Lord filled the temple of the Lord. And I fell on my face. 5 And the Lord said to me, “Son of man, mark well, see with your eyes, and hear with your ears all that I shall tell you concerning all the statutes of the temple of the Lord and all its laws. And mark well the entrance to the temple and all the exits from the sanctuary. 6 And say to the rebellious house,to the house of Israel, Thus says the Lord God: O house of Israel, enough of all your abominations, 7 in admitting foreigners, uncircumcised in heart and flesh, to be in my sanctuary, profaning my temple, when you offer to me my food, the fat and the blood. You have broken my covenant, in addition to all your abominations. 8 And you have not kept charge of my holy things, but you have set others to keep my charge for you in my sanctuary.

9 “Thus says the Lord God: No foreigner, uncircumcised in heart and flesh, of all the foreigners who are among the people of Israel, shall enter my sanctuary. 10 But the Levites who went far from me, going astray from me after their idols when Israel went astray, shall bear their punishment. 11 They shall be ministers in my sanctuary, having oversight at the gates of the temple and ministering in the temple. They shall slaughter the burnt offering and the sacrifice for the people, and they shall stand before the people, to minister to them. 12 Because they ministered to them before their idols and became a stumbling block of iniquity to the house of Israel, therefore I have sworn concerning them, declares the Lord God, and they shall bear their punishment. 13 They shall not come near to me, to serve me as priest, nor come near any of my holy things and the things that are most holy, but they shall bear their shame and the abominations that they have committed. 14 Yet I will appoint them to keep charge of the temple, to do all its service and all that is to be done in it. – Ezekiel 44:1-14 ESV

Ezekiel had been given the privilege of witnessing the glory of the Lord enter the temple and fill the Holy of Holies. The return of God’s divine presence to the temple was a sign that He will one day return His people to the land of promise and restore their relationship with Him. Ezekiel had seen the glory of the Lord depart and now he had seen it return. But as Ezekiel’s divine guide led him back to the eastern gate of the Millennial Temple, he notices that the gate has been closed. This was the very gate through which the glory of the Lord had entered the Holy of Holies (Ezekiel 43:1-5). The sight of a closed and locked gate must have left Ezekiel a bit confused. It conveyed the idea of inaccessibility to God’s presence. Perhaps noticing the perplexity on Ezekiel’s face, his guide provided an explanation.

“This gate must remain closed; it will never again be opened. No one will ever open it and pass through, for the Lord, the God of Israel, has entered here. Therefore, it must always remain shut.” – Ezekiel 44:2 NLT

This closure will be meant to commemorate the eastern gate as the place where God’s presence reentered the temple. It will set apart (make holy) this particular gate because of its unique role in God’s return to His house and His people. Only one individual will be allowed access to this gate and the guide describes him as “the prince.”

“Only the prince himself may sit inside this gateway to feast in the Lord’s presence. But he may come and go only through the entry room of the gateway.”– Ezekiel 44:3 NLT

Many have assumed this to be a reference to Jesus, the Messiah because He is repeatedly referred to throughout the book of Ezekiel as “the prince.”

“And I will set over them one shepherd, my servant David. He will feed them and be a shepherd to them.And I, the Lord, will be their God, and my servant David will be a prince among my people. I, the Lord, have spoken!” – Ezekiel 34:24 NLT

As the Son of David, Jesus is the rightful heir to the throne of Israel, and during the Millennial Kingdom, He will rule over the world from His throne in Jerusalem.

“My servant David will be their king, and they will have only one shepherd. They will obey my regulations and be careful to keep my decrees. They will live in the land I gave my servant Jacob, the land where their ancestors lived. They and their children and their grandchildren after them will live there forever, generation after generation. And my servant David will be their prince forever.” – Ezekiel 37:24-25 NLT

The Hebrew word that is translated as “prince” is nāśî' (נָשִׂיא). Like most Hebrew words, it can have a variety of meanings, including “chief, prince, captain, leader.” Ezekiel uses it repeatedly and not always in reference to the Messiah. And while it would be easy to assume that the “prince” who is given access to the closed eastern gate is a reference to Jesus, the rest of Ezekiel’s book would refute that notion. 

In the very next chapter, Ezekiel describes this same prince making a blood sacrifice as atonement for his sins.

“On the day of Passover the prince will provide a young bull as a sin offering for himself and the people of Israel.”– Ezekiel 45:22 NLT

This could not be a reference to Jesus. Secondly, in chapter 46, Ezekiel reveals that this very same prince will father children, which would seem to make it an unlikely reference to the Messiah.

“…the prince may never take anyone’s property by force. If he gives property to his sons, it must be from his own land, for I do not want any of my people unjustly evicted from their property.” – Ezekiel 46:18 NLT

Finally, this prince will serve as an intermediary for the people but will not be a priest.

“The east gateway of the inner courtyard will be closed during the six workdays each week, but it will be open on Sabbath days and the days of new moon celebrations.The prince will enter the entry room of the gateway from the outside. Then he will stand by the gatepost while the priest offers his burnt offering and peace offering. He will bow down in worship inside the gateway passage and then go back out the way he came.” – Ezekiel 46:1-2 NLT

Yet, the book of Hebrews describes Jesus as our high priest forever (Hebrews 6:20), and, as the greater high priest, He is not required to offer sacrifices for Himself or for the people because He offered Himself as the perfect, sinless sacrifice.

He is the kind of high priest we need because he is holy and blameless, unstained by sin. He has been set apart from sinners and has been given the highest place of honor in heaven.Unlike those other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices every day. They did this for their own sins first and then for the sins of the people. But Jesus did this once for all when he offered himself as the sacrifice for the people’s sins.– Hebrews 7:26-27 NLT

So, who is this prince? It is likely an individual who is given authority over the temple itself. He will be appointed by God to serve as chief or governor of the temple complex. And in his role, he will be given access to the eastern gate each Sabbath day so that he might oversee the presentation of offerings to God. But only he will be able to enter and exit the eastern gate. The rest of the people will enter through the northern gate and exit through the southern gate (Ezekiel 46:8-10). 

Having seen the closed eastern gate, Ezekiel is taken to the northern gate where he enters and is able to see the glory of the Lord hovering over the temple yet again. And as before, Ezekiel falls on his face in awe and reverent fear.

As Ezekiel lies prostrate on the ground, the voice of the Lord provides him with a solemn warning to deliver to the people of Israel.

“…give these rebels, the people of Israel, this message from the Sovereign Lord: O people of Israel, enough of your detestable sins! You have brought uncircumcised foreigners into my sanctuary—people who have no heart for God. In this way, you defiled my Temple even as you offered me my food, the fat and blood of sacrifices. In addition to all your other detestable sins, you have broken my covenant. Instead of safeguarding my sacred rituals, you have hired foreigners to take charge of my sanctuary.” – Ezekiel 44:6-8 NLT

Throughout his vision, Ezekiel has seen no other human beings. His only companion has been his guide. So, this message must be intended for his fellow exiles in Babylon. God has given Ezekiel a glimpse of a future day when He will return His people to the land and restore the nation of Israel to its former glory. In fact, its glory will far exceed anything the people of Israel ever experienced under David or Solomon because Jesus Christ, the Son of God, will be their King. And they will worship God in a magnificent Temple that will put Solomon’s grand structure to shame.

But God makes it clear that He expects His people to repent of their sins – even now. The people of Judah were guilty of desecrating His former temple and that is why it had been reduced to a pile of rubble by the Babylonians. They had ignored God’s commands, broken His covenant, and abused the very house where His presence dwelt. So, God commanded Ezekiel to give his fellow exiles this sobering message of warning.

In God’s Millennial Temple, holiness will rule supreme. There will be no place for the uncircumcised and impure. Even the Levites, whom God had consecrated as priests and caretakers of the temple, would lose their divine privileges because of their role in Israel’s denigration of His house. They had forfeited their right to serve in His Millennial Temple because they had failed to maintain the holiness of Solomon’s temple.

“But they encouraged my people to worship idols, causing Israel to fall into deep sin. So I have taken a solemn oath that they must bear the consequences for their sins, says the Sovereign Lord.” – Ezekiel 44:12 NLT

Many of their descendants will be disqualified from service because of the sins of their fathers. They will still be able to serve as caretakers of the temple grounds and gates, but they will be restricted from any involvement in the sacrificial system.

“They may not approach me to minister as priests. They may not touch any of my holy things or the holy offerings, for they must bear the shame of all the detestable sins they have committed. They are to serve as the Temple caretakers, taking charge of the maintenance work and performing general duties.” – Ezekiel 44:13-14 NLT

But as the remainder of chapter 44 will show, there will be a remnant among the Levites who are able to serve as priests. God will allow the descendants of Zadok to fulfill their priestly duties in the Millennial Temple because they had remained faithful when everyone else had turned their backs on God. 

God wanted His rebellious people to know that things were going to be drastically different in the future Kingdom of His Son. Holiness will be non-optional and required of all who serve in His house. His presence will be permanent and His requirement of righteousness will be non-negotiable. From the priest to the prince, everyone will be required to be holy as He is holy.

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The Lamb for Sinners Slain

13 “These are the measurements of the altar by cubits (the cubit being a cubit and a handbreadth): its base shall be one cubit high and one cubit broad, with a rim of one span around its edge. And this shall be the height of the altar: 14 from the base on the ground to the lower ledge, two cubits, with a breadth of one cubit; and from the smaller ledge to the larger ledge, four cubits, with a breadth of one cubit; 15 and the altar hearth, four cubits; and from the altar hearth projecting upward, four horns. 16 The altar hearth shall be square, twelve cubits long by twelve broad. 17 The ledge also shall be square, fourteen cubits long by fourteen broad, with a rim around it half a cubit broad, and its base one cubit all around. The steps of the altar shall face east.”

18 And he said to me, “Son of man, thus says the Lord God: These are the ordinances for the altar: On the day when it is erected for offering burnt offerings upon it and for throwing blood against it, 19 you shall give to the Levitical priests of the family of Zadok, who draw near to me to minister to me, declares the Lord God, a bull from the herd for a sin offering. 20 And you shall take some of its blood and put it on the four horns of the altar and on the four corners of the ledge and upon the rim all around. Thus you shall purify the altar and make atonement for it. 21 You shall also take the bull of the sin offering, and it shall be burned in the appointed place belonging to the temple, outside the sacred area. 22 And on the second day you shall offer a male goat without blemish for a sin offering; and the altar shall be purified, as it was purified with the bull. 23 When you have finished purifying it, you shall offer a bull from the herd without blemish and a ram from the flock without blemish. 24 You shall present them before the Lord, and the priests shall sprinkle salt on them and offer them up as a burnt offering to the Lord. 25 For seven days you shall provide daily a male goat for a sin offering; also, a bull from the herd and a ram from the flock, without blemish, shall be provided. 26 Seven days shall they make atonement for the altar and cleanse it, and so consecrate it. 27 And when they have completed these days, then from the eighth day onward the priests shall offer on the altar your burnt offerings and your peace offerings, and I will accept you, declares the Lord God.” – Ezekiel 43:13-27 ESV

It should be no surprise that the focus of everything in the Millennial Kingdom will be holiness. At that moment in human history, everything will be set apart unto God. His Son will rule over all the earth from His throne in Jerusalem, just as the angel had promised to his mother, Mary.

“You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David. And he will reign over Israel forever; his Kingdom will never end!” – Luke 1:31-33 NLT

This will be in fulfillment of the promise that God made to King David.

“And I will provide a homeland for my people Israel, planting them in a secure place where they will never be disturbed. Evil nations won’t oppress them as they’ve done in the past, starting from the time I appointed judges to rule my people Israel. And I will give you rest from all your enemies.…Your house and your kingdom will continue before me for all time, and your throne will be secure forever.” – 2 Samuel 7:10-11, 16 NLT

In this future kingdom, Jesus Christ, the Son of God, will be the King of kings and Lord of lords. He will rule supreme and His status as the Holy One of God will allow Him to mete out perfect righteousness as the sovereign head of state. With His sacrificial death and resurrection, Jesus earned the right to sit on David’s throne. Paul speaks of Jesus’ elevation to this highest honor because “he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross” (Philippians 2:8 NLT).

And because Jesus faithfully fulfilled the will of His Heavenly Father, He was rewarded with a return to His rightful place at His Father’s side.

God elevated him to the place of highest honor
    and gave him the name above all other names,
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
    in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord,
    to the glory of God the Father. – Philippians 2:9-11 NLT

But the latter part of this passage has yet to be fulfilled. We live in an age where the majority of people on earth refuse to honor the name of Christ or bow in submission to His will. They do not acknowledge Him as Lord. Yet, God’s redemptive plan includes a day when all that will change. The prophet, Micah, refers to this future restoration of the Kingdom of Israel and Christ’s reign as King.

In the last days, the mountain of the Lord’s house
    will be the highest of all—
    the most important place on earth.
It will be raised above the other hills,
    and people from all over the world will stream there to worship.
People from many nations will come and say,
“Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord,
    to the house of Jacob’s God.
There he will teach us his ways,
    and we will walk in his paths.”
For the Lord’s teaching will go out from Zion;
    his word will go out from Jerusalem.
The Lord will mediate between peoples
    and will settle disputes between strong nations far away. – Micah 4:1-3 NLT

Isaiah prophesied about the future earthly reign of Christ, declaring that “the government will rest on his shoulders” (Isaiah 9:6 NLT), and that government will be marked by peace.

His government and its peace
    will never end.
He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David
    for all eternity. – Isaiah 9:7 NLT

Justice will rule in the wilderness
    and righteousness in the fertile field.
And this righteousness will bring peace.
    Yes, it will bring quietness and confidence forever.
My people will live in safety, quietly at home.
    They will be at rest. – Isaiah 32:16-18 NLT

So, why does God reveal to Ezekiel that this same Millennial Kingdom will be marked by a reinstitution of the sacrificial system? If Jesus’ paid the final debt for all sins and accomplished what the blood of bulls and goats could never do, why would God bring back the temple, the altar, and the practice of blood sacrifice?

“The existence of the millennial temple and the reinstatement of the sacrificial system [though not necessarily the reinstatement of the Mosaic Covenant] is not only understandable but predictable. Ezekiel’s vision of a restored sacrificial system was really not so amazing after all. The millennium will afford Israel the opportunity for the first time in its history to use the symbols of their covenant with Jesus as Messiah in view. It will be their first time to be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation showing forth to the world the redemptive work of Yahweh in the person of Jesus Christ the Messiah (Isa 53:7; 61:1-3; Zech 4:1 [sic 3:10]; John 1:29; Acts 8:32-35; 1 Pet 1:19; Rev 7:13-14; 5:9; 13:8; 15:3).” – L. E. Cooper Sr., Ezekiel

The author of Hebrews reminds us that the old sacrificial system functioned as a symbol or representation of something far greater to come.

The old system under the law of Moses was only a shadow, a dim preview of the good things to come, not the good things themselves. The sacrifices under that system were repeated again and again, year after year, but they were never able to provide perfect cleansing for those who came to worship. If they could have provided perfect cleansing, the sacrifices would have stopped, for the worshipers would have been purified once for all time, and their feelings of guilt would have disappeared.

But instead, those sacrifices actually reminded them of their sins year after year. For it is not possible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. – Hebrews 10:1-4 NLT

According to this passage, the main purpose behind the Old Testament sacrificial system was to remind God’s people of their sins. It could never provide full and complete atonement. That’s why the sacrifices were perpetual and never-ending. The people lived in an endless cycle of sin-sacrifice-atonement-forgiveness. With their sins forgiven, they would simply repeat the cycle again, year after year. But Jesus came to be the “Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world” (John 1:29). With His death on the cross, Jesus broke that endless cycle of sacrifice for sins.

So, why bring it back? It seems that the future sacrificial system described in Ezekiel has a distinctly different purpose. Rather than providing atonement for sins, it will point to the ultimate atoning sacrifice: Jesus Christ. The blood offered up on the Millennial Altar will commemorate “the precious blood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God” (1 Peter 1:19 NLT).

When Christians partake of the elements of the Lord’s Table, they are not literally breaking the body of Christ or spilling His blood. They are practicing a symbolic rite designed to remind them of what Christ has done on their behalf. That’s why, on the night Jesus instituted the Lord’s Table, He told His disciples “do this in remembrance of me” (1 Corinthians 11:25).

God gives Ezekiel the dimensions for the altar of sacrifice. Then He provides very clear instructions regarding the ritual cleansing of the altar and the preparation of the sacrifices to be offered on it. This entire process is similar to that given by God to Moses when He first instituted the sacrificial system in the Judean wilderness. For the Israelites living in the Millennial Kingdom, this entire process of ceremonial cleansing and purification will be highly familiar, and it will serve as a powerful reminder of their past sins as a nation. But it will point them to the all-sufficient sacrifice of Jesus, whose blood has cleansed them from all their sins (1 John 1:7).

“The offerings presented thereon were meant to be memorials, much as the Lord’s Supper is no efficacious sacrifice but a memorial of a blessedly adequate and all-sufficient sacrifice for all time. Thus, whereas the sacrifices of the Old Testament economy were prospective, these are retrospective.” – Charles Lee Feinberg, The Prophecy of Ezekiel

The focus of this chapter is holiness – the holiness of God, His people, His Kingdom, and His Son. Everything in the Millennial Kingdom will be set apart for His glory. It will all be dedicated to His name and exist to point all people to Him alone. In a remarkable blending of old and new imagery, God provides Ezekiel a glimpse of a future age when the Old Testament sacrificial system will exist in perfect harmony with the resurrected and enthroned Lamb of God. During His thousand-year reign on earth, there will be believers and unbelievers living under His righteous rule. All those who survived the seven years of the Tribulation will have the pleasure of living as citizens of Christ’s earthly kingdom, but not all will worship Him as Lord. Perhaps this renewed sacrificial system will serve as a means of purification for all those who wish to enter the presence of the King of kings. Holiness will reign supreme in the Millennial Kingdom, and God has ordained a place and purpose for the sacrificial system in that time.

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The Gravity and Glory of God’s Grace

1 Then he led me to the gate, the gate facing east. 2 And behold, the glory of the God of Israel was coming from the east. And the sound of his coming was like the sound of many waters, and the earth shone with his glory. 3 And the vision I saw was just like the vision that I had seen when he came to destroy the city, and just like the vision that I had seen by the Chebar canal. And I fell on my face. 4 As the glory of the Lord entered the temple by the gate facing east, 5 the Spirit lifted me up and brought me into the inner court; and behold, the glory of the Lord filled the temple.

6 While the man was standing beside me, I heard one speaking to me out of the temple, 7 and he said to me, “Son of man, this is the place of my throne and the place of the soles of my feet, where I will dwell in the midst of the people of Israel forever. And the house of Israel shall no more defile my holy name, neither they, nor their kings, by their whoring and by the dead bodies of their kings at their high places, 8 by setting their threshold by my threshold and their doorposts beside my doorposts, with only a wall between me and them. They have defiled my holy name by their abominations that they have committed, so I have consumed them in my anger. 9 Now let them put away their whoring and the dead bodies of their kings far from me, and I will dwell in their midst forever.

10 “As for you, son of man, describe to the house of Israel the temple, that they may be ashamed of their iniquities; and they shall measure the plan. 11 And if they are ashamed of all that they have done, make known to them the design of the temple, its arrangement, its exits and its entrances, that is, its whole design; and make known to them as well all its statutes and its whole design and all its laws, and write it down in their sight, so that they may observe all its laws and all its statutes and carry them out. 12 This is the law of the temple: the whole territory on the top of the mountain all around shall be most holy. Behold, this is the law of the temple. – Ezekiel 43:1-12 ESV

“Son of man, describe to the people of Israel the Temple I have shown you, so they will be ashamed of all their sins. Let them study its plan, and they will be ashamed of what they have done. Describe to them all the specifications of the Temple—including its entrances and exits—and everything else about it. Tell them about its decrees and laws. Write down all these specifications and decrees as they watch so they will be sure to remember and follow them.” – Ezekiel 43:10-11 NLT

After completing his tour of the future temple, Ezekiel was given a glimpse of God’s majestic glory returning to the very site it had vacated in his earlier vision. He describes seeing the glory of the Lord coming from the east and recalls having seen it before.

This vision was just like the others I had seen, first by the Kebar River and then when he came to destroy Jerusalem. – Ezekiel 43:3 NLT

Ezekiel opened his book with his vivid, out-of-this-world description of God’s glory arriving in Babylon by the Kebar River. It began as a storm cloud with flashing lightning and rolling peals of thunder. But upon close examination, Ezekiel saw that “From the center of the cloud came four living beings that looked human, except that each had four faces and four wings” (Ezekiel 1:5-6 NLT).

Each of these living beings “had a human face in the front, the face of a lion on the right side, the face of an ox on the left side, and the face of an eagle at the back” (Ezekiel 1:10 NLT). They were equipped with wings and glowed “like bright coals of fire or brilliant torches, and lightning seemed to flash back and forth among them” (Ezekiel 1:13 NLT).

But the most important part of this vision was the presence of “a figure whose appearance resembled a man” (Ezekiel 1:26 NLT), who sat on a throne made of blue lapis lazuli. Ezekiel provided great detail in describing this royal figure.

From what appeared to be his waist up, he looked like gleaming amber, flickering like a fire. And from his waist down, he looked like a burning flame, shining with splendor. All around him was a glowing halo, like a rainbow shining in the clouds on a rainy day. This is what the glory of the Lord looked like to me. – Ezekiel 1:27-28 NLT

Ezekiel was certain as to the figure’s identity. It was none other than Yahweh, God Almighty, who had come to distant Babylon to reveal Himself to Ezekiel and to commission him as His prophet. 

In a later vision Ezekiel received, he saw the very same representation of God’s glory, but this time it appeared in Jerusalem, hovering over the temple. 

In my vision I saw what appeared to be a throne of blue lapis lazuli above the crystal surface over the heads of the cherubim. – Ezekiel 10:1 NLT

Ezekiel recognized the cherubim as the four living beings he had seen in his earlier vision.

These were the same living beings I had seen beside the Kebar River. – Ezekiel 10:15 NLT

As Ezekiel continued to watch this spectacular display of God’s glory, he must have been shocked to see it begin to make its way from the temple itself and towards the eastern gate of the temple complex.

Then the glory of the Lord moved out from the entrance of the Temple and hovered above the cherubim. And as I watched, the cherubim flew with their wheels to the east gate of the Lord’s Temple. And the glory of the God of Israel hovered above them. – Ezekiel 10:18-19 NLT

But God’s glory didn’t stop there. It went beyond the eastern gate, across the Kidron Valley, and onto the Mount of Olives. Then it disappeared altogether.

Then the cherubim lifted up their wings, with the wheels beside them, and the glory of the God of Israel was over them. And the glory of the Lord went up from the midst of the city and stood on the mountain that is on the east side of the city. And the Spirit lifted me up and brought me in the vision by the Spirit of God into Chaldea, to the exiles. Then the vision that I had seen went up from me. – Ezekiel 10:22-24 NLT

The significance of this vision did not escape Ezekiel. He had just witnessed the glory of God departing the temple and vacating the city of Jerusalem. Yahweh was symbolically abandoning His house and His chosen people. But years later, Ezekiel was given the privilege of seeing the glory of God return. After taking Ezekiel on a whirlwind tour of the Millennial Temple, “the man” took the prophet to the very same spot where he had seen the glory of God depart.

…he led me to the gate, the gate facing east. And behold, the glory of the God of Israel was coming from the east. And the sound of his coming was like the sound of many waters, and the earth shone with his glory. – Ezekiel 43:1-2 ESV

Blown away by what he saw, Ezekiel fell on his face in awe and gratitude. But as God’s glory reentered the temple and took up residence once again in the Holy of Holies, Ezekiel was there to witness the entire scene. And in a state of stupified wonder, all Ezekiel could say was “and behold, the glory of the Lord filled the temple” (Ezekiel 43:5 ESV). God had returned. He had not abandoned His people after all. And God confirmed the permanence of His return by stating, “Son of man, this is the place of my throne and the place where I will rest my feet. I will live here forever among the people of Israel” (Ezekiel 43:7 NLT).

God had left, but had returned and, this time, it was to stay. This was a new temple and a new era, and God had promised to give His chosen people new hearts so they could worship Him faithfully and fully. To quote the apostle Paul, “The old has passed away; behold, the new has come” (2 Corinthians 5:17 ESV).

God wanted Ezekiel to know that the day was coming when all things would be made new. There would be a new temple but there would also be a renewed people of God. Their sins had resulted in God’s judgment. Their rebellion against Him had led to His departure from among them. But Ezekiel was being given a glimpse of the future when God would miraculously restore His people to a right relationship with Himself. And He states that, on that day, things will be radically different. God commands Ezekiel to tell his fellow exiles all that he has seen and to give them this sobering reminder concerning that coming day.

“And this is the basic law of the Temple: absolute holiness! The entire top of the mountain where the Temple is built is holy. Yes, this is the basic law of the Temple.” – Ezekiel 43:12 NLT

What an amazing picture of God’s grace. He was declaring His intention to restore His apostate people and return them to a life of holiness and sanctification. No more sin. No more rebellion. Instead, they would enjoy permanent fellowship with God in His eternal kingdom.

I sometimes think we take grace for granted. I love what Dallas Willard says: “We have a problem today in Evangelical circles. We’re not only saved by grace, we’re paralyzed by it.” We have allowed grace to become a one-dimensional concept that is tied solely to our salvation. We talk about the idea of being saved by grace. It is a priceless gift, unearned and undeserved. But the grace of God should have a long-lasting influence on our lives. There is a future element to God’s grace that I must never lose sight of because the reality is that I can no more earn my coming glorification than I could my salvation. A day is coming when I will be made complete and whole. I will be like Christ, with no sin nature and an ability to live righteously – completely and permanently. Future grace is a great motivator for present behavior. The reality of my guaranteed place in His presence for eternity should have a tremendous impact on the way I live my life now.

The same was true for the people of God in Ezekiel's day. God had given Ezekiel a glimpse of His future kingdom, complete with a newly constructed temple, occupied by God Himself. God instructed Ezekiel to describe to the people the details of the future temple. They were to study its plans and go over every specification. Why? Because it was going to be a real place that was going to exist in real-time in the future. It was a picture of God’s future grace and His promise to reestablish His presence among the people of Israel. In spite of all they had done to offend Him, He was going to extend them grace, and the proof of it was this vision of His glory filling the rebuilt temple.

As Christians, we can easily allow the "grace alone" message to lull us into a sense of spiritual stupor or laziness. God does it all, so we have nothing to do. But grace is opposed to earning, not effort. The knowledge of God's grace reminds me that I can do nothing to earn His favor. But awareness of His grace should cause me to make every effort to serve Him gratefully and joyfully. By hearing the detailed descriptions of the future Temple, the people of God were to be shamed for their own unfaithfulness as opposed to God's faithfulness.

The reality that I have a place reserved for me in heaven should make me want to live my life differently here on earth. During their lifetimes, the people of God had desecrated the temple of God time and time again. And ultimately, God had it destroyed. Today there is no temple in Jerusalem. In its place sits a mosque. But God has promised that the day is coming when the temple will be rebuilt; not because the people of God deserve it, but because God has promised it.

Its presence will be proof of God's grace. He will restore the people of Israel – in spite of themselves. And that future reality should have changed their present behavior. And one day God is going complete His work of sanctification in our lives – glorifying us and transforming us into the likeness of His Son – completely and permanently. Awareness of that future grace should shame me when I consider my present behavior. He has done so much for me and has promised to do so much. How can I live in disobedience and sin when God has such an undeserved future reserved for me?

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Set Apart

1 Then he led me out into the outer court, toward the north, and he brought me to the chambers that were opposite the separate yard and opposite the building on the north. 2 The length of the building whose door faced north was a hundred cubits, and the breadth fifty cubits. 3 Facing the twenty cubits that belonged to the inner court, and facing the pavement that belonged to the outer court, was gallery against gallery in three stories. 4 And before the chambers was a passage inward, ten cubits wide and a hundred cubits long, and their doors were on the north. 5 Now the upper chambers were narrower, for the galleries took more away from them than from the lower and middle chambers of the building. 6 For they were in three stories, and they had no pillars like the pillars of the courts. Thus the upper chambers were set back from the ground more than the lower and the middle ones. 7 And there was a wall outside parallel to the chambers, toward the outer court, opposite the chambers, fifty cubits long. 8 For the chambers on the outer court were fifty cubits long, while those opposite the nave were a hundred cubits long. 9 Below these chambers was an entrance on the east side, as one enters them from the outer court.

10 In the thickness of the wall of the court, on the south also, opposite the yard and opposite the building, there were chambers 11 with a passage in front of them. They were similar to the chambers on the north, of the same length and breadth, with the same exits and arrangements and doors, 12 as were the entrances of the chambers on the south. There was an entrance at the beginning of the passage, the passage before the corresponding wall on the east as one enters them.

13 Then he said to me, “The north chambers and the south chambers opposite the yard are the holy chambers, where the priests who approach the Lord shall eat the most holy offerings. There they shall put the most holy offerings—the grain offering, the sin offering, and the guilt offering—for the place is holy. 14 When the priests enter the Holy Place, they shall not go out of it into the outer court without laying there the garments in which they minister, for these are holy. They shall put on other garments before they go near to that which is for the people.”

15 Now when he had finished measuring the interior of the temple area, he led me out by the gate that faced east, and measured the temple area all around. 16 He measured the east side with the measuring reed, 500 cubits by the measuring reed all around. 17 He measured the north side, 500 cubits by the measuring reed all around. 18 He measured the south side, 500 cubits by the measuring reed. 19 Then he turned to the west side and measured, 500 cubits by the measuring reed. 20 He measured it on the four sides. It had a wall around it, 500 cubits long and 500 cubits broad, to make a separation between the holy and the common. – Ezekiel 42:1-20 ESV

I find it interesting that in the middle of all the detailed descriptions of the layout of the future temple complex, Ezekiel's "guide" pointed to a set of rooms and designated them as being "holy."

Then he said to me, "The north and south rooms adjacent to the open area are holy rooms where the priests who come before GOD eat the holy offerings. There they place the holy offerings--grain offerings, sin offerings, and guilt offerings. These are set-apart rooms, holy space. After the priests have entered the Sanctuary, they must not return to the outside courtyard and mingle among the people until they change the sacred garments in which they minister and put on their regular clothes.” – Ezekiel 42:13-14 MSG

Wouldn’t the entire temple be holy? Since the whole structure would be dedicated to the worship of God, wouldn’t every room, wall, hallway, courtyard, and gateway be considered holy? Well, in a sense, yes. But the use of the word "holy" in this context gives us another important aspect of its meaning. It simply means to be "set-apart or separated."

These rooms were dedicated or set apart for a distinct purpose.

"Here the priests who offer sacrifices to the Lord will eat the most holy offerings." – Ezekiel 42:13 NLT

According to Ezekiel’s divine tour guide, these rooms would also be used for storage of the elements used in the various offerings.

“…because these rooms are holy, they will be used to store the sacred offerings—the grain offerings, sin offerings, and guilt offerings.” – Ezekiel 42:13 NLT

Even within this future temple complex, there will be places that are "set apart" and distinctive from all otehrs. These rooms will be dedicated to a specific purpose and will not be available for any others use.

When the priests complete their job of ministering in the sanctuary, they will be required to leave their “holy” garments in one of these “holy” rooms, and change into their "street" clothes.  The robes they wear in the sanctuary will be dedicated solely to use within that area of the temple. The book of Exodus describes these sacred garments.

“Make sacred garments for Aaron that are glorious and beautiful. Instruct all the skilled craftsmen whom I have filled with the spirit of wisdom. Have them make garments for Aaron that will distinguish him as a priest set apart for my service.” – Exodus 28:2-3 NLT

These would not be ordinary, run-of-the-mill clothes, but acquisitive garments of great beauty and detail.

“These are the garments they are to make: a chestpiece, an ephod, a robe, a patterned tunic, a turban, and a sash. They are to make these sacred garments for your brother, Aaron, and his sons to wear when they serve me as priests. So give them fine linen cloth, gold thread, and blue, purple, and scarlet thread.” – Exodus 28:4-5 NLT

Even when ministering within the far smaller and less opulent tabernacle, the priests were required to wear God-ordained and designed garments that set them apart for His service.

“For Aaron’s sons, make tunics, sashes, and special head coverings that are glorious and beautiful. Clothe your brother, Aaron, and his sons with these garments, and then anoint and ordain them. Consecrate them so they can serve as my priests. Also make linen undergarments for them, to be worn next to their bodies, reaching from their hips to their thighs. These must be worn whenever Aaron and his sons enter the Tabernacle or approach the altar in the Holy Place to perform their priestly duties. Then they will not incur guilt and die.” – Exodus 28:41-43 NLT

Holiness was important to God. It’s why He told His people, “You must be holy because I, the Lord your God, am holy” (Leviticus 19:2 NLT). He had chosen them and set them apart as His own. They were His special possession and their lives were to reflect their unique status as His children. And every area of this future temple will be set apart for God’s glory and use. Each brick, decorative accent, room, doorway, wall, and ceiling will exist for one purpose only: To bring glory to God Almighty.

Even the garments the priests wore were to be considered as holy or set apart. Before they could enter the rest of the temple or go into the more public or common areas, they had to remove their "holy" clothes, because those clothes had been dedicated to God.

All this makes me think about how we have been set apart by God for His use. We are His people. We have been made holy or set apart by the indwelling presence of the Spirit of God. We belong to God. The apostle Paul reminds us of this unique status as His holy people.

Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. – Colossians 3:12 NLT

God set us apart for a purpose. We are now dedicated to Him and for His use. Our lives no longer belong to us, but to him and we should be used only in the way that He sees fit. The priests could not use the holy garments for any other purpose. They were not free to use those holy rooms for any other reason than the one that God had prescribed for them. In fact, the book of Nehemiah records an incident in which one of the priests violated this very command.

Eliashib the priest, who had been appointed as supervisor of the storerooms of the Temple of our God and who was also a relative of Tobiah, had converted a large storage room and placed it at Tobiah’s disposal. The room had previously been used for storing the grain offerings, the frankincense, various articles for the Temple, and the tithes of grain, new wine, and olive oil (which were prescribed for the Levites, the singers, and the gatekeepers), as well as the offerings for the priests. – Nehemiah 4:4-5 NLT

Notice that Eliashib had taken one of the “holy” rooms and turned it into an apartment for one of his relatives. When Nehemiah got wind of what had happened, he was furious and took immediate action.

When I arrived back in Jerusalem, I learned about Eliashib’s evil deed in providing Tobiah with a room in the courtyards of the Temple of God. I became very upset and threw all of Tobiah’s belongings out of the room. Then I demanded that the rooms be purified, and I brought back the articles for God’s Temple, the grain offerings, and the frankincense. – Nehemiah 4:7-9 NLT

Eliashib had taken liberties with that which belonged to God. He had the audacity to assign a new and totally different use for that which God had set apart. And, in doing so, he desecrated what God had deemed as wholly for His use.

And we can be guilty of the same thing. As God’s children, we have been set apart for His service. When God commands, "You must be holy because I am holy" (1 Peter 1:16 NLT), He is telling us that we must be set apart, distinct, and different, just as He is. We must reflect His holiness. We must remain dedicated to His use. When we take what He has set apart (our bodies) and use it for some other purpose, we profane it. When we use our bodies for purposes other than those for which God has set them apart, we denigrate their God-given value. That is why Peter provides a sobering warning to live as who we are and for the purpose we have been assigned.

And you are living stones that God is building into his spiritual temple. What’s more, you are his holy priests. Through the mediation of Jesus Christ, you offer spiritual sacrifices that please God. – 1 Peter 2:5 NLT

And the apostle Paul echoes Peter’s sentiments when he writes:

Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body. – 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 NLT

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The Dwelling Place of God

5 Then he measured the wall of the temple, six cubits thick, and the breadth of the side chambers, four cubits, all around the temple. 6 And the side chambers were in three stories, one over another, thirty in each story. There were offsets all around the wall of the temple to serve as supports for the side chambers, so that they should not be supported by the wall of the temple. 7 And it became broader as it wound upward to the side chambers, because the temple was enclosed upward all around the temple. Thus the temple had a broad area upward, and so one went up from the lowest story to the top story through the middle story. 8 I saw also that the temple had a raised platform all around; the foundations of the side chambers measured a full reed of six long cubits. 9 The thickness of the outer wall of the side chambers was five cubits. The free space between the side chambers of the temple and the 10 other chambers was a breadth of twenty cubits all around the temple on every side. 11 And the doors of the side chambers opened on the free space, one door toward the north, and another door toward the south. And the breadth of the free space was five cubits all around.

12 The building that was facing the separate yard on the west side was seventy cubits broad, and the wall of the building was five cubits thick all around, and its length ninety cubits.

13 Then he measured the temple, a hundred cubits long; and the yard and the building with its walls, a hundred cubits long; 14 also the breadth of the east front of the temple and the yard, a hundred cubits.

15 Then he measured the length of the building facing the yard that was at the back and its galleries on either side, a hundred cubits.

The inside of the nave and the vestibules of the court, 16 the thresholds and the narrow windows and the galleries all around the three of them, opposite the threshold, were paneled with wood all around, from the floor up to the windows (now the windows were covered), 17 to the space above the door, even to the inner room, and on the outside. And on all the walls all around, inside and outside, was a measured pattern. 18 It was carved of cherubim and palm trees, a palm tree between cherub and cherub. Every cherub had two faces: 19 a human face toward the palm tree on the one side, and the face of a young lion toward the palm tree on the other side. They were carved on the whole temple all around. 20 From the floor to above the door, cherubim and palm trees were carved; similarly the wall of the nave.

21 The doorposts of the nave were squared, and in front of the Holy Place was something resembling 22 an altar of wood, three cubits high, two cubits long, and two cubits broad. Its corners, its base, and its walls were of wood. He said to me, “This is the table that is before the Lord.” 23 The nave and the Holy Place had each a double door. 24 The double doors had two leaves apiece, two swinging leaves for each door. 25 And on the doors of the nave were carved cherubim and palm trees, such as were carved on the walls. And there was a canopy[j] of wood in front of the vestibule outside. 26 And there were narrow windows and palm trees on either side, on the sidewalls of the vestibule, the side chambers of the temple, and the canopies. – Ezekiel 41:5-26 ESV

The level of detail in Ezekiel’s vision is staggering. His guided tour of the Millennial Temple was conducted by “man whose face shone like bronze” (Ezekiel 40:3 NLT), who held “a linen measuring cord and a measuring rod” (Ezekiel 40:3 NLT) in his hand. Each time they entered a new area of the temple complex, “the man” provided detailed measurements to indicate the exact dimensions involved. The temple itself, which was the focal point of the entire compound, was an elaborate, multi-storied structure surrounded by three rows of antechambers. There were 90 of these small rooms stacked three stories high along three different sides of the temple. There is no information given regarding their purpose but they would have formed the outer wall of the temple itself. It seems that with each successive story, the rooms became slightly larger in size. 

To the west of the temple was another free-standing building that was roughly 116 feet deep and 150 feet wide. There is no indication as to the nature or purpose of this structure. But from all the details provided, it is clear that this future temple complex is far larger and more complex than any of the previous iterations of the temple. And its dimensions dwarf the original tabernacle used by the Israelites during their wilderness wanderings.

In verses 16-26, Ezekiel records the dimensions and decorative embellishments of the temple’s interior. The walls are paneled in wood and “decorated with carved cherubim and palm trees” (Ezekiel 41:25 NLT).  These images are meant to convey a powerful message regarding the temple’s occupant.

“In these figures aspirations of life and prosperity (palm) and security (cherubim) coalesce. In Israelite thought, the divine resident of this house was the source of both. – Daniel I. Block, The Book of Ezekiel

God is the giver of all life and the sole source of man’s prosperity and protection. God had already told Ezekiel that the day would come when He would restore His people to their land and take up residence among them once again.

“I will set them in their land and multiply them, and will set my sanctuary in their midst forevermore. My dwelling place shall be with them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.” – Ezekiel 37:26-27 ESV

God’s house will be of immense proportions and feature beautifully ornate architectural embellishments designed to reflect His divine glory and greatness. Everything about the temple and its surrounding grounds will be striking and attention-getting. This beautiful building will be a showcase of God Almighty and serve as a permanent reminder of His presence and power.

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The Most Holy Place

44 On the outside of the inner gateway there were two chambers in the inner court, one at the side of the north gate facing south, the other at the side of the south gate facing north. 45 And he said to me, “This chamber that faces south is for the priests who have charge of the temple, 46 and the chamber that faces north is for the priests who have charge of the altar. These are the sons of Zadok, who alone among the sons of Levi may come near to the Lord to minister to him.” 47 And he measured the court, a hundred cubits long and a hundred cubits broad, a square. And the altar was in front of the temple.

48 Then he brought me to the vestibule of the temple and measured the jambs of the vestibule, five cubits on either side. And the breadth of the gate was fourteen cubits, and the sidewalls of the gate were three cubits on either side. 49 The length of the vestibule was twenty cubits, and the breadth twelve cubits, and people would go up to it by ten steps. And there were pillars beside the jambs, one on either side.

1 Then he brought me to the nave and measured the jambs. On each side six cubits was the breadth of the jambs. 2 And the breadth of the entrance was ten cubits, and the sidewalls of the entrance were five cubits on either side. And he measured the length of the nave, forty cubits, and its breadth, twenty cubits. 3 Then he went into the inner room and measured the jambs of the entrance, two cubits; and the entrance, six cubits; and the sidewalls on either side of the entrance, seven cubits. 4 And he measured the length of the room, twenty cubits, and its breadth, twenty cubits, across the nave. And he said to me, “This is the Most Holy Place.”– Ezekiel 40:44-41:4 ESV

Ezekiel’s vision of the Millennial Temple included a view of two chambers located just outside the northern and southern inner gates. In Hebrew, these rooms are described as liškâ šîr, which might best be translated as “the chambers of the singing men.”

These would have been members of the tribe of Levi who served as priests in the temple but also functioned as musicians as part of their service to God. The book of 2 Chronicles mentions these men.

And the Levites who were musicians—Asaph, Heman, Jeduthun, and all their sons and brothers—were dressed in fine linen robes and stood at the east side of the altar playing cymbals, lyres, and harps. They were joined by 120 priests who were playing trumpets. The trumpeters and singers performed together in unison to praise and give thanks to the Lord. – 2 Chronicles 5:12-13 NLT

These men were responsible for providing musical praise to God as part of peoples’ worship.

Accompanied by trumpets, cymbals, and other instruments, they raised their voices and praised the Lord with these words:

“He is good!
    His faithful love endures forever!”  – 2 Chronicles 5:14 NLT

And the book of 1 Chronicles states that they lived in special rooms dedicated to their use in the temple.

The musicians, all prominent Levites, lived at the Temple. They were exempt from other responsibilities since they were on duty at all hours. All these men lived in Jerusalem. They were the heads of Levite families and were listed as prominent leaders in their genealogical records. – 1 Chronicles 9:33-34 NLT

The Psalms are filled with descriptions of music as a form of worship and singing as a means of praising God for all He has done.

Come, let us sing to the Lord!
    Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation.
Let us come to him with thanksgiving.
    Let us sing psalms of praise to him. – Psalm 95:1-2 NLT

Shout to the Lord, all the earth;
    break out in praise and sing for joy!
Sing your praise to the Lord with the harp,
    with the harp and melodious song,
with trumpets and the sound of the ram’s horn.
    Make a joyful symphony before the Lord, the King! – Psalm 98:4-6 NLT

And, according to Ezekiel’s vision, this musical expression of praise and glory for God’s goodness and greatness will continue into the Millennial Kingdom. 

The praise of God will never cease in the Millennial Kingdom as God’s people express their heartfelt gratitude for all that He has done. And these priests will be accompanied by others who be responsible for maintaining the temple itself as well as all the elements associated with the altar and the sacrificial system. Each priest will perform his duties with joy and gladness so that the temple may function seamlessly and in full compliance with God’s decrees.

And Ezekiel is told that these men will be the descendants of Zadok, who served as a priest during the reigns of David and Solomon. This ensures the prophet that God will miraculously maintain the line of Zadok so that they may serve Him in this future temple.

As the vision unfolds before Ezekiel’s eyes, he is escorted into the actual doorway of the temple itself, through a portico or inner room that opens into the temple proper. As he moves forward into the recesses of the temple, Ezekiel passes through the Holy Place and into the Holy of Holies. With each step, he moves into a progressively smaller space that is meant to focus his attention on the significance of his final destination: The most holy place.  This was the innermost room of the temple where God’s presence was said to dwell above the mercy seat. In Solomon’s temple, this room was highly restricted and off-limits to anyone but the high priest, who could only enter one day out of the entire year, on the Day of Atonement. God had told Moses to warn his brother, Aaron, the high priest, not to venture into the Holy of Holies on any other day or he would face certain death.

The Lord said to Moses, “Warn your brother, Aaron, not to enter the Most Holy Place behind the inner curtain whenever he chooses; if he does, he will die. For the Ark’s cover—the place of atonement—is there, and I myself am present in the cloud above the atonement cover.” – Leviticus 16:2 NLT

Aaron was given a series of ceremonial tasks to perform so that he might offer a sacrifice on behalf of the people. It all began with his personal purification and included cleansing of the Holy of Holies, the altar, priests, congregation, and the tabernacle itself. It all concluded with the release of the scapegoat.

“He will lay both of his hands on the goat’s head and confess over it all the wickedness, rebellion, and sins of the people of Israel. In this way, he will transfer the people’s sins to the head of the goat. Then a man specially chosen for the task will drive the goat into the wilderness. As the goat goes into the wilderness, it will carry all the people’s sins upon itself into a desolate land.” – Leviticus 16:21-22 NLT

What makes this so important is that, in the future Millennial Kingdom, there will be no need for the scapegoat because of Jesus’ once-for-all sacrifice. He bore the sins of mankind with His death on the cross and provided a permanent means of forgiveness for all those who place their faith in Him. Yet, God told Moses and the people of Israel that His commands concerning the Day of Atonement would be permanent.

“This is a permanent law for you. In future generations, the purification ceremony will be performed by the priest who has been anointed and ordained to serve as high priest in place of his ancestor Aaron. He will put on the holy linen garments and purify the Most Holy Place, the Tabernacle, the altar, the priests, and the entire congregation. This is a permanent law for you, to purify the people of Israel from their sins, making them right with the Lord once each year.” – Leviticus 16:31-34 NLT

But what makes the future temple so unique is that it will exist as part of the Millennial Kingdom of Jesus Christ, who will reign as King over Jerusalem, the land of Israel, and the rest of the world. Because of His sacrificial death, resurrection, ascension, and ultimate return as the King of kings and Lord of lords, there will be no need for future purification of the temple. The scapegoat will be unnecessary. Cleansing from sin will no longer be needed.

The Most Holy Place will be permanently holy. The people of God will be eternally righteous, cleansed, and forgiven. Because God and His Son will take up permanent residence with His people.

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Nothing But the Blood of Jesus

17 Then he brought me into the outer court. And behold, there were chambers and a pavement, all around the court. Thirty chambers faced the pavement. 18 And the pavement ran along the side of the gates, corresponding to the length of the gates. This was the lower pavement. 19 Then he measured the distance from the inner front of the lower gate to the outer front of the inner court, a hundred cubits on the east side and on the north side.

20 As for the gate that faced toward the north, belonging to the outer court, he measured its length and its breadth. 21 Its side rooms, three on either side, and its jambs and its vestibule were of the same size as those of the first gate. Its length was fifty cubits, and its breadth twenty-five cubits. 22 And its windows, its vestibule, and its palm trees were of the same size as those of the gate that faced toward the east. And by seven steps people would go up to it, and find its vestibule before them. 23 And opposite the gate on the north, as on the east, was a gate to the inner court. And he measured from gate to gate, a hundred cubits.

24 And he led me toward the south, and behold, there was a gate on the south. And he measured its jambs and its vestibule; they had the same size as the others. 25 Both it and its vestibule had windows all around, like the windows of the others. Its length was fifty cubits, and its breadth twenty-five cubits. 26 And there were seven steps leading up to it, and its vestibule was before them, and it had palm trees on its jambs, one on either side. 27 And there was a gate on the south of the inner court. And he measured from gate to gate toward the south, a hundred cubits.

28 Then he brought me to the inner court through the south gate, and he measured the south gate. It was of the same size as the others. 29 Its side rooms, its jambs, and its vestibule were of the same size as the others, and both it and its vestibule had windows all around. Its length was fifty cubits, and its breadth twenty-five cubits. 30 And there were vestibules all around, twenty-five cubits long and five cubits broad. 31 Its vestibule faced the outer court, and palm trees were on its jambs, and its stairway had eight steps.

32 Then he brought me to the inner court on the east side, and he measured the gate. It was of the same size as the others. 33 Its side rooms, its jambs, and its vestibule were of the same size as the others, and both it and its vestibule had windows all around. Its length was fifty cubits, and its breadth twenty-five cubits. 34 Its vestibule faced the outer court, and it had palm trees on its jambs, on either side, and its stairway had eight steps.

35 Then he brought me to the north gate, and he measured it. It had the same size as the others. 36 Its side rooms, its jambs, and its vestibule were of the same size as the others, and it had windows all around. Its length was fifty cubits, and its breadth twenty-five cubits. 37 Its vestibule faced the outer court, and it had palm trees on its jambs, on either side, and its stairway had eight steps.

38 There was a chamber with its door in the vestibule of the gate, where the burnt offering was to be washed. 39 And in the vestibule of the gate were two tables on either side, on which the burnt offering and the sin offering and the guilt offering were to be slaughtered. 40 And off to the side, on the outside as one goes up to the entrance of the north gate, were two tables; and off to the other side of the vestibule of the gate were two tables. 41 Four tables were on either side of the gate, eight tables, on which to slaughter. 42 And there were four tables of hewn stone for the burnt offering, a cubit and a half long, and a cubit and a half broad, and one cubit high, on which the instruments were to be laid with which the burnt offerings and the sacrifices were slaughtered. 43 And hooks, a handbreadth long, were fastened all around within. And on the tables the flesh of the offering was to be laid. – Ezekiel 40:17-43 ESV

The temple complex in Ezekiel’s vision revealed an outer wall with three gates or entrances; one to the north, another to the east, and a final one to the south. The wall surrounding the temple was over ten feet wide and ten feet tall. The eastern gate, which faced the Kidron Valley across from the Mount of Olives, had a set of steps leading up to its gate. This was the main entry point to the temple complex and led to an outer court. On the perimeter of the wall’s interior were a series of rooms that lined its northern. eastern, and southern sides. No explanation is given for the purpose of these rooms.

The distance between the outer eastern gate and the inner eastern gate that led to the inner court was 166 feet. This expanse formed the outer court. In Solomon’s temple, this would have been called The Court of the Women. But in his vision, Ezekiel is provided with no designation for this expansive space.

Upon entering the outer court, the three entrances to the inner court came into view. These three inner gate complexes were similar in size and design to the outer gates and provided access to the temple itself. There is a repeated pattern or design intended to regulate entrance into God’s presence. And upon passing through one of these three gates, one would find themself inside the inner court and the place of sacrifice. A room was dedicated to the washing of the animals planned for sacrifice. The priests would purify each animal before offering it up to God as a burnt offering. On the outside of this room were eight stone tables, where the sacrificial animals were slaughtered for the burnt offerings, sin offerings, and guilt offerings. Four additional stone tables held the priests’ butchering implements and were where the prepared meat was placed before being offered as a sacrifice.

Ezekiel was also shown two rooms, one was “for the priests who supervise the Temple maintenance” (Ezekiel 40:45 NLT) and the other was for the priests in charge of the altar” (Ezekiel 40:46 NLT). And Ezekiel was informed that these priests are “the descendants of Zadok—for they alone of all the Levites may approach the Lord to minister to him” (Ezekiel 40:46 NLT). In other words, this future temple will be administered according to God’s original command. He had ordained that the tribe of Levi would serve as keepers of the tabernacle and later, the temple.

…the Lord your God chose the tribe of Levi out of all your tribes to minister in the Lord’s name forever. – Deuteronomy 18:5 NLT

From among the Levites would come the priests who were tasked with offering the sacrifices on behalf of the people. Zadok was a descendant of Levi and had served during the reign of King David. It will be the priestly descendants of Zadok who serve in this future millennial temple. This is another sign that God will restore everything to the way He had intended it to be from the beginning.

But there is one question that comes to mind when considering the presence of the temple, priests, and blood sacrifices in the millennial kingdom. Why would God reinstitute this ritual when the book of Hebrews states that Jesus offered His life as a final, once-for-all sacrifice for the sins of mankind?

So Christ has now become the High Priest over all the good things that have come. He has entered that greater, more perfect Tabernacle in heaven, which was not made by human hands and is not part of this created world. With his own blood—not the blood of goats and calves—he entered the Most Holy Place once for all time and secured our redemption forever. – Hebrews 9:11-12 NLT

The original sacrificial system was intended to purify the ungodly, including the priests themselves, making them worthy of coming into God’s presence and capable of receiving His forgiveness.

For without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness.

That is why the Tabernacle and everything in it, which were copies of things in heaven, had to be purified by the blood of animals. But the real things in heaven had to be purified with far better sacrifices than the blood of animals. – Hebrews 9:22-23 NLT

Jesus provided a better sacrifice, a new-and-improved way of being made right with God. He offered His own life, shedding His own blood, in order that sinful men and women might receive new life and a restored relationship with God.

Christ was offered once for all time as a sacrifice to take away the sins of many people. – Hebrews 9:28 NLT

So, why is Ezekiel given a vision of what appears to be a renewed sacrificial system in the millennial temple? The author of Hebrews provides insight into this seeming contradiction. He states that the Old Testament priests served “in a system of worship that is only a copy, a shadow of the real one in heaven” (Hebrews 8:5 NLT). In other words, their priestly duties, including the blood sacrifices they offered as atonement for the sins of the people, were a foreshadowing of Jesus’ ultimate and final sacrifice. They pointed forward to something far greater. It seems that in the Millennial temple, these sacrifices will look back, commemorating the atoning work of Jesus. Rather than redemptive in nature, they will be commemorative. Much like the New Testament Church celebrates the death of Christ through the ordinance of the Lord’s Table.

The author of Hebrews goes on to state that the blood sacrifices “actually reminded them of their sins year after year. For it is not possible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins” (Hebrews 10:3-4 NLT). But in the future, those very same sacrifices will be used to remind people of their Savior.

Again, the author of Hebrews provides helpful insight into this future scene that Ezekiel was privileged to see.

“This is the new covenant I will make
    with my people on that day, says the Lord:
I will put my laws in their hearts,
    and I will write them on their minds.”

Then he says,

“I will never again remember
    their sins and lawless deeds.”

And when sins have been forgiven, there is no need to offer any more sacrifices. – Hebrews 10:16-18 NLT

There will no longer be any need to offer sacrifices for the forgiveness of sins because Christ has paid the full and final price for those sins. Yet, there will be ample reason for people to offer sacrifices of praise and thanksgiving for the gracious gift of eternal life they have received.

As the author of Hebrews makes clear, “it is not possible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins” (Hebrews 10:4 NLT). But in Ezekiel’s vision, he is shown that the blood of bulls and goats can do what it was always intended to do: Point to the blood of Christ that made possible mankind’s full and complete redemption and restoration to God. As the apostle, John reminds us, “the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin” (1 John 2:17 ESV).

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

A Vision of Two Valleys

1 “And you, son of man, prophesy against Gog and say, Thus says the Lord God: Behold, I am against you, O Gog, chief prince of Meshech and Tubal. 2 And I will turn you about and drive you forward, and bring you up from the uttermost parts of the north, and lead you against the mountains of Israel. 3 Then I will strike your bow from your left hand, and will make your arrows drop out of your right hand. 4 You shall fall on the mountains of Israel, you and all your hordes and the peoples who are with you. I will give you to birds of prey of every sort and to the beasts of the field to be devoured. 5 You shall fall in the open field, for I have spoken, declares the Lord God. 6 I will send fire on Magog and on those who dwell securely in the coastlands, and they shall know that I am the Lord.

7 “And my holy name I will make known in the midst of my people Israel, and I will not let my holy name be profaned anymore. And the nations shall know that I am the Lord, the Holy One in Israel. 8 Behold, it is coming and it will be brought about, declares the Lord God. That is the day of which I have spoken.

9 “Then those who dwell in the cities of Israel will go out and make fires of the weapons and burn them, shields and bucklers, bow and arrows, clubs and spears; and they will make fires of them for seven years, 10 so that they will not need to take wood out of the field or cut down any out of the forests, for they will make their fires of the weapons. They will seize the spoil of those who despoiled them, and plunder those who plundered them, declares the Lord God.

11 “On that day I will give to Gog a place for burial in Israel, the Valley of the Travelers, east of the sea. It will block the travelers, for there Gog and all his multitude will be buried. It will be called the Valley of Hamon-gog. 12 For seven months the house of Israel will be burying them, in order to cleanse the land. 13 All the people of the land will bury them, and it will bring them renown on the day that I show my glory, declares the Lord God. 14 They will set apart men to travel through the land regularly and bury those travelers remaining on the face of the land, so as to cleanse it. At the end of seven months they will make their search. 15 And when these travel through the land and anyone sees a human bone, then he shall set up a sign by it, till the buriers have buried it in the Valley of Hamon-gog. 16 (Hamonah is also the name of the city.) Thus shall they cleanse the land.

17 “As for you, son of man, thus says the Lord God: Speak to the birds of every sort and to all beasts of the field: ‘Assemble and come, gather from all around to the sacrificial feast that I am preparing for you, a great sacrificial feast on the mountains of Israel, and you shall eat flesh and drink blood. 18 You shall eat the flesh of the mighty, and drink the blood of the princes of the earth—of rams, of lambs, and of he-goats, of bulls, all of them fat beasts of Bashan. 19 And you shall eat fat till you are filled, and drink blood till you are drunk, at the sacrificial feast that I am preparing for you. 20 And you shall be filled at my table with horses and charioteers, with mighty men and all kinds of warriors,’ declares the Lord God.

21 “And I will set my glory among the nations, and all the nations shall see my judgment that I have executed, and my hand that I have laid on them. 22 The house of Israel shall know that I am the Lord their God, from that day forward. 23 And the nations shall know that the house of Israel went into captivity for their iniquity, because they dealt so treacherously with me that I hid my face from them and gave them into the hand of their adversaries, and they all fell by the sword. 24 I dealt with them according to their uncleanness and their transgressions, and hid my face from them. – Ezekiel 39:1-24 ESV

Gog, this future world leader, who will form an alliance of nations to attack the reestablished nation of Israel, will find himself with a very powerful enemy: God Himself. So, God has Ezekiel write down a message for this as-yet-to-be-born, self-appointed conqueror of Israel.

“I am your enemy, O Gog, ruler of the nations of Meshech and Tubal. I will turn you around and drive you toward the mountains of Israel, bringing you from the distant north.” – Ezekiel 39:2-3 NLT

From this point forward, God makes it clear that everything Gog does will be according to His plan. Repeatedly, God states, “I will…,” declaring His sovereign plan to use Gog as a means of accomplishing His preferred and predetermined end. Having Ezekiel record this message in written form ensures that it will last long after the prophet’s death. As a divinely inspired portion of Scripture, the message is eternal as well as reliable. What God has said will actually happen. And whether this man, Gog, ever receives this message from God, all those who read it over the centuries will know that both his ambition and ultimate annihilation are the work of God.

God will be the driving force behind this entire end times event. The participants will not be unthinking pawns in His hands, operating like automatons or robots. They will be acting out their own selfish desires and operating according to what they believe is their own free will. But God will be using them to accomplish His predetermined will. When Gog and his allies make the fateful decision to come against the defenseless people of Israel, they will find themselves in a battle with God Almighty.

“I will knock the bow from your left hand and the arrows from your right hand, and I will leave you helpless. You and your army and your allies will all die on the mountains. I will feed you to the vultures and wild animals. You will fall in the open fields, for I have spoken, says the Sovereign Lord. And I will rain down fire on Magog and on all your allies who live safely on the coasts. Then they will know that I am the Lord.” – Ezekiel 39:3-6 NLT

This will be a lopsided battle ending in the total annihilation of the enemy’s army and the divine destruction of their homeland. This day of judgment will deliver a powerful message to every person who happens to be alive at the time. Even at this late date in human history, the world will be filled with idolatrous and unrighteous people who have refused to acknowledge Yahweh as the one true god. The apostle Paul provided Timothy with a description of the spiritual climate in those days.

…in the last days there will be very difficult times. For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred. They will be unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control. They will be cruel and hate what is good. They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God. They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. – 2 Timothy 3:1-5 NLT

But with His utter destruction of Gog and Magog, God will send a message to the world.

“I will make known my holy name among my people of Israel. I will not let anyone bring shame on it. And the nations, too, will know that I am the Lord, the Holy One of Israel.” – Ezekiel 39:7 NLT

It will be painfully clear that this display of supernatural destruction is the work of God, just like the judgments of the seven trumpets and seven bowls recorded in the book of Revelation. No one will be able to miss the message God is sending. He is God alone and no one can resist His sovereign will.

In verses 9-16, Ezekiel records the horrific aftermath of this one-sided battle. The bodies of the slain will cover the ground as far as the eye can see, and it will take seven months to bury all the dead. The size of Gog’s fallen army is so great that the Israelites will be able to use the wood from their shields, spears, bows, and arrows as fuel for a period of seven years. The valley in which the bodies of the fallen will be buried will be called, “The Valley of the Multitude of Gog.” And for seven months after the last body has been interred, a special team of men will scour the land looking for any last bones that may have been missed, marking their location so the burial detail can complete their grisly work.  

This imagery stands in stark contrast to that found in Ezekiel 37. There Ezekiel describes his vision of the valley of dry bones. He sees a landscape covered in dry, scattered bones that are intended to represent the spiritual state of God’s people. But in this case, rather than burial, the bones are miraculously rejoined together.

The bones of each body came together and attached themselves as complete skeletons. Then as I watched, muscles and flesh formed over the bones. Then skin formed to cover their bodies… – Ezekiel 37:7-8 NLT

Then Ezekiel watched as God breathed new life into the newly formed bodies of His people.

…breath came into their bodies. They all came to life and stood up on their feet—a great army. – Ezekiel 37:10 NLT

What a glaring contrast between these two scenes. One is a prediction of a literal event that will take place in human history. The other is a vision of a spiritual transformation that will take place among God’s chosen people. Both are real and guaranteed to take place. But where Gog and his allies will suffer defeat, death, and the dishonor of burial in a mass grave, the people of Israel will enjoy the blessings of a revitalized relationship with Yahweh made possible by His gracious transformation of their hearts.

God reveals the details of this end times event to His prophet so that he can share it with the exiled people of Judah. This entire section of Ezekiel’s book was meant to provide the helpless and hopeless people of God with encouragement by reminding them that He had not forgotten or forsaken them. God assures them, “I will demonstrate my glory to the nations. Everyone will see the punishment I have inflicted on them and the power of my fist when I strike. And from that time on the people of Israel will know that I am the Lord their God” (Ezekiel 39:21-22 NLT).

Yes, they had been punished for their sin. Their status as exiles was proof of that fact. But God wanted them to remember that He was not yet done. Their judgment would be followed by their justification. He would one day redeem and restore them, cleansing them from all their impurities and providing them with new hearts that will allow them to worship Him alone.

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

God versus Gog

17 “Thus says the Lord God: Are you he of whom I spoke in former days by my servants the prophets of Israel, who in those days prophesied for years that I would bring you against them? 18 But on that day, the day that Gog shall come against the land of Israel, declares the Lord God, my wrath will be roused in my anger. 19 For in my jealousy and in my blazing wrath I declare, On that day there shall be a great earthquake in the land of Israel. 20 The fish of the sea and the birds of the heavens and the beasts of the field and all creeping things that creep on the ground, and all the people who are on the face of the earth, shall quake at my presence. And the mountains shall be thrown down, and the cliffs shall fall, and every wall shall tumble to the ground. 21 I will summon a sword against Gog on all my mountains, declares the Lord God. Every man’s sword will be against his brother. 22 With pestilence and bloodshed I will enter into judgment with him, and I will rain upon him and his hordes and the many peoples who are with him torrential rains and hailstones, fire and sulfur. 23 So I will show my greatness and my holiness and make myself known in the eyes of many nations. Then they will know that I am the Lord.” – Ezekiel 38:17-23 ESV

Far too often, we read the Old Testament as if it was simply a record of ancient history. We tend to look at books like Ezekiel as prophetic only in the sense that they contain detailed descriptions of what God was going to do against Israel and her enemies, and that He has already done. We view them as past tense, filled with old news about already fulfilled events that have little impact on us today, except for any insights they may provide regarding God's character.

But in Ezekiel 38 we are given a prophecy that has yet to be fulfilled. This enigmatic passage describes a situation in which Israel finds itself back in the land of promise, experiencing God's rich blessings, and prospering in an atmosphere of peace and abundance. God says that in that day, which has yet to happen, a mighty nation will rise up with thoughts of plunder and plans to take advantage of the seemingly defenseless people of God.

"On that day when my people Israel are living securely, you will take notice and come from your place, from the remote parts of the north, you and many peoples with you, all of them riding on horses, a great company and a vast army. You will advance against my people Israel like a cloud covering the earth." – Ezekiel 38:14-16 NET

They will rise up against Israel but are totally unaware that God is about to use them as a visual lesson of His holiness and wrath. God then describes a scene filled with cataclysmic, end-of-the-world-like supernatural disasters.

“I will punish you and your armies with disease and bloodshed; I will send torrential rain, hailstones, fire, and burning sulfur!” – Ezekiel 38:22 NLT

It is a vivid description of God's final judgment on all those who oppose Him and His people here on this earth. And He makes it clear that this devastating, lopsided victory has a purpose.

"In this way, I will show my greatness and holiness, and I will make myself known to all the nations of the world. Then they will know that I am the Lord." – Ezekiel 38:23 NLT

But when will all this take place? When will this event finally be fulfilled? There have been many views proposed over the years, but the one that seems to make the most sense is based on the book of Revelation. In it, the apostle John describes a final battle that will take place at the end of Christ’s millennial reign on earth. For a period of 1,000 years, Christ will rule as the righteous King of kings and Lord of lords over all the nations of the earth. He will mete out perfect justice and administer righteousness from the throne of David for all the citizens of earth. And, according to John’s vision, at the beginning of Christ’s earthly rule, Satan will be imprisoned and prevented from using his powers to influence the nations of the world.

The angel threw him into the bottomless pit, which he then shut and locked so Satan could not deceive the nations anymore until the thousand years were finished. Afterward he must be released for a little while. – Revelation 20:3 NLT

Imagine a period of 1,000 years without the presence of the enemy whose soul “purpose is to steal and kill and destroy” (John 10:10 NLT). The great deceiver will be out of commission all during those days and the people on earth will experience what it is like to live under the godly rule of a sinless and perfectly righteous leader. Yet, John describes what happens when Satan is released from his imprisonment at the end of Christ’s 1,000-year reign.

Now when the thousand years are finished, Satan will be released from his prison and will go out to deceive the nations at the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to bring them together for the battle. They are as numerous as the grains of sand in the sea. They went upon the broad plain of the earth and encircled the camp of the saints and the beloved city, but fire came down from heaven and devoured them completely. And the devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet are too, and they will be tormented there day and night forever and ever. – Revelation 20:7-10 NET

Christ will have returned as the conquering King and set up His kingdom in Jerusalem, sitting on the throne of David. He will have fulfilled God's promise to give David a descendant who would sit on his throne and rule in righteousness forever – for a period of 1,000 years. At the end of that time, Satan will be released and wage one last war against God. He will deceive the nations and cause them to rise up against God in an attempt to remove Christ from the throne. This vast army will attack Israel, but fail miserably. God will defeat them once and for all, making Himself known to all the nations of the world through His infinite, unmatchable power. When the dust settles from this last epic battle, everyone will know that He alone is God. Case closed.

In the message God gave to Ezekiel, He addressed Gog directly, asking this future world leader, “Are you the one I was talking about long ago, when I announced through Israel’s prophets that in the future I would bring you against my people?” (Ezekiel 38:17 NLT). This rhetorical question is meant to remind Ezekiel and his audience that all history is the fulfillment of God’s sovereign will. His Word is filled with messages that pronounce future events well in advance of their actual occurrence. The rise and fall of Gog will not be left to chance or be a byproduct of blind fate. God has ordained it and declared its eventual inevitability. It is all part of His divine redemptive plan.

The truth is, there have been many “Gogs” in the world. Over the centuries, countless rulers have shown up on the historical timeline who have exhibited Gog-like characteristics. They have all shared a common trait: their disdain for God and their hatred for His chosen people. But the events described in this chapter foretell a future world leader who will rise up against a recently revitalized Israel living in perfect peace and tranquility within the borders of the promised land. This “Gog” will dare to come against the people of God in a vain attempt to wipe them off the face of the earth. But he will fail.

“…this is what the Sovereign Lord says: When Gog invades the land of Israel, my fury will boil over! In my jealousy and blazing anger, I promise a mighty shaking in the land of Israel on that day.” – Ezekiel 38:18-19 NLT

The book of Ezekiel is not ancient history. It is a glimpse into the eternal plan of the Sovereign God of the universe. His plan is not yet complete. His work is not yet done. But that day is coming because His Son will one day return, and the certainty of that coming event assures us that the victory is certain.

God is not a man, so he does not lie. He is not human, so he does not change his mind. Has he ever spoken and failed to act? Has he ever promised and not carried it through? – Numbers 23:19 NLT

He has declared His intentions and He will carry them out. This assurance of God’s sovereign will was meant to encourage Ezekiel and his fellow exiles. They had no reason to worry about the future because God has all things under control. The Babylonians, Assyrians, Egyptians, Moabites, Edomites, Ammonites, and even the nations of Meshech and Tubal would prove no match for God Almighty. Satan himself will eventually discover the painful truth regarding God’s unequaled greatness and holiness.

“I will show my greatness and holiness, and I will make myself known to all the nations of the world. Then they will know that I am the Lord.” – Ezekiel 38:23 NLT

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The Latter Days

1 The word of the Lord came to me: 2 “Son of man, set your face toward Gog, of the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him 3 and say, Thus says the Lord God: Behold, I am against you, O Gog, chief prince of Meshech and Tubal. 4 And I will turn you about and put hooks into your jaws, and I will bring you out, and all your army, horses and horsemen, all of them clothed in full armor, a great host, all of them with buckler and shield, wielding swords. 5 Persia, Cush, and Put are with them, all of them with shield and helmet; 6 Gomer and all his hordes; Beth-togarmah from the uttermost parts of the north with all his hordes—many peoples are with you.

7 “Be ready and keep ready, you and all your hosts that are assembled about you, and be a guard for them. 8 After many days you will be mustered. In the latter years you will go against the land that is restored from war, the land whose people were gathered from many peoples upon the mountains of Israel, which had been a continual waste. Its people were brought out from the peoples and now dwell securely, all of them. 9 You will advance, coming on like a storm. You will be like a cloud covering the land, you and all your hordes, and many peoples with you.

10 “Thus says the Lord God: On that day, thoughts will come into your mind, and you will devise an evil scheme 11 and say, ‘I will go up against the land of unwalled villages. I will fall upon the quiet people who dwell securely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having no bars or gates,’ 12 to seize spoil and carry off plunder, to turn your hand against the waste places that are now inhabited, and the people who were gathered from the nations, who have acquired livestock and goods, who dwell at the center of the earth. 13 Sheba and Dedan and the merchants of Tarshish and all its leaders will say to you, ‘Have you come to seize spoil? Have you assembled your hosts to carry off plunder, to carry away silver and gold, to take away livestock and goods, to seize great spoil?’

14 “Therefore, son of man, prophesy, and say to Gog, Thus says the Lord God: On that day when my people Israel are dwelling securely, will you not know it? 15 You will come from your place out of the uttermost parts of the north, you and many peoples with you, all of them riding on horses, a great host, a mighty army. 16 You will come up against my people Israel, like a cloud covering the land. In the latter days I will bring you against my land, that the nations may know me, when through you, O Gog, I vindicate my holiness before their eyes.” – Ezekiel 38:1-16 ESV

God has promised His people that a day is coming when they will return to the land of promise and enjoy a renewed relationship with Him as His chosen people. It will be a time of peace and prosperity, free from the threat of wars, famines, or plagues.

“When I have broken their chains of slavery and rescued them from those who enslaved them, then they will know that I am the Lord. They will no longer be prey for other nations, and wild animals will no longer devour them. They will live in safety, and no one will frighten them.

“And I will make their land famous for its crops, so my people will never again suffer from famines or the insults of foreign nations.” – Ezekiel 34:27-29 NLT

This future period of tranquility and fruitfulness will be accompanied by a remarkable realignment of Israel’s spiritual priorities. The nation’s physical revitalization will be marked by a miraculous transformation of each individual’s religious affections. God will perform much-needed “heart surgery,” providing His once-rebellious people with a new capacity to love and obey Him.

“I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart. And I will put my Spirit in you so that you will follow my decrees and be careful to obey my regulations.” – Ezekiel 36:26-27 NLT

As with all prophetic pronouncements, the timing of God’s promise is left unclear. It seems clear that this divine promise of future peace and prosperity has yet to occur. To date, there has been no time at which Israel has enjoyed the kind of idyllic, war-free environment described in these passages. Even today, while Israel experiences the benefits of its status as a revitalized and prosperous nation, it is surrounded by sworn enemies who wage a relentless campaign of hostilities against its sovereignty and very existence. And, for the most part, modern Israel is a secular nation with less than half the population identifying as religious, orthodox, or traditional in terms of their faith.

When asked, “What is your present religion, if any?” virtually all Israeli Jews say they are Jewish – and almost none say they have no religion – even though roughly half describe themselves as secular and one-in-five do not believe in God. For some, Jewish identity also is bound up with Israeli national pride. Most secular Jews in Israel say they see themselves as Israeli first and Jewish second, while most Orthodox Jews (Haredim and Datiim) say they see themselves as Jewish first and then Israeli. – https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2016/03/08/israels-religiously-divided-society/

So, this prophetic message given to Ezekiel deals with an as-yet-to-be-determined point in history that remains unfulfilled. And, according to chapter 38, Israel’s future restoration to the land will be interrupted by yet another threat of invasion from an outside enemy. Once again, out of the north, will come a powerful alliance of nations that will set its sights on the land of Israel. God personifies this enemy as “Gog of the land of Magog, the prince who rules over the nations of Meshech and Tubal” (Ezekiel 38:2 NLT). And Ezekiel is told to deliver a message to this future enemy of Israel.

“Get ready; be prepared! Keep all the armies around you mobilized, and take command of them. A long time from now you will be called into action. In the distant future you will swoop down on the land of Israel, which will be enjoying peace after recovering from war and after its people have returned from many lands to the mountains of Israel. You and all your allies—a vast and awesome army—will roll down on them like a storm and cover the land like a cloud.” – Ezekiel 38:7-9 NLT

There has been much debate over the centuries as to the exact identity of the individuals and nations named in this prophecy. The names Gog and Magog appear in Ezekiel 38-39 as well as Revelation 20:7-8. This has led many scholars to conclude that both passages are referring to the same end-times event. Whoever Gog is and whatever nations Meshech and Tubal are intended to represent, we know that their arrival lies somewhere in the distant future. God describes the timing of their appearance as “the latter years” (Ezekiel 38:8 ESV) and “the latter days” (Ezekiel 38:16 ESV). On “that day” (Ezekiel 38:14 ESV), God says, “You will come from your place out of the uttermost parts of the north, you and many peoples with you, all of them riding on horses, a great host, a mighty army. You will come up against my people Israel, like a cloud covering the land. In the latter days I will bring you against my land…” (Ezekiel 38:15-16 ESV).

This coalition of northern nations will form an unholy alliance, determined to destroy God’s restored and spiritually revitalized people. The exact timing of this event is difficult to nail down, but it must take place during the end times. There are some who speculate that it will happen prior to the seven years of tribulation that will mark the end of the age. Others place it at the midway point of the tribulation when Israel is enjoying a period of peace made possible by the one-world leader known as the Antichrist. Then there are those who have concluded that this invasion of Israel is tied to the battle described in Revelation 20, which will take place at the end of Christ’s millennial reign.

When the thousand years come to an end, Satan will be let out of his prison. He will go out to deceive the nations—called Gog and Magog—in every corner of the earth. He will gather them together for battle—a mighty army, as numberless as sand along the seashore. – Revelation 20:7-8 NLT

But regardless of the identity of the participants or the exact nature of the timing of the event, God makes it clear that it will be His doing.

“In the latter days I will bring you against my land, that the nations may know me, when through you, O Gog, I vindicate my holiness before their eyes.” – Ezekiel 38:16 ESV

Whoever Gog is, he will think he is acting according to his own prerogatives.

“You will say, ‘Israel is an unprotected land filled with unwalled villages! I will march against her and destroy these people who live in such confidence!” – Ezekiel 38:11 NLT

The land of Israel will look ripe for picking and ideal for plundering. They will appear defenseless and unprotected, living out their lives in blissful ignorance and unwarranted overconfidence. But God reveals that Gog will be wrong in his assessment of the situation. Like so many times before, the Almighty will expose the unmitigated hubris of men and use their arrogant plans to display His own power and holiness. God basically states that by the time He is done with Gog and his allies, “all the nations will know that I am the Lord” (Ezekiel 38:16 NLT).

As the book of Revelation makes clear, up until the very last minute of the end times, the nations of the earth will continue to oppose God by attacking His people. Even the millennial reign of Christ will do nothing to convince the wicked to repent of their sins and turn to God. The rebelliousness of mankind that began in the Garden of Eden will continue throughout human history and only come to an end when God destroys them at the end of the age.

[Satan] will gather them together for battle—a mighty army, as numberless as sand along the seashore. And I saw them as they went up on the broad plain of the earth and surrounded God’s people and the beloved city. But fire from heaven came down on the attacking armies and consumed them. – Revelation 20:8-9 NLT

The psalmist eloquently points out the futility of the nations to oppose God. Their raging against the machine of God’s sovereign plan is useless and pointless, but they will continue to do so until God brings it all to an end.

Why are the nations so angry?
    Why do they waste their time with futile plans?
The kings of the earth prepare for battle;
    the rulers plot together
against the Lord
    and against his anointed one.
“Let us break their chains,” they cry,
    “and free ourselves from slavery to God.”

But the one who rules in heaven laughs.
    The Lord scoffs at them.
Then in anger he rebukes them,
    terrifying them with his fierce fury. – Psalm 2:1-5 NLT

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

That They May Be One

15 The word of the Lord came to me: 16 “Son of man, take a stick and write on it, ‘For Judah, and the people of Israel associated with him’; then take another stick and write on it, ‘For Joseph (the stick of Ephraim) and all the house of Israel associated with him.’ 17 And join them one to another into one stick, that they may become one in your hand. 18 And when your people say to you, ‘Will you not tell us what you mean by these?’ 19 say to them, Thus says the Lord God: Behold, I am about to take the stick of Joseph (that is in the hand of Ephraim) and the tribes of Israel associated with him. And I will join with it the stick of Judah, and make them one stick, that they may be one in my hand. 20 When the sticks on which you write are in your hand before their eyes, 21 then say to them, Thus says the Lord God: Behold, I will take the people of Israel from the nations among which they have gone, and will gather them from all around, and bring them to their own land. 22 And I will make them one nation in the land, on the mountains of Israel. And one king shall be king over them all, and they shall be no longer two nations, and no longer divided into two kingdoms. 23 They shall not defile themselves anymore with their idols and their detestable things, or with any of their transgressions. But I will save them from all the backslidings in which they have sinned, and will cleanse them; and they shall be my people, and I will be their God.

24 “My servant David shall be king over them, and they shall all have one shepherd. They shall walk in my rules and be careful to obey my statutes. 25 They shall dwell in the land that I gave to my servant Jacob, where your fathers lived. They and their children and their children’s children shall dwell there forever, and David my servant shall be their prince forever. 26 I will make a covenant of peace with them. It shall be an everlasting covenant with them. And I will set them in their land and multiply them, and will set my sanctuary in their midst forevermore. 27 My dwelling place shall be with them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 28 Then the nations will know that I am the Lord who sanctifies Israel, when my sanctuary is in their midst forevermore.” – Ezekiel 37:15-28 ESV

For generations, Israel had been a divided nation. During the reign of King Solomon, God had announced His intention to divide the kingdom in two as a result of Solomon’s promotion of idolatry in the land. The wealthy and wise king had made the mistake of marrying many foreign princesses who brought their false gods with them into the marriage. As a result, Solomon ended up embracing these pagan deities and he erected shrines and altars to them all over the kingdom of Israel. But God was not pleased.

The Lord was very angry with Solomon, for his heart had turned away from the Lord, the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice. He had warned Solomon specifically about worshiping other gods, but Solomon did not listen to the Lord’s command. So now the Lord said to him, “Since you have not kept my covenant and have disobeyed my decrees, I will surely tear the kingdom away from you and give it to one of your servants. But for the sake of your father, David, I will not do this while you are still alive. I will take the kingdom away from your son. And even so, I will not take away the entire kingdom; I will let him be king of one tribe, for the sake of my servant David and for the sake of Jerusalem, my chosen city.” – 1 Kings 11:9-13 NLT

The result of this divine division of the kingdom was two separate nations. Solomon’s son would rule over the southern kingdom of Judah in the south, consisting of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin. The northern kingdom would maintain the name of Israel and consist of the other ten tribes. This separation would last for centuries, leaving the once-unified tribes in a state of open animosity and competition with one another. The ten northern tribes, under the leadership of a long line of ungodly kings, would stand opposed to the two southern tribes. While there would be short periods of peace between the two nations, their relationship would be marked by both physical and spiritual warfare. While the southern kingdom would continue its worship of Yahweh in the temple in Jerusalem, the northern kingdom would establish a separate religious system with its own gods and places of worship. The two nations would remain divided all the way up to the day when the northern kingdom fell to the Assyrians in 722 B.C.

More than a century later, in 586 B.C., the southern kingdom would fall to the Babylonians. This tragic event is what Ezekiel has been prophesying about throughout his book. And at this point in the narrative, it has taken place. Jerusalem has fallen to Nebuchadnezzar’s forces and the city and its glorious temple have been destroyed. Yet, God has been communicating through Ezekiel His plans to redeem and restore His scattered people. He has promised to return them to the land one day and, more importantly, to radically alter their hearts so that they might finally serve Him faithfully.

“I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean. Your filth will be washed away, and you will no longer worship idols. And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart. And I will put my Spirit in you so that you will follow my decrees and be careful to obey my regulations.” – Ezekiel 36:25-27 NLT

Ezekiel was to deliver this wonderful message of redemption and restoration to the former citizens of Jerusalem who were living as exiles in Babylon. His audience would have been up entirely of Jews from the southern kingdom of Judah, and they would have been thrilled to hear that God had plans to return them to their homeland. Yet God wanted them to know that His gracious offer of restoration was for all His chosen people, not just the tribes of Judah and Benjamin. He intended to restore that which had been divided because of Solomon’s sin, and He commanded Ezekiel to communicate this plan through yet another visual demonstration.

“Son of man, take a piece of wood and carve on it these words: ‘This represents Judah and its allied tribes.’ Then take another piece and carve these words on it: ‘This represents Ephraim and the northern tribes of Israel.’ Now hold them together in your hand as if they were one piece of wood.” – Ezekiel 37:16-17 NLT

God’s instructions seem to indicate that Ezekiel was to place the two pieces of wood end to end, holding them together with his hand. This act would demonstrate that what God had once divided would be reunited and held together by His sovereign hand. He would rejoin the 12 tribes, forming them into a unified whole; a single house under the rule of one king and all serving the one true God.

“I will make them one piece of wood in my hand.” – Ezekiel 37:19 NLT

“I will unify them into one nation on the mountains of Israel. One king will rule them all; no longer will they be divided into two nations or into two kingdoms.” – Ezekiel 37:22 NLT

In this message, God declares that He will reunite the nation of Israel and place over them one king.

“My servant David will be their king, and they will have only one shepherd. They will obey my regulations and be careful to keep my decrees.” – Ezekiel 37:24 NLT

But David would have been long dead by this point. How does God intend to fulfill this seemingly impossible promise? The answer lies in another promise God made to King David.

“‘Furthermore, the Lord declares that he will make a house for you—a dynasty of kings! For when you die and are buried with your ancestors, I will raise up one of your descendants, your own offspring, and I will make his kingdom strong. He is the one who will build a house—a temple—for my name. And I will secure his royal throne forever. I will be his father, and he will be my son. If he sins, I will correct and discipline him with the rod, like any father would do. But my favor will not be taken from him as I took it from Saul, whom I removed from your sight. Your house and your kingdom will continue before me for all time, and your throne will be secure forever.’” – 2 Samuel 7:11-16 NLT

Solomon was the initial fulfillment of God’s promise, but his reign did not end well, and his kingdom ended up divided. But God states to Ezekiel that the day is coming when the kingdom will be reunified and another “son of David” will sit on the throne in Jerusalem. The prophet, Jeremiah, reveals how this reestablishment of the Davidic line will come about.

“The day will come, says the Lord, when I will do for Israel and Judah all the good things I have promised them.

“In those days and at that time
    I will raise up a righteous descendant from King David’s line.
    He will do what is just and right throughout the land.
In that day Judah will be saved,
    and Jerusalem will live in safety.
And this will be its name:
    ‘The Lord Is Our Righteousness.’

For this is what the Lord says: David will have a descendant sitting on the throne of Israel forever. – Jeremiah 33:14-17 NLT

That “descendant from King David’s line” will be none other than Jesus Christ, the rightful heir to David’s throne. The genealogies of Jesus recorded in Matthew 1 and Luke 3, establish Him as a descendant of King David. The apostle Paul confirms Jesus’ royal heritage when he writes, “In his earthly life he was born into King David’s family line, and he was shown to be the Son of God when he was raised from the dead by the power of the Holy Spirit. He is Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 1:3-4 NLT).

For the Jewish exiles in Babylon, the thought of another king like David would have been exhilarating news. He represented Israel’s glory days. It was under his reign that the nation enjoyed its greatest period of expansion and global dominance. So, God assures them that the good old days are about to return.

“…my servant David will be their prince forever. And I will make a covenant of peace with them, an everlasting covenant. I will give them their land and increase their numbers, and I will put my Temple among them forever.” – Ezekiel 37:25-26 NLT

Jesus, the Son of David and the Messiah of Israel, will return to earth one day and conquer all the enemies of Israel, establishing His kingdom in Jerusalem and ruling over the world for 1,000 years. This millennial kingdom will feature a reunified Israel, a restored temple, and an unprecedented period of peace and prosperity as King Jesus rules the earth in perfect righteousness, meting out justice from His royal throne.

But the millennial reign of Christ will eventually end and be replaced by the eternal state. The apostle John describes this epic end times event in his book of Revelation.

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone. And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven like a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.

I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, “Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them. He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.”

And the one sitting on the throne said, “Look, I am making everything new!” – Revelation 21:1-5 NLT

It is this final event to which God alludes. There is a final phase to God’s great redemptive plan and it will involve His chosen people. But in His final kingdom, people from every tribe, nation, and tongue will be united as one, sharing a common faith in Jesus Christ, the Son of David and the King of kings and Lord of lords.

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

From Death to Life

1 The hand of the Lord was upon me, and he brought me out in the Spirit of the Lord and set me down in the middle of the valley; it was full of bones. 2 And he led me around among them, and behold, there were very many on the surface of the valley, and behold, they were very dry. 3 And he said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” And I answered, “O Lord God, you know.” 4 Then he said to me, “Prophesy over these bones, and say to them, O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. 5 Thus says the Lord God to these bones: Behold, I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live. 6 And I will lay sinews upon you, and will cause flesh to come upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you shall live, and you shall know that I am the Lord.”

7 So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I prophesied, there was a sound, and behold, a rattling, and the bones came together, bone to its bone. 8 And I looked, and behold, there were sinews on them, and flesh had come upon them, and skin had covered them. But there was no breath in them. 9 Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, Thus says the Lord God: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live.” 10 So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived and stood on their feet, an exceedingly great army.

11 Then he said to me, “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. Behold, they say, ‘Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are indeed cut off.’ 12 Therefore prophesy, and say to them, Thus says the Lord God: Behold, I will open your graves and raise you from your graves, O my people. And I will bring you into the land of Israel. 13 And you shall know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves, and raise you from your graves, O my people. 14 And I will put my Spirit within you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land. Then you shall know that I am the Lord; I have spoken, and I will do it, declares the Lord.” – Ezekiel 37:1-14 ESV

God has confirmed His plan to restore Israel to the land of promise, and He has revealed His intention to prepare them spiritually for that day.

“I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart. And I will put my Spirit in you so that you will follow my decrees and be careful to obey my regulations.” – Ezekiel 36:26-27 NLT

Bringing impure and unholy people back into the land would accomplish little in the way of real change. Without a radical transformation of their hearts, they would only continue their centuries-long pattern of apostasy. So, God revealed to Ezekiel His future plans for bringing about the miraculous sanctification and justification of His chosen people. Israel’s divine metamorphosis from a nation of sinners to saints will be God’s doing, and not only will He give them new hearts and a new capacity to serve Him, but He will graciously forgive all their past sins (Ezekiel 36:33). 

In chapter 37, Ezekiel records God’s graphic illustration of just how miraculous this eschatological transformation will be. He compares Israel’s current spiritual state to that of a valley filled with dry, discarded bones. Everywhere the prophet looks, he sees a stark landscape covered in human remains. But the bodies have been dead for so long that little remains but the carrion-stripped, sun-bleached bones that lie scattered as far as the eye can see.

This surrealistic scene must have disturbed Ezekiel greatly. There was little in the way of good news he could ascertain from this macabre vision. And when God asked him, “can these bones become living people again?” (Ezekiel 37:3 NLT), Ezekiel simply replied, “O Sovereign Lord,…you alone know the answer to that” (Ezekiel 37:3 NLT). The prophet knew it wasn’t a matter of if the bones could live again, but whether they would. For something like that to happen, it would have to be the work of God, and he was uncertain as to what God’s plan for this valley of bones might be.

But his reticence to commit himself to an answer was met with another word from God.

“Speak a prophetic message to these bones and say, ‘Dry bones, listen to the word of the Lord! This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Look! I am going to put breath into you and make you live again! I will put flesh and muscles on you and cover you with skin. I will put breath into you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the Lord.’” – Ezekiel 36:4-6 NLT

The prophet was told to prophesy over the bones. By this time, Ezekiel must have known that the vision was meant to symbolize the sad spiritual state of God’s chosen people. For years now, Ezekiel had been prophesying to a spiritually dead and lifeless people who were completely incapable of responding to his messages. They were like dry, disconnected bones scattered across a lifeless landscape and devoid of any capacity to do anything about their hopeless condition.

Yet, the message God gave Ezekiel to speak to the bones was not a command for them to do something, but a promise of something God was going to do for them. The Creator-God was going to revivify and reanimate that which was dead and lifeless. It was a promise of their future restoration by the hand of God, and it sounds similar to the message Paul gave the church in Ephesus regarding their miraculous transformation from death to life when they placed their faith in Christ.

Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins. You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil—the commander of the powers in the unseen world. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God. All of us used to live that way, following the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature. By our very nature we were subject to God’s anger, just like everyone else.

But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!) For he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus. – Ephesians 2:1-6 NLT

Ezekiel is commanded to deliver this prophetic promise of God’s future restoration of His people. And as the words came out of his mouth, Ezekiel witnessed an amazing scene take place before his eyes.

…there was a rattling noise all across the valley. The bones of each body came together and attached themselves as complete skeletons. Then as I watched, muscles and flesh formed over the bones. Then skin formed to cover their bodies, but they still had no breath in them. – Ezekiel 37:7-8 NLT

Stretched out before him was a valley filled with newly restored bodies, each of them covered in muscles, sinews, and flesh. But as impressive as this sight might have been, Ezekiel noticed that they lacked one thing: Life. They had “no breath in them.” So, God gave His prophet another message to deliver.

“Speak a prophetic message to the winds, son of man. Speak a prophetic message and say, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Come, O breath, from the four winds! Breathe into these dead bodies so they may live again.’” – Ezekiel 37:9 NLT

The anatomically restored bodies remained dead. They looked good but they were useless because they were lifeless, and they needed the one thing that only God could provide: the breath of life. And when Ezekiel called for the breath, it came, filling the lungs of each lifeless body and providing them with the power to stand on their own two feet – a great army.

This dramatic vision was intended to provide Ezekiel with a glimpse into God’s future plans for the people of Israel. He even provided the prophet with a not-so-subtle explanation as to the vision’s meaning.

“Son of man, these bones represent the people of Israel.” – Ezekiel 37:11 NLT

Due to their sin, they were as good as dead to God. They had repeatedly violated His commands and turned their backs on Him, showering their affections on the many false gods of the Canaanites. And God’s judgment had scattered them to the four winds, leaving them in a lifeless and utterly hopeless state. And their abject condition had left them disheartened and demoralized.

“We have become old, dry bones—all hope is gone. Our nation is finished.” – Ezekiel 37:11 NLT

And they were right to feel defeated and discouraged. For generations, they had flaunted their disobedience in the face of God. He had repeatedly called them to repent and return to Him in contrition and humility, but they had refused. And now, they felt the full weight of His wrath and they despaired over their uncertain future.  Yet, God wanted them to know that He was not done with them. He had great plans for them.

“I will open your graves of exile and cause you to rise again. Then I will bring you back to the land of Israel. When this happens, O my people, you will know that I am the Lord. I will put my Spirit in you, and you will live again and return home to your own land. Then you will know that I, the Lord, have spoken, and I have done what I said. Yes, the Lord has spoken!’” – Ezekiel 37:12-14 NLT

The exiles to whom Ezekiel ministered wanted to go home. They longed for the day when they might be restored to their proper place in the promised land. But God knew that a revitalized nation of Israel was not the answer to their problems. They needed spiritual revivification, not just national restoration. Returning to the land in their fallen condition would result in the same sinful behavior as before. So, God revealed His plans for a complete renovation of their hearts that would produce the capacity to live in perfect obedience to Him – for eternity.

“I, the Sovereign LORD, will gather you back from the nations where you have been scattered, and I will give you the land of Israel once again.’

“When the people return to their homeland, they will remove every trace of their vile images and detestable idols. And I will give them singleness of heart and put a new spirit within them. I will take away their stony, stubborn heart and give them a tender, responsive heart, so they will obey my decrees and regulations. Then they will truly be my people, and I will be their God.” – Ezekiel 11:18-20 NLT

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

God’s Miracle Makeover of Israel

25 “I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. 26 And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 27 And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules. 28 You shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers, and you shall be my people, and I will be your God. 29 And I will deliver you from all your uncleannesses. And I will summon the grain and make it abundant and lay no famine upon you. 30 I will make the fruit of the tree and the increase of the field abundant, that you may never again suffer the disgrace of famine among the nations. 31 Then you will remember your evil ways, and your deeds that were not good, and you will loathe yourselves for your iniquities and your abominations. 32 It is not for your sake that I will act, declares the Lord God; let that be known to you. Be ashamed and confounded for your ways, O house of Israel.

33 “Thus says the Lord God: On the day that I cleanse you from all your iniquities, I will cause the cities to be inhabited, and the waste places shall be rebuilt. 34 And the land that was desolate shall be tilled, instead of being the desolation that it was in the sight of all who passed by. 35 And they will say, ‘This land that was desolate has become like the garden of Eden, and the waste and desolate and ruined cities are now fortified and inhabited.’ 36 Then the nations that are left all around you shall know that I am the Lord; I have rebuilt the ruined places and replanted that which was desolate. I am the Lord; I have spoken, and I will do it.

37 “Thus says the Lord God: This also I will let the house of Israel ask me to do for them: to increase their people like a flock. 38 Like the flock for sacrifices, like the flock at Jerusalem during her appointed feasts, so shall the waste cities be filled with flocks of people. Then they will know that I am the Lord.” – Ezekiel 36:25-38 ESV

The nations mocked the integrity and reliability of Israel’s God by questioning His failure to protect them.

“These are the people of the Lord, but he couldn’t keep them safe in his own land!” – Ezekiel 36:20 NLT

The people of Israel had flaunted their sins in the face of God despite His repeated warnings of judgment. Even after the Babylonians had begun their siege of Jerusalem, the city’s residents refused to repent of their sins and return to the Lord so that they might be pardoned and delivered. As far away as Babylon, where the exiles from Nebuchadnezzar’s first incursion into Judah had been sent, the Jews were continuing to flaunt their idolatry and immorality in the face of God.

Yet, despite these ongoing displays of stubbornness and unfaithfulness, God promised to redeem and restore a remnant of His people.

“But the mountains of Israel will produce heavy crops of fruit for my people—for they will be coming home again soon! See, I care about you, and I will pay attention to you. Your ground will be plowed and your crops planted. I will greatly increase the population of Israel, and the ruined cities will be rebuilt and filled with people.” – Ezekiel 36:8-10 NLT

But there is far more to this promise than the repatriation of God’s people to the land of promise. They had been cast out because of their wickedness and there had been little change in their spiritual condition. Nowhere along the way has God pointed out any sign of contrition or sorrow for their sin. He has not acknowledged a change in their behavior or any display of repentance among them. Yet, He promises to restore them to the land. How can that be? Why would God allow His rebellious and unrepentant children to occupy the land of promise again when they had shown no indication that they were ready to change their ways?

He has guaranteed their return in no uncertain terms.

“I, the Sovereign Lord, will gather you back from the nations where you have been scattered, and I will give you the land of Israel once again.” – Ezekiel 11:17 NLT

“I will reach out with my strong hand and powerful arm, and I will bring you back from the lands where you are scattered.” – Ezekiel 20:34 NLT

“I will bring them back home to their own land of Israel from among the peoples and nations. I will feed them on the mountains of Israel and by the rivers and in all the places where people live.” – Ezekiel 34:13 NLT

And there are no conditions tied to these promises. In other words, God has not demanded any particular action on the part of His people for these promises to be fulfilled. This message from God represents a marked change from the original agreement He had made with the Israelites when they were leaving Egypt and headed to the land of promise.

“When I led your ancestors out of Egypt, it was not burnt offerings and sacrifices I wanted from them. This is what I told them: ‘Obey me, and I will be your God, and you will be my people. Do everything as I say, and all will be well!’” – Jeremiah 7:22-23 NLT

That covenant was conditional, stipulating a stringent and unwavering commitment on the part of God’s people that they keep His commands. But this time, God demands nothing from His people. There are no calls to obedience or demands for a change in their behavior. What makes this passage so remarkable is its non-conditional nature. God is going to do for His people what they were incapable of doing for themselves.

The prophet Jeremiah records God’s assessment of His people’s inability to do the right thing.

“But my people would not listen to me. They kept doing whatever they wanted, following the stubborn desires of their evil hearts. They went backward instead of forward. From the day your ancestors left Egypt until now, I have continued to send my servants, the prophets—day in and day out. But my people have not listened to me or even tried to hear. They have been stubborn and sinful—even worse than their ancestors.” – Jeremiah 7:24-26 NLT

It didn’t matter how many times God warned, rebuked, or punished them; they would not repent because they could not. They didn’t have it in them. Yes, there were isolated cases of repentant Jews along the way. There was always a remnant of those who remained faithful to Yahweh, but they were few numbers. 

So, God reveals that He is going to do something radically different. Rather than demand repentance, God is going to provide complete renewal – from the inside out.

“I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean. Your filth will be washed away, and you will no longer worship idols. And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart. And I will put my Spirit in you so that you will follow my decrees and be careful to obey my regulations.” – Ezekiel 36:25-27 NLT

This does not describe some self-motivated, self-improvement strategy instigated by God’s people. No, this is a radical and supernatural transformation of their entire nature. It is exactly what Paul describes in his letter to the Corinthians.

Don’t you realize that those who do wrong will not inherit the Kingdom of God? Don’t fool yourselves. Those who indulge in sexual sin, or who worship idols, or commit adultery, or are male prostitutes, or practice homosexuality, or are thieves, or greedy people, or drunkards, or are abusive, or cheat people—none of these will inherit the Kingdom of God. Some of you were once like that. But you were cleansed; you were made holy; you were made right with God by calling on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. – 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 NLT

The members of the Corinthian church to whom Paul wrote had been radically transformed by the power of God made possible through their faith in Jesus Christ. They had been cleansed, made holy, and restored to a right relationship with God through their relationship with Jesus Christ. And as Paul told the believers in Ephesus, “God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it” (Ephesians 2:8-9 NLT).

God describes the same kind of transformation taking place in the lives of His chosen people, the Israelites.

“The day is coming,” says the Lord, “when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and Judah. This covenant will not be like the one I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand and brought them out of the land of Egypt. They broke that covenant, though I loved them as a husband loves his wife,” says the Lord.

“But this is the new covenant I will make with the people of Israel after those days,” says the Lord. “I will put my instructions deep within them, and I will write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.

“And they will not need to teach their neighbors, nor will they need to teach their relatives, saying, ‘You should know the Lord.’ For everyone, from the least to the greatest, will know me already,” says the Lord. “And I will forgive their wickedness, and I will never again remember their sins.” – Jeremiah 31:31-34 NLT

This passage speaks of a future day when God will redeem, renew, and restore His rebellious people. It will be the greatest of all miracles, a profound surgical procedure in which He removes their hearts of stone and replaces them with hearts of flesh. Everything about them will be changed in an instant. And He makes it clear that they will have nothing to brag about because they will have done nothing to make it happen.

“I am not doing this because you deserve it. O my people of Israel, you should be utterly ashamed of all you have done!” – Ezekiel 36:32 NLT

The holy and righteous God of Israel will one day pardon His rebellious people. He will redeem a remnant from among the descendants of Abraham and restore them to the land of Canaan where they will live in perfect communion with Him. And when this unprecedented transformation takes place, everyone will know that it is the work of God. There will be no other explanation.

“Then the surrounding nations that survive will know that I, the Lord, have rebuilt the ruins and replanted the wasteland. For I, the Lord, have spoken, and I will do what I say.” – Ezekiel 36:36 NLT

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

A Reversal of Fortunes

1 “And you, son of man, prophesy to the mountains of Israel, and say, O mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord. 2 Thus says the Lord God: Because the enemy said of you, ‘Aha!’ and, ‘The ancient heights have become our possession,’ 3 therefore prophesy, and say, Thus says the Lord God: Precisely because they made you desolate and crushed you from all sides, so that you became the possession of the rest of the nations, and you became the talk and evil gossip of the people, 4 therefore, O mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord God: Thus says the Lord God to the mountains and the hills, the ravines and the valleys, the desolate wastes and the deserted cities, which have become a prey and derision to the rest of the nations all around, 5 therefore thus says the Lord God: Surely I have spoken in my hot jealousy against the rest of the nations and against all Edom, who gave my land to themselves as a possession with wholehearted joy and utter contempt, that they might make its pasturelands a prey. 6 Therefore prophesy concerning the land of Israel, and say to the mountains and hills, to the ravines and valleys, Thus says the Lord God: Behold, I have spoken in my jealous wrath, because you have suffered the reproach of the nations. 7 Therefore thus says the Lord God: I swear that the nations that are all around you shall themselves suffer reproach.

8 “But you, O mountains of Israel, shall shoot forth your branches and yield your fruit to my people Israel, for they will soon come home. 9 For behold, I am for you, and I will turn to you, and you shall be tilled and sown. 10 And I will multiply people on you, the whole house of Israel, all of it. The cities shall be inhabited and the waste places rebuilt. 11 And I will multiply on you man and beast, and they shall multiply and be fruitful. And I will cause you to be inhabited as in your former times, and will do more good to you than ever before. Then you will know that I am the Lord. 12 I will let people walk on you, even my people Israel. And they shall possess you, and you shall be their inheritance, and you shall no longer bereave them of children. 13 Thus says the Lord God: Because they say to you, ‘You devour people, and you bereave your nation of children,’ 14 therefore you shall no longer devour people and no longer bereave your nation of children, declares the Lord God.15 And I will not let you hear anymore the reproach of the nations, and you shall no longer bear the disgrace of the peoples and no longer cause your nation to stumble, declares the Lord God.” – Ezekiel 36:1-15 ESV

Twenty fine chapters separate this message from the one Ezekiel received back in chapter six, and a quick perusal reveals their similarities and extreme differences. Back in chapter six, God gave His prophet a message to deliver against the mountains of Israel.

“This is what the Sovereign Lord says to the mountains and hills and to the ravines and valleys: I am about to bring war upon you, and I will smash your pagan shrines. All your altars will be demolished, and your places of worship will be destroyed. I will kill your people in front of your idols.” – Ezekiel 6:3-4 NLT

God goes on to warn of further judgments upon the land, describing shocking scenes of devastation and death. His chosen people will die from war, famine, and disease, as He pours out His fury upon them. And the land will suffer greatly because of the “idols and altars on every hill and mountain and under every green tree and every great shade tree—the places where they offered sacrifices to their idols” (Ezekiel 6:13 NLT).

The sins of the nation had defiled the land that God had set apart as their inheritance. Through repeated acts of immorality and their unrelenting practice of idolatry, they had desecrated the very place that was to have been their forever home. At one point, God had described Israel as “a land flowing with milk and honey, the most glorious of all lands” (Exodus 20:15 ESV), but it had been polluted by the very presence of His ungrateful and unfaithful children. So, God warned of His plan to “clean house” and purge the land of its primary problem: The people who lived there. And long before the Israelites had ever entered the land of Canaan, God had warned them about picking up the habits of the nations that lived in the land before them. Because of the wickedness of the Canaanites, God said,“ the entire land has become defiled” and “I am punishing the people who live there. I will cause the land to vomit them out” (Leviticus 18:25 NLT). But He went on to warn the Israelites not to make the same mistake. 

“All these detestable activities are practiced by the people of the land where I am taking you, and this is how the land has become defiled. So do not defile the land and give it a reason to vomit you out, as it will vomit out the people who live there now.” – Leviticus 18:27-28 NLT

As Ezekiel received the words recorded in chapter 36, the damage had been done. He was living among a contingent of Israelites who had already been “spewed out” of the land of promise and found themselves living as exiles in Babylon. And because of the recent fall of Jerusalem, they would soon be joined by a new wave of displaced refugees.

But chapter 36 provides a diametrically different message concerning the land of Israel. In what is almost a mirror image of the message contained in chapter six, God communicates His future plans for the land of promise. This time He has good news for Ezekiel to deliver to the “mountains of Israel” (Ezekiel 36:1 ESV).

“See, I care about you, and I will pay attention to you. Your ground will be plowed and your crops planted. I will greatly increase the population of Israel, and the ruined cities will be rebuilt and filled with people. I will increase not only the people, but also your animals. O mountains of Israel, I will bring people to live on you once again. I will make you even more prosperous than you were before.” – Ezekiel 36:9-11 NLT

The very people whom God had vomited from the land would be restored and the land would be renewed. But before that could happen, God was going to have to clean house again. This time, He would remove all those nations who had taken up residence in Israel’s forced absence. All the squatters and land-grabbers would be evicted to make way for the return of God’s chosen people.

“Therefore, O mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Sovereign Lord. He speaks to the hills and mountains, ravines and valleys, and to ruined wastes and long-deserted cities that have been destroyed and mocked by the surrounding nations. This is what the Sovereign Lord says: My jealous anger burns against these nations, especially Edom, because they have shown utter contempt for me by gleefully taking my land for themselves as plunder.” – Ezekiel 36:4-5 NLT

When the northern kingdom of Israel had fallen to the Assyrians, it didn’t take long for their neighbors to take advantage of their weakened state and enrich themselves by plundering their property and possessions. And the same thing would take place after the fall of the southern kingdom of Judah to the Babylonians. Nearby nations like Edom would use the opportunity to expand their borders at Judah’s expense. Having escaped annihilation at the hands of the Babylonian army, these smaller neighboring states would see Judah’s demise as a windfall and mock its fall.

“Israel is a land that devours its own people and robs them of their children!” – Ezekiel 36:13 NLT

But God promises to turn their words against them. They can laugh and ridicule all they want, but the day is coming when God will turn the tables once again. He provides a stern rebuke to Judah’s arrogant enemies and warns them that their days in the land are numbered.

“…this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I have taken a solemn oath that those nations will soon have their own shame to endure.” – Ezekiel 36:7 NLT

God was going to wipe the smirk off their faces and eliminate their very presence from the land. This time, they would be spewed out and left homeless. Because God had given the land to His people as their inheritance. The land of milk and honey would be restored to its former glory and filled with the sights and sounds of God’s children enjoying the bounty of His blessings.

“I will make you even more prosperous than you were before.” – Ezekiel 36:11 NLT

The hills, mountains, ravines, and valleys throughout Israel will once again be places of joy and celebration. The fields will be plowed and deliver an abundance of crops. The pastures will produce more than enough food to feed the flocks of God’s people. The ruined wastes and long-deserted cities will be rebuilt and repopulated as God orchestrates the return of His children.

The prophet, Zechariah, echoes these words of future hope and divine restoration.

“Once more I will cause the remnant in Judah and Israel to inherit these blessings. Among the other nations, Judah and Israel became symbols of a cursed nation. But no longer! Now I will rescue you and make you both a symbol and a source of blessing. So don’t be afraid.” – Zechariah 8:12-13 NLT

And God provided Zechariah with further insight into that future day when He will restore the fortunes of His people and reestablish them as the inheritors of His land.

“This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: People from nations and cities around the world will travel to Jerusalem. The people of one city will say to the people of another, ‘Come with us to Jerusalem to ask the Lord to bless us. Let’s worship the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. I’m determined to go.’ Many peoples and powerful nations will come to Jerusalem to seek the Lord of Heaven’s Armies and to ask for his blessing.” – Zechariah 8:20-22 NLT

Everything will come full circle because God has ordained it. He is faithful to keep His word and determined to finish what He began.

“Then you will know that I am the Lord.” – Ezekiel 36:11 NLT

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.