What the Lord had in mind and what actually was built seem to be two very different things. Ezekiel’s temple was supposed to have some of the features that we see in the “new Jerusalem” that comes down from heaven in Revelation
I read in many places that Ezekiel’s vision was for a temple that will be built in the future. But as a common person, just reading the Bible and comparing texts to one another, I have difficulty with that idea.
The temple in Ezekiel’s vision had water flowing from the temple (Chapter 47) which flowed out the East gate and became a stream that became deeper and deeper as it went. Along the sides of this stream grew fruit trees that produced fruit each month, and the leaves were to be used for healing. In the Book of Revelation, the word “tree” is singular, and it’s identified as the “tree of life”, a nomenclature that is absent in Ezekiel. Oh, and by the way….Revelation says there isn’t a temple in the city. The water that flows out of Jerusalem comes from the throne…the temple itself is gone. How could this be a vision of a temple that will one day be on earth when Revelation says there is no temple in the city? Add that to the activity that takes place in the temple (sacrifices for sin) and you should come to the same conclusion that I did….this was a vision for Ezekiel’s time.
As of today, I believe that God wanted to do far more for Israel than what they ever realized. What I mean is, God wanted to all of these wonderful things to occur in their time….a few hundred years B.C….and they never saw them because they didn’t become the holy people that God wanted them to be. They came back from captivity in Babylon, but they never broke free of their captivity to unbelief. How very sad.
God wanted the fruit trees with fresh crops of fruit and healing leaves in their day. We should have had those things already, but we don’t, simply because of our unbelief.
Unbelief, or lack of faith diminishes our potential in Christ. God wants to do more in us, and through us than we can imagine…if we will only allow Him! The key to all of this is spelled out in the function of the temple…Holiness. When God is treated as holy, and when we treat our bodies as holy, we see the Lord respond in powerful ways. Mountains split, rivers flow, trees produce fruit and wounds are healed. Holiness is the key to it all. God already wants to do it, in fact, He would have done all this long ago if we had only been obedient.
The idea that the Jews didn’t build the right temple is a new thought for me, and I confess that it’s exciting to think about (as I learn something new) even while at the same time it’s sad. (thinking about what we squandered).
I suppose God wants to do more in my life than I have allowed Him to do. His plan for me is far greater than my plans for myself…I hope that I am not holding Him back in any way. It is my constant prayer and goal to be holy in increasing measure as I interact with the Lord.
Faithfully,
PR