Tuesday, December 9, 2014

Bible Study Notes in Ezekiel- Chapter 40

Ezekiel 40
 

-In the twenty-fifth year of the Jewish exile at the hands of the Babylonians, some time since Ezekiel’s last vision, the hand of the LORD, at the beginning of that year on the tenth day of the first month and fourteen years since the city of Jerusalem was taken by Nebuchadnezzar, came upon His prophet and brought him in the Spirit to the land of Israel setting him on a very high mountain (cross reference Isaiah 2:2). To the south of this mountain there was a structure like a city. There was a man (either an angel or a theophany of Christ) there whose appearance was like bronze, and he had a line of flax and a measuring rod in his hand. He was standing in the gateway as Ezekiel came to see the structure. The man then said to him, “Son of man, see with your eyes, hear with your ears, and give attention to all that I am going to show you; for you have been brought here in order to show it (the Temple) to you. Declare to the house of Israel all that you see (Ezekiel 40:1-4).” This is either interpreted literally or symbolically. If it is literal, the Temple that was shown to Ezekiel was one that was given to Zerubbabel as a blueprint but never obediently followed in 520-515 B.C., or it is a Temple to be rebuilt during the millennial reign of Jesus Christ. Symbolical interpretation, which to me would make all the measurements and structural details unnecessary, could include either the Temple representing the true worship to God of the Christian church now, or a symbolic future when God’s presence is filling and blessing the earth. These last two interpretations are weak in my opinion and understanding. The symbolic position’s only recourse is that the focal point seems to be on the sacrificial system, which Christ has abolished by His work on the cross. We are left to speculate on this issue since the Temple has not been constructed to these specifications up to the current time.

-The remainder of the chapter deals with the details of the layout of the Temple and its wall (Ezekiel 40:5-49).

-*Application* It is as if God went into the future and gave him a DVD of exactly what His Messianic Temple would look like. God’s glory rests in His precision and articulate creativity. He has created each of us with a special call and destiny, which can only be accomplished if we surrender to His will and purposes. Allow Him to design and the blueprint and complete the calling that is on your life. Let His providence rule and do not resist His dreams for you.

 

Verse to Memorize: Ezekiel 40:4

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