Dei Break
Ezekiel 40:1 - 42:20
Bill Cosby, in one of his great monologues, plays Noah. One of the lines said by Noah to God upon hearing the ark-building instructions was, according to Cosby, "Uh-huh. What's a cubit?" A cubit is generally thought to be about 1.5 feet (18 inches), but Ezekiel specifically adds about three more inches. A measuring rod was probably a little over ten feet long. Knowing this sure makes reading about Ezekiel's vision more interesting.
Ezekiel emphasizes the temple in his messages to the people. He tells of God's departure from the temple, the destruction of the temple and the city, and now he sees a vision of the glorious temple restored.
Ezekiel is guided through his vision of this temple by a heavenly being. Ezekiel's temple, as it has become known, has never been built. Many theories exist as to the complete meaning of Ezekiel's vision, many of them "interesting" to say the least. Some even link it to a visit from aliens, but the most prevalent view, outside of a spiritual interpretation concerning God and His return to His people, is that this temple will be a part of a millennial kingdom of the future, when Jesus will reign on earth for a thousand years.
The Millennial Kingdom is part of the belief system of several Christian denominations concerning the last days before Satan's final destruction by Christ. Like some other beliefs specific to denominational doctrines, the actual events of the end times are not described clearly by Scripture, so whether we believe that Ezekiel's temple is a specific structure or a spiritual statement isn't imperative. It will be interesting to see what God has in mind!
Next time: Even More About the Temple
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