21/06/2024
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐊𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐝𝐨𝐦 𝐎𝐟 𝐄𝐥𝐨𝐡𝐢𝐲𝐦
𝙈𝙀𝙏𝙃𝙊𝘿 𝙊𝙁 𝙒𝙊𝙍𝙎𝙃𝙄𝙋
Is Ezekiel 43 supporting Animal Sacrifice in a New Temple?
1. Ezekiel 43:18 says “and he said unto me, son of Adam thus says Adonia Yahusha; These are the ordinances of the altar in the day when they shall make it, to offer ascending smoke offering thereon, and to sprinkle blood thereon”. The rest of the chapter continues to list the type of animals and number that would be killed and burnt at the temple for Yah.
2. This chapter and other chapters of the book of Ezekiel have convinced many especially the Orthodox Hebrew scripture believers to say authoritatively that very soon a New Temple will be constructed, in a New city of Jerusalem as the capital of the New Kingdom of Elohiym in Israel and then Animal Sacrifices will resume at the Temple there in Jerusalem.
3. I am not at all against this belief or supporting it for some reasons based on my experience. My experience on matters of this kind where certain scriptures say “Yes” about a thing and other scriptures seemingly say “No” on the same thing tells me anyone’s decision depends on what foundation the person has built his/her faith upon.
4. If you are pro-orthodox Judaism, you are likely going to support the “Yes” for animal sacrifice at a New Temple soon to be physically erected in Jerusalem, but if you are anti-orthodox Judaism, you are likely going to support the “No” for animal sacrifice at a New Temple. However, there are believers who are neither pro-orthodox Judaism nor anti-orthodox Judaism. They are in between according to Revelation 14:12, “who keep the commandments of Elohiym, AND the faith of Yahusha Messiah”.
5. The next question should be in my opinion, which group is likely going to lead us to have a place at the New kingdom of Elohiym that is coming to this earth? So that we can follow them and learn from them as well. I think the group that is in between which is said to be like the remnant in Revelation 12:17 is the best. They are keeping the commandments of Elohiym and have the testimony of Yahusha Messiah as well. This character of keeping the commandments (the law of Elohiym) and having the testimony of Yahusah Messiah will likely able to make one unbiased on controversial issues in the Scriptures.
The New Kingdom
6. Before we delve into the matter at hand (animal sacrifice at a new temple in Jerusalem) let us discuss about the new kingdom in detail. Before the coming of the Messiah to the Jews, they had read in the book of Daniel about a dream a certain King of Babylon by name Nebuchadnezzar had. The dream was so serious to the king and he needed to find its meaning. Why was this dream recorded in the scriptures? It was recorded because as we later found out, it was a dream sent to the king to tell him the future of the world which today is a history of events that happened during the king and after.
7. Interestingly, a Hebrew son was the only person in that kingdom who could interpret the frightful dream to the king. Needless to repeat the dream again but let us remind ourselves of the interpretation. Aside from my belief and that of most (Bible) believers of the scriptures, some unbelievers are speculating that whether to flatter the king or not, the Hebrew son, Daniel explained that the different metals of the huge human image represented different kingdoms and Nebuchadnezzar was the head of gold, implying it was a golden age or time of prosperity during his reign over Babylon empire. The other layers were the kingdoms that followed Babylon, and each was not as great as the previous.
8. Scholars (both believers and non-believers) believe that the silver represented the Medo/Persian Empire (537BC) which Nebuchadnezzar married into. The bronze layer was probably the Grecian Empire (330BC) which was overtaken by the Roman Empire in 63 BC. The two legs of iron was a representation of the East and Western Rome. The feet mixed up with clay and iron that begun in 527 A.D. represented the Papal Rome - a combination of Christianity Kingdom and Roman governments where Christian laws and Roman laws were used to rule the people.
9. The image in Nebuchadnezzar’s dream outlined the different kingdom’s of man from the time of Babylon to many years after the resurrection and ascension of the Messiah, but the dream did not end there as a stone was cut with an invisible hand above, then the stone came down to strike the feet of the human image and caused it to crumble and even became dust and vanished. The feet and toes of the image is the end of man’s kingdoms because it is obvious that there are no more appendages on the image. The stone is not part of the image itself but comes as a separate kingdom to crush the kingdom of men and end their dominion.
10. Whereas the kingdom of men comes to an end, the stone “will itself grow to all ends of the earth and endures forever”. The stone is the kingdom message, the kingdom commands and peace of Elohiym through the High Priest Yahusha Messiah. Elohimy’s Kingdom (the New kingdom) is not based on fleshly dominion. Daniel 7:27 says “And the kingdom and dominion, and greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose Kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey Him.”
11. The Saints of the most high” is certainly referred to the overcomers in the book of Revelation who are neither pro-Judaism nor anti-Judaism. They are in between, who will keep the commandments of YAHUAH and shall be witnesses of Yahusah Messiah as the King and Chief Priest in the New Kingdom Rev. 14:12, Rev. 12:17.
Unfortunately Judaism does not recognize Yahusha Messiah one bit in the foreshadowed true history of the world through Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream. And on the other divide, anti-Judaism does not accept the commandments of Yahuah as binding anymore. They say and believe that grace through Yahusha’s death has done away with the laws of Yahuah.
THE NEW JERUSALEM
12. It was necessary for Yahusha to leave the earth and ascend to heaven in order to establish the final removal of Elohiym’s esteem (glory) from earthly temples and cities. Once this had been completed, then the esteem of Elohiym returned and rested upon the disciples in the upper room on the day of the Feast of Weeks.
13. From this point on, as the Apostle Paul explains, we individuals are the temples of Elohiym (1 Cor. 3:16). Yahusha Messiah is the Chief cornerstone and the apostles and prophets as the foundation stones (Eph. 2:20-22). Others are living stones in this temple (1 Peter 2:5). Most importantly, perhaps, is the fact that Elohiym’s name now rests upon us as people, not upon an external ark of the covenant in a temple made of wood and stone in a carnal city in Palestine.
14. One cannot understand the fulfillment of prophecy without seeing that there are two Jerusalems: the Old Jerusalem and the New Jerusalem. This distinction makes it possible to understand the seeming contradiction between scriptural statements of blessings and curses upon Jerusalem.
THE WALLS OF THE NEW JERUSALEM
15. John describes the “walls” and “gates” of this city in physical terms, but it is quite obvious that these are symbolic things. The wall is said to be 144 cubits high in Rev. 21:17 which is the scriptural number denoting the elect. This connects the number to those elect who are raised from the dead and saved from death.
16. Walls of a city are for its protection and act as a boundary to keep out those who are not authorized to enter the city. In that the walls are called “SALVATION”, it indicates that only the saved may enter this city. Zech. 2:5 describes the walls as “a wall of fire”. Why is it described as fire? Deut. 33:2 tells us that He gave Israel a “fiery law” at Sinai. The law is the fire of Elohiym that judges all men. A law is a moral boundary.
17. Again the description of the New Jerusalem shows that the city shall be in more than one location upon the earth in Zech. 2:1-5. This is because Zachariah prophesies that the city will be “WITHOUT WALLS” and then in the next verse he says there will be a “wall of fire around her”. Yes there will be a wall around this Jerusalem, but not a physical wall around a group of buildings. It is a wall of salvation and a wall of fire (Law). No one passes through this wall by physically walking through one of the gates. The whole idea of a city with walls around it where a temple could be built for animal sacrifices is NOT likely here.
The Gates of the New Jerusalem
18. The New Jerusalem is also said to have twelve gates with names of the twelve tribes of Israel written on them. These are also said to be twelve pearls (Rev. 21:21). These descriptions of the gates are obviously not literal. The prophet gives us the basic definition of the gates when he says in Isaiah 60:18 “… but you will call your walls salvation, and your gates PRAISE.” John also says in Rev. 21:21 that the twelve gates are called “Pearl”, because the twelve tribes taken collectively are the “Pearl of great price”. Yahusha came to purchase this pearl by His death on the stake, but in doing this, He ended up purchasing the whole world.
19. Yahusha spoke of these things in two short parables in Matt 13:44-46. “The Kingdom of heaven is like a TREASURE hidden in the field, which a man found and hid; and from joy over it he goes and sells all that he has, and buys that field. Again, the Kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking fine PEARLS, and upon finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had, and bought it. Yahusha took the themes of His Parables from the Scriptures themselves, so they are not difficult to interpret.
20. Yahusha came and found the lost tribes of Israel hidden in the world in their dispersion. So He purchased the entire field (the world) in order to obtain the treasure. Thus, the whole world has benefited from the dispersion of Israel.
21. The description of the New Jerusalem continues as a city that will need no sun and no moon light because Elohiym Himself will be its light. (Is. 60:19, 20). In Rev 21:23 John Prophesies the same. “the city has no need of the sun or the moon to shine upon it, for the glory of Elohiym has illumined it, and its lamp is the Lamb.” These are metaphorical descriptions that point to the fact that the physical things in the old Jerusalem shall not be required in the New Jerusalem of the New Kingdom. Therefore, it is likely that animal sacrifice at a physical temple will not be needed. Our worship and sacrifice shall be in the spiritual form and not in the physical form. Again it will be in a city so big without boundaries. The only boundary shall be in the form of “fire” which are not physical fire but the law of Elohiym.
22. The expansion of the Kingdom is clearly progressive over time. In the Tabernacles Age to come, the STONE kingdom (in Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream) will start out relatively small and will then grow until it fills the whole earth. In other words, the border wall of the kingdom will move outward as other nations are won to Messiah and proclaim Yahusha Messiah as king.
23. At the end of the thousand years, however, there will still be certain nations (called “Gog and Magog” in Rev 20:8) that will be outside the borders of the kingdom. These will be inspired to declare war on the kingdom of Elohiym but Elohiym will conquer them. That will complete the kingdom’s takeover of the earth.
The Final Phase of Kingdom Expansion
24. This will be the point where the kingdom enters a new phase in its march towards UNIVERSAL RECONCILIATION.
Once all of the living have become Kingdom citizens, the focus turns toward the dead, that is, the past generations who died without Messiah in their life. The Great White Throne is set up at that point, and all of the dead are summoned for judgment. Then every knee will bow and every tongue will confess (profess) Messiah to the esteem of Elohiym as Isaiah and Paul tell us. They will become citizens of the kingdom, but yet they will have to learn righteousness through the judgments of the fiery law (Isaiah 26:9). They will need to grow to spiritual maturity, even as all of us have had to grow through the set-apart spirit’s baptism.
25. So those new believers at the Great White Throne will be placed under “TUTORS and GOVERNORS (Galatians 4:2) who will teach them the laws of Elohiym by personal example. The “river of fire” in Daniel 7:10 is the decree of divine judgment coming from the throne of Elohiym.
The “lake of fire” in Revelation 20:14, 15 is the aftermath of the “river”. That means the lake is the state in which these former unbelievers learn to conform to the laws of Elohiym while under the authority of the sons of Elohiym.
26. In conclusion, a New Temple, in a New Jerusalem in a New Kingdom is not likely going to be a physical temple built with wood and stone and iron because the book of Revelation which captures every prophesy by the prophets of Old (Ezekiel, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Daniel and others) does not show us (even indirectly) that after all set and done there shall be sacrifices of physical objectives like animals on an altar in a temple. The whole idea of animal sacrifices to be officiated by a Jewish Priest at a new temple is supported by Judaism because a new covenant and a new Priest for the whole world in the person of Yahusha Messiah is something they abhor.
THE CONSTRUCTION OF NEW TEMPLE(S)
27. There has been so much misunderstanding of the establishment of the New Kingdom, the New Jerusalem and especially the New Temple. Ezekiel’s Prophecy of the Sacrifices at the temple dangerously sustains the belief in animal sacrifices by an appointed priest.
28. When the stone that would strike the human kingdoms begin to grow and expand to the ends of the earth, proper understanding of various prophecies shall come progressively to “many peoples and nations and tongues and Kings” (Rev. 10:11). As knowledge of the world increases, the New Temple of Elohiym shall begin the take shape. This of course is the first topic of the eleventh chapter of Revelation.
29. 1 Peter 2:4,5 says, “And coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected by men, but choice and precious in the sight of Elohiym, you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to Elohiym through Yahusha Messiah.” Messiah is the “Living Stone” and we as believers are “Living Stones” as well. Peter goes on to say that the main stone, Yahusha Messiah, is the Precious conner stone” (1 Peter 2:6), whereas we ourselves are the other stones being shaped and prepared to be placed in the walls of this New Temple.
30. Paul spoke of this as well in Ephesians 2:20-22. This spiritual temple constructed out of “living stones” is the temple prophesied by Ezekiel and Haggi, whether they understood it or not. The Shekinah had lifted from the first temple in Ezekiel 11:23; and Jeremiah 7:12-14 decreed that it would be “as Shiloh”, never again to return either to shiloh or to Jerusalem. This is why the second temple, when completed in the time of Zerubbabel, was not glorified. The decree of Elohiym forbade it. As with Shiloh, from which place the esteem (glory) had first departed (1 Samuel 4:20, 21, 22), Elohiym had written ICHABOD on the earthly Jerusalem as well.
31. The glory, did not return until the day of Pentecost, (Shavuot) when it fell, not upon the people at Herod’s temple, but upon the disciples in the upper room. These disciples were the first “stones” of the new temple being built upon the foundation of Messiah.
32. The manner of building this new temple was prefigured in the construction of Solomon’s temple. We find it in 1 Kings 6:7 “And the house, while it was being built, was built of stone prepared at the quarry; and there was neither hammer nor axe nor any iron tool heard in the house while it was being built”. The old temple was built of physical stones, which were eventually torn down; the new Temple of living stones will endure forever. The stones of Solomon’s temple were quarried from a mountain and shaped offsite.
33. The reason is because the law in Exodus 20:25 says, “and if you make an altar of stones for me, you shall not build it of cut stones, for if you wield your tool on it, you will profane it.” In his wisdom, Solomon applied this law to the temple (site) itself, which is a greater “alter of stone”. Yet, because of necessity the stone had to be shapel by iron tools, the work was done offsite so that such sounds would not be heard at the temple site itself. This unique application of the law was revealed by Elohiym, and it prophesied of things to come.
34. The living stones is the New Temple were shaped by the iron Kingdom of Rome mostly through persecution. This continued throughout the era of the “little horn” which was the extension of the iron kingdom. We can recall that the little horn was to wage war with the saints until the transfer of authority to the saints of Most High. All of this opposition and persecution helped to shape the living stones so that they might fit smoothly one upon the other in true unity with Messiah.
35. The true altar of Elohiym is not really made of physical stones either. The heart is the true altar, and if we try to shape our own heart by carnal methods we will only pollute it. The law allows only naturally shaped stones - that is, stones shaped over time by Elohiym Himself. This teaches us that only the Set-apart Spirit can change the heart. We may regulate our behaviour, but only Elohiym is capable of changing one’s heart.
36. Organized religion by its coercion and persecution, tried to shape men’s hearts by the iron tools at its disposal, but all they have been doing has been the pollution of the hearts of men with warped ideas about the mind of Messiah. Yet even this was used by Elohiym to accomplish a higher purpose in the big picture of the overall Temple. Therefore, the manner in which Solomon’s builders used iron tools to shape the stones seemed to violate the law, but yet it did not. So also, when Elohiym shaped the living stones using the tools of the iron kingdom, this too was acceptable in the divine plan even though it was a great sin in regard to the will of Elohiym.
MEASURING THE TEMPLE
37. Rev. 11:1-2 says “And there was given me a measuring rod like a staff and someone said “Rise and measure the temple of Elohiym, and the altar, and those who worship in it. And leave out the court which is outside the temple, and do not measure it, for it has been given the nations, and they will tread underfoot the holy city for forty-two months. To measure something is to understand or comprehend something prophetically, especially in terms of times. Distance and time are both measured by numbers according to an established standard of measure. In scripture, distance is measured in cubits, handbreadths, and reeds. Time is measured in days, weeks, years and jubilees in sabbatical increments of sevens. Distance and time often correlate in prophecy, because distance often represents time (usually years).
THE MEASUREMENT OF EXEKIEL'S TEMPLE
38. In Revelation 11:1, John was given a reed and told to “measure the temple of Elohiym, and the altar, and those who worship in it”. The temple and altar cannot be separated from “those who worship in it” the fact that the temple can be measured shows that it was a limited size. By extension, it indicates that it included only a limited number of worshippers.
39. By contrast, the outer court was not to be measured, “for it has been given to the nations” who were not true worshipers, and so they could not be measured by the divine standard (Sacred cubit). For this reason, they were in need of the light of the word from the two lampstands which represented to two witnesses in Rev. 11:3,4.
40. The measurement of Ezekiel’s temple is the same as in Solomon’s temple. The Holy place was 40x20 cubits (Ezekiel 41:2), and the Most Holy Place of 20x20 cubits (Ezekiel 41:4). If we convert these figures to handbreadth, the Holy Place was 280x140 handbreadths, covering an area of 39,200 square handbreadths. This number is 800x49, so we see that it is built upon the truth of Jubilee (49).
41. As for the Most Holy Place, which is half the size of the Holy Place, 20x20 cubits is 140x140 handbreadths, covering an area of 19,600 square handbreadths. This number is 400x49, again revealing the Jubilee. Ezekiel’s temple used the sacred (long) cubit, whereas Solomon’s temple was measured “in cubits according to the old standard” (2 Chronicles 3:3). Hence, we see a progressive pattern from fleshly to spiritual. Solomon’s temple was built according to the six-handbreadth cubit, while the temple of Ezekiel and John was measured by the seven handbreadth cubit.
MEASURING THE TEMPLE GROUNDS and CITY
42. Ezekiel 41:13, 14 give us the measurement of the temple grounds. The passage says “Then he measured the temple, a hundred cubits long; the separate area with the building and its walls were also a hundred cubits long. Also the width of the front of the temple and that of the separate areas along the east side totaled a hundred cubits.”
43. In other words, the temple ground were 100x100 cubits. This is 10,000 square cubits, or 490,000 square handbreadths. (100 cubits times 7 handbreadths is 700 handbreadths wide. 700x700 is 49x1000 so it too is built upon the measure of the Jubilee.
44. Likewise, the measurement of the city itself (i.e. the walls) is said to be 500 reeds on each side (Ezekiel 42:16-20). The walls were design “to divide between the holy and the profane” (Ezekiel 42:20). The purpose of the New Jerusalem wall was not to keep people out, but to channel them through the proper gates (doors). Yahusha said “I am the door” (John 10:9), and that “he who does not enter by the door but climbs up some other way, he is a thief and a robber”. (John 10:1)
45. In other words, the “Holy” ones who gain access to the city are those who come in through the Door (Messiah). All others remain “profane” until they come to Messiah. The wall, which is the law (boundary) separates the to two until such time that every knee bows and every tongue confesses Him as the Master (Isaiah 45:25-24); Philippians 2:10-11).
46. So each wall in this foursquare “city” is said to be 500 reeds in length or 3,500 cubits, or 21,000 handbreadths. None of these are perfectly divisible by 49, but when we calculate the area of the city enclosed by the four walls, it is 250,000 square reeds, or 12,250,000 square cubits (250,000 x 49). If we calculate the area of the city in square handbreadths, it is 600,250,000 h2, and this is 12,250,000 x 49 as well.
47. Hence, we see that all the dimensions of the New Jerusalem, the temple grounds and the temple itself are built upon the basic unit of 49, which is the Jubilee number. That in turn is built upon the perfect number seven. (because 7 x 7 = 49).
48. This is the temple that John saw as well. It is not to be interpreted in terms of a physical temple or physical city as in the days of Solomon. We know this by the fact that two different cubits were used, one ordinary and the other sacred, in building the two houses.
49. Therefore, (real) animal sacrifices on the altars of human hearts in the new temples that will be constructed with living stones (the overcomer-the saints) at the New Jerusalem in the New Kingdom to be ushered in by the Messiah, the Chief Priest seems unattainable.
