-
Welcome to Baptist Board, a friendly forum to discuss the Baptist Faith in a friendly surrounding.
Your voice is missing! You will need to register to get access to all the features that our community has to offer.
We hope to see you as a part of our community soon and God Bless!
How Do We Interpret The temple Described By Ezekial?
- Thread starter JesusFan
- Start date
thomas15
Well-Known Member
It's a covenant complete with a vestibule, central air and vaulted ceilings. Nice touch!
Osage Bluestem
Member
The passages regarding the Temple in Ezekiel are actually the passages worked to convert my thinking from amillenial covenant theology to premillenial dispensational theology.
No other system deals with those passages except for dispensationalism.
I believe it is a literal temple that will be in Jerusalem during the millenial reign of Christ on earth.
Since the temple was part of the old covenant and not a part of the new covenant and we are now in the new covenant and we can't go back to the old covenant--it is obvious that there won't be a literal temple that has any meaning or value to God in the future. Even if misguided individuals build a future temple it would be meaningless to God.
Osage Bluestem
Member
I believe there will be a Temple and there will be sacrifices done there by the Jews that are done as a memorial of Christ's work and all he has done for them. Much like today we take the Lord's Supper they will present Levitical sacrifices. I believe Jesus Christ will be the high priest during his millenial reign.
That's the way I've understood it in dispensational theology.
Depends if you will allow for the idea of there being 2 Covenant people unto the Lord, National and Spiritual Israel.
Spiritual being bride of Christ, Church, all saved from among jews/Gentiles
National Jewish all those alive and remaining at time of second Coming
Church in Heavenly jerusalem reigning with Christ
Israel reigning thru messiah Christ enthroned in earthly jerusalem
temple set up to observe ordinances and memorials unto the King and Messiah to the nations during Jesus Millinual Reign
Spiritual being bride of Christ, Church, all saved from among jews/Gentiles
National Jewish all those alive and remaining at time of second Coming
Church in Heavenly jerusalem reigning with Christ
Israel reigning thru messiah Christ enthroned in earthly jerusalem
temple set up to observe ordinances and memorials unto the King and Messiah to the nations during Jesus Millinual Reign
Osage Bluestem
Member
In order to arrive at correct interpretation we must keep in mind all of scripture and use the proper historical grammatical hermeneutic observing the law of non contradiction. Thus, we know that all sacrifices of all time have pointed to the one sacrifice of Christ. Sacrifices in the temple are nothing more than a holy ritual like the Lord's Supper.
Except of course when the text clearly states they are for "sin offerings". Unless you believe obedience will lead back to sin offerings in some future Temple.
Osage Bluestem
Member
They are sin offerings that look back on sin and redemption the same as they used to look at sin and forward to redemption. They do not make atonement, however. It is clear in Hebrews that the blodd of animals doesn't make atonement and that Christ's sacrifice was done once for all.
When Christ rules he will perfectly execute all levitical law. It is His law. He said not a jot or tittle of the law will be taken away until the end happens when all has been accomplished. The end happens after the millenial reign. So he will obey the law like all Jews should.
Eze.45:
15 Also one sheep is to be taken from every flock of two hundred from the well-watered pastures of Israel. These will be used for the grain offerings, burnt offerings and fellowship offerings to make atonement for the people, declares the Sovereign LORD. 16 All the people of the land will be required to give this special offering to the prince in Israel. 17 It will be the duty of the prince to provide the burnt offerings, grain offerings and drink offerings at the festivals, the New Moons and the Sabbaths--at all the appointed festivals of the house of Israel. He will provide the sin offerings, grain offerings, burnt offerings and fellowship offerings to make atonement for the house of Israel.
thomas15
Well-Known Member
I for one take all of the Ezekiel passages from (for the sake of this discussion) from Ch 37 to beyond Ch 45 to be future. Reason: because many of the predictions contained in those passages have not happened yet. So, as far as sin offerings in Ezekiel making atonement for sin, it is an issue that has to be discussed as mature adults would discuss things. The problem, if it really is a problem doesn't go away under covenant a-mil theology which has the burden of explaining all of the temple and land division details in this passage which have not been historically achieved.
Both dispensationalist and covenant students of the word are in agreement that Christ's shed blood paid our sin debt and that salvation is by grace through faith in Christ throughout all of the human experience. This would include the time from Moses up to the end of the 2nd temple period, a time that included sin offerings as a regular act of worship.
I think there is some Biblical merit in keeping an open mind regarding a future temple sturcture in Jerusalem with sacrifices as outlined in the Ezekiel passenges now under consideration. Such sacrifices do not have to compete with Christ's work on the cross anymore than those sacrifices from Moses through the 2nd temple period did.
Osage Bluestem
Member
We know they aren't actually atonement so observing the law of non contradiction we see that they point to the atonement of Christ's sacrifice.
Thank goodness we have a better system now than what the temple represented
Jesus said he paid the entire price--so obviously actually offering sacrifices would be slap to his face--an abomination!
So think about what dispensatioal theology promotes--if actual sacrifices would be an abomination to Christ would it be ok to perform pretend sacrifices. A pretend abomination.
There is no future temple--it had two purposes for sacrifices which have been done away with by Christ and to house the Holy of Holies where God's presence dwelt, but now He, in the form of the Holy Spirit, dwells within men.
I think Tom Riggle in some of his writings explained it very well. In the end God is not about building temples he's about building a people.
The temple had it's place in the old covenant and it was always God's plan that the old covenant, and the law, and temples, would give way to a better system--the new covenant where we have a personal relationship with God.
The temple is a relic of a temporary system where the priests stood between the people and God and their relationship was a corporate not personal relationship.
Only misunderstanding and confusion would seek to bring such an inferior system back.
Jesus said he paid the entire price--so obviously actually offering sacrifices would be slap to his face--an abomination!
So think about what dispensatioal theology promotes--if actual sacrifices would be an abomination to Christ would it be ok to perform pretend sacrifices. A pretend abomination.
There is no future temple--it had two purposes for sacrifices which have been done away with by Christ and to house the Holy of Holies where God's presence dwelt, but now He, in the form of the Holy Spirit, dwells within men.
I think Tom Riggle in some of his writings explained it very well. In the end God is not about building temples he's about building a people.
The temple had it's place in the old covenant and it was always God's plan that the old covenant, and the law, and temples, would give way to a better system--the new covenant where we have a personal relationship with God.
The temple is a relic of a temporary system where the priests stood between the people and God and their relationship was a corporate not personal relationship.
Only misunderstanding and confusion would seek to bring such an inferior system back.
Paul would disagree since he quotes from there.
thomas15
Well-Known Member
Individual Soul Liberty is one of the reasons why I'm a Baptist. The exercise of that liberty with a literal understanding of the actual words in the Bible is one of the reasons why I'm dispensational. The well deserved repuatation that the internet has a lot of misinformation is one of the reasons why I have at this point in my life lost the need to win every on-line arguement, especally with people I don't know and probably will never meet, nice as they may be. Sorry if that offends.
thomas15
Well-Known Member
Have a blessed day Sir.
It clearly states they are for sin offerings and atonement. Yet you say no and claim they are for a memorial, even though nowhere in the passage does it state such a thing.
You must also believe circumcision will be a requirement for worship during the MK.
‘Thus says the Lord God, "No foreigner uncircumcised in heart and uncircumcised in flesh, of all the foreigners who are among the sons of Israel, shall enter My sanctuary.
Do you not see a problem here? Back to circumcision, back to sin offerings back to all the things Christ fulfilled and have been done away with. Things God took no pleasure in you say will be done as a memorial.
Heb.10:8
After saying above, "Sacrifices and offerings and whole burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin You have not desired , nor have You taken pleasure in them" (which are offered according to the Law),
Osage, I can tell your a smart guy, no doubt smarter than me, but I believe you are letting your pre-suppositions drive your interpretation. You are forcing square pegs into round holes.
I'm always amazed at this statement by Dispies. Yet when they are shown clear time statements(Rev 1:1,3) they suddenly aren't quite as "literal" as they claim.
You too have a blessed day. :wavey: