20th Meeting - What's Missing in Temple.

Here is a list of items that are missing from the Temples that were built by Solomon and rebuilt by Ezra and Zerubbabel and enlarged by Herod the great. We need to understand who is building this temple and why. The previous post concerns people that do not believe for whatever reason this Temple will be built. The fact they believe like this shows they don't understand why this temple needed to be built. Go back to chapter 40 of Ezekiel, and reread who it was that did the measuring, and decreed that this information be written down. After doing so, it should be perfectly clear who is building the Temple and why. God commanded both the angel (to measure) and Ezekiel to write down what was measured.

1. The first thing not mentioned is Wall of Partition.
This was a small wall that separated the women from the men in the Temple, it was enlarged by Herod the great, remember Herod was not a Jew and had to worship as a Gentile when he went to the Temple. This king could not go everywhere in the Temple that a king of Israelite blood could go. The previous Temples were for the Jews and Proselyted (converted Jews) only. This new Temple will reach out to all believers. The Bible references are Isaiah 49:6; Isaiah 42:6; John 10:16 and Ephesians 2:14.

2. The next item is the court of Women.
The women could only go in the court if they had business with God, sacrifices and laying their offering. Herod being a Gentile had to have another Jew do this on his behalf. The fact that this is missing in this Temple means that God has called all of His believer's to Him. The Bible references for this Galations 3:27-29.

3. The Laver (Bronze Sea).
The priest's were required to wash before and after serving in the Temple. This was to remind them of their own sin, and that they needed to take care of their personal sin before they could perform their duties in the Temple. Jesus paid for all our sins at one time on the cross when he said "It is Finished". Bible references Ezra 36:24; Titus 3:5; 1John 1:9; John 15:3. Notice that there are Old Testament references and New Testament references.

4. The Lampstand.
With Jesus in the Temple His Shekinah glory will provide all the light that will be required.
What was the lesson of the seven churches in Revelation? They allowed their Lampstands to be taken out of those Churches. With Jesus in the Temple we will no longer need these Lampstands for Light and it will no longer be up to us to keep faith inside the Temple to keep it alive!! Bible references Isaiah 9:2; Matthew 4:13 - 16; Isaiah 49:6; John 1:4; John 8:12; Ezekiel 43:1.

5. The Table of Showbread.
This was to remind the Isralites that they were chosen. This is no longer needed because Jesus has brought together both groups of sheep (His Believer's) into one fold. This is exactly why this temple has to be built, Christians and Jews have been separated from each other too long. The Jews felt they were special in the Old Testament, and the Christians are forgetting the words of Jesus and the prophets, when they continue to separate themselves from the Jews. I believe that Romans Chapter 11:19 says that the Gentiles are grafted into the roots of the Israelites. This is not a misprint or mistake! Bible References Ezekiel 34:23; John 6:35.

6. The Altar of Incense.
When the incense was placed on the altar if the smoke went up, the Lord would accept the offering. With Jesus at the Temple and He is the one who is to intercede for us, the fact that He is there is all the proof we need that God is accepting our offering. Bible references Hebrews 7:25; Zechariah 8:20; Zechariah 8:23; Ezekiel 48:35; Isaiah 25:7.

7. The Veil.
This was the partition between the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies. This was a large woven partition that was as thick as a man's hand (about 4 inches). This was torn from Top to Bottom when Jesus died. The fact that it was torn from Top to Bottom, shows that God was responsible for its tearing. It symbolized that Jesus was now our intercessor and the regular high priest had lost this job. Jesus is our High Priest and King on the same line as Melchizedek, mentioned in Genesis 14:17 and Hebrews 7: 1-3. Except Jesus is greater!! Jesus being both High Priest and King would mean that He would have to go certain places in the Temple that those offices would require. The King could not enter the temple at all, except for Solomon up to this time of Jesus. Jesus is greater than Solomon, or Melchizedek. If God is going to show us what the world would be like with His leadership then this Temple must be built!! Bible references Isaiah 25:7.

8. The Ark of the Covenant.
This has been a very interesting item and the subject of much speculation considering its where abouts. The Ark of the Covenant represented where God would intercede for His people.
The Mercy Seat is a sacred place to Jews and Christians alike; they would like to come before God in front of His Mercy Seat as opposed to His Judgment Seat. Our God is a God of Mercy and a God of Justice. The Justice side of God required that His only Son be Cruciified in order that we believers would live. We can never forget this!! We must remember that the Ark of the Covenant is a symbol that pointed to Christ, when Jesus died on the cross, there was no more need for the Ark of the Covenant. It would stand to reason that in Ezekiel's Temple the Ark of the Covenant would be missing. Jesus has taken its place. Bible References Exodus 25:22; Jeremiah 23:5-6: Jeremiah 3: 16-17; Ezekiel 43:5 -7.

I hope you have a better understanding of Ezekiel's Temple now than before we studied it.