Ezekiel

Ezekiel Chapter 42

Ezekiel 42:1 Then he brought me forth into the utter court, the way toward the north: and he brought me into the chamber that was over against the separate place, and which was before the building toward the north.
2 Before the length of a hundred cubits was the north door, and the breadth was fifty cubits.
3 Over against the twenty cubits which were for the inner court, and, over against the pavement which was for the utter court, was gallery against gallery in three stories.
4 And before the chambers was a walk of ten cubits breadth inward, a way of one cubit; and their doors toward the north.
5 Now the upper chambers were shorter: for the galleries were higher than these, than the lower, and than the middlemost of the building.
6 For they were in three stories, but had not pillars as the pillars of the courts: therefore the building was straitened more than the lowest and the middlemost from the ground.

We see the temple having more than one floor. This one is huge compared to the first tabernacle in the wilderness.

Ezekiel 42:7 And the wall that was without over against the chambers, toward the utter court on the forepart of the chambers, the length thereof was fifty cubits.
8 For the length of the chambers that were in the utter court was fifty cubits: and, lo, before the temple were a hundred cubits.
9 And from under these chambers was the entry on the east side, as one goeth into them from the utter court.
10 The chambers were in the thickness of the wall of the court toward the east, over against the separate place, and over against the building.
11 And the way before them was like the appearance of the chambers which were toward the north, as long as they, and as broad as they: and all their goings out were both according to their fashions, and according to their doors.
12 And according to the doors of the chambers that were toward the south was a door in the head of the way, even the way directly before the wall toward the east, as one entereth into them.
13 Then said he unto me, The north chambers and the south chambers, which are before the separate place, they be holy chambers, where the priests that approach unto the LORD shall eat the most holy things: there shall they lay the most holy things, and the meat offering, and the sin offering, and the trespass offering; for the place is holy.

It would seem from this that there will still be those that have sinned during the Millennium. This stumped me for a while. I was wondering why they would need priests again if Jesus Christ was ruling and His sacrifice replaced all other sacrifices for the salvation of all mankind.

My conclusion is that as the Old Testament laws and ordinances pointed forward to the one that was to come and die for sins. The services in the Millennium will be a memorial pointing back to the time Jesus was sacrificed for sins. I believe sinners will still have to repent or turn from sin and have faith in Jesus Christ to be saved. Their willingness to worship in whatever way is set up during the Millennium will be an act of faith and obedience. This is my speculation, not scripture.

The Millennium is a test for all mankind that have not previously been born again by the spirit of God through having received Jesus as Messiah before this time. Those that received Christ during the days of grace by faith in Jesus were resurrected and they reign with Christ over the world at this time. There is no chance of them ever being lost and returning to sin. Perhaps those that refused Jesus when they had a chance are given a chance to live under the old law. I don't know for sure. It is kind of exciting to study and try to figure this out though. We will know one day when God reveals it to us.

The natural people that survived the calamities of the 7 year tribulation period and did not take the mark of the beast will still be populating the earth and they still have a chance to believe and be saved or to be lost by rejecting Christ.

It could be that the world by this time knows of the great sacrifice by Jesus Christ and to reject Christ at this point would be very severe and the Old Testament type of law and judgment is in effect. Actually since Christ came to fulfill the law by completing the law of sacrifice for the sins of all mankind, it would really be a slap in the face of God to reject it after the world sees how severe sin is and how it had to be judged.

Jesus made a way for us to be forgiven for breaking the law. By our faith and acceptance of Him as savior and Lord, the curse of the law is broken in the individuals who receive Him. He then pours out His Holy Spirit on those that exercise their faith in Him to the point that they are willing to turn away from sin and learn His ways. To reject this good way would automatically bring us back under the condemnation of the law every time we sinned.

The same thing would happen if one willfully turned back into sin after one has received Christ and stopped following Him or observing His ways. That would plunge us back under the condemnation of the law. To be free from the condemnation of the law one must believe in the salvation provided by faith in Christ. To believe in someone though is to believe in what they stands for. If we believe He died for our sins, it is understood that when we believe in Him, we turn away from sin and turn to Him. This teaching that we can just mentally believe in a man called Jesus and still go about living the way we choose with no repentance or change is not a true gospel. Jesus came to free us from sin, not free us to be able to sin and still enter heaven.

After the Millennium, Satan is again set free and allowed to deceive. This is a final test to see if people choose Satan's way or choose to follow Christ. They have had 1000 years to be taught the truth and learn of all the history of mankind, the rebellion, the penalty for sin etc. They have had 1000 years of peace with no wars. Notice that there are people during the Millennium that are natural people and not resurrected people that will believe in Christ. They will believe in His existence. Yet we see that some will rebel with Satan. We can read of that in the book of Revelation chapter 20.

So we see it's possible for one to believe in the existence of Christ and believe in why He came but not receive Him into their own lives by faith. To believe means to receive and to allow the Holy Spirit to come into our lives and make a change. This is what we call being "born again" by God's spirit. Another way to explain that is to say we are "Born from above." This is different than becoming completely baptized in the Holy Spirit that comes either the same time or after one has been born again by the Spirit. It is the Holy Spirit that does it all though.

When we are saved by faith in Christ, our sins are forgiven, We are cleansed from sin by the Holy Spirit. We are born again and baptized into the body of Christ by the Holy Spirit. This is just the beginning. We are then able to be baptized in the Holy Spirit and receive many fillings of the Holy Spirit throughout our walk with the Lord. Never again are we ever alone. It is never a one time experience but a continual walk with the Lord being filled with the Spirit continually.

At the end of the 1000 year reign, Satan will have some that follow him into rebellion and they will surround the city where Christ is ruling. This will be one final battle that ends with Satan and his followers forever confined to the lake of fire.

After all these things is when the New Jerusalem comes down out of heaven and God dwells with men. All natural people still living who survive this last great temptation will have eternal life.

The second resurrection will occur after the 1000 year reign also. The white throne judgment is set up and all great and small will give an account to God whether or not they have repented of sin and received God's salvation or whether they rejected the gospel and remained in their sins when they lived upon the earth. Those that rejected Christ or had not received Christ will be judged by the law.

Ezekiel 42:14 When the priests enter therein, then shall they not go out of the holy place into the utter court, but there they shall lay their garments wherein they minister; for they are holy; and shall put on other garments, and shall approach to those things which are for the people.
15 Now when he had made an end of measuring the inner house, he brought me forth toward the gate whose prospect is toward the east, and measured it round about.
16 He measured the east side with the measuring reed, five hundred reeds, with the measuring reed round about.
17 He measured the north side, five hundred reeds, with the measuring reed round about.
18 He measured the south side, five hundred reeds, with the measuring reed.
19 He turned about to the west side, and measured five hundred reeds with the measuring reed.
20 He measured it by the four sides: it had a wall round about, five hundred reeds long, and five hundred broad, to make a separation between the sanctuary and the profane place.

Many stumble at these chapters and wonder why God institutes this sacrificial system again after Jesus came. It would seem though that it lasts only 1000 years and then it ends. In eternity there will be no sin to save anyone from. We read also in Revelation that there will be no need of a temple. -DC

Ezekiel 43

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