Observation: Ezekiel is about to have a vision of a grand temple. It is a truly amazing place, with walls 10 feet high and 10 feet thick, entry gates that are 100 feet high ... 7 stories tall!! It has major facilities for the processing of the daily sacrifices, places for priests to work, dedicated facilities for worship, and rooms for visitors to meet and eat. And Ezekiel is seeing all this after he has been in Babylon for 25 years, and 14 years after the total destruction of Jerusalem and the temple.
He knows for certain that not only is the temple of Solomon destroyed, but it has been lying in ruin for a long, long time, without any level of care or repair. It is never coming back as it was. Therefore, this is certainly something new and not just a repaired temple. And perhaps the most important element of this new temple is its location ... or lack thereof.
Ezekiel knows he is in the land of Israel, but he is absolutely not in Jerusalem. He is on a high mountain, seeing the temple that resembles a city in its own right. If he were in Jerusalem, he would know it. In addition, he would see Jerusalem as the city and the temple within it. That is not the vision. It isn't just that this temple is new, but it's in a new, unidentified location. It may be within the land of Israel, but other than that it is not associated with any other manmade landmark.
Application: The idea of temple sacrifice is very complex, but the idea of the Lord's throne may be easier to understand. I don't really understand anything about the Ark of the Covenant, or the "mercy seat" between the cherubim on top of it, or the inner chamber behind the great curtain, or gold-lined walls with gold lamps with gold pomegranates, or ... well, any of that. But I do get that, in heaven, the Lord is rules over the universe and all that is in it, seated on his throne, with the prayers of believers coming to him as if by a sacrifice, a pleasing aroma.
Was Ezekiel's temple supposed to be a place built someday? Was - or is - that supposed to be in Jerusalem? Was this a metaphor for the 'new' form or worship and sacrifice coming with Jesus? Was this another example and model of the Lord's throne room given at a new time, like the tabernacle was given to Moses, and the first temple was given to David? If so, it won't be the last, as another such vision will be given to John in Revelation ... and there may be others who have received others for all I know.
In the end, I don't really care where this temple is located. My hope is that I will get to see the true 'temple' in heaven. I will get to worship the Lord in the company of billions of saints, praising his name and pronouncing that he is indeed holy, holy, holy. I will spend time in the courtyards in the light of the Lord. I will rejoice and serve and celebrate as the Lord would have us all do.
Prayer: Lord, may your kingdom be brought here on earth, in the forms you would have it done. I know that means we are in a time of serving you through our faith in Jesus, and spreading his gospel of hope. This is not one location, but it is everywhere, and I hope we can bring your glory everywhere. Amen.
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