EZEKIEL'S TEMPLE

[8thdaypriest]

The dialog with Ron, concerning whether animal sacrifices will again be offered in the Kingdom of Messiah, prompted me to read carefully over the prophecy concerning the coming Temple. 

 

If Ezekiel's Temple is indeed the Temple of the Millennium (or of the 8th Millennium),

and if - as Ron says - sacrifice WILL continue at that time, 

 

This leaves me with several questions.

 

1.  ONLY "sons of Zadok"

 

Who will be the priests of this Temple?

43:19, and 44:15-16, say that ONLY the Sons of Zadok will be priests of this Temple

48:10 says that the "holy district" for the priests will be ONLY for the Sons of Zadok

 

The "perpetual priesthood for Aaron and his sons", and the "forever" priesthood for Phinehas and his sons - seems to go to ONLY the "Sons of Zadok".

So will Zadok himself be High Priest of this Temple - IF as Ron says, Christ CANNOT be a priest on the earth.

 

There is NO MENTION of a High Priest in Ezekiel's Temple. 

There are no commands concerning him. 

 

What will happen to those faithful priests from Aaron and Phinehas down to Zadok?  I guess they get relegated to a lower status of a Levite to "serve the Tabernacle."  Since there is "no marriage" in the resurrection, that ENDs the line of succession.  Priests would be drawn ONLY from men who once lived on earth, before the Second Coming.  Right??

 

2.  MARRIAGE??

 

Ezekiel 44:21 No priest is to drink wine when he enters the inner court. 22 They must not marry widows or divorced women; they may marry only virgins of Israelite descent or widows of priests. (NIV)

 

Question:  I thought that "in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage" (Matt 22:30)

 

3.  DEAD BODY ???

According to 44:25, the priests (sons of Zadok) are not to come near a DEAD BODY
    except father/mother/son/unmarried daughter
   After the defilement they must complete7 days of cleansing, finally offering a “sin offering”

 

Question:  So what is DEATH doing in this Kingdom of Messiah, especially for family members of priests ???

 

4. 

44:31 Priests are not to eat anything that DIED naturally ?????
    NOT to eat that which was “torn by WILD ANIMALS ?????

 

Question:  "wild animals" ???  I thought the wolf lies down with the lamb, and the lion with the calf, and a little child shall lead them.  (Isa. Cpt 11)

 

5.  The "sin offering" or "trespass offering" is mentioned at least 13 times, and if you add the "daily" (which WAS a sin offering) that is another mention.

 

Question:  I thought Jesus was and IS our "sin offering". 

Is this some sort of commemoration type offering????

 

Is this Temple vision:

A.  A prophecy of a coming Temple, which was never fulfilled BECAUSE the people did not return to the LORD ??  (It was only a "what if" prophecy.)

or

B.  A prophecy of a coming Temple, to be built BEFORE Messiah returns ??

or

C.  A prophecy of the Temple of Messiah's reign - for 1000 years ??

 

Was this Temple vision a prophecy in symbols?  I believe so.........

The sacrifice, and the "Prince", and the "High Priest" will be Jesus Christ.

The river flowing out - bringing everything back to life - will be the Spirit of Christ.

The Sons of Zadok will be those who have been faithful to God's appointed King - Jesus Christ. 

The "blood of Christ" will continue to be provided (as the sin offering) for all of those who come to the LORD, during Messiah's reign.

 

[8thdaypriest]

SDAs call the prophecy of Ezekiel's Temple simply a "What might have been." 

They have no problem accepting everything ELSE that Ezekiel prophesied as coming to pass. 

Why NOT the Temple vision also? 

 

What about the CLEAN UP after the Battle of Gog and Magog??

Did you every imagine yourself picking up bones, and burying the dead, after THAT battle?

 

Ezekiel 39:8-10  “‘Yes, this is coming, and it will be done,’ says Adonai ELOHIM; ‘this is the day about which I have spoken.  Those living in Isra'el's cities will go out and set fire to the weapons, to use as fuel-the shields, breastplates, bows, arrows, clubs and spears;  they will use them for fire seven years;  so that they will not need to gather wood from the fields or cut down any from the forests; because they will use the weapons for fire. Thus they will plunder those who plundered them and rob those who robbed them,’ says Adonai ELOHIM.”


THE BURIAL PLACE

    Ezekiel 39:11  “‘When that day comes, I will give Gog a place there in Isra'el for graves, the Travelers' Valley, east of the sea; and it will block the travelers’ passage. There they will bury Gog and all his horde, and they will rename it the Valley of Hamon-Gog [Horde of Gog].’”

    Ezekiel 39:12-16  “It will take the house of Isra'el seven months to bury them, in order to cleanse the land.  Yes, all the people of the land will be burying them; they will become famous for it. It will be a day for me to be glorified,' says Adonai ELOHIM.  They will then pick men for the continual duty of going through the land and burying with the travelers the corpses still lying out on the ground, in order to cleanse it; they will begin their search after the seven months.  As they go through the land, if anyone sees a human bone, he will put a marker next to it until the grave diggers have buried it in the Valley of Hamon-Gog.   Moreover, “Hamonah" [its Horde] will be the name of a city.  Thus will they cleanse the land.” (Complete Jewish Bible)

    NOTE: The “fire” of God kills the rebellious, but it does not char or consume the bodies.  This explains why the survivors are described – burying the bodies.  This explains why the bodies (at the Second Coming) are left unburied (Jer. 25:33).  There will be noone left to bury them.  This explains why the bodies of Nadab and Abihu were carried out of the courtyard, by their tunics (Lev. 10:5).  All these were consumed by the “fire” of God.  The glory of God is “fire,” but not fire in our earthly sense.  

 

I think I understand the prophecies of Daniel and Revelation better than I understand Ezekiel's Temple vision. 

 

I can understand that the vision of return and restoration would help those captive in Babylon. 

They would keep together as a people in anticipation of return, and they would preserve the sacred writings. 

 

We apply so many of the prophecies of Ezekiel to the gathering of ALL the redeemed, and their restoration to "the promised land". 

I get that. 

 

And we do believe there WILL BE a Gog-Magog Battle. 

 

Why dismiss the Temple vision? 

 

 

[JoeMo]

Rachel says:

"SDAs call the prophecy of Ezekiel's Temple simply a "What might have been.  They have no problem accepting everything ELSE that Ezekiel prophesied as coming to pass.  Why NOT the Temple vision also?"

 

I just read Ezek. 35  - 46.  I did not notice any "condition"s in these chapters.  In fact, it seems that God inserted warnings to Isreal to "change her ways" if she wanted to participate in this temple.

 

Something else - this weekend, I ws convicted that the "Israel" referred to in these verses is not the country of Israel.  From the time of Rehoboam forward, the OT makes a disctinction between "Israel" (the rebellious 10 tribes) and Judah (the tribes if Judah and Benjamin).  When Ezekiel speaks of "Israel" being totally restored, could he be referring to the 10 lost tribes being made aware of their genetic identitiy and being called home? or is it the "Israel" Paul refers to in Ephesians?:

 

"This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus". (Eph. 3:6)

 

At any rate,it seems to me that Ezekiel's Temple is a prophecy of a real place yet to be unconditionally established on the planet.  I have yet to unravel (in my own mind) whether this is an end-time temple, a millennial temple, or a post-millennial temple.  Certain aspects of the prophecy hint at an end-time temple (sacrifice of animals, dead bodies, etc); while others hint at a Temple after the return of Christ (the glory of the Lord entering the temple).

 

I have never really studied this.  Thanks, Rachel, for arousing my curiosity on yet another topic.

[8thdaypriest]

In 2:3, the LORD tells Ezekiel, "I am sending you to the children of Israel."   But Ezekiel is a captive in Babylon, AFTER the first wave of captives were taken. 

He is actually preaching to Judah (plus any from other tribes who migrated South into Judah).

 

He is preaching to WHAT's LEFT of Israel. 

 

He reviews all the "abominations" which BOTH the 10 tribes, and Judah committed. 

 

This has the earmarks and structure of an Ancient Middle Eastern Covenant lawsuit.  (Revelation has the SAME structure.)

Here's the violations you committed against the Covenant you entered in to with Me, so I am justified in bringing the "curses" upon you. 

 

9:6  Some will be spared.

14:22  A remnant will be "left in it". 

 

Several times the LORD calls Jerusalem an "adulterous wife". 

He says that Jerusalem has been worse than "Samaria" - a name for the 10 Northern Tribes.

16:47  "you became more corrupt than they in all your ways." 

16:51  "Samaria did not commit half of your sins"

 

10:1-4 and 10:18  The GLORY departs the Temple  [NOTE THE DAY OF ATONEMENT LANGUAGE.]

11:23  the GLORY departs the City - pausing on the Mt of Olives

 

In 20:34-38,

"I will bring you out from the peoples and gather you out of the countries where you are scattered ... with fury poured out.

"I will bring you into the wilderness of the peoples, and there I will plead My case with you face to face." 

"I will make you pass under the rod, and I will brin gyou into the bond of the covenatn;

38  "I will purge the rebels from among you...I will bring them out from the country where they sojourn, BUT they will not enter the land of Israel"

 

I THINK THE ABOVE IS THE RESURRECTION AT THE SECOND COMING.

The rebels are purged.  They are "cut off".  The Second Coming judgment will be Yom Kippur. 

That is the Day when Israel was judged. 

 

THEN those who are left -

20:40 called "all the house of Israel, all of them in the land, shall serve Me"

20:41  "I will accept you as a sweet aroma" - (in other words - as a sacrifice!!!!!!).  "Present your bodies a living sacrifice" (Rom. 12:1)

"and I will be hallowed in you before the Gentiles"   (That means some "Gentiles" have to be around to SEE THIS.)

[8thdaypriest]

REGATHERED

 

Ezek 28:25-26  "When I have gathered the house of Israel from the peoples among whom they are scattered, AND am hallowed in the in the sight of the Gentiles, THEN they will dwell in their own land which I gave to My servant Jacob. 

 

v. 26  They will dwell safely there, build houses, and plant vineyards; yes they will dwell securely WHEN I execute judgments on all those around them who despise them."  [THAT sounds like Gog-Magog to me.]

 

34:25  "I will make a covenant of peace with them, and cuase wild beasts to cease from the land; and they will dwell safely"

THEN showers of blessings

v. 28  "They shall no longer be a prey for the nations, nor shall beasts of the land devour them; but they shall dwell safely, and no one shall make them afraid. "

 

[The "wild beasts" may refer to the Arabs and others who sought to "devour" Israel.  The LORD did say that Ishmael will be "a wild man".]

 

36:8-15 and 36: 23-38 is the RETURN with blessing promise, including the New Covenant. 

36:38 "Like a flock offered as holy sacrifices, like the flock at Jerusalem on its feast days, so shall the ruined cities be filled with flocks of men."

[sO AGAIN, MEN ARE DESCRIBED AS SACRIFICES.]

 

Cpt 37 is the resurrection promise.  "these bones are the whole house of Israel".

37:15-22  Two sticks (Judah and Israel) become ONE, with ONE KING to rule over the ONE nation again.

37:26-27  everlasting covenant of peace with combined Judah/Israel

ALSO "My sanctuary in their midst forevermore.  v. 26

"My tabernacle also shall be with them."  My sanctuary is in their midst forevermore." 

 

Cpt 38 and 39 are Gog-Magog and cleanup

 

THEN Cpt 40 to 44 and 46 and 47 with the "stream flowing out""bringing life" ALL DESCRIBE THE NEW TEMPLE.

THAT'S SEVEN CHAPTERS. So it must be important!!

[8thdaypriest]

Ezek 44:4  The GLORY of the LORD fills the New "House of the LORD" that the LORD has shown to, and described to Ezekiel. 

 

So how can this New Temple, be just a "What might have been?" 

 

The GLORY of the LORD actually fills this Temple. 

 

Is this a literal Temple, with literal animal sacrifices?    I don't think so.

Is this a prophecy in symbols of Israel redeemed ?

Are WE the Temple of the LORD?   

 

Is Christ the Temple ?

Or is HE just the cornerstone of this Temple?

"God and the Lamb" ARE the Temple of the New Jerusalem. 

 

Is this a prophecy with some LITERAL components, and some SYMBOLIC components? 

 

Is this an early prophecy of the New Jerusalem ? 

[Aliensanctuary]

I listen to selected passages of Ezekiel and Isaiah almost daily, including the Temple chapters in the latter part of Ezekiel. It's construction style reminds me of the New Jerusalem with its 10-foot-thick walls.

 

This Temple is apparently brought to Earth at the beginning of the 1K years during which the Restored Kingdom of Israel and the newly resurrected 144K conquer and rule the whole world. Before this, Israel, facing imminent destruction by the demonic hordes of Gog and Magog, is rescued on the Day of the LORD when YHVH rains fire down from the sky to annihilate the invaders. It takes quite a few years to dispose of the bodies, mostly picked clean by vultures, and bury the skeletons east of Israel. During the Millennium people will continue to marry and have children, Israel's population will greatly increase throughout the world, and, people will still die, although much, much older than today.

 

In short, the 1K years is the time period in which YHVH's Kingdom is established on Earth. Israel, child of Jerusalem, the Woman in Labor, rules the whole Earth with an iron fist. Rebellion is not tolerated and the surviving nations must pay tribute to YHVH, via Israel, in gold and silver and must also attend certain feasts, otherwise they will receive no rainfall. Divided up into strips of land, Israel will receive abundant rainfall and the deserts will blossom once again.

 

The destruction of the world will occur sometime after the end of the 1K years when the forces of evil are released and unleashed on a war-free world in order to destroy YHVH's Kingdom of peace. After that war to end all wars is over, it is Judgment Day, where all must face their life records. Too bad for those who received the Mark of the Beast, but for those who received the Mark of YHVH all ends well.

 

I'm still not understanding the 8th Day scenario.

[JoeMo]

Aliensanctuary says:

"I'm still not understanding the 8th Day scenario."

 

If you haven't already been there, visit www.prophecyviewpoint.com  for a very clear and thorough explanation.  After reading it and wrapping my head around it, I thought it made a lot of sense.  Took a while to think it through and correlate it with my understanding of scripture, though.

[8thdaypriest]

I believe that Ezekiel's prophecy concerning Israel, the City, and the Temple was a duel prophecy.

It WAS a "what might have been" - if Israel had truly turned to the LORD.

But it was also a prophecy of the coming Kingdom of Messiah on this earth, AFTER the 7th millennium.  The "whole House of Israel" will be all of the redeemed from the first 6000 years.

 

Here is WHY I believe that Ezekiel's Temple vision was a duel prophecy:

 

1.  God said to ALL of Israel at the foot of Mt. Sinai, "You will be to me a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation."

Peter quotes the LORD to NT Israel.  He says we are being built up to be this very thing - "a kingdom of priests and a holy nation".

 

Priests were mediators.  They taught the Law, and acted as judges.  You don't need priests after everyone who will be saved has come to know the LORD.

 

I believe that Israel will finally fulfill her destiny.  Israel redeemed will act as priests for "the nations".

The "nations" will be "the rest of the dead", who will be resurrected AFTER the 1000 years of the 7th millennium.  They will be those who lived and died in ignorance of God.

References from Ezekiel unless otherwise noted.

 

2.  The "whole House of Israel" is resurrected (Cpt 37), and returned to the land. 

(11:17)  "I will gather you."  "I will give your the land of Israel" (11:19-20)  Then the New Covenant promise.

 

3.  Judah and Israel (10 Northern Tribes) become ONE NATION again, in the hand of the prophet (a symbol for Christ).

 

4.  Israel will then have ONE KING - the Son of David.

 

5.  Israel is blessed in the land.  The people "plant vineyards".  They restore and rebuild the "waste places".  (36:33, 28:25-26, 36:8-15). 

 

6.  The Tabernacle of the LORD will be rebuilt in their midst.  (Isa. 2:1-4, Micah 4:1-2, Amos 9:11-12)

 

Ezekiel 37:27 "My tabernacle also shall be with them; indeed I will be their God, and they shall be My people. 28 "The nations also will know that I, the LORD, sanctify Israel, when My sanctuary is in their midst forevermore."'"

 

7.  20:40-41-42  "all the house of Israel" to "serve me" "on My holy Mountain.  "I will accept YOU as a sweet aroma." 

"I will be hallowed in you before the Gentiles"  (also see 36:22-38).  [There have to BE Gentiles around to see this.]

 

8.  There are NATIONS LEFT all around Israel returned.  (36:33-38).  [There are LOTS of other Scriptures saying the same thing. (Isa. 2, Malachi 4) ]

Israel prays to the LORD on behalf of those "nations" !!!!

They come "like flocks" on Feast Days (there are so many who come) !!!!  Zechariah Cpt 14 says the "people of Egypt" (a term for the mixed multitude) will be invited.

 

I do not remember Israel past, or Israel present ever inviting the people from "the nations around them" to come up to worship at the Feasts. 

 

9.  No person uncircumcised in HEART or in flesh, is to enter the LORD's Tabernacle, which will be built in the midst of Israel returned. (37:27-28, 44:7-9).

 

There is a "separating courtyard" around the Temple which Ezekiel "saw" (42:13-14) "for the people".  What need would there be for such a "separating courtyard"

if the only people THERE are the redeemed ???

 

And just HOW would a priest be able to discern whether a person was circumcised in heart?? 

Unless we are talking about the redeemed priesthood - who HAVE been circumcised in flesh (at the resurrection) and in heart. 

 

The priests are told NOT to wear their "holy garments" into the courtyard.  In Leviticus, this command only applied to the High Priest on the Day of Atonement. 

But here Ezekiel is told that every priest is to leave his "holy garments" in the "holy place", and not to appear in the "separating courtyard" with them on.

COULD this refer to the glorious immortal "garments" which the redeemed will receive.  Christ appeared in the upper room, in "flesh and bone".  Maybe the redeemed priesthood of the 8th Day, also appear in the physical dimension - in physical form and appearance.  Just a thought.

 

10.  The Temple is OUTSIDE of the City property.  So is the "priests portion" and the "portion belonging to the Prince". 

The City belongs to ALL the people of Israel.  

The gateway of the inner court of the Temple is closed the 6 working days, but is opened on the Sabbath, New Moon and Feast Days.  

 

The dimensions of this Temple are larger than Solomon's Temple, but tiny compared to those of the Holy City New Jerusalem.  The land inheritance is divided between the 12 tribes, but we know that the Holy City will COVER ENTIRELY the land area promised to Abraham [345 miles on a side, and 345 miles high]. 

So - this apportionment of land COULD be for a period of TIME between the "return to the land" and the time that the Holy City descends.

 

11.  The land is divided among ALL the tribes of Israel PLUS "the strangers who sojourn" with them. (47:21-23).  (These would be the grafted in Gentile believers.)

 

12. The River of Life flows from THIS TEMPLE !!!! (See also Joel 3:18, Rev. 22:1-2, Zech 14:8).

 

13.  Gog and his hordes come against "a people brought back" dwelling in the territory promised to Abraham.  Israel has "flocks and herds and vineyards and houses, but no walls. (38:11-12).  All this restoration of the land will take TIME. 

 

The Holy City New Jerusalem has obviously NOT YET DESCENDED, because it will COVER UP all this land area, where Israel returned will have flocks, herds, and vineyards.

 

MOST CONSIDER PARTS OF EZEKIEL AS A DUEL PROPHECY

The words in Ezekiel 28 described the "Prince of Tyre", but many consider this a duel prophecy concerning Satan and his end,

The words in Ezekiel 37 describe the resurrection of "the whole House of Israel" but most Christians also apply this to the resurrection at the Second Coming.

The words of Ezekiel address "the whole House of Israel" but most Christians today apply many passages to Israel Redeemed.

 

Ezekiel was to tell the people of Israel to STUDY this prophecy about the Temple  (43:11). 

If we just relegate this prophecy to the "Might have been" category, then WHY study it?

 

Blessings,

Rachel Cory

Prophecy Viewpoint

[8thdaypriest]

Are "the rest of the dead" the SAME as "Gog and Magog" ??

 

THAT's the big question. 

 

I believe the "rest of the dead" will be resurrected people who died in ignorance of Yahweh. 

I believe that probation for them does NOT close with the Second Coming.

 

I believe that probation for those who compose "Gog and Magog" will have CLOSED at the time they come to attack Israel.

 

I believe that MOST from "the rest of the dead" will join with "Gog and Magog" but NOT ALL of them. 

 

In order for me to be convinced that "the rest of the dead" are the exact SAME people as "Gog and Magog" -

that "Gog and Magog" is JUST ANOTHER NAME for "the rest of the dead", 

I would need to see proofs from Scripture ALONE. 

[JoeMo]

Rachel says:

"The land is divided among ALL the tribes of Israel PLUS "the strangers who sojourn" with them. (47:21-23). (These would be the grafted in Gentile believers.)"

 

Just as the "mixed multitude" in the Exodus from Egypt eventually were assimilated into the 12 tribes, the Gentile believers in the new Kingdom may also be assimilated into the 12 tribes.

[Rach]

Great topic! It is going to take some time to read this blog!

There so many replies that really worth more time reading.

I am new here, type from a kindle, and I have multiple health issues.

So I just want you to know how much I enjoy this topic.

[Aliensanctuary]

The dimensions of this Temple are larger than Solomon's Temple, but tiny compared to those of the Holy City New Jerusalem.  The land inheritance is divided between the 12 tribes, but we know that the Holy City will COVER ENTIRELY the land area promised to Abraham [345 miles on a side, and 345 miles high]. 

 

 ^{Rev. 21:15}

¹⁵ The angel who talked to me held in his hand a gold measuring stick to measure the city, its gates, and its wall. ¹⁶ When he measured it, he found it was a square, as wide as it was long. In fact, its length and width and height were each 1,400 miles.

 

^{Ezekiel 45:6}

“Adjacent to the larger sacred area will be a section of land 8 1⁄3 miles long and 1 2⁄3 miles wide. This will be set aside for a city where anyone in Israel can live.

 

Above are a couple of references to cities in prophecy, the New Jerusalem arriving from space and the city located in Israel next to the Temple area. Where does the 345-mile dimensions of the NJ, referenced in the post above, come from?

[8thdaypriest]

Above are a couple of references to cities in prophecy, the New Jerusalem arriving from space and the city located in Israel next to the Temple area. Where does the 345-mile dimensions of the NJ, referenced in the post above, come from?

I consulted many different references Alien.  "Twelve Thousand furlongs" was consistently said to be 345 earth miles. 

The area promised to Abraham's Seed would be that covered by the New Jerusalem. 

 

I don't believe the Holy City will be a cube.  I personally see it as a Ziggurat with 12 foundations going up to the Throne of God at the top. 

A pyramid is the other structure of which the height is equal to the length and breadth.  Each "foundation" is a different color precious stone, so that it appear as a rainbow when the glory of God shines out from it. 

 

Ziggurats are found all over the world.  I believe the builders of the Tower of Babel were trying to build one.  Their design was inspired by the Evil One who had once seen the City. 

Remember Jacob's ladder - going up rung by rung. 

 

Personally, I believe the Holy City will be a portal between the earthly dimension, and the heavenly. 

 

We cannot use any dimensions of Ezekiel's Temple, with the City next to it, and the land inheritance of Israelite tribes - to figure dimensions of the Holy City or placements of things AFTER the Holy City New Jerusalem descends. 

 

Ezekiel's Temple will be a temporary "House of the LORD"  built by the redeemed who will return to earth AFTER 1000 years in the "Father's House". 

 

Ezekiel's Temple will be for the 8th millennium.  The redeemed will serve as "priests of God and of Christ" to teach "the rest of the dead" the ways of the LORD. 

These people will need a place to come before the LORD.  They will need a buffer BETWEEN themselves and the LORD.  That is the purpose of Ezekiel's Temple. 

The river of life flows from Ezekiel's Temple, and everything comes to life. 

 

I personally believe that many from "the rest of the dead" will come to know the LORD. 

The rest will rebel against the rule of Christ, and they will die at the Gog/Magog Battle.

 

Only AFTER every rebellious person is DEAD and the earth is cleansed, will the New Jerusalem descend. 

[Aliensanctuary]

I picture the cities from space as similar to the Aztec pyramids in Central America, only much larger, but still with landings, steps up the sides, and temples at the apex.

 

http://www.onlineconversion.com/length_all.htm

 

Using this conversion site, 12,000 survey furlongs is 1,500 survey miles. This would, of course, be too large to land on Earth, but it could orbit the planet much closer than the moon. If brightly lit internally, the city would be more like a second sun at night, minus the heat. There would be times when there would be no darkness while the city is visible in the night sky.

[Tom Wetmore]

I believe you have helped confirm that the nature of the descriptions under discussion are symbolic and not to be understood in a literal physical sense.

The New Jerusalem is symbolic of God's people returning to inhabit the earth, the place God originally planned for them, now recreated. The wonder of the reference to his temple/tabernacle is best understood in the original Hebrew. It is confirmed in Revelation. The Hebrew word we translate as tabernacle meant "dwelling place" or simply "home". The English translation and even how we sometimes refer a church as God's house has taken on a meaning that tends to hide the hominess of the original Hebrew.

Follow the children of of Israel living in tents. gad basically said I want to live among you because you are my people. I will have my tent pitch in the midst of your tents. And when they settled in the Promised Land, the built permanent houses and God also had his home built so he could live with his people. All a foreshadowing of the final Promise that he would restore things as they were from the very beginning before sin. His people would repopulate the earth and He would come live with them and build His home right beside them so that He can live with His people, just as he had always wanted from Eden.

A reference earlier about priests only having access to enter the tabernacle brought to my mind the New Testament reference to the priesthood of all believers. While in the wilderness, in a sinful condition access to God's home had to be restricted. But with the New Covenant the doors are open to all - everyone is a priest with priestly robe and can come and go freely in God's home in the New Earth.

The New Jerusalem is now an open home for both God and His people to live together.

[Aliensanctuary]

I believe you have helped confirm that the nature of the descriptions under discussion are symbolic and not to be understood in a literal physical sense. 

 

So what is the "spiritual" meaning of Messengers measuring temples and cities of the future using rulers and cords,?