EZEKIEL OFFERS TO ISRAEL A SANCTUARY

It was fourteen years after the sanctuary had been destroyed, that God gave Ezekiel the “pattern” of another, to show to the house of Israel. Chaps. 40-48. This building consisted of two holy places. Chap. 41. And the most holy place was of the same size with that in the temple of Solomon. Verse 4; 1 Kings 6:19, 20; To this building the word sanctuary is applied in the following texts: Ezekiel 41:21, 23; 42:20; 43:21; 44:1, 5 verses 7, 8, refer to Solomon’s temple), 9, 11, 15, 16, 27; 45:2, 3, 4, 18; 47:12; 48:8, 10, 21. It was offered to the house of Israel then in captivity on this condition, that they should be “ashamed” of their iniquities, and put them away. If they did this, God would cause this building to be established, and would cause “the twelve tribes” to return. Chap. 40:4; 43:10, 11; 44:5-8; 47:13-33; 48.S23D 62.1

But the house of Israel were not at all ashamed. For when the decree for Israel’s restoration went forth, all Israel could go up to the land where God’s abundant blessing was promised. See the decree of Cyrus. 2 Chronicles 36:22, 23; Ezra 1:1-4; 7:13. But the ten tribes slighted the offer of Cyrus, as well as the promised blessings of God, and the tribes of Judah and Benjamin, with a portion of the tribe of Levi, and a few others, were all that went up. Ezra 1:5; 7:7; 8:15. Thus the house of Israel rejected the gracious offer of the Lord, and slighted the inestimable blessings which God would have given them. Ezekiel 47; 48. Hence this sanctuary was never erected. But that this prophecy does not belong to the future reign of Christ and his saints, the following facts demonstrate:S23D 63.1

1. The Prince that shall reign over God’s people Israel, forever, is none other than Jesus Christ. There is to be but one Prince and Shepherd that shall be the King over Israel in the glorified state, and that one is Jesus. Luke 1:32, 33; Ezekiel 37:22, 24; Jeremiah 23:5, 6; Micah 5:2. But the prince here spoken of by Ezekiel is not Christ, but a poor, frail mortal. For (1.) he is commanded to offer a bullock as a sin-offering for himself. Ezekiel 45:22. But Jesus Christ is himself the great sin-offering for the world. 1 John 2:1, 2. (2:) He was to offer all manner of offerings for himself. Ezekiel 46:1-8. But Jesus Christ caused all this to “cease” at his death. Daniel 9:27.S23D 63.2

(3.) God says to these princes, “Take away your exactions from my people.” Ezekiel 45:9. But when Christ reigns, there will be nothing oppressive, for the officers will be peace, and the exactors, righteousness. Isaiah 60:17-19. (4.) And this prince is to have sons and servants to whom, if he will, he may give an inheritance. But that which he gives to his servants will return to the prince in the year of Jubilee. Ezekiel 46:16, 17. And he is forbidden to oppress the people. Verse 18. Surely, it would be blasphemous to apply this to our Lord Jesus Christ. Hence, Ezekiel is not predicting the future reign of Christ over the house of Israel.S23D 64.1

2. Christ says, “The children of this world [or age] marry, and are given in marriage; but they which shall be counted worthy to obtain that world [or age], and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry, nor are given in marriage.” Luke 20:35. Now hear Ezekiel: “Neither shall they [God’s priests] take for their wives a widow, nor her that is put away; but they shall take maidens of the seed of the house of Israel, or a widow that had a priest before.” Ezekiel 44:22. In the prediction of Christ, respecting that age or world to come, he positively affirms that there shall be no marrying or giving in marriage there; but in Ezekiel, we find the Lord’s priests marrying, and have intimations even that divorce and death are not unknown! Therefore it is evident that Ezekiel does not refer to the age to come. Certain it is that had those priests been “counted worthy to obtain that world,” they would not be represented as marrying in it! And this, too, in the promised land, the very heart of the future kingdom!S23D 64.2

3. And Christ adds: “Neither can they die any more; for they are equal unto the angels.” Luke 20:36. And Paul testifies that at the last trump, “this mortal shall put on immortality,” and death shall be swallowed up in victory. 1 Corinthians 15:51-54. But Ezekiel has deaths, even in the families of God’s priests, and they themselves defiled by attending their burials, and obliged to offer for themselves a sin-offering!! See Ezekiel 44:25-27. Are such persons equal to the angels? Are they where they can die no more? Surely they are not. Then it is demonstrated that Ezekiel does not refer to the world or age to come.S23D 65.1

That the sanctuary, priesthood, and offerings, with the accompanying blessings, would have been realized in the Mosaic dispensation, had the twelve tribes of Israel accepted the proffered boon, we will now show. 1. It was to be fulfilled while circumcision was in force. Ezekiel 44:9. But that was abolished at the first advent. Galatians 5:2; 6:12; Colossians 2:11-13. 2. It was while divorce was allowed. Ezekiel 44:22. But that is now done away. Matthew 5:31, 32; 19:8, 9. 3. The distinction between meats, clean and unclean, is recognized. Ezekiel 44:23, 31. But no such distinction is now recognized by the Bible. Romans 14. 4. Sacrifice, offerings, burnt offerings, and sin-offerings, of bulls and goats, were then in force. Ezekiel 46. But they are not now acceptable to God. Hebrews 10. 5. The feasts and the Jubilee were than in force. Ezekiel 45:21-25; 46:9, 11, 17. But they were nailed to the cross. Colossians 2. 6. The Levitical priesthood was then in force. Ezekiel 40:46; 44:15. But the priesthood of Melchisedec, which passeth not to another, has taken its place. Hebrews 5-9. 7. “The middle wall of partition” then existed, as all these ordinances prove, as well as the acknowledged distinction between “the seed of the house of Israel” and the stranger. Ezekiel 44:22; 47:22. But it is now broken down. Ephesians 2. But we leave the sanctuary offered to the twelve tribes, that we may follow the history of Judah and Benjamin.S23D 65.2