During the Babylonian captivity, God gave the prophet Ezekiel a vision of a cleansed and restored temple with specific dimensions and detailed instructions. See Ezekiel chapters 40–46. The exiled Jews later returned and rebuilt their temple, but it was not this temple. This has led dispensationalists to believe that Ezekiel’s temple will be literally built sometime in the future. It would be easy to accept this belief if we did not have the New Testament to guide our thinking and reveal the problems with this interpretation.
The biggest problem with constructing a Third Temple is that this would include sacrificial offerings. Dispensationalists are quick to say that these sacrifices would only commemorate the death of Christ. However, Ezekiel said the offerings in this temple would “make atonement for the house of Israel.” Ezek. 45:17. Thus, the sacrifices are presented as an atonement for sin, not as a memorial. The book of Hebrews (see ch. 10:1–18) reveals that Christ’s death on the cross terminated animal sacrifices through the perfect sacrifice of Himself. Why would God reestablish animal sacrifices in which He found no pleasure (Ps. 51:16; Heb. 10:6), since they only served as a temporary type pointing to Christ?
Another problem is that Ezekiel’s vision calls for worship at a centralized, geographical place. In the Old Testament, God designated the temple to be that central place of worship for His people. Deut. 12:5, 11. However, this changed in the New Testament. Jesus told the Samaritan woman, “The hour is coming when you will neither on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, worship the Father.… The true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth.” John 4:21, 23. According to Jesus, since His death, there is no need for a literal temple.
The third problem with a literal future fulfillment of Ezekiel’s vision is that it requires priests after the order of Aaron. Ezek. 44. But according to the apostle Paul, there has been a change in the priesthood (Heb. 7:12), and Christ is now the “priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.” V. 17. Peter also makes it clear that Christian believers are a “holy priesthood.” 1 Pet. 2:5.
While dispensationalists call for a literal interpretation of Ezekiel’s temple, there is another interpretation that overrides literalism—the superior revelation given by Christ and the apostles. It would be foolish to seek a meaning that contradicts what Christ and the apostles taught. In Christ’s new, permanent order, the temple, priesthood, and sacrifices are all spiritual. 1 Pet. 2:5.
This prophecy, as with many others concerning Israel, was conditional on their obedience. See Jer. 18:7–10. This is an example of “what might have been” had the Jews reformed and fully embraced God’s plan. The vision itself indicates a conditional fulfillment. “Son of man, describe the temple to the house of Israel, that they may be ashamed of their iniquities; and let them measure the pattern. And if they are ashamed of all that they have done, make known to them the design of the temple.” Ezek. 43:10, 11.
Yet even if Ezekiel’s temple had been built, its purpose would have ended at the Cross.
Even though Israel’s failure made God’s original intent impossible, He still had a plan for the building of a new temple, a spiritual one, that would far exceed the glory of Ezekiel’s temple. Each of us can be part of that spiritual temple built upon Christ, the chief cornerstone. Eph. 2:20.
All verses are taken from the New King James Version of the Bible.
Image credit: © Shutterstock.com
