Yes, two statements that cannot be overlooked!
First, the Glory of Almighty God, which had departed from the Temple back in Ezekiel chapters 10 and 11 … RETURNS! In this yet future Millennial Day, a thousand-year Day, by the way! God then (during the Kingdom Reign of Jesus Christ) chooses to “live” in the Temple! I am talking “Shekinah” Glory style! (A Hebrew verb that means “to dwell” or “to abide!” Not merely “to visit!” Permanence!)
Read every word here: “Afterward he (the angel who had been Ezekiel’s ‘tour’ guide) brought me (the Prophet Ezekiel, of course) to the gate, even the gate that looketh toward the east (the ‘famed’ Eastern Gate): and, behold, the GLORY of the God of Israel came from the way of the east: and his voice was like a noise of many waters: and THE EARTH SHINED WITH HIS GLORY. And it was according to the appearance of the … vision that I saw by the river Chebar; and I fell upon my face. And the GLORY of the LORD came into the house by the way of the gate whose prospect is toward the east. So the spirit took me up, and brought me into the inner court; and, behold, the GLORY of the LORD filled the house.” Ezekiel 43:1-5, “filled the House,” the Temple!
What a Day that will be!
Here is Isaiah’s picture of God’s Glory being abundantly evident in this coming Millennial Paradise. “And the LORD will create upon EVERY DWELLING PLACE of mount Zion, and upon her assemblies, a CLOUD and SMOKE by day, and the shining of a flaming FIRE by night: for upon all the GLORY shall be a defence.” Isaiah 4:5, “Shekinah” everywhere? Each home?
God living with His people!
Here’s how the Lord Himself characterizes His Stay! “And he (the Lord) said unto me, Son of man, the place of my throne, and the place of the soles of my feet, where I will dwell in the midst of the children of Israel for ever, and my holy name, shall the house of Israel no more defile, neither they, nor their kings, by their whoredom, nor by the carcases of their kings in their high places.” Ezekiel 43:7, indeed … God has “moved in!” (His Throne, His Footstool, His Home, Dwelling Place!) In THAT Glorious Temple, that FATHER’S HOUSE … there ARE indeed MANY ROOMS! Read the previous chapter, Ezekiel 42!
Wow!
Then for today, secondly, Ezekiel gives a REASON for all this Millennial Temple “detail!” This is an astounding Passage. Verse 10 begins: “Thou son of man, shew the HOUSE to the house of Israel, that ….” And the “house” being displayed, described, “shown,” is none other that the Temple! The verb “shew” is “nagad,” meaning “to explain, preach, to declare, to expound, to report, to tell, to message!” “Shew” is an imperative here, too. Ezekiel has been COMMANDED to exposit data concerning this Temple, in all its details!
But (again) why?
“That” … which begins a statement of cause. Here is WHY!
“Thou son of man, shew the house to the house of Israel, THAT they may be ashamed of their iniquities: and let them measure the pattern. And if they be ashamed of all that they have done, shew them the FORM of the house, and the FASHION thereof, and the GOINGS OUT thereof, and the COMINGS IN thereof, and all the FORMS thereof, and all the ORDINANCES thereof, and all the FORMS thereof, and all the LAWS thereof: and write it in their sight, that they may KEEP (obey) the whole form thereof, and all the ordinances thereof, and DO them.” Ezekiel 43:10-11
God believes this Temple (in all its aspects) plus His Presence … will bring about repentance to all Israel! Make them ashamed for their sins and rebellion!
Introduce to them a sense of HOLINESS they may have never experienced and appreciated before, in al their long history!
Verse 12 also … “This is the law of the house; Upon the top of the mountain the whole limit thereof round about shall be MOST HOLY. Behold, this is the law of the house.” A mile square! The Biggest Place of Worship I’ve ever known! And best of all … GOD IS THERE!
Holy, Holy, Holy!
Folks, I feel we’ve been on Holy Ground this morning!
— Dr. Mike Bagwell
Indeed, God saves the “best” for “last!”