Day 244 Chronological Bible Study Timeline. Map. Go to today’s Bible reading (use your browser arrow to return): Ezekiel 40:1-43:17
Amazing Grace
For the sake of today’s Bible study, imagine you’re an unfaithful marriage partner. You’ve hurt your spouse repeatedly by running to your many lovers. You add criminal acts to your insatiable lust. Now you’re imprisoned for life for breaking the law.
Time after time, your partner sends ministers to talk some sense into you, but you won’t listen. Now there’s no hope. You’ve lost everything—your reputation, family, children, job, and your house. Nothing is left.
One day, your spouse comes to visit you. You’re offered complete forgiveness and freedom. Also, your marriage partner talks about building you a castle, taking you home, and offering you a glorious future. You could live in a palace with ornate furnishings and beautiful gardens on a majestic, peaceful estate, without fear of any trouble. Only one thing is required—true repentance. You may have all these things if you’re genuinely sorry and turn away from your sins for forgiveness.
God's gracious plans for Israel
Assyria and Babylon conquered Israel and Judah and exiled them to their lands. By this time, most of Judah had been in exile for twenty-five years and Israel for over one-hundred and sixty years (first under Assyria and now under Babylon). They were to serve a life sentence of seventy years in Babylon for their endless worship of idols (prostitution) and wickedness. God promises after these years, he will restore her.
Now, after only twenty-five years, the LORD was already making plans for Israel’s glorious future. A person knows when he is forgiven when fantastic plans are being made, which include him. This is mercy and grace. Mercy withholds the punishment deserved. Grace is an undeserved gift or favor. Only one thing is required for God to share those plans with Israel—genuine repentance (Ezekiel 43:9-11). Apparently, Israel repents, because we have the plans for Israel’s new temple written in our Bibles.
A glorious temple will be built
What will the new temple be like? We know the size and the layout and some of its contents from today’s Bible reading. The temple will be an ornately designed structure, 175 feet x 175 feet with 10 foot thick walls. It will include rooms for storage and places for sacrifices. An inner court and an outer court will surround it. Worshippers will enter one way and exit the other, and there will be a special entrance for Jesus and Prince David to enter. This’ll be a glorious temple because God will dwell there with his people forever (see pictures and diagrams of the temple and altar). If you want to know the purposes of the sacrifices in the temple, go here.
The Post-Exile View
Some Bible scholars believe the plans for Ezekiel’s temple were potential and conditional upon her repentance and complete obedience.In Ezekiel’s record, there’s a significant amount of specific details with present-day names. This seems to show a near fulfillment in building the temple.
Later, during the exile, Israel would repent. Still, many Jewish exiles wouldn't return to their land, even when given three opportunities. For this, Israel would accept God’s second-best—the rebuilding of Solomon’s temple. Ezekiel’s glorious temple will be built in a future day.
The Millennial View
One might ask if the plans are for a millennial temple, why does God share it with the Israelites now? In Bible prophecy, a present prophecy is partially fulfilled with the hope of future glorious fulfillment. In this view, Solomon’s rebuilt temple serves as present hope, and the plans for Ezekiel’s temple serve as their glorious hope.
Israel was in exile and despair. Whichever view is correct, the sharing of this plan brings them encouragement. God hasn’t cast his people aside forever, and he hasn’t forgotten them—he is making plans for their future!
Although most of us are not Jewish, God hasn’t forgotten us, either. Everyone who turns from his sin to the LORD for forgiveness will have spiritual life, peace, God’s blessings, and a glorious future. God has provided this through the death, burial, and resurrection of his Son, Jesus Christ. He died, so we might have life. Will we trust him for our salvation and our future today? (more...)
End Notes: 1. The Bible Knowledge Commentary of the O.T., edited by Walvoord and Zuck, ©1985, p.1309.
2. The Prince who is called David could be a resurrected David. Or, David might resemble King David. David might be a man after God's heart and even be a direct descendant of King David. Like Christ said John the Baptist was the Elijah to come prophesied in Malachi 4:5, perhaps David is a type for the man who will be prince.
3. If you want to know the purposes of the sacrifices in the temple, go here.
Discussion Questions
What great amazing grace has God shown you? Give a testimony here.
How can we get God’s best and not settle for second-best?
Focus Verses
1Peter 1:3-5 (NIV)
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
Write a private prayer response to today’s Bible study:
Please send your comments to me, Rod (the author)
Looking Ahead: It's a New Day for Israel in our Next Lesson when she turns to God from her sins. We can have forgiveness, too, and experience a new day. Find out more in our Next Lesson.
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