November 17-21, Ezekiel 41-48, Esther 1

And it will come about that every living creature which swarms in every place where the river goes will live. And there will be very many fish, for the waters go there, and the others become fresh; so everything will live where the river goes. Ezekiel 47:9

Last week we finished our time with Nehemiah. We saw the Temple completed and the wall around Jerusalem restored. We moved on to sit with the Ephesians and hear the letter read that Paul wrote. He reminded them that the Temple being built in the New Covenant period was not a building made with earthly stones and mortar, but was being erected out of lives that were being built upon the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus being the Cornerstone. This week we meet up with Ezekiel again. With the help of the Spirit, we are given a glimpse into the Temple that will be built to house the Messiah during His thousand year reign.

Perhaps some of you will find the vision Ezekiel shared to be a bit confusing. Although it sounds a bit like the words found in Revelation 21, there are some discrepancies that become difficult to understand if we try to fit them together as one. Here are a few questions we need to ask ourselves.

1. If this is a description of the Temple that Christ will reign in for eternity, why is there such detail given to its structure? Revelation tells us that there is no Temple; that the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its Temple.
   
2. Why is the Eastern Gate closed and opened for the coming and going of the Messiah when it tells us in Revelation 21 that the gates are never closed?
3. Why are sacrifices being given?
4. Why is the land divided in the prescribed portions when we are told in Revelation 21 that the city is 1,500 miles square (actually cubed) and the boundaries given won't even exist?

I could list many more questions, but I will leave them for your to ask. So why is there such variance between these two passages? Are they really in conflict with each other? The answer is "NO, they are not in conflict." Ezekiel's vision is the revelation of the Millennial Reign, the 1,000 year reign spoken of in Revelation 20. It is during this 1,000 year earthly kingdom that the Jews will see the total fulfillment of all that was promised them under the Old Covenant. Messiah will truly sit on the throne of David in Zion. The Jews will celebrate with understanding their sacrifices, and know that each one pointed to the Christ whose name is Jesus. Just as we are supposed to eat Passover with the understanding of what Christ did, they will offer their gifts with grateful hearts. It is not that they will believe their righteousness comes through their sacrifices, but will know they represent the One who fulfilled them.

I have heard it preached all my life that there is a short window of time during the seven year tribulation when the Jews will be grafted back in. Paul speaks about their restoration in Romans 11. He tells us that this period will be of such glory, that it will supersede the riches they afforded to mankind when they were cut off. It is my personal belief that this promise is fulfilled, not in a short period within the time of "Jacob's troubles," but in the glorious time of the earthly reign of Christ. Ezekiel is writing to Jews who have been taken captive; exiled from their land because of disobedience. His words restored their hope! All God said to them throughout time will come to pass! We know that these promises were not fulfilled in Christ's first coming, but you can be sure they will happen!!!

RULING WOMEN
On Friday, we have the privilege of being introduced to a Queen. The book of Esther tells us about the beginning of the end of the Jews captivity in the land of Babylon. Don't you find it intriguing that the dethroning of one queen and the establishing of another, becomes the catalysis of the restoration of the Jews? It was women who turned the hearts of kings that got them into the mess they were in, and it would be a godly women God would use to influence their freedom. Solomon was swayed by his foreign wives. Ahab was captivated by Jezebel. We have already seen that those kings who aligned themselves with Ahab and his descendants, brought the demise of the nation. Now we see a woman have such influence on the king that she changes the course of history.

I leave you with a riddle. ("riddle" - a word puzzle that takes thought and ingenuity to solve) I hope you will take time to meditate on it. Personally, I thought it was pretty cool!!! I don't know how I missed it every other time I read through Esther. Here's two questions.

1. What tribe was Esther from?
2. What significance does that have?

Happy meditating!