Introduction

† Ezekiel 43 shows the return of the glory of the Lord, what departed earlier now returns, pointing to restoration (Ezekiel 10:18-19)

† This is fulfilled in Christ, God dwelling among His people, not in a future building but in the New Covenant reality (John 1:14)

† The vision points to the true temple, God's people, established and confirmed in the first century (Matthew 23:38)

Ezekiel 43:1-5
Then he led me to the gate, the gate facing east; and behold, the glory of the God of Israel was coming from the way of the east. And His voice was like the sound of many waters; and the earth shone with His glory. And it was like the appearance of the vision which I saw, like the vision which I saw when He came to destroy the city. And the visions were like the vision which I saw by the river Chebar; and I fell on my face. And the glory of the LORD came into the house by the way of the gate facing east. And the Spirit lifted me up and brought me into the inner courtyard; and behold, the glory of the LORD filled the house.

† The glory coming from the east connects with Christ's entrance, fulfilling the pattern of God's return (Matthew 21:9)

† The voice like many waters matches Christ's revealed glory, showing continuity of the same divine presence (Revelation 1:15)

† The house filled with glory is fulfilled in the church as God's dwelling place (Ephesians 2:21-22)

Ezekiel 43:6-9
Then I heard one speaking to me from the house, while a man was standing beside me. And He said to me, Son of man, this is the place of My throne and the place of the soles of My feet, where I will dwell among the sons of Israel forever. And the house of Israel will not again defile My holy name, neither they nor their kings, by their prostitution and by the corpses of their kings when they die, by setting their threshold by My threshold and their doorpost beside My doorpost, with only the wall between Me and them. And they have defiled My holy name by their abominations which they have committed. So I have consumed them in My anger. Now let them put away their prostitution and the corpses of their kings far from Me; and I will dwell among them forever.

† God calls this His throne, fulfilled in Christ reigning among His people (Acts 2:30-33)

† The promise to dwell forever is fulfilled in the New Covenant presence of God with His people (Revelation 21:3)

† The warning of defilement explains the judgment that removed the corrupt system in AD 70 (Matthew 23:37-38)

Ezekiel 43:10-12
As for you, son of man, describe the house to the house of Israel, so that they will be ashamed of their wrongdoings; and have them measure the plan. And if they are ashamed of everything that they have done, make known to them the design of the house, its structure, its exits, its entrances, all its designs, all its statutes, and all its laws. And write it in their sight so that they may observe its entire design and all its statutes, and do them. This is the law of the house: its entire area on the top of the mountain all around shall be most holy. Behold, this is the law of the house.

† The vision exposes sin and calls for repentance, showing the need for something greater (Romans 3:20)

† The holiness of the house is fulfilled in believers as God's holy dwelling (1 Peter 2:5)

† The mountain points to the established kingdom in Christ, a spiritual reality (Hebrews 12:22)

Ezekiel 43:13-27
And these are the measurements of the altar by cubits (the cubit being a cubit and a hand width): the base shall be a cubit and the width a cubit, and its border on its edge all around one span; and this shall be the height of the base of the altar. From the base on the ground to the lower ledge shall be two cubits and the width one cubit; and from the smaller ledge to the larger ledge shall be four cubits and the width one cubit. The altar hearth shall be four cubits; and from the altar hearth shall extend upward four horns. Now the altar hearth shall be twelve cubits long by twelve wide, square in its four sides. The ledge shall be fourteen cubits long by fourteen wide in its four sides, the border around it shall be half a cubit and its base shall be a cubit all around; and its steps shall face east. And He said to me, Son of man, this is what the Lord GOD says: These are the statutes for the altar on the day it is built, to offer burnt offerings on it and to sprinkle blood on it. You shall give to the Levitical priests who are from the offspring of Zadok, who come near to Me to minister to Me, declares the Lord GOD, a bull for a sin offering. You shall take some of its blood and put it on its four horns and on the four corners of the ledge and on the border all around; so you shall cleanse it and make atonement for it. You shall also take the bull for the sin offering, and it shall be burned in the appointed place of the house, outside the sanctuary. On the second day you shall offer a male goat without blemish as a sin offering, and they shall cleanse the altar as they cleansed it with the bull. When you have finished cleansing it, you shall present a bull without blemish and a ram without blemish from the flock. You shall present them before the LORD, and the priests shall throw salt on them, and they shall offer them up as a burnt offering to the LORD. For seven days you shall prepare daily a goat for a sin offering; also a bull and a ram from the flock, without blemish, shall be prepared. For seven days they shall make atonement for the altar and purify it; so shall they consecrate it. When they have completed the days, it shall be that on the eighth day and onward, the priests shall offer your burnt offerings on the altar and your peace offerings; and I will accept you, declares the Lord GOD.

† The altar points to Christ, the final sacrifice who fulfilled all offerings once for all (Hebrews 10:10-12)

† The repeated sacrifices show the weakness of the old system and the need for Christ's perfect work (Hebrews 9:12)

† Acceptance comes through Christ, not through animal sacrifices (Ephesians 1:6)

Historical References

† Josephus records the destruction of the temple in AD 70, confirming the end of the old system

† Eusebius wrote that the church became God's dwelling after Jerusalem fell

† Irenaeus affirmed that Christ brought the fullness of God's presence to His people

How It Applies To Us Today

† God dwells in His people, not in buildings, we are His temple (1 Corinthians 3:16)

† The glory has already returned through Christ, we're living in that reality now (John 17:22)

† The old system is gone, we don't go back to shadows, we stand in fulfillment (Colossians 2:17)

† We are a holy dwelling, set apart and filled with His presence (2 Corinthians 6:16)

† Access to God is complete, we don't need another temple (Hebrews 10:19-22)

Q & A Appendix

Q When did the glory return to the temple
A It was fulfilled in Christ, seen in His coming and presence (John 1:14)

Q Is this a future physical temple
A No, believers are the temple of God (1 Corinthians 3:16)

Q What happened to the old temple
A It was destroyed in AD 70 as Jesus said (Matthew 24:2)

Q Why are sacrifices described here
A They pointed forward to Christ who fulfilled them (Hebrews 10:10)

Q Where does God dwell now
A He dwells in His people through the Spirit (Ephesians 2:21-22)

† This is the fulfilled perspective we proclaim at Fulfilled Prophecies †
© Fulfilled Prophecies - Dan Maines.

Source Index

† Ezekiel 43:1-27

† Josephus, Wars of the Jews; Eusebius, Ecclesiastical History; Irenaeus, Against Heresies