Ezekiel 45

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TALKS FOR GROWING CHRISTIANS

The Division of the Land around the Millennial Temple

BACKGROUND NOTES



DOCTRINAL POINT(S)

  1. During the Millennium, the land surrounding the Temple will be for the priests and Levites and prince.

  2. During the Millennium, the sacrifices associated with the Temple will not be for taking away sins.


PRACTICAL APPLICATION

  1. Don’t cheat your customers or clients!


QUESTIONS

  1. In the area of the literal Millennial Temple of the future, the territory around the Temple will be set apart as a portion of land for the priests, Levites and prince, given to them as an _________________. The Lord has designated this area as _______ land.

  2. We learn from chapter 48 that Israel will be divided into12 strips of land, one for each of the 12 tribes, and the strips of land will run all the way from the ________________ Sea eastward to the _______ River and perhaps beyond for some tribes. There will be an additional east-west strip of land between the land designated for the tribe of ________ to the north and the tribe of ___________ to the south, and it will include the city of ______________.

  3. Because the sacrifices in the future Millennial Temple will look backward and commemorate the completed sacrificial work of Christ, it is in this way similar to an ordinance celebrated by the Church today. Name that ordinance. Why will this ordinance not be celebrated during the Millennium?

  4. Based on the words of the Lord in verses 18-22, which Jewish feasts will be observed during the Millennial Kingdom in the Millennial Temple? Could there be other feasts kept during the Millennium that are not mentioned here?

  5. What will the responsibilities of the prince be during the Millennial Kingdom?


ANSWERS

  1. The land around the future Millennial Temple that will be assigned to the priests, Levites and prince, will be given to them as an inheritance (v 1). The Lord has designated this area as holy land (v 1).

  2. The strips of land described in Ezekiel chapter 48 will extend all the way from the Mediterranean Sea eastward to the Jordan River or beyond. Between the strip of land assigned to the tribe of Judah to the north, and the strip of land assigned to the tribe of Benjamin to the south, will be a strip of land as described in chapter 45, verse 1. It will measure 25,000 cubits wide and will extend from the Mediterranean Sea to the Jordan River. It will include the city of Jerusalem.

  3. The ordinance celebrated regularly by the church today, the Lord’s Supper, is similar to what the sacrifices in the future Millennial Temple will be, in that they are both memorial in focus and commemorate the sacrificial work of Christ on the cross. The Lord’s Supper will not be celebrated during the Millennium because it was intended specifically for the church until the Lord’s second coming. See 1 Corinthians 11:26 in this regard.

  4. The Jewish feasts of Passover, Unleavened Bread and Tabernacles will be observed during the Millennium based on verses 21-25 and chapter 46, verses 1-15. There may be additional feasts observed during the Millennium that are not spoken of here in Ezekiel.

  5. The prince has the responsibility to provide for all the regular sacrifices from the animals and grain that that the people give to the Lord, including burnt offerings, grain offerings and drink offerings. He will also prepare the sin offering and the peace offering (vs 16-25).


DISCUSS/CONSIDER

  1. Consider the significance of Israel becoming a holy nation and being an actual light to the Gentiles during the Millennium. Discuss the truth that many people who are born during that thousand-year period of time will need a savior, and how the believers among the Jewish people will be those who lead many to Christ, often through the testimony of the temple sacrifices


CHALLENGE

  1. God told His people that cheating and deceiving with false weights and balances was “violence, plundering, injustice and a means of stealing (v 9). Have you minimized the seriousness of false entries on your tax return or failing to return an excess of change given to you by a store clerk? Commit yourself to total truthfulness in all of your day-to-day transactions in the marketplace!


KEY VERSES

  • “When you divide the land by lot into inheritance, you shall set apart a district for the Lord, a holy portion of the land; its length shall be twenty-five thousand cubits, and the width ten thousand. It shall be holy throughout its territory all around.” Ezekiel 45:1



Ezekiel, Old Testament, TalksDeb HarmsEzekiel 45