Of all the books of the Bible, save the Revelation, perhaps there is none more mysterious or difficult to understand than the book of Ezekiel. As many know, we have shown many reports of the prophetic writings of Ezekiel, particularly Ezek. 9 the church judgment event.
However there is one area of the book that even the most advanced students of the holy Scriptures are often stymied and thoroughly confused. That is the highly mysterious chapters 43 and 44.
The message tells something about this–
“In as much as Zerubbabel is a “signet,” a symbol or a type of the builders in the day the Lord shakes the heavens and the earth, then Ezekiel’s description of the mystic temple (chapters 40-47) which is yet to be built, could be the blueprint of Zerubbabel’s antitypical temple.” ( 1 TG, no.13, p.6)
We see that this mystic temple is “yet to be built”. Implying that it is to be built someday in the future. But there is no definite declaration as it continues “could be the blueprint of Zerubbabels’ antitypical temple.”
Let us now look at the following perplexing Scripture. After describing the future altar of the aforesaid temple the word says —
“And he said unto me, Son of man, thus saith the Lord GOD; These are the ordinances of the altar in the day when they shall make it, to offer burnt offerings thereon, and to sprinkle blood thereon. And thou shalt give to the priests the Levites that be of the seed of Zadok, which approach unto me, to minister unto me, saith the Lord GOD, a young bullock for a sin offering.
And thou shalt take of the blood thereof, and put it on the four horns of it, and on the four corners of the settle, and upon the border round about: thus shalt thou cleanse and purge it. Thou shalt take the bullock also of the sin offering, and he shall burn it in the appointed place of the house, without the sanctuary.
And on the second day thou shalt offer a kid of the goats without blemish for a sin offering; and they shall cleanse the altar, as they did cleanse it with the bullock. When thou hast made an end of cleansing it, thou shalt offer a young bullock without blemish, and a ram out of the flock without blemish.
And thou shalt offer them before the LORD, and the priests shall cast salt upon them, and they shall offer them up for a burnt offering unto the LORD. Seven days shalt thou prepare every day a goat for a sin offering: they shall also prepare a young bullock, and a ram out of the flock, without blemish. Seven days shall they purge the altar and purify it; and they shall consecrate themselves.
And when these days are expired, it shall be, that upon the eighth day, and so forward, the priests shall make your burnt offerings upon the altar, and your peace offerings; and I will accept you, saith the Lord GOD.” (Ezek. 43:18-27).
So there is no doubt that this shows animal blood sacrifices , as in the days of old. But as we believers in the Christian dispensation know, our Lord was the final and ultimate sacrifice for our sins, right?
After all the curtain was split in two at His death, signifying an end to the earthly customs and requirements of the sacrificial system. We also have this proof in Daniel 9:27–
“And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.”
So what are we to make of this potential throwback to the old customs and sacrifices? We can only offer some ideas. If you have any please feel free to add them in comment section.
Obviously we know that as Christ fulfilled the blood sacrifices, these customs and reenactments could only mean a historical lesson in their significance. As the message tells us that the land of Israel will be the future gospel center of the world, for the Loud Cry, there shall be many in the land and once all is underway and the gospel machine is in full gear, the people there in Israel will have the chance to review what history showed as a live portrayal of the sacrificial system.
Concerning the keeping of the feast days the message tells us that the Feast of Tabernacles will be kept in the holy land. It does not say any others will be kept though.
Zech. 14:16 — “And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles.”
This sentence of Scripture emphatically implies that all who at that decisive moment refuse to be converted to the Lord, shall perish; only those who worship the Lord at Jerusalem on the feast of tabernacles, shall be spared.” (1 TG, no. 20, p.13)
During this feast, there were numerous animal sacrifices.
“The sacrifices required for the Feast of Tabernacles were tremendous. Beside the daily sacrifices offered in the evening and the morning, there were others offered specifically for the feast (Num. 29:12-38). During the seven days of this feast, the priests were required each day to offer up: two rams, fourteen lambs and a goat for the sin offering (Num 29:12-40).
The number of offerings of bullocks decreased by one each of the succeeding seven days—13 bullocks on the 2nd day, 12 bullocks on the 3rd day …7 bullocks on the 7th day. On the 8th day the special offering was one bullock and ram, seven lambs, and a goat as sin offering. There were a total of 70 bullocks, 14 rams, 98 lambs (or 182 sacrifices) offered during the Feast of Tabernacles.”(By kind permission of Dr. Lee Warren, B.A., D.D. )
In closing, this future prophesy is definitely a “wait and see” proposition. We do know that there will be at least two annual celebrations of the Feast of Tabernacles (“year to year”) in the pre-mil kingdom.
We also know that God’s word will not return void and we can look forward to being shown the fullness of His word in this mysterious prophesy.
“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be complete, fully equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:16-17)
Godsloveandlaw's Blog 
January 30, 2016 at 12:16 pm |
>”So what are we to make of this potential throwback to the old customs and sacrifices? We can only offer some ideas. If you have any please feel free to add them in comment section. Obviously we know that as Christ fulfilled the blood sacrifices, these customs and reenactments could only mean a historical lesson in their significance.”
Why were sacrifices on earth stopped? It was NOT because Christ fulfilled them. For we know that in the book of acts the apostles continued to sacrifice. We too know that Christ fulfilled the Sabbath, yet we don’t presume it has stopped. Christ fulfilled all the law, yet it continues. So, why did sacrifices stop. And I do hold that God designed it that way.
>”Concerning the keeping of the feast days the message tells us that the Feast of Tabernacles will be kept in the holy land. It does not say any others will be kept though.”
What do you mean by others are not stated to keep it? For others not in or in route to be in are heathens and not expected to keep it. Secondly, if I understand your position right, you believe that the feast days are not to be kept now. But at least two will be kept on earth in the future. Why the discontinuation?
January 30, 2016 at 5:07 pm |
Hello brother Garrick, hope all is well for you and family.
To address your concerns allow me to go over them carefully one by one.
First, you stated “Why were sacrifices on earth stopped? It was NOT because Christ fulfilled them.”
I would have to disagree here due to the fact that the word clearly says —
“And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease..” (Daniel 9:27)
I must go to Sabbath service now, we’ll continue when I return
February 2, 2016 at 11:18 pm |
Thank you for the reply. This is NOT Garrick.
I know of Dan 9:27. It explains the occurrence which causes the sacrifices to cease. It does not explain the reason they were to end yet resume as you stated in the article.
Here we see they pause and resume.
(Zechariah 2:6-13)
1Then said the LORD unto me, Go yet, love a woman beloved of her friend, yet an adulteress, according to the love of the LORD toward the children of Israel, who look to other gods, and love flagons of wine. 2So I bought her to me for fifteen pieces of silver, and for an homer of barley, and an half homer of barley: 3And I said unto her, Thou shalt abide for me many days; thou shalt not play the harlot, and thou shalt not be for another man: so will I also be for thee. 4For the children of Israel shall abide many days without a king, and without a prince, and without a sacrifice, and without an image, and without an ephod, and without teraphim: 5Afterward shall the children of Israel return, and seek the LORD their God, and David their king; and shall fear the LORD and his goodness in the latter days.
Why pause? And where is the command to stop sacrifices?
Keep in mind, I in no way advocate sacrifices and I agree with you that that have “ceased” but you have not seen the full extent of why.
I await your reply.
February 3, 2016 at 1:05 am
Correction. Hosea 3 not zech.
February 4, 2016 at 6:16 am
Sorry for the misunderstanding on being another brother. When one clicks your name it leads to numerous posts from his website so because we have heard from him several times here on our blog we assumed that.
Fill us in, you said , “I know of Dan 9:27. It explains the occurrence which causes the sacrifices to cease.” What is that occurrence? And when did that occurrence happen?
“Why pause? And where is the command to stop sacrifices?”
I can be in better position to respond these once the above question is answered.
January 30, 2016 at 9:35 pm |
“For we know that in the book of acts the apostles continued to sacrifice.”
Where do you base this from? If it is Acts 21:26 then we see this obliging from Paul as very different motives for his actions.
Concerning your other points which basically profess the requirement that says we must keep the feasts to please the Lord, you should be aware that the Rod in no area teaches that Feast compliance is necessary or required.(2 TG no.37, p.10-25)
“What do you mean by others are not stated to keep it?” I mean that the Rod does not show any other Feast keeping required in the kingdom except Zech. 14:16. Just as Scripture does not show any others as well.
Bottom line brother Garrick, it is one thing to believe as you do that one must keep the Feast days to please the Lord, yet quite another to profess the Rod’s backing to it. This is wrong before the Lord as you have taken your own pipe and inserted into the Golden Bowl and made a prophecy (Feast keeping) that the bowl does not produce. Take heed.
February 2, 2016 at 11:25 pm |
“Where do you base this from? If it is Acts 21:26 then we see this obliging from Paul as very different motives for his actions.”
Acts 21:26 that you mentioned is the second occurrence. You missed the first here it is.
http://bible.com/1/act.18.18.kjv And Paul after this tarried there yet a good while, and then took his leave of the brethren, and sailed thence into Syria, and with him Priscilla and Aquila; having shorn his head in Cenchrea: for he had a vow.
This vow required Paul to sacrifice and shave his head. He did this of his own volition.
Notice neither Paul nor any of the apostles were ever accused of failing to sacrifice. This they continued until 70ad. It is a modern Christian invention that sacrifices for the apostles and Christians ceased at the cross.
February 4, 2016 at 6:32 am
“This vow required Paul to sacrifice and shave his head. He did this of his own volition.”
Now brother, let’s be honest nowhere is it ever implied what kind of vow that was. Some vows DID require a sacrifice but we do not have enough information to go by. Further you are not backed up by SOP or the Rod in your conclusions of Acts 18:18. not to mention Acts 21:26 as well.
If you profess to believe in the last restoring message of the Rod then you must concur with it’s voice in this matter. Or else make sure to clarify that you are giving “your” opinion and not stating your opinions as plain truth. Big, big important point.
“Notice neither Paul nor any of the apostles were ever accused of failing to sacrifice. This they continued until 70ad.It is a modern Christian invention that sacrifices for the apostles and Christians ceased at the cross.”
All I can say brother is you are WAY OFF from standard doctrinal SDA and DSDA teachings. So far off that I must ask for your first name and pray for your situation. What is your first name?
February 3, 2016 at 1:33 am |
“In closing, this future prophesy is definitely a “wait and see” proposition. We do know that there will be at least two annual celebrations of the Feast of Tabernacles (“year to year”) in the pre-mil kingdom.”
Is it possible to have Feast of Tabernacles without Passover to start the year?
February 4, 2016 at 6:35 am
Again, you are making a big assumption here by implying that the Passover is to be kept if one keeps the FOT. Show us from Scripture, SOP or Rod that the Passover will be kept in the kingdom, give references,
February 4, 2016 at 8:27 pm |
“Fill us in, you said , “I know of Dan 9:27. It explains the occurrence which causes the sacrifices to cease.” What is that occurrence? And when did that occurrence happen?”
At the cross…. the temple curtain torn.
January 30, 2016 at 11:12 pm |
Last comment before I await yours, in regards to the situation of Paul in going along with a Jewish sacrifice and ceremony, an explanation as follows is the best I have found–
“..is it possible Paul went through this ritual as a matter of expediency in an attempt to relieve a tense situation? Could the apostle have “purified” himself, strictly in conformity to nationalistic Judaism—with no intent whatever of substituting an animal for the precious sacrifice of the Lamb of God? Fervent voices cry: “Absolutely not.”
But why not? If the apostle could circumcise Timothy as an expediency, with no design of associating the ritual with salvation (as was sometimes done – Acts 15:1), why could he not have done the same with reference to a sacrifice? To utilize circumcision as a matter of salvation was apostasy (Gal. 5:2ff).
To practice the rite in order to remove prejudice—in that era when the law was so freshly abolished—was an exercise of wisdom (cf. 1 Cor. 9:19-23). To offer a sacrifice redemptively would have been wrong; but there is no proof that such was Paul’s intention.
It should be noted in passing that ceremonial “purification” did not necessarily involve atonement for personal sin. A Jewish woman had to be “purified” following the birth of a child (cf. Lev. 12:1ff; Lk. 2:22), even though the act of bearing a child is not sinful. Paul’s act of “purification,” therefore, need not suggest that he was seeking personal forgiveness by means of an animal sacrifice. Clearly that was not Paul’s purpose in this temple ritual.” (Wayne Jackson–Christian Courier.com)
February 2, 2016 at 11:34 pm |
This answer would suffice if it were only Paul. But it was not just Paul continuing to perform circumcision and other so called “ceremonial rites.” Even new believers partook in the “Jewish” biblical traditions.
See here the centurion well established in the synagogue and offering “ALMS.” As one that FEARED God he kept the law in whole after the cross, as a Christian convert.
http://bible.com/1/act.10.2.kjv A devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God alway.
February 4, 2016 at 6:41 am
See comment about need to pray for you, again ALL inspired writings including the restoring Rod does not even hint that Paul or any Apostle believed or taught that sacrifices were not ended by Christ–this is blasphemy brother, best wake up before it’s too late!
February 4, 2016 at 1:44 pm |
I need not appeal to sop, or the rod. I appeal to Moses.
http://bible.com/1/num.6.18-20.kjv And the Nazarite shall shave the head of his separation at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and shall take the hair of the head of his separation, and put it in the fire which is under the sacrifice of the peace offerings. And the priest shall take the sodden shoulder of the ram, and one unleavened cake out of the basket, and one unleavened wafer, and shall put them upon the hands of the Nazarite, after the hair of his separation is shaven: And the priest shall wave them for a wave offering before the Lord : this is holy for the priest, with the wave breast and heave shoulder: and after that the Nazarite may drink wine.
It is clear that Paul had on file at the end of his Vow he shaved his head he does this twice in the book of Acts once some assumed to be a force situation in Acts 21. But in Acts chapter 18. There is no ones forcing you to take the Vow.
February 4, 2016 at 1:55 pm
Edit.it is clear that Paul had a vow from the book of numbets. At the end of his Vow, he shaved his head he does this twice in the book of Acts. In acts 21 some assume to be a forced situation. But in Acts chapter 18. There is no one forcing him to take the Vow.
February 5, 2016 at 7:30 am
I find your whole basis and beliefs utter foolishness brother,we’ll not entertain on this site any more of this blasphemy. Try another site.
February 1, 2016 at 8:07 am |
This is meat in due season brethren !
February 6, 2016 at 9:45 am |
Well, brother, looks like you have it all figured out.