Millennial Temple Worship – Part 2

In the previous article the subject of hermeneutics and Biblical interpretation was examined in light of Ezekiel's Temple. In this article some of the physical and procedural characteristics of Ezekiel's Temple will be examined and compared with other Jewish temples in history. The Temple is seen as real and literal in the Messianic Millennial Kingdom not only by Ezekiel who was a prophet during the exile, but through the pre-exilic prophets: Isaiah (Isa. 2:3; 60:13), Jeremiah (Jer. 33:18), Joel (Joel 3:18), Micah (Mic. 4:2), and the post-exilic prophets Haggai (Hag. 2:7-9), and Zechariah (Zech. 6:12-15; 14:16, 20-21). One can measure a major period of Temple history by the Babylonian exile because Israel's Temple was destroyed. So the prophets immediately before the exile are called the pre-exilic writing prophets. The prophets of exile are the exilic writing prophets and the prophets after the exile are the post-exilic writing prophets. The pre-exilic prophets often prophesy against the nation's lack of reverence and adultery in the Temple then turn to speak of a day when worship in the Temple will be pure containing worshipers who possess a pure heart. Exilic prophets again speak of the nation's failure in worshiping the only true God, so the Temple was removed from them. But they also speak of a period when a new Temple will be built. The post-exilic prophets speak of the lack of the presence of God in the rebuilt Temple, but God will shake the heavens and earth and a new Temple will return with the presence of God. The Meeting Place of God Before sin entered the world, the Lord met with Adam in the Garden. There was no separation, God met and talked to man without separation. After the fall the world changed drastically as Eden, that unique place where God dwelt with man was placed off limits (Gen. 3:24). A physical separation occurred and the special relationship between God and man was broken, never to return again until the Millennium. Some 2,500 years later, after God chose a particular people and that people was taken into Egyptian bondage and released, God directed man to build a temporary structure in the form of the tabernacle. The word tabernacle comes to the English from the Latin tabernaculum "a hut," "tent." The Hebrew is mishkan meaning "a dwelling place," or simply "dwellings," and has its Biblical roots in the portable tent that God directed Moses to construct in all it's detail as the Israelites traveled in the desert (Ex. 25). The Tabernacle was the dwelling place of God (cf. Ex. 40:34-35). The details of which are said to be patterned after that of heaven (Heb. 8:5). The Tabernacle is called the "Tent of Meeting" (Num. 4:25) and the "Tent of the Testimony" (Num. 9:15), both descriptions of the special place where God communes with man. It is during their sojourn in the desert with the Tabernacle that God separated Himself from man by means of the curtain of the Holy of Holies and a great cloud which contained His glory, the Shechinah Glory. This great cloud directed Israel through her time of judgment wondering in the desert. The promise to enter the Promised Land was denied them because of their sin. The Temple of the Lord Once Israel was in the land, the temporary dwelling place of God was replaced with a permanent structure, but because King David had shed blood he was not allowed to build the Temple of the Lord (1 Chr. 28:3). Instead, his son Solomon would build it in all its glory. And at its completion the Ark of the Testimony was transferred from the Tabernacle to the Temple and the Shechinah Glory filled the house of Jehovah (1 Kgs. 8:10-11; cf. 2 Chr. 5:13-14; 7:1-3). After Solomon's dedication of the Temple, the Lord appeared to him and the Lord Himself consecrated the Temple and promised to put His name there forever (1 Kgs. 9:3). But He promised that their continued kingship and possession of the land was dependent upon their obedience. As a consequence of the great sin of the nation, the Shechinah Glory departed Solomon's Temple from the Cherubim on the top of the Ark, over the threshold of the house of God, through the East Gate and finally over the Mount of Olives never to be seen again (Ezek. 9:3; 10:4, 18-19; 11:22-23). Solomon's Temple was destroyed in 586 BC and rebuilt after the Babylonian Exiles returned to the land. The rebuilding project under the direction of Zerubbabel was met with problems and conflict but was brought to a new revived glory under the direction of Herod in 23 B.C. The Millennial Temple's Makeup Ezekiel had been given visions that described the destruction of the city and the Temple through a series of "acts." For example, after drawing a map of Jerusalem and detailing the Babylonian battle of the city (Ezek. 4:1-3), he lay on his left side a few hours every day for 390 days, then on his right side 40 days. Thus symbolizing the iniquity of both Israel and Judah with each day representing a year (Ezek. 4:5-6). Ezekiel's series of symbolic acts spoke of the captivity of the divided kingdom of Judah and Israel and the judgment of the nations of the Middle East at the hands of the Babylonians. Then Ezekiel is given the prophecy of the judgment of Babylon. This takes the reader through some 33 chapters. He then turns his attention to false shepherds and the one True Shepherd and the restoration of a unified nation to the land and the final destruction of Israel's last foes (Ezek. 34-39). Ezekiel's prophecy of the Temple (Ezek. 40-48) can be dated to about 25 years after their captivity making him about 55 years old. He is a priest and God gives him this last prophecy of the book in order to describe to the people proper worship in their national restoration in the Messianic Kingdom. Once they leave the Babylonian captivity, they do not build Ezekiel's Temple! That is because Ezekiel's Temple is the Millennial Temple and that is how they interpret Ezekiel! Physical Characteristics There is a vast difference between the Temple described by Ezekiel and that of the other Temples. For example, Temple researcher and archeologist Dr. Randall Price highlights the vast grandeur of Ezekiel's Temple compared to the others. " One of the problems for many who seek to interpret Ezekiel's vision of the Temple literally is the problem of the immense size of the building (compared to the sizes of the First and Second Temples). According to Ezekiel's text, the millennial city of Jerusalem and the Temple will together encompass a 2,500 square-mile area. The portion reserved for the priests and Levites is some 50 miles, while the Temple courts will be one mile square. These dimensions are larger than those of the modern State of Israel." (Randall Price, The Temple and Bible Prophecy, p. 531). The vast size of the temple has led some to interpret the Temple spiritually since the current physical landscape cannot hold the structures. However, God's work during the Great Tribulation provides ample descriptions of physical changes to the earth and the Temple proper will sit higher than any structure around. That currently is not the case, so the mountains surrounding the temple mount will be split (Zech. 13:4) and the Temple mount will rise (Zech. 14:10). Now it will come about that in the last days the mountain of the house of the LORD will be established as the chief of the mountains, and will be raised above the hills; And all the nations will stream to it. (Isa. 2:2) There is no mistaking that "chief" hear means "at the top". This is literally translated, "…the thing being established, the Lord's mountain, the Lord's house, on the top of the mountains, and the thing being lifted up from the hill…" Physical Size One the greatest differences of the Millennial Temple to the previous temples is the vast size increase. The First Temple was grand at double the dimensions of the Tabernacle and triple the height, it measured 60x20x30 cubits high which converts to feet as about 90x30x45 ft and about 3,500 sq. ft. The second Temple built by Zerubbabel was probably smaller than the first, but upon its reconstruction under Herod, the Temple dimensions proper were virtually the same size. Its surroundings, however, were larger, providing the Roman governance a strong source of management and control over Jewish worship. The Millennial Temple's dimensions are given in royal cubits (21 inches compared to 18 inches for a standard cubit). The use of the royal cubit as opposed to a standard cubit is probably due to the fact that at the time of the prophecy they were in captivity in Babylon which is what they would understand and serves to further remove the Millennial Temple from its predecessors. The immense size of the Millennial Temple's compound is stated to be 500x500 rods (1 rod = 6 cubits; Ezek. 40:5) or 5250x5250 ft (about a mile) or about 1 mile square (Ezek. 42:18). The whole area is said to be 50 square miles (Ezek. 48:20). The text says 25,000 with no units, so most translations add cubits, but the units should be rods not cubits since the individual items within the larger area or district would not fit within the area if it were in cubits. The Physical Presence of God The Tabernacle housed the Ark of the Covenant and the physical presence of the Lord. The transference of the Ark and the presence of the Lord to the First Temple are recorded in Scripture in 1 Kings. 8:10-11, and 2 Chron. 5:13-14; 7:1-3. But with the sin of the nation the presence of the Lord left the temple (Ezek. 9 &10). The return of the exiles from the Babylonian captivity saw the rebuilding of the Temple but it lacked five things: (1) the Ark of the Covenant; (2) the sacred fire; (3) the Shechinah Glory; (4) the Holy Spirit; and (5) the Urim and Thummin. But the Millennial Temple will see the return of the Shechinah Glory. In the same path that the Shechinah Glory left the temple, His presence will return, namely, departing the Holy of Holies to the Inner Court to the Eastern Gate and finally eastward over the Mount of Olives. So it will be that the Lord Himself will return from the east through the East Gate through the Inner Count to the Holies of Holies: The visions were like the vision which I saw by the River Chebar; and I fell on my face. 4 And the glory of the LORD came into the temple by way of the gate which faces toward the east. 5 The Spirit lifted me up and brought me into the inner court; and behold, the glory of the LORD filled the temple. 6 Then I heard Him speaking to me from the temple, while a man stood beside me. 7 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 in the midst of the children of Israel forever. No more shall the house of Israel defile My holy name, they nor their kings, by their harlotry or with the carcasses of their kings on their high places. (Ezek. 43:3b-7; cf. Isa. 4:5, 25:6; 66:20; Zech 8:3) Absent from Ezekiel's Temple is the Ark of the Covenant because the Lord Himself will be there (Jer. 3:16). Dr. Fruchtenbaum writes: Since God Himself in the Person of the Messiah will be dwelling in and reigning from Jerusalem, there will be no need for the Ark of the Covenant. Furthermore, the Ark of the Covenant contained the tablets of stone that were the embodiment of the Law of Moses. The fact that the Law of Moses is no longer in effect is another reason why the Ark of the Covenant will be missing (Arnold Fruchtenbaum, The Footsteps of the Messiah, p. 460) The Millennial River Another unique aspect of the Millennial Temple is the river which originates at the Temple, splits, with one branch flowing to the eastern sea (Mediterranean) and the other branch flowing to the Dead Sea (Ezek. 47). The water from this river will heal the waters of the sea and the Dead Sea will become alive with a bounty of fish (Ezek. 47:8-9). The Millennial river is truly unique in that its origin is from the Temple and its nature is true healing. Temple Service The differences between the Mosaic and Ezekiel's Temple service are notable. In fact the difference in the sacrifices were so great that the rabbis did not accept Ezekiel into the Hebrew Canon for some time. These differences are noted as follows (see Fruchtenbaum, p. 464): Priests. (1) Levites, with the exception of the sons of Zadok cannot be priests but can serve as ministers. They cannot serve in the inner court, but can oversee the general operation of the Temple (Ezek. 44:10-14). Dr. Unger notes, "Of all the Levites, only the sons of Zodok (1 Kgs. 2:27), who stood firm to the divinely instituted sanctuary in Jerusalem at the time of Absalom's revolt, will be the type of priests will will be permitted to minister in the millennial Temple, and thus they will be another evidence of the holiness of Israel's worship in that age." (Unger's Commentary on the Old Testament, p. 1592). Dr. Pentecost in his classic volume Things to Come notes, "In a number of passages the existence of a Levitical order is affirmed (Ezekiel 40:46; 43:19; 44:15-31). Yet it is to be noted that the priests who serve are not taken from the whole Levitical line, for the line as a whole was set aside because of their apostasy, but are taken from the sons of Zadok. The Levites are restricted in their ministry to that of guarding and maintaining the temple and are excluded from the priestly ministry" (J. Dwight Pentecost, p. 520-521). The Prince (Ezek. 45). (1) The prince will have a place in the holy city (Jerusalem). (2) The prince will give burnt offerings, grain offerings and drink offerings at the feasts, New Moons, Sabbaths and appointed seasons (45:17). This Prince is described as a highly favored position and unique to the Millennial Temple. He alone can occupy the eastern gate of the Temple. To him the offerings of the people are given, but it does not appear that the people bring sacrifices of themselves. The Prince serves as their representative offering up the sacrifices to make atonement for the house of Israel (45:13-17). The Prince is not the Messiah, but is from the nation of Israel and has sons (46:16). Most attribute the Prince to resurrected David or one from his line. Observed Days (Ezek 45). Besides the daily, weekly (Sabbath) and monthly (New Moon) service, the Mosaic Law observed seven feasts including, Passover, Unleavened Bread, First Fruits, Pentecost, Trumpets, Day of Atonement, and Tabernacles. While Ezekiel prescribes four feasts along with the daily, weekly and monthly services (45:18-20): New Year (Trumpets), Passover, Unleavened Bread (45:21-24), Tabernacles (45:25). More about this in the next article! Orientation of the Altar. The Mosiac altar had a north-south orientation, while Ezekiel's altar faces east. Dr. Price suggests that the reason for this is so the priests will be able to face in the direction of the Messiah who will be enthroned in the Temple (Price, p. 548). Consecration of the altar. (1) Mosaic anointed the altar, while Ezekiel had no anointing. (2) Mosaic offered a bullock for a sin offering for all seven days, while the Ezekiel offered a bullock only on the first day. (3) Mosaic offered no goat, while Ezekiel offers goats for the last six days. (4) Mosaic applied blood on the horns of the altar, while Ezekiel applies blood on the horns, the corners, and upon the lower molding round about. (5) Mosaic offered a ram for a burnt offering every day, while Ezekiel offers both a bullock and a ram every day. (6) Mosaic offered a ram for the consecration of the priesthood, while Ezekiel has no ram for the consecration of the priesthood. (7) Mosaic had the Ark of the Covenant, while the Millennial Temple will not have the Ark of the Covenant (Jer. 3:16). (8) With the Mosaic, only the high priest could enter the Holy of Holies, while in Ezekiel 44:15-16, all priests will be able to enter. (9) Marriage rules of 44:22 were applicable only to the high priest under the Mosaic Law, while in Ezekiel, they apply to all priests. (10) Under the Mosaic Law, the first of Nisan was not a special holy day, but will be under Ezekiel's system. On the annual day of purifying the temple (45:19), the procedures differ in two ways: (i) Mosaic used a male goat, while Ezekiel used a bullock; (ii) Mosaic disposed of the animal outside the camp, while Ezekiel disposed of it inside the camp. "There is no Ark of the Covenant, no Pot of Manna, no Aaron's rod to bud, no Tables of the Law, no Cherubim, no Mercy-Seat, no Golden Candlestick, no Shew-bread, no Veil, no unapproachable Holy of Holies where the High Priest alone might enter, nor is there any High Priest to offer atonement to take away sin, or to make intercession for the people. There are none of these. The Levites have passed away as a sacred order." (Pentecost, p. 521) Passover (Ezek. 45:21-24). (1) With Mosaic, Passover was a family affair with the head of the household performing the ritual, with Ezekiel, the Prince will perform the ritual on behalf of the nation. (2) Mosaic Passover was a one day festival, while in Ezekiel it will last seven days. (3) Mosaic Passover offered an unblemished lamb, while Ezekiel offers a bullock. (4) The number of sacrifices offered between Mosaic (Num. 28:16-24) and Ezekiel are different (Ezek. 25:23). (5) The amount of the measure of the meal offering is different between Mosaic and Ezekiel. Feast of Tabernacles (Ezek. 45:25). (1) There is a difference in the quantity of the offerings (Num. 29:12-34) with Ezekiel. (2) The number of days in the Mosaic Law is different, as Ezekiel does not have the added eighth day (Num. 29:35-38). (3) Mosaic observance is mandatory for Jews only, while Ezekiel requires both Jew and Gentiles (Zech. 14:16-21). Sabbath (Ezek. 46:4-5). Mosaic Law requires two lambs and a ram (Num. 28:9), while Ezekiel requires six lambs and a ram. New Moon (Ezek. 46:6-7). Mosaic Law requires two bulls, one ram, and seven lambs, while Ezekiel requires one bullock, six lambs, and one ram. Daily Offering (Ezek. 46:13-15). (1) Mosaic Law requires two lambs each day, one in the morning and one in the evening, while Ezekiel requires one lamb each day in the morning. (2) The daily meal offering is also different between the two (Ez. 29:40; Num. 28:5). Are Sacrifices Over? One of the criticisms associated with the Millennial Temple has to do with the question of why would sacrifices be found in the future since Christ came and fulfilled the Law? The answer is found in the fact that before the Law is given, sacrifices are found. For example, an animal gave its life for the coverings of Adam and Eve in the Garden after the fall (Gen. 3:21). The next instance is found in the story of the first two offspring of the earth – Cain and Abel (Gen. 4:3-5). It is as though without saying a word mankind knows what is a proper and acceptable offering before the Lord. How Cain and Abel knew about sacrifices is not known – it just appears in history without explanation. One can only guess that the Lord had given them proper instruction and Moses did not have to write this down because his audience understood. There are various types of sacrifices that were prescribed by Mosaic Law. 1. There is the offering for the purpose of atoning for sin (to cover over sin – Lev. 1:4). These include: (a) the burnt offering (Lev. 1:3-17); (b) the sin offering (Lev. 4:1-5:13); and (c) the guilt offering (Lev. 5:14-6:7). 2. There is the thanksgiving offering that includes (a) the grain offering (Lev. 2:1-16); and (b) the fellowship offering (Lev. 3:1-16). But as the Bible points out sacrifices were insufficient by themselves, they required (a) a humble and repentant heat (Ps. 51:17; Isa. 66:2-3; Isa. 1:11-16); and (b) a true faith (Heb. 11:4). The result is that the one offering should follow with a life of obedience (1 Sam. 15:22; Ps. 40:6-8; Mic. 6:6-8), justice (Mic. 6:6-8); and a desire to do one's best (Mal. 1:6-14). The Lord despises offerings made by the unjust (Isa. 1:10-15; Am. 5:21-24). 10 Hear the word of the LORD, You rulers of Sodom; Give ear to the law of our God, You people of Gomorrah: 11 "To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices to Me?" Says the LORD. "I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams And the fat of fed cattle. I do not delight in the blood of bulls, Or of lambs or goats. 12 "When you come to appear before Me, Who has required this from your hand, To trample My courts? 13 Bring no more futile sacrifices; Incense is an abomination to Me. The New Moons, the Sabbaths, and the calling of assemblies—I cannot endure iniquity and the sacred meeting. 14 Your New Moons and your appointed feasts My soul hates; They are a trouble to Me, I am weary of bearing them. 15 When you spread out your hands, I will hide My eyes from you; Even though you make many prayers, I will not hear. Your hands are full of blood.(Isaiah 1:10-15) Sacrifices in the Old Testament were for atonement (a covering or reconciliation) not expiatory. They did not provide the one offering a means of taking away sins. There was no salvation aspect to the offering, only a temporary atonement - a temporary covering. A covering that was required each year continually (Heb. 10:1-4). But the author of Hebrews says of them that they were "a shadow of the good things to come" (Heb 10:1). That is to say, they pointed to the work of Christ on the Cross (Isa. 53:10-12). The Church Age has no blood sacrifices The church does not perform blood sacrifices because Christ is our Sacrifice (Heb. 7:26-27; 9:26). Sacrifices have nothing to do with salvation – except that they point to our Lord's sacrifice which served as the propitiation once for all (Rom. 3:25; 1 John 4:10). Jesus Christ is said to be the lamb who was sacrificed (John 1:29; 1 Cor. 5:7; Rev. 5:6) thus He is Himself the atoning sacrifice (Isa. 53:5; Rom. 3:25; Heb. 7:27; 9:28; 1 John 4:10), but He only had to die once for all. The Church is a new body made up of both Jew and Gentile (Eph. 2:14-16). The church has the Lord's Supper prescribed in remembrance of the death, burial and resurrection of Christ (Luke 22:14-20). This is truly a unique time since blood sacrifices are found in the earliest of times (Gen. 4), but it is only during the Church age that one does NOT find a blood sacrifice acceptable to the Lord – Temple or not. Dr. Walvoord writes, "Objections to sacrifices in the millennium stem mostly from New Testament affirmations concerning the one sacrifice of Christ. According to Hebrews 7:27, Christ 'needeth not daily, like those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people: for this he did once for all, when he offered up himself.' According to Hebrews 9:12 Christ 'through his own blood, entered in once for all into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption.' A similar expression is found in Hebrews 9:26 where it affirms: 'Now once at the end of the ages hath he been manifested to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.' … The millennial sacrifices are no more expiatory than were the Mosaic sacrifices which preceded the cross. If it has been fitting for the church in the present age to have a memorial of the death of Christ in the Lord's Supper, it is suggested that it would be suitable also to have a memorial of possibly a different character in the millennium in keeping with the Jewish characteristic of the period." (John Walvoord, The Millennial Kingdom, p. 311-312) The Church age will end then the comes Jacob's trouble - the Great Tribulation. Those who survive and live will enter the Millennium. Though this group will be saved, they will still be in their sinful bodies, and will produce children thus God provides atonement for them in the form of blood sacrifice. Dr. Price writes, "The church age is not simply the incorporation of Gentiles (Romans 11:11-24,30) into the place of privilege (the "olive tree" of Romans 11:17-24) but the integration of Gentile and Jew in one body under the law of Christ (1 Corinthians 9:21; Galatians 6:2; Ephesians 2:14-16). By contrast, the Millennium is an eschatological extension of the Jewish age, which involves the inclusion of Gentiles into an earthly Jewish economy (Isaiah 2:2-3; 56:6-7; 66:18-21) under the theocratic laws of the New Covenant, which includes physical sacrifices at a physical Temple (Isaiah 66:20-21; Zechariah 14:16-18). Therefore, in the present age the church serves as a 'spiritual temple' (Ephesians 2:20-21) with 'spiritual sacrifices' (Romans 12:1; Hebrews 13:15-16) and spiritual access through Christ to the Heavenly Temple (Hebrews 4:14-16; compare 12:22-24). However, once the church age has run its predetermined course (Romans 11:26), the spiritual temple will be replaced by the physical Temple, in conformity with the return of national Israel to the divine program (Romans 11:27)" (Randall Price, The Temple and Bible Prophecy, p. 546). The New Testament's unique ordinances are due to the fact that the Church is a mystery (Eph. 3:1-2; 5:29-30), something new (Eph. 2:14-16). As such sacrifices are seen as a personal relationship with God offering our bodies "a living sacrifice, holy (set apart), acceptable to God" (Rom. 12:1). The New Testament saint continually offers "the sacrifice of praise to God," bringing the "fruit of our lips, giving thanks," and bringing deeds of kindness (Heb. 13:15-16; cf. Phil. 4:18). Jesus foresees a Millennial Memorial In each of the Synoptic Gospels, we read that Jesus takes the cup and pledges that He will drink it again with them in the Kingdom age (Mat. 26:29; Mark 14:25; Luke 22:18; cf. 1 Cor. 5:6-8) (Price, p. 547). When Christ returns, He comes to minister not in the order of Aaron, but in a new order of priesthood (Heb. 7:15) – the Melchizedekian priesthood. The Lord's Supper will terminate with the Second Coming of Christ so this memorial will not be the Lord's Supper (1 Cor. 11:26). Millennial Sacrifices Dr. Fruchtenbaum identifies four purposes for the sacrificial system in the Millennium. (1) A memorial of the death of the Messiah. "Sacrifices will play for Israel a similar role that Communion plays for the Church." (2) A means of restoring fellowship for the millennial saint. Blood sacrifices were a means of restoring fellowship (atonement means both a "covering" and "reconciliation") for the Old Testament saint who sinned. (3) Ritual cleansing for ritual uncleanness. "Since the Shechinah Glory will be within the Holy of Holies of the Millennial Temple, it would be impossible to approach the Temple compound in a state of ritual impurity and therefore the sacrifices will be for cleansing of ceremonial uncleanness." (4) The privilege of life and physical blessing in a theocratic kingdom. (Arnold Fruchtenbaum, The Footsteps of the Messiah, pp. 464-469) Dr. Hullinger writes, "…animal sacrifices during the millennium will serve primarily to remove ceremonial uncleanness and prevent defilement from polluting the temple envisioned by Ezekiel. This will be necessary because the glorious presence of Yahweh will once again be dwelling on earth in the midst of a sinful and unclean people." (quoted in Tim LaHaye & Thomas Ice, Charting the End Times, p. 95) Conclusion As can be seen by these differences between Ezekiel's Temple and other Temples, the day has not yet come when this Temple and the presence of the Lord with His prescribed ordinances have come to pass. In fact, the immense size of the Temple and City will not even fit on the physical land without God being the foundation layer, reconfiguring the land, making the Temple site larger and higher than the rest of the land. What a day this period will be when the Lord Himself will teach from the mountain of the Lord. When His promise to Israel that He will be their God and they will be His people living in peace and prosperity will come to pass. A time and place where life in the land will be built upon a righteous government. Where life in the land will be built on proper worship, a true measure of weights, and international governments will never again come against God's chosen nation - Israel. The Temple, its worship, rites and sacrifices all have their center in the Lamb who was slain.