Bible Study Seattle

The tabernacle, Solomon’s temple, and Ezekiel’s temple are very similar, yet have interesting differences.  I exclude Herod’s temple as that one is not detailed in the bible.   All three have application to the Israelites on earth and Christians in heaven.

The tabernacle was portable as the Israelites were on their way out of Egypt to the promised land – from death to new life.  It was inaugurated on the first day of the first month; symbolically from Jesus’ crucifixion.  The was a court, a holy room, and the most holy room, all symbolic.  Difference classes of people, priests, levites, and Israelites had different worship duties in different places.  The most sacred was the ark of the covenant, which was covered by two cherubim facing each other.

Solomon’s temple was the permanent version of the tabernacle.  It was built of stone chiseled off site.  It was inaugurated on the first of the seventh month.  It also had a court, a holy room, and the most holy room.  This time the two cherubim over the ark faced out toward the holy room.  The temple was built after David had greatly enlarged the kingdom and the Israelites were settled in the promised land.

Ezekiel’s temple evidently is a future temple that is very similar to Solomon’s temple, yet has even further additions, particularly the alotment of land around the temple.  Oddly, there is no gold covering the walls.  There is a river flowing out from under the temple toward the dead sea – at that point it will become the alive sea with many fishes.  It is showing us what will be operative within three centuries.  The trees of life will line this holy river, and the leaves will be medicine.