Ezekiel 41 and 42
In the vision given to the prophet of the plan of Israel’s Millennial temple, he is taken in chapter 41 to the principal building-, containing the most holy place, set apart for God. This room is to be the same in size as that in Solomon’s temple 20x20 cubits (1 Kings 6: 16-20; 2 Chronicles 3:8). In other respects the temple which Solomon erected was very much smaller than that which was revealed to Ezekiel.
The only ornamentation spoken of here consists of cherubim and palm trees—tokens of power and of victory (verse 18-20, 25-26). The faces of a man and a lion which are seen on the cherubim fall short of the display of these representatives of God in judicial power seen in chapter 1, verse 10, and in Revelation 4:7. These four faces are needed to set forth intelligence (man), strength (lion), endurance (ox or calf), and swiftness (eagle).
The temple of the Millennium as seen by Ezekiel, includes no mention of gold, so much displayed in the temple of Solomon. The omission, we cannot doubt, is intentional, and we are not to conclude thereby that gold and other precious adornments will not be there. It would rather seem that the purpose of God is to show that the thousand years of the reign of Christ will not be a period where sin is unknown; all will not be according to the mind of God as it will be in eternity.
While Satan is bound, and peace and plenty are everywhere, why should sin enter? Alas! the heart of man is utterly bad, and the devil will be no sooner loosed at the end of the Millennium than he will gather a countless host of unredeemed men, born during the period, who are willing to do his bidding, and ready, if it were possible to destroy the people of God (Revelation 20:7-9).
If earth will not, during the thousand years, be free from defilement, Revelation 21:9-27 reveals a Millennial scene that will answer to the mind of God in every part, —the Church of God, the bride of Christ, presented in the figure of a city related to, but not a part of the earth. All is perfection there, and all of God. What grace it is that has taken up poor sinners who have been constrained in this day of grace to believe His message of salvation, and has provided for them a portion in Christ for eternity!
Chapter 42 Completes the description of the temple of the future day, by showing the many rooms, arranged in lower, middle and upper stories, and finally the wall enclosing the temple grounds. The rooms are for the priests, as verses 13 and 14 explain. Israel will still be at a distance from. God, having access through the priesthood, though redemption will be known.
ML 03/15/1936