April 4, 2025

If the last several chapters of Ezekiel describe the heavenly or new Jerusalem temple, we can expect to continue to worship God at the leading of Jesus our Prince. One interesting thing was that the amount of meat offerings increased over what was required during Moses’ time, which led me to believe that the number of people saved was quite a lot. Why would sacrifices be needed when Jesus made the ultimate sacrifice? This may be too simplified, but my guess is that God still likes the smell of meat cooking, and it’s a way to prepare a feast for all the people so we can enjoy one another’s company. The Father will still be the Father, and we will continue to worship Him, but Jesus will lead us, and it will be pure worship, and we will understand what pleases Him rather than guessing and hoping we are doing it right. Another interesting thing that differs from the rules of Moses’ time is that if you go in one gate, you have to exit through the opposite gate, which is a long way from where you came in. The point of this may be so you have time to contemplate your time of worship before going home and think about how much you love the Lord. All this is speculation because I don’t actually know what God meant by these rules, but I don’t think it’s wrong to daydream about what our relationship with God looks like in the future; what I do know is that it will be holy, and will show our gratefulness for our salvation in Jesus. Whatsoever is lovely, we should think about those things.

Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Philippians 4:8

But when the people of the land shall come before the LORD in the solemn feasts, he that entereth in by the way of the north gate to worship shall go out by the way of the south gate; and he that entereth by the way of the south gate shall go forth by the way of the north gate: he shall not return by the way of the gate whereby he came in, but shall go forth over against it. Ezekiel 46:9