Here is a random quote (of over 2700) from Nuggets:
Parents need to prepare their kids for the college years or just the post-high school years. There will be skeptics that will get in their faces and ask them questions they have never heard before, challenging their faith. Unsurprisingly, they’ll return home after the first or second semester declaring, “Mom and dad, I don’t believe in God anymore.” What’s worse is that some of their “challengers” will be their own professors, since sixty percent of secular university professors are atheists. Here’s the irony; parents send their kids to college to learn about truths. Those same professors will be the ones telling your kids, “There is no truth,” and parents are paying for that! – Claudia Kalmikov
Did Pope Francis Authorize Priests to Bless Same-Sex Couples? – Christian Research Institute – “Orthodox Christians at this point will search the document looking for explicit exhortation that the couple repent and cease their sexual union, but no such exhortation exists.” “At the same time, almost the entirety of Africa and much of Eastern Europe has instructed their clergy and diocese not to implement these blessings.” “Lest you read FS and wonder whether it is really the case that same-sex couples in a sexual relationship might receive the blessing of the Church, your eyes are not deceiving you. “Notice that not only sinful persons are blessed here,” writes Cardinal Mueller, ‘but that by blessing the couple, it is the sinful relationship itself that is blessed.'”: https://www.equip.org/articles/did-pope-francis-authorize-priests-to-bless-same-sex-couples/
A Christian Rebuttal to Kaimatai, an Atheist – Christian Apologist – “I came upon the timeline of an atheist who calls himself Kaimatai on Twitter where I found a link to a blog he had created entitled “Ten reasons why I’m not a Christian.” The intention of this blog is to write a rebuttal to his ten reasons.”: https://christian-apologist.com/2017/04/13/a-christian-rebuttal-to-kaimatai-an-atheist/
The Trinity is Not A Problem, It’s A Solution | Cold Case Christianity – Some would say that the Bible presents an irreconcilable dilemma. Both the New and Old Testament declare that there is only one God. Verses like Deuteronomy 6:4-5, Isaiah 43:10, James 2:19, 1 Corinthians 8:4, 6 and 1 Timothy 2:5-6 make it rather clear; the writers of Jewish and Christian scripture proclaimed the existence of a single, solitary God. While this is the consistent message of the Bible, another thorny truth is also proclaimed: the Bible teaches that God the Father, Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit are all God: https://coldcasechristianity.com/writings/the-trinity-is-not-a-problem-its-a-solution/
A Sober Warning from the Earliest Christians | Tim Challies – The unifying principle that has risen to the top is tolerance-a new kind of tolerance centered around modern sexual ethics and mores. Where tolerance once called for respect despite disagreement, today it calls for far more. We are considered tolerant only when we advocate and celebrate new understandings of marriage, sexuality, and gender. Those who refuse to celebrate what they believe God forbids are seen as disloyal to the unifying principle of society. They are seen to be hindering rather than helping the strength and growth of this great new “empire.” People today are perfectly willing to tolerate the Christian faith as long as it doesn’t disrupt the unifying principle of tolerance. Christians in the early church were welcome to continue to worship Jesus, to sing their songs, and to preach their Scriptures, as long as they added just that one tiny nod to the Emperor. Likewise, we are free to continue to worship Jesus, to sing our songs, and to preach our Scriptures, as long as we accept these new definitions of marriage, gender, and so on…Those first Christians knew better and bore the consequences. We, too, know better, and may be forced to bear consequences.: https://www.challies.com/articles/a-warning-from-the-earliest-christians/
If God Exists, Why Does He Allow Evil? 48 minute video lecture | Watermark Community Church – Frank Turek joins us for part of the Apologetics series and builds the case that the existence of evil in the world does not disprove the existence of God but rather reinforces it.: https://www.watermark.org/message/2231-if-god-exists-why-does-he-allow-evil
Irreducible Complexity | Biblical Science Institute – One of the many scientific lines of evidence against neo-Darwinian evolution involves the concept of irreducible complexity. Microbes, plants, fungi, animals, and human beings all have bodies that are composed of extremely complex microscopic machinery. The different parts of a biological cell are interdependent. That is, each part of the cell depends on all the other parts of the cell in order to function properly. Remove any one essential part, and the cell dies. Hence, the cell is not just complex; it is irreducibly complex. That is, it cannot be reduced to a simpler functioning cell by removing any essential component. Yet, neo-Darwinian evolution requires that all life came about from simpler forms, with new components added over the course of time by mutations. Hence, neo-Darwinian evolution is incompatible with irreducible complexity.: https://biblicalscienceinstitute.com/origins/irreducible-complexity/
Study: the early Earth’s atmosphere contained oxygen | WINTERY KNIGHT – So here’s where we stand. If you are a materialist, then you need a reducing environment on the early Earth in order to get organic building blocks (amino acids) from inorganic materials. However, the production of these organic building blocks (amino acids) requires that the early Earth atmosphere be oxygen-free. And the problem with this new research, which confirms previous research, is that the early Earth contained huge amounts of oxygen – the same amount of oxygen as we have today. This is lethal to naturalistic scenarios for creating the building blocks of life on the Earth’s surface: https://winteryknight.com/2014/04/28/study-the-early-earths-atmosphere-contained-oxygen/
Hell Interrupted – Part 1 – there was more unanimity in the ancient church on Hell’s eternal torment than there was on Trinitarianism… …To sharpen the point, 24 verses into chapter 26 Jesus makes a dark appraisal of the fate of His betrayer: “It would have been good for that man if he had not been born” (Matt. 26:24). How does Jesus’ comment square with annihilationism? If Judas had not been born, then he would not exist. If he were annihilated in judgment, then he would not exist. The last condition would be the same as the first. How could the first be “good,” then, by comparison? No, nonexistence can only be good compared to the everlasting torment of eternal judgment.: https://www.str.org/w/hell-interrupted-part-1
When he was accused by the chief priests and the elders, he gave no answer. Then Pilate asked him, “Don’t you hear the testimony they are bringing against you?” But Jesus made no reply, not even to a single charge–to the great amazement of the governor. Matthew 27:12-14
Yesterday, I delivered the following teaching to a group of about 15 men at Mimi’s Café over lunch. It took 45 minutes and we did not cover the appendix.
Ezekiel 44
The Eastern (Closed) Gate
1 Then He brought me back by the way of the outer gate of the sanctuary, which faces the east; and it was shut. 2 Yahweh said to me, “This gate shall be shut; it shall not be opened, and no one shall enter by it, for Yahweh, the God of Israel, has entered by it; therefore it shall be shut. 3 As for the prince, he shall sit in it as prince to eat bread before Yahweh; he shall enter by way of the porch of the gate and shall go out by the same way.”
4 Then He brought me by way of the north gate to the front of the house; and I looked, and behold, the glory of Yahweh filled the house of Yahweh, and I fell on my face. 5 Then Yahweh said to me, “Son of man, set your heart on and see with your eyes and hear with your ears all that I say to you concerning all the statutes of the house of Yahweh and concerning all its laws; and set your heart on the entrance of the house, with all exits of the sanctuary. 6 And you shall say to the rebellious ones, to the house of Israel, ‘Thus says Lord Yahweh, “Enough of all your abominations, O house of Israel, 7 when you brought in foreigners, uncircumcised in heart and uncircumcised in flesh, to be in My sanctuary to profane it, even My house, when you brought near My food, the fat and the blood. So they made My covenant void–this in addition to all your abominations.
8 And you have not kept the responsibility of My holy things yourselves, but you have set foreigners as keepers of the responsibility given by Me for My sanctuary.” 9 ‘Thus says Lord Yahweh, “No foreigner, uncircumcised in heart and uncircumcised in flesh, of all the foreigners who are among the sons of Israel, shall enter My sanctuary. 10 But the Levites who went far from Me when Israel went astray, who went astray from Me after their idols, shall bear the punishment for their iniquity. 11 Yet they shall be ministers in My sanctuary, having oversight at the gates of the house and ministering in the house; they shall slaughter the burnt offering and the sacrifice for the people, and they shall stand before them to minister to them.
12 Because they ministered to them before their idols and became a stumbling block of iniquity to the house of Israel, therefore I have sworn against them,” declares Lord Yahweh, “that they shall bear the punishment for their iniquity. 13 And they shall not approach Me to minister as a priest to Me, nor approach any of My holy things, to the things that are most holy; but they will bear their dishonor and their abominations which they have done. 14 Yet I will appoint them as keepers of the responsibility for the house, of all its service and of all that shall be done in it.
Ordinances for theZadokite Levitical Priests
15 “But the Levitical priests, the sons of Zadok, who kept the responsibility of My sanctuary when the sons of Israel went astray from Me, shall come near to Me to minister to Me; and they shall stand before Me to bring near to Me the fat and the blood,” declares Lord Yahweh. 16 “They shall enter My sanctuary; they shall come near to My table to minister to Me and keep the responsibility given by Me. 17 And it will be that when they enter at the gates of the inner court, they shall be clothed with linen garments; and wool shall not be on them while they are ministering in the gates of the inner court and in the house. 18 Linen headdresses shall be on their heads, and linen undergarments shall be on their loins; they shall not gird themselves with anything which makes them sweat.
19 And when they go out into the outer court, into the outer court to the people, they shall put off their garments in which they have been ministering and lay them in the holy chambers; then they shall put on other garments so that they will not transmit holiness to the people with their garments. 20 Also they shall not shave their heads, yet they shall not let their locks grow long; they shall only trim the hair of their heads. 21 Nor shall any of the priests drink wine when they enter the inner court. 22 And they shall not take a widow or a divorced woman as a wife but shall take virgins from the seed of the house of Israel or a widow who is the widow of a priest.
23 Moreover, they shall instruct My people about the difference between the holy and the profane, and make them know the difference between the unclean and the clean. 24 And in a dispute, they shall take their stand to judge; they shall judge it according to My judgments. They shall also keep My laws and My statutes in all My appointed times and keep My sabbaths holy. 25 But they shall not go to a dead person to make themselves unclean; however, for father, for mother, for son, for daughter, for brother, or for a sister who has not had a husband, they may make themselves unclean. 26 And after he is cleansed, seven days shall be counted for him. 27 And on the day that he goes into the sanctuary, into the inner court to minister in the sanctuary, he shall bring near his sin offering,” declares Lord Yahweh.
28 “And it shall be with regard to an inheritance for them, that I am their inheritance; and you shall give them no possession in Israel–I am their possession. 29 They shall eat the grain offering, the sin offering, and the guilt offering; and every devoted thing in Israel shall be theirs. 30 And the first of all the first fruits of every kind and every contribution of every kind, from all your contributions, shall be for the priests; you shall also give to the priest the first of your dough to cause a blessing to rest on your house. 31 The priests shall not eat any bird or beast that has died of itself or has been torn to pieces. LSB
Verses 1-3 – The Eastern Gate
We’re still in Ezekiel’s vision and we come to Chapter 44, let’s re-read verses 1-3:
1 Then He brought me back by the way of the outer gate of the sanctuary, which faces the east; and it was shut. 2 Yahweh said to me, “This gate shall be shut; it shall not be opened, and no one shall enter by it, for Yahweh, the God of Israel, has entered by it; therefore it shall be shut. 3 As for the prince, he shall sit in it as prince to eat bread before Yahweh; he shall enter by way of the porch of the gate and shall go out by the same way.”
This chapter starts with the Eastern gate of the sanctuary (temple) being shut. The reason for it being shut is that the LORD has entered through it (note the past tense). Remember that the LORD had departed from that same gate back in chapter 10:
18 Then the glory of Yahweh departed from the threshold of the house and stood over the cherubim. 19 When the cherubim departed, they lifted their wings and rose up from the earth in my sight with the wheels beside them; and they stood still at the entrance of the east gate of the house of Yahweh, and the glory of the God of Israel hovered over them.
Now that the LORD has returned, this East gate remains closed for everyone. “The prince” can eat bread in this east gate in the presence of God, though he enters through the vestibule (porch). Here is a map showing Jerusalem during New Testament times:
Some commentators link Ezekiel 44:2-3 to Jesus’s triumphal entry to Jerusalem. They claim that when it says in v2 “for Yahweh, the God of Israel, has entered by it”, that is referring to Jesus. They further speculate that when Suleiman the Magnificent (Sultan, Muslim conqueror) sealed the Eastern gate of Jerusalem in 1543, and later put a cemetery in front of the gate, this fulfilled the prophecy given here in Ezekiel. See appendix for additional information about these topics.
Q: Did Suleiman the Magnificent unknowingly fulfill the prophecy of Ez. 44:2?
My short answer is no. The gate Suleiman sealed is the gate to the city, but the gate spoken of in the passage is the gate to the sanctuary (temple). So, I believe this prophecy will be fulfilled during the millennial reign of Christ on earth and the gate being shut symbolizes the permanent presence of the Lord among His people.
This teaching will be presenting the view of the temple as existing during the millennial reign of Christ, so much of the focus will be on how the aspects of the millennium fit together. Please see the appendix for resources I used in evaluating other views (e.g. Steve Gregg, Derek Thomas, replacement theology, etc).
(See the appendix for add’l information regarding the Eastern gate)
“Millennial Reign of Christ” View of Ezekiel’s Vision in Chapters 40-48
Here are MacArthur’s comments from the introduction to chapter 40:
… this section provides explicit details concerning Christ’s millennial reign which follows, giving more detail about the 1,000 year kingdom than all other OT prophecies put together. It is the “holy of holies” among millennial forecasts. As has been done with the previous 39 chapters, this concluding portion will also be approached in a literal historical manner which best serves the interpreter in all Scripture. In many ways these chapters are the most important in the book since they form the crowning reality, the climax of Ezekiel’s prophecy and Israel’s restoration… chaps 40-48 would then be thought to continue the historical, prophetic pattern, describing the millennial conditions after Messiah comes and destroys the ungodly (Rev. 19:11), under which Israel will live and worship. Believing Gentiles will also be in the kingdom as sheep of the Great Shepherd (Matt. 25:31), while all unbelievers are destroyed.
Who is the prince?
MacArthur notes that “the prince” in v3 cannot be the Messiah because:
He has sins for which he offers sacrifices (45:22)
He has sons (46:16-18)
He cannot enter by the East gate which the LORD used, but he is allowed to come and go by the gate’s vestibule (porch), and eat bread by the gate.
He cannot perform priestly duties (45:19) as the Messiah will (Ps. 110:4; Zech. 6:12-13)
He must worship the LORD (46:2)
Some commentators conclude this “prince” was identified as David chapter 37:
25 They will inhabit the land that I gave to Jacob My servant, which your fathers inhabited; and they will inhabit it, they, and their sons and their sons’ sons, forever; and David My servant will be their prince forever. 26 And I will cut a covenant of peace with them; it will be an everlasting covenant with them. And I will give them the land and multiply them and will set My sanctuary in their midst forever. 27 My dwelling place also will be with them; and I will be their God, and they will be My people. 28 And the nations will know that I am Yahweh who sanctifies Israel, when My sanctuary is in their midst forever.
MacArthur says in the above passage, David is to be understood as Jesus Christ
MacArthur’s view, as previously stated, is that the temple in Ezekiel’s vision is actually the millennial temple, that God is not done with Israel (they are still His covenant people), that the Abrahamic covenant still stands and is not revoked and that, in the end, the hardening of Israel will be lifted and Israel will realize the error of her ways and will mourn for having rejected Jesus and piercing Him. Key passages below:
This passage describes the Millennium period (1,000 yrs. mentioned 6 times):
Revelation 20:1-7 – Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding the key of the abyss and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold of the dragon, the serpent of old, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years; and he threw him into the abyss, and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he would not deceive the nations any longer, until the thousand years were completed; after these things he must be released for a short time. Then I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was given to them.
And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony of Jesus and because of the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received the mark on their forehead and on their hand; and they came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were completed. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is the one who has a part in the first resurrection; over these the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with Him for a thousand years. When the thousand years are completed, Satan will be released from his prison.
Key passage providing NT understanding of God’s covenant people:
Romans 11:25-29 – For I do not want you, brethren, to be uninformed of this mystery -so that you will not be wise in your own estimation -that a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in; and so all Israel will be saved; just as it is written, “THE DELIVERER WILL COME FROM ZION, HE WILL REMOVE UNGODLINESS FROM JACOB.” “THIS IS MY COVENANT WITH THEM, WHEN I TAKE AWAY THEIR SINS.” From the standpoint of the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but from the standpoint of God’s choice they are beloved for the sake of the fathers; for the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. NASB
Prophecy concerning Israel’s repentance:
Zechariah 12:10 – I will pour out on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the Spirit of grace and of supplication, so that they will look on Me whom they have pierced; and they will mourn for Him, as one mourns for an only son, and they will weep bitterly over Him like the bitter weeping over a firstborn.
Q: Will the Israel always remain as God’s covenant people or are they replaced by the Church? Does the Abrahamic covenant remain in effect forever?
What about the Sacrifices?
MacArthur then anticipates the question of sacrifices in the millennial kingdom. He says:
“They will exist as vv. 40:39-43 indicate, but will be no more efficacious then than they were in the OT times. No sacrifice before or after Christ saves. They only point to Him as the one true Lamb who takes away sin. The Lord’s Supper is amemorialthat looks back to Calvary and in no way diminishes the cross. Israel rejected their Messiah, but when they have received Him and are in His kingdom, they will have amemorial of sacrificesthat point to Him. They will have missed the memorial of the Lord’s Supper, but will then have their own memorial sacrifices for 1,000 years (during the millennial reign of Christ).”
The Privileges of the Zadokite Line of Priests
MacArthur says: Proper names tie the vision to historical reality, calling for literal interpretation. This Levitical family descended from Levi, Aaron, Eleazar and Phinehas (1 Chron. 6:3-8). In accord with God’s covenant with Phinehas (Nu 25:10-13), and because of Eli’s unfaithfulness (1 Sam 1-2), and Zadok’s faithfulness to David and Solomon (1 Ki 1:32-40), Zadok’s sons serve as priests in the millennial temple (see also 43:19; 44:15 and 48:11).
What about the Size of the Temple? Is It Too Big to Fit on the Temple Mount?
Regarding the size of the temple, he says:
“Much too large for Mt. Moriah, this scheme will require changes in the topography of Jerusalem, as Zechariah predicted (Zech. 14:9-11).”
Zechariah 14:9-11 – And Yahweh will be king over all the earth; in that day Yahweh will be the only one, and His name one. All the land will be changed into a plain from Geba to Rimmon south of Jerusalem; but Jerusalem will rise and inhabit its site from Benjamin’s Gate as far as the place of the First Gate to the Corner Gate, and from the Tower of Hananel to the king’s wine presses. And people will inhabit it, and there will no longer be anything devoted to destruction, for Jerusalem will be inhabited in security.
What about the People Worshiping in the Millennial Temple?
Additionally, MacArthur comments on the people worshiping at this millennial temple:
“The king of Glory claims the millennial temple as His place to dwell. There will be human, unresurrected people in the kingdom, who entered when Christ returned and destroyed all the wicked. They will worship at this actual temple.”
The Second Coming and the Millennial Reign
MacArthur teaches that after the tribulation period (Revelation 16), Christ will come to earth to occupy the throne of David (Matt. 25:31; Lk 1:32-33; 2:29-30) and establish His messianic kingdom for a thousand years on earth (Rev. 20:1-7). During this time, the resurrected saints will reign with Him over Israel and all the nations of the earth (Ezek. 37:21-28). This reign will be preceded by the overthrow of the Antichrist and the False Prophet, and by the removal of Satan from the world (Daniel 7:17-27; Rev 20:1-6). He says that the kingdom itself will be the fulfillment of God’s promise to Israel (Isaiah 65:17-25; Ezek. 37:21-28; Zec 8:1-7) to restore them to the land which they forfeited through their disobedience (Deut. 28:15-68). The result of their disobedience was that Israel was temporarily set aside (Matt 21:43; Rom. 11:1-26) but will again be awakened through repentance to enter into the land of blessing (Jer. 31:31-34; Ezek 36:22-32; Zech. 12:10; Rom 11:25-29). Furthermore, he says, this time of our Lord’s reign will be characterized by harmony, justice, peace, righteousness and long life (Isaiah 11; 65:17-25; Ezek 36:33-38), and will be brought to an end with the release of Satan (Rev. 20:7).
Appendix
Jesus, did however enter Jerusalem by the way of the Mount of Olives, which is to the east of Jerusalem, across the Kidron Valley:
Matthew 21:1 – When they had approached Jerusalem and had come to Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives
Additionally, Zechariah prophesies that Messiah will come from East of Jerusalem:
Zechariah 14:3-4 – Then Yahweh will go forth and fight against those nations, as the day when He fights on a day of battle. And in that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, which is in front of Jerusalem on the east; and the Mount of Olives will be split in its middle from east to west by a very large valley so that half of the mountain will move toward the north and the other half toward the south.
Below is a description of this Kingdom out of Isaiah from my study Bible:
In NT, after His resurrection, Jesus ascended to heaven from Bethany, at the Mount of Olives (not same location as the Great Commission which was on a mountain in Galilee recorded Matthew 28:16-20):
Luke 24:50-51 – And He led them out as far as Bethany, and He lifted up His hands and blessed them. While He was blessing them, He parted from them and was carried up into heaven.
Additionally, the angels announced that Jesus would return that same place:
Acts 1:10-12 – And as they were gazing intently into the sky while He was going, behold, two men in white clothing stood beside them. They also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking toward heaven? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven.” Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey away.
“When Jesus entered Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives in Matthew 21, He used a gate in the same location as the current Eastern or Golden Gate.”
The “Golden Gate”, according to the first map in this document, is distinct from the “Gate Beautiful”. The gate called Beautiful is referred to in Acts:
Acts 3:2 – And a man who had been lame from his mother’s womb was being carried along, whom they used to set down every day at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, in order to beg alms of those who were entering the temple.
Chuck Smith (Calvary Chapel), commented that he had often misinterpreted Ezekiel’s vision about the Eastern gate in the past:
I must confess to you that I have often misinterpreted this prophecy. In Jerusalem today, the east gate of the wall of Jerusalem is shut. Often people point to this gate and declare that it is actually a fulfillment of Ezekiel 44:1-31 – that it’s going to be shut until the prince comes to enter through the gate. But the prince here is not, as we so often have thought, Jesus Christ. The prince uses this gate as an entry and exit. But, others come in come from the gates to the north and the south. This gate (spoken of in Ezekiel 44) is not the gate that is called today the Golden Gate on the east wall of the ancient wall of Jerusalem. Rather, it is the gate to the sanctuary. It will be the east gate in the new temple (which God describes to Ezekiel) and thus cannot be that gate towards the east that you find blocked today.
In teaching on Ezekiel 44:2-3 the teacher (John Roloson Sr.) espouses a common view of the Eastern gate that the Messiah (Jesus) entered in through in His triumphal entry (Palm Sunday). He also views the sealing of the gate in 1543 as a direct fulfillment of the prophecy in Ezekiel 44:2-3:
“This is the Eastern gate. Now, when Ezekiel wrote this, the Eastern gate was open and was used regularly to come in and out, as a matter of fact, Jesus entered through the Eastern gate, when they put the palm leaves and cried Hosanna, King of kings and Lord of lords, and so, this is the Eastern gate he’s looking at and here in his vision, it’s shut… So the prophecy was after the Messiah comes in by it, it will be shut up and not opened again, until He comes the last time… Now this is a prophecy that even Jews today recognize in Judaism as a prophecy of the coming of the Messiah. Now they would reject Jesus as the Messiah, but they say there is a day when the Messiah will come, and He will enter in by that Eastern gate that is now today, as we speak, sealed up and has been for quite some time. So, the closing of the Golden Gate was prophesied hundreds of years before it actually happened. The Golden Gate is the Eastern Gate of Jerusalem, through which Christ made His triumphal entry on Palm Sunday, before the crucifixion. Ezekiel predicted its closing and it was closed. It was closed in 1543 AD, so, almost 2,000 years after Ezekiel’s prophecy the gate was closed. You say, but why was it closed? Well, this is what happened. Suleiman the Great or rather Suleiman the Magnificent, I forgot which prideful title he used exactly, but he was a Muslim conqueror, and he conquered Jerusalem at one point in the 1500s and when he did, he heard these prophecies that the Messiah would come. Because, what did the Jews basically say to their Islam conquerors? They said ‘Just wait, when our King comes back, He’s going to conquer you! And so, your time is short.’ And so, they’ve got these prophecies that He’s going to come in by this Eastern gate, which at that time was open. So, Suleiman, not realizing he was fulfilling prophecy, had the gate ‘bricked up’ so that no one could enter in by it. He says ‘That will stop Him!’ As if the King of kings and the Lord of lords is going to get stopped by a few bricks. This was the concept and idea. It was closed and walled up and, of course, he didn’t know he was fulfilling prophecy. It remains sealed to this day, exactly as the Bible predicted. And it is the oldest gate in the old city walls of Jerusalem. And so the concept, according to Jewish tradition, was that the divine presence would have in the past appeared in this gate and would appear with the Messiah when He comes, so that’s why the gate was sealed up. Not only did he do that, but then, Suleiman, to make sure that the Messiah could not get through the gate, he built a cemetery in front of it, in the belief that the precursor to the Messiah, Elijah the prophet, being a priest, would not be able to come through a cemetery, because it would make him unclean…it’s amazing how much faith in the prophecies he had… Of course, Jesus will enter through that, and no cemetery – He’d just raise ‘em all from the dead anyway – no cemetery and no wall is going to keep Him out, obviously. But a powerful, powerful prophecy in Scripture.”
“The Eastern Gate was sealed shut in AD 1540–41 by order of Suleiman the Magnificent, a sultan of the Ottoman Empire…to prevent the Jewish Messiah from gaining entrance to Jerusalem. Jewish tradition states that the Messiah will pass through the Eastern Gate when He comes to rule. The Muslim Suleiman was attempting to thwart the Messiah’s plans with sixteen feet of cement. The Eastern Gate has remained sealed for nearly the past 500 years… Some interpret these passages in Ezekiel as references to the Lord Jesus Christ. The glory of the Lord coming into the temple is seen as the triumphal entry (Ezekiel 43:2; Matthew 21:1–11). The command to permanently shut the gate because the Lord has entered it (Ezekiel 44:2) is seen as a prediction of the walling-up of the Eastern Gate by the Muslims in AD 1540. And, finally, the ‘prince’ to whom the gate will be opened (Ezekiel 46:12) is seen as Christ Himself at the second coming—the Prince of Peace will return to the Mount of Olives (Zechariah 14:4) and enter Jerusalem by way of the re-opened Eastern Gate. This interpretation is popular and leads to much dramatic speculation about how and when the Eastern Gate will be unsealed. However, there are some textual problems with that interpretation.
First, there is a difficulty in connecting Ezekiel’s ‘gate facing east’ with the Eastern Gate of the Old City of Jerusalem. Ezekiel specifically says the gate he saw is ‘the outer gate of the sanctuary’ (Ezekiel 44:1); that is, it’s a gate of the temple court, not a gate of the city.
Second, the Eastern Gate of Jerusalem is not the same one that Jesus rode through in His triumphal entry. The modern Eastern Gate was not constructed until centuries after the time of Christ. The original gate that Nehemiah built (and possibly dating to the time of Solomon) is underground, below the current gate, as documented by archaeologist James Fleming in 1969. It was through the lower gate (now underground) that Jesus would have entered Jerusalem in AD 30.
Third, the temple that Ezekiel sees in chapters 40–47 is not the same temple that Jesus was in, and the Jerusalem he describes is quite different from the Old City of Jerusalem that we know of today. The millennial temple measured in Ezekiel is significantly larger than the temples of Solomon and Zerubbabel, and the Jerusalem of the millennium will have twelve gates, not eight (Ezekiel 48:30–35).
Finally, and most importantly, the “prince” in Ezekiel 44-46 is not the Messiah. Rather, he is the overseer of Jerusalem during the millennial kingdom. He is not Jesus, but he serves under Jesus’ authority. We know that this prince is not the Lord because he must make a sin offering for himself as well as the people: “On that day the prince is to provide a bull as a sin offering for himself and for all the people of the land” (Ezekiel 45:22). Whoever the prince is, he is a man with a sin nature that must be atoned for.
In summary, the ‘gate facing east’ that Ezekiel describes is different from the Eastern Gate visible today in the old wall of Jerusalem. The current (sealed) gate did not exist at the time of Christ, so the Lord never entered it. The location of the earlier Eastern Gate (the one Jesus entered) is below present-day ground level, and it does not agree with the detailed description of the future temple complex as given in Ezekiel 40–42. We surmise, then, that the eastern gate of Ezekiel 44 will be part of the future millennial temple complex. It is yet to be built.
How then do we interpret the coming and going of God’s glory and the closing of the eastern gate in Ezekiel’s prophecy? Like this: the prophet sees the glory of the Lord departing from the temple in chapter 10 because of the gross wickedness of the people—this is the first temple, destroyed by the Babylonians in 586 BC. Later, in chapter 43, Ezekiel sees the glory return to the temple—this is the new, enlarged temple of the millennial kingdom. In chapter 44, Ezekiel is told that the eastern temple gate ‘is to remain shut because the Lord, the God of Israel, has entered through it’ (verse 2). In other words, in the millennium the glory of the Lord will not depart from the temple. The avenue of the prior exit (to the east) is blocked, symbolizing the permanent presence of the Lord among His people. The eastern gate will only be opened on the Sabbath and the New Moon to allow for the prince to bring his sacrifices (Ezekiel 46:1–2).”
In Steve Gregg’s article, he evaluates 4 possibilities of what the temple in Ezekiel’s vision could be:
Solomon’s Temple: When Ezekiel saw his vision (573 BC), there was no temple standing in Jerusalem. Solomon’s temple, which had previously stood there, had been destroyed thirteen years earlier by Nebuchadnezzar, when he conquered Jerusalem and deported the citizens to Babylon. This means that Ezekiel was not seeing Solomon’s temple, or any temple that was actually standing at the time.
Zerubbabel’s Temple: This solution seems to be ruled out by the fact that Zerubbabel’s temple ended up being much smaller, and less elaborate, than the one Ezekiel describes. If Ezekiel was prophesying that the temple built by the returning exiles would fit this description, the prophecy failed to come true.
The Church: Some Christian commentators have understood the content of these chapters as an apocalyptic vision, which is best interpreted spiritually. They point out that the church, in the New Testament, is often referred to as God’s “temple” or habitation. Each Christian is a “living stone” (1 Pet. 2:5), built, along with others, “upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets” (Eph. 2:20) into a “temple of God” (1 Cor. 3:16). On this view, the features of temple worship—priests, altars, sacrifices, blood rituals—would be seen as pertaining to spiritual, rather than literal, realities, and applied to our worship of God in the present time. In particular, the description of the river, in chapter 47, would seem to support a nonliteral interpretation. If this is the correct view, we would be required either to see many of the tedious details as being either superfluous or as corresponding to spiritual ideas that would be very difficult to identify with confidence.
The Millennial Temple: Ezekiel’s temple will be established after the second coming of Christ and will serve as the worship center for all people during the “millennium.” On this view, the one described as “the prince” is often (though not by MacArthur) identified as Christ Himself, ruling over the millennial kingdom.
In the end, Steve Gregg summarizes Ezekiel’s vision as “that which ‘might have been,’ had the Jewish exiles in Babylon exhibited a more thorough repentance than they did”:
How then are we to understand the temple vision? First, one might reasonably refer to the vision as that which “might have been,” had the Jewish exiles in Babylon exhibited a more thorough repentance than they did. There is an indication that the realization of this vision in Israel’s future was contingent on the people being sufficiently ashamed, or repentant, of their past sins: “Son of man, describe the temple to the house of Israel, that they may be ashamed of their iniquities; and let them measure the pattern. And if they are ashamed of all that they have done, make known to them the design of the temple” (Ezek. 43:10–11).
The response of the Jews to their opportunity to return and to rebuild their temple was notoriously tepid. Only a small remnant opted even to return to Jerusalem, while the rest were content to remain in Babylon. As a result, the temple they built proved to be inferior to the one that Ezekiel described.
Though the Jews did not meet the conditions to have such a temple as Ezekiel’s, the pattern preserved in these chapters stands as a description of an intended order, which, had it materialized, would have testified, as the tabernacle once did, as a type and shadow of “heavenly things” (Heb. 8:5)—the new order in Jesus Christ. This, we may assume, was the long-term purpose served by the vision.
Summary of the Rest of the Chapter (from BibleHub)
Verses 4-14 – The Levites and Their Duties
God shows Ezekiel the north gate leading to the front of the Temple, where he feels the glory of God. God admonishes the rebellious Israelites and imposes restrictions on the Levites who strayed during Israel’s rebellion. These Levites are demoted to non-priestly duties, such as maintenance and service in the Temple, as a consequence of leading the people astray.
Verses 15-31 – The Zadokite Priests and Their Privileges
The Zadokite priests, descendants of Zadok, who remained faithful during Israel’s rebellion, are given higher duties in the Temple. They are allowed to approach God, offer sacrifices, and hold the office of the priesthood. Specific regulations are laid down for their lifestyle, clothing, and conduct, emphasizing the preservation of their purity and holiness.
Resources Used in Preparing this Teaching
MacArthur Study Bible notes (MacArthur says Ezekiel’s temple will exist in the millennial kingdom)
Here is a random quote (of over 2700) from Nuggets:
If you are placed in a situation where you suspect your convictions will be labeled intolerant, bigoted, narrow-minded, or judgmental, use Columbo to turn the tables. When someone asks for your personal views about a controversial issue, preface your remarks with a question that sets the stage — in your favor — for your response. Say, “You know, this is actually a very personal question you’re asking. I don’t mind answering, but before I do, I want to know if it’s safe to offer my views. So let me ask you a question: Do you consider yourself a tolerant person or an intolerant person on issues like this? Is it safe to give my opinion, or are you going to judge me for my point of view? Do you respect diverse points of view, or do you condemn others for convictions that differ from your own?” Now when you give your point of view, it’s going to be very difficult for anyone to call you intolerant or judgmental without looking guilty, too. This line of questioning trades on an important bit of knowledge: There is no neutral ground when it comes to the tolerance question. Everybody has a point of view she thinks is right, and everybody passes judgment at some point or another. The Christian gets pigeonholed as the judgmental one, but everyone else is judging, too, even people who consider themselves relativists. I call this the passive aggressive tolerance trick. The key to understanding this trick is knowing that everyone thinks his own beliefs are correct. If people didn’t think their beliefs were true, they wouldn’t believe them. They’d believe something else and think that was true. – Greg Koukl (Tactics)
What does the Bible say about motives? | GotQuestions.org – The Bible has a lot to say about our motives. A motive is the underlying reason for any action. Proverbs 16:2 says, “All a person’s ways seem pure to them, but motives are weighed by the LORD.”: https://www.gotquestions.org/Bible-motives.html
Rubber Crutches – Everyone has a crutch. Will yours hold you up? When people ask me, “Isn’t Christ just a crutch?” I have a simple reply. I tell them, “You’re right. Christ is a crutch. But you’ve asked the wrong question.” : https://www.str.org/w/rubber-crutches
Here is a random quote (of over 2700) from Nuggets:
While we are often willing to spend time reading the Bible, praying, or participating in church programs and services, few of us recognize the importance of becoming good Christian case makers. Prosecutors are successful when they master the facts of the case and then learn how to navigate and respond to the tactics of the defense team. Christians need to learn from that model as well. We need to master the facts and evidences that support the claims of Christianity and anticipate the tactics of those who oppose us. This kind of preparation is a form of worship. When we devote ourselves to this rational preparation and study, we are worshipping God with our mind, the very thing He has called us to do (Matt. 22:37). – J Warner Wallace (from, Cold-Case Christianity)
Stand to Reason’s Top Ten Posts of 2023 – As we near the end of 2023, it’s time once again for me to collect the ten most popular posts of the year for you. It’s interesting to see how the need to understand the issues surrounding gender and sexuality has grown radically since 2020. Just compare the top ten posts in 2020, 2021, and 2022 with this year’s list, and you’ll see a definite trend. The topics below indicate this has been a difficult and confusing time for many, and I’m thankful so many Christians want to understand the issues and respond to the culture in a way that reflects the truth and honors God.: https://www.str.org/w/the-top-ten-posts-of-2023
Mike Winger on X: “There are some modern Mormons who, after being confronted with the false teachings, fraud, and spiritual deceptions of Joseph Smith, have decided that Mormonism can still be true even if Joseph Smith did the following: False prophecy, secret polygamy, fraudulent ‘translation’” / X – Lot of comments on this post, take note of the replies from Brad R. Torgersen: https://twitter.com/MikeWingerii/status/1742983679583158451
Discover why evolutionists can’t explain how eyes developed. In this presentation, Dr. Tommy Mitchell exposes a number of issues with evolutionists’ perspectives on the development of eyes in various animals. He explains the exquisite design of the eye… – YouTube: https://youtu.be/hx6WQrmaQLY?si=UV5ur5q07sED0XeS
The Myth of Secularization – Organized versus Disorganized Religion – LEWIS UNGIT.. We have a myth in Western society. It is that the world was once magic and religious and that now it has become (with a few hold outs) largely secular and atheistic. But some historians have pointed out that this narrative doesn’t exactly hold. Poll after poll shows that populations, even in supposedly secular societies, tend to hold views in direct contrast with scientific materialism. If those populations don’t explicitly affirm belief in an organized religion or theology (such as Christianity) the people nonetheless tend to believe in ghosts, spirits, the eternity of the soul, prayer, and etc.: https://lewisungit.substack.com/p/the-myth-of-secularization
Bearing Witness to Christ Among Internationals – Christian Research Institute – Christians must now marshal the courage to open the door to relationships that were once reserved for sent missionaries. While there is no formula that guarantees a successful ministry to the internationals in our communities, there are at least three ways the church can engage the nations at home. This engagement happens 1) through invitation into fellowship, 2) through actively seeking to understand new cultures, and 3) through focusing ministry on the person and work of Jesus Christ rather than on secondary and tertiary matters.: https://www.equip.org/articles/bearing-witness-to-christ-among-internationals/
Defending The Faith – Defense of Christianity Pt.2 – John Roloson Sr. (Sermon Audio) – He talks about Suleiman the Magnificent, closing the eastern gate of Jerusalem and building a cemetery or graveyard in front of it because he believed the prophecies that the Messiah and the messiah’s forerunner were going to come back through that gate:https://sermonaudio.com/sermon/92181058352
From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work. Ephesians 4:16
Here is a random quote (of over 2700) from Nuggets:
Mount St. Helens’ remarkable post-eruption recovery surprised conventional biological thinking. Counter to evolution-based assumptions, it appears that living things have the innate ability to colonize desolate areas. The way animals and plants worked together to repopulate Mount St. Helens demonstrates God’s design for them to multiply and fill the earth. – BRIAN THOMAS, Ph.D (Acts and Facts August 2020 article “Biological Bounceback at Mount St. Helens”)
Self-Discipline Is the Gateway to Christian Maturity – If you want to grow as a Christian, you must learn discipline. Because self-discipline is the gateway to Christian maturity. In the next article I will talk about how we can practically cultivate self-discipline and dispel some common misunderstandings about it:https://redeemingproductivity.com/self-discipline-is-the-gateway-to-christian-maturity/
Does Religion Really Matter in America? The latest Gallup poll shows a continuing decline of religious influence in America. A dramatic shift has taken place in America related to the way we view religious beliefs. Hidden in the data from the Gallup research lies a clue to the reason for this change in public opinion. Why do fewer Americans think religion matters? Listen to the podcast to hear the answer to this question. Frank Turek and Detective J. Warner Wallace tackle this issue and others in this episode:https://subsplash.com/crossexamined/media/mi/+hx2v9pw
How I Can Believe in a God Who Sends People to Hell? If the God who says, “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, he sent his son not to condemn the world, but to save the world,” we have no one to blame but ourselves if we turn away from trusting in this good and gracious Father and in his son, Jesus Christ. You have all these questions. At the end of the day, here’s the thing: the God who tells you that this is what lies up ahead for those who don’t trust in Jesus, is also the One who so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son. There really is no one else to blame but yourself if you don’t turn to him in faith right now:https://corechristianity.com/resources/articles/how-i-can-believe-in-a-god-who-sends-people-to-hell
Stephen Meyer Shatters the Myth of the Multiverse – Is our universe just an accident? Or does it display exquisite evidence of fine-tuning and intelligent design? This episode of Science Uprising investigates claims by scientific atheists like Lawrence Krauss and Bill Nye that our universe is nothing special and that the fine-tuning scientists observe can be explained away by the existence of multiple universes:https://evolutionnews.org/2020/06/stephen-meyer-shatters-the-myth-of-the-multiverse/
How Psalm 113 Changed My Life – By Rosaria Butterfield who is a former tenured professor of English at Syracuse University and author of The Secret Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert, Openness Unhindered, and The Gospel Comes With a House Key. She is a member of First Reformed Presbyterian Church of Durham:https://www.9marks.org/article/how-psalm-113-changed-my-life/
When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you truly love me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.” Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you truly love me?” He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.” The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my sheep. John 21:15-17
1 Peter 4:12-16 