*Ezekiel 38:23 / *Ezek. 38:23 -
Note that nothing requires that this refers to a point in time before Jesus Christ's future, Second Coming. For the nations could also become complacent near the end of the future, peaceful Millennium, so that they will need to be reminded once again of YHWH God's greatness.
(See Ezekiel 39:22 below)
--
*Ezekiel 39:7 / *Ezek. 39:7 -
See Ezekiel 39:22 below.
--
*Ezekiel 39:11 / *Ezek. 39:11 -
The original Hebrew word (H1996) transliterated as "Hamon-gog" can mean "The Multitude of Gog" (Strong's Hebrew Dictionary), just as "hamon" (H1995) had been translated in the previous sentence as "his multitude" (Ezekiel 39:11).
--
*Ezekiel 39:16 / *Ezek. 39:16 -
The original Hebrew word (H1997) transliterated as "Hamonah" means "Multitude" (Strong's Hebrew Dictionary).
--
*Ezekiel 39:17-20 / *Ezek. 39:17 -
(Re: Same event as Revelation 19:17-21?) / (*Battlefield)
Note that those passages do not require that they are the same event. For it is common for birds to eat at dead bodies lying on a battlefield after a battle, before the bodies can be removed.
Also, Ezekiel 39:17 does not have to be after Ezekiel 39:4, but can be the same event. For the verses in Ezekiel chapters 38-39 do not have to be chronological. For example, Gog's coming into Israel and his defeat by God in Ezekiel 39:2-4 does not have to happen after his defeat by God in Ezekiel 38:18-22.
~
(Re: Are the birds symbolic?)
No, for Ezekiel 39:17 refers to the same literal birds and beasts as Ezekiel 39:4.
~
(Re: How long would it take to speak to every bird and beast?)
In Ezekiel 39:17 the original Hebrew word (kol: H3605) translated as "every" does not have to mean absolutely every one, but can mean "all manner of" (Leviticus 19:23). Compare the birds "of every sort" in Ezekiel 39:4. Also, if the birds and beasts in Ezekiel 39:17,4 had been symbolic of all nations of men not in covenant with God, how long would it take to speak to all of them? And who would be the "people", the "heathen" "men", which the birds and beasts were going to eat (Ezekiel 39:4,17-21)?
--
*Ezekiel 39:22 / *Ezek. 39:22 -
This will not be fulfilled until after the future Millennium and the subsequent Gog/Magog event (Revelation 20:7-10). Ezekiel 39:22 means that near the end of the safe time of the future Millennium (Ezekiel 38:11), the mortal Israelites living on the earth will have become complacent and backslidden away from God (Ezekiel 39:26,7). So, after the Millennium (Revelation 20:7-10), as a punishment, God will let them be taken into captivity (Ezekiel 39:23-29) during the Gog/Magog time (Ezekiel 38:11-13). God will then bring judgment against Gog and Magog, and the mortal Israelites will return to being faithful to God (Ezekiel 39:21-29). Compare what Jeremiah 24:7 had said regarding the Jews who would come back from their Babylonian captivity, which occurred in the sixth century BC.
--
*Ezekiel chapters 40 to 48 / *Ezek. chs. 40-48 -
These chapters are not necessarily a prophecy of future events which must happen, like those in the book of Revelation must happen (Revelation 1:1), but could have been a conditional vision which Israel had to fulfill while it was still in Old Testament/Old Covenant times (Ezekiel 43:11). For the vision refers to animal sacrifices for sin (Ezekiel 43:21-22), which were abolished by Jesus Christ on the Cross, along with all of the rest of the letter of the Old Covenant Mosaic law (Ephesians 2:15-16, Colossians 2:14-17, Hebrews 7:18-19, Romans 7:6; 2 Corinthians 3:6-18). Jesus' New Covenant sacrifice for sin (Matthew 26:28) completely and forever replaced all of the Old Covenant animal sacrifices for sin (Hebrews 10:1-23).
Nonetheless, when Jesus Christ returns in our future and begins His Millennial reign on the earth (Revelation 20:4-6, Zechariah 14:3-21), He will still build a New Covenant, fourth temple building in Jerusalem; and New Covenant animal sacrifices will be offered in front of that temple (Zechariah 14:20-21, Zechariah 6:12-13). Instead of these sacrifices being for sin, they could be for thanksgiving (cf. Leviticus 22:29). Jesus could build that temple, and it could be operated according to the description in Ezekiel chapters 40 to 48, but leaving out the parts about animal sacrifices for sin. Another possibility is that New Covenant animal sacrifices for sin will be made, but as a remembrance of Jesus' New Covenant sacrifice on the Cross for our sins (Matthew 26:28), like how Communion is currently partaken of in remembrance of Jesus' sacrifice (Luke 22:19). The current practice of Communion could cease at Jesus' return (1 Corinthians 11:26).
Also, after the future Millennium and subsequent events (Revelation 20:7-15), when the literal city of New Jerusalem will descend from heaven and land on the New Earth (Revelation 21:1-3), as in a new surface for the earth, there will no longer be any temple building (Revelation 21:22).
~
(Re: Sabbath / feasts)
If Ezekiel chapters 40 to 48 are a prophecy of future events, and were not only a conditional vision which now will never be fulfilled, then the sabbath and feasts (e.g. Ezekiel 46:4,9) will not be those of the letter of the Old Covenant Mosaic law, but a better version of them, under the New Covenant.
(See the "Law" section of Ephesians 2:15 below)
The rules in Ezekiel chapters 40 to 48 are different in detail from the letter of the Old Covenant Mosaic law. For example, note all of the differences in the details of the passover animal sacrifice requirements of Ezekiel 45:21-25 and those of Numbers 28:16-24.
~
(Re: Is Ezekiel's Temple just symbolic of New Jerusalem in heaven?)
No, for there is no temple building in New Jerusalem (Revelation 21:22), whereas Ezekiel 40:5 through Ezekiel 42:20 gives a highly-detailed blueprint for a literal temple building. And the ordinances regarding its altar, animal sacrifices, and priests are given in great detail from Ezekiel 43:12 through Ezekiel 44:31, and from Ezekiel 45:13 through Ezekiel 46:24.
Also, Ezekiel chapters 40 to 48 refer to a future, literal, earthly temple building, just as Ezekiel 45:1-8, and Ezekiel 47:13 through Ezekiel 48:35, refer to how the literal, earthly land of Israel will be apportioned for this temple, its priests, a secular city, and the prince and tribes of Israel.
--
*Ezekiel 43:5-7 / *Ezek. 43:5 -
(Re: The future Antichrist comes to sit in the temple; and is Ezekiel's temple the only one with a throne room?)
No, the future Antichrist could place a throne in the most holy place of a different, future, third Jewish temple in Jerusalem, which will be built prior to the future, fourth temple in Ezekiel 43:5-7.
(See Revelation 11:1 below)
--
*Ezekiel 43:18-27 / *Ezek. 43:18 -
This is not under the letter of the Old Covenant Mosaic law.
(See "The rules" paragraph of Ezekiel chapters 40 to 48 above)
--
*Ezekiel 44:9 / *Ezek. 44:9 -
If this refers to a future time under the New Covenant, then its "flesh" circumcision could be figurative, like the New Covenant "flesh" circumcision in Colossians 2:11 (for both Jewish and Gentile Christians) is figurative (cf. also Romans 2:28-29).
If Ezekiel 44:9 is referring to Old Covenant circumcision... (See paragraph 1 of Ezekiel chapters 40 to 48 above)
(Also, see the "Circumcision" section of Ephesians 2:15 below)
--
*Ezekiel 45 / *Ezek. 45 -
In Ezekiel 45:15 and Ezekiel 45:17 the original Hebrew word (kaphar: H3722) translated as "make reconciliation" can mean "cleanse" (Numbers 35:33), and only with regard to the sanctification of the physical body (Hebrews 9:13). For the same Hebrew word is used in Ezekiel 45:20 to refer to a literal, physical temple being "reconciled". And the same Hebrew word is used in Ezekiel 43:26 and Ezekiel 43:20 to refer to the "purging" of a literal, physical altar.
--
*Ezekiel 45:22 / *Ezek. 45:22 -
The prince could be a physically resurrected King David (Ezekiel 34:24, Ezekiel 37:25b).
--
*Ezekiel 46:12-18 / *Ezek. 46:12 -
(Re: Requires that it will be before the Second Coming?)
No, for Jesus Christ can still have returned by the time of Ezekiel 46:12-18, just as Christians will reign as kings and priests on the earth during the future Millennium (Revelation 5:10, Revelation 20:4-6).
~
(Re: But there is no "king" in Ezekiel chapters 40-48)
In Ezekiel 46:12, for example, the original Hebrew word (nasiy': H5387) translated as "prince" can refer to a king. For the same Hebrew word is used in Ezekiel 12:12-13 to refer to the Jewish King Zedekiah (2 Kings 25:4-7).
--
*Ezekiel 46:18 / *Ezek. 46:18 -
(His sons)
This could refer to King David's sons whom he had before he died in ancient times, and who got saved while they were still alive in ancient times, and so they will get physically resurrected at Jesus Christ's future, Second Coming.
(See 1 Peter 4:6 below)
Or, if the prince in Ezekiel 46:18 is not a physically resurrected King David, then it could refer to a non-Christian, elect, genetic-Israelite leader of the house of David (in the sense of the descendants of David) who will survive the future Tribulation and then become a Christian, along with all other surviving, non-Christian, elect genetic Israelites, when they will see Jesus Christ at His Second Coming (Zechariah 12:10-14, Romans 11:26-29). They could all remain in their mortal bodies, and so have offspring during the Millennium. For at the Second Coming, the resurrection and changing of Christians into immortal bodies (1 Corinthians 15:21-23,51-53), which will not have offspring (Luke 20:35-36), could be only for those who had become Christians before the Second Coming.
--
*Ezekiel 47:12 / *Ezek. 47:12 -
The waters in Ezekiel 47 will be literal waters which will reach literal locations on the earth, such as Engedi and Eneglaim (Ezekiel 47:10), which are to the east of the literal, earthly Jerusalem.
(See also Zechariah 14:8 below)
~
(Re: But is not Ezekiel 47:12 referring to Revelation 22:2, in New Jerusalem in heaven?)
No, for those verses refer to two different places with similar trees. For Ezekiel 47:12 refers to a place on the earth during a future time, whereas Revelation 22:2 refers to a place in heaven now and in the future. Ezekiel 47:12 and Revelation 22:2 cannot be referring to the same place, because Ezekiel 47:12 refers to a temple building out of which the water flows, whereas Revelation 22:2 refers to a place with no temple building (Revelation 21:22).
The context of Ezekiel 47:12 is the literal, earthly land of Israel, which includes places like Engedi and Eneglaim (Ezekiel 47:10), and places like Hethlon and Zedad (Ezekiel 47:15), and places like "Hamath, Berothah, Sibraim, which is between the border of Damascus and the border of Hamath; Hazarhatticon, which is by the coast of Hauran" (Ezekiel 47:16), etc.
So there is no reason to spiritualize-away the wonderful, literal, earthly future prophesied by Ezekiel chapters 40 to 48.
--
*Ezekiel 47:21-23 / *Ezek. 47:21 -
If even those who are "strangers" in Israel can be considered to be members of the various tribes of Israel, to the point where they can even inherit the land of the tribes (Ezekiel 47:21-23), then certainly Christian Gentiles, who are "no more strangers" to Israel (Ephesians 2:12,19), are considered by God to be grafted into the various tribes of Israel when they are grafted into Israel (Romans 11:17,24, Ephesians 2:12,19, Galatians 3:29).
(See the "Tribes" section of Romans 11:17 below)
--
*Ezekiel 48:15 / *Ezek. 48:15 -
The original Hebrew word (chol: H2455) translated as "profane" can simply mean "common" (1 Samuel 21:4), rather than holy.
--
*Ezekiel 48:35 / *Ezek. 48:35 -
(The LORD is there)
In Hebrew (H3068, H8033): YHWH-sham (pronounced shawm).
--
*Daniel 1:2 / *Dan. 1:2 -
(Re: Refers to the same house in Shinar as Zechariah 5:11?)
They refer to the same Shinar (Babylonia: Daniel 1:1), but can refer to a different house (temple), the former past and the latter future.
(See also Zechariah 5:11 below)
--
*Daniel 1:12 / *Dan. 1:12 -
The original Hebrew word (zeroa`: H2235) translated as "pulse" can refer generally to vegetables. The English word "pulse", at least in its use today, is restricted (with regard to food) to vegetables like beans, peas, and lentils.
--
*Daniel 2:27 / *Dan. 2:27 -
"Soothsayers" foretell events.
--
*Daniel 2:31-45 / *Dan. 2:31 -
Daniel 2:31-33a,37-40 was fulfilled by the ancient empires of Babylon (head of gold: Daniel 2:38b), Medo-Persia (silver), Greece (brass), and Rome (iron), the same four empires pictured by the four beasts in Daniel 7.
(See Daniel 7 below)
~
(Re: Why is not Egypt, Assyria, the Hittites, etc. on the statue? Why does it start with Nebuchadnezzar's Babylon, and not Nimrod's?)
Egypt was before Babylon, in that Israel was in Egypt (Exodus 13:3) before it was in Babylon (Ezra 2:1).
Egypt was not on the statue in Daniel 2:32-45 because the statue was to show Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, the future (Daniel 2:29), not the past. For that reason, Assyria was not on the statue either, even though it had been a big empire, for it had already fallen (Nahum 3:7) before the reign of Nebuchadnezzar.
The Hittites were not on the statue not only because their empire was before the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, but also because the Israelites were never under the control of the Hittite empire. The statue showed only those empires which would control the Israelites at some point. That is the main focus of the Old Testament: Israel. That is why Old Testament history does not deal with even the major, ancient empires of China, India, etc., which never controlled Israel.
While Babylon, where Nimrod, etc., came from (Genesis 10:8-12, Genesis 11), was the beginning of corrupt world civilization after Noah's Flood, and Abraham came from that region (Genesis 15:7), Babylon as an empire did not control the Israelites in the beginning, but only much later, starting with Nebuchadnezzar.
While Egyptian civilization could have originated from Babylonian sources, Egypt formed its own culture and empire, the first to control the Israelites.
Daniel 2 covers four of the seven historical, Israel-controlling empires represented by the seven heads in Revelation 13:1.
(See Revelation 13:1 below)
~
In Daniel 2:31, the original Chaldean/Aramaic word (dechal: H1763) translated as "terrible", like the English word, can mean "causing fear" or "being formidable" (Strong's Hebrew and Chaldee Dictionary, and Webster's English Dictionary).
--
*Daniel 2:32 / *Dan. 2:32 -
The two arms of the silver empire represented the ancient Medes and Persians, just as the two horns of the ram empire in Daniel 8:3 represented them (Daniel 8:20).
--
*Daniel 2:33 / *Dan. 2:33 -
The two iron legs could represent how the ancient Roman empire eventually split into two parts: Western (Roman) and Eastern (Byzantine). The territory of the latter was eventually conquered by the (Islamic) Ottoman empire.
~
(Re: Do the iron legs have to represent an empire that is only in the Middle East, and only north and south of Israel, like the thighs of brass?)
No, for Daniel 2's image is not meant to be interpreted as indicating the location of all of its parts/empires in relation to Israel. It is only meant to indicate a progression in time, from one empire to the next, beginning with its head (ancient Babylon) and moving down through time to its feet and ten toes (the future Antichrist's empire).
The image's belly and thighs of brass (Daniel 2:32) represented ancient Greece's Seleucid and Ptolemaic kingdoms, which were north and south of Israel. But if the image is thought of as standing astride Israel, facing west or east, the positions of its other parts/empires would not match their locations in relation to Israel. For the image's breast and two arms of silver (Daniel 2:32) represented the ancient Medes and Persians, both of whose homelands were located east of Israel, not farther north and south from Israel than the Seleucid and Ptolemaic kingdoms, like the image's arms would be farther north and south from Israel than its thighs.
Also, while the image's two iron legs (Daniel 2:33) represented the Roman empire, which did include the Middle East (both north and south of Israel), the Roman empire was not limited to the Middle East, but also included Western Europe and North Africa, which are also north and south of Israel, in latitude. Similarly, the Medo-Persian empire was not limited to the Middle East, but included a part of Europe (Thrace) and North Africa (Libya). And the Greek empire was not limited to the Middle East, but included a part of Europe (Greece and parts of the Balkans) and North Africa (a part of eastern Libya).
Also, even if the image is thought of instead as lying across a map of the Middle East, with its head toward the east, if its thighs were lying north and south of Israel, then the positions of its other parts/empires still would not match their locations in relation to Israel. For the image's head (Babylon) would then be farther east from Israel than the image's chest (Medo-Persia), which of course was not the case. For Medo-Persia was farther east from Israel than Babylon. But the image's iron legs (Rome) would correctly lie west of the Middle East, in Europe and North Africa, and the image's feet and ten toes (the future Antichrist's empire) would correctly be on both the north and south sides of the Mediterranean, and so on both the north and south sides of Israel, in latitude. But the future Antichrist's empire will also include the Middle East, just as all of the image's former empires, including the Roman empire, included the Middle East.
(See Daniel 7 below)
--
*Daniel 2:35b / *Dan. 2:35b -
The mountain is symbolic of Jesus Christ's future, earthly empire (Daniel 2:44).
(See the "Millennium" sections of Revelation 20:4 below)
--
*Daniel 2:39 / *Dan. 2:39 -
The original Chaldean/Aramaic word (ara: H0772) translated as "inferior" does not have to mean "land inferior", but can be used figuratively to simply mean "inferior", or "low", like how the ground is low (Strong's Hebrew and Chaldee Dictionary). Compare the feminine of ara: H0772, which is 'ar`iyth: H0773, which can be translated as "bottom" (Daniel 6:24c).
The Medo-Persian empire was not inferior to the Babylonian empire in territorial extent, just as the arms and chest of the image in Daniel 2:32 were not inferior in size to its head, even though they were lower than the head. Instead, Daniel 2:39 can mean that the Medo-Persian empire was inferior in some way to the Babylonian empire in quality, just as the silver of the arms and chest were inferior in quality to the gold of the head.
--
*Daniel 2:42-43 / *Dan. 2:42 / *Dan. 2:43 -
This might best be understood not in the light of Genesis 6, but in the light of Daniel 7.
(See Daniel 7 below)
--
*Daniel 2:44 / *Dan. 2:44 -
Daniel 2:44a refers to the setting up of the physical aspect of the Kingdom of God subsequent to Jesus Christ's future, Second Coming (Revelation 19:7 to 21:8). Daniel 2:44b refers to the returned Jesus and the physically resurrected Church not leaving the earth to other people, but remaining on the earth and ruling the surviving non-Christian nations with a rod of iron during the Millennium, and figuratively breaking some of them in pieces like a potter's vessel (Psalms 2:7-9, Revelation 2:26-29, Revelation 5:10, Revelation 20:4-6). "And it shall stand for ever" (Daniel 2:44c) refers to the physical aspect of the Kingdom continuing forever on a future, New Earth (Revelation 21:1-8, Revelation 22:5), as in a new surface for the earth, after the future Millennium and subsequent events (Revelation 20:7 to 22:5).
--
*Daniel 2:47 / *Dan. 2:47 -
(Re: Revelation 17:18)
Daniel 2:47, like Daniel 3:28-29, Daniel 4:1-3, Daniel 4:17, and Daniel 4:34-37, refers to God as the supreme ruler, not Jerusalem.
--
*Daniel 3 / *Dan. 3 -
Just as in the ancient empire of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar built an image (statue) which everyone had to worship or be killed (Daniel 3), so in our future, during the reign of the Antichrist, his False Prophet will have an image of the Antichrist built (possibly an android) which everyone will have to worship or be killed (Revelation 13:14-15).
(See Revelation 13:14 and Revelation 13:1 below)
Perhaps there will be some future Shadrachs, Meshachs, and Abednegos, who will publicly refuse to worship the Antichrist's image, and yet they will be miraculously protected from being killed. They could be protected by the future, Two Witnesses (compare Revelation 11:5, Daniel 3:22b).
--
*Daniel 3:5 / *Dan. 3:5 -
The original Chaldean/Aramaic word (qeren: H7162) translated as "cornet" could refer to an animal horn (cf. Daniel 7:7c) which was blown through to make a sound.
The Chaldean/Aramaic word (cabbeka': H5443) translated as "sackbut" could refer to a type of lyre, a stringed instrument.
The Chaldean/Aramaic word (pecanteriyn: H6460) translated as "psaltery" could refer to a type of zither, a stringed instrument.
The Chaldean/Aramaic word (cuwmpowneyah: H5481) translated as "dulcimer" could refer to a type of bagpipe.
--
*Daniel 3:9 / *Dan. 3:9 -
(Live for ever)
Compare Nehemiah 2:3 above.
--
*Daniel 3:21 / *Dan. 3:21 -
The original Chaldean/Aramaic word (pattiysh: H6361) translated as "hosen" could refer to gowns (Strong's Hebrew and Chaldee Dictionary).
-
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Nov 24, 2018
Note that nothing requires that this refers to a point in time before Jesus Christ's future, Second Coming. For the nations could also become complacent near the end of the future, peaceful Millennium, so that they will need to be reminded once again of YHWH God's greatness.
(See Ezekiel 39:22 below)
--
*Ezekiel 39:7 / *Ezek. 39:7 -
See Ezekiel 39:22 below.
--
*Ezekiel 39:11 / *Ezek. 39:11 -
The original Hebrew word (H1996) transliterated as "Hamon-gog" can mean "The Multitude of Gog" (Strong's Hebrew Dictionary), just as "hamon" (H1995) had been translated in the previous sentence as "his multitude" (Ezekiel 39:11).
--
*Ezekiel 39:16 / *Ezek. 39:16 -
The original Hebrew word (H1997) transliterated as "Hamonah" means "Multitude" (Strong's Hebrew Dictionary).
--
*Ezekiel 39:17-20 / *Ezek. 39:17 -
(Re: Same event as Revelation 19:17-21?) / (*Battlefield)
Note that those passages do not require that they are the same event. For it is common for birds to eat at dead bodies lying on a battlefield after a battle, before the bodies can be removed.
Also, Ezekiel 39:17 does not have to be after Ezekiel 39:4, but can be the same event. For the verses in Ezekiel chapters 38-39 do not have to be chronological. For example, Gog's coming into Israel and his defeat by God in Ezekiel 39:2-4 does not have to happen after his defeat by God in Ezekiel 38:18-22.
~
(Re: Are the birds symbolic?)
No, for Ezekiel 39:17 refers to the same literal birds and beasts as Ezekiel 39:4.
~
(Re: How long would it take to speak to every bird and beast?)
In Ezekiel 39:17 the original Hebrew word (kol: H3605) translated as "every" does not have to mean absolutely every one, but can mean "all manner of" (Leviticus 19:23). Compare the birds "of every sort" in Ezekiel 39:4. Also, if the birds and beasts in Ezekiel 39:17,4 had been symbolic of all nations of men not in covenant with God, how long would it take to speak to all of them? And who would be the "people", the "heathen" "men", which the birds and beasts were going to eat (Ezekiel 39:4,17-21)?
--
*Ezekiel 39:22 / *Ezek. 39:22 -
This will not be fulfilled until after the future Millennium and the subsequent Gog/Magog event (Revelation 20:7-10). Ezekiel 39:22 means that near the end of the safe time of the future Millennium (Ezekiel 38:11), the mortal Israelites living on the earth will have become complacent and backslidden away from God (Ezekiel 39:26,7). So, after the Millennium (Revelation 20:7-10), as a punishment, God will let them be taken into captivity (Ezekiel 39:23-29) during the Gog/Magog time (Ezekiel 38:11-13). God will then bring judgment against Gog and Magog, and the mortal Israelites will return to being faithful to God (Ezekiel 39:21-29). Compare what Jeremiah 24:7 had said regarding the Jews who would come back from their Babylonian captivity, which occurred in the sixth century BC.
--
*Ezekiel chapters 40 to 48 / *Ezek. chs. 40-48 -
These chapters are not necessarily a prophecy of future events which must happen, like those in the book of Revelation must happen (Revelation 1:1), but could have been a conditional vision which Israel had to fulfill while it was still in Old Testament/Old Covenant times (Ezekiel 43:11). For the vision refers to animal sacrifices for sin (Ezekiel 43:21-22), which were abolished by Jesus Christ on the Cross, along with all of the rest of the letter of the Old Covenant Mosaic law (Ephesians 2:15-16, Colossians 2:14-17, Hebrews 7:18-19, Romans 7:6; 2 Corinthians 3:6-18). Jesus' New Covenant sacrifice for sin (Matthew 26:28) completely and forever replaced all of the Old Covenant animal sacrifices for sin (Hebrews 10:1-23).
Nonetheless, when Jesus Christ returns in our future and begins His Millennial reign on the earth (Revelation 20:4-6, Zechariah 14:3-21), He will still build a New Covenant, fourth temple building in Jerusalem; and New Covenant animal sacrifices will be offered in front of that temple (Zechariah 14:20-21, Zechariah 6:12-13). Instead of these sacrifices being for sin, they could be for thanksgiving (cf. Leviticus 22:29). Jesus could build that temple, and it could be operated according to the description in Ezekiel chapters 40 to 48, but leaving out the parts about animal sacrifices for sin. Another possibility is that New Covenant animal sacrifices for sin will be made, but as a remembrance of Jesus' New Covenant sacrifice on the Cross for our sins (Matthew 26:28), like how Communion is currently partaken of in remembrance of Jesus' sacrifice (Luke 22:19). The current practice of Communion could cease at Jesus' return (1 Corinthians 11:26).
Also, after the future Millennium and subsequent events (Revelation 20:7-15), when the literal city of New Jerusalem will descend from heaven and land on the New Earth (Revelation 21:1-3), as in a new surface for the earth, there will no longer be any temple building (Revelation 21:22).
~
(Re: Sabbath / feasts)
If Ezekiel chapters 40 to 48 are a prophecy of future events, and were not only a conditional vision which now will never be fulfilled, then the sabbath and feasts (e.g. Ezekiel 46:4,9) will not be those of the letter of the Old Covenant Mosaic law, but a better version of them, under the New Covenant.
(See the "Law" section of Ephesians 2:15 below)
The rules in Ezekiel chapters 40 to 48 are different in detail from the letter of the Old Covenant Mosaic law. For example, note all of the differences in the details of the passover animal sacrifice requirements of Ezekiel 45:21-25 and those of Numbers 28:16-24.
~
(Re: Is Ezekiel's Temple just symbolic of New Jerusalem in heaven?)
No, for there is no temple building in New Jerusalem (Revelation 21:22), whereas Ezekiel 40:5 through Ezekiel 42:20 gives a highly-detailed blueprint for a literal temple building. And the ordinances regarding its altar, animal sacrifices, and priests are given in great detail from Ezekiel 43:12 through Ezekiel 44:31, and from Ezekiel 45:13 through Ezekiel 46:24.
Also, Ezekiel chapters 40 to 48 refer to a future, literal, earthly temple building, just as Ezekiel 45:1-8, and Ezekiel 47:13 through Ezekiel 48:35, refer to how the literal, earthly land of Israel will be apportioned for this temple, its priests, a secular city, and the prince and tribes of Israel.
--
*Ezekiel 43:5-7 / *Ezek. 43:5 -
(Re: The future Antichrist comes to sit in the temple; and is Ezekiel's temple the only one with a throne room?)
No, the future Antichrist could place a throne in the most holy place of a different, future, third Jewish temple in Jerusalem, which will be built prior to the future, fourth temple in Ezekiel 43:5-7.
(See Revelation 11:1 below)
--
*Ezekiel 43:18-27 / *Ezek. 43:18 -
This is not under the letter of the Old Covenant Mosaic law.
(See "The rules" paragraph of Ezekiel chapters 40 to 48 above)
--
*Ezekiel 44:9 / *Ezek. 44:9 -
If this refers to a future time under the New Covenant, then its "flesh" circumcision could be figurative, like the New Covenant "flesh" circumcision in Colossians 2:11 (for both Jewish and Gentile Christians) is figurative (cf. also Romans 2:28-29).
If Ezekiel 44:9 is referring to Old Covenant circumcision... (See paragraph 1 of Ezekiel chapters 40 to 48 above)
(Also, see the "Circumcision" section of Ephesians 2:15 below)
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*Ezekiel 45 / *Ezek. 45 -
In Ezekiel 45:15 and Ezekiel 45:17 the original Hebrew word (kaphar: H3722) translated as "make reconciliation" can mean "cleanse" (Numbers 35:33), and only with regard to the sanctification of the physical body (Hebrews 9:13). For the same Hebrew word is used in Ezekiel 45:20 to refer to a literal, physical temple being "reconciled". And the same Hebrew word is used in Ezekiel 43:26 and Ezekiel 43:20 to refer to the "purging" of a literal, physical altar.
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*Ezekiel 45:22 / *Ezek. 45:22 -
The prince could be a physically resurrected King David (Ezekiel 34:24, Ezekiel 37:25b).
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*Ezekiel 46:12-18 / *Ezek. 46:12 -
(Re: Requires that it will be before the Second Coming?)
No, for Jesus Christ can still have returned by the time of Ezekiel 46:12-18, just as Christians will reign as kings and priests on the earth during the future Millennium (Revelation 5:10, Revelation 20:4-6).
~
(Re: But there is no "king" in Ezekiel chapters 40-48)
In Ezekiel 46:12, for example, the original Hebrew word (nasiy': H5387) translated as "prince" can refer to a king. For the same Hebrew word is used in Ezekiel 12:12-13 to refer to the Jewish King Zedekiah (2 Kings 25:4-7).
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*Ezekiel 46:18 / *Ezek. 46:18 -
(His sons)
This could refer to King David's sons whom he had before he died in ancient times, and who got saved while they were still alive in ancient times, and so they will get physically resurrected at Jesus Christ's future, Second Coming.
(See 1 Peter 4:6 below)
Or, if the prince in Ezekiel 46:18 is not a physically resurrected King David, then it could refer to a non-Christian, elect, genetic-Israelite leader of the house of David (in the sense of the descendants of David) who will survive the future Tribulation and then become a Christian, along with all other surviving, non-Christian, elect genetic Israelites, when they will see Jesus Christ at His Second Coming (Zechariah 12:10-14, Romans 11:26-29). They could all remain in their mortal bodies, and so have offspring during the Millennium. For at the Second Coming, the resurrection and changing of Christians into immortal bodies (1 Corinthians 15:21-23,51-53), which will not have offspring (Luke 20:35-36), could be only for those who had become Christians before the Second Coming.
--
*Ezekiel 47:12 / *Ezek. 47:12 -
The waters in Ezekiel 47 will be literal waters which will reach literal locations on the earth, such as Engedi and Eneglaim (Ezekiel 47:10), which are to the east of the literal, earthly Jerusalem.
(See also Zechariah 14:8 below)
~
(Re: But is not Ezekiel 47:12 referring to Revelation 22:2, in New Jerusalem in heaven?)
No, for those verses refer to two different places with similar trees. For Ezekiel 47:12 refers to a place on the earth during a future time, whereas Revelation 22:2 refers to a place in heaven now and in the future. Ezekiel 47:12 and Revelation 22:2 cannot be referring to the same place, because Ezekiel 47:12 refers to a temple building out of which the water flows, whereas Revelation 22:2 refers to a place with no temple building (Revelation 21:22).
The context of Ezekiel 47:12 is the literal, earthly land of Israel, which includes places like Engedi and Eneglaim (Ezekiel 47:10), and places like Hethlon and Zedad (Ezekiel 47:15), and places like "Hamath, Berothah, Sibraim, which is between the border of Damascus and the border of Hamath; Hazarhatticon, which is by the coast of Hauran" (Ezekiel 47:16), etc.
So there is no reason to spiritualize-away the wonderful, literal, earthly future prophesied by Ezekiel chapters 40 to 48.
--
*Ezekiel 47:21-23 / *Ezek. 47:21 -
If even those who are "strangers" in Israel can be considered to be members of the various tribes of Israel, to the point where they can even inherit the land of the tribes (Ezekiel 47:21-23), then certainly Christian Gentiles, who are "no more strangers" to Israel (Ephesians 2:12,19), are considered by God to be grafted into the various tribes of Israel when they are grafted into Israel (Romans 11:17,24, Ephesians 2:12,19, Galatians 3:29).
(See the "Tribes" section of Romans 11:17 below)
--
*Ezekiel 48:15 / *Ezek. 48:15 -
The original Hebrew word (chol: H2455) translated as "profane" can simply mean "common" (1 Samuel 21:4), rather than holy.
--
*Ezekiel 48:35 / *Ezek. 48:35 -
(The LORD is there)
In Hebrew (H3068, H8033): YHWH-sham (pronounced shawm).
--
*Daniel 1:2 / *Dan. 1:2 -
(Re: Refers to the same house in Shinar as Zechariah 5:11?)
They refer to the same Shinar (Babylonia: Daniel 1:1), but can refer to a different house (temple), the former past and the latter future.
(See also Zechariah 5:11 below)
--
*Daniel 1:12 / *Dan. 1:12 -
The original Hebrew word (zeroa`: H2235) translated as "pulse" can refer generally to vegetables. The English word "pulse", at least in its use today, is restricted (with regard to food) to vegetables like beans, peas, and lentils.
--
*Daniel 2:27 / *Dan. 2:27 -
"Soothsayers" foretell events.
--
*Daniel 2:31-45 / *Dan. 2:31 -
Daniel 2:31-33a,37-40 was fulfilled by the ancient empires of Babylon (head of gold: Daniel 2:38b), Medo-Persia (silver), Greece (brass), and Rome (iron), the same four empires pictured by the four beasts in Daniel 7.
(See Daniel 7 below)
~
(Re: Why is not Egypt, Assyria, the Hittites, etc. on the statue? Why does it start with Nebuchadnezzar's Babylon, and not Nimrod's?)
Egypt was before Babylon, in that Israel was in Egypt (Exodus 13:3) before it was in Babylon (Ezra 2:1).
Egypt was not on the statue in Daniel 2:32-45 because the statue was to show Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, the future (Daniel 2:29), not the past. For that reason, Assyria was not on the statue either, even though it had been a big empire, for it had already fallen (Nahum 3:7) before the reign of Nebuchadnezzar.
The Hittites were not on the statue not only because their empire was before the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, but also because the Israelites were never under the control of the Hittite empire. The statue showed only those empires which would control the Israelites at some point. That is the main focus of the Old Testament: Israel. That is why Old Testament history does not deal with even the major, ancient empires of China, India, etc., which never controlled Israel.
While Babylon, where Nimrod, etc., came from (Genesis 10:8-12, Genesis 11), was the beginning of corrupt world civilization after Noah's Flood, and Abraham came from that region (Genesis 15:7), Babylon as an empire did not control the Israelites in the beginning, but only much later, starting with Nebuchadnezzar.
While Egyptian civilization could have originated from Babylonian sources, Egypt formed its own culture and empire, the first to control the Israelites.
Daniel 2 covers four of the seven historical, Israel-controlling empires represented by the seven heads in Revelation 13:1.
(See Revelation 13:1 below)
~
In Daniel 2:31, the original Chaldean/Aramaic word (dechal: H1763) translated as "terrible", like the English word, can mean "causing fear" or "being formidable" (Strong's Hebrew and Chaldee Dictionary, and Webster's English Dictionary).
--
*Daniel 2:32 / *Dan. 2:32 -
The two arms of the silver empire represented the ancient Medes and Persians, just as the two horns of the ram empire in Daniel 8:3 represented them (Daniel 8:20).
--
*Daniel 2:33 / *Dan. 2:33 -
The two iron legs could represent how the ancient Roman empire eventually split into two parts: Western (Roman) and Eastern (Byzantine). The territory of the latter was eventually conquered by the (Islamic) Ottoman empire.
~
(Re: Do the iron legs have to represent an empire that is only in the Middle East, and only north and south of Israel, like the thighs of brass?)
No, for Daniel 2's image is not meant to be interpreted as indicating the location of all of its parts/empires in relation to Israel. It is only meant to indicate a progression in time, from one empire to the next, beginning with its head (ancient Babylon) and moving down through time to its feet and ten toes (the future Antichrist's empire).
The image's belly and thighs of brass (Daniel 2:32) represented ancient Greece's Seleucid and Ptolemaic kingdoms, which were north and south of Israel. But if the image is thought of as standing astride Israel, facing west or east, the positions of its other parts/empires would not match their locations in relation to Israel. For the image's breast and two arms of silver (Daniel 2:32) represented the ancient Medes and Persians, both of whose homelands were located east of Israel, not farther north and south from Israel than the Seleucid and Ptolemaic kingdoms, like the image's arms would be farther north and south from Israel than its thighs.
Also, while the image's two iron legs (Daniel 2:33) represented the Roman empire, which did include the Middle East (both north and south of Israel), the Roman empire was not limited to the Middle East, but also included Western Europe and North Africa, which are also north and south of Israel, in latitude. Similarly, the Medo-Persian empire was not limited to the Middle East, but included a part of Europe (Thrace) and North Africa (Libya). And the Greek empire was not limited to the Middle East, but included a part of Europe (Greece and parts of the Balkans) and North Africa (a part of eastern Libya).
Also, even if the image is thought of instead as lying across a map of the Middle East, with its head toward the east, if its thighs were lying north and south of Israel, then the positions of its other parts/empires still would not match their locations in relation to Israel. For the image's head (Babylon) would then be farther east from Israel than the image's chest (Medo-Persia), which of course was not the case. For Medo-Persia was farther east from Israel than Babylon. But the image's iron legs (Rome) would correctly lie west of the Middle East, in Europe and North Africa, and the image's feet and ten toes (the future Antichrist's empire) would correctly be on both the north and south sides of the Mediterranean, and so on both the north and south sides of Israel, in latitude. But the future Antichrist's empire will also include the Middle East, just as all of the image's former empires, including the Roman empire, included the Middle East.
(See Daniel 7 below)
--
*Daniel 2:35b / *Dan. 2:35b -
The mountain is symbolic of Jesus Christ's future, earthly empire (Daniel 2:44).
(See the "Millennium" sections of Revelation 20:4 below)
--
*Daniel 2:39 / *Dan. 2:39 -
The original Chaldean/Aramaic word (ara: H0772) translated as "inferior" does not have to mean "land inferior", but can be used figuratively to simply mean "inferior", or "low", like how the ground is low (Strong's Hebrew and Chaldee Dictionary). Compare the feminine of ara: H0772, which is 'ar`iyth: H0773, which can be translated as "bottom" (Daniel 6:24c).
The Medo-Persian empire was not inferior to the Babylonian empire in territorial extent, just as the arms and chest of the image in Daniel 2:32 were not inferior in size to its head, even though they were lower than the head. Instead, Daniel 2:39 can mean that the Medo-Persian empire was inferior in some way to the Babylonian empire in quality, just as the silver of the arms and chest were inferior in quality to the gold of the head.
--
*Daniel 2:42-43 / *Dan. 2:42 / *Dan. 2:43 -
This might best be understood not in the light of Genesis 6, but in the light of Daniel 7.
(See Daniel 7 below)
--
*Daniel 2:44 / *Dan. 2:44 -
Daniel 2:44a refers to the setting up of the physical aspect of the Kingdom of God subsequent to Jesus Christ's future, Second Coming (Revelation 19:7 to 21:8). Daniel 2:44b refers to the returned Jesus and the physically resurrected Church not leaving the earth to other people, but remaining on the earth and ruling the surviving non-Christian nations with a rod of iron during the Millennium, and figuratively breaking some of them in pieces like a potter's vessel (Psalms 2:7-9, Revelation 2:26-29, Revelation 5:10, Revelation 20:4-6). "And it shall stand for ever" (Daniel 2:44c) refers to the physical aspect of the Kingdom continuing forever on a future, New Earth (Revelation 21:1-8, Revelation 22:5), as in a new surface for the earth, after the future Millennium and subsequent events (Revelation 20:7 to 22:5).
--
*Daniel 2:47 / *Dan. 2:47 -
(Re: Revelation 17:18)
Daniel 2:47, like Daniel 3:28-29, Daniel 4:1-3, Daniel 4:17, and Daniel 4:34-37, refers to God as the supreme ruler, not Jerusalem.
--
*Daniel 3 / *Dan. 3 -
Just as in the ancient empire of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar built an image (statue) which everyone had to worship or be killed (Daniel 3), so in our future, during the reign of the Antichrist, his False Prophet will have an image of the Antichrist built (possibly an android) which everyone will have to worship or be killed (Revelation 13:14-15).
(See Revelation 13:14 and Revelation 13:1 below)
Perhaps there will be some future Shadrachs, Meshachs, and Abednegos, who will publicly refuse to worship the Antichrist's image, and yet they will be miraculously protected from being killed. They could be protected by the future, Two Witnesses (compare Revelation 11:5, Daniel 3:22b).
--
*Daniel 3:5 / *Dan. 3:5 -
The original Chaldean/Aramaic word (qeren: H7162) translated as "cornet" could refer to an animal horn (cf. Daniel 7:7c) which was blown through to make a sound.
The Chaldean/Aramaic word (cabbeka': H5443) translated as "sackbut" could refer to a type of lyre, a stringed instrument.
The Chaldean/Aramaic word (pecanteriyn: H6460) translated as "psaltery" could refer to a type of zither, a stringed instrument.
The Chaldean/Aramaic word (cuwmpowneyah: H5481) translated as "dulcimer" could refer to a type of bagpipe.
--
*Daniel 3:9 / *Dan. 3:9 -
(Live for ever)
Compare Nehemiah 2:3 above.
--
*Daniel 3:21 / *Dan. 3:21 -
The original Chaldean/Aramaic word (pattiysh: H6361) translated as "hosen" could refer to gowns (Strong's Hebrew and Chaldee Dictionary).
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