THIRD TEMPLE AND SACRIFICES?

Does Ezekiel tell of a building of a third temple, and the re-establishment of sacrifices?

The book of Ezekiel is a collaboration of 14 different writings of Ezekiel and he gives (within the text) the date of each writing; much like a diary. The proper order of Ezekiel is:
8:1 - 19:14 written 6/5/593BC (6th year of captivity)
20:1 - 23:49 written 5/10/592BC (7th year of captivity)
24:1 - 25:17 written 10/10/590BC (9th year of captivity)
29:1- 29:16 written 10/12/589BC (10th year of captivity)
26:1 - 28:26 written ?/1/588 (11th year of captivity)
30:20 - 30:26 written 1/7/588BC (11th year of captivity)
31:1 - 31:18 written 3/1/588BC (11th year of captivity)
32:1 - 32:16 written 12/1/587 (12th year of captivity)
32:17 - 33:20written 12/15/587 (12th year of captivity)
33:21 - 39:29 written 10/5/587BC (12th year of captivity)
40:1 - 48:35 written 10/4/574BC (25th year of captivity)
29:17 - 30:19 written 1/1/572BC (27th year of captivity)
chapters 1 - 2 written 4/5/569BC (30th year of captivity)
3:16 - 7:27 written 4/12/569BC (30th year of captivity)

There are some question to when the actual timeline of the writing of the first seven chapters are, because of the first verse stating the 30th year of captivity and the 2nd verse stating the 5th year of captivity. The chapters are at the end because verse 1 is in the first person while verse 2 and three list Ezekiel in the third person, while the remaining of the passage list himself in the first person again. Since this date does not coincide with any other writings within the book, it is then believed that it was a notation made on the original writings; possibly by one close to Ezekiel. When in context, these two sections of writings make more sense at the end of the book rather than the beginning.

The book deals with both Israel and Judah, separately yet together; during the existing time and a prophetic time right up to the return of Christ. While we know that we are now Israel, the “house of Israel”, when mentioned, is talking of literal Israel; represented by the Israel settlements in the province of Ecbatana, in Media.

Ezekiel lived in the north-eastern borders of Babylonia, in easy reach of Israel. He visited Israel(2 - 3) and they him (14 and 20). He prophesied many things to them of their future.

Looking in context, it would appear that God gave a last opportunity for repentance before allowing judgment to be passed on the house of Israel; making Ezekiel the missionary ambassador.

God sent Ezekiel with tangible evidences of the validity of his mission in the form of a written scheme of a national restoration and reconstruction. This included detailed plans for a new Temple, with all it’s appointed ritual and priestly service. The fulfilling of this prophecy was dependent upon both houses repenting and seeking God’s favor.

This would be a type of deal made, under condition, designed to fill the period between the proffered restoration and the end of the temple law into the coming of the Messiah.

It provided for the re-division of the land formerly held, but with extended borders, in a new manner, among representatives of all the tribes (except for that of David’s line) for a rebuilt temple on an entirely new plan; for a reformed ecclesiastical establishment; for a sacrificial priesthood and a subordinate Levitical ministry.

The plans for this was shown to Ezekiel in great detail so that he could take it with him on his trip to the House of Israel (43:10, 11). This was long after the earlier sets of prophecies had been given and five years prior to God giving him his last commission to go to Israel and seek to bring them to repentance (1 - 7). This, with specific commands to show them these plans, and offer them a chance to correct their ways and return to their obedience to God (43:10,11)

"Thou son of man, shew the house [the Temple] to the house of Israel, that they may be ashamed of their iniquities: and let them measure the pattern. And if they be ashamed of all that they have done, shew them the form of the house [the Temple], and the fashion thereof and the goings out thereof, and the comings in thereof, and all the forms thereof, and all the ordinances thereof, and all the laws thereof: and write it in their sight, that they may keep the whole form thereof, and all the ordinances thereof, and do them."

Therefore, the last nine chapters of this book are not millennial, or about the end days; thus they do not contradict the Gospel of Jesus THE Messiah. They are a record of a scheme of renewal, offered for acceptance or refusal of Israel, and made dependent on it’s subjection of their will and the change of their heart towards God. Unfortunately, the plan was rejected; therefore the conditions were not met and the offer lapsed; and God placed judgement upon the House of Israel.

This was an important document that could not be left out, so the translators placed it as a type of appendix at the end of the book. Since it does not state any description of an appendix, and was placed immediately after chapters which foretells the final tribulation period and it’s ending at the “presence” of the Lord, it’s been commonly, and wrongly, assumed to foretell a continuation of the historical developments of those chapters and to be therefore of the end days.

Not a single word must be missed. God had a purpose to retain dates in His Book.

The belief of the building of a physical third temple and the re-establishment of sacrifices is dispensationalism of a futuristic teaching of prophecy, which comes from the beast power, and is a false teaching.