The descriptions given of the Temple and it's appurtenances appear to be literal descriptions of real objects that will be constructed in the future. We know this is likely the case because of the similarities between this temple described in Ezekiel and that one which was built by Solomon. Also the dimensions of everything are very detailed. The dimensions point to the Temple being holy, or set apart. We are given a description of the power which exudes from the throne. This is told to us in a symbolic form. We can conclude this because of the similarities described in Revelation. We conclude this beautiful writing of Ezekiel by dividing the land up among the tribes. River Valley Torah Assembly

Sacrifices will be offered after Messiah returns. This is spoken of in other parts of the Tanakh also. Isa 56:7 Even those I will bring to My holy mountain, And make them joyful in My house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be acceptable on My altar; For My house will be called a house of prayer for all the peoples.” Jer 33:17-18 “For thus says the LORD, ‘David shall never lack a man to sit on the throne of the house of Israel; 18and the Levitical priests shall never lack a man before Me to offer burnt offerings, to burn grain offerings, and to prepare sacrifices continually.’” Mal. 3:3-4 “And He will sit as a smelter and purifier of silver, and He will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, so that they may present to the LORD offerings in righteousness. In this section of Ezekiel, we get more details of the land being divided after the return of Messiah and the manner in which many of the offerings will be performed by the Prince.

The description of the altar, like everything else thus far, has been fairly well detailed. Next, Ezekiel is going to be told how to consecrate the altar. Nineteen years after Ezekiel saw the Glory of Elohim depart from the Temple, he sees the Glory of Elohim return to the Temple. Ezekiel says that the earth shone with His glory. We are told this in Revelation also (Rev. 21:23-27). There we are told that when Yeshua returns, we will have no need for the sun or moon. That does not mean there will not be a sun or moon. It means we will have no need for the sun or moon because the glory of Elohim provides the illumination and the Lamb is the lamp. Today, we also have a light and a lamp that we are to use daily (Prov. 6:23-27).

The size of the Temple is 500 reds on each side. The size of a reed was approximately 10.5 ft. That means that each side of the outer walls was 5250 ft, which is almost a mile. The area of this Temple will be almost 633 acres. This is definitely a Temple which is yet to be built. In these chapters, we are given details on the measurements and components of the coming Temple.

These last nine chapters describe a new Temple to be used by Israel, how they will have a new way to worship, and gives a new apportionment of land. As for this Temple described in Ezekiel, the inner court is about 40,000 square feet in area and the outer wall would be about a square mile in area. This area is far too large for Mount Zion in it's present form. There must be an enlargement of Mount Zion for this Temple to be built. This is almost certainly the Temple to be used by Israel after the return of Messiah. The prophet Micah tells us that Mount Zion will be the home of the Temple during that time. Micah 4:1 And it will come about in the last days That the mountain of the house of the LORD Will be established as the chief of the mountains. It will be raised above the hills, And the peoples will stream to it. Micah goes into detail of the reign of Yeshua Messiah from Mount Zion after His return. Micah 4:2-13 And many nations will come and say, “Come and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD And to the house of the God of Jacob, That He may teach us about His ways And that we may walk in His paths.” For from Zion will go forth the law, Even the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. 3And He will judge between many peoples And render decisions for mighty, distant nations. Then they will hammer their swords into plowshares And their spears into pruning hooks; Nation will not lift up sword against nation, And never again will they train for war. 4And each of them will sit under his vine And under his fig tree, With no one to make them afraid, For the mouth of the LORD of hosts has spoken. 5Though all the peoples walk Each in the name of his god, As for us, we will walk In the name of the LORD our God forever and ever. 6“In that day,” declares the LORD, “I will assemble the lame, And gather the outcasts, Even those whom I have afflicted. 7“I will make the lame a remnant, And the outcasts a strong nation, And the LORD will reign over them in Mount Zion From now on and forever. 8“And as for you, tower of the flock, Hill of the daughter of Zion, To you it will come— Even the former dominion will come, The kingdom of the daughter of Jerusalem. 9“Now, why do you cry out loudly? Is there no king among you, Or has your counselor perished, That agony has gripped you like a woman in childbirth? 10“Writhe and labor to give birth, Daughter of Zion, Like a woman in childbirth, For now you will go out of the city, Dwell in the field, And go to Babylon. There you will be rescued; There the LORD will redeem you From the hand of your enemies. 11“And now many nations have been assembled against you Who say, ‘Let her be polluted, And let our eyes gloat over Zion.’ 12“But they do not know the thoughts of the LORD, And they do not understand His purpose; For He has gathered them like sheaves to the threshing floor. 13“Arise and thresh, daughter of Zion, For your horn I will make iron And your hoofs I will make bronze, That you may pulverize many peoples, That you may devote to the LORD their unjust gain And their wealth to the Lord of all the earth. How will the Mount of Olives grow to accommodate the new large Temple? We are told that this mountain is going to split in half along a north-south line with half of the mountain going to the east and the other half going to the west (Zech. 14:3-4). Zechariah mentions a great earthquake there 300 years earlier during the time of King Uzziah. Geologists have confirmed that a great earthquake did happen in that area probably at that time. We also know today that there are fault lines beneath the Mount of Olives that primarily run north and south. A great earthquake will probably be the cause of this splitting of the mountain (Rev. 16:17-18). This type of geologic formation has expanded mountains in the past and probably will again in the near future.

We need to keep in mind that the previous chapter of Ezekiel (Chapter 37) was speaking of the ultimate regathering of the nation Israel and it appears to be in stages. These next two chapters fit into this same time frame of the previous chapter. The attack of Israel by many nations in this section occurs during the regathering, but before it is finished.

Ezek 37:1 The hand of the LORD was upon me, and He brought me out by the Spirit of the LORD and set me down in the middle of the valley; and it was full of bones. Elohim is giving Ezekiel a vision. In order to do this, Elohim had to take Ezekiel from captivity in Babylon to the valley of dead bones. The valley is symbolic of the wilderness, or the world. Ezek 37:2 And He caused me to pass among them round about, and behold, there were very many on the surface of the valley; and lo, they were very dry. Ezekiel was in a desert that apparently was more desolate and fearsome than Death Valley, California. This valley was filled with dead bones. They were very dried and scattered everywhere. Ezek 37:3 And He said to me, "Son of man, can these bones live?" And I answered, "O Lord GOD, Thou knowest." Ezekiel knows that if Elohim wants these bones to live, then they will. Ezek 37:4 Again He said to me, "Prophesy over these bones, and say to them, 'O dry bones, hear the word of the LORD.' Elohim wants Ezekiel to speak to these dry bones. Ezek 37:5 "Thus says the Lord GOD to these bones, 'Behold, I will cause breath to enter you that you may come to life. Ezek 37:6 'And I will put sinews on you, make flesh grow back on you, cover you with skin, and put breath in you that you may come alive; and you will know that I am the LORD.'" This is a picture of the regathering of Israel. The resurrection is symbolically used to represent the worldwide regathering of Israel back to the Land. Ezekiel was a priest that began prophesying five years after he was taken captive in Babylon at about the age of thirty. He was speaking in perhaps the darkest days the nation of Israel had ever seen up to that time. Elohim is going to give Ezekiel a vision of hope (expectation) for the future: The Valley of the Dry Bones...

In the previous chapter, we saw that Ezekiel was vindicated and proven to be a prophet of Elohim. The captive portion of the nation didn't believe him when he said that Elohim was going to judge Jerusalem. The captives had many false prophets and they all said that Elohim wouldn't cast judgment upon His people. They were very wrong. A few of the survivors from Babylon's attack on Jerusalem were brought back to the other captives. They looked terrible and were barely alive and said, "The City is destroyed. It was horrible. The Temple is gone and everything was leveled. There is nothing to go back to." Ezekiel tried to warn them. He is the only one who tried to speak Truth. The false prophets have been shown to be liars. Elohim will speak to those false prophets and the other leaders of Judah in this chapter. Chapter 35 deals with the judgment of Edom. This judgment was already spoken of in chapter 25. Edom does represent Esau who was the primary enemy of Jacob and the one whom he feared the most. Genesis 27:41 So Esau bore a grudge against Jacob because of the blessing with which his father had blessed him; and Esau said to himself, “The days of mourning for my father are near; then I will kill my brother Jacob.”

Ezek 33:2 "Son of man, speak to the sons of your people, and say to them, 'If I bring a sword upon a land, and the people of the land take one man from among them and make him their watchman; Ezek 33:3 and he sees the sword coming upon the land, and he blows on the trumpet and warns the people, This is a reminder of the initial calling of Ezekiel. Ezek 3:17-21 “Son of man, I have appointed you a watchman to the house of Israel; whenever you hear a word from My mouth, warn them from Me. 18“When I say to the wicked, ‘You shall surely die’; and you do not warn him or speak out to warn the wicked from his wicked way that he may live, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity, but his blood I will require at your hand. 19“Yet if you have warned the wicked, and he does not turn from his wickedness or from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but you have delivered yourself. 20“Again, when a righteous man turns away from his righteousness and commits iniquity, and I place an obstacle before him, he shall die; since you have not warned him, he shall die in his sin, and his righteous deeds which he has done shall not be remembered; but his blood I will require at your hand. 21“However, if you have warned the righteous man that the righteous should not sin, and he does not sin, he shall surely live because he took warning; and you have delivered yourself.” He was to be the watchman of Israel. A watchman was to stay in the tower at night and warn the city of coming dangers. His job was extremely important. If the watchman said everything was okay, when it really wasn't, then the city could easily be overtaken and destroyed. That is what the false prophets of Israel were saying in the day of Ezekiel. They were saying "All's well!! The economy is good. And as for Elohim, He loves us so much, He wouldn't dare destroy or harm us." Did those watchman do the people any good? No. It gave the people false hope. It swept away fears they should have had. Elohim sent Ezekiel to truly warn the Israelites that they were going to be judged and it would be terrible. In the last chapter, we saw that Pharoah was going to be condemned. Chapter 32 is a lamentation for this lost ruler of Egypt. Chapter 33 starts the last major division in the book of Ezekiel. Up to now, Ezekiel has been making local prophecies that were all fulfilled within a couple of decades. They were prophecies of destruction and judgment. They showed the justice and righteousness of Elohim. They spoke of death, blood, and destruction. This section of Ezekiel looks forward to the kingdom which is still to come. It contains some judgment, but it also points to the return of Messiah. This is a section that gives Israel hope for the future. But first Ezekiel is reminded of his call to be a watchman.

Ezek 31:11 therefore, I will give it into the hand of a despot of the nations; he will thoroughly deal with it. According to its wickedness I have driven it away. Who is the "despot one of the nations"? That is Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. Nebuchadnezzar was a ruler like this world has never seen before or since. He had total autocratic power over the whole known world in that day. No one else has reached his level of prominence. "He will thoroughly deal with it.. " This is in reference to Assyria, but could be Egypt also. Most translations are in the past tense in this section, so it is probably Assyria. Nebuchadnezzar is going to deal with Egypt. The next four chapters cover prophecy dealing with Egypt. Some scholars are of the opinion that these prophecies are more significant than that of Tyre. They are indeed impressive, but may not reach the level of amazement attained by the prophecies of Tyre. Egypt is one of the most ancient of nations. Egypt did not build walls since it had the desert for a defense. An attacking army had to travel hundreds of miles of desert before it reached Egypt. Even then, the only entrance was through the Nile River valley. That is the only place Egypt had to put up a defense. Egypt kept it's prominent status as a world power due to these natural defenses.

The previous chapter outlaid the destruction and fate of the city of Tyre. The ruins of Tyre stand today as a testimony to the accuracy of the Word of Elohim. This was once a huge and prosperous city. It was the capital of the once mighty Phoenician Empire. In chapter 27, Ezekiel compares it to a ship that has wrecked. It is an ironic comparison for this city that was once the major port for a seagoing people. Chapter 28 contains a passage that is classically misinterpreted as a description of Satan. But it is not. It clearly speaks of the King of Tyre. Did you think Satan was once a perfect creature who guarded the throne of God but fell because of his pride? NOPE! Join us and see if you don't agree.

Ezek 25:2 "Son of man, set your face toward the sons of Ammon, and prophesy against them, The origin of the Ammonites goes way back to the book of Genesis. They are descendants of incest, a relationship Lot had with his youngest daughter. Gen. 19:33-38 So they made their father drink wine that night, and the first-born went in and lay with her father; and he did not know when she lay down or when she arose. 34And it came about on the morrow, that the first-born said to the younger, “Behold, I lay last night with my father; let us make him drink wine tonight also; then you go in and lie with him, that we may preserve our family through our father.” 35So they made their father drink wine that night also, and the younger arose and lay with him; and he did not know when she lay down or when she arose. 36Thus both the daughters of Lot were with child by their father. 37And the first-born bore a son, and called his name Moab; he is the father of the Moabites to this day. 38And as for the younger, she also bore a son, and called his name Ben-ammi; he is the father of the sons of Ammon to this day. Therefore, they are related to Israel. Ammon means "inbred." Ezek 25:3 and say to the sons of Ammon, 'Hear the word of the Lord GOD! Thus says the Lord GOD, "Because you said, 'Aha!' against My sanctuary when it was profaned, and against the land of Israel when it was made desolate, and against the house of Judah when they went into exile, However, even thought they were related, they hated Israel and were bitter enemies with them. Notice the term "Aha!" It is difficult to fit that term into a sentence of encouragement. The fact is, they were delighted over the destruction of Israel, Judah, and the temple. They thought the destruction of the people and of the temple justified their pagan practices and their sad existence. This section in Ezekiel (chapter 25-32) deals with the judgment of the nations surrounding Jerusalem. Chapter 25 deals with prophecies against the Ammonites, Moab, Edom, and the Philistines. The previous section (chapters 11-24) dealt with prophecies concerning the coming destruction of Jerusalem. At this point in Ezekiel, that has now happened. Since Ezekiel is in business as a prophet and not in business as a historian, he will no longer deal with the destruction of Jerusalem. Chapter 26 contains one of the most remarkable examples of fulfilled prophecy. Ezekiel is going to prophesy against a city called Tyre. Tyre was the capital of Phoenicia which was famous for it's seagoing traditions. It was once a great city and the king of Phoenicia was once a friend of King David. But this land was the center of Baal worship. This was the god worshiped by the wicked Jezebel. Elohim is going to judge this city and the literal fulfillment of this prophecy is interesting, to say the least. The prophets Jeremiah and Ezekiel were shadows of the Messiah to come in the next 500 years or so. Jeremiah saw the coming destruction of Jerusalem and openly wept. Jer. 9:1 Yeshua also wept for Jerusalem in the same way. Luke 19:41-44 Ezekiel is going to prophesy judgment against people surrounding Jerusalem in this section. Yeshua did the same thing. Luke 10:13-15

In chapter 23, Ezekiel is going to give a very strange parable about two sisters. One sister, Aholah, represents Samaria, or the capital of the Northern Kingdom (Israel). The other sister, Aholibah, represents Jerusalem, or the capital of the southern kingdom (Judah). This is a very graphic chapter that shows just how Elohim feels about a people who were once His and fall away from Him and ignore His Torah. In particular, this chapter is emphasizing His view of His people engaging in pagan worship. Chapter after chapter up to this point in Ezekiel has been about the coming destruction of Jerusalem. Chapter 24 fulfills that destruction. It will no longer be prophecy since it will come into fruition. Elohim gives the message to Ezekiel about the destruction of Jerusalem as it happens. Elohim also speaks of the parable of the boiling pot. This chapter also brings about the sad event of the death of Ezekiel's wife.

The false prophets of that day were encouraging the people in their unbeliefs. They told the people that they didn't need to worry about changing their ways and turning to Elohim's Torah. They claimed that the Israelites were a special people blessed by Elohim and He wouldn't follow through with His promises of destruction. They were telling the people what they wanted to hear. Keep in mind the hope that was proclaimed in the last chapter. Elohim promised to regather the people to the land. Ezek. 20:37-40 Elohim proclaimed that the people of Israel would be regathered into the land that had for so long been completely desolate and is now lush like the Garden of Eden. Ezek. 36:24-36 In chapter 21, Ezekiel makes it very clear that the king of Babylon is going to remove the last king from the Davidic line until Messiah returns. At the time described at the beginning of chapter 22, Nebuchadnezzar's army is marching toward Jerusalem to execute the judgment of Elohim. The people in captivity still believed that Elohim would not totally destroy His people and His Holy City, and He would definitely not destroy His Holy Temple. The Temple once held the very presence of Elohim Himself. They thought that surely He would stop Babylon. The false prophets of that day were encouraging the people in their unbeliefs. They told the people that they didn't need to worry about changing their ways and turning to Elohim's Torah. They claimed that the Israelites were a special people blessed by Elohim and He wouldn't follow through with His promises of destruction. They were telling the people what they wanted to hear.

Ezek 20:22 "But I withdrew My hand and acted for the sake of My name, that it should not be profaned in the sight of the nations in whose sight I had brought them out. Ezek 20:23 "Also I swore to them in the wilderness that I would scatter them among the nations and disperse them among the lands, Ezek 20:24 because they had not observed My ordinances, but had rejected My statutes, and had profaned My sabbaths, and their eyes were on the idols of their fathers. Elohim told them almost a thousand years earlier what would happen to them. Lev 26:14-16 ‘But if you do not obey Me and do not carry out all these commandments, 15if, instead, you reject My statutes, and if your soul abhors My ordinances so as not to carry out all My commandments, and so break My covenant, 16I, in turn, will do this to you: I will appoint over you a sudden terror, consumption and fever that shall waste away the eyes and cause the soul to pine away; also, you shall sow your seed uselessly, for your enemies shall eat it up. Lev 31-33 ‘I will lay waste your cities as well, and will make your sanctuaries desolate; and I will not smell your soothing aromas. 32‘And I will make the land desolate so that your enemies who settle in it shall be appalled over it. 33‘You, however, I will scatter among the nations and will draw out a sword after you, as your land becomes desolate and your cities become waste. In chapter 19, Elohim is going to lament over Israel and Judah. He does not enjoy punishing man for his sins, but He must do it. Chapters 20-24 contain the final predictions concerning the judgment of Jerusalem. Elohim called them to repent, but they would not. Therefore, Elohim had to judge them. He is going to recount some of their history of rebellion against Him.

Ezek 18:2 "What do you mean by using this proverb concerning the land of Israel saying, 'The fathers eat the sour grapes, But the children's teeth are set on edge'? This proverb was used commonly in Israel. Jer 31:29 “In those days they will not say again, ‘The fathers have eaten sour grapes, And the children’s teeth are set on edge.’ It is based upon a false interpretation of a passage in Exodus 20:5. Exodus 20:5 "you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me..." This does not mean that the people will suffer the guilt of the sins of their fathers. It simply means that the consequences of our sins can pass over to our children. But Elohim judges the individual. He does not judge the son because of his fathers sins. Ezek 18:3 "As I live," declares the Lord GOD, "you are surely not going to use this proverb in Israel anymore. Elohim is speaking of individual responsibility. Each man pays for his own sin. Chapter 17 is dated about 588 BC. This is about two years before the destruction of Jerusalem. Because the people would not listen to Ezekiel, Elohim had Ezekiel speak in a strange and different manner. He is now going to speak in a riddle. Chapter 18 will bring out the fact that Elohim deals with the sin of each and every person individually. The Israelites had the idea that they were being punished because their parents were bad people. Elohim is going to clear that up for them and for us in this chapter.

Ezek 16:55 "And your sisters, Sodom with her daughters and Samaria with her daughters, will return to their former state, and you with your daughters will also return to your former state. This is what we see today. The evil sisters of Israel are restored, as well as Israel. In the minds of the Muslims, Israel has become a consolation in that they are considered the lowest of the low of people. This was done because of their grievous sins in the past in order to complete the humiliation of Israel. Ezek 16:56 "As the name of your sister Sodom was not heard from your lips in your day of pride, Ezek 16:57 before your wickedness was uncovered, so now you have become the reproach of the daughters of Edom, and of all who are around her, of the daughters of the Philistines-- those surrounding you who despise you. Ezek 16:58 "You have borne the penalty of your lewdness and abominations," the LORD declares. This seems to be speaking of the same timeframe as the previous verses. If that is the case, it is speaking of today. As they are surrounded by Edom (Arabs) and the Philistines. Who are the Philistines? "Origin of name The name "Palestine" is the cognate of an ancient word meaning "Philistines" or "Land of the Philistines" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palestine This is the bearing of the penalty of their lewdness and abominations of old. This section of Ezekiel describes the history of Israel in minute detail. Elohim describes their birth as a nation all the way to the time of the regathering. It describes the sinfulness and depravity of Israel in graphic detail. This chapter is so sad and indicting that some ancient rabbis didn't allow it to be read in public.

Ezek 14:1 Then some elders of Israel came to me and sat down before me. The elders come to Ezekiel and pretend they really want to listen to him. They come to tell him that they haven't constructed any idols, that he must be mistaken in his judgment. They are tell him what wonderful fellows they really are. Elohim will not allow Ezekiel to be fooled. Ezek 14:2 And the word of the LORD came to me saying, Ezek 14:3 "Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their hearts, and have put right before their faces the stumbling block of their iniquity. Should I be consulted by them at all? These men the elders of Israel. Elohim said they have set up idols in their hearts. What does that mean? It means they have been influenced by pagan thoughts and pagan practices. The elders of Israel were largely responsible for the success and acceptance of the false prophets. Elohim says, "Do they have any right to talk to me??" Ezek 20:3 “Son of man, speak to the elders of Israel, and say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD, “Do you come to inquire of Me? As I live,” declares the Lord GOD, “I will not be inquired of by you.”’ Prov. 28:9 He who turns away his ear from listening to the law, Even his prayer is an abomination. Zech 7:12-13 “And they made their hearts like flint so that they could not hear the law and the words which the LORD of hosts had sent by His Spirit through the former prophets; therefore great wrath came from the LORD of hosts. 13“And it came about that just as He called and they would not listen, so they called and I would not listen,” says the LORD of hosts; Chapter 14 can be broken up into 2 parts. Ezekiel is going to prophesy against the elders in the first section of this chapter. In the last section, he is going to tell how certain is the destruction of Jerusalem. In chapter 15, Israel is symbolized by a vine in a parable for the people to remember.

Ezek 13:9 "So My hand will be against the prophets who see false visions and utter lying divinations. They will have no place in the council of My people, nor will they be written down in the register of the house of Israel, nor will they enter the land of Israel, that you may know that I am the Lord GOD. Elohim is going to judge the false prophets and He is being very specific about how He is going to do it. He says that they will have no place in the council of His people, nor will they be written down in the register in the house of Israel, nor will they enter the land of Israel. He says that they will not be among Israel, their names will not be written in the Book of Life, and they will not enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Then they can see exactly where the judgment came from. In this section, Ezekiel tells the people that Elohim says judgment is immanent and then tells the fate of their false prophets..

Ezek 11:18 "When they come there, they will remove all its detestable things and all its abominations from it. Ezek 11:19 "And I shall give them one heart, and shall put a new spirit within them. And I shall take the heart of stone out of their flesh and give them a heart of flesh, Ezek 11:20 that they may walk in My statutes and keep My ordinances, and do them. Then they will be My people, and I shall be their God. This is a declaration of the New Covenant. He will give them one heart and it will be for His Torah. He says that He will remove the heart of stone out of their flesh. This is a reference to their hardened hearts of flint that refused to allow them to follow His Torah. Zech 7:12 “And they made their hearts like flint so that they could not hear the law and the words which the LORD of hosts had sent by His Spirit through the former prophets; therefore great wrath came from the LORD of hosts. Removing "the heart of stone" is saying that He will remove their stubbornness against Him and His ways. Neh. 9:29 And admonished them in order to turn them back to Thy law. Yet they acted arrogantly and did not listen to Thy commandments but sinned against Thine ordinances, By which if a man observes them he shall live. And they turned a stubborn shoulder and stiffened their neck, and would not listen. He will give them a heart of flesh. A heart of flesh is one that can be circumcised to His Torah. Deut 30:6 “Moreover the LORD your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your descendants, to love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, in order that you may live. Jer 32:37-40 “Behold, I will gather them out of all the lands to which I have driven them in My anger, in My wrath, and in great indignation; and I will bring them back to this place and make them dwell in safety. 38“And they shall be My people, and I will be their God; 39and I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear Me always, for their own good, and for the good of their children after them. 40“And I will make an everlasting covenant with them that I will not turn away from them, to do them good; and I will put the fear of Me in their hearts so that they will not turn away from Me. Removing the stubborn heart of stone and giving Israel a heart of flesh that they may follow His Torah is His New Covenant. Jer 31:31-34 “Behold, days are coming,” declares the LORD, “when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah, 32not like the covenant which I made with their fathers in the day I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, although I was a husband to them,” declares the LORD. 33“But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days,” declares the LORD, “I will put My law within them, and on their heart I will write it; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. 34“And they shall not teach again, each man his neighbor and each man his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ for they shall all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them,” declares the LORD, “for I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.” Ezek 36:25-27 “Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. 26“Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 27“And I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances This was prophesied in Torah. Deut 30:6-8 “Moreover the LORD your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your descendants, to love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, in order that you may live. 7“And the LORD your God will inflict all these curses on your enemies and on those who hate you, who persecuted you. 8“And you shall again obey the LORD, and observe all His commandments which I command you today. The New Covenant as stated in Jeremiah is quoted by the writer of Hebrews. Hebrews 8:8-13 Jerusalem was still occupied. Zedekiah was still on the throne and the wicked rulers of Jerusalem were still in power. The city was not yet destroyed. Zedekiah and the other rulers were in total rebellion. They were in rebellion against Elohim and they were in rebellion against Nebuchudnezzar. Elohim would use Nebuchudnezzar to judge Israel. River Valley Torah Assembly http://rvtorah.com/

Ezek 9:8 Then it came about as they were striking and I alone was left, that I fell on my face and cried out saying, "Alas, Lord GOD! Art Thou destroying the whole remnant of Israel by pouring out Thy wrath on Jerusalem?" Ezek 9:9 Then He said to me, "The iniquity of the house of Israel and Judah is very, very great, and the land is filled with blood, and the city is full of perversion; for they say, 'The LORD has forsaken the land, and the LORD does not see!' The people in Israel had been saying that Elohim does not see them and they engaged in all kinds of idolatry and perversion. Moses warned that they would do this. Deut 31:29 “For I know that after my death you will act corruptly and turn from the way which I have commanded you; and evil will befall you in the latter days, for you will do that which is evil in the sight of the LORD, provoking Him to anger with the work of your hands.” Ezek 9:10 "But as for Me, My eye will have no pity nor shall I spare, but I shall bring their conduct upon their heads." Elohim will have justice. His righteousness will not be denied. Those who defy Him will be crushed and sin will be judged. In chapter 9, the glory of the Father prepares to leave the temple. The glory of Elohim dwelt between the cherubim on the mercy seat in the Holy of Holies. In chapter 10, the glory of the Father leaves the Temple because of the sin of the people. Elohim takes sin in His people very seriously. Our sin will drive a wedge between us and Him. May He continually draw us closer to Him and His ways.

Ezek 8:12 Then He said to me, "Son of man, do you see what the elders of the house of Israel are committing in the dark, each man in the room of his carved images? For they say, 'The LORD does not see us; the LORD has forsaken the land.'" They have this strange idea that Elohim does watch them. They think they are not responsible to Him and that He has forsaken them and the land. If you have ever been to a Catholic funeral, you also see similar rituals practiced with idols, censors, and incense. Ezek 8:13 And He said to me, "Yet you will see still greater abominations which they are committing." Ezek 8:14 Then He brought me to the entrance of the gate of the LORD'S house which was toward the north; and behold, women were sitting there weeping for Tammuz. Tammuz was the Babylonian god of spring vegetation. He was the husband of Ishtar. The Babylonian myth represents Tammuz as a beautiful shepherd slain by a wild boar, the symbol of winter. Ishtar long mourned for him and descended into the underworld to deliver him from the embrace of death (Frazer, Adonis, Attis and Osiris). This mourning for Tammuz was celebrated in Babylonia by women on the 2nd day of the 4th month, which thus acquired the name of Tammuz. This worship was also practiced in Pheonica and Greece. In Greece this god was called Adonis. This worship consisted of committing women to some vile and immoral ceremonies. Ezek 8:15 And He said to me, "Do you see this, son of man? Yet you will see still greater abominations than these." Ezek 8:16 Then He brought me into the inner court of the LORD'S house. And behold, at the entrance to the temple of the LORD, between the porch and the altar, were about twenty-five men with their backs to the temple of the LORD and their faces toward the east; and they were prostrating themselves eastward toward the sun. Worship of the sun and stars was highly developed in Babylon. It was probably the reason for building the Tower of Babel just a few hundred years after the flood. We see vestiges of all these practices in modern Christianity. There is idol worship in many forms. There is Tammuz worship that survives in the symbol of the cross and in the celebration we see the tradition of weeping for Tammuz at Lent. Lastly the sun worship is alive and well with worship on the day of the sun-god and sunrise services on Ishtar morning. These things are blatant violations of Torah. Deut 4:19 “And beware, lest you lift up your eyes to heaven and see the sun and the moon and the stars, all the host of heaven, and be drawn away and worship them and serve them, those which the LORD your God has allotted to all the peoples under the whole heaven. Deut 17:2-5 “If there is found in your midst, in any of your towns, which the LORD your God is giving you, a man or a woman who does what is evil in the sight of the LORD your God, by transgressing His covenant, 3and has gone and served other gods and worshiped them, or the sun or the moon or any of the heavenly host, which I have not commanded, 4and if it is told you and you have heard of it, then you shall inquire thoroughly. And behold, if it is true and the thing certain that this detestable thing has been done in Israel, 5then you shall bring out that man or that woman who has done this evil deed, to your gates, that is, the man or the woman, and you shall stone them to death. Job says this is denying Elohim above. Job 31:26-28 If I have looked at the sun when it shone, Or the moon going in splendor, 27And my heart became secretly enticed, And my hand threw a kiss from my mouth, 28That too would have been an iniquity calling for judgment, For I would have denied God above. What were the atrocities of Judah? While Judah thought they were doing evil things in secret, they were an open book to Elohim. He sees it all. Elohim prohibits His people from any kind of worship of other gods. Elohim is a jealous Elohim. He does not share His people with other false gods. In this chapter, Elohim delineates the atrocities of Judah. As He shows them individually to Ezekiel, Elohim says "look at even greater abominations..."

Ezek 7:11 'Violence has grown into a rod of wickedness. None of them shall remain, none of their multitude, none of their wealth, nor anything eminent among them. Elohim says that their arrogance has blossomed. He is speaking of a complete destruction. There is a famous poem that ends with a line that says, "There is no joy in Mudville..." That's the case with Judah, only the situation is much more dire than the Mighty Casey striking out. Those in Judah were either already killed, held captive by Babylon, or soon to be either. Elohim is going to make all of those in Judah equal to one another. There will no more be the rich and the poor, the strong and the weak. There will only be the dead and the destitute. Let us heed the warnings of the prophets!

Now Elohim will explain the meaning of the parable of Ezekiel's hair. Ezek 5:1 "As for you, son of man, take a sharp sword; take and use it as a barber's razor on your head and beard. Then take scales for weighing and divide the hair. Ezek 5:2 "One third you shall burn in the fire at the center of the city, when the days of the siege are completed. Then you shall take one third and strike it with the sword all around the city, and one third you shall scatter to the wind; and I will unsheathe a sword behind them. Ezek 5:3 "Take also a few in number from them and bind them in the edges of your robes. Ezekiel was to take a few of the hairs and tie them to his belt. This represents the 1% or so that eventually return to Jerusalem in obedience when the Babylonian captivity is completed. Ezek 5:4 "And take again some of them and throw them into the fire, and burn them in the fire; from it a fire will spread to all the house of Israel. Even some of the obedient remnant will then be destroyed also. Ezek 5:12 'One third of you will die by plague or be consumed by famine among you, one third will fall by the sword around you, and one third I will scatter to every wind, and I will unsheathe a sword behind them. Ezek 5:13 'Thus My anger will be spent, and I will satisfy My wrath on them, and I shall be appeased; then they will know that I, the LORD, have spoken in My zeal when I have spent My wrath upon them. Ezek 5:14 'Moreover, I will make you a desolation and a reproach among the nations which surround you, in the sight of all who pass by. This chapter is going to tell what happens to the Israelites that are still in Jerusalem. The Israelites were taken captive in waves. Jerusalem wasn't destroyed until several years after Ezekiel was taken captive. In this chapter, Ezekiel prophesies the total destruction of Jerusalem. In chapter 6, Ezekiel is going to prophesy of Elohim's judgment on the whole nation of Israel.

Out of all the amazing chapters in Scripture, this one ranks among the top! Do you want to see "proof" that the hand of Elohim is active in the world today? This chapter gives it to us! Ezekiel is told to lay on his side for 390 days for Israel, plus 40 days on his other side for the nation of Judah. Each day represents a year that Elohim will have His Face turned away from them. However, this prophecy ties into Leviticus 26 which states that if the people do not turn back to Him after He initially punishes them, He will multiply their punishment seven times over! Do these numbers show fulfillment in this day? The answer is an astounding YES! How do these amazing prophecies tie into the Seventy Weeks spoken of by the prophet Daniel? Join us and see!

These chapters are a continuation of the vision of heaven by the prophet. Ezekiel is told to give the words of the Father to the rebellious people of Israel. He is first told to "eat" a scroll. He is then told that the people are not going to listen to him. But He is going to make Ezekiel very hard headed! They may not listen to him, but they will know that a prophet of Elohim is among them! Ezekiel is told that if he does not warn the people, their blood will be on his hands!

Ezek 1:10 As for the form of their faces, each had the face of a man, all four had the face of a lion on the right and the face of a bull on the left, and all four had the face of an eagle. These same creatures were envisioned by John in his Revelation. Rev 4:5-8 And from the throne proceed flashes of lightning and sounds and peals of thunder. And there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God; 6and before the throne there was, as it were, a sea of glass like crystal; and in the center and around the throne, four living creatures full of eyes in front and behind. 7And the first creature was like a lion, and the second creature like a calf, and the third creature had a face like that of a man, and the fourth creature was like a flying eagle. 8And the four living creatures, each one of them having six wings, are full of eyes around and within; and day and night they do not cease to say, “HOLY, HOLY, HOLY, is THE LORD GOD, THE ALMIGHTY, WHO WAS AND WHO IS AND WHO IS TO COME.” The description of these creatures is interesting. We are likely with dealing symbolism in Ezekiel's vision. These creatures appear just before the judgments in Revelation just as they do before the judgment of Judah in this book of Ezekiel. They are apparently figurative of Elohim's judgment. The first one being like a lion represents the coming judgment of the kingdoms on the earth. The second one being like a calf or bull represents judgment on the earth or land itself. The third creature having a face like a man speaks of the judgment on mankind. While the eagle speaks of judgment on the heavens. Elohim's judgment is going to affect the kingdoms, mankind, the earth, and the heavens. We are starting our study of the writings of the prophet Ezekiel. This is an amazing work that truly shows the hand of the Father in its beauty and content. In this chapter, Ezekiel has been taken captive by the Babylonians and is in exile by the Chebar River. While he is there, he has an almost indescribable vision of the throne of the Father. What do the the cherubim with four faces represent? What do the wheels within wheels represent? Join us as we begin to unravel and interpret this fascinating vision! Ezekiel was a priest. But he apparently never obtained that office because he was taken captive during the reign of Jehoiachin. 2 Kings 24:10-16 The Israelites were taken captive in waves. In the first wave, Daniel was taken captive. In the second wave, Ezekiel was taken. The three prophets of Ezekiel, Daniel, and Jeremiah were contemporaries, although Jeremiah was getting rather old by this time. Jeremiah stayed with the last remnant in Israel and was therefore taken to Egypt. While Jeremiah was testifying to the group in Egypt, Daniel was Elohim's witness in the court of the king. Ezekiel was taken down by the Euphrates River with the majority of the Israelites. His prophesying was focused on that area. The majority of the people of Israel were taken captive and placed by the river Chebar. The Israelites were extremely sad and had almost lost hope. Psalm 137 is the Psalm of the people in those days. Psalm 137:1-2 By the rivers of Babylon, There we sat down and wept, When we remembered Zion. 2Upon the willows in the midst of it We hung our harps. During that same period Ezekiel was seeing a vision of heaven. Ezekiel 1:1 Now it came about in the thirtieth year, on the fifth day of the fourth month, while I was by the river Chebar among the exiles, the heavens were opened and I saw visions of God. This is quite a contrast. The people were weeping with their harps under willow trees and Ezekiel was seeing visions of Elohim. Although Daniel, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel were all prophets during the same era, we have no indication that they ever met. We are told that Daniel read the writings of Jeremiah and from them knew that Israel would be held captive for 70 years. We also know that Ezekiel knew of Daniel and mentions him several times in this book. The people didn't listen to the words of Jeremiah although he tried to warn them of Elohim's impending judgment on them. He was known as the weeping prophet for the way he cried out for Israel to repent. Elohim had Ezekiel do more than just talk. God had Ezekiel act out his parables instead of just saying them. Ezek 24:24 ‘Thus Ezekiel will be a sign to you; according to all that he has done you will do; when it comes, then you will know that I am the Lord GOD.’” There were only three prophets of Israel who spoke outside of the land: Ezekiel, Daniel, and John. (John wrote while he was exiled on the island of Patmos). All three of these men wrote an apocalypse, or prophetic revelation of the last days and the return of Messiah. River Valley Torah Assembly http://rvtorah.com/