New Heart, New Spirit_36PT2

New Heart, New Spirit_36PT2 Ezekiel 40:1-49 In a vision, Ezekiel visited the land of Israel, but unlike his previous "visits," he didn't see sinful people, a devastated land, or a defiled temple. This time he saw a new land and a glorious new temple. Just as Moses received the tabernacle plans while on a mountain, so Ezekiel received the plans for the temple while on a mountain. Moses wasn't allowed to enter the Promised Land, but he saw it from a mountain and from a high mountain Ezekiel saw the land and its new tribal divisions.In his vision, the prophet saw a man colored like bronze, which suggests he was an angelic visitor, standing just outside the eastern gate of the temple. He held a linen cord and a reed (rod), both of which were used for taking measurements, the line for long distances and the rod for shorter measurements. The rod was probably a little over ten feet long. To measure property is symbolic of claiming it for yourself. During those years when the Jewish remnant was trying to rebuild their temple, the Prophet Zechariah saw a man measuring the temple, and this was a sign that the temple and the city would one day be restored Zech. 2. God commanded the Apostle John to measure the temple in Jerusalem before it was trampled down by the Gentiles Rev. 11. This was evidence that no matter what happened, Jerusalem and the temple belonged to God and would one day be restored and sanctified.Old Testament believers weren't forgiven because animals died, but because they put their faith in the Lord. The use of animal sacrifices in the millennial temple no more minimizes or negates the finished work of Christ.The sacrifices will be offered in a memorial sense.