Hi Hitch,
Many people on this site interpret the Bible as a surface text that only occasionally needs to be interpreted more like a parable (when it seems really obvious to them that it is a parable). A parable would have a hidden or deeper meaning. Perhaps you are the same as this, seeing the Bible as mostly a surface text, or perhaps you are not, seeing the Bible as needing interpretation in much the same way as a parable. It seems like you might be tending to the non-surface, more hidden, meaning style in the case of Ezekiel. If you approach the Bible as a parable, you will be doing things correctly. We read in Psalm 78, verses one and two that we are to listen to God's law (scripture), and that scripture is given in parable form. We read the same in Mark 4:11.
Since your question regards the book of Ezekiel, a book written to a rebellious people to show them the true pattern if only they might turn and see (Chapter 2 Ezekiel), let's look at it. The temple in Ezekiel is a picture of the way true believers are in correct relation to God. Believers are the temple. We can read that in 1 Cor 3:16. The blood sacrifice we find in Ezekiel 40 and onward is a picture of Christ having paid the price for those who are his, his body, the temple. There is not going to be some future enactment of another covenant for the true believers in which a physical animal is slaughtered. Not for some future Jew group or for anyone.
Since you are interested in the subject of a so-called 'rapture, try approaching 1 Thes 4:16 as a parable. 'Notice the similarity in parable language between it and some lines of Romans 11:
Romans 11 mentions:
"And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins. " Notice how it speaks in the future tense when referring to the gospel that we know and love and know to be in effect today. This does not mean it is a future gospel but simply that the Bible had been pointing to this. It is saying.. And in this manner all true believers will be saved, as it is written the deliverer (that's Jesus) will come out of Sion (heaven, the kingdom) and will turn ungodliness from the true believers. Notice how it mentions Jesus' covenant with saved persons. For this is my covenant with them. Notice it is the taking away of sins that accompanies the covenant. It's the gospel that we all know and love. Read it again: "And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins." This is simply the gospel that we all familiar with. Jesus comes from heaven to earth to die on a cross to turn us to him and to take away our sin.
Now look at 1 Thes 4:16: "For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: " This again, seems to be a picture of the gospel we all know and love and are familiar with. Notice that it also is in the future tense, apparently to show that this had been prophesied in scripture. God comes from heaven. He has the voice to share the gospel. Because of this, those who are spiritually dead rise to new life in Christ and so the true believers will always be with the Lord.
mmmmm
Many people on this site interpret the Bible as a surface text that only occasionally needs to be interpreted more like a parable (when it seems really obvious to them that it is a parable). A parable would have a hidden or deeper meaning. Perhaps you are the same as this, seeing the Bible as mostly a surface text, or perhaps you are not, seeing the Bible as needing interpretation in much the same way as a parable. It seems like you might be tending to the non-surface, more hidden, meaning style in the case of Ezekiel. If you approach the Bible as a parable, you will be doing things correctly. We read in Psalm 78, verses one and two that we are to listen to God's law (scripture), and that scripture is given in parable form. We read the same in Mark 4:11.
Since your question regards the book of Ezekiel, a book written to a rebellious people to show them the true pattern if only they might turn and see (Chapter 2 Ezekiel), let's look at it. The temple in Ezekiel is a picture of the way true believers are in correct relation to God. Believers are the temple. We can read that in 1 Cor 3:16. The blood sacrifice we find in Ezekiel 40 and onward is a picture of Christ having paid the price for those who are his, his body, the temple. There is not going to be some future enactment of another covenant for the true believers in which a physical animal is slaughtered. Not for some future Jew group or for anyone.
Since you are interested in the subject of a so-called 'rapture, try approaching 1 Thes 4:16 as a parable. 'Notice the similarity in parable language between it and some lines of Romans 11:
Romans 11 mentions:
"And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins. " Notice how it speaks in the future tense when referring to the gospel that we know and love and know to be in effect today. This does not mean it is a future gospel but simply that the Bible had been pointing to this. It is saying.. And in this manner all true believers will be saved, as it is written the deliverer (that's Jesus) will come out of Sion (heaven, the kingdom) and will turn ungodliness from the true believers. Notice how it mentions Jesus' covenant with saved persons. For this is my covenant with them. Notice it is the taking away of sins that accompanies the covenant. It's the gospel that we all know and love. Read it again: "And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins." This is simply the gospel that we all familiar with. Jesus comes from heaven to earth to die on a cross to turn us to him and to take away our sin.
Now look at 1 Thes 4:16: "For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: " This again, seems to be a picture of the gospel we all know and love and are familiar with. Notice that it also is in the future tense, apparently to show that this had been prophesied in scripture. God comes from heaven. He has the voice to share the gospel. Because of this, those who are spiritually dead rise to new life in Christ and so the true believers will always be with the Lord.
mmmmm
