2nd Temple Judaism, Black Panther, & Ezekiel’s Third Temple

There is a man who has built a model of Ezekiel’s Third Temple. It’s actually a computer model, but I know a scholar who has seen it. He said it’s verified, and a real Temple could be built from it.

As stated in earlier article in this series, I’m developing some materials to be used for a couple classes I’ll be teaching for a couple midweek services. Here are the articles so far.

on the Theology of covenant and the Last Days CLICK HERE

gleaning Last Days truths from the Tabernacle and Ark CLICK HERE

i. 2 notes on method

1. I will not be covering the Davidic Covenant, and that may be a major bummer for you. There is plenty of literature about that particular covenant. Furthermore, I have a different way of tying it into David’s (and Israel’s) past, present, future, so it could stand on its own as a complete Last Days study. I have considered submitting the corpus of my studies on this topic for a thesis proposal, especially if I wanted to immerse myself in Hebrew, Aramaic, and other ancient Near East (aNE) literature. However, there are other topics I’ve considered as well, so I don’t generally give all of my work away on this column.
2. With this article, I’d like to lay out an actual outline that may be more beneficial for me than for you, something I can use for the two weeks. You’re more than welcome to utilize this work. I’m not really quoting anyone too much, although I’m relying heavily on my reading and seminary background.

ii. Second Temple & Second Temple Judaism

The sunrise of the Second Temple is actually in Babylon, far to the East

• Israelites are in bondage and will remain in bondage for 70 years
• Jewish leader Nehemiah serves closely with the Emperor
• Nehemiah personally tells the story of this encounter

To read his account in Nehemiah 2.1-6, NLT: CLICK HERE

Nehemiah is sad in the emperor’s court because Jerusalem is in ruins

• The emperor of Babylon sends Nehemiah to rebuild Jerusalem
• Rebuilding Jerusalem includes constructing a new Temple, the Second Temple
• This is a Temple story, but it is also a covenant story
• The emperor commissions Nehemiah to rebuild with covenant language
• Ezra and Nehemiah actually work together

This not just about Temple or about covenant, it’s about the Last Days

• The Second Temple lasts up until Herod’s Temple
• Herod  is in charge when Jesus is born
• So the Second Temple culture and way of life is still very real
• In fact many call this period of time Second Temple Judaism

Jesus steps into Second Temple Judaism and ushers in the Last Days

iii. Ezekiel’s Third Temple

Ezekiel describes this Temple and Jerusalem in great depth

• This is a prophecy about a Temple and city God builds, not man
• There are plenty of passages, I’ve picked Ezekiel 43.1-7 CLICK HERE
• You can see there’s something supernatural going on

There is a man who has built a model of Ezekiel’s Third Temple

• He knows every single dimension and has constructed it
• It’s actually a computer model, but I know a scholar who has seen it
• He said it’s verified, and a real Temple could be built from it
• How would you like to see Ezekiel’s Third Temple, the forever Temple?

iv. Some may think the model for Ezekiel’s Third Temple probably isn’t that great

• It may have bad CGI or something like that, or… It’s only a model

Let me ask a quick question. Have you seen the movie Black Panther? Do you know the scene when Black Panther is returning to his homeland with his bodyguard and holding hands with his fiancé.

Embed from Getty Images

They’re all three flying over the island, and it basically looks like there are only shepherds in the fields. Then the airship takes a dive and looks like it’s going to crash into a mountain. The Black Panther says “This never gets old!” All of a sudden they pass through the mountain. It was a computerized force field. They are in the capitol city of Wakanda and it’s full of beautiful buildings and skyscrapers. It’s a very advanced civilization.

• Wakanda’s CGI is still pretty good now, even though it’s only a model
• This model is so beautiful, I can’t help but want to explore every street
• The model for Ezekiel’s Third Temple truly excites my scholar friend
• I would love to see the model, if I ever have an opportunity

v. God does things we cannot see or hear yet

• Isaiah says this in chapter 64 verse 4 CLICK HERE
• Paul repeats this prophecy in 1 Corinthians 2.9
• There are some things, like Ezekiel’s Third Temple that we will see someday
• Then there are some people, like the one who has made a beautiful model
• Yeah! I can only hope to see the model someday, and I would love to!
• This is the joy of prophecy, awaiting what we cannot see or hear yet!

endnote:

There are New Testament passages that make us wonder if a Temple will be built again, that will last forever. However, Ezekiel’s Third Temple cannot simply be dismissed out of hand either.

There may be metaphorical language at work in many prophetic passages. At times it can be difficult to know what is literal. I am from the school that takes prophetic Scripture literally unless I’m really sure that it’s speaking metaphorically, or speaking according to some other genre of interpretation.

Once again, I am not an expert in Eschatology, but I am mesmerized by the idea of the model that the scholar has described to me. He holds a Th.D. and he is a specialist in Hebrew literature.