2 indispensable elements of Worship

Read Ezekiel 43.

Greater than the structure of the Millennial Temple was what Ezekiel saw next.

This visionary tour began in chapter 40.  An angel led the prophet through the facility and grounds, carefully providing the exact dimensions.  The entire area will be about the size of thirteen football fields.  But a building alone does not have any spiritual value at all.

Merely describing the details is not inspiration reading today for most believers in Jesus.  However, for the Jews who had lost their Temple due to the Babylonian destruction, this vision gave them hope.  In addition, God had a spiritual purpose in mind.  The loss of the Temple had been due to their sin.  Revealing these building plans reminded them of their sin and shame (vv.10-11).  God will use that guilt to bring all Israel to Himself.

Now, two more elements will be added to bring about Israel's spiritual transformation.

1. The Glory of God. (vv.1-9)
Ezekiel was allowed to witness the sight and sound of what will happen when this Temple is completed.  The glory of God will be visible.  The prophet saw it moving from the east to the Temple.  The movement of the glory of God will make a powerful sound.  In chapter 10, the presence of the LORD left the former Temple, but there is coming a day when He will return and fill this place.  God said, "This is the place of my throne and the place of the soles of my feet, where I will dwell in the midst of the people of Israel forever." (v.7)

2. The Sacrifices for Sin. (vv.10-27)
To a believer in Jesus, this passage describing future sacrifices for sin makes no sense.  Hebrews 9:26 is clear concerning Christ's death on the cross.  "...he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself."  As John 1:29 states: "Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!"  No further sacrifices for sin are needed.

In the Old Testament, sacrifices for sin never took away the sin.  They only covered the sin, looking forward to the time when Messiah would come (Isaiah 53).  Since the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus, we commemorate that payment for our sin by celebrating the Lord's Supper on a regular basis "until he comes" (1 Corinthians 11:26).  When Jesus returns, it appears that in the Millennium, these sacrifices will serve only as memorial offerings to the Lord, looking back at the full and final debt that was paid.

The presence of God and the celebration of sins forgiven.  Now, that is worship!