E. The Millennial Temple and Priests.

E. The Millennial Temple and Priests. The following is a brief overview from the Tabernacle to the Millennial Temple. For about 490 years, the Tabernacle was in eight different places. David brought it back from Jerusalem and gathered silver and gold, and a lot of money for Solomon, his son, to build the Temple. It stood for approximately 400 years. Then it took Herod 46 years in building his Temple. It stood 30 years more until 70 A.D. when Titus, the Roman general, destroyed the Sanctuary; but, not the site.
Very soon after the Rapture, the Antichrist allows the Jews to erect their Temple, probably a prefabricated structure. After 3 ½ years, the Antichrist breaks his covenant with Israel. He then destroys the buildings of the Temple and Jerusalem proper; so that not one stone would be left upon another. Therefore, fulfilling Christ’s prophecy 2,000 years before. (Matthew 24:1-3).
1. The Feasts On Earth.
“But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom.” (Matthew 26:29)
Passover: Christ drank the Cup of Sanctification; the Cup of Blessing; and the Cup of Judgment with the disciples at the Last Supper. He will drink the Cup of Communion with us in the Kingdom. The Old Testament Saints now in Heaven will be the Bride's guests, and feast with the Church at the Marriage Supper of the Lamb in Heaven. They will return with Christ, receive their resurrected bodies; and feast with Christ at the Feast of Passover and Unleavened Bread every year throughout the Millennium. (Matthew 8:11; Luke 22:30; Ezekiel 45:21)
“In the first month, in the fourteenth day of the month, ye shall have the passover, a feast of seven days; unleavened bread shall be eaten.” (Ezekiel 45:21)
The Feast of Tabernacles is also required.
“And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles.” (Zechariah 14:16)
2. The Marriage Supper of The Lamb.
"Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. (Revelation 19:7)
And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. (Revelation 19:8)
And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God." (Revelation 19:7-9)
3.Who Will Build the Millennial Temple?
The Jews and the Gentiles will build IN the Temple.
“And THEY THAT ARE FAR OFF (Gentiles) shall come and build IN the temple of the Lord, and ye shall know that the Lord of hosts hath sent me unto you. And this shall come to pass, if ye will diligently obey the voice of the Lord your God.” (Zechariah 6:15)
(Also see Zechariah 6:11-15; and Ezekiel, Chapter 44.) The measurements of the Temple are given in Ezekiel 45:7; Ezekiel 45:16-17; Ezekiel 45:22. These measurements are with a cubit of 21-1/2 inches.
But the LORD will build the Temple proper.
“And speak unto him, saying, Thus speaketh the Lord of hosts, saying, Behold the man whose name is The BRANCH; and he shall grow up out of his place, and he shall build the temple of the Lord: (Zechariah 6:12)
Even he shall build the temple of the Lord; and he shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon his throne; and he shall be a priest upon his throne: and the counsel of peace shall be between them both.” (Zechariah 6:12-13)
4. The Feast of Tabernacles.
Someone will be appointed over Egypt and all nations that do not keep the Feast of Tabernacles once a year, as they are required to do.
“And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles. (Zechariah 14:16)
And it shall be, that whoso will not come up of all the families of the earth unto Jerusalem to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, even upon them shall be no rain. (Zechariah 14:17)
And if the family of Egypt go not up, and come not, that have no rain; there shall be the plague, wherewith the Lord will smite the heathen that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles. (Zechariah 14:18)
This shall be the punishment of Egypt, and the punishment of all nations that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles. (Zechariah 14:16-19)
5. Where Is the Ark of the Covenant?
Sorry, Indiana Jones. There is no Ark of The Covenant. It was carried to Babylon and never seen after that.
“And it shall come to pass, when ye be multiplied and increased in the land, in those days, saith the Lord, they shall say no more, The ark of the covenant of the Lord: neither shall it come to mind: neither shall they remember it; neither shall they visit it; neither shall that be done any more.” (Jeremiah 3:16)
6. The Eastern Gate; or the Golden Gate?
Some claim that this gate has been sealed for almost 900 years and will not be opened until Christ comes to enter through it. Not so! (Matthew 24:2). It was completely destroyed by Titus and the Roman Army. Ezekiel is referring the Millennial Gate to the city.
7. The Temple Priests. (Ezekiel, Chapter 44).
Ezekiel 44:6-8. Israel was rebuked in Ezekiel's time for not caring for the things of the Temple. This will not happen in the Millennial Temple.
“And thou shalt say to the rebellious, even to the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord GOD; O ye house of Israel, let it suffice you of all your abominations, (Ezekiel 44:6)
In that ye have brought into my sanctuary strangers, uncircumcised in heart, and uncircumcised in flesh, to be in my sanctuary, to pollute it, even my house, when ye offer my bread, the fat and the blood, and they have broken my covenant because of all your abominations. (Ezekiel 44:7)
And ye have not kept the charge of mine holy things: but ye have set keepers of my charge in my sanctuary for yourselves.” (Ezekiel 44:6-8)
In Ezekiel 44:9-14, we find that the descendants of the Aaronic, Levitical Priesthood will not serve; but, keep charge of the gates, house, and slay the animal sacrifices.
The reason is found in Ezekiel 44:15-16. Zadok was faithful to David at the time of Absalom's rebellion. His descendants shall serve before the Lord.
“But the priests the Levites, the sons of Zadok, that kept the charge of my sanctuary when the children of Israel went astray from me, they shall come near to me to minister unto me, and they shall stand before me to offer unto me the fat and the blood, saith the Lord GOD: (Ezekiel 44:15)
They shall enter into my sanctuary, and they shall come near to my table, to minister unto me, and they shall keep my charge.“ (Ezekiel 44:15-16)
A practical lesson is given in 1 Corinthians 9:24-27; 1 Corinthians 10:5.
"Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. (1 Corinthians 9:24)
And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. (1 Corinthians 9:25)
I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: (1 Corinthians 9:26)
But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway. (1 Corinthians 9:24-27)
“But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness.” (1 Corinthians 10:5)
8. The Tribe of Dan Will Receive Their Portion of Land.
The warning is given in Deuteronomy 9:24-27. Their sin is revealed in Judges 18:30-31.
“And the children of Dan set up the graven image: and Jonathan, the son of Gershom, the son of Manasseh, he and his sons were priests to the tribe of Dan until the day of the captivity of the land. ( Judges 18:30)
And they set them up Micah's graven image, which he made, all the time that the house of God was in Shiloh.” ( Judges 18:31)
Their tribe is not listed as part of the 144,000 in Revelation. They do have an eternal possession in the land, and eternal life. God keeps His promises!
“Now these are the names of the tribes. From the north end to the coast of the way of Hethlon, as one goeth to Hamath, Hazarenan, the border of Damascus northward, to the coast of Hamath; for these are his sides east and west; A PORTION FOR DAN.” (Ezekiel 48:1)
“If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. (1 Corinthians 3:14)
If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but HE HIMSELF SHALL BE SAVED; YET SO AS BY FIRE.” (1 Corinthians 3:14-15)
a. The Heart of a Lost Man Will Still Be the Same.
The Prophet Jeremiah, speaking by the inspiration of God, tells us in Jeremiah 17:9 that,
“The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?”
b. Only Satan Is Chained. (Revelation 20:1-3)
The Beast and the False Prophet are already in the Lake of Fire (Revelation 19:20) The rest of his demonic hordes are still free until after the Great White Throne Judgment.
“Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:” (Matthew 25:41)
c. Satan Will Be Freed to Deceive Again.
After a 1,000 years without war, Satan will be loosed for a “short season” to stir up war again. He knows his end is near, and he has but a short time. It is his mission to deceive as many as he can and take them to the Lake of Fire with him. As we have said, it is hardly a battle and no offensive action is recorded from the enemy for Satan’s army, as revealed by Revelation 20:9-10,
“And they (Satan and his army) went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city (Jerusalem): and FIRE CAME DOWN FROM GOD OUT OF HEAVEN, AND DEVOURED THEM. (Revelation 20:9)
And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.” (Revelation 20:9-10)
The tormenter of mankind will finally be gone!
There will be no world peace until Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace, returns at the end of the Tribulation Period to set up the Kingdom; but, any person can experience peace with the Lord, knowing they will never perish but have everlasting life.
“He that believeth on the Son (Jesus Christ) hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.” (John 3:36)