Collateral Bloggage

One of the most formidable and intimidating features of the Old Testament is the mind-numbing detail it gives about stuff that’s either planned to be built or actually being built. For reference, read the description of the Tabernacle design and construction in Exodus, or the design and construction of the Temple in 1 Kings.  I’ve always felt that the narratives would have been well served with a little engineer-speak in the construction part.  It would simply have read (in Exodus), “And Bezalel and Oholiab built the tabernacle to spec.”

I know it’s possible to get something out of these narratives, but at this point I’m still coming up empty. So, when I read Ezekiel 40-48, it’s tempting to just assume no inspiration will arise during my reading. Thus far, that assumption has not proved to be incorrect.

So why would I do a post about Ezekiel’s vision of a future Temple, detailed and dull as it is? Well, because it gives rise to some interesting interpretations.

See, Ezekiel has a very detailed walk-through of this temple, describing it in excruciatingly fine detail. And then?  Well, nothing, really. If you look at the details of this temple, it’s not hard to determine (with a little research) that it was never built.

Thus, some assume the Ezekiel was predicting a New Temple to Be Built in the End Times!!!!!!!! (fanfare)

I’m sure all my readers will be shocked to learn that I don’t hold to the Future Third Temple idea.  Why?  Well, there are several reasons:

1. Ezekiel wrote this during the Babylonian Captivity.  What was the state of Solomon’s Temple at this time?  Destroyed.  In other words, there was no Temple.  So Ezekiel was shown a design for a new one.
2. Ezekiel was instructed to only show the plans to the Israelites if they met certain pre-conditions (more on that in a bit).
3. Upon their return to Jerusalem, the exiles did, in fact, build a Temple.  More properly, they rebuilt Solomon’s Temple.

In other words, if they had the plans for the Temple, why didn’t they build it when they returned from Exile?  Might the answer be that they didn’t meet the conditions for getting those plans?  And what were the conditions?

Interesting, isn’t it?  God instructs Ezekiel to describe the Temple to the people and observe their response.  If we can assume Ezekiel obeyed God and described it to them, can’t we also assume that if they met the conditions, they would totally have built the Temple that God personally designed for them?

Now, it’s possible that the fact that we have written copies of Ezekiel indicates the people did get the plans, but it still leaves open the question (doesn’t beg the question, see here) of why they didn’t use it.

Maybe the Temple will be rebuilt in the End Times.  In fact, I imagine it’ll happen eventually, because there are many people who are looking for it to happen and actively trying to make it happen.  I just don’t think it’s predicted, any more than the establishment of Modern Israel in 1948 was.  But that’s a whole other can of worms…

Yes, I do harp on End Times stuff quite a bit, and I don’t think End Times (eschatology) is really a very important subject.  However, interpreting the Bible correctly is a concern of mine, and I’m worried that many simply take what they get from the pulpit (or Seminary) and never even know there are other ways of interpreting some passages.  And that’s a shame.

I’m not saying my interpretations are all correct (I’m certain I’m between 1 and 100% wrong).  It’s just that I hold many positions different from those I held when I was younger.  I would never have changed those positions unless I heard (or read) something that I had to wrestle with.  I’m just paying it forward. So, wrestle with this and lob me a comment if you’ve got anything to add.