Thoughts on the End Times [15]: The Blood of Animals or the Blood of Jesus?
The vision of Ezekiel 40-48 describes a Temple which is clearly not Solomon’s or the second Temple or Herod’s. Many students of the Bible, insisting on ‘literal interpretation’, believe Ezekiel was predicting a fourth Temple that would be rebuilt (as well as restored animal sacrifice) in the end times. A few thoughts on these matters…
Ezekiel says repeatedly that this is a vision (40.2, and 3x in 43.3) and visions are often full of images to be taken figuratively. If we interpret Ezekiel literally, we run into a serious problem. Five times Ezekiel mentions sacrifices offered for atonement (43.20,26; 45.15,17,20). Atonement involves the forgiveness of sin, and clearly so in 45.17. If Ezekiel is predicting a future Temple, he is also teaching that animal sacrifice will be required to atone for sin!
How can that be if “it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins” (Hebrews 10.4) and if “we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all” (Hebrews 10.10)?
Hebrews argues that the ancient rituals pointed to the sacrifice of Jesus (Hebrews 8.5), who “entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of His own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption” (Hebrews 9.11). If Jesus secured eternal redemption with His own blood, what need is there for animal sacrifices? Restoring animal sacrifice to forgive human sin undoes the saving work of Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross. That sounds like a dangerously false teaching to me!
Those who believe in a rebuilt Temple and restored animal sacrifice say the future animal sacrifices will be memorials of Christ’s death, as communion is today. But this is to abandon literal interpretation. Ezekiel says the sacrifices are sacrifices of atonement. One cannot insist on literal interpretation and then abandon it when it is inconvenient.
A literal interpretation of Ezekiel’s mention of sacrifice is difficult to square with Christ’s death being the only atonement for sin. I believe it is better to interpret the vision figuratively and in light of the New Testament.
Since Jesus depicts the destruction of the Temple as judgment upon unbelieving Israel and the apostles depict the Church of Jesus as the new Temple in which God dwells (1 Corinthians 3.16-17; 2 Corinthians 6.16; Ephesians 2.21; Hebrews 3.6; 1 Peter 2.5-10), then reading the Old Testament through a New Testament lens can lead us to see the Christian church in Ezekiel’s prophecy, displayed in terms of a rebuilt Temple – a picturesque image that Ezekiel’s fellow Jews would understand. Other prophecies of a future Temple may be understood the same way.
There is no need for another Temple. We are the new Temple.
There is no need to restore animal sacrifices. Jesus, offered once for all, is the final and perfect sacrifice for sin – the only sacrifice we need.
Ezekiel says repeatedly that this is a vision (40.2, and 3x in 43.3) and visions are often full of images to be taken figuratively. If we interpret Ezekiel literally, we run into a serious problem. Five times Ezekiel mentions sacrifices offered for atonement (43.20,26; 45.15,17,20). Atonement involves the forgiveness of sin, and clearly so in 45.17. If Ezekiel is predicting a future Temple, he is also teaching that animal sacrifice will be required to atone for sin!
How can that be if “it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins” (Hebrews 10.4) and if “we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all” (Hebrews 10.10)?
Hebrews argues that the ancient rituals pointed to the sacrifice of Jesus (Hebrews 8.5), who “entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of His own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption” (Hebrews 9.11). If Jesus secured eternal redemption with His own blood, what need is there for animal sacrifices? Restoring animal sacrifice to forgive human sin undoes the saving work of Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross. That sounds like a dangerously false teaching to me!
Those who believe in a rebuilt Temple and restored animal sacrifice say the future animal sacrifices will be memorials of Christ’s death, as communion is today. But this is to abandon literal interpretation. Ezekiel says the sacrifices are sacrifices of atonement. One cannot insist on literal interpretation and then abandon it when it is inconvenient.
A literal interpretation of Ezekiel’s mention of sacrifice is difficult to square with Christ’s death being the only atonement for sin. I believe it is better to interpret the vision figuratively and in light of the New Testament.
Since Jesus depicts the destruction of the Temple as judgment upon unbelieving Israel and the apostles depict the Church of Jesus as the new Temple in which God dwells (1 Corinthians 3.16-17; 2 Corinthians 6.16; Ephesians 2.21; Hebrews 3.6; 1 Peter 2.5-10), then reading the Old Testament through a New Testament lens can lead us to see the Christian church in Ezekiel’s prophecy, displayed in terms of a rebuilt Temple – a picturesque image that Ezekiel’s fellow Jews would understand. Other prophecies of a future Temple may be understood the same way.
There is no need for another Temple. We are the new Temple.
There is no need to restore animal sacrifices. Jesus, offered once for all, is the final and perfect sacrifice for sin – the only sacrifice we need.