In perfect uniformity, in perfect harmony,

In perfect uniformity, in perfect harmony,

Scripture:  I saw a wall completely surrounding the temple area. The length of the measuring rod in the man’s hand was six long cubits, each of which was a cubit and a handbreadth. He measured the wall; it was one measuring rod thick and one rod high.  Then he went to the east gate. He climbed its steps and measured the threshold of the gate; it was one rod deep. The alcoves for the guards were one rod long and one rod wide, and the projecting walls between the alcoves were five cubits thick. And the threshold of the gate next to the portico facing the temple was one rod deep.; Ezekiel 40:5-7

Observation: Prophesying about the future restoration of Israel, Ezekiel is shown in great detail the building of a new temple, which is somewhat different from Solomon’s original temple.

However, this temple has never been built and currently, in Jerusalem, there is no temple. The first temple was destroyed by Babylon and the second temple by the Romans in 70 A.D. In the last days, Jesus prophesied that the abomination of desolation, the Anti-Christ will declare himself to be God in God’s temple in Jerusalem. That means a third temple will be rebuilt. The Jews who rebuild this third temple could attempt to do so according to the specifications laid out in the book of Ezekiel. Nevertheless, the situation now is that the Dome of the Rock, the second most important mosque is situated there now. Recently, there has been interest in the rebuilding of the temple among the Jews, and apparently, even the articles of worship are being prepared. In fact, there are some Bible scholars who think that Ezekiel’s temple is probably the millennial temple which will be rebuilt once Jesus comes back and reigns for the 1,000 years.

However, regardless whether Ezekiel’s temple will prophetically be the third or fourth temple, there are important lessons we can learn from this temple, and Lyn Chaffart has done a marvelous devotional series on lessons from the temple in www.scripturalnuggets.org In general, remembering that our bodies are called the temple of the Holy Spirit, there is much we can learn from this temple as well.

The passage today looks at the measurement of the temple, which is completely uniform, speaking of its amazing perfection. Through Ezekiel 40, the temple is portrayed as a perfect cube. Later in Revelation 21, we see the New Jerusalem coming down in also a perfect cube. Typical Hebrew thinking depicts a perfect cube as being perfect in harmony. God is a God of order, a perfect God who creates things to fit perfectly into place just as He means it to be. God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit work together perfectly in unity and harmony. They are one, and Jesus’ prayer is that we too will be one just as He and the Father are one.

Application: It is a sad thing that the church which was intended to be one is instead fragmented into so many different denominations - Pentecostal, Methodist, Baptist, Presbyterian, Lutheran, and the list goes on. However, we are one family in the body of Christ. The unity of the church is so important. We need to continuously pray for unity, and try to put aside petty ambitions and quarrels, but focus instead on the core issues – loving God and Jesus, building the people, extending the kingdom.

Prayer: Lord, forgive us for the times when we let petty insignificant things cause us to drift apart and lose our unity. We ask for unity, dear Father, that we may be one – one in purpose, one in heart, one in desire to love our Lord Jesus and extend His kingdom here on earth together. In Jesus name, Amen.