Page 127 - Eschatology - Student Ebook

We won’t have traditional church services, but rather our system of worship will become more like a
synagogue system of worship as developed by Ezekiel during the Babylonian captivity.

As men live in this perfect kingdom, they still are born with a nature to sin. Eventually, the rebellion of
mankind finds expression in the last major human event at the conclusion of the millennial kingdom.

Temple and Sacrifices
A Millennial temple will be constructed (Ezekiel 40-44) where animal sacrifices will be offered.
The fact that animal sacrifices will be offered at this temple raises a number of questions.

First, let’s ask the question of who will be sinning during the Millennial Kingdom? On the first day of the
Millennial Kingdom only justified people, Jews and Gentiles, who have put their faith in Christ for eternal
life, will be living on earth. But as they reproduce to fill the earth, these children are not born justified
before God. They will be born as sinners who need to believe in Jesus Christ and His sacrificial death on
the cross for eternal life. Some will believe, some will not. But, all of the people living in normal bodies
on the earth will commit sin. Though King Jesus will rule with a righteous rod of iron and limit the sinful
acts one is able to carry out, people will still have sinful desires, attitudes and motivation.

Second, what need will there be for animal sacrifices for sin, since Jesus has already died on the cross to
pay the penalty for all sin? Hasn’t the penalty for their sin already been paid? Let’s look at Hebrews
9:11-15. These verses assure us that the blood of sacrificial animals never paid the penalty for sin.

Hebrews 9:11–15 (NIV84)11 When Christ came as high priest of the good things that are already
here, he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not man-made, that is to
say, not a part of this creation. 12 He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but
he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, having obtained eternal redemption.
13 The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially
unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. 14 How much more, then, will the blood of
Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences
from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God! 15 For this reason Christ is the
mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal
inheritance—now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under
the first covenant.

Only the shed blood of Jesus Christ’s sacrificial death on the cross paid the penalty for our sin. The
animal blood that was sprinkled on the Mercy Seat of the Ark of the Covenant once a year, on the Day of
Atonement, covered the sins of the people for one more year, waiting for the ultimate sacrifice to be
made by Jesus Christ. This was accomplished when He shed His precious blood on the cross. When He
died, the veil separating the Holy of Holies from the rest of the temple was torn from top to bottom
indicating that the need for the Day of Atonement was finished. People could now have a different
relationship with God.

The daily animal sacrifices simply made it possible for a Holy God to live among a sinful people. In the
wilderness, God’s localized presence resided in the cloud during the day and the pillar of fire by night. In
the Temple in Jerusalem, God’s localized presence filled the Holy of Holies. Ezekiel 43:1-12 promises and
describes God’s glory inhabiting the Millennial temple. And King Jesus will be on the throne. Once again,

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