Page 246 - Through New Eyes

246 THROUGH NEW EYES

scription in highly symbolic terms of a vast, huge restored Tem-
ple and land.
This is not a picture first and foremost of the New Testa-
ment, but of the spiritual realities present in the Restoration.
This is indicated by the context of the prophecy, but there are
also clear indications in the text, especially the fact that the river
in Chapter 47 only flows in one direction, not four, and only to
the edge of the Holy Land, not into the wider world. G
The prophecy begins with Ezekiel’s being taken to a very
high mountain north of a city (Ezekiel 40:2). The city obviously
is visionary Jerusalem, and the mountain is visionary Moriah,
north of Zion. We notice that the mountain is growing higher
and higher with each new heavens and earth. In Chapter 40, the
Temple is described with a tremendous stress on doorways and
guard chambers. The new Restoration establishment will be a
time of greater openness for the Gospel than ever before (doors),
and also a time of greater holiness (guards). (See Diagram 17.1).
In Chapter 43, Ezekiel sees the glory-chariot return to rein-
habit the Temple. This is a promise to those who would rebuild
the Temple, that God would come back to it. In Chapter 44 the
prince is restored, and the priests and Levites are reestablished
in their places. Also, Ezekiel shows that the sacrificial system will
be restored.T Ezekiel describes a new huge Jerusalem that has
tremendous suburban areas (Ezekiel 45: 1-8). There would be no
more Levitical cities in the Restoration, and so the Levites
would need a place to live. In reality, they would live among the
people in the land, but Ezekiel shows the spiritual reality, that
they would live around the Temple (see Diagram 17. 2). Ezekiel
also describes the tribal boundaries in the new establishment,
boundaries that are wholly geometric and symbolic in character,
but which did assure the exiles that their children would return
to the land (Ezekiel 48). (See Diagram 17.3).
The things Ezekiel describes in these chapters could never
have been built. The Temple, City, and Land are entirely vi-
sionary and symbolic. The Kingdom of God in the Restoration
was going to be so powerful and glorious that it simply could not
be pictured in any architectural model that could be built. Only
a vision would do.