Schmitt, John W. & Laney, Carl J. Messiah’s Coming Temple. Grand Rapids, MI: Kregal Publications, 2014 second edition. 248 pages
There are few places on earth so highly revered, by so many people, as the temple mount in Jerusalem. The site is considered sacred ground by the three Abrahamic religions. For Muslims, it is the location of the golden domed mosque known as “The Dome of the Rock,” a key landmark of the Islamic faith. For the Jewish people, it is a place associated with heartache and longing. At one time, the temple of the Lord stood glorious in that space, representing God’s presence among His people, but now only rubble and debris remain. For Christians, this was where Jesus spent a great deal of time, during His earthly ministry, pointing to a much greater sacrifice only He could offer. It is also the place where the Lord will one day establish His throne on earth, during the future millennial kingdom. This is the focus of the book, “Messiah’s Coming Temple,” written by John W. Schmitt and J. Carl Laney.
The authors explore the vision of Ezekiel 40-48 concerning a future temple in Israel. They ask if it is conceivable for the prophecy to be literally fulfilled. Schmitt and Laney make the case that it is not only possible, but promised in Scripture. Schmitt is the executive director of Future Hope Ministries, an organization devoted to helping people explore the future and its relevance to our lives today. He has spent decades researching the Jerusalem temple, and the fruit of his study has led to the construction of a detailed model depicting the features of Ezekiel’s temple. During his many travels to Israel, he has forged relationships with Jewish leaders who are already preparing for a new temple. Laney is a professor of biblical literature at Western Seminary in Portland, Oregon and has authored numerous books and commentaries.
The book explores the topic from multiple angles. The first few chapters look to the past, examining the significance of the temple in the Old Testament. This brief walk through biblical history reminds us that Solomon’s temple, constructed nearly a thousand years before Christ, was the center of Israel’s worship. It was a visual reminder that the Lord was the true King over His people. Sadly, the nation fell into idolatry, which ultimately led to the fall of Jerusalem in 586 B.C. when the army of Babylon marched into the city, destroying everything in their path, including the temple. The Jewish people would spend the next seventy years in exile, but they would eventually return, and rebuild. When the second temple was finished, it was not quite as spectacular as the first, but continued to play a vital function for the spiritual life and identity of the nation. Later, at the dawn of the New Testament era, Herod the Great initiated a massive remodeling project, but the work was barely finished before the temple was once again demolished, this time at the hands of the Romans in 70 A.D. Looking back, from the perspective of the New Testament, there is much symbolism in the various features of the temple. The bronze alter and laver, the table of showbread, the golden lampstand, the altar of incense all point to Jesus and his work as our redeemer. He is the bread of life, the light of the world, and our atoning sacrifice. During the crucifixion, the veil covering the entrance to the most holy place was torn in two, showing us that Christ has opened the way for unprecedented access to the Father.
A brief sketch is presented, in chapter 4, of various attempts to rebuild the temple after its destruction in 70 A.D. Of course, every effort has proven unsuccessful. The most recent endeavor took place during the Six Day War, in 1967, when a group of Israeli soldiers captured the temple mount. They celebrated their victory by raising the Israeli flag, bearing the Star of David, atop the Dome of the Rock. Many believed that their dreams would soon come to realization. However, in the peace treaty that followed, control of the land was returned to the Palestinians. Disappointed, several young leaders made a vow that if they are ever that close again, in their lifetime, they will be ready. Organizations have been formed with the goal of constructing all of the priestly vestments and ritual instruments required for temple services to resume. There is a common prayer, offered by many in Israel today that petitions, “May it be Thy will that the Temple be speedily rebuilt in our days” (p.133).
After a quick archeological survey of several ancient temples in Egypt, Syria, and Mt. Gerizim in chapter 5, the focus of the book shifts to the future. Chapters 6 & 7 explore the major events yet to unfold on the prophetic calendar. First, the authors look to other prophetic books, to explore key passages beyond Ezekiel that speak of a future temple. Malachi 3:1-5, Jeremiah 3:16-17, and Zechariah 8:22-23 are just a few references that depict Messiah taking up residence in Zion, and ruling as king over all the earth. The authors then proceed to give context to these events by laying out a basic premillennial timeline including the rapture of the church, a period of tribulation that follows, the antichrist’s reign of terror, the restoration of Israel, and the second coming of Christ to earth. Ezekiel’s vision of the temple fits within the period of Christ’s Messianic Kingdom. While there is certainly a great deal of Messianic fervor in Israel today, the authors point out that many will be led astray by the antichrist when he enters the scene. This chapter is more of a survey than a defense of the premillennial position, but it is necessary to set the stage for Ezekiel’s vision.
The central focus of the book is reached in chapters 8 & 9, as the authors begin to deal with the specifics of Ezekiel’s prophecy. They acknowledge that the vision, found in Ezekiel 40-48, is one of the most intriguing yet controversial revelations in the Bible. During the 25th year of his captivity, the prophet was taken up to a high mountain outside the city of Jerusalem, and was given a measuring rod for the purpose of recording the dimensions of a new temple. What he saw would have been especially relevant for the Jewish people living in exile. It would have seemed impossible for God’s promises to be fulfilled, while Jerusalem lay in ruins, but these verses provided assurance that they wouldn’t remain in exile forever. As the people realized that their God remained faithful, despite their unfaithfulness, it would have prompted a spirit of repentance. Schmitt and Laney explore the details of Ezekiel’s temple moving from the Eastern Gate, to the outer court, into the sanctuary. Photos of a scaled model bring to life verses that can be difficult to visualize. The authors also give helpful insight into the units of measurement used by Ezekiel, helping the reader to grasp the scope of the temple’s size. While there are similarities in Ezekiel’s vision to the first and second temple, there are also many points of divergence as well. An entire chapter will be devoted, towards the end of the book, on explaining the significance of these differences.
Ezekiel’s temple vision has been interpreted by biblical scholars in numerous ways, and the authors weigh the merit of each option (p.100-101). Some suggest these chapters should be read as a “literary memorial” of Solomon’s temple, honoring the once glorious sanctuary which had only recently been laid waste. The trouble with this view is that it is unnecessary: the first temple was described in detail elsewhere in Scripture, and Ezekiel presents a very different picture. A second perspective understands these chapters as blueprints, given to the exiles, for a second temple. But this was not the temple they built, and it would have been impossible for them to do so without major changes happening in topography of Jerusalem.
Others look at these chapters as a heavenly temple, or a spiritual depiction of the Church. Both of these views read too much into the passage and impose unwarranted allegory onto the text. The final option is to regard Ezekiel’s vision as a literal temple that will exist during the millennial age. This is the view of the authors, and they make the case that it best fits with other passages of Scripture.
The greatest challenge lobbied against a literal interpretation of Ezekiel’s temple vision has to do with the sacrifices he describes. If Christ has already offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice, once for all, how could ritual sacrifices ever again be a part of God’s program at any point in the future? The authors devote two chapters to this important question. First, they look back at the different types of sacrifices given by God’s people in the Old Testament. A detailed chart on pages 150-151 highlight important differences between the sacrifices of the Old Covenant and those envisioned by the prophet Ezekiel. Under the Mosaic code, burnt offerings were required to make atonement for sin. The sacrifices themselves could not remove guilt, but served as a token payment until a time when a better sacrifice could be presented (Romans 3:25; Hebrews 10:5-10). Schmitt and Laney make the case that sacrifices in the millennial age could point back to the cross, commemorating the finished work of Christ. To bolster their argument, they cite an interesting choice of words, in Ezekiel 43:15 where the Hebrew word “ariel” is used to describe the altar in the Messianic temple. This is the only place, in the entire Old Testament, where this word is used in connection with sacrifices (p.136). It is noteworthy because “ariel” means “lion of God,” a designation for Christ. There were other sacrifices, in the Old Testament, as well. The peace offering described in Leviticus 3 was given as voluntary expressions of praise and thanksgiving. The authors ask why sacrifices in the future kingdom could not have a similar meaning. They suggest that in the millennium, sacrifices will take the place of communion, serving as a reminder of what Christ has accomplished on behalf of His people and providing an expression of praise.
The authors use the closing chapters to offer practical application to our lives today, showing us how prophecy was meant to instill hope and a longing for the future in God’s people. Rather than leaving the reader dwelling on concepts that relate to the future, Schmitt and Laney return to the cross and the ministry of Jesus which has the power to change lives in our present world. “Messiah’s Coming Temple” would be a valuable resource for anyone studying the temple or leading a series through Ezekiel. It certainly offers helpful guidance to navigate through some of the most challenging passages of the book.