Ezekiel 40:35-49
We saw in the first part of this book that Solomon’s temple had been profaned, that God had been in a sense banished from it, that even the priests had been worshipping idols in it and that the kings had entirely failed in their rule. The results of all this had been the destruction of the temple and the captivity of the Jewish people, as well as their being set aside as a nation. But God never allows His purposes to be thwarted by the unfaithfulness of men. He must be fully glorified in the very same place in which He had been dishonoured; the promises He made to David must be fulfilled, a new temple must be built and a new priesthood instituted under the reign of a new King – Christ – ruling in righteousness over a repentant nation. All this will take place in the millennium, "the times of restitution of all things", of which Peter speaks (Acts 3:21). That is the subject of ch. 40-48, through which it is our desire to be led by the Holy Spirit, just as the prophet is here guided step by step by his wonderful companion. With His help, we will also visit this magnificent temple which is to be erected at Jerusalem in order that God should be sought after and worshipped in it.