“This is the law of the house; Upon the top of the mountain the whole limit thereof round about shall be most holy. Behold, this is the law of the house.” Ezekiel 43:12

In chapters 40-42, great detail is given to the dimensions of the temple, the walls surrounding it and the entrance gates to it.  The exact dimensions are given with precise measurements.  The temple complex will be a huge square with the outside walls measuring approximately 900 feet on each side.  Parts of this temple complex are 100 to 120 feet high.  Even the designs on the paneling of the inside of the temple are given.  The temple will be engraved with palm trees and cherubim.

Great detail is also given to describe the altar of sacrifice and the feasts which will be celebrated during this time.  God tells Ezekiel to show Israel the form of the house and everything connected with it.  Ezekiel was to write what he saw as the LAW, and this is called the law of the house.  In three chapters, Ezekiel was commanded by God to write what he witnessed.  What Ezekiel wrote will be the law under King Messiah. This is the law of the temple, and it will be observed under King Messiah.  If Ezekiel did not mention an item or a festival, then it was not there.

Thus what Ezekiel witnessed he wrote as he was directed by God Himself.  King Messiah is holy, and the temple structure and laws all reflect God’s holiness.  At that time, Jerusalem will be called God’s holy mountain.

The verses to show that everything involving the temple will be holy follow:

Ezekiel 43:12 “This is the law of the house; Upon the top of the mountain the whole limit thereof round about shall be most holy. Behold, this is the law of the house.”

Isaiah 66:20 “And they shall bring all your brethren for an offering unto the LORD out of all nations upon horses, and in chariots, and in litters, and upon mules, and upon swift beasts, to my holy mountain Jerusalem...

Obadiah 1:17 “But upon mount Zion shall be deliverance, and there shall be holiness; and the house of Jacob shall possess their possessions.”

Zechariah 8:3 “Thus saith the LORD; I am returned unto Zion , and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem : and Jerusalem shall be called a city of truth; and the mountain of the LORD of hosts the holy mountain.”

This law will supersede the law of Moses.  It is vastly different than the ordinances under Moses.  The Messiah’s house will be vastly different than previous temples or the tabernacle in the wilderness.  All this is because King Messiah will reign under the New Covenant and not the covenant at Sinai.

Three times God told Ezekiel to carefully observe all that he witnessed and heard.  What Ezekiel wrote from this experience was the law of the house.  The Scriptures showing the law of the temple follow:

Ezekiel 40:4 “And the man said unto me, Son of man, behold with thine eyes, and hear with thine ears, and set thine heart upon all that I shall show thee; for to the intent that I might show them unto thee art thou brought hither: declare all that thou seest to the house of Israel.”

Ezekiel 43:11 “...show them the form of the house, and the fashion thereof, and the goings out thereof, and the comings in thereof, and all the forms thereof, and all the ordinances thereof, and all the forms thereof, and all the laws thereof: and write it in their sight, that they may keep the whole form thereof, and all the ordinances thereof, and do them.” (12) “This is the law of the house; Upon the top of the mountain the whole limit thereof round about shall be most holy. Behold, this is the law of the house.”

Ezekiel 44:5 “And the LORD said unto me, Son of man, mark well, and behold with thine eyes, and hear with thine ears all that I say unto thee concerning all the ordinances of the house of the LORD, and all the laws thereof; and mark well the entering in of the house, with every going forth of the sanctuary.”

King Messiah will Teach This Law From the temple

When the Lord Jesus returns and establishes His kingdom, all the nations of the earth will come to Jerusalem to worship Him and be taught the law of God.  All the people will flow into Jerusalem to be taught.  According to Ezekiel, the law that will be taught will be the law of the temple.  The entire structure of the temple, plus the feasts and ordinances all have spiritual meaning and this will be the law that is taught.  This law teaches God’s holiness.

The law of the temple will have a direct relationship to the New Covenant.  Under the New Covenant, the law of the temple will become known in the earth as the waters cover the sea.  It is King Messiah who will teach this law and explain all the meanings of His magnificent temple and the ordinances of it.

He will teach how all the ordinances show His work on the cross for the redemption of man from sin.  The temple and everything associated with it will be an object lesson.  All this will show the holiness of God.  All the nations will flow into Jerusalem to be taught by King Messiah the law of the house and not the law of Moses:

Isaiah 2:2 “And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it.

(3) And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.

The full knowledge of the LORD will be under the New Covenant and not the covenant of the law under Moses.  The New Covenant is internal with God’s word written on the heart.  This is far different than the law of Moses:

Jeremiah 31:31 “Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: (32) Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt...

(33) But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel ; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.

(34) And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.”

What is Absent from the Messiah’s House is Very Important

Ezekiel was told to write about the temple and the fashion or the equipment of it.  He wrote exactly what he witnessed in the temple and what it contained.  Inside the huge magnificent temple building was the throne of King Messiah and a small table.  Outside the temple, he saw a large altar for sacrifice.  The only pieces of equipment were a small table before the throne and the altar.

In Ezekiel 43:11,12, notice how, in great detail, the prophet is told to write all that he sees.  He is to write about the design of the temple, the fashions, all the forms and ordinances, plus all the comings and goings that are associated with the temple.  The prophet writes inclusively, nothing was left out.

Ezekiel 43:11 “...show them the form of the house, and the fashion thereof, and the goings out thereof, and the comings in thereof, and all the forms thereof, and all the ordinances thereof, and all the forms thereof, and all the laws thereof: and write it in their sight, that they may keep the whole form thereof, and all the ordinances thereof, and do them.

(12) This is the law of the house; Upon the top of the mountain the whole limit thereof round about shall be most holy. Behold, this is the law of the house.”

What Ezekiel described was called the law of the temple.  If Ezekiel did not report it, then the temple item or the feast under the law of Moses was not there.  These items or feasts will not be present under the reign of the Lord Jesus.  Note one of the radical differences:  Ezekiel’s temple will have the throne of David which was absent from all the previous temples.

The fact that Ezekiel failed to record any additional items in the temple is of great importance.  The Tabernacle in the Wilderness and Solomon’s temple both had key equipment which will be absent from King Messiah’s house.

A list of the major missing items follows: Menorah, Table of Shewbread, Altar of incense, Veil that hid the most holy place, Laver of Brass, Ark of the Covenant and the office of Aaronic high priest.  The law of the temple is radically different from the law of Moses and these two cannot be reconciled.

A comparison of the previous temples with King Messiah’s shows that the items missing are not needed because they are replaced by the presence of King Messiah.  These were all types or representations of King Messiah and His ministry.  With the physical presence of King Messiah on the throne of David, there will no longer be any need for these items, including the high priest.

Before examining these items, it is important to understand the layout of the temples. The first temple was called the tabernacle in the wilderness.  It will be referred to as the tabernacle.  God gave Moses the design and fixtures in it.

The two previous temples built in Jerusalem followed this design.  They all had a main rectangular edifice divided in two sections; the holy place and the most holy place.  King Messiah’s temple will retain the general physical layout of the holy place and the most holy place together in one building.

Under the law of Moses, the holy place contained the menorah, table of Shewbread and the altar of incense.  The most holy place was separated by a veil and had the Ark of the Covenant in it.  The high priest could only go into the most holy place once a year on the Day of Atonement. Just outside the entrance to the temple were the altar of sacrifice and the laver of brass.

An examination of each of these missing items that are types shows how the Lord Jesus fulfilled them.  Let’s examine each item to show how Jesus of Nazareth , King Messiah fulfilled them:

The most important item in the tabernacle was the Ark.  The Ark was box shaped and about four feet by two feet by two feet in size.  It was made of wood overlaid with gold.  The Ark was located in the most holy place behind the veil.  This veil separated the most holy place from the rest of the temple.  Placed in the Ark were the stone tablets which the 10 Commandments were written on, a pot of manna and Aaron’s rod that budded.  The Ark had a solid gold cover which also had two gold cherubim with their wings spread. Cherubim are angelic beings that are always near the throne of God.

The top of the cover was called the Mercy Seat.  Once every year the high priest would sprinkle blood on the Mercy Seat to atone for sin.  God’s presence literally hovered just over the Mercy Seat and between the two cherubim.

Exodus 25:22 “And there I will meet with thee, and I will commune with thee from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubims which are upon the Ark of the Testimony…”

The prophet Jeremiah ties together the Ark and the throne of God.  Jeremiah said the day would come when the Ark would no longer be remembered or even thought of because Jerusalem would become the throne of God.  This would happen under the reign of King Messiah when all the nations would come to Jerusalem to worship and man’s heart would be free of evil.  These Scriptures follow:

Jeremiah 3:16 “And it shall come to pass, when ye be multiplied and increased in the land, in those days, saith the LORD, they shall say no more, The ark of the covenant of the LORD: neither shall it come to mind: neither shall they remember it; neither shall they visit it; neither shall that be done any more.

(17) At that time they shall call Jerusalem the throne of the LORD; and all the nations shall be gathered unto it, to the name of the LORD, to Jerusalem: neither shall they walk any more after the imagination of their evil heart.”

When King Messiah is reigning there will be no Ark.  The Ark is not mentioned under the law of the temple.  It has been replaced by the throne of God just as Jeremiah 3;16,17 stated it would be.  In the holy of holies, the throne of David will replace the Ark.  When the Lord Jesus is reigning, it will be from this throne in the most holy place of the temple.

Just as Jeremiah stated, there will be no more Ark.   The Ark will not be mentioned, nor will it be thought of, nor will it be remembered.  Why would anyone think of the Ark , when the God of Israel in His glory is sitting on the throne of David!

The Ark was the type or shadow but the throne of David the reality.  This is a very important concept which Jeremiah 3:16,17 is showing.  The Ark was only a type of God seated on His throne.  When God is actually seated on the throne, there is no need for the Ark.  This concept of a piece of the temple equipment being a type is very important when examining the furnishings of the LORD’s house.

The following Scriptures clearly show the Throne of David has replaced the Ark :

Ezekiel 43:5 “So the spirit took me up, and brought me into the inner court; and, behold, the glory of the LORD filled the house. (6) And I heard him speaking unto me out of the house… (7) And he said unto me, Son of man, the place of my throne, and the place of the soles of my feet, where I will dwell in the midst of the children of Israel for ever, and my holy name, shall the house of Israel no more defile,...”

Jeremiah 3:16 “And it shall come to pass, when ye be multiplied and increased in the land, in those days, saith the LORD, they shall say no more, The ark of the covenant of the LORD: neither shall it come to mind: neither shall they remember it; neither shall they visit it; neither shall that be done any more.

(17) At that time they shall call Jerusalem the throne of the LORD; and all the nations shall be gathered unto it, to the name of the LORD, to Jerusalem: neither shall they walk any more after the imagination of their evil heart.”

God’s presence hovered over the Ark , but His fullness in His glory will be on the throne in His house.  The Ark contained the 10 Commandments, the pot of manna, and Aaron’s rod that budded.  The Commandments represent the word of God; the manna God’s supernatural life from heaven; and Aaron’s rod represented resurrection from the dead.  All three being housed in the Ark point directly to King Messiah.  When He is seated on His throne, He is the word of God. He is our supernatural life from heaven while He is also the resurrection and the life.

King Messiah is the word of God in the flesh:

John 1:1 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (14) And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.”

King Messiah is manna from heaven:

John 6:49 “Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead. (50) This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die.

(51) I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.”

King Messiah is the resurrection and the life:

John 11:25 “Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: (26) And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?”

Veil of Separation

Exodus 26:33 “And thou shalt hang up the veil under the taches, that thou mayest bring in thither within the veil the ark of the testimony: and the veil shall divide unto you between the holy place and the most holy.”

In the previous temples and the tabernacle, between the holy place in the temple and the most holy place was a veil.  No one could look directly into the holy place where the Ark of the Covenant was located.  The high priest would go through the veil into the most holy place once a year to atone for the sin of the people.

Now through the death and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth, man is no longer separated from the holy God of Israel because of sin.  There is absolutely no need for a veil in King Messiah’s house to separate Him from His people.

Matthew 27:50 “Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost. (51) And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;”

Hebrews 10:19 “Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, (20) By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;”  

Menorah or Candlestick

Exodus 25:31 “And thou shalt make a candlestick of pure gold: of beaten work shall the candlestick be made...(37) And thou shalt make the seven lamps thereof: and they shall light the lamps thereof, that they may give light over against it.”

In the holy place of the tabernacle and the previous temples was the pure, golden menorah to give light.  The literal glory of the Messiah is going to light His house.  There will be no need for a menorah.  Of far greater importance than lighting the temple is King Messiah being the light of the world.  In the presence of King Messiah, there will be no spiritual darkness.  The menorah only pointed to the Messiah being the light of the world.

The following Scriptures show this:

Isaiah 2:4 “And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. (5) O house of Jacob, come ye, and let us walk in the light of the LORD.”

John 1:4 “In him was life; and the life was the light of men.”

John 8:12 “Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.”  

Table of Shewbread

“Exodus 25:23 “Thou shalt also make a table of shittim wood: two cubits shall be the length thereof, and a cubit the breadth thereof, and a cubit and a half the height thereof. (30) And thou shalt set upon the table Shewbread before me alway.”

In the holy place was a golden table with 12 loaves of unleavened bread placed on it. Bread is the staple of physical life.  King Messiah is the sustainer of both physical and spiritual life.  With the presence of King Messiah, there is no need for a Table of Shewbread.  He is the bread of life.

John 6:35 “And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.”  

Altar of Incense

Leviticus 16:12 “And he shall take a censer full of burning coals of fire from off the altar before the LORD, and his hands full of sweet incense beaten small, and bring it within the veil: (13) And he shall put the incense upon the fire before the LORD, that the cloud of the incense may cover the mercy seat that is upon the testimony, that he die not”

This altar was in the holy place just before the veil that separated the holy place from the most holy place.  It was used on the Day of Atonement as part of the ceremony to atone for sin.  With the presence of King Messiah and being under the New Covenant, it is no longer needed.

Hebrews 9:11 “But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building;

(12) Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.”

Laver of Brass

Exodus 30:18 “Thou shalt also make a laver of brass, and his foot also of brass, to wash withal: and thou shalt put it between the tabernacle of the congregation and the altar, and thou shalt put water therein.”

Between the altar of sacrifice and the entrance to the tabernacle was the laver of brass. The laver was a round and deep, bath like object.  A priests would cleanse themselves in it before entering into the tabernacle.  The washing of the body before ministering before the holy God of Israel was a picture of being spiritually clean.

Through the words of King Messiah, there is no longer a need for the laver.  Sinners become clean through His word and shed blood.  The Scriptures to show this follow:

Zechariah 13:1 “In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness.”

John 15:3 “Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.”

Ephesians 5:25 “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; (26) That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word”

Hebrews 10:21 “And having an high priest over the house of God; (22) Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.”

Israel will be sprinkled clean at the second coming of the Lord Jesus.  The sprinkling to cleanse Israel at the coming of the Messiah is very similar to the washing of water in the laver before coming into the presence of the LORD in the tabernacle.

The sprinkling of water is a picture of being made clean by the work of the Holy Spirit within a person’s heart.  It is cleansing of the heart from sin that makes a person clean before the holy God of Israel.  Washing with water in the laver is a picture of being cleansed by the word and Spirit of God under King Messiah.

The idea of the laver of brass will be fulfilled at the second coming of King Messiah when Israel will be made clean.  There will be no need for the laver in King Messiah’s house.   Israel will be clean and holy before Him.  The prophet Ezekiel very clearly shows how Israel is going to be cleansed.  This cleansing will occur when God places a new spiritual heart in a person.  The old heart of stone and sin is replaced with a heart of flesh.

Ezekiel 36:24 “For I will take you from among the heathen, and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into your own land. (25) Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you.

(26) A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.”  

Office of the High Priest

Leviticus 16:4 “He shall put on the holy linen coat, and he shall have the linen breeches upon his flesh, and shall be girded with a linen girdle, and with the linen mitre shall he be attired: these are holy garments; therefore shall he wash his flesh in water, and so put them on.”

God told Ezekiel to write what he witnessed and this would be the law of the temple. Ezekiel wrote about the priests ministering to the LORD.  He even described their dress, but there was no mention of the high priest.  With great detail, He mentions the priests ministering before the Lord and a description of their garments.  The priests are given instructions on how to dress when they minister before King Messiah.

The high priest normally wore beautifully colored garments with a breastplate and a mitre (turban) with a gold band inscribed on the front “Holiness To The Lord.”  On the Day of Atonement, he took off the beautiful garments and wore simple white garments when he went into the holy place.  The garments the high priest wore on this day were called holy garments.  This is the type of garments the priests will wear before King Messiah, holy garments.

Thus Ezekiel describes priests ministering before King Messiah, but there is no mention of a high priest.  The high priest or his special garments are never mentioned under the law of the temple.  The priests ministering before the Lord are always plural and not one can be identified as the high priest.

Ezekiel 44:17 “And it shall come to pass, that when they enter in at the gates of the inner court, they shall be clothed with linen garments; and no wool shall come upon them, whiles they minister in the gates of the inner court, and within. (18) They shall have linen bonnets upon their heads, and shall have linen breeches upon their loins; they shall not gird themselves with any thing that causeth sweat.”

When King Messiah is reigning there is no need for an Aaronic high priest.  He is the eternal high priest.  His eternal priesthood replaces the Aaronic high priest system.  There is no veil blocking the throne and therefore, no need for the sprinkling of blood on the mercy seat.  There is no Ark , but there is a throne.

The one who shed His blood to redeem mankind is sitting on the throne; therefore, He is now the eternal High Priest.  The priesthood will be under the Melchizedek high priest in the temple.

There has been a change in the priesthood from one of genealogy from Aaron, to King Messiah which is based on an oath.  Because of this there also has to be a change in the law.  The Melchizedek priesthood is under the New Covenant and not the law of Moses.  The Scriptures to show this follow:

Hebrews 7:11 “If therefore perfection were by the Levitical priesthood, (for under it the people received the law,) what further need was there that another priest should rise after the order of Melchisedec, and not be called after the order of Aaron? (12) For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law.

(15) “And it is yet far more evident: for that after the similitude of Melchisedec there ariseth another priest, (16) Who is made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life.”  

The One Item that Remains Under the Law of the Temple :

The Altar of Sacrifice

Ezekiel 43:15 “So the altar shall be four cubits; and from the altar and upward shall be four horns.”

The one item that carried over from the tabernacle is the altar of sacrifice.  This altar is described in great detail along with the sacrifices that are going to be offered on it.  The altar will be directly in front of the entrance to the temple.  King Messiah sitting on His throne will be able to watch the ceremony on the altar.  The priest offering the sacrifice will walk up the steps of the altar and face directly into the temple.  He can look through and see the Messiah sitting on his throne as he is conducting the ritual.

Under the New Covenant, God will remember sin no more; therefore, the offering made on this altar will be for memorials to what King Messiah did on the cross.

Jeremiah 31:31 “Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel , and with the house of Judah : (34)…for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.”

He will teach the full spiritual meaning of the altar and the sacrifices.  The nations will flow to Jerusalem to be taught the law of the temple by the Son of God sitting on His throne!

Micah 4:2 “And many nations shall come, and say, Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, and to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for the law shall go forth of Zion , and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem

King Messiah will teach how the entire tabernacle and law of the temple pointed to His coming.  He will teach how everything about the temple is holy.

Hebrews 10:10 “By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.”  

The Feasts of Israel

All items in the tabernacle pointed to King Messiah, so too, the seven feasts along with the Sabbath and new moon also point to Him.  Ezekiel identifies only three feasts that are a part of the temple law.  These feasts are Passover, Unleavened bread and Tabernacles.  There is no mention of the other feasts which were given under the law of Moses.  Those feasts are Firstfruits, Pentecost, Trumpets and the Day of Atonement.  All the feasts, whether mentioned or not, point to the person and ministry of King Messiah.

At this present time, four of the feasts have been fulfilled at the first coming of King Messiah.  These are: Passover, Unleavened bread, Firstfruits and Pentecost.  At King Messiah’s second coming the remaining three will be fulfilled.  All seven of the feasts together give the complete picture of the ministry of King Messiah.

John 5:39 “Search the Scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.”

Luke 24:44 “And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.”

All the Hebrew Scriptures point to King Messiah, the Branch of David.  The entire structure and ordinances of King Messiah’s house will be a teaching related to Him.  The law of the temple will be taught and not the law of Moses.  The Lord Jesus will teach the law of the temple to the people.

Ezekiel 43:12 “…This is the law of the house; Upon the top of the mountain the whole limit thereof round about shall be most holy. Behold, this is the law of the house.”

Isaiah 2:3 “And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.”

The Feasts Observed Under the Law of the Temple

Ezekiel reported only three of the feasts for the law of the temple.  These feasts are found in Ezekiel 45:21-24.  The feasts are Passover, Unleavened bread and Tabernacles.  Each one of these feasts has a direct tie to King Messiah.  They point to Him and His ministry.  The plan of God’s salvation for mankind can be seen in these feasts which are under the law of the temple.

The first feast that God gave to Moses was Passover-Unleavened bread and the last was Tabernacles.  The first and last of the feasts are the very ones to be observed under King Messiah.  Passover starts with deliverance from God’s judgment by the death and shed blood of the lamb placed on the door posts.  Tabernacles ends with the joyous harvest.  The harvest represents the multitude from the nations who now believe in Israel ’s King Messiah.  The feasts start with the death of the lamb and end with the gathering of the nations:

Zechariah 14:16 “And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles.”  

A review of The Three Feasts

Passover-Unleavened Bread

Exodus 12:13 “And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt . (14) And this day shall be unto you for a memorial; and ye shall keep it a feast to the LORD throughout your generations; ye shall keep it a feast by an ordinance for ever.”

Passover and Unleavened bread go together as feasts.  Passover shows how the children of Israel were protected when the judgment of death fell on Egypt .  The death of a lamb and then posting the blood on the door of the home caused the death angel to pass over that residence and spare the life of the first born.   Israel was protected from death because of the lamb that died in the place of the first born.

Moses instituted the Passover feast as a memorial to the deliverance of the children of Israel from Egypt .  The law of King Messiah’s house will observe Passover and Unleavened bread.  Passover will be a tremendous object lesson for King Messiah to teach the nations.  The first Passover was when the children of Israel were delivered from the judgment of the death angel on Egypt by the death and blood of the lamb.

Exodus 12:26 “And it shall come to pass, when your children shall say unto you, What mean ye by this service (27) That ye shall say, It is the sacrifice of the LORD’s passover, who passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt, when he smote the Egyptians, and delivered our houses...”

The Feast of Passover was to be kept as a memorial down through the generations by the command of the Scriptures.  The reason it was to be kept was because of the sacrifice that protected the children of Israel from the death angel.  The sacrifice of the lamb and its posted blood are the very heart of the Feast of Passover.  God wants the focus of Passover to be on the sacrifice, death of the lamb and the shed blood for protection.  The Lamb of God is now seated on the throne of David.  What a teaching lesson this will be for the people.  The Passover will be kept under the Law of the temple:

Ezekiel 45:21 “In the first month, in the fourteenth day of the month, ye shall have the passover, a feast of seven days; unleavened bread shall be eaten.”

John 1:29 “The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.”

The Lord’s Supper just before His crucifixion shows how Passover was a picture of His death.  Through the Lord’s death and shed blood, the people were delivered from the judgment for sin by King Messiah, the Lamb of God.  The Lord Jesus tied together the sacrifice of the Passover lamb and unleavened bread to Himself at the Last Supper.

1 Corinthians 11:23 “For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread: (24) And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you….”

The key to the Feast of Passover was the sacrifice of the lamb and the displaying of its shed blood.  This act delivered the children of Israel from the death angel.  The key to the New Covenant is the death and shed blood of King Messiah for deliverance from sin and eternal judgment.

In the law of the house, the Feast of Passover will be observed.  King Messiah, the LAMB of God, will sit on His throne in His temple and watch the Passover.  This is such a beautiful picture of our redemption from sin by His death and shed blood.

1 Corinthians 5:7 “Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:”

1 Peter 1:18 “Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; (19) But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:”

Leaven or yeast in the Bible is a picture of sin.  Leaven is a picture of sin permeating a person’s life and taking over.  Unleavened is a picture of holiness.  King Messiah is the bread of life.  He is without sin or leaven.  He is holy and without sin.

1 Corinthians 5:8 “Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.”  

Tabernacles

Leviticus 23:34 “Speak unto the children of Israel , saying, The fifteenth day of this seventh month shall be the feast of tabernacles for seven days unto the LORD.” (39) ...when ye have gathered in the fruit of the land, ye shall keep a feast unto the LORD”

This will be the last feast to be observed under the law of the Messiah’s house.  This feast is always observed at the end of the harvest which is around September-October.  This was to be a joyous feast with the completion of the harvest.  This feast was a type when King Messiah would reign and all the nations would worship before Him.  This feast will be a great joy.

Ezekiel 45:25 “In the seventh month, in the fifteenth day of the month, shall he do the like in the feast of the seven days,”

The reign of King Messiah will be just like a Feast of Tabernacles.  It will be a joyous time with plenty of food.  It will also be a joyous time as all the nations of the world come before King Messiah as a type of harvest.  The prophet Zechariah so clearly ties together the nations coming before the Lord with the Feast of Tabernacles.

Zechariah 14:16 “And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles.”

The bringing in of the physical harvest is a picture of the nations coming before the Lord Jesus.  In the law of God’s house, King Messiah will show how the Feast of Tabernacles is a picture of the great harvest of the nations that come before Him.  His reign will be one continuous Feast of Tabernacles!

The Sabbath and the Law of the Temple

Exodus 31:15 “Six days may work be done; but in the seventh is the Sabbath of rest, holy to the LORD: whosoever doeth any work in the Sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death.”

The Sabbath will be one of the main festivals under King Messiah.  According to the law of the house, the Sabbath will be kept.  The Sabbath is the perfect picture of the Messiah’s rule.  The Sabbath is a rest from work and a day to focus on God.  The Sabbath rest is viewed by God as a part of holiness before Him.

Ezekiel 44:24 “And in controversy they (priests) shall stand in judgment; and they shall judge it according to my judgments: and they shall keep my laws and my statutes in all mine assemblies; and they shall hallow my Sabbaths.”

The reign of King Messiah will be as a Sabbath rest.  The reign of the LORD is compared to a glorious rest.  There will be great peace and blessings not only for Israel but also for the entire world at this time.  Under King Messiah, all the nations shall be brought into God’s rest.

Isaiah 11:1 “And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots: (10) And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest shall be glorious.”

The entering of the children of Israel into the promised land is called entering into God’s rest.  Entering the promised land is a picture of resting under the authority and blessing of God.

Psalm 95:10 “Forty years long was I grieved with this generation, and said, It is a people that do err in their heart, and they have not known my ways: (11) Unto whom I sware in my wrath that they should not enter into my rest.”

When the LORD is reigning from His house, the entire world is going to be brought into His rest.  The Scriptures also show that God looks upon His rule from His house as His rest!

Psalm 132:13 “For the LORD hath chosen Zion ; he hath desired it for his habitation. (14) This is my rest for ever: here will I dwell; for I have desired it.”

God longs to dwell in His house and be amongst His people.  The prophet Zephaniah shows that this will bring such joy to God that He will actually sing in joy over the people. It is very possible that during every Sabbath the voice of the LORD will be heard singing from His throne in His house!  He longs to do this.

Zephaniah 3:17 “The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing.”

The Sabbath is a type of resting by faith in the Messiah.  During the Sabbath, one ceases from work.  When one believes in the Lord Jesus, he rests from his works.  The Sabbath is a picture of believing in the Lord and resting from the works of the law.

Hebrews 4:3 “For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world. (4) For he spake in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise, And God did rest the seventh day from all his works.”

King Messiah is the Sabbath rest.  The Sabbath is now a person and not a day.  This is a most important concept to grasp: that the Sabbath is not a day of the week, but it is fulfilled in the person of King Messiah.  The Sabbath points to resting by faith in the Lord Jesus for salvation.

Colossians 2:16 “Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the Sabbath days: (17) Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.”

During His reign, the Sabbath will be a special day with the LORD.  On non-Sabbath days, the people will be able to walk through the inner court and pass before the front of the house of the Lord.

Those that enter through the North gate will pass before the entrance of the house and perhaps get a glimpse of the LORD on His throne as they exit through the South gate. Those that enter from the South gate will do the same and then exit through the North gate.  There will be two lines of people passing before the entrance of the temple on non-Sabbath days.

On the Sabbath day, the Eastern gate of the inner court is opened.  The Eastern gate of the outer court is permanently closed.  It is closed on every day except the Sabbath. People will be allowed to enter into the inner court through the Eastern gate and congregate there.  This means they will be able to look directly through the front door of the temple, which faces east, and then into the most holy place where the Lord Jesus is seated on His throne in His glory.  What a special day this is going to be!  The Scriptures to show this follow:

Ezekiel 46:1 “Thus saith the Lord GOD; The gate of the inner court that looketh toward the east shall be shut the six working days; but on the Sabbath it shall be opened, and in the day of the new moon it shall be opened.

(3) Likewise the people of the land shall worship at the door of this gate before the LORD in the Sabbaths and in the new moons.”

King Messiah reigning from His house is going to be a Sabbath rest for both the Jew and the Gentile.  There will be peace between God and man.  Sin, as it is now, will be unknown during this time.  Holiness will be the order.  There will be no wars among the nations.  There will be an abundant supply of food for everyone.  Even nature will be changed as a child will be able to put his hand in a viper’s den with no danger and the lion will lie down with the lamb.

The Four Missing Feasts of Israel

The feasts that are not mentioned all have significant importance in showing the ministry of King Messiah.  The feasts that are not mentioned are: Firstfruits, Pentecost, Trumpets and the Day of Atonement.  Let’s examine these feasts and see how they fit the ministry of King Messiah.

Feast of Firstfruits

Leviticus 23:10 “Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye be come into the land which I give unto you, and shall reap the harvest thereof, then ye shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest unto the priest: (11) And he shall wave the sheaf before the LORD, to be accepted for you: on the morrow after the Sabbath the priest shall wave it.”

This feast was celebrated the day after the Sabbath following Passover.  It was to dedicate the first of the barley harvest.  The feasts of Pentecost and Tabernacles would also involve harvests.  These three harvest feasts would all be a picture of the ministry of King Messiah.  Firstfruits directly follows the slaying of the lamb on Passover.  It is a picture of the Messiah’s resurrection after the Passover.  He is the first to be resurrected from the dead and the other harvest feasts show there will be multitudes following Him.  These multitudes following Him in resurrection are the members of His church.

1 Corinthians 15:20 “But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. (23) But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming.”

With the presence of King Messiah on His throne, there will be no need for this feast.  Ezekiel did not report it; therefore, it is not a law of the temple.  The Scripture showing the Feast of Firstfruits follows:

Colossians 1:18 “And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.”

Feast of Weeks or Pentecost

Deuteronomy 16:9 “Seven weeks shalt thou number unto thee: begin to number the seven weeks from such time as thou beginnest to put the sickle to the corn. (10) And thou shalt keep the feast of weeks unto the LORD thy God…”

The Feast of Pentecost follows Firstfruits.  It follows 50 days after the Passover Sabbath. This feast is to dedicate the firstfruits of the wheat harvest.  It is a foreshadow of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost.  Jesus of Nazareth rose from the dead on the Feast of Firstfruits and the Holy Spirit was poured out 50 days later on Pentecost to bring in the harvest of the church.

Thus the bringing in of the harvest at Pentecost was a foreshadow of the harvest that would begin under the first coming of King Messiah.  The harvest of Pentecost has continued to this day.  The Scriptures to show this follow:

Acts 2:1 “And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. (2) And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.

(41) “Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.”

Feast of Trumpets

Leviticus 23:24 “Speak unto the children of Israel , saying, In the seventh month, in the first day of the month, shall ye have a Sabbath, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, an holy convocation.”

The trumpet is used in Scripture to announce the coming presence of God.  When the LORD came down to Mount Sinai to give the law, His coming was preceded by an incredible trumpet blast.  The seventh month of the Hebrew calendar starts with the feast of Trumpets and the blast of the shofar.  The Day of Atonement and then Tabernacles follow this feast.  The Feast of Trumpets warns of the coming judgment and the reign of the Messiah during the period of the Feast of Tabernacles (Zechariah 14:16).

Exodus 19:16 “And it came to pass on the third day in the morning, that there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the mount, and the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud; so that all the people that was in the camp trembled.

(19) And when the voice of the trumpet sounded long, and waxed louder and louder, Moses spake, and God answered him by a voice.”

The blowing of trumpets will also herald the coming of King Messiah.  The reign of King Messiah will be announced by the blowing of trumpets just as God’s presence was announced at Mount Sinai .  This feast will have been fulfilled at the second coming of the Lord Jesus when His coming is announced with an awesome blowing of the trumpet.

With the presence of King Messiah seated on His throne in His house, there will be no need for the Feast of Trumpets.  The King has arrived and is in the midst of His people.

Matthew 24:30 “And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. (31) And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet…”

Day of Atonement

Leviticus 23:27 “Also on the tenth day of this seventh month there shall be a day of atonement: it shall be an holy convocation unto you; and ye shall afflict your souls, and offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD.”

Ezekiel recorded how King Messiah’s house will be cleansed.  According to the law of the temple, on the first day of the first month (March/April), a bullock will be sacrificed for sin and its blood placed on the outside of the temple on the posts, the four corners of the altar and the gates to the inner court.  This procedure will also be done on the seventh day of the month for all simple errors and acts of foolishness.  This is not for willful sin against the LORD.

Ezekiel 45:18 “…In the first month, in the first day of the month, thou shalt take a young bullock without blemish, and cleanse the sanctuary: (19} And the priest shall take of the blood of the sin offering, and put it upon the posts of the house, and upon the four corners of the settle of the altar, and upon the posts of the gate of the inner court.

(20) And so thou shalt do the seventh day of the month for every one that erreth, and for him that is simple: so shall ye reconcile the house.”

These actions together will reconcile the temple.  The blood being placed on the outside of the temple and the inner gate of the court, plus repeating this procedure seven days later for sin, will cleanse and reconcile the temple for the errors of the people and for the person that acts simple.

This is very important to realize that under the law of the temple, the reconciliation is for mistakes and not willful sin against the LORD.  The law of the temple is for him that “erreth” and for him that is “simple.”  There is no reconciliation for willful sin and rebellion against God under the law of the temple.  This will be shown shortly.

Comparing the law of the temple with the law of Moses shows a tremendous difference in how the temple is cleansed.  The tabernacle was cleansed on the Day of Atonement by a radically different ritual.  The cleansing of the house under the law of the temple shows that the Day of Atonement has ceased.

King Messiah sitting on His throne has replaced the Day of Atonement.  It is the shed blood of the Lord Jesus that first cleansed the temple in heaven and then the one on earth.  This was a permanent cleansing.

Hebrew 9:23 “It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. (24) For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us:

The Day of Atonement takes place on the tenth day of the seventh month (September/October).  On the Day of Atonement, the tabernacle was cleansed by the high priest bringing blood inside the veil into the most holy place.  The high priest would sprinkle the blood on the top of the Ark of the Covenant.  No blood would be sprinkled on the outside of the tabernacle nor on any entrance to it.

The altar of incense and the Ark were both very important on this day.  The high priest took incense from this altar and filled the room with a cloud.  The blood of a goat and bullock sprinkled on the Ark inside the most holy place cleansed the tabernacle of sin and transgression.  The Scriptures to show this follow:

The feast is observed during the seventh month on the tenth day.  Under King Messiah the cleansing will be on the first day of the first month.

The Law of Moses:

Leviticus 23:27 “Also on the tenth day of this seventh month there shall be a day of atonement: it shall be an holy convocation unto you; and ye shall afflict your souls, and offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD.”

The Law of the Temple :

Ezekiel 45:18 “Thus saith the Lord GOD; In the first month, in the first day of the month, thou shalt take a young bullock without blemish, and cleanse the sanctuary:”

Both the incense and altar were needed on this day.  There is no Altar of Incense in the Messiah’s house.

Leviticus 16:12 “And he shall take a censer full of burning coals of fire from off the altar before the LORD, and his hands full of sweet incense beaten small, and bring it within the veil:”

Only the high priest could perform this ritual.  There is no Aaronic high priest under the law of the temple.

Leviticus 16:2 “And the LORD said unto Moses, Speak unto Aaron thy brother, that he come not at all times into the holy place within the veil before the mercy seat, which is upon the ark; that he die not: for I will appear in the cloud upon the mercy seat.”

The blood of a goat and bullock sprinkled inside the most holy place atoned/reconciled the tabernacle.  Under the law of the temple there is no goat involved and the blood is placed on the outside of the temple and not brought into the inside.  The Scriptures showing the irreconcilable differences between the law of Moses and the law of King Messiah’s House follow:

The law of Moses:

Leviticus 16:15 “Then shall he kill the goat of the sin offering, that is for the people, and bring his blood within the veil, and do with that blood as he did with the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it upon the mercy seat, and before the mercy seat:

(16) And he shall make an atonement for the holy place, because of the uncleanness of the children of Israel , and because of their transgressions in all their sins: and so shall he do for the tabernacle of the congregation, that remaineth among them in the midst of their uncleanness.”

The law of King Messiah’s House:

Ezekiel 45:18 “Thus saith the Lord GOD; In the first month, in the first day of the month, thou shalt take a young bullock without blemish, and cleanse the sanctuary: (19) And the priest shall take of the blood of the sin offering, and put it upon the posts of the house, and upon the four corners of the settle of the altar, and upon the posts of the gate of the inner court.

(20) And so thou shalt do the seventh day of the month for every one that erreth, and for him that is simple: so shall ye reconcile the house.”

Under the law of Moses, all the iniquities, sins and transgressions of the people were atoned by sprinkling blood on the mercy seat and confessing all sin over the scapegoat by the high priest.  Under the law of the temple, only errors of the people are reconciled.  There is no mention under the law of the temple of being cleansed from iniquity.

The method for reconciliation will be placing blood on the outside of the temple and not on the mercy seat in the most holy place.  There will be no Ark under the law of the temple so how can the Day of Atonement be performed without the Ark ?

At the end of Yom Kippur, the nation was clean before the LORD as all the iniquities, transgressions and the death and shed blood of the bullock and the goats atoned for sins of the people.  All the ceremonies of Yom Kippur ended in the nation being clean before the holy God of Israel.

Leviticus 16:21 “And Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live goat, and confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions in all their sins, putting them upon the head of the goat, and shall send him away by the hand of a fit man into the wilderness: (22) And the goat shall bear upon him all their iniquities…”

There is no indication under the law of the temple of Israel being made holy, righteous or clean after the rituals.  The blood being placed on the outside of the temple, will be a testimony to the shed blood of King Messiah seated on His throne in the most holy place. Israel will be clean and holy after King Messiah purges them of their sin and uncleanness. The Scriptures to show this follow:

Israel was clean under the law of Moses by the rituals of Yom Kippur:

Leviticus 16:30 “For on that day shall the priest make an atonement for you, to cleanse you, that ye may be clean from all your sins before the LORD.”

Israel will be holy when King Messiah purges them of their sin:

Isaiah 4:2 “In that day shall the branch of the LORD be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the earth shall be excellent and comely for them that are escaped of Israel . (3) And it shall come to pass, that he that is left in Zion , and he that remaineth in Jerusalem , shall be called holy, even every one that is written among the living in Jerusalem :

(4) When the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion , and shall have purged the blood of Jerusalem from the midst thereof by the spirit of judgment, and by the spirit of burning.”

The law of the temple will be radically different from the law of Moses.  The change is so radical only the New Covenant and King Messiah sitting on His throne can explain it.  The placing of the blood on the outside of the temple shows that the Day of Atonement will no longer be observed.

Under the law of the temple, there will be no Aaronic high priest; no altar of incense, no menorah and no table of shewbread.  There will be no veil separating the most holy place and no Ark of the Covenant.  Even the day of cleansing the temple is radically different.  It was moved from the seventh month-tenth day to the first month-first day.  The Day of Atonement cannot be observed under the law of the temple.

King Messiah seated on His throne has replaced the Ark of the Covenant.  There will be no need to sprinkle blood on His throne.  King Messiah already shed His blood and sprinkled it in the holy place in heaven forever.  The “blood” is sitting on the “Mercy Seat” which is the throne of David.

The blood being placed on the outside of the temple is symbolic of what King Messiah had accomplished on the cross.  The blood placed on the gate of the inner court will be a witness to all who pass by of the shed blood of Jesus for sin.

The Day of Atonement was fulfilled at the first coming of the Lord Jesus.  The temple on earth was just a type of the one in heaven.  It is the shed blood of King Messiah sprinkled in the heavenly temple which reconciled man to the holy God of Israel.  The temple on earth is the shadow, while the one in heaven is real.  The Book of Hebrews shows this:

Hebrews 9:11 “But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; (12) Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.”

Thus the reconciliation of the temple in Ezekiel 45:18-20 is a memorial to the shed blood of the Lord Jesus.  It will be a visible witness to the people that they are already reconciled.  God does not require perfection, but a willing heart.  The reconciliation of His house shows the people are free to come before Him even if they have made an error.  Remember, the Lord Jesus is going to be in His glory.  It could be difficult for people, who are born during His reign, to accept that God is not against them if they do something foolish.

Think forward to the time when the Lord is reigning in His glory in His magnificent temple.  It could be difficult for people to accept that if they do something foolish they can be reconciled with God who is in His glory seated on His throne.  The rituals of the law of the temple are visible proof to the people at this time that they are reconciled with God.  They do not have to feel separated from Him.

By John McTernan: Defend and Proclaim the Faith
Blog: John McTernan's Insights at www.johnmcternan.name