Shelley Neese's Blog

For the past four years, we’ve embarked on a deep, chapter-by-chapter exploration of prophetic texts often overlooked by many readers—from the twelve minor prophets to the reformers Ezra and Nehemiah, and the major prophet Ezekiel. Now, we are embarking on a one-year sprint through the foundational texts of our faith: the first five books of the Bible, the Torah. Our first reading is called Bereishit and covers Genesis 1:1–6:8.

This series is structured around the Jewish reading cycle. According to Jewish tradition, some 2,500 years ago, Ezra the Scribe established an annual reading schedule that divides the Torah—the books of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy—into 54 weekly portions. In Hebrew, those portions are called parashot. By following this centuries-old calendar, we will complete the entire Torah in one year. This isn’t just a reading plan; it’s an invitation to join an ancient and ongoing Bible Reading Challenge. I hope to build a bridge between the Bible conversations happening around Christian tables on Sunday lunches and the Shabbat tables of our Jewish friends and neighbors.

Like the Bible Fiber studies of the prophets, this new series will maintain a similar focus—less on personal life application and more on detailed textual exploration. Genesis is the most read book in the Bible because it’s where most people’s journey through the Bible begins and, sadly, where it often stalls out. This podcast, much like Bible Fiber has always done, will serve as your weekly encouragement to stay on track. We’ll find a way to get through the laws of Leviticus and the long sections on how to treat domestic mold. I promise that every section, no matter how obscure it may seem, holds an exciting truth and has a reason for us to celebrate the richness of Scripture.

Bereishit: The Creation Account

This week, we begin a new cycle of readings with Bereishit (Genesis 1:1–6:8), the very first Torah portion, which covers the creation account.

The first few verses of the Bible are simple: “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.” From chaos, God brought order, life, and light. What is particularly striking is the meticulous, step-by-step process of creation. On the first day, God separates light from darkness, establishing the very first distinction in the universe. On the second, He divides the waters, creating the expanse we call sky. Days three through six see the filling of these spaces with vegetation, celestial bodies, and all living creatures. The narrative builds to a crescendo, culminating in the creation of humanity on the sixth day.

This rhythmic, orderly account stands in stark contrast to the chaotic and violent creation myths of other ancient Near Eastern cultures. While their gods fought battles to create the world from the bodies of defeated foes, our God creates through pure speech, through a divine and peaceful command.

C.S. Lewis’s depiction of Narnia’s creation in The Magician’s Nephew is a deliberate and allegorical parallel to the biblical creation narrative. Just as God spoke creation into existence, Aslan sung Narnia into existence:

It was a Lion. Huge, shaggy, and bright it stood facing the risen sun. Its mouth was wide open in song and it was about three hundred yards away… And as he walked and sang the valley grew green with grass. It spread out from the Lion like a pool. It ran up the sides of the little hills like a wave… Soon there were other things besides grass. The slopes grew dark with heather… And when he burst into a rapid series of lighter notes she was not surprised to see primroses suddenly appearing in every direction… But now the song had once more changed. It was more like what we should call a tune, but it was also far wilder. It made you want to run and jump and climb… Showers of birds came out of the trees. Butterflies fluttered. Bees got to work on the flowers as if they hadn’t a second to lose… And now you could hardly hear the song of the Lion; there was so much cawing, cooing, crowing, braying, neighing, baying, barking, lowing, bleating, and trumpeting… Then there came a swift flash like a fire (but it burnt nobody) either from the sky or from the Lion itself, and every drop of blood tingled in the children’s bodies, and the deepest, wildest voice they had ever heard was saying: ‘Narnia, Narnia, Narnia, awake. Love. Think. Speak. Be walking trees. Be talking beasts. Be divine waters.’

Lewis painted a picture, like Genesis, of creation coming through a beautiful divine expression and effortless power. The world is not the result of a difficult, manual laboring process, but of a sovereign decree.

Created in God’s Image

The Bible says God formed Adam from the dust of the ground. This difference—being formed rather than spoken into existence—is a major point of Jewish rabbinic commentary. Why were humans formed and not just created from nothing like everything else? A common teaching is that this act of direct creation from dust highlights the intimacy and vulnerability of our relationship with God. The great rabbinic commentator, Rashi, notes that Adam was formed from the earth so that humanity would not think it was of a higher, divine origin. We are of the earth, a part of creation. Yet, we are also unique, as we are the only part of creation “made in the image of God.”

This phrase, “in the image of God” (b’tselem Elohim), is one of the most important concepts in both Jewish and Christian theology. It is the Bible’s very first description of humanity. Being made in God’s image is both a blessing and a responsibility. We are to bear His image into the world and care for His image in our treatment of others.

The First Sin and the First Choice

This idea of choice is central to the second half of the Torah portion, with the story of the Garden of Eden. The serpent tempts Eve by asking, “Did God really say…?” This is the first question in the Bible, and it immediately puts the authority of God’s word into doubt. The serpent doesn’t lie outright but he twists the truth, making the fruit appear to be the key to knowledge and godhood. The serpent’s strategy was to sow seeds of mistrust between God and His image bearers.

The sin of Adam and Eve was not merely eating a piece of fruit. It was a choice to seek knowledge and wisdom apart from God’s guidance. They chose their own way over God’s way, and in doing so, brought a fundamental brokenness into creation. Their punishment was not just expulsion from the garden, but a life of toil, pain, and distance from God. This separation, however, is not final. God makes a way for them, providing them with clothes and promising a future redemption through the seed of the woman.

Christian theology diverges from Jewish tradition in our interpretation of Adam and Eve’s sin in the garden. In Judaism, Adam’s sin is seen as a catastrophic moral error that introduced mortality, suffering, and a heightened struggle into the world, but it did not corrupt the moral nature of his descendants.

In Christian teaching, Adam’s sin represents the Fall of Man. That Original Sin caused the spiritual disease that is inherited by all humans. Because every person is born morally incapacitated, they are incapable of initiating their own salvation or perfectly obeying God’s commandments or keeping God’s standard without an act of divine Grace.

Although Christians believe humans are inherently guilty, we also know the solution is redemption and rebirth. Only the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ, seen as the perfect and unblemished “image of the invisible God,” can remedy the inherited guilt and corruption and restore us to the intended relationship with God.

Apostle Paul: The New Self

The Apostle Paul gives Christians their marching orders for what it means to fulfill our original purpose in being God’s image bearers, but to do so through the sanctification of Jesus.

In his letter to the Colossians, Paul wrote:

“Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.”

Bereishit sets the stage for everything that follows in the Bible. It introduces a God of order and care, a humanity created in His image with the power of choice, and the devastating consequences of that choice. It shows us that even in our moments of brokenness, God’s love and redemptive plan are still at work, as seen in the promise of a future redeemer and the preservation of a remnant of humanity. This weekly portion is more than just a historical account; it is a narrative about our identity as God’s creatures, the sacredness of our free will, and the enduring hope of redemption. It invites us into a unending dialogue about who we are and who God is.

Conclusion

Being made in the image of God is what allows us to know and be known by our Creator. As we go into our week, let’s ask ourselves: How can we bear the image of God in our world and care for others who bear that same image?

That’s it for this week. Join me next week in reading Genesis 6:9–11:32, the portion on Noah and the Flood.

Shabbat Shalom and Am Yisrael Chai.

The post Bereishit (Genesis 1:1–6:8) appeared first on Shelley Neese.

So far, Bible Fiber has done deep dives into the twelve minor prophets, Ezra and Nehemiah, and the major prophet Ezekiel. But I want to give a little nod to a few nonwriting and lesser-known prophets in the Bible. These are the prophets without their own books.

Non-writing Prophets

Prophets in the Bible who did not write their own books are often referred to as non-writing prophets. Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel’s prophecies were compiled into dedicated biblical books. The ministries of non-writing prophets are instead recorded within the historical narratives of other books, like Kings and Chronicles. Their primary role was to deliver God’s message to kings and the people of Israel and Judah. Their ministries were frequently characterized by bold confrontations with idol worship and corrupt rulers.

Two of the most prominent examples of non-writing prophets are Elijah and his successor, Elisha. Elijah is a major figure in the Books of Kings. He is known for his dramatic confrontation with the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel, where he called fire down from heaven. Another significant miracle was when he raised the son of a widow from the dead. He also miraculously provided a widow with a never-ending supply of flour and oil to sustain her and her son during a severe drought. When Elijah’s time came, God spared him from death, carrying him up to heaven in a chariot of fire.

Elisha was the successor to the prophet Elijah, inheriting a “double portion” of his spirit. His miracles often focused on helping non-Israelites who willingly called on the name of Yahweh. Through God’s power, he provided a widow with a seemingly endless supply of oil to pay her debts and raised the son of a kind and gracious Shunammite woman from the dead. Elisha famously healed the Syrian commander Naaman of leprosy by telling him to wash seven times in the Jordan River. Elisha also performed a miracle with Elijah’s cloak, parting the Jordan River as Elijah had done just moments before he was taken to heaven.

Another significant non-writing prophet is Nathan. When King David committed had an affair with Bathsheba and tried to kill her husband, Nathan rebuked David. Even though David was the strongest king to ever sit on Judah’s throne, he humbly submitted to the condemnations of Nathan, who clearly spoke from the Lord.

Gad, often referred to as “David’s seer,” was a personal prophet to King David. He is mentioned in the books of Samuel and Chronicles. It was Gad who rebuked David after the wrong-headed census. As described in 2 Samuel 24 and 1 Chronicles 21, King David, for reasons not fully explained, ordered a census of all the fighting men in Israel and Judah. This act was considered a sin, and God was displeased.

After the census was completed, David’s conscience troubled him, and he confessed his sin to the Lord. The census showed a lack of faith in God’s protection; it was merely a display of his own military strength. It was then that the prophet Gad was sent to him with a message from God. Gad presented David with three options for punishment: a choice of seven years of famine, three months of being pursued by his enemies, or three days of a plague in the land. David, recognizing that it was better to fall into the hands of God’s mercy than the hands of men, chose the plague.

As the plague raged, killing 70,000 men, the Lord’s angel of destruction was poised over Jerusalem. Gad instructed David to go to the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite to build an altar to the Lord and offer a sacrifice. This threshing floor was later used by King Solomon to build the Temple.

Ahijah was a prophet who lived in the city of Shiloh during the time of King Solomon. His most famous prophecy was delivered to Jeroboam. In a significant event recorded in 1 Kings 11:29-39, Ahijah tore his cloak into twelve pieces and gave ten pieces to Jeroboam. The Bible states that the Lord was angry with Solomon because his heart had turned away from God. Solomon had been led astray by his foreign wives, building places of worship for their gods and practicing idolatry. Because of Solomon’s unfaithfulness, God decided to tear the kingdom from his hands. However, out of His covenant promise to King David, God chose not to do this during Solomon’s lifetime. Instead, he chose Jeroboam to become the ruler of ten of the twelve tribes of Israel after Solomon’s death. Ahijah’s message, symbolized by the tearing of the cloak, was a divine announcement of this impending division.

Micaiah was a prophet known for his courage in standing alone against King Ahab and his 400 false prophets. The story is found in 1 Kings 22. When King Ahab and King Jehoshaphat of Judah were deciding whether to go to war, all 400 of Ahab’s prophets gave a favorable prophecy, encouraging the king to attack. The king summoned the prophet Micaiah. Micaiah first sarcastically agreed with the other prophets, but his mocking tone was so clear that King Ahab immediately recognized it and insisted he “speak to me nothing but the truth in the name of the Lord.” When pressed, Micaiah delivered God’s true message: that Ahab would be defeated and killed in the upcoming battle. For speaking this unpopular truth, Micaiah was thrown into prison.

Uriah: A Prophetic Warning

The prophet Uriah son of Shemaiah is a figure referenced in the book of Jeremiah. Uriah delivered a powerful message of judgment against Jerusalem during a chaotic time. King Jehoiakim responded to Uriah’s negativity with intense fury. Uriah had no choice but to flee Israel for his life, running all the way to Egypt. But the king was so determined to silence him that he sent a group of men to track him down. They captured Uriah, dragged him back, and the king had him executed. It was a brutal end for a man who simply spoke God’s message.

You might wonder why we don’t have a whole book from Uriah, like we do for Jeremiah. The Bible tells us that his story, brief as it is, was so important to include because it showed just how much danger prophets faced. Unlike Jeremiah, Uriah likely didn’t have scribes to write down his prophecies, and his ministry was tragically cut short. For thousands of years, his story was just a few lines in a much larger narrative. But here’s where it gets interesting: about 2,500 years later, archaeologists started digging up artifacts that illuminated Jeremiah and Uriah’s prophecies.

The Lachish Ostraca: A Glimpse into a War-Torn World

Archaeologists digging at Lachish discovered a collection of letters from the final days of the Kingdom of Judah, before the Babylonian attack. It was written on broken pieces of pottery called Lachish Ostraca. Think of them as postcards from a war zone. They’re not official history books; they’re the hurried, sometimes desperate, correspondence between a commander named Hoshaiah at an outpost and his superior, Yaush, at the fortress of Lachish.

These letters are filled with the kind of details that bring history to life. They talk about mundane military reports, but also the very real anxieties of a nation under siege by the Babylonians. One letter, known as Ostracon 3, gives us a fascinating glimpse into the tensions of the time. In it, the commander complains about a prophet whose words are “weakening the hands” of the people and the army. We can’t know for sure if this letter is about Jeremiah, Uriah, or another prophet who saw the coming threat. Still, it’s a powerful sign that figures like them were real, active voices during this chaotic time. In Jeremiah 38:4, officials complained that his prophecies are “discouraging the soldiers who are left in this city, and the people, by speaking such things to them.”

Perhaps most remarkably, one of the letters mentions an army commander named Coniah son of Elnathan who went to Egypt. This is a potential connection to the Elnathan mentioned in the Bible, who King Jehoiakim sent to Egypt to capture Uriah. It’s not a direct confirmation, but it is interesting that an Elnathan figure was active in the very same context as Uriah’s story—and dealing with the very same foreign power, Egypt. The Lachish Ostraca don’t just validate Uriah’s existence; they pull back the curtain and show us the dangerous world in which Jeremiah and Uriah lived and died.

When we look at the story of Uriah and Jeremiah, we see a society that was fundamentally at odds with itself. On one side, you had prophets who were sounding the alarm—not just predicting a future disaster, but calling for a return to justice, righteousness, and faithfulness. They were seen as negative and unpatriotic because they spoke against the king and the nation’s prevailing policies. On the other side, you had the ruling class who chose to ignore those warnings, seeing the prophets as a political threat to be eliminated. King Jehoiakim wasn’t interested in truth; he was interested in maintaining power.

This tension between those who see a coming threat and those who deny it isn’t unique to biblical times. Every society, at one point or another, has faced this kind of division. There are always those who feel a spiritual obligation to speak difficult truths, warning against a dangerous path. And there are always others who, for various reasons—whether it’s comfort, power, or pride—dismiss those warnings. The lesson from history, from the story of Uriah and many others, is that ignoring the alarm doesn’t make the danger go away. But still our hope is in the Lord. Even the weeping prophet Jeremiah promised, “They will fight against you but will not overcome you, for I am with you to rescue you” (Jer. 1:19).

That’s it! I wanted to take a moment to shine some light on the prophets without their own books but who absolutely function in Israel’s world as megaphones for God’s word. Thank you for listening! On October 17, we are launching our brand-new series. We are doing a one-year sprint through the Torah, following the weekly reading calendar that the Jewish people have used for hundreds and hundreds of years.

Shabbat Shalom and Am Israel Chai.

The post Bible Fiber: The prophets without books appeared first on Shelley Neese.

Welcome to Bible Fiber, where we explore the textures and shades of the biblical tapestry through the Twelve Minor Prophets, two reformers, and one exile. I’m Shelley Neese, president of The Jerusalem Connection, a Christian organization dedicated to sharing the stories of Israel’s people, both ancient and modern. I’m also the author of the book Bible Fiber, a 52-week study of the Twelve Minor Prophets, available on Amazon. This week, we are reading the last section of Ezekiel 47 and all of chapter 48. It is our final episode on Ezekiel—our first major prophet and it has taken over a year to go through the dense book chapter by chapter. As much as I have enjoyed this process, these last few episodes have been like preparing for my final exam of a tough graduate school course. But we are pushing to the finish line.

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New Boundaries

The prophet’s final recorded revelation is a divine mandate on how the land of Israel will be divided among the tribes once they are restored to the land. This vision is a powerful message of hope and divine faithfulness to a people in despair. The Israelites had lost their land and their temple, and this meticulous oracle of restoration was a promise that God had not abandoned His people or forgotten His covenant promises.

The passage begins by emphasizing that the division of the land must incorporate the twelve tribes, with Joseph receiving two portions to account for the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh (47:13-14). Within the specified borders of Israel, each of the twelve tribes is to receive an equal portion.

As the text proceeds, it provides detailed descriptions of the borders: the northern boundary encompassing landmarks from the Mediterranean Sea across to Hethlon, Lebo-Hamath, and Zedad (47:15-17); the eastern boundary stretching from Hauran and Damascus along the Jordan River to the Dead Sea (47:18); the southern boundary extending from Tamar to the waters of Meribah Kadesh and along the wadi of Egypt to the Mediterranean Sea (47:19); and finally, the western boundary, which is simply described as the Mediterranean Sea itself (47:20).

The passage concludes with God affirming that this land distribution shall be the inheritance for the tribes of Israel (47:21). God will restore Israel’s national integrity and secure their future in the promised land. Each tribe has a rightful place under God’s covenant.

Tribal Portions

Ezekiel 48 goes into even more granular detail about the land allocations. Ezekiel starts with the northern tribes and moves towards the south. The northernmost portions are given to Dan first, and then followed by Asher, Naphtali, Manasseh, Ephraim, Reuben, and Judah (48:1-7). Each tribe receives a strip of land extending from the eastern to the western borders.

Central to the chapter is the allotment for the sacred district, set apart for Judah and Benjamin (48:8-14). This district includes an area for the sanctuary, territory for the priests and Levites, and land for the city and its surrounding open space. The city is known as “The Lord is There” or “Yahweh Shammah” (48:15-20, 35). This new order is not just about a geographical return but about the restoration of Israel’s national and religious identity under God’s direct sovereignty.

The passage continues by detailing the remaining tribal allocations from Benjamin to Gad, each receiving land south of the sacred district (48:23-28). The chapter concludes with a summary of the city’s gates named after the twelve tribes (48:30-34).

The grand message is that God is faithful and he longs for a future covenant land that is centered around worship. The chapter closes by reiterating the name of the city as “The Lord is There.” The name encapsulates the ultimate goal of Ezekiel’s visions—reestablishing the connection between God and His people in a harmonious, divinely ordered society.

The final distribution of the land, therefore, is not just a political act; it is the establishment of a new, holy, and life-giving environment for a restored Israel. The land itself is sanctified by the presence of the temple and the life-giving river. The future inheritance is not a return to the flawed past, but the beginning of a new, righteous era under God’s rule.

Previous Tribal Allotments

The theme of tribal allotments is not unique to Ezekiel 48. Earlier land distributions were presented to the people in Numbers 26:53-56 and Joshua 18:6-10. These earlier passages provide the historical context necessary to understand the significance of Ezekiel’s vision during the exilic and post-exilic period.Numbers outlines the divvying of land among the tribes of Israel as they prepared to enter the Promised Land. The allocation was based on the size of each tribe.

In Joshua, the actual division of land occurs as Israel settles in Canaan. The land was central to Israel’s identity and covenant relationship with Yahweh. They cast lots for the land because they fully relied on God’s guidance in determining each tribe’s inheritance.

In the wake of the Babylonian exile, Ezekiel knew that the return to the land and the re-establishment of tribal identities necessitated a careful approach to land allocation. The people faced the challenge of reclaiming their ancestral lands, which may have been lost or occupied during their absence. (We studied about this in Ezra and Nehemiah.)

The context of exile and the need for restoration permeate the chapter. The land is not only a physical possession, but a sacred inheritance tied to the covenant between God and His people.

Conclusion

Ezekiel’s vision of tribal allotments in chapter 48 is deeply rooted in the historical accounts found in Numbers and Joshua, yet it transforms and revitalizes these themes for a community returning from exile. The intent is to reaffirm their identity and relationship with God while facilitating a practical means of reestablishing a communal and covenant-oriented society.

That’s it for Ezekiel!!! Thank you for listening! We made it! I know what we are doing next in Bible Fiber and it is a whole new kind of challenge. But I am going to save that announcement for later. Right now, I want to savor in the completion of our first Major Prophet!

Shabbat Shalom and Am Israel Chai.

The post Bible Fiber: Ezekiel 47:13–48:3 appeared first on Shelley Neese.

This week, we’re reading Ezekiel 47:1-12. We are still in the last eight chapters of Ezekiel, the prophet’s concluding vision that offers a message of hope following the book’s devastating oracles of judgment. In Ezekiel 47, the prophet, along with his angelic guide, witnesses a river of living water flowing from the temple.

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They first encounter water “flowing from below the entryway of the temple toward the east” (47:1). They then move outside the temple’s perimeter toward the east gate. Although this gate had previously been sealed shut, water trickles from beneath it onto the south side (47:2).

Ezekiel and his guide follow the river as it runs away from the temple. The angel, still equipped with a measuring cord, notes their distance from the temple courts. As they venture further from the temple, the water progressively deepens. At 1,000 cubits (about 1,500 feet or 457 meters) from the entrance, the water reaches ankle depth (47:3). At 2,000 cubits, it is knee-deep. At 3,000 cubits, the water reaches waist height, prompting the prophet to wade through it (47:4). Beyond that point, the river becomes an impassable torrent. Fully immersed in his vision, Ezekiel explains, “For the water had risen; it was deep enough to swim in, a river that could not be crossed” (47:5). Only at that moment does the angelic guide speak to Ezekiel, asking, “Mortal, have you seen this?” (47:6).

Soaked from the waist down, Ezekiel and the guide sit on the riverbank. Ezekiel observes that “a great many trees” were growing along both sides of the bank (47:7). The temple river was giving life to everything it touched!

The angel explains the river’s impact even beyond their line of sight: “This water flows toward the eastern region and goes down into the Arabah, and when it enters the sea, the sea of stagnant waters, the water will become fresh” (47:8). The Arabah refers to the Jordan Valley, while the “sea of stagnant waters” is the Dead Sea. If you’ve ever visited the Dead Sea, you can imagine the seeming impossibility of this image. Even today, the Dead Sea remains lifeless due to its high salinity. Except for the oasis at Ein Gedi, the surrounding land is barren and dry.

When the rushing river feeds into the Dead Sea, the guide declares, “Every living creature that swarms will live, and there will be many fish once these waters reach there” (47:9). At this point, the astute Bible reader should take note: Ezekiel is describing a new creation with clear Edenic imagery. In the Genesis creation narrative, a river flows out of Eden to water the garden (Gen. 2:10). In the larger themes of the Bible, Eden is seen as the temple, and the garden represents the land of Israel as originally intended for the covenant relationship.

The language of paradise continues as the angel describes “every living creature” thriving by the river (47:9). The vegetation that grows along the banks “bears fresh fruit every month” because it is irrigated by the life-giving river (47:12). Moreover, the leaves of the trees possess healing properties.

The river’s ability to transform the barren landscape and the stagnant Dead Sea is more than just a poetic prophecy; God was showing Ezekiel in the vision that his close presence brings about complete renewal and restoration, both for the nation of Israel and, ultimately, for all creation. Just as the Holy Spirit breathed life into the dry bones in the valley, so too would God’s living water bring life, healing, and renewal to everything that drew near it.

Zechariah 14

Ezekiel was not the first prophet to envision a life-giving river flowing from Jerusalem. In Zechariah 14, the apocalyptic prophet also foretold of “living waters” that would flow out from the city. In both accounts, the river supernaturally renewed God’s land and revitalized his people. Zechariah says, “And it shall come to pass in that day that living waters shall flow out from Jerusalem; half of them toward the eastern sea, and half of them toward the western sea; in summer and in winter shall it be” (14:8).

Despite their shared themes, Ezekiel’s and Zechariah’s rivers are complementary rather than identical visions. A primary distinction lies in the river’s source and destination. Ezekiel’s river originates specifically from the new temple. It flows eastward, bringing life to the Dead Sea. Ezekiel’s vision of the river is rooted in the prophetic hope of spiritual and physical restoration for the people of Israel after their exile. His original audience would have been inspired by God’s commitment to bring life and abundance to them, even after experiencing death and destruction.

Zechariah, however, simply states that the river flows “from Jerusalem” but describes a more expansive course. This single river miraculously divides, with half flowing to the Dead Sea (the eastern sea) and the other half flowing to the Mediterranean Sea (the western sea). While Ezekiel’s vision is focused on Israel’s salvation, Zechariah’s looks out to the universal reach of God’s blessing.

When read together, Ezekiel 47 and Zechariah 14 paint a broader picture of God’s plan for all of humanity. Ezekiel’s focus on the temple highlights that true life comes from God’s presence, while Zechariah’s vision of the river flowing in two directions demonstrates that God’s blessing will fill the land in every direction. The combination of these prophecies establishes a consistent biblical theme of paradise regained, where no obstacle stands in the way of a restored relationship between God and his people.

Jesus’s living water

In the Gospels, Jesus often referred to himself as living water. This wasn’t just a casual use of a metaphor; it was a deliberate theological statement that connected his ministry to ancient prophetic promises.

To the Samaritan woman at the well, Jesus explains, “Those who drink of the water that I will give them will never be thirsty. The water that I will give will become in them a spring of water gushing up to eternal life” (John 4:14). He perceived the Samaritan woman’s deep-seated wounds and her dissatisfaction with earthly life. He promised her that through him, she would be reconciled to God and brought into his Kingdom, where her deepest spiritual longing would finally be met.

In another episode, Jesus was in Jerusalem for the Feast of Tabernacles. Every year, during the festival, priests would go to the Pool of Siloam to draw water, then process back up the pilgrimage road to the temple. This ceremony looked back to God’s miraculous provision in the wilderness, but it also looked forward to a time of Messianic restoration, as prophesied in Ezekiel 47. While the people’s political expectations often clouded their understanding, Jesus knew that the ceremony hinted at the anticipated arrival of the Messiah. He beckoned to the crowd, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me, and let the one who believes in me drink” (John 7:38). In a direct reference to Ezekiel’s River of Life, Jesus adds, “As the Scripture has said, ‘Out of the believer’s heart shall flow rivers of living water’” (John 7:39). The Gospel of John immediately clarifies that Jesus “said this about the Spirit,” a crucial detail that connects the physical imagery of a river to the spiritual reality of new life with the Holy Spirit.

For Jesus, all who believed in him would become living temples. Like Ezekiel’s vision, the good news would flow forth from them to heal hearts and redeem the world. Only through his death and resurrection could he reverse the effects of the sin and death that began in Eden.

Revelation 22

John of Patmos, the New Testament writer who reinterpreted many of Ezekiel’s visions, also received a vision of a river of life. In Revelation 22, an angelic guide shows him a river, describing it as “the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city” (Rev. 22:1). John’s river shares the same characteristics as Ezekiel’s, but in addition to flowing from God’s throne, it also flows from the Lamb, Jesus Christ. In case there was any doubt that John was recalling Ezekiel’s closing vision, he describes the same irrigating effects of the river. He states, “On either side of the river is the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, producing its fruit each month, and the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations” (Rev. 22:2).

You may recognize the imagery of the monthly producing fruit trees with leaves for healing. John modifies two important aspects in his vision: he sees only a single tree, and this tree provides healing not just for Israel but for all nations. While Ezekiel’s river signifies a particular restoration for Israel—evidenced by the fact that it does not flow past the Dead Sea—John expands that restoration to encompass all nations in a covenant of universal healing.

Revelation 22’s flowing river connects the beginning of the biblical narrative with its end. Just as a river flowed from the Garden of Eden to water the land, the river from the temple will one day restore all creation. The Bible begins in Genesis with a single tree that leaves humanity under a curse and ends with one tree that brings everyone under the promise of its blessing. The tree in Eden introduced death, while the tree in Revelation overcomes death.

I really wish we could end here! In my mind, this is the concluding podcast for Ezekiel. However, the Bible did not ask for my editorial advice, and Ezekiel has one more chapter, Chapter 48. It doesn’t pack the same wallop as Chapter 47, but we will persevere. Join me next week for our final Ezekiel study!

Thank you for listening, and please continue to take part in this Bible Reading Challenge. We almost made it to the end!

For all the biblical references each week, please see the show transcript on our blog or by signing up for our emails at www.thejerusalemconnection.us/. I don’t say all the references in the podcast, but they are all in the transcript.

Send me a message—I will respond. Bible Fiber is available on YouTube or wherever you listen to your podcasts.

Shabbat Shalom

The post Bible Fiber: Ezekiel 47 appeared first on Shelley Neese.

This week we are studying Ezekiel 45–46. These two chapters outline specific regulations for land allotments, sacred offerings, festivals, and the role of the mysterious prince in the future Jerusalem.

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Holy District

In Chapter 45, God instructs Ezekiel, “When you allot the land as an inheritance, you shall set aside for the Lord a portion of the land as a holy district” (45:1). He gives specific measurements for a consecrated allotment of land that will be dedicated to the Lord as an offering. The temple will be at the center, and a perimeter of priestly and Levitical houses will surround it. To separate the sacred from the profane, an empty strip of “open space” will be the buffer zone between the temple and the rest of the city (45:2). Beyond the open space, the Zadokite priests can build their living quarters, and beyond that, the Levites can establish their cities and build homes.

The First Temple was also built with the idea of concentric zones of varying levels of sacredness. At the very center of the First Temple lay the Holy of Holies. From there, holiness diminished as one moved outward through the Temple’s various courts and the city of Jerusalem. God’s instruction to Ezekiel extending it beyond the Temple walls. Within this vast, dedicated area, the same graded system of holiness applied: the Temple was in the most sacred inner portion, surrounded by the lands of the priests, followed by the lands of the Levites.

A distinctive feature of Ezekiel’s Jerusalem is the specific land allocation for the priests and Levites. In the future Jerusalem, the Levites will have a contiguous and concentrated land area surrounding the temple (45:5). This was a complete break from the old system where Levites had no land of their own. The Torah built a system where the tribes with land had to support the Levites with tithes and offerings (Deut. 10:9). That allowed them to stay focused on their spiritual duties rather than on cultivating land. However, it also made them vulnerable to the people’s charity. In times of obedience, the Levites were taken care of through the offerings (Num. 18:21). In other times, the Levites had to leave their temple duties to go farm and try to feed themselves (Neh. 13:10).

Prince’s Land Allotment

Ezekiel then presents a figure known as “the prince” from the previous vision. The prince was to receive a significant land allotment in the future Jerusalem (45:7-9). The prince’s role differs from the kings of Israel’s past. His allotted land straddles the holy district, extending from the western edge to the eastern edge of Israel. If we imagine spheres of sanctity around the temple, the closest rings are the holiest, and the sanctity decreases going outward. The prince’s allotment is well outside the sacred area, but in front of the tribal lands.

Weights, Measurements, and Offerings

Ezekiel outlines specific offerings that the people of Israel are required to provide as part of their worship and support for the newly reestablished temple (45:13-17). These verses describe a series of contributions that the people must give to the prince, who apparently oversees the temple operations. The offerings include a portion of wheat, barley, olive oil, and a specified number of sheep. The prince gives these contributions to the temple staff for burnt offerings, grain offerings, and drink offerings.

While these regulations share similarities with the Mosaic Law in requiring offerings to support temple functions, the specific numbers and measurements distinguish them from prior Torah instructions. In the future Jerusalem, the offerings, rituals, and festivals diverge from the Torah laws. According to Jewish tradition, a rabbi named Hananiah ben Hezekiah locked himself in an attic until he could figure out how to reconcile Ezekiel’s vision with the Torah laws.

Festivals

In addition to sacrifices, the future temple will also follow the ritual calendar of feasts and festivals, Sabbaths and new moon celebrations (45:18-25). One of the key observances is Passover.

Ezekiel’s festival regulations are mainly concerned with the role of the prince and the purification of the temple. On regular days, the people provided the offerings, but on festivals, the prince is responsible for providing all the offerings from his own resources. These include a sin offering to atone for the people, as well as burnt offerings and grain offerings. Interestingly, the prince orchestrates the purification offering for “himself and all the people of the land” (45:22).

The emphasis on the prince’s role in maintaining proper temple worship and making the appropriate sacrifices reflects the monarch’s responsibility to uphold the covenant relationship between God and the people. This represents a shift from the past, where the kings of Israel often failed to fulfill their duty to lead the people in righteous worship. In Ezekiel’s vision of the future Jerusalem, the prince will ensure the temple’s purity and the people’s spiritual well-being by properly observing the ritual calendar.

Traffic Flow

Ezekiel 46 focuses on various aspects of temple protocol. Assuming that the future temple will be bustling with worshippers bringing their sacrifices, the prophet describes the best procedures to ensure a smooth traffic flow and crowd control on holidays and sabbaths. The people are to enter and exit out of opposite gates (46:1).

The chapter is especially concerned with the prince’s coming and goings, and his points of entry (46:2,8, 10). He is allowed to enter through the portico and stand by the threshold of the inner court to witness the ritual activity. The lay people had to stay down the stairs outside the gate. While the priests prepare his offerings, the prince lays prostrate before the Lord. Although he has a privileged status in the temple and may go through the east gate, he is still banned from the inner court because he is a civil leader and not a priest.

The chapter concludes with granular instructions concerning the prince’s royal property (46:16-18). Ezekiel clarified royalty could pass down their land as an inheritance to their children, but they could only pass down what already belonged to them, and they could not take land away from another citizen. This is one more strike against the prince being a messianic figure. A messiah would not need restrictions put in place to prevent him from abusing his own power.

Identity of the Prince

Scholars have proposed several interpretations of the identity of the prince in Ezekiel’s vision. One common view is that the prince represents a messianic figure, a future king from the Davidic dynasty who will rule over the restored nation of Israel. This interpretation is based on the prince’s exalted status, exclusive rights, and patron role at the temple.

The most clarifying statement about the prince indicates that God is using him as a role model. He is a leader who prioritizes the nation’s spiritual growth over his personal gain. God says, “Enough, O princes of Israel! Put away violence and oppression, and do what is just and right. Cease your evictions of my people, says the Lord God” (45:9). The prince may not be a specific individual, but a representation of an ideal Davidic king. He is sacrificial, serving the citizens rather than himself.

Christians are tempted to identify the prince as Jesus in the second coming. However, Jesus would not need to offer a purification offering for himself. He had no sin that required atonement. Also, in the holy district’s arrangement, the prince’s real estate lay outside the priests and Levites, which meant the prince was inferior to them by holiness standards. Jesus is not inferior to priests.

In Ezekiel, the prince plays a mediatorial role between the people and God, but he operates on a practical human level. Jesus is our supernatural mediator. Jesus is not the patron of all the temple sacrifices, like the prince. Jesus is the perfect and last sacrifice who fulfills and brings an end to the sacrificial system, rather than participating in it.

Jesus, the Last Sacrifice

The idea that Jesus Christ was the last and perfect sacrifice is a central tenet of Christian theology. This understanding is grounded in the belief that Jesus, as the incarnate Son of God, offered himself as the ultimate and sufficient sacrifice for the sins of humanity.

The sacrificial system prescribed in the Mosaic Law involved the repeated offering of animal sacrifices, which were seen as mere “copies” or shadows of the true, heavenly reality. These animal sacrifices could never fully atone for human sin or provide lasting redemption. In contrast, the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, the sinless Son of God, is the “better sacrifice” that purifies and restores the relationship between God and humanity.

The author of Hebrews emphasizes that Jesus’ death is the culmination and fulfillment of the Old Testament sacrificial system. Hebrews declares, “It is by God’s will that we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all” (10:10). As the perfect, divine-human mediator, Jesus’ self-offering on the cross is sufficient to take away the sins of the world once and for all.

Unlike the repeated animal offerings that could not atone for all sins past and future, Hebrews says, “For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are sanctified” (Heb. 10:14). His death renders all other sacrifices unnecessary.

That’s it for Ezekiel 45 and 46. If we were in church, at this point the preacher would give the altar call!

Thank you for listening and please continue to take part in this Bible Reading Challenge. Next week we are reading Ezekiel 47 and 48.

For all the biblical references each week, see the show transcript on our blog or by signing up for our emails at www.thejerusalemconnection.us/
Sign up and get a free downloadable gift!

Shabbat Shalom and Am Israel Chai

 

The post Bible Fiber: Ezekiel 45 and 46 appeared first on Shelley Neese.

Ezekiel 44 is a continuation of Ezekiel’s vision for the restoration of genuine worship in a future temple. Since God’s presence will fully inhabit the coming sanctuary, Ezekiel gives detailed instructions for who may and may not enter the temple. Anyone ministering in God’s presence must be morally and ritually clean. The new rules and regulations are meant to keep out any potential defilement and avoid the same mistakes of the past. Ultimately, the chapter’s big theme is the strict, sacred order of worship in this new temple, showing God’s absolute demand for holiness from everyone who comes near Him and His holy place.

East Gate

The chapter opens with an angelic guide leading Ezekiel to the East Gate, but the guide explains this gate is permanently shut. In earlier visions, Ezekiel had witnessed God’s glory leaving the temple through this very gate because of Israel’s disobedience (10:18-19, 11:23). In Ezekiel’s new vision of restoration, the closed gate represented Yahweh’s promise never to abandon Jerusalem again.

If you’ve visited Jerusalem, you’ve likely ascended the Mount of Olives. It offers the best perch for viewing the Temple Mount and its surroundings. The Kidron Valley, dotted with tombs, separates the Mount of Olives from the Old City walls. From this lookout, the East Gate, also known today as the Golden Gate, is easily visible.

The current East Gate structure does not date to the Second Temple period, despite claims made by some tour guides. The Romans destroyed the earlier gate in 70 CE. Today’s gate dates to the Byzantine period (6th or 7th century CE); it was later modified during the early Islamic period. The gate was presumably open during the Christian era. After the Ottomans conquered Jerusalem in the 16th century CE, Suleiman the Magnificent bricked up the gate. The East Gate has remained sealed shut ever since Suleiman’s decree. Even though the Jewish control the Old City of Jerusalem, Israel has never reopened the gate.

All four Gospel accounts describe Jesus’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem on a donkey coming from the direction of the Mount of Olives. At the moment, he was consciously fulfilling a messianic prophecy in Zechariah “Behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey” (Zech. 9:9). The specific gate Jesus passed through was the earlier East Gate. Now the structure lies beneath the current ground level.

The gate’s modern closure holds both practical and religious significance. Defensively, it helped fortify the city against potential invaders. Religiously, it ties directly into Jewish tradition, which anticipates the Messiah entering Jerusalem through this very gate. Some believe Suleiman sealed the gate to prevent the Messiah’s arrival. To ensure their continued control, Muslims also established a cemetery directly in front of the gate. They predicted that Jewish Messiah, being a descendant of the priestly caste, would not pass through a burial ground because it would defile him.

The prince

The next point of reference in the angel’s tour is a prince eating a sacrificial meal inside the gate’s chambers. Even the prince was limited in his access to the holy precincts (44:3). This may have been Ezekiel’s way of reinforcing the point he made in the last chapter that the royal household, Israel’s leadership, should be careful not to trespass onto the sacred precincts of the temple (43:9). In the past, they blurred the lines between temple and royal palace. The new leadership, represented by the prince, would respect the separation.

The unnamed prince is a mysterious character in the vision. Therefore, there is plenty of debate about his identity. The temptation is to see the prince as a Messiah figure. However, in the next section, the prince reappears, and he is holding a sin offering for both him and the people. Since Jesus was the sinless Son of God, he cannot be associated with the prince (45:22). However, we will discuss the prince more in Chapter 45, where he plays a bigger role.

Non-Israelites in the Temple courts

Ezekiel, guided by an angel, is led to the north gate of the temple where he witnesses the glory of the Lord filling the sanctuary. God then delivers a stern warning to Ezekiel to convey to his audience. For centuries, the Israelites had habitually violated their special covenant with God (44:7). Among the behaviors God found abhorrent was their practice of allowing non-Israelites into the temple courts.

It is not entirely clear what specific historical situation Ezekiel was referencing or which foreign nation might have made itself comfortable in the Jewish temple. The Mosaic Law did not explicitly forbid outsiders from entering the outer courtyard. Still, there were restrictions concerning who could enter other, more sacred, parts of the Temple complex. The narrative in 1 Kings suggests that the royal house might have even entrusted the temple’s guard duty to non-Israelites (2 Kings 11:18-19).

Ezekiel’s prophecy indicates that in the future temple, God would impose much stricter access regulations. By the Second Temple period, temple authorities indeed took prohibitions against non-Israelites seriously and implemented reforms. We know from both the New Testament and the writings of Josephus that non-Israelites visiting Jerusalem were limited to a designated area in the outer court (Acts 21:28). This historical reality was further confirmed in 1871 when archaeologists discovered a stone sign from the Second Temple period. This inscription, written in Greek, explicitly prohibited Gentiles from entering the inner courtyard of the Temple, warning that any foreigner who did so would be solely responsible for their own death.

Ironically, even today in modern Israel, the responsibility of guarding the Temple Mount is delegated to non-Israelites. The Druze community, a distinct religious minority in Israel, maintains a long-standing tradition of loyalty to the state and serves in various security roles. Because the Temple Mount, being one of the most contested religious sites globally, it needs a careful and neutral approach. If Israel were to deploy Jewish police officers atop the Temple Mount, it could be perceived as biased and potentially escalate the already highly charged environment. To mitigate such tensions, Israel uses Druze officers to police the Temple Mount. This assignment also provides reassurance to the rabbinate that Jewish officers will not inadvertently trespass into the Holy of Holies.

This historical progression, from the ancient Israelite temple practices to the strictures of the Second Temple period and even to the contemporary security arrangements on the Temple Mount, reveals a fascinating irony when viewed through the lens of Ezekiel’s vision. Ezekiel’s fervent call for stricter temple access was not a critique of a historical temple’s layout or a current policy. Instead, he was prophesying about a future temple, one that would embody God’s ideal of holiness and separation. His detailed vision, in essence, described a temple that had not yet existed and, in its complete form. The irony lies in the enduring struggle to define and enforce sacred boundaries—a struggle that plays out across millennia, from the pre-exilic period to modern times, all while Ezekiel’s temple remains a prophetic ideal.

Zadokites

In Ezekiel’s vision (44:15-17), a strict priestly hierarchy emerges for the future temple, reserving the most sacred roles for Zadokites. This prioritization of Aaron’s descendants over other Levites dates to the wilderness period (Numbers 3, 18), where God designated Aaron’s line for the holiest Tabernacle duties, including approaching the altar. All Levites served God, but Aaron’s lineage held a privileged priestly status. They offered sacrifices and conducting rituals in the inner court, while other Levites assisted, guarded, and maintained the Tabernacle.

Among Aaron’s descendants, the Zadokites gained prominence during David and Solomon’s reigns. Zadok, a descendant of Aaron and high priest under David, proved instrumental in supporting David during Absalom’s rebellion. His loyalty cemented his descendants as key religious leaders, displacing the line of Eli. Later, Solomon appointed Zadok as high priest for the First Temple (1 Kings 1-2).

Ezekiel asserts that the Zadokites remained faithful to God even when other Levites strayed (44:10-13). Due to this fidelity, the Zadokites would retain their special status in the future temple, like their role in Solomon’s temple (44:15-16). They were the only ones permitted inner court access. While Levites had more interaction with the populace—overseeing entry, preparing offerings, hearing disputes, and teaching laws—the Zadokites enjoyed more intimate access to God by placing sacrifices on the altar. Ezekiel was likely a Zadokite priest, and some scholars detect bias in his prophecies. He was not the first to make such distinctions. He was reinforcing a pre-existing hierarchy, with Zadokites recognized as Aaron’s true heirs.

Priestly regulations

After outlining temple duties, God presented six specific regulations for priests, stricter than those in Leviticus 21. While serving, priests were to wear white linen (44:17-19). Vestments were for temple service only; priests changed in designated chambers to prevent accidental consecration. In the temple and tabernacle, holiness could be contagious (44:19). They also could not have overly long hair or shaved heads. This was probably so they wouldn’t appear like they were mourning (44:20).

All temple personnel were strictly forbidden from alcohol on duty (44:21), a rule from Leviticus (10:8-10) to ensure clear judgment for distinguishing holy from common. This prohibition is often linked to the death of Aaron’s sons, Nadab and Abihu (Leviticus 10:1). Priests were also barred from marrying widows or divorcees (44:22).

Beyond personal conduct, priests had crucial communal responsibilities. They were to teach God’s laws, specifically differentiating holy from common and clean from unclean (44:23). This directly addressed the failures of pre-exilic priests, whom Ezekiel accused of profaning sacred things (22:26). Priests were also to administer justice based on covenant laws and wisdom (44:24). They were supposed to be community models for upholding statutes, Sabbaths, and feasts.

The chapter concludes by reminding Israel that temple personnel, lacking land, depended entirely on the people’s offerings of grains, first fruits, and sacrifice meats (44:29). Neglecting these contributions meant the priests would go hungry.

Hebrews

In Ezekiel’s vision of the future temple, he never mentions a High Priest. The omission of a High Priest might seem like a significant oversight. However, as Christians we find the explanation in the New Testament. The Book of Hebrews declares Jesus as our ultimate High Priest. This is central to the gospel. Because of Jesus, we no longer need a human intermediary to approach God. As Hebrews states:

“For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who in every respect has been tested as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” (Hebrews 4:15-16)

In the Tabernacle and Temple systems, only the High Priest could enter the Holy of Holies once a year to atone for the people’s sins. But Jesus’ role as our High Priest grants us continuous, direct access to God. Through Christ’s perfect sacrifice on the cross and his eternal position as High Priest, every believer can now “approach God’s throne of grace with confidence” (Hebrews 4:16). This means that salvation is freely available. We can come directly to God in prayer, seeking mercy and grace in times of need, not based on our own merit, but because Jesus has opened this once-sealed access for us! This is the power of the gospel—direct reconciliation with a holy God.

While the Levites and Zadokites gained their positions through hereditary rules, Jesus was a priest “in the order of Melchizedek,” making him our eternal priest (Hebrews 7:3). Hebrews clarifies that Jesus’ priesthood is established “not through a legal requirement concerning physical descent but through the power of an indestructible life” (Hebrews 7:16). In Ezekiel’s day, God had to choose between priestly lines based on comparative faithfulness, yet none were perfect due to their human limitations. In contrast, Hebrews declares that Jesus, our priest, “is able for all time to save those who approach God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them” (Hebrews 7:25).

Thank you for listening and please continue to take part in this Bible Reading Challenge. Next week we are reading Ezekiel 45 and 46.

For all the biblical references each week, see the show transcript on our blog or by signing up for our emails at www.thejerusalemconnection.us/
Sign up and get a free downloadable gift!

Shabbat Shalom and Am Israel Chai

The post Ezekiel 44 appeared first on Shelley Neese.

This week we are taking a break from Ezekiel and dipping back into our series on High Holidays for the Goyim, because this Sunday night on June 1, Jews will be celebrating the holiday of Shavuot. Just like Christians all too often overlook Pentecost, Jews often ignore Shavuot. Both, however, are critical holidays celebrating huge moments in our faith history.

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When is Shavuot?

Shavuot is also known as the Feast of Weeks or the Feast of Harvest. It is a joyous one-day festival that begins on the sixth day of the third month in the Hebrew calendar, Sivan. This typically falls in late May or early June on the Gregorian calendar. It’s worth noting that Shavuot comes exactly 50 days after the second day of Passover, hence its Greek name, Pentecost, meaning “fiftieth.” This timing links the Exodus from Egypt to the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai.

Where is Shavuot Mentioned in the Bible?

Shavuot is mentioned several times in the Hebrew Bible. The most detailed instructions for observing Shavuot are found in Leviticus 23:15-21 and Deuteronomy 16:9-12. These passages establish the dates of the festival and command the offering of first fruits.

God told Moses, “From the day after the Sabbath, the day you brought the sheaf of the wave offering, count off seven full weeks. Count fifty days up to the day after the seventh Sabbath, and then present an offering of new grain to the Lord. From wherever you live, bring two loaves made of two-tenths of an ephah of the finest flour, baked with yeast, as a wave offering of first fruits to the Lord… You are to proclaim on that same day that a sacred assembly is to be held; you are not to do any regular work. This is to be a lasting ordinance for the generations to come, wherever you live.” (Lev. 23:15-17, 21)

Deuteronomy 16:9-12 reiterates the command to celebrate Shavuot and emphasizes gratitude and inclusion: “Count off seven weeks from the time you begin to put the sickle to the standing grain. Then celebrate the Festival of Weeks to the Lord your God by giving a freewill offering in proportion to the blessings the Lord your God has given you. And rejoice before the Lord your God—you, your sons and daughters, your male and female servants, the Levites, the foreigners, the fatherless and the widows who live in your towns.”

Shavuot originally commemorated the wheat harvest, a time of thanksgiving for God’s provision. However, rabbinic tradition links Shavuot to the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai, a pivotal moment in Jewish history when God revealed His commandments to the Israelites. This dual focus on both agricultural bounty and divine revelation makes Shavuot a unique and deeply significant holiday. It reminds Jews of both God’s physical provision and His spiritual guidance.

How is Shavuot Celebrated Today?

The primary observance of Shavuot today focuses on the giving of the Torah. Many Jewish communities observe Tikkun Leil Shavuot, an all-night study session of Torah, Mishnah, and Talmud. This tradition arose from the idea that the Israelites overslept on the morning God was to give them the Torah at Sinai, so Jews now stay awake all night to demonstrate their eagerness to receive God’s word. When I lived in Jerusalem, it was always a sight to see walking around in all white, like it was a wedding, at four in the morning and heading toward the Western Wall.

Another key tradition is the consumption of dairy foods. While the exact reason for this custom is debated, one common explanation is that the land of Israel is described as “flowing with milk and honey.” Also, the Torah is likened to milk, which nourishes and sustains life, just as milk nourishes an infant.

One other reason is that upon receiving the Torah, the Israelites learned about the laws of Kashrut and needed time to prepare kosher meat, so they ate dairy in the interim. It’s common to see a beautiful array of cheesecakes, blintzes, and other dairy delights in Jewish homes during Shavuot.

The book of Ruth

For centuries, Jewish communities have held a special place for the Book of Ruth in their Shavuot synagogue services, and for good reason. The story unfolds during the barley and wheat harvest, precisely when Shavuot occurs. But it’s more than just a seasonal tie-in. At Mount Sinai, Moses received directly from God’s own hand the covenant, the Ten Commandments and all the laws that were to govern His people. This was the moment God first declared that out of all nations, if they kept His covenant, they would be His treasured possession and a kingdom of priests (Exodus 19:5). After hearing the laws and stipulations, the people declared, “We will do everything the Lord has said; we will obey” (Exodus 24:7). For all of Israel, this is the nation’s conversion moment, the origin story of their national consecration.

By tying the Book of Ruth into the anniversary of the giving of the Torah, Jewish tradition recognizes that even those who did not descend from the tribes present at Mount Sinai can still choose to follow the one true God. Ruth was not Jewish. She was a Moabite woman who embraced the Jewish people and aligned her fate with the Israelite nation. Just as the Israelites willingly took on the obligations of the Torah, Ruth willingly embraced the Jewish people and their God. Naomi, knowing the hardships Ruth would face as a Moabite widow moving into a foreign land, urged her to return to her own family. Instead, Ruth declared her undying loyalty to Naomi. Jewish tradition has ever since hailed her as the archetype of the righteous convert.

Perhaps it’s more than anachronistic, but I like to think of Ruth as the first Christian Zionist, or at least the first Gentile Zionist. Like all Christians who love Israel, Ruth fully cast her lot with the Jewish people and declared her loyalty to their God.

Ruth’s immortal pledge to Naomi echoes through the ages. Within these powerful words, we hear the unwavering devotion of those who have cast their lot with the Jewish people. As Christian Zionists, we embrace Ruth’s pledge as our own: “Do not urge me to leave you or to turn back from following you. For where you go I will go, and where you lodge I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there will I be buried. May the Lord do so to me and more also if anything but death parts me from you” (Ruth 1:16-17).

Just as Ruth vowed to Naomi, Christian Zionists pledge to the Jewish people — both in Israel and the diaspora — a solemn promise: You are not alone, and you will never be alone again.

What Does Shavuot Mean for Christians?

The feasts and festivals of the Bible are replete with types and symbols that all perfectly point to the Messiah. The divine connections between Shavuot and Pentecost are so especially obvious that it’s thrilling.

On Shavuot, Moses acted as the intercessor between God and his covenanted people. Jesus had already intervened on behalf of the world.At Sinai, the fire descended only on the summit of the mountain. At Pentecost, the fire came “to rest on each of them” individually.On the first Shavuot, God established his covenant with the Hebrew people. On Pentecost, a new covenant was made available to all who believed.On Shavuot, the Holy Law was inscribed on stone by the finger of God. At Pentecost, the Holy Spirit wrote the Law on their hearts.At Mount Sinai, 3,000 were killed due to their disobedience. In Jerusalem, 3,000 were granted eternal salvation in response to their faith.On Shavuot, God declared the Israelites a “nation of priests.” On Pentecost, believers became priests to all nations.

There you have it: distinction and then inclusion. One covenant grafted into the first. Death and now life. Law and Spirit.

The Talmud describes Shavuot as the “wedding day” between God and the Jewish people. Now, the Bride of Christ waits anxiously for the day when we will be united with our Bridegroom.

Mark your calendars for this special holiday of Shavuot. We are celebrating God’s revelation and the anniversaries of receiving that revelation at both Mount Sinai and in Jerusalem. Let us use this feast to make a public commitment, just as the people of Israel did, that “we will do and we will listen.”

Thank you for listening. Bible Fiber is taking a three-week break in June because I am heading to Israel. In addition to my role at The Jerusalem Connection, I have also been a biblical archaeology student since 2019. As part of the program, we get to spend several dig seasons at Shiloh. As you know, Shiloh was home to the tabernacle for three centuries. It is a big deal, and this dig is an honor and privilege to be a part of. So, I am looking forward to filling you in on what happened in July.

The post Shavuot for the Goyim appeared first on Shelley Neese.

This week, we are studying Ezekiel 43. If you believe that every story needs a happy ending, this chapter will satisfy that craving. In Chapter 11, written nineteen years earlier, Ezekiel had witnessed the glory of the Lord departing the temple, the lowest point in the entire book (10:18; 11:22-23). Without the blessed guarantee of Yahweh’s protection, Jerusalem was a hollow structure that the Babylonian army easily overran. When the Babylonians looted enemy temples, they often stole the patron idol to both insult and disarm the conquered people. In Jerusalem’s case, anything the Babylonian army managed to steal from the temple were powerless objects, emptied of God’s presence.

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Ezekiel 43 reverses the tragedy of God’s departing glory. The prophet witnessed the glory of the Lord returning to the newly rebuilt temple with immense power and majesty (43:2-5). The return signified God’s presence and favor upon his people. The temple’s emptiness was not permanent; God’s glory, the very essence of his being and blessing, will once again dwell in their midst.

Return of the Glory

Ezekiel 43 begins with the angelic guide still at the prophet’s side, positioning Ezekiel at the east gate—a strategic vantage point. Ezekiel reports, “And there the glory of the God of Israel was coming from the east; the sound was like the sound of mighty waters, and the earth shone with his glory” (43:2). Ezekiel notes the striking resemblance of this vision in Jerusalem to those he had previously experienced by the River Chebar and the vision of God’s glory departing the temple. While he doesn’t specify whether he saw the winged throne chariot, the crystal expanse, or the enthroned glowing metal figure from his initial vision, Yahweh’s radiant presence so overwhelmed him that he fell prostrate.

Then, as had become a familiar occurrence, the Spirit lifted Ezekiel to his feet. The sheer power of God’s glory never lost its impact, no matter how many times Ezekiel witnessed it. The Spirit’s action was necessary for Ezekiel to stand and behold Yahweh’s return to his dwelling place. This moment serves as a powerful bookend to Ezekiel’s entire prophetic ministry in exile.

The glory of the Lord approached from the east, mirroring the reverse order of its departure. In Chapter 11, Ezekiel had watched with horror as the glory hovered over the east gate before exiting the city over the mountain (11:23). Now, the angel brought Ezekiel to the inner court, granting him an intimate view as “the glory of the Lord filled the temple” (43:5).

Yahweh’s arrival aligns with a well-established biblical pattern. Upon the completion of the tabernacle in the wilderness, the Israelites witnessed the cloud of glory enveloping the tent, a presence so powerful that even Moses could not enter (Exodus 40:34-35). Similarly, after Solomon’s temple was finished, Yahweh’s cloud filled the sanctuary (1 Kings 8:11). In both instances, Yahweh’s glorious presence in these newly constructed sacred spaces represented his approval. They were completed throne rooms awaiting the arrival of the King.

The Lord then made Ezekiel a significant promise: “Mortal, this is the place of my throne and the place for the soles of my feet, where I will reside among the people of Israel forever” (43:7). In the first temple, the Ark of the Covenant served as God’s footstool (1 Chronicles 28:2). However, Ezekiel’s vision makes no mention of the Ark. Instead, the entire temple complex assumes this role.

Ancient Israelites understood that God’s being transcended any physical structure. The tabernacle and temple were understood as earthly reflections, albeit faint ones, of Yahweh’s celestial throne room. During the First Temple’s dedication, Solomon himself humbly declared, “The heavens, even the highest heaven, cannot contain you. How much less this temple I have built!” (1 Kings 8:27). This point is further emphasized in Isaiah, where God proclaims that heaven is his throne and the earth his footstool (Isaiah 66:1).

Conditions

Once the divine glory returned to the visionary temple, Yahweh continued speaking to Ezekiel, outlining the conditions for his enduring presence among the Israelites. Although they had already faced punishment for their transgressions, and his desire was to dwell with them eternally, he still required faithful and righteous living. Specifically, he cautioned against three primary offenses: spiritual harlotry, the profaning of his holy name, and the practice of sacrificing to their deceased kings (43:7).

The reference to “harlotry” as idoloatry is a recurring theme throughout the prophetic books. The prophets frequently depicted Israel’s covenant relationship with God in terms of a marriage, highlighting the betrayal inherent in turning to other gods. This spiritual infidelity broke the exclusive bond of loyalty and devotion that Yahweh demanded.

The third warning, concerning sacrifices offered to deceased kings, presents a bigger interpretive challenge. Some scholars propose that this alludes to the deification of departed rulers, a common custom in the surrounding ancient Near Eastern cultures but strictly forbidden within Israel’s monotheistic framework. This practice would have elevated human authority to a divine level, directly challenging Yahweh’s unique sovereignty. Other interpretations suggest it might relate to specific funerary rites or forms of ancestor worship that had subtly infiltrated Israelite religious practices.

Furthermore, God expressed his displeasure with the close proximity of the royal palace to the temple. He declared, “When they placed their threshold by my threshold and their doorposts beside my doorposts, with only a wall between me and them, they were defiling my holy name by their abominations that they committed; therefore I have consumed them in my anger” (43:8). During the First Temple period, there was a problematic spatial relationship between the seat of political power and the sacred space of the temple in Jerusalem.

While during the reigns of more righteous kings like David, this arrangement might not have presented the same level of concern, the subsequent rise of a succession of wicked kings in Judah created an unacceptable situation. The center of political authority began to encroach upon the temple’s sanctity. These kings, who were meant to be subordinate to God’s ultimate authority, increasingly asserted their own power and influence over the temple and its activities. This overreach was a direct affront to God’s sovereignty.

Regardless of the precise meaning of each specific transgression, the overarching message was clear: God’s enduring presence among his people is not an unconditional guarantee. It necessitates their unwavering commitment to the exclusive worship of Yahweh and their adherence to the covenant. In the envisioned new temple, the separation between the sacred and the profane will be even more rigorously maintained. This heightened distinction serves as a safeguard to protect his absolute holiness and to prevent the recurrence of the types of syncretistic and disrespectful practices that had led to his judgment in the past.

Write it down

Following the return of divine glory to the visionary temple, Yahweh instructed Ezekiel to share every detail of this sacred structure with his fellow exiles. His desire was for them to have a comprehensive understanding, encompassing the temple’s form. God commanded, “write it down in their sight so that they may observe and follow the entire plan and all its ordinances” (43:11). This directive raises a significant question: if the exiles were privy to Ezekiel’s detailed plan, why did they not construct it upon their eventual return to Jerusalem?

One compelling explanation posits that the elaborate temple vision spanning Ezekiel 40-48 was not intended as a physical blueprint for immediate construction. Instead, it may have served as an idealized representation of the fully restored community of faith and the presence of God in their midst. The exiles, facing the immediate realities of rebuilding their lives and their land, may have interpreted Ezekiel’s grand vision as a depiction of a future, perhaps even eschatological, reality. It is crucial to note that while God instructed Ezekiel to record the plan, he never issued a direct command to physically build the structure according to these specific specifications, unlike his clear mandates to Moses for the tabernacle or to Solomon for the First Temple. In the absence of such a divine decree, the returnees may have felt authorized to construct the Second Temple based on the more pragmatic constraints and resources available to them.

Faced with limited manpower, financial constraints, and the urgent need to re-establish a functioning religious and communal life, undertaking such a monumental building project would have been deeply impractical. The immediate priority would have been to erect a serviceable temple that allowed for the resumption of essential worship practices. Indeed, the book of Ezra hints at a sense of disappointment and even disillusionment among some of the returnees regarding the Second Temple. It is plausible that they were aware of Ezekiel’s more elaborate temple plan but felt utterly incapable or perhaps even divinely unburdened from the task of replicating it in their current circumstances.

The destruction of the Second Temple by the Romans in 70 CE imbued Ezekiel’s temple vision with a profound new significance for the Jewish people in their subsequent exile. Finding themselves once again without a physical temple, Ezekiel’s chariot and temple visions, offered a vital means of approaching God through careful and meditative reading and study. These texts provided a sense of spiritual connection even in the absence of a physical sanctuary. They assured them that even if earthly temples could be destroyed—as had tragically happened twice in their history—God’s heavenly throne remained eternally secure and untouchable.

Altar

In Ezekiel’s initial tour of the envisioned temple complex, a prominent altar at its center immediately captured his attention (40:47). However, that initial walkthrough provided no specific details regarding the temple furnishings. His divine guide returned with Ezekiel to the altar, this time offering a comprehensive description of its construction and significance (43:13-17).

The guide meticulously detailed the altar’s precise dimensions, specifying the size of its base, the surrounding ledge, and the upper surface. This impressive, tiered structure measured eighteen cubits square at its largest point—approximately 31.5 feet—and stood ten feet tall. Ezekiel’s altar, while similar in scale to the altar in Solomon’s temple, surpassed the size of the altar within the portable tabernacle.

Ezekiel’s altar also incorporated functional elements crucial for sacrificial rites, including a gutter encircling its base designed to collect the blood of the sacrificial offerings. The angelic guide further highlighted the altar’s four prominent horns. Horned altars were a common feature in the religious landscape of ancient Canaan. Archaeologist have discovered them at sites such as Megiddo, Beer Sheva, and Dan providing tangible evidence. However, it is important to note that none of these unearthed altars matched the massive scale and detailed specifications of Ezekiel’s visionary structure.

The divine blueprint for Ezekiel’s altar featured eastward-facing steps, a design that would have oriented the priests conducting sacrifices toward the temple’s holy of holies. This stands in contrast to Mosaic instructions explicitly prohibited the use of steps leading to the altar. The rationale provided in Exodus was the concern that ascending steps might inadvertently expose the worshipper’s nakedness (Exodus 20:23-26). Some scholars propose that Ezekiel’s vision represented a divinely inspired adaptation or symbolic evolution of the altar design, rather than a literal construction mandate. The steps, in this interpretation, might symbolize the spiritual ascent and increasing holiness required of those approaching God in worship.

Before God would accept sacrifices offered upon this newly constructed altar, he mandated a comprehensive seven-day purification process involving daily sin offerings (43:18-27). On the very first day, God instructed Ezekiel to procure a young bull specifically for the priests to offer as a sin offering, initiating the altar’s consecration (43:18-19). The sacrificial directions given directly to Ezekiel suggest his active and perhaps even symbolic participation in this ritual process within the vision. Given that Ezekiel was exiled before the age at which he could have served in the physical temple, this visionary participation offered him a unique experience of priestly duties.

Over the subsequent six days, the priests continued the work of purification by making daily sin offerings, further cleansing the altar. The divine instructions included specific details regarding the sprinkling of the blood of rams and bulls and the proper disposal of the carcasses. This week-long dedication, God declared, would “make atonement for the altar” and consecrate it for its sacred purpose. On the eighth day and thereafter, the priests were authorized to offer regular burnt offerings and peace offerings. God proclaimed “I will accept you,” in reference to all willing worshippers (43:27). The altar’s ultimate and enduring purpose was the restoration of a relationship between a holy God and his people through the divinely ordained sacrificial system.

Revelation

Writing to persecuted Christians in the first century, John of Patmos skillfully adapted the rich imagery from Ezekiel’s visionary tour of Jerusalem to ignite hope for their future. This underlying motivation closely mirrors that of Ezekiel, who addressed the despair of the exiled Israelites. Just as the exiles had lost their temple and their king, these early Christians had endured the loss of their physical temple and, more significantly, their Messiah.

Revelation 21 and 22 stand as an intentional and transformative reinterpretation of Ezekiel 40-48. Echoing Ezekiel’s experience, John is “carried away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain,” where he beholds the magnificent “holy city, the New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God” (Revelation 21:10). Similar to the perfectly square layout of Ezekiel’s temple, the New Jerusalem also possesses a symmetrical cubic form. Furthermore, John, like Ezekiel, is accompanied by an angelic guide wielding a measuring rod, who surveys the city’s square gates and towering walls (Revelation 21:16-17). Ezekiel never described the construction materials of his temple, but John described the New Jerusalem as being composed of radiant jasper, pure gold resembling clear glass, and a breathtaking array of precious stones adorning its foundations (Revelation 21:15-21). Even the streets are paved with pure gold and the magnificent gates are each fashioned from a single, lustrous pearl.

In John’s New Jerusalem, the temple is conspiciously absent. John unequivocally states, “I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb” (Revelation 21:22). John reveals a profound shift: Jesus, the Lamb of God, has become the new and ultimate Temple. Through his sacrifice and resurrection, God’s glory dwells intimately with his people, unmediated by physical structures or earthly boundaries. Although the city is protected by high walls, its gates remain perpetually open to all who are willing to enter (Revelation 21:12, 25),.

In the New Jerusalem, the distinction between sacred and profane dissolves. John reiterates, “Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life” (Revelation 21:27). Through his inspired use of Ezekiel’s imagery, John reveals the deeper, Christ-centered meaning of those prophecies. Ezekiel’s temple and his assurances of eternal restoration were not nullified; rather, they are gloriously realized in Christ.

As Jesus himself declared, “I tell you that something greater than the temple is here” (Matthew 12:6). His life, atoning death, and triumphant resurrection fulfilled the ultimate purpose and spiritual reality that the earthly temple had always represented within God’s overarching plan. Jesus is the way through which humanity gains access to God. He is the perfect and final sacrifice that has permanently purified the altar of our hearts. Just as God’s glorious presence returned to Ezekiel’s visionary temple, that Holy Spirit now abides within believers, making us the living temples of God.

Thank you for listening and please continue to take part in this Bible Reading Challenge. Next week we are reading Ezekiel 44, regulations for the priests and temple worship.

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Shabbat Shalom and Am Israel Chai

The post Ezekiel 43 appeared first on Shelley Neese.

This week, we will delve into Ezekiel chapters 40 to 42, which present Ezekiel’s visionary depiction of a future temple complex. While our usual format for Bible Fiber is to explore one chapter each week, I have decided to dedicate this episode to an in-depth discussion of all three chapters together. As a priest, Ezekiel was likely enthralled by the measurements and architectural details of his temple vision. However, for many listeners, his verbal descriptions might be challenging to visualize. Thankfully, there are scholars who have carefully analyzed every measurement and created illustrated renditions of Ezekiel’s visionary temple. Although these illustrations are not easily adaptable to a podcast format, I will strive to convey the significance of his temple vision.

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Dating

Ezekiel timestamps his vision to the twenty-fifth year of exile, specifically April 19, 573 BCE (40:1). It has been twenty years since Ezekiel was first called to be a prophet by the River Chebar.

As you follow the evolving tone of Ezekiel’s messages, you’ll notice that he begins with warnings and calls for repentance, gradually shifting towards themes of impending judgment. After the destruction of Jerusalem, his prophecies take on a more hopeful tone. When delivering negative prophecies, he directs them specifically at Israel’s enemies (like what we saw in the Gog oracle).

In these final eight chapters, Ezekiel’s focus is entirely future-oriented, often projecting far beyond his present time. While he describes the new temple, the reinstatement of sacrifices, and the reconfiguration of Israel’s borders, he is not referencing the post-exilic community of the sixth century BCE in the days of Ezra and Nehemiah. He envisions a millennial kingdom that extends into the distant future.

The vision of the coming temple was foreshadowed earlier at the conclusion of Ezekiel 37, where Yahweh assures Ezekiel: “My dwelling place shall be over them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Then the nations shall know that I, the Lord, sanctify Israel when my sanctuary is among them forever” (37:26-28).

Angelic guide

At the beginning of the temple section, Ezekiel experiences another divine transportation to Jerusalem. He describes the moment, stating, “He brought me, in visions of God, to the land of Israel and set me down upon a very high mountain on which was a structure like a city to the south” (40:2). This is not the first time a biblical figure has been taken to a mountain to receive instructions for a sanctuary; during Moses’s 40 days on Mount Sinai, God provided him with the plans for the Tabernacle. While the text does not specify the exact high point to which God brought Ezekiel, it is generally assumed to be Mount Zion.

At this elevated location, Ezekiel is guided by a figure whose “appearance shone like bronze, with a linen cord and a measuring reed in his hand” (40:3). Throughout the Bible, a figure wielding a measuring tool appears in three distinct visions. The prophet Zechariah describes a vision of a man with a stick taking measurements of Jerusalem (Zech. 2:1-2), and in Revelation, John of Patmos sees a figure with a golden measuring rod assessing the walls and gates of Jerusalem (Rev. 21:15-17). In all three instances, these surveyors are identified as angelic beings.

From his high vantage point, Ezekiel watches as the bronze figure meticulously surveys Jerusalem. The angel begins by measuring the outer wall of the temple complex, which, according to his precise calculations, stands at 10½ feet tall and 10½ feet thick (40:5). The wall’s thickness corresponds with its height, something Ezekiel explains is designed to “make a separation between the holy and the common” (42:20). As the tour progresses, the guide carefully measures each outer gateway, documenting the dimensions and features (40:5-16)

These three gates lead to an expansive outer courtyard, where the angel observes various chambers, paving, and courtyards (40:17-27). He measures every window, recess, vestibule, and the distances between gates, reporting all measurements in cubits. A cubit, an ancient unit based on the length of the forearm from the elbow to the tip of the middle finger, is typically estimated to be about 18 inches (45 centimeters).

As Ezekiel explores the inner courtyard, he sees designated areas where priests will prepare animal sacrifices (40:28-49). The portico features palm trees, echoing the design elements found in Solomon’s temple. In this section, the responsibilities of the priests and the layout of the sacrificial areas become central themes. There are eight tables specifically set aside for slaughtering and preparing sacrifices, each equipped with its own instruments (40:38-43).

Access to the inner courts is restricted to priests. While much of the text concentrates on measurements and architectural details, the angel explains the hierarchy among the priests in the new temple. He states, “The chamber that faces north is for the priests who have charge of the altar; these are the descendants of Zadok, who alone among the descendants of Levi may come near to the Lord to minister to him” (40:46). I will delve into the significance of the Zadokites in Chapter 44.

New temple

As the visionary tour continues in Chapter 41, the focus shifts to the temple itself (40:48-41:26). Each time Ezekiel and his guide approach the inner sanctuary, they ascend another set of stairs. The temple stands elevated at the highest point, and as they get closer to the Holy of Holies, the doorways narrow.

The tour begins with the vestibule, an entrance area leading into the main part of the temple (40:48-49). Beyond the vestibule lies the main hall and inner sanctuary, which follow the same three-part design as the Tabernacle and the first Temple (41:1-4). Here, the angelic guide takes measurements of aspects such as the width and height of the entrance. The Inner Sanctuary, located further in, is cubic, paralleling the dimensions of the Holy of Holies from the Tabernacle and the first Temple. While the angel does the measuring, Ezekiel respectfully waits outside. He was adhering to the prohibitions against entering the Holy of Holies. The last time he had seen inside the inner sanctuary was when he observed Yahweh’s presence preparing to depart from the temple (10:18-19).

Surrounding the temple structure are three levels of side chambers (41:5-11). These small rooms, serve various functions, such as storing sacred utensils or providing quarters for the priests. The outer walls are exceptionally thick, perhaps symbolizing the temple’s strong and unyielding foundation (41:12-15). This section of the text also describes surrounding structures, such as a separate building at the rear of the temple. The interior decor features wood-paneled walls adorned with intricate carvings of cherubim and palm trees (41:16-20).

In Chapter 42, the angelic guide directs Ezekiel to the outer court of the temple, where he observes various chambers designated for the priests as they conduct temple services (42:3). Ezekiel discovers that these chambers, arranged around the outer court, serve multiple purposes, including storage for offerings and other worship items (42:4-5). The divine guide explains how the priests utilize these spaces to receive and consume their share of the grain and meat offerings (42:13), as well as the areas designated for changing in and out of their priestly garments (42:14). The overall measurements of the entire temple complex are reported to be 500 cubits by 500 cubits (42:16-20), so it was square shape.

It is important to note that such a large complex would not physically fit on the earthly Mount Zion; Ezekiel is envisioning a temple far beyond the limitations of reality. The chapter concludes with remarks on the holiness of the temple and the significance of these areas in relation to the sanctuary. The temple facilitates worship for all of Israel while maintaining its sacredness (42:20).

In Ezekiel’s vision of the future temple, the Ark of the Covenant is conspicuously absent. The Ark—containing the tablets of the Law—represented God’s presence among His people. Its omission suggests a shift in understanding divine presence. Other key items of temple furniture, like the Table of Showbread and the Golden Lampstand are also missing. The specific altar for burning incense, another significant element of previous worship practices, is not mentioned in Ezekiel’s account. He may have excluded the furniture from his description because the Babylonians destroyed them when they ransacked the Temple. Ezekiel wanted to encourage his listeners that God did not require their presence in the future temple. This perspective aligns with that of the prophet Jeremiah, who stated that a day would come when the people would no longer remember or miss the Ark (Jer. 3:16-17).

Totally new design

Some biblical scholars have attempted to create a blueprint for the future temple based on Ezekiel’s descriptions. However, fully reconstructing his vision is impossible. The primary challenge lies in the fact that his descriptions are largely two-dimensional, detailing the lengths and widths of the structures but omitting any mention of their heights. He also does not address the roof of the temple. In contrast, the instructions given to Moses for building the Tabernacle (Ex. 25:1-9) and to David for constructing the First Temple (1 Chron. 28:11-19) included specific details about construction materials. However, Ezekiel concentrates on measurements without specifying any materials.

Moreover, we know that the temple described by Ezekiel has never been built—neither by Zerubbabel nor by King Herod. Because the temple in Ezekiel’s vision has never been realized, some theologians argue that this prophecy served a symbolic purpose or function as a spiritual blueprint rather than a literal construction plan.

Jewish and Christian traditions interpret Ezekiel’s vision of the temple in distinct yet overlapping ways, particularly regarding its prophetic significance and eschatological implications. In Jewish tradition, the temple described in Ezekiel 40-42 is a symbol of the future Messianic age—a time of restoration and redemption when the Jewish people will return to their homeland and the divine presence will once again dwell among them in a rebuilt temple. This structure is seen as a physical manifestation of God’s promise, serving as a focal point for worship and a symbol of covenant renewal for the Jewish nation.

In Christian tradition, Ezekiel’s temple is interpreted as a precursor to the millennial period described in Revelation, during which Christ will reign on Earth for a thousand years following His second coming. Many Christians believe that the specific details in Ezekiel highlight God’s ultimate plan for restoration and the fulfillment of His promises to humanity. However you interpret the Book of Revelation’s description of the future temple, it hints that there is more to Ezekiel’s temple than merely a physical edifice.

Both traditions recognize the temple as a prophetic blueprint pointing toward future fulfillment—whether in the context of the Messianic age for Judaism or the millennial kingdom for Christianity. More information on Revelation’s connection to Ezekiel’s vision will be discussed in the next episode.

The post Bible Fiber: Ezekiel’s visionary temple appeared first on Shelley Neese.

This week, we are studying Ezekiel 39, the second half of his famous oracle against the mysterious Gog from the land of Magog. Subscribe to Bible Fiber on Youtube or follow wherever you listen to your podcasts! Also, be sure to check out the Bible Fiber book on Amazon!

Israel’s only job

Throughout most of the Gog oracle, the emphasis has been on God’s direct intervention in defeating the invading armies. Whether it was God knocking the bow and arrows from the archers’ hands (39:3) or setting fire to Magog and the coastlands (39:6), the responsibility fell entirely on God to obliterate the hordes.

In the prophecy, the Israelites emerged only once the battle was already over. Their only task was to organize a cleanup operation. They began by collecting all the weaponry left behind by their defeated enemies. Ezekiel noted that they gathered enough shields, bows, arrows, and war clubs. However, instead of storing the weapons in their armory, they repurposed them for fuel. Gog’s captured weaponry would provide them with firewood for seven years (39:9). In other words, with the defeat of Gog and its allies, Israel entered into an era of total peace.

Ezekiel gave a new twist on the prophecies of Isaiah and Micah, which stated that in the Messianic age, people would turn their swords into plowshares (Isa. 2:4, Micah 4:3). The Israelites sensed that this was the last war. Ezekiel also notes the irony: “And they will plunder those who plundered them and loot those who looted them” (39:10), as the hordes had initially invaded Israel, intending to plunder its cities and villages.

After Gog’s complete destruction, corpses covered the land of Israel. Deuteronomic law dictates that all the dead, even non-Israelites, must be buried (Deut. 21:22-23). Keeping to the law, Yahweh selected a site for the mass burial of Israel’s slain enemies and named it the Valley of Hamon-Gog (39:11).

The Israelites were rightfully concerned about the contaminating effects of so many corpses on their covenanted land. Ezekiel said all the people would take part in the burial effort, which would last seven months (39:12). Ezekiel states, “People will be continually employed in cleansing the land. They will spread out across the land and, along with others, they will bury any bodies that are lying on the ground” (39:14). After seven months, they appointed special inspectors to roam the land and mark any unburied bones, so nothing would be overlooked (39:15).

Grotesque banquet

In the next section, starting in verse 17, Yahweh issued a personal invitation to all the wild animals and scavenging birds, calling them to a grand banquet to feast on the corpses of those defeated in battle (39:17-20). The invitation is out of sequence and would make more sense coming before the mass burial and after the first mention of animals scavenging corpses (39:4). Nevertheless, Yahweh invited the creatures and birds to gather at the divine table and partake in a gruesome feast. Gluttonous animals “eat the flesh of mighty men and drink the blood of the princes of the earth” (39:18). This grisly scene brings home the chapter’s point that there is no honor in the death of God’s adversaries.

Display Yahweh’s Glory

The Gog oracle repeatedly emphasizes that the purpose of Yahweh’s victory over Gog was to reestablish Yahweh’s glory for both Israel and the nations. The oracle concludes with a broader look at God’s complete dealings with Israel, summarizing Ezekiel’s entire message thus far. Yahweh declares, “From that day forward, the people of Israel will know that I am the Lord their God” (39:22). Gog’s defeat marks the beginning of a new chapter in Israel’s relationship with Yahweh.

Through Israel’s supernatural rescue, she will reconsider her punishment and Babylonian exile, now recognizing them as consequences of her generational sin and rebellion (39:23). She will come to realize that the Lord is truly her God. The nations will understand that God did not allow Israel to be overrun by the Babylonians because of weakness. Rather, he permitted it from a position of strength. His holiness and commitment to the covenant required him to punish Israel for her unfaithfulness. That same holiness now allows him to rescue her during her restoration. Yahweh states, “When I have brought them back from the nations and have gathered them from the countries of their enemies, I will be proved holy through them in the sight of many nations” (39:27).

In this new era, God will display both compassion for his people and zeal for his name (39:25). These two aspects are not mutually exclusive. The final restoration of Israel will be permanent and complete. God will pour out his spirit on Israel, just as he had once poured out his wrath.

Identifying Gog

The name Gog does not appear elsewhere in the Hebrew Scriptures. Bible scholars spend their time looking for a historical figure outside the Bible that matches Ezekiel’s descriptions of Gog. Phonetically, the closest derivative to Gog in ancient Near Eastern history is King Gyges, also known as Gugu in Assyrian records. Gyges ruled the kingdom of Lydia in western Anatolia (modern-day Turkey) during the 7th century BCE. Since the Hebrew name “Gog” (גּוֹג) phonetically resembles the Assyrian “Gugu” and the Greek “Gyges,” some scholars suggest that Ezekiel may have used Gyges as a prototype for Gog. However, Gyges was a relatively minor king who lived before Ezekiel’s time. I can’t imagine that Ezekiel would give so much attention to a barely known distant king of Lydia.

Other Bible scholars have proposed that Gog is a cryptic reference to Babylon. Certainly, during Ezekiel’s day, Babylon dominated the world stage. As the force responsible for Judah’s exile and Jerusalem’s destruction, Babylon epitomized opposition to God’s people. The description of Gog coming from “the far north” (38:15) also is fitting, since Babylon was to the north of Israel. Ezekiel may have used cryptic language for Babylon as a way of shielding himself from punishment. The Babylonians were his overlords and they would have not taken kindly to a prophet in exile predicting the empire’s coming demise.

Throughout Christian history, prophecy enthusiasts have equated Gog with whatever modern godless nation came up against Israel or the Jewish people. This interpretation has varied over time and context. After the sacking of Rome in the fifth century, Augustine claimed the Goths represented Gog. During the Crusades, Peter the Hermit interpreted the rise of Islam and its military campaigns against Christian territories as a fulfillment of biblical prophecies about Gog. Martin Luther believed the Turkish Empire represented Gog because of its menacing nature and its location in Anatolia. During the Cold War, Hal Lindsay popularized the idea that Gog and her allies were an alliance of Soviet states, with Russia as the primary aggressor against Israel.

In more modern interpretations of the Gog oracle, the prophecy represents a coalition of nations following Iran’s orders. This association is less of a stretch since Persia is in Ezekiel’s list of aggressor nations. Still, Bible readers should be cautious and avoid studying the Bible with a newspaper in one hand and the prophecies in the other. Given Israel’s recent experiences after October 7, it’s tempting to read the Gog oracle with the Jewish state’s current seven-front war in mind.

I have little to say about predictions that find contemporary equivalents of Gog. Sadly, Israel has many enemies today and in the past. All I can say is that Israel has not arrived yet at a time of peace and plenty.

The primary thrust of Ezekiel’s message is not to illuminate our modern geopolitical landscape. Instead, Ezekiel promises that one day, Israel and all of humanity will recognize Yahweh. Gog is only important as the tool God uses to reveal himself through Gog’s defeat.

Revelation 19 and 20

In Jewish tradition, Ezekiel 38-39 describe events expected to be fulfilled by the Messiah. In Christian tradition, Gog is associated with the second coming of Jesus and his ultimate defeat of Satan.

The book of Revelation provides a divinely inspired commentary on Ezekiel’s Gog oracle. In typical Revelation fashion, John of Patmos reworks the Gog oracle to present a more cosmic drama. In Revelation, Gog is Satan, God’s premier enemy. If Gog is Satan, rather than an earthly power, Gog’s overthrow is akin to the collapse of all forces against God, which John calls the “beast and its armies” (Rev. 19:17-20).

Echoing Ezekiel’s animal banquet, Revelation describes the aftermath of the battle of Armageddon, where an angel calls the birds to gather for the “great supper of God” to eat the flesh of kings, commanders, and mighty men. It is Christ who has victory over the forces of evil. The connection between the Ezekiel banquet and the Revelation banquet lies in their use of a symbolic feast to illustrate divine judgment and victory. Both depict a dramatic scene of destruction for those who oppose God and the inevitable triumph of divine justice.

While Ezekiel’s prophecy focuses on the historical defeat of specific enemies of Israel, John expands this theme to encompass a universal and final confrontation between good and evil. By doing so, he transforms the oracle into a grander narrative of the end times. Gog represents the ultimate cosmic battle and final judgment, where divine justice prevails on a global scale. Although Ezekiel referred to Gog as a national leader from Magog, Revelation refers to Gog and Magog together as two entities, which is why you often hear “Gog and Magog” instead of “Gog from Magog.” Christians generally follow the Revelation version.

Ezekiel listed seven specific allies who join Gog. John describes the entire world joining Gog in an attack on Israel, “the nations at the four corners of the earth” (Rev. 20:8). Satan is the acting commander of the attacking army. Satan desires to destroy anything God loves. For Revelation, Gog is the culmination of the cosmic battle between God and Satan. It is the chance for Jesus Christ, in his Second Coming, to deliver the final blow to Satan and his partners. Jesus, through his saving works on the cross and his miraculous resurrection, overcame the powers of darkness.

The apostle Paul explained the purpose of Christ’s death in this same language: “For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” John the Apostle also stated it directly: “The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work” (1 John 3:8). Jesus did not die on the cross merely to appease God’s wrath; that explanation is too transactional. The purpose was so much bigger. His sacrifice was a victory over sin and the evil forces that enslaved humanity. By breaking the power of darkness, Jesus provided a way for humanity to be reconciled to God.

Thank you for listening and please continue to take part in this Bible Reading Challenge. Next week we are starting Ezekiel 40 and the prophet’s vision of a new temple!

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Shabbat Shalom and Am Israel Chai

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