The messenger who brings this message of the restored temple (v3), emphasises how important this is. This was either an angel or the pre-incarnate Christ.

This message comes, remember, when the Jerusalem temple was lying in total ruins. It would be only in the future after the return from exile that the temple would be rebuilt under the leadership of Zerubbabel and Haggai.

The rebuilding of the temple points further forward to heaven and how there the Lord has prepared a great place of pure and perfect worship. The whole plan of God for this world finds fulfilment in the construction of the church, the body of Christ and the true temple of God.

Some see this prophesy of Ezekiel being fulfilled with one day the temple being restored in the future in Israel. That may or may not happen, but that’s not the great focus of this prophesy. The church, the people of God are the spiritual stones that make a true house of praise (1 Peter 2 v5). The challenge for each of us is, are we becoming increasingly wholehearted worshippers getting ready for glory?

The great detail of the temple as outlined here, speaks of how worship has to be according to God’s word and not by our own imagination. The importance of the temple on earth following God’s plan was also as it pointed to heaven. The temple outline teaches us about how we can approach God.