Name: Susie
Question: In Ezekiel 44 and beyond (Ezekiel 44:4-7), we read a lot about sacrifices. It’s my understanding that these chapters refer to the millennium and our love offerings (not blood) but I don’t know why is there such detail about specific offerings. Any light you could shed on this subject would be greatly appreciated.
Answer: Thank you for the question Susie.
There will not be animal sacrifice during the Millennium, just as there are no sacrifices today.
The reason?
Jesus Christ died for us, and He replaced blood sacrifice when He perished on the cross for our sins.
Now, let’s discuss this in detail.
Blood Sacrifice Was Fulfilled By Jesus
Blood sacrifices are a thing of the past.
They’re never coming back, not in the Millennium or the Eternity.
Why?
For the same reason, there are no blood sacrifices today.
As Hebrews 10:10 explains,
“We are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.”
The sacrifice of Jesus Christ replaced the former animal sacrifices that were used to atone for our sins. Once Jesus was crucified, He became our unblemished lamb, the one and only sacrifice required to atone for our sins, (1 Peter 1:19).
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Scripture provides us with even more details of this.
We’re told, Jesus became the offering, the “one sacrifice for sins for ever.” “For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified,” (Hebrews 10:1-4, 11-14).
Hey, we are sanctified through Jesus Christ, not animal sacrifice. That’s what Hebrews 9-10 is all about. I’m sure you noticed, Jesus did this once, for all time. That means, animal sacrifices are never coming back again.
The Gates Are Not Shut By Day
All right, let’s read a few verses before the ones you cited.
Ezekiel 46:1
Thus saith the Lord GOD; The gate of the inner court that looketh toward the east shall be shut the six working days; but on the sabbath it shall be opened, and in the day of the new moon it shall be opened.
Notice, the gates are shut, but during the new moon, they are open.
Now, let’s turn to the Book of Revelation…
It will explain, the gates of the city during the Eternity never shut, nor is the moon needed. Granted, this discusses the Eternity and not the Millennium, but we’re never told about a temple during the Millennium, only the Holy City — not a temple — during the Eternity.
Revelation 21:23-25
23 And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.24 And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it.
25 And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there.
There will be no night in God’s Holy City. This means the gates of the city will never be closed. So we can glean from this, that Ezekiel and Revelation are talking about two completely different things.
The fact of the matter is, Ezekiel 40-48 describes blood sacrifice, marriage, children, and even dead people. These are not aspects of the Millennium, but characteristics of Ezekiel’s temple. A temple that might have been, had the Israelites repented of their many sins and followed God.
However, it never came to fruition, nor will it.