“Set Your Heart Upon” God’s Temple!

“Son of man, . . . set your heart upon all that I am showing you . . . Tell everything that you are seeing to the house of Israel.”​—EZEKIEL 40:4.

1. In what condition did God’s chosen people find themselves in 593 B.C.E.?

THE year was 593 B.C.E., the 14th year of Israel’s exile. To the Jews living in Babylon, their beloved homeland must have seemed far away indeed. When most of them had last seen Jerusalem, it was in flames, its mighty wall smashed, its proud buildings in ruins. The temple of Jehovah​—once the city’s crowning glory, the one center for pure worship in all the earth—​had been reduced to rubble. Now the bulk of Israel’s exile lay yet ahead. It would be 56 years before the promised deliverance.​—Jeremiah 29:10.

2. Why would memories of God’s temple in Jerusalem have saddened Ezekiel?

² It must have saddened the faithful prophet Ezekiel to think of God’s temple lying in ruins hundreds of miles away, a desolate haunt of wild animals. (Jeremiah 9:11) His own father, Buzi, had served as a priest there. (Ezekiel 1:3) Ezekiel would have enjoyed the same privilege, but he had been taken into exile with the nobility of Jerusalem in 617 B.C.E., when still young. Now about 50 years old, Ezekiel likely knew that he would never see Jerusalem again nor have any part in the rebuilding of her temple. Imagine, then, how much it must have meant to Ezekiel to receive a vision of a glorious temple!

3. (a) What was the purpose of Ezekiel’s vision of the temple? (b) What are the four main components of the vision?

³ This extensive vision, filling nine chapters of Ezekiel’s book, provided exiled Judeans with a faith-strengthening promise. Pure worship would be restored! In the centuries since then, even down to our day, this vision has been a source of encouragement to lovers of Jehovah. How so? Let us examine what Ezekiel’s prophetic vision meant to the exiled Israelites. It has four main components: the temple, the priesthood, the chieftain, and the land.

The Temple Restored

4. Where is Ezekiel taken at the outset of his vision, what does he see there, and who gives him a guided tour?

⁴ First, Ezekiel is brought to “a very high mountain.” On the mountain to the south is a huge temple, like a walled city. An angel, whose “appearance was like the appearance of copper,” takes the prophet on a thorough tour of the premises. (Ezekiel 40:2, 3) As the vision proceeds, Ezekiel beholds the angel meticulously taking measurements of the temple’s three matching pairs of gates with their guard chambers, an outer courtyard, an inner courtyard, dining rooms, an altar, and the temple sanctuary with its Holy and Most Holy compartments.

5. (a) What assurance does Jehovah give Ezekiel? (b) What were “the carcasses of their kings” that had to be removed from the temple, and why was this important?

⁵ Then, Jehovah himself appears in the vision. He enters the temple and assures Ezekiel that He will reside there. But He calls for a cleansing of His house, saying: “Now let them remove their fornication and the carcasses of their kings far from me, and I shall certainly reside in the midst of them to time indefinite.” (Ezekiel 43:2-4, 7, 9) These “carcasses of their kings” evidently referred to idols. Jerusalem’s rebellious rulers and people had polluted God’s temple with idols and, in effect, had made kings of them. (Compare Amos 5:26.) Far from being living gods or kings, these were dead, dirty things in Jehovah’s eyes. They must be removed.​—Leviticus 26:30; Jeremiah 16:18.

6. What did the measuring of the temple signify?

⁶ What was the point of this part of the vision? It assured the exiles of the complete restoration of pure worship at God’s temple. Further, the measuring of the temple provided a divine guarantee that the vision was absolutely sure of fulfillment. (Compare Jeremiah 31:39, 40; Zechariah 2:2-8.) All idolatry would be cleansed away. Jehovah would once again bless his house.

The Priesthood and the Chieftain

7. What information is given regarding the Levites and the priests?

⁷ The priesthood was also to undergo a cleansing, or refining, process. The Levites were to be rebuked for succumbing to idolatry, while the priestly sons of Zadok were to be commended and rewarded for remaining clean.a Still, both groups would have positions of service in God’s restored house​—depending, no doubt, on their faithfulness as individuals. Further, Jehovah decreed: “And my people they should instruct in the difference between a holy thing and a profane thing; and the difference between what is unclean and what is clean they should cause them to know.” (Ezekiel 44:10-16, 23) So the priesthood was to be restored, and the faithful endurance of the priests would be rewarded.

8. (a) Who were the chieftains of ancient Israel? (b) In what ways was the chieftain of Ezekiel’s vision active in pure worship?

⁸ The vision also refers to one called the chieftain. Ever since the days of Moses, the nation had had chieftains. The Hebrew word for chieftain, na·siʼʹ, could refer to a head of a paternal house, a tribe, or even a nation. In Ezekiel’s vision, Israel’s rulers as a class are rebuked for oppressing the people and are exhorted to be fair and just. Although not of the priestly class, the chieftain is active in a prominent way in pure worship. He enters and exits the outer courtyard with the nonpriestly tribes, sits in the porch of the East Gate, and provides some of the sacrifices for the people to offer. (Ezekiel 44:2, 3; 45:8-12, 17) The vision thus assured Ezekiel’s people that the restored nation would be blessed with exemplary leaders, men who would support the priesthood in organizing God’s people and be fine examples in spiritual matters.

The Land

9. (a) How was the land to be divided, but who would not receive an inheritance? (b) What was the holy contribution, and what did it contain?

⁹ Finally, Ezekiel’s vision included an overview of the land of Israel. It was to be divided with an allotment for each tribe. The chieftain too would have an inheritance. The priests, however, would not, for Jehovah said, “I am their inheritance.” (Ezekiel 44:10, 28; Numbers 18:20) The vision showed that the chieftain’s allotment of land would be located on either side of a special area called the holy contribution. This was a square piece of land divided into three strips​—the top for the repentant Levites, the middle for the priests, and the bottom for the city and its productive land. Jehovah’s temple would be located in the priests’ strip of land, in the center of the square contribution.​—Ezekiel 45:1-7.

10. What did the prophecy about the dividing of the land mean to faithful Judeans in exile?

¹⁰ How all of this must have lifted the hearts of those exiles! Each family was assured of having an inheritance in the land. (Compare Micah 4:4.) Pure worship would occupy an exalted, central place there. And notice in Ezekiel’s vision that the chieftain, like the priests, would live on land contributed by the people. (Ezekiel 45:16) So in the restored land, the people were to contribute to the work of those whom Jehovah appointed to take the lead, supporting them by cooperating with their direction. In all, this land was a picture of organization, cooperation, and security.

11, 12. (a) How does Jehovah prophetically assure his people that he would bless their restored homeland? (b) What was pictured by the trees along the banks of the river?

¹¹ Would Jehovah bless their land? The prophecy answers this question with a heartwarming picture. A stream flows from the temple, widening as it goes, becoming a torrent by the time it enters the Dead Sea. There it revives lifeless waters, and a fishing industry flourishes on a stretch of the shoreline. Along the riverbanks are many trees that bear fruit year-round, giving nourishment and healing.​—Ezekiel 47:1-12.

¹² To the exiles, this promise echoed and confirmed earlier restoration prophecies that they held very dear. More than once, Jehovah’s inspired prophets had described a restored, repopulated Israel in paradisaic terms. Dead regions coming to life had been a recurring prophetic theme. (Isaiah 35:1, 6, 7; 51:3; Ezekiel 36:35; 37:1-14) So the people could expect that Jehovah’s life-giving blessings would flow forth like a river from the restored temple. Consequently, a spiritually dead nation would revive. The restored people would be blessed with outstanding spiritual men​—men as righteous and firm as the trees along those visionary riverbanks, men who would take the lead in rebuilding a ruined land. Isaiah too had written of “big trees of righteousness” who would “rebuild the long-standing devastated places.”​—Isaiah 61:3, 4.

When Is the Vision Fulfilled?

13. (a) In what sense did Jehovah bless his restored people with “big trees of righteousness”? (b) How was the prophecy about the Dead Sea fulfilled?

¹³ Were the returning exiles disappointed? Far from it! A restored remnant returned to their beloved homeland in 537 B.C.E. In time, under the guidance of these “big trees of righteousness”​—such as the scribe Ezra, the prophets Haggai and Zechariah, and the High Priest Joshua—​the long-devastated places were rebuilt. Chieftains, for example Nehemiah and Zerubbabel, ruled in the land fairly and justly. Jehovah’s temple was restored, and his provisions for life​—the blessings of living by his covenant—​again flowed forth. (Deuteronomy 30:19; Isaiah 48:17-20) One blessing was knowledge. The priesthood was restored to duty, and the priests instructed the people in the Law. (Malachi 2:7) As a result, the people revived spiritually and again became fruitful servants of Jehovah, as pictured by the Dead Sea being healed and generating a productive fishing industry.

14. Why was there to be a fulfillment of Ezekiel’s prophecy surpassing what happened following the Jews’ return from exile in Babylon?

¹⁴ Were these events the only fulfillment of Ezekiel’s vision? No; something far greater is indicated. Consider: The temple that Ezekiel saw could not really be built as described. True, the Jews took that vision seriously and even applied some details literally.b However, the visionary temple as a whole was too large even to fit on Mount Moriah, the site of the former temple. In addition, Ezekiel’s temple was not in the city but some distance away on a separate tract of land, whereas the second temple was built where its predecessor had stood, in the city of Jerusalem. (Ezra 1:1, 2) Further, no literal river ever emerged from Jerusalem’s temple. So ancient Israel saw only a token fulfillment of Ezekiel’s prophecy. This implies that there must be a greater, spiritual fulfillment of this vision.

15. (a) When did Jehovah’s spiritual temple go into operation? (b) What indicates that Ezekiel’s vision was not fulfilled during Christ’s lifetime on earth?

¹⁵ Clearly, we must look for the main fulfillment of Ezekiel’s vision in Jehovah’s great spiritual temple, which the apostle Paul discusses at length in the book of Hebrews. That temple went into operation when Jesus Christ was anointed as its High Priest in 29 C.E. But was Ezekiel’s vision fulfilled in Jesus’ day? Evidently not. Jesus, as the High Priest, fulfilled the prophetic import of the Atonement Day by means of his baptism, his sacrificial death, and his entry into the Most Holy, heaven itself. (Hebrews 9:24) Interestingly, though, Ezekiel’s vision does not contain a single mention of either the high priest or the Atonement Day. So it seems unlikely that this vision was pointing toward the first century C.E. In what time period, then, does it apply?

16. The setting of Ezekiel’s vision reminds us of what other prophecy, and how does this help us to discern the time of the main fulfillment of Ezekiel’s vision?

¹⁶ For an answer, let us go back to the vision itself. Ezekiel wrote: “In the visions of God he brought me to the land of Israel and gradually set me down upon a very high mountain, on which there was something like the structure of a city to the south.” (Ezekiel 40:2) The setting for this vision, the “very high mountain,” reminds us of Micah 4:1: “It must occur in the final part of the days that the mountain of the house of Jehovah will become firmly established above the top of the mountains, and it will certainly be lifted up above the hills; and to it peoples must stream.” When does this prophecy come into fulfillment? Micah 4:5 shows that this commences while the nations still worship false gods. In fact, it has been in our own time, “the final part of the days,” that pure worship has been lifted up, restored to its proper place in the lives of God’s servants.

17. How does the prophecy at Malachi 3:1-5 help us to determine when the temple of Ezekiel’s vision was cleansed?

¹⁷ What made this restoration possible? Remember, in the most significant event of Ezekiel’s vision, Jehovah comes to the temple and insists that his house be cleansed of idolatry. When was God’s spiritual temple cleansed? At Malachi 3:1-5, Jehovah foretells a time when he will “come to His temple” accompanied by his “messenger of the covenant,” Jesus Christ. The purpose? “He will be like the fire of a refiner and like the lye of laundrymen.” This refining commenced during the time of the first world war. The result? Jehovah has resided in his house and blessed the spiritual land of his people from 1919 onward. (Isaiah 66:8) We may conclude, then, that Ezekiel’s temple prophecy sees an important fulfillment during the last days.

18. When will the temple vision have its final fulfillment?

¹⁸ Like other restoration prophecies, Ezekiel’s vision has a further fulfillment, a final one, in Paradise. Only at that time will righthearted mankind receive the full benefits of God’s temple arrangement. Christ will then administer the value of his ransom sacrifice, in company with his heavenly priesthood of 144,000. All obedient human subjects of Christ’s rule will be lifted to perfection. (Revelation 20:5, 6) However, Paradise cannot be the primary time of fulfillment for Ezekiel’s vision. Why not?

The Vision Focuses on Our Own Day

19, 20. Why must the main fulfillment of the vision occur today and not in Paradise?

¹⁹ Ezekiel saw a temple that needed to be cleansed of idolatry and spiritual fornication. (Ezekiel 43:7-9) This surely could not apply to the worship of Jehovah in Paradise. Furthermore, the priests of the vision picture the anointed priestly class while still on earth, not after their heavenly resurrection or during the Millennium. Why? Note that the priests are pictured as serving in the inner courtyard. Articles in previous issues of The Watchtower have shown that this courtyard pictures the unique spiritual standing of Christ’s underpriests while they are still on the earth.c Observe also that the vision stresses the imperfection of the priests. They are told to offer sacrifices for their own sins. They are warned of the danger of becoming unclean​—spiritually and morally. So they do not picture the resurrected anointed ones, of whom the apostle Paul wrote: “The trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised up incorruptible.” (1 Corinthians 15:52; Ezekiel 44:21, 22, 25, 27) The priests in the vision mingle with and serve the people directly. This will not be so in Paradise, when the priestly class will be in heaven. The vision provides, therefore, a fine picture of the way the anointed work closely with the “great crowd” on earth today.​—Revelation 7:9; Ezekiel 42:14.

²⁰ Thus Ezekiel’s vision of the temple portends the wholesome effects of a spiritual cleansing undergoing fulfillment today. But what does that mean to you? This is not merely some abstract theological puzzle. This vision has a great deal to do with your own day-to-day worship of the only true God, Jehovah. In our next article, we will see how.

“The Temple” and “the Chieftain” Today

“As regards the chieftain in their midst, when they come in, he should come in; and when they go out, he should go out.”​—EZEKIEL 46:10.

1, 2. What key truth helps us to unlock much of the meaning of Ezekiel’s temple vision?

SOME ancient rabbis were not entirely comfortable with the book of Ezekiel. According to the Talmud, some of them even considered excluding the book from the canon of the Holy Scriptures. They had a particularly hard time with the temple vision and pronounced it beyond human comprehension. Other Bible scholars have been baffled by Ezekiel’s vision of Jehovah’s temple. What about us?

² Since the restoration of pure worship, Jehovah has blessed his people with many flashes of spiritual insight, including the discernment of what God’s spiritual temple is​—Jehovah’s templelike arrangement for pure worship.a This key truth helps us to unlock much of the meaning of Ezekiel’s temple vision. Let us consider more closely the four components of this vision​—the temple, the priesthood, the chieftain, and the land. What do these mean today?

The Temple and You

3. What do we learn from the lofty ceiling and the wall carvings in the entryways to the temple?

³ Imagine that we are on a tour of this visionary temple. We approach and climb seven steps to one of the huge gates. Inside this entryway, we look up in awe. Its ceiling is over 100 feet [30 m] above us! We are thus reminded that standards for entering Jehovah’s arrangement for worship are lofty. Shafts of light from the windows illuminate wall carvings of palm trees, used in the Scriptures to picture uprightness. (Psalm 92:12; Ezekiel 40:14, 16, 22) This sacred place is for those who are morally and spiritually upright. In harmony with that, we want to remain upright so that our worship is acceptable to Jehovah.​—Psalm 11:7.

4. Who are denied entry to the temple, and what does this teach us?

⁴ Along each side of the passageway, there are three guard chambers. Will the guards allow us inside the temple? Jehovah tells Ezekiel that no foreigner who is “uncircumcised in heart” may enter. (Ezekiel 40:10; 44:9) What does that mean? God accepts as worshipers only those who love his laws and live by them. (Jeremiah 4:4; Romans 2:29) He welcomes such ones into his spiritual tent, his house of worship. (Psalm 15:1-5) Ever since pure worship was restored in 1919, Jehovah’s earthly organization has upheld and progressively clarified his moral laws. Those who willfully refuse to obey are no longer welcomed into association with his people. Today, the Bible-based practice of disfellowshipping unrepentant wrongdoers has served to keep our worship clean and pure.​—1 Corinthians 5:13.

5. (a) What similarities are there between Ezekiel’s vision and John’s vision recorded at Revelation 7:9-15? (b) In Ezekiel’s vision, who are pictured by the 12 tribes worshiping in the outer courtyard?

⁵ The passageway opens onto the outer courtyard where the people worship and praise Jehovah. This reminds us of the apostle John’s vision of the “great crowd” worshiping Jehovah “day and night in his temple.” Palm trees figure in both visions. In Ezekiel’s vision they decorate the entryway walls. In John’s vision the worshipers have palm branches in their hands, symbolizing their joy in praising Jehovah and in welcoming Jesus as their King. (Revelation 7:9-15) In the context of Ezekiel’s vision, the 12 tribes of Israel picture the “other sheep.” (John 10:16; compare Luke 22:28-30.) Are you too one of those who find joy in praising Jehovah by proclaiming his Kingdom?

6. What was the purpose of the dining rooms in the outer courtyard, and of what privilege may this remind those of the other sheep?

⁶ As we tour the outer courtyard, we see the 30 dining rooms where the people partake of their voluntary offerings. (Ezekiel 40:17) Today, those of the other sheep do not offer animal sacrifices, but they do not come empty-handed to the spiritual temple. (Compare Exodus 23:15.) The apostle Paul wrote: “Through [Jesus] let us always offer to God a sacrifice of praise, that is, the fruit of lips which make public declaration to his name. Moreover, do not forget the doing of good and the sharing of things with others, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.” (Hebrews 13:15, 16; Hosea 14:2) It is a great privilege to offer Jehovah such sacrifices.​—Proverbs 3:9, 27.

7. Of what does the measuring of the temple assure us?

⁷ Ezekiel watches as an angel measures this visionary temple. (Ezekiel 40:3) Similarly, the apostle John was told: “Get up and measure the temple sanctuary of God and the altar and those worshiping in it.” (Revelation 11:1) What does this measuring mean? In both cases this evidently served as a guarantee, a sign that nothing can stop Jehovah from fulfilling his purposes regarding pure worship. Likewise today, we may be assured that nothing​—not even fierce opposition from powerful governments—​can stop the restoration of pure worship.

8. Who enter the gates into the inner courtyard, and of what do these gates remind us?

⁸ As we walk across the outer courtyard, we see that there are three gates leading into the inner courtyard; the inner gates line up with and are the same size as the outer gates. (Ezekiel 40:6, 20, 23, 24, 27) Only priests may enter the inner courtyard. The inner gates remind us that the anointed must measure up to divine standards and laws, but the same standards and laws guide all true Christians. But what is the work of the priests, with what meaning today?

A Faithful Priesthood

9, 10. How has the “royal priesthood,” as foreshadowed by the priestly class in Ezekiel’s vision, provided spiritual instruction?

⁹ In pre-Christian times, the priests did hard work at the temple. Slaughtering the sacrificial animals, offering them on the altar, and serving fellow priests and the people was a physically demanding job. But they had other important work. Jehovah commanded regarding the priests: “My people they should instruct in the difference between a holy thing and a profane thing; and the difference between what is unclean and what is clean they should cause them to know.”​—Ezekiel 44:23; Malachi 2:7.

¹⁰ Do you appreciate the hard work and humble service that the anointed as a body, “a royal priesthood,” has done in behalf of pure worship? (1 Peter 2:9) Like the Levitical priesthood of old, they have taken the lead in giving spiritual instruction, helping people to understand what is clean and acceptable in God’s eyes and what is not. (Matthew 24:45) Such instruction, coming through Bible-based publications and Christian meetings and conventions, has helped millions to become reconciled to God.​—2 Corinthians 5:20.

11. (a) How did Ezekiel’s vision emphasize the importance of cleanness on the part of the priests? (b) In the last days, how have the anointed been cleansed in a spiritual sense?

¹¹ However, the priests must do more than teach others to be clean; they must be clean themselves. Thus, Ezekiel foresaw a refining process for the priesthood of Israel. (Ezekiel 44:10-16) Similarly, history shows that in 1918, Jehovah sat “as a refiner” in his spiritual temple, examining the anointed priestly class. (Malachi 3:1-5) Those deemed spiritually clean or who repented of former idolatry were allowed to continue in the privilege of service in his spiritual temple. Still, like everyone else, individual anointed ones can become unclean​—spiritually and morally. (Ezekiel 44:22, 25-27) They have had to work hard to remain “without spot from the world.”​—James 1:27; compare Mark 7:20-23.

12. Why should we appreciate the work of the anointed?

¹² Each of us might ask, ‘Do I appreciate the example set by the anointed over their many years of faithful service? Do I imitate their faith?’ It is good for those of the great crowd to remember that they will not always have the anointed with them here on earth. Of the priests in Ezekiel’s vision, Jehovah said: “No possession [of land] should you people give them in Israel: I am their possession.” (Ezekiel 44:28) Similarly, the anointed have no everlasting place on earth. They have a heavenly inheritance, and those of the great crowd view it as a privilege to support and encourage them while they are still here on earth.​—Matthew 25:34-40; 1 Peter 1:3, 4.

The Chieftain​—Who Is He?

13, 14. (a) Why must the chieftain be of the other sheep? (b) Whom does the chieftain picture?

¹³ Now an intriguing question arises. Whom, then, does the chieftain represent? Since he is spoken of both as an individual and as a group, we may assume that he represents a class of men. (Ezekiel 44:3; 45:8, 9) But who? Surely not the anointed. In the vision, he works closely with the priesthood, but he is not one of them. Unlike the priestly class, he is given an inheritance in the land and thus has a future here on earth, not in heaven. (Ezekiel 48:21) Further, Ezekiel 46:10 says: “As regards the chieftain in their midst, when they [the nonpriestly tribes] come in [to the temple’s outer courtyard], he should come in; and when they go out, he should go out.” He does not enter the inner courtyard but worships in the outer courtyard, entering and exiting the temple with the people. These factors decidedly place the chieftain among the great crowd of the other sheep.

¹⁴ Clearly, the chieftain has some responsibility among God’s people. In the outer courtyard, he sits in the porch of the East Gate. (Ezekiel 44:2, 3) This would indicate a position of oversight, similar to that of the older men in Israel who sat at the gate of the city and rendered judgment. (Ruth 4:1-12; Proverbs 22:22) Who among the other sheep hold offices of oversight today? Elders with an earthly hope who have been appointed by holy spirit. (Acts 20:28) So the chieftain class is now being groomed with the prospect of later serving in an administrative capacity in the new world.

15. (a) How does Ezekiel’s vision shed light on the relationship between elders who are of the great crowd and the anointed priestly class? (b) What lead have anointed elders taken in God’s earthly organization?

¹⁵ What, though, is the relationship today between the anointed priestly class and such older men who, as part of the great crowd, are serving in positions of oversight? Ezekiel’s vision suggests that the elders who are members of the great crowd have a supportive and subordinate role, while the anointed take the spiritual lead. How so? Remember, the priests in the vision were given the responsibility to instruct the people in spiritual matters. They were also told to act as judges in legal cases. Additionally, the Levites were assigned to “posts of oversight” in the temple gates. (Ezekiel 44:11, 23, 24) Clearly, the chieftain was to submit to the spiritual services and leadership of the priests. It is fitting, then, that in modern times the anointed have taken the lead in pure worship. For example, the members of the Governing Body of Jehovah’s Witnesses have been chosen from among them. Such faithful anointed elders have been training the developing chieftain class for decades, preparing prospective members of this class for the day when they will be delegated their full measure of authority in God’s new world to come.

16. According to Isaiah 32:1, 2, how must all elders act?

¹⁶ What kind of overseers are these prospective members, who are in line for enlarged responsibilities as the chieftain class? The prophecy found at Isaiah 32:1, 2 says: “Look! A king will reign for righteousness itself; and as respects princes, they will rule as princes for justice itself. And each one must prove to be like a hiding place from the wind and a place of concealment from the rainstorm, like streams of water in a waterless country, like the shadow of a heavy crag in an exhausted land.” This prophecy is being fulfilled today as Christian elders​—anointed and other sheep—​work to protect the flock from such ‘rainstorms’ as persecution and discouragement.

17. How should Christian shepherds view themselves, and how should the flock view them?

¹⁷ The words “prince” and “chieftain,” which have similar meanings in Hebrew, are not used as titles designed to exalt men. Rather, they describe the responsibility these men bear in caring for God’s sheep. Jehovah sternly warns: “That is enough of you, O chieftains of Israel! Remove the violence and the despoiling, and do justice and righteousness themselves.” (Ezekiel 45:9) It is good for all elders today to take such counsel to heart. (1 Peter 5:2, 3) The flock, in turn, recognizes that Jesus has provided shepherds as “gifts in men.” (Ephesians 4:8) Their qualifications are set down in God’s inspired Word. (1 Timothy 3:1-7; Titus 1:5-9) Christians therefore follow the elders’ lead.​—Hebrews 13:7.

18. What are some responsibilities of the prospective chieftain class now, and what will be its responsibility in the future?

¹⁸ In Bible times some chieftains had much authority, others less. Today, elders of the great crowd have widely varying responsibilities. Some serve in one congregation; others serve many congregations as traveling overseers; others serve whole countries as Branch Committee members; others directly assist various committees of the Governing Body. In the new world, Jesus will appoint “princes in all the earth” to take the lead among Jehovah’s worshipers on earth. (Psalm 45:16) No doubt he will select many of these from among the faithful elders of today. Because these men are proving themselves now, he will choose to entrust many with even greater privileges in the future when he reveals the role of the chieftain class in the new world.

The Land of God’s People Today

19. What does the land of Ezekiel’s vision represent?

¹⁹ Ezekiel’s vision also portrays the restored land of Israel. What does this aspect of the vision represent? Other restoration prophecies foretold that the land, Israel, would be a paradise like Eden. (Ezekiel 36:34, 35) Today, we enjoy a restored “land,” and it too is, in a sense, Edenic. In a similar vein, we often speak of our spiritual paradise. The Watchtower has defined our “land” as “the realm of activity” of God’s chosen people.b Wherever a servant of Jehovah may be, he is in that restored land as long as he is endeavoring to uphold true worship by walking in Christ Jesus’ footsteps.​—1 Peter 2:21.

20. What principle might we learn from “the holy contribution” in Ezekiel’s vision, and how might we apply this principle?

²⁰ What about the portion of land called “the holy contribution”? This was the people’s contribution for the support of the priesthood and the city. Similarly, “all the people of the land” were to contribute a portion of land for the chieftain. What does this mean today? Not, of course, that God’s people should be burdened with a salaried clergy class. (2 Thessalonians 3:8) Rather, the support given to the elders is primarily spiritual. It includes assisting in the work at hand and showing a cooperative, submissive spirit. Yet, as in Ezekiel’s day, this contribution is made “to Jehovah,” not to any man.​—Ezekiel 45:1, 7, 16.

21. What may we learn from the dividing of the land in Ezekiel’s vision?

²¹ It is not only the chieftain and the priesthood who have assigned places in this restored land. The dividing of the land shows that each one of the 12 tribes has a secure inheritance. (Ezekiel 47:13, 22, 23) So those of the great crowd not only have a place in the spiritual paradise today but will also receive an assignment of land when they inherit a place in the earthly realm of God’s Kingdom.

22. (a) The city in Ezekiel’s vision represents what? (b) What might we learn from the city’s having gates on all sides?

²² Finally, what does the city in the vision represent? It is no heavenly city, for it lies in the midst of “profane” (nonsacred) land. (Ezekiel 48:15-17) So it must be something earthly. Well, what is a city? Does it not convey the idea of people coming together as a group and forming something structured and organized? Yes. Hence, the city appears to picture the earthly administration that benefits all who will make up the righteous earthly society. It will operate in its fullness in the coming “new earth.” (2 Peter 3:13) The city’s gates on all sides, one for each tribe, well illustrate openness. Today, God’s people are not under some secretive, clandestine administration. Responsible brothers are to be approachable; the principles that guide them are well-known to all. The fact that people from all tribes cultivate the land that supports the city reminds us that the other sheep support, even in a material way, the administrative arrangements made for God’s people worldwide.​—Ezekiel 48:19, 30-34.

23. What will we consider in the following article?

²³ What, though, about the river flowing from the temple sanctuary? What that represents today and on into the future will be the subject of the third and final article in this series.

Jehovah’s Blessing on Our “Land”

“Everything will be alive where the torrent comes.”​—EZEKIEL 47:9.

1, 2. (a) How important is water? (b) What does the water of Ezekiel’s visionary river picture?

WATER is a remarkable fluid. All physical life depends on it. Not one of us can survive long without it. We also depend on it for cleansing, since water can dissolve and wash away impurities. So we wash our bodies, our clothes, even our food in it. Doing so may save our lives.

² The Bible uses water to picture Jehovah’s spiritual provisions for life. (Jeremiah 2:13; John 4:7-15) These provisions include the cleansing of his people through Christ’s ransom sacrifice and the knowledge of God found in his Word. (Ephesians 5:25-27) In Ezekiel’s temple vision, the miraculous river that flows from the temple symbolizes such life-giving blessings. But when does that river flow, and what does it mean for us today?

A River Flows in a Restored Land

3. What did Ezekiel experience, as reported at Ezekiel 47:2-12?

³ As captives in Babylon, Ezekiel’s people sorely needed Jehovah’s provisions. How encouraging, then, for Ezekiel to see a trickle of water emerge from the sanctuary and flow out of the visionary temple! An angel measures the stream at 1,000-cubit intervals. Its depth increases from ankle-deep to knee-deep to hip-deep to a torrent that calls for swimming. The river brings life and fertility. (Ezekiel 47:2-11) Ezekiel is told: “Alongside the torrent there will come up, along its bank on this side and on that side, all sorts of trees for food.” (Ezekiel 47:12a) As the torrent enters the Dead Sea​—a lifeless body of water—​life springs up! Fish swarm. A fishing industry thrives.

4, 5. How is Joel’s prophecy regarding a river similar to that of Ezekiel, and why is this significant?

⁴ This beautiful prophecy may have reminded the Jewish exiles of another prophecy recorded more than two centuries earlier: “Out of the house of Jehovah there will go forth a spring, and it must irrigate the torrent valley of the Acacia Trees.”a (Joel 3:18) Joel’s prophecy, like Ezekiel’s, foretells that a river would flow from God’s house, the temple, and bring life to an arid region.

⁵ The Watchtower has long held that Joel’s prophecy is being fulfilled in our time.b Surely, then, the same holds true for Ezekiel’s similar vision. In the restored land of God’s people today, just as in ancient Israel, Jehovah’s blessings have indeed flowed forth.

A Mighty Flow of Blessings

6. The sprinkling of blood on the visionary altar should have reminded the Jews of what?

⁶ What is the source of the blessings upon God’s restored people? Well, notice that the water flows from God’s temple. Likewise today, the blessings come from Jehovah through his great spiritual temple​—the arrangement for pure worship. Ezekiel’s vision adds an important detail. In the inner courtyard, the stream flows past the altar, just south of it. (Ezekiel 47:1) The altar is in the very center of the visionary temple. Jehovah meticulously describes it to Ezekiel and orders that the blood of a sacrifice be sprinkled upon it. (Ezekiel 43:13-18, 20) That altar had great meaning for all Israelites. Their covenant with Jehovah had been validated long before when Moses sprinkled blood upon an altar at the foot of Mount Sinai. (Exodus 24:4-8) The sprinkling of blood upon the visionary altar should have reminded them that once they returned to their restored land, Jehovah’s blessings would flow forth as long as they honored their covenant with him.​—Deuteronomy 28:1-14.

7. What meaning do Christians today find in the symbolic altar?

⁷ Similarly, God’s people today are blessed through a covenant​—a better one, the new covenant. (Jeremiah 31:31-34) It too was long ago validated by blood, that of Jesus Christ. (Hebrews 9:15-20) Today, whether we are among the anointed, who are parties to that covenant, or are among the “other sheep,” who are beneficiaries of it, we find great meaning in the symbolic altar. It symbolizes God’s will in connection with Christ’s sacrifice. (John 10:16; Hebrews 10:10) Just as the symbolic altar is in the very center of the spiritual temple, Christ’s ransom sacrifice is central to pure worship. It is the basis for the forgiveness of our sins and hence for all our hopes for the future. (1 John 2:2) We thus strive to live by the law associated with the new covenant, “the law of the Christ.” (Galatians 6:2) As long as we do that, we will benefit from Jehovah’s provisions for life.

8. (a) What was missing from the inner courtyard of the visionary temple? (b) By what means could priests in the visionary temple cleanse themselves?

⁸ One such benefit is a clean standing before Jehovah. In the visionary temple, the inner courtyard is missing something that was quite prominent in the courtyard of the tabernacle and in Solomon’s temple​—a great basin, later called a sea, for the priests to wash in. (Exodus 30:18-21; 2 Chronicles 4:2-6) What could the priests in Ezekiel’s visionary temple use for cleansing? Why, that miraculous stream flowing through the inner courtyard! Yes, Jehovah would bless them with the means to enjoy a clean, or holy, standing.

9. How can those of the anointed and those of the great crowd have a clean standing today?

⁹ Likewise today, the anointed have been blessed with a clean standing before Jehovah. Jehovah views them as holy, declaring them righteous. (Romans 5:1, 2) What about the “great crowd,” pictured by the nonpriestly tribes? They worship in the outer courtyard, and the same stream runs through that part of the visionary temple. How appropriate, then, that the apostle John saw the great crowd wearing clean white robes as they worship in the courtyard of the spiritual temple! (Revelation 7:9-14) No matter how they have been treated in this degraded world, they may be assured that as long as they exercise faith in Christ’s ransom sacrifice, Jehovah views them as clean and pure. How do they exercise faith? By following in the footsteps of Jesus, having full confidence in the ransom sacrifice.​—1 Peter 2:21.

10, 11. What is one important feature of the symbolic water, and how does this relate to the tremendous expansion of the river?

¹⁰ As already mentioned, there is another vital feature of this symbolic water​—knowledge. In the restored Israel, Jehovah blessed his people with Scriptural instruction by means of the priesthood. (Ezekiel 44:23) In a comparable way, Jehovah has blessed his people today with ample instruction about his Word of truth, through the “royal priesthood.” (1 Peter 2:9) Knowledge about Jehovah God, about his purposes for mankind, and especially about Jesus Christ and the Messianic Kingdom has flowed in an ever-increasing torrent during these last days. How grand is the deepening flood of spiritual refreshment that we are receiving!​—Daniel 12:4.

¹¹ Just as the river that the angel measured grew progressively deeper, so the flow of life-giving blessings from Jehovah has increased dramatically in order to accommodate the influx of people into our blessed spiritual land. Another restoration prophecy foretold: “The little one himself will become a thousand, and the small one a mighty nation. I myself, Jehovah, shall speed it up in its own time.” (Isaiah 60:22) These words have come true​—millions have thronged to join us in pure worship! Jehovah has made abundant “water” available to all who turn to him. (Revelation 22:17) He sees to it that his earthly organization distributes Bibles and Bible literature all over the world, in hundreds of languages. Similarly, Christian meetings and conventions have been arranged worldwide so that all can be supplied with the crystal-clear waters of truth. How do such provisions affect people?

The Water Brings Life!

12. (a) Why are the trees in Ezekiel’s vision able to produce as they do? (b) What is represented by these fruitful trees during the last days?

¹² The river in Ezekiel’s vision brings life and health. When Ezekiel learns of the trees that would grow alongside the river, he is told: “Their leafage will not wither, nor will their fruitage be consumed. . . . And their fruitage must prove to be for food and their leafage for healing.” Why do these trees produce in this amazing manner? “Because the water for them​—it is coming forth from the very sanctuary.” (Ezekiel 47:12b) These symbolic trees foreshadow all of God’s provisions for restoring mankind to perfection on the basis of Jesus’ ransom sacrifice. On earth at this time, the anointed remnant takes the lead in providing spiritual nourishment and healing. After the 144,000 have all received their heavenly reward, the benefits stemming from their priestly service as corulers with Christ will extend into the future, ultimately leading to the complete conquest of Adamic death.​—Revelation 5:9, 10; 21:2-4.

13. What healing has been accomplished during our time?

¹³ The visionary river runs into the lifeless Dead Sea and heals all that it reaches. This sea pictures a spiritually dead environment. But life swarms “in every place to which the double-size torrent comes.” (Ezekiel 47:9) Similarly, in the last days, people have been coming to life spiritually wherever the water of life has penetrated. The first ones so revitalized were the anointed remnant in 1919. They sprang back to life spiritually from a deathlike, inactive state. (Ezekiel 37:1-14; Revelation 11:3, 7-12) Those vital waters have since reached other spiritually dead ones, and these have come to life and formed an ever-increasing great crowd of other sheep, who love and serve Jehovah. Soon, this provision will extend to the multitudes of resurrected ones.

14. The fishing industry flourishing along a stretch of the shore of the Dead Sea well illustrates what today?

¹⁴ Spiritual vitality results in productivity. This is illustrated by the fishing industry that flourishes on the shores of the sea that was formerly dead. Jesus told his followers: “I will make you fishers of men.” (Matthew 4:19) In the last days, the fishing work began with the gathering of the remaining ones of the anointed, but it has not stopped there. The life-giving water from Jehovah’s spiritual temple, including the blessing of accurate knowledge, affects people of all nations. Wherever that torrent has reached, spiritual life has resulted.

15. What shows that not everyone will accept God’s provisions for life, and what is the end result for such ones?

¹⁵ Of course, not all respond favorably now to the message of life; nor will all those who are resurrected during the Millennial Reign of Christ do so. (Isaiah 65:20; Revelation 21:8) The angel declares that parts of the sea are not healed. These marshy, lifeless places are ‘given to salt.’ (Ezekiel 47:11) As to the people of our day, not all who are offered Jehovah’s life-giving water accept it. (Isaiah 6:10) At Armageddon, all of those who have chosen to remain in a spiritually lifeless and sick condition will be given to salt, that is, destroyed forever. (Revelation 19:11-21) However, those who have been faithfully drinking these waters can hope to survive and see the final fulfillment of this prophecy.

The River Flows in Paradise

16. When and how will Ezekiel’s temple vision have its final fulfillment?

¹⁶ Like other restoration prophecies, Ezekiel’s temple vision sees its final fulfillment during the Millennium. Then the priestly class will no longer be here on the earth. “They will be priests of God and of the Christ, and will rule as kings with him [in heaven] for the thousand years.” (Revelation 20:6) These heavenly priests will be associated with Christ in administering the full benefits of Christ’s ransom sacrifice. Thus righteous mankind will be saved, restored to perfection!​—John 3:17.

17, 18. (a) How is a life-giving river described at Revelation 22:1, 2, and when is the primary time of application for that vision? (b) In Paradise, why will the river of water of life see a time of great expansion?

¹⁷ In effect, the river seen by Ezekiel will then flow with the most potent water of life. This is the primary time of application for the prophecy recorded at Revelation 22:1, 2: “He showed me a river of water of life, clear as crystal, flowing out from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of its broad way. And on this side of the river and on that side there were trees of life producing twelve crops of fruit, yielding their fruits each month. And the leaves of the trees were for the curing of the nations.”

¹⁸ During the Millennium, all illnesses​—physical, mental, and emotional—​will be healed. This is well pictured by “the curing of the nations” by means of the symbolic trees. Thanks to the provisions administered by Christ and the 144,000, “no resident will say: ‘I am sick.’” (Isaiah 33:24) And the river will enter into its time of greatest expansion. It will have to broaden and deepen in order to accommodate the millions, perhaps billions, of resurrected humans who will drink of these pure waters of life. The visionary river healed the Dead Sea, bringing life to wherever its waters flowed. In Paradise, men and women will come to life in the fullest sense, being healed of inherited Adamic death if they exercise faith in the ransom benefits extended to them. Revelation 20:12 foretells that “scrolls” will be opened in those days, providing additional light of understanding from which the resurrected ones will benefit. Sadly, some will refuse to be healed, even in Paradise. These rebels are the ones ‘given to the salt’ of everlasting destruction.​—Revelation 20:15.

19. (a) How will the allotting of the land be fulfilled in Paradise? (b) What feature in Paradise does the city picture? (c) What is the significance of the city’s location at some distance from the temple?

¹⁹ Also at that time, the apportioning of the land in Ezekiel’s vision will find its final fulfillment. Ezekiel saw the land properly allotted; likewise, each faithful Christian can be sure that he will have a place, an inheritance, in Paradise. Likely, the desire to have one’s own house to live in and care for will be fulfilled in an orderly way. (Isaiah 65:21; 1 Corinthians 14:33) The city that Ezekiel saw fittingly pictures the administrative arrangement that Jehovah purposes for the new earth. The anointed priestly class will no longer be physically present among mankind. The vision suggests as much by portraying the city in “profane” land at some distance from the temple. (Ezekiel 48:15) While the 144,000 rule with Christ in heaven, the King is not without representatives on earth. His human subjects will benefit greatly from the loving guidance and direction of the chieftain class. However, the real seat of government will be, not on earth, but in heaven. Everyone on earth, including the chieftain class, will be in subjection to the Messianic Kingdom.​—Daniel 2:44; 7:14, 18, 22.

20, 21. (a) Why is the name of the city appropriate? (b) What questions should our understanding of Ezekiel’s vision cause us to ask ourselves?

²⁰ Note the final words of Ezekiel’s prophecy: “The name of the city from that day on will be Jehovah Himself Is There.” (Ezekiel 48:35) This city will not exist to give men power or influence; nor will it be there to enforce any human’s will. It is Jehovah’s city, ever reflecting his mind and his loving, reasonable ways. (James 3:17) This gives us heartwarming assurance that Jehovah will bless his structured “new earth” society of mankind on into an indefinitely lasting future.​—2 Peter 3:13.

²¹ Do we not thrill at the prospect ahead of us? Fittingly, then, each of us would do well to ask: ‘How do I respond to the wonderful blessings unveiled in Ezekiel’s vision? Do I faithfully support the work being done by loving overseers, including those of the anointed remnant and the prospective members of the chieftain class? Have I made pure worship the very center of my life? Do I take full advantage of the waters of life flowing so abundantly today?’ May each of us continue to do so and delight in Jehovah’s provisions throughout eternity!