Paul,

             You mentioned the millennial temple.

I had always been taught that it was the temple described in Ezekiel 40-47.

This was the prophesied temple under the first covenant.

However, the one prophesied by Ezekiel is said to have animal sacrifices for sins, not in remembrance of the cross.

That was added to the interpretation.

Under the old covenant, Israel was told to have a supper each year in remembrance of the Passover.

Under the new covenant, we are told to have the Lord’s supper in remembrance of his crucifixion.

Nowhere is anyone told to kill animals in remembrance of the cross.

Until the cross, the sacrifices that Ezekiel spoke of, were prophesied to occur in the future.

However, under the new covenant, there was no more need of the sacrifices in the temple, for the 37 years following the cross.

But everything changed under the new covenant:

 

The priesthood has changed to Jesus, after the order of Melchisedec
 
Hebrews 6:20 Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.
 
Hebrews 5:10 ¶ Called of God an high priest after the order of Melchisedec.
 
Hebrews 7:11 ¶ If therefore perfection were by the Levitical priesthood, (for under it the people received the law,) what further need was there that another priest should rise after the order of Melchisedec, and not be called after the order of Aaron?
 12 For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law.

The priesthood has changed & the law has changed.
 
Hebrews 7:18 For there is verily a disannulling of the commandment going before for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof.

The previous commandment, regarding the Levitical priesthood and their animal sacrifices, even though Ezekiel spoke of it yet future, has here in Hebrews, been shown to be now disannulled.

So how could the LORD accept that? How could he bless that and fill a sanctuary based on that, with his glory?
 
Hebrews 7:22 By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament.
 23 And they truly were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death:
 24 But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood.

How could the new, everlasting priesthood of Jesus, after the order of Melchisedec, stop, and the Levitical priesthood start again?

Some would say that Ezekiel prophesied of that, and that even in the millennium, the Levitical priests would still do animal sacrifices, but only to “look back at the cross” like the Lord’s supper does.

No, Ezekiel says those sacrifices would be for sins, not for remembrance of another sacrifice.

That was originally to have been the future, but it has been changed to something better, a new & better sacrifice, a new & better covenant, and a new & better priesthood.

 

The future has been changed. Like when Nineveh’s future was changed when they repented. Like our future was changed when we got saved.

The future sacrifices that Ezekiel spoke of, have changed as well. No one will need those sacrifices, since there is now something far better.
 
Jesus made a new covenant:
 
Hebrews 8:6 ¶ But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises.
 7 For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second.
 8 For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah:
 9 Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord.

The previous covenant is no longer in force, the covenant which had the Levitical priesthood making animal sacrifices.

There is a new covenant now, a covenant based on a better a sacrifice, the sacrifice of the Lamb of God, himself, who also now is the High Priest after the order of Melchisedec.
 
Hebrews 9:1 ¶ Then verily the first covenant had also ordinances of divine service, and a worldly sanctuary.

So, a rebuilt sanctuary would be for the old covenant, by a priesthood that is no longer in force.

 
Hebrews 9:8 ¶ The Holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing:

So, somehow, a  reinstated Levitical priesthood, is going to undo the way into the holiest of all by sacrificing animals again in a future temple?
 
Hebrews 10:1 ¶ For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect.
 2 For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins.

They have ceased to be offered. So why would it be acceptable to start them up again?
 
Hebrews 10:9 Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second.

He took away the first, and established the second. So how could we expect the LORD to undo the second, by allowing them to go back and reestablish the first?
 
Hebrews 10:18 Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin.

There is no more offering for sin!

 

Also, in regard to a tribulation temple,

for the Levitical priesthood to restart animal sacrifices,

             when there is now a new covenant, not the old covenant,

             when there is now the new & everlasting High Priesthood of Christ, after the order of Melchisedec.

             when there has been a once for all sacrifice of the Lamb of God,

             when there is now no more old covenant, animal sacrifices,

             when there is no more sacrifice for sin,

             when the old priesthood, which rejects the new Priesthood,

             tries to bring back the old covenant, while they reject the new covenant,

             tries to bring back the old sacrifices, while they reject the sacrifice of the Lamb of God,

             to expect to please the Lord of Glory, when they & the Gentiles crucified the Lord of Glory, and still reject him until this day,

             well, I agree that it would not be holy, that it would be an abomination.

 

So, if there is to be a temple in the thousand year kingdom, there won’t be animal sacrifices in it.

That future has been changed, by the new covenant, into a better future, than that originally prophesied by Ezekiel.

All old covenant animal sacrifices have been completely fulfilled in the sacrifice of Christ,

and they are utterly replaced by that better & perfect sacrifice.

 

                          Thank you,

                                       Gino