Hi again Garry,

I totally agree with your letter and believe we are to look at the words of the Bible, what they really say, not what they are supposed to say and this is where we need the help of the Holy Spirit most direly.

I sadly think that the 7-year Tribulation is "needed" for the construction of the Third Temple in Jerusalem which in my opinion is not Biblical. I think God has constructed His Word in a way that support the fulfilment of prophecies with either Jerusalem with a Temple or Jerusalem without a temple. This is to do with the Work done by Christ on the Cross and abolishing the Mosaic Law for a better one.

I think Chance was speaking about the so called Ezekiel's Temple prophecy, which to some is a proof that there still will be a temple in Jerusalem in the 1000-year Reign of Christ on Earth, other than the Christ's Temple of believers or the Body Of Christ.

But what I really think Ezekiel's vision is, it is an optional prophecy despite its detail and length (Ezek. 40-48) since Ezekiel says in the prophecy that the House of Israel should be "ashamed of their iniquities" and build the temple:

Ezek. 43:10 Thou son of man, shew the house to the house of Israel, that they may be ashamed of their iniquities: and let them measure the pattern.

Ezek. 43:11 And if they be ashamed of all that they have done, shew them the form of the house, and the fashion thereof, and the goings out thereof, and the comings in thereof, and all the forms thereof, and all the ordinances thereof, and all the forms thereof, and all the laws thereof: and write it in their sight, that they may keep the whole form thereof, and all the ordinances thereof, and do them.

But obviously they didn't do this and even rejected Jesus as their Christ so the Temple and the Prophecy will have its fulfilment in the 1000-year Reign of Christ and in the New Heavens and Earth.

For example:

Ezek. 47:1 Afterward he brought me again unto the door of the house; and, behold, waters issued out from under the threshold of the house eastward: for the forefront of the house stood toward the east, and the waters came down from under from the right side of the house, at the south side of the altar.

...

Ezek. 47:12 And by the river upon the bank thereof, on this side and on that side, shall grow all trees for meat, whose leaf shall not fade, neither shall the fruit thereof be consumed: it shall bring forth new fruit according to his months, because their waters they issued out of the sanctuary: and the fruit thereof shall be for meat, and the leaf thereof for medicine.

Compare with:

Rev. 22:1 And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.

Rev. 22:2 In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.

Thanks again for your letter!

Yours in Christ,

E.L.