The Millennial Temple
I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. Revelation 21:22 NASB
No temple – As you know, I rarely write about verses from John’s apocalyptic vision. The reason is simple: Apocalyptic literature is filled with ambiguous images, symbolic words, and suggestions. This is intentional since apocalyptic literature is not predictive literature. Its purpose is encouragement, not forecasting. That’s why every generation can interpret these texts as if they are about the present. The “End Times” frenzy is simply human beings desiring to know the future and pretending they have the codes to unlock its secrets. This, of course, means that the future events somehow already exist and are simply offstage waiting to enter. And that view of time is thoroughly Greek and filled with irrational and illogical implications (which we almost never consider).[1]
But once in a while I run across something that makes me consider a verse in this odd apocalyptic material. Here’s what I mean:
The view that in messianic times the elaborate sacrificial system would be abolished is stated by the same Rabbi Phinehas and Rabbi Levi, and by Rabbi Johanan as well, all in the name of Rabbi Menahem of Galliah. ‘In the time to come, all the sacrifices will be abolished, except for the thanksgiving sacrifice.’ The scholars of the Middle Ages sought to explain this astonishing statement. Rabbi Abraham ben David of Posquieres commented: ‘The Temple and Jerusalem will, in time to come, be transformed into another kind of holiness to the glory of the eternal God. So it was given to me as an esoteric revelation that comes to the God-fearing.’ In the Midrash, the Sages hinted that in the days of the Messiah there will be no further need for sacrifices. God says to Israel: ‘In this life, you made your contributions to the Tabernacle, which, in turn, made atonement for your sins, but in the future life, My love for you will be a freewill offering.’ Similarly, the Holy and Blessed One said, ‘In this world you achieved atonement through sacrifice, but in the world to come, I will blot out your sins without sacrifice,’ as the verse reads, ‘Even I will blot out your transgressions for My sake’ (Isaiah 43:25).[2]
Heschel’s remark got me thinking. Don’t these rabbis sound a lot like the Replacement theologians when they talk about the final sacrifice in Yeshua’s death? Of course, they substitute “Jesus” for God, but the idea sounds strikingly similar. Consider this:
Let us also consider a related question, i.e. why did Israel offer animal sacrifices under the Mosaic Law? As we know, it is only the blood of Christ that covers the sins of believers. I believe that God had determined that Israel was to offer daily sacrifices in Old Testament times as a shadow of the one true Sacrifice.
. . . just as we read of the “Lamb”, i.e. Christ’s title as the Sacrifice of God, in the description of the new earth as a reminder/memorial of that Sacrifice, so too the animal sacrifices in the millennium will be a memorial of that Sacrifice.[3]
Other Christian commentaries connect the absence of the Temple with the work of Christ, just as the rabbis noted that God Himself would act as the Temple. But they all have to deal with verses in the prophets that portray sacrifices in the Temple during the Millennium.
Some object to the idea that animal sacrifices will take place during the millennial kingdom, believing this is no longer needed following the work of Christ on the cross. For example, Hebrews 10:11-12 states, “Every priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God.” If Christ paid the sacrifice for our sins, why will animal sacrifice continue in the future?
While not every aspect of this question is answered in Scripture, it is clear that the continued use of animal sacrifices during the millennial kingdom is a fulfillment of God’s prophecies made long ago. If animal sacrifices do not resume in this time period, this will mean God has not kept His promises in this area.[4]
Apparently both Christian and rabbinic sources find difficulty reconciling theology and text. This doesn’t surprise me. Frankly speaking, I think the Bible provides only hints, at best, about God’s plans for tomorrow. All the rest is speculation, whether Jewish or Christian. My real question isn’t “What’s going to happen?” but “Why are we so anxious to know?”
Topical Index: Temple, millennium, sacrifice, Revelation 21:22
[1] If you’re really interested, you can read my book, God, Time and the Limits of Omniscience.
[2] Abraham Heschel, Heavenly Torah as Refracted through the Generations, pp. 85-86.
[3] https://rightwordtruth.com/animal-sacrifices-in-the-millennium/
[4] https://www.compellingtruth.org/millennial-sacrifices.html
