Three of the final chapters (40, 41 and 42) of Ezekiel's prophecies refer to the most important place on Earth: the Temple of Jerusalem. We have said often in this blog that the Temple represents the highest level of consciousness as the awareness of our permanent connection with the Creator. In these three chapters the Prophet describes the dimensions and chambers of the third and final Temple destined to last forever. Compared to the size of the previous ones, it will be a larger structure meant to integrate all aspects, traits, qualities, dimensions and facets of consciousness, into the regency of the Creator.
"He measured it by the four sides; it had a wall round about, the length five hundred, and the breadth five hundred, to make a separation between that which was holy and that which was common." (Ezekiel 42:20)
The detailed description of the final Temple ends with its main reason. In this sense the separation between holy and profane serves a purpose, which is to transform and elevate the material world in order to make it a place for God to dwell among (in) us.
"And He said to me: 'Son of man, this is the place of My throne, and the place of the soles of My feet, where I will dwell in the midst of the children of Israel forever; and the house of Israel shall no more defile My Holy Name, neither they, nor their kings, by their harlotry, and by the carcasses of their kings in their high places." (43:7)
The message is clear. There is no room for the negative trends of consciousness before the Presence of God. As we always say, Love's ways and attributes don't dwell with anything different from them. Love's ways are the opposite of ego's fantasies and illusions.
"Now let them put away their harlotry, and the carcasses of their kings, far from Me, and I will dwell in the midst of them for ever." (43:9)
It's been a long time since the transgression in the Garden of Eden up until now. Thousands of years -- that are too many -- living under the rule of the negative trends in human consciousness, at the expense of God's Love. The Love of the Creator gives us life and sustains it, for us to live and enjoy the goodness of it, not the evil we inflict on it. Cruelty, indolence, indifference, wrath, arrogance, greed, lust, envy, and the like are the carcasses of ego's false sense of lack. These are the harlots and kings with whom we have the false belief they may fulfill our materialistic desires.
"Then he brought me back the way of the outer gate of the Sanctuary, which looked toward the east; and it was shut. And the Lord said to me: 'This gate shall be shut, it shall not be opened, neither shall any man enter in by it for the Lord, the God of Israel, has entered in by it; therefore it shall be shut. As for the prince, being a prince, he shall sit therein to eat bread before the Lord; he shall enter by the way of the porch of the gate, and shall go out by the way of the same'." (44:1-3)
This is a reference to the Jewish Messiah, called here the prince. The first verses mention the eastern gate of the Temple as the most important, for the mere fact that God reveals His Presence through it. Our Sages reflect on the cardinal points in relation to the human body, saying that what we face in front of us is the east. The place of the rising sun as the symbol of God's Love for His Creation. Our right arm symbolizes the south, and both represent loving kindness. Our back as the Mediterranean Sea (west) represents our thoughts and deeds, which we leave behind as we act. The north is the point where the negative trends in consciousness come from, and is represented by the left arm. Hence we always must face God's Presence from whom we come to exist and live.
The Prince, as the anchor for the Messianic Consciousness, sits "to eat bread before the Lord". This Prince is the key stone of our individual and collective consciousness as Israel. We embrace him as the herald of the Final Redemption. In this sense there is no Final Redemption without Messianic Consciousness. In this new phase of the Divine Plan for the material world, the Prince replaces the High Priest as the awareness of our permanent connection with God. This awareness is fed by bread, a source of sustenance, that is eaten before our Creator. This particular bread will nurture a new life with a new purpose, in which Love's ways and attributes are the exclusive means to experience life in all its revealed and hidden dimensions.
"And you shall say to the rebellious, even to the house of Israel: Thus said the Lord God: O you house of Israel, let it suffice you of all your abominations, in that you have brought in aliens, uncircumcised in heart and uncircumcised in flesh, to be in My Sanctuary, to profane it, even My house, when you offer My bread, the fat and the blood, and they have broken My Covenant, to add unto all your abominations." (44:6-7)
This is another reproach of God' Love against our stubbornness to choose ego's fantasies and illusions over Love's ways and attributes. This predicament is destined to end forever as we invite the Messianic Consciousness to lead our discernment, thoughts, feelings, emotions, passions and instincts.
"But the priests the Levites, the sons of Zadok, that kept the charge of My Sanctuary when the children of Israel went astray from Me, they shall come near to Me to minister unto Me; and they shall stand before Me to offer unto Me the fat and the blood, said the Lord God. (...) And they shall teach My people the difference between the holy and the common, and cause them to discern between the unclean and the clean." (44:15, 23)
The good and positive traits, qualities, talents and creative potentials of human consciousness, represented by the Tribes of Israel, are mentioned here also as the Levites and priests, the sons of Zadok (righteousness) that always remain attached and loyal to God's ways and Commandments. These are the positive trends that guide our consciousness to choose what is also positive. These are the chosen to serve God's will in the Final Redemption.
"Moreover, when you shall divide by lot the land for inheritance, you shall set apart an offering unto the Lord, a holy portion of the land (...)" (45:1)
As the Tribes of Israel return to settle in the land of their inheritance, each one will have a place for God to dwell among them. This means, as we said above, that every trait, quality, talent, skill and creative potentials will be inspired, nurtured and directed by God's Presence in our lives. These are the assigned portions that also represent our lives as individuals and as a Nation. Thus we realize that God is our Creator, and His Love the Essence of who we truly are.
"(...) and My princes shall no more wrong My people; but they shall give the land to the house of Israel according to their Tribes. Thus said the Lord God: Let it suffice you, O princes of Israel; remove violence and spoil, and execute justice and righteousness; take away your abuses from My people, said the Lord God." (45:8-9)
As we allow Love's ways and attributes to inspire and conduct every aspect and level of consciousness -- as the princes that rule our life --, there won't be evil, iniquity or wickedness in what we think, feel or do; because thus said the Creator.
"And it shall be the prince's part to give the burnt-offerings, and the meal-offerings, and the drink-offerings, in the feasts, and in the new moons, and in the Sabbaths, in all the appointed seasons of the house of Israel; he shall prepare the sin-offering, and the meal-offering, and the burnt-offering, and the peace-offerings, to make atonement for the house of Israel." (45:17)
The Messianic Consciousness as the final and eternal regent of our life has the power to transform and elevate what obstructs the destiny God wants for us. In this context, it will atone for every dimension of life represented by the house of Israel.
Ezekiel ends his prophecies telling us that from the Temple of Jerusalem will emanate two rivers that extend to the east and to the south (47:1-12). These rivers will heal and revitalize those who enter their waters. We also understand these waters as the loving kindness that emanates from our permanent bond with the Creator. Once our Love embraces His Love, indeed we will be fully redeemed and living forever in His kingdom, knowing that He is our Creator. Thus we reveal His Presence in the material world, and only goodness will prevail as He promised for the end of days.
"And by the river upon the bank thereof, on this side and on that side, shall grow every tree for food, whose leaf shall not wither, neither shall the fruit thereof fail; it shall bring forth new fruit every month, because the waters thereof issue out of the Sanctuary; and the fruit thereof shall be for food, and the leaf thereof for healing." (47:12)
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