Ezekiel 43:1–12; 44:6–9, 23. Ezekiel is shown a vision of the temple in Jerusalem.
Ezekiel 47:1, 6–12. Ezekiel sees a river flowing from the temple that gives life to the desert and heals the Dead Sea.
Ezekiel 47:2–5. Ezekiel measures the river’s depth and discovers that the water gets deeper each time he wades into it.
What do you learn about the temple from Ezekiel 43:1–12 and 44:6–9, 23?
According to Ezekiel’s vision, what changes will take place in the Judean wilderness and the Dead Sea, which are east of Jerusalem, because of the river flowing from the temple? (See Ezekiel 47:6–12.) How does the water of life available in the temple heal and give life to marriages? families? our ancestors? the Church?
As you study the account in Ezekiel 47:1, 6–12, you may also want to study Revelation 22:1–3 and 1 Nephi 8:10–11; 11:25. Notice the similar images in these passages.
Start Lesson
OT Gospel Doctrine lesson 44 - “Every Thing Shall Live Whither the River Cometh”
Ezekiel 43-44; 47
The First Temple
To set the stage for the temple discussion we will drop back to Ezekiel’s vision in his first chapter that we didn’t cover in detail last week…last week in this theophany (or vision) we focused on Ezekiel seeing God in the shape of a man and skipped some of the symbolism of the chapter.
Ezekiel’s vision begins with him seeing God’s throne in the heavens, surrounded by four cherubim. Four beings are described surrounding the throne of God. Verses 4-14 describe them in great detail which we will go over.
Unlike the cutesy cherubs of later paintings cherubim were a powerful group of angels, like the seraphim, who were considered warriors (cherubim protecting the tree of life with a sword), and trusted confidants of God.
Cherubs are discussed within the midrash literature. The two cherubim placed by God at the entrance of paradise (Gen. iii. 24) were angels created on the third day, and therefore they had no definite shape; appearing either as men or women, or as spirits or angelic beings (Genesis Rabbah xxi., end). The cherubim were the first objects created in the universe (Tanna debe Eliyahu R., i. beginning).
When we remember that angels and humans are all part of the family of God, just in different stages of development, we can better understand our connection with them, as many of us may someday be seraphim/cherubim, or may have been so in the pre-mortal existence.
Ezekiel 1 4 And I looked, and, behold, a whirlwind came out of the north, a great cloud, and a fire infolding itself, and a brightness was about it, and out of the midst thereof as the colour of amber, out of the midst of the fire.
5 Also out of the midst thereof came the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance; they had the likeness of a man.
6 And every one had four faces, and every one had four wings.
Instead of trying to visualize how something has “four faces”…Ezekiel is likely trying to describe traits or characteristics…how many faces do each of us have?
Wings could mean wings…but it often is used to represent clothing, or a veil…
7 And their feet were straight feet; and the sole of their feet was like the sole of a calf's foot: and they sparkled like the colour of burnished brass.
8 And they had the hands of a man under their wings on their four sides; and they four had their faces and their wings.
9 Their wings were joined one to another; they turned not when they went; they went every one straight forward.
10 As for the likeness of their faces, they four had the face of a man, and the face of a lion, on the right side: and they four had the face of an ox on the left side; they four also had the face of an eagle.
I believe that the vision displays to Ezekiel the powers ascribed to the cherubim: fearless as a lion, powerful as an ox, the ability to move in all directions as an eagle, and the thinking capacity of man
11 Thus were their faces: and their wings were stretched upward; two wings of every one were joined one to another, and two covered their bodies.
The term wing, is often translated as covering, or veil (covered their bodies). It also represents the ability of movement, or power.
So, while the cherub may have had wings, it is as likely that the wings were special garments or veils to suggest they possessed the power and secrets of God. It also suggests the ability to travel quickly.
12 And they went every one straight forward: whither the spirit was to go, they went; and they turned not when they went.
Note how there are repeated references to “moving straight forward”, not deviating…
13 As for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was like burning coals of fire, and like the appearance of lamps: it went up and down among the living creatures; and the fire was bright, and out of the fire went forth lightning.
Ezekiel’s initial vision is very similar to the one in Isaiah 6. Ezekiel has a theophany, or a vision of God on his throne. In Isaiah’s vision, he is cleansed by a coal from the incense fire before God’s throne. Ezekiel sees the cherubim as “burning coals of fire.”
14 And the living creatures ran and returned as the appearance of a flash of lightning.
Another reason for the description of “wings”. Now we move on from describing these four…
15 Now as I beheld the living creatures, behold one wheel upon the earth by the living creatures, with his four faces.
16 The appearance of the wheels and their work was like unto the colour of a beryl (note: a shiny jewel or gem) : and they four had one likeness: and their appearance and their work was as it were a wheel in the middle of a wheel.
17 When they went, they went upon their four sides: and they turned not when they went.
The cherubim’s authority is represented by the wheel(s). These wheels are described with various stones or the colors of stones that are also represented in the Urim and Thummim found on the high priest’s breastplate. In some early versions of Ezekiel, there are actually 12 stone colors mentioned for the wheels. The Urim and Thummim symbolized the priesthood authority, and revelation or communion with God.
Now, think of the first temple or tabernacle, not that Solomon built, but the one that travelled with the Israelites as they moved through the wilderness. It was portable…now when “wheels” are discussed think of the ability to move…
18 As for their rings (rims of the wheels), they were so high that they were dreadful; and their rings were full of eyes round about them four.
19 And when the living creatures went, the wheels went by them: and when the living creatures were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up.
20 Whithersoever the spirit was to go, they went, thither was their spirit to go; and the wheels were lifted up over against them: for the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels.
Meaning, the tabernacle moves because of these creatures…the tabernacle did not have wheels, it was carried. They tried wheels once and it was disastrous. The wheels, or the tabernacles ability to move, is due to the four creatures. It also represents that there is always power present in the temple.
21 When those went, these went; and when those stood, these stood; and when those were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up over against them: for the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels.
22 And the likeness of the firmament upon the heads of the living creature was as the colour of the terrible crystal (CJB: “a dome glittering like ice”) , stretched forth over their heads above.
In summary, these four creatures are fearless, powerful, quick and thoughtful, are travelling with the tabernacle, the temple in the wilderness. Wherever the tabernacle goes, they go. Or more correctly, they stay with the tabernacle.
23 And under the firmament were their wings straight, the one toward the other: every one had two, which covered on this side, and every one had two, which covered on that side, their bodies.
Think of our temple experiences, such as the Prayer Circle that Hugh Nibley describes in great detail. These beings are surrounding the tabernacle, their wings are stretched out to touch each other suggesting a brotherhood or common purpose. And then in the next verse a prayer…
24 And when they went, I heard the noise of their wings, like the noise of great waters, as the voice of the Almighty, the voice of speech, as the noise of an host: when they stood, they let down their wings.
25 And there was a voice from the firmament that was over their heads, when they stood, and had let down their wings.
And then a throne appears…as we discussed last week…
26 And above the firmament that was over their heads was the likeness of a throne, as the appearance of a sapphire stone: and upon the likeness of the throne was the likeness as the appearance of a man above upon it.
And this is what we covered last week…the theophany, seeing God as man.
27 And I saw as the colour of amber, as the appearance of fire round about within it, from the appearance of his loins even upward, and from the appearance of his loins even downward, I saw as it were the appearance of fire, and it had brightness round about.
28 As the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud in the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness round about. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord. And when I saw it, I fell upon my face, and I heard a voice of one that spake.
The theophany continues in chapter 2 which we covered last week…
Ezekiel 2 1 And he said unto me, Son of man, stand upon thy feet, and I will speak unto thee.
2 And the spirit entered into me when he spake unto me, and set me upon my feet, that I heard him that spake unto me.
3 And he said unto me, Son of man, I send thee to the children of Israel, to a rebellious nation that hath rebelled against me: they and their fathers have transgressed against me, even unto this very day.
So from this, you get this great imagery of four powerful beings, their traits, their power, their clothing, their close association with the temple, especially with the MOVING temple, the tabernacle that travelled through the wilderness.
Ezekiel in chapter 1 describes the temple of Solomon as a mobile temple that could reach to Babylon where the exiles lived. Jehovah was not only the God of Jerusalem, but had power anywhere his people dwelt upon the face of the earth.
Now, at the end of Ezekiel he will describe the rebuilt temple…on to Ezekiel 43.
Ezekiel 43 4 And the glory of the Lord came into the house by the way of the gate whose prospect is toward the east.
5 So the spirit took me up, and brought me into the inner court; and, behold, the glory of the Lord filled the house.
6 And I heard him speaking unto me out of the house; and the man stood by me.
Then he addresses Ezekiel (Son of Man) and begins new temple imagery…compare it to the temple of chapter 1.
7 And he said unto me, Son of man, 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 for ever, and my holy name, shall the house of Israel no more defile, neither they, nor their kings, by their whoredom, nor by the carcasses of their kings in their high places.
8 In their setting of their threshold by my thresholds, and their post by my posts, and the wall between me and them, they have even defiled my holy name by their abominations that they have committed: wherefore I have consumed them in mine anger.
9 Now let them put away their whoredom, and the carcasses of their kings, far from me, and I will dwell in the midst of them for ever.
And where is it he will dwell?
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 (CJB says “let them measure accurately”).
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 (CJB “exits”), and the comings in thereof (CJB “entrances”), 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.
12 This is the law of the house; Upon the top of the mountain the whole limit thereof round about (CJB “the surrounding area on the top of the mountain”) shall be most holy. Behold, this is the law of the house.
Then he gives measurement, just like Noah’s ark, just like the Ark of the Covenant (the tabernacle). Verse 13-17 gives measurements ending in 17 with…
Ezekiel 43 17 And the settle (ledge) shall be fourteen cubits long and fourteen broad in the four squares thereof; and the border about it shall be half a cubit; and the bottom thereof shall be a cubit about; and his stairs shall look toward the east.
We are not describing a “temple with wheels” or the tabernacle. This is very different than the temple in chapter 1. This is a solid, permanent temple.
Several times the word “settle” is used. This simply means “ledge” or the edge around the structure being described.
And then he describes the ordinances to be performed…
Ezekiel 43 18 And he said unto me, Son of man, thus saith the Lord God; These are the ordinances of the altar in the day when they shall make it, to offer burnt offerings thereon, and to sprinkle blood thereon.
And from here to the end of the chapter (vs. 27) sacrifices and the procedures to perform them are described.
This temple, as with all temples, is implicitly tied to all holy places ever used by God: the Garden of Eden, Mount Sinai, Noah’s ark, the Tabernacle; the Temples of Jehovah have all been a place of refuge from the storms and evils of the world. They are paradise.
In the recent Temple Studies Group Symposium IV in England, Old Testament scholar Margaret Barker explained that when Ezekiel saw the Garden of Eden as the “mountain garden of the ‘elohim (Gods, sons of God).” This is where God walked and spoke to the man, Adam. This is where Adam learned he was made in similitude of Jehovah, and was the first Adam.
Jesus Christ would later be the second Adam, bringing mankind back to the Garden of Eden through the rites of the temple of God. The temple is described as the “mountain of the Lord’s house” by Isaiah (2:2 And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it.), and therefore represents Ezekiel’s mountain garden paradise.
In chapter 43 Ezekiel sees the future temple. Because of his vision, partially fulfilled in the days of Nehemiah the governor, and Ezra the scribe, exiled Israel would look forward in hope to restoring the temple after their Babylonian exile, and again look forward to building what is known as the Third Temple (the Third Temple is not the rebuilt Second Temple which was destroyed in 70 A.D.). The Third Temple has not yet been built…
Ezekiel 44 – Requirements for the temple…(31 verses)
Ezekiel 44 1 Then he brought me back the way of the gate of the outward sanctuary which looketh toward the east; and it was shut.
2 Then said the Lord unto me; This gate shall be shut, it shall not be opened, and no man shall enter in by it; because the Lord, the God of Israel, hath entered in by it, therefore it shall be shut.
3 It is for the prince; the prince, he shall sit in it to eat bread before the Lord; he shall enter by the way of the porch of that gate, and shall go out by the way of the same.
This term “the Prince” occurs many times in Ezekiel. It is felt that this refers to…the Messiah, both to Jews and to Christians.
Ezekiel 44 4 Then brought he me the way of the north gate before the house: and I looked, and, behold, the glory of the Lord filled the house of the Lord: and I fell upon my face.
5 And the Lord said unto me, Son of man, mark well, and behold with thine eyes, and hear with thine ears all that I say unto thee concerning all the ordinances of the house of the Lord, and all the laws thereof; and mark well the entering in of the house, with every going forth of the sanctuary.
Verse 9 summarizes the qualifications for entry into the temple…
Ezekiel 44 9 Thus saith the Lord God; No stranger, uncircumcised in heart, nor uncircumcised in flesh, shall enter into my sanctuary, of any stranger that is among the children of Israel.
down to verse 15…talks about priests and those attending the temple.
Ezekiel 44 15 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, saith the Lord God:
Verse 16 starts to discuss temple worship of that time and what those in the temple can wear and do.
Ezekiel 44 16 They shall enter into my sanctuary, and they shall come near to my table, to minister unto me, and they shall keep my charge.
Then there is a reference to the Law of Shatnez, a hebrew law that prohibits wearing wool and linen together in the same garment. Something like a Kosher law for clothing.
17 And it shall come to pass, that when they enter in at the gates of the inner court, they shall be clothed with linen garments; and no wool shall come upon them, whiles they minister in the gates of the inner court, and within.
And a further reference to temple clothing…
Ezekiel 44 18 They shall have linen bonnets upon their heads, and shall have linen breeches upon their loins; they shall not gird themselves with any thing that causeth sweat.
They are to change out of their street clothes just as we do.
Ezekiel 44 19 And when they go forth into the utter court, even into the utter court to the people, they shall put off their garments wherein they ministered, and lay them in the holy chambers, and they shall put on other garments; and they shall not sanctify the people with their garments.
They will have a nice missionary hair-cut. Not too long, not too short.
Ezekiel 44 20 Neither shall they shave their heads, nor suffer their locks to grow long; they shall only poll their heads. 21 Neither shall any priest drink wine, when they enter into the inner court.
(both NKJV and CJB has “poll” as “neatly trimmed” or “carefully trimmed”).
Word of Wisdom for temple attendees:
Ezekiel 44 21 Neither shall any priest drink wine, when they enter into the inner court. 22 Neither shall they take for their wives a widow, nor her that is put away: but they shall take maidens of the seed of the house of Israel, or a widow that had a priest before.
And then in 44:23 is the verse that describes what they are to teach. It is concise and is just what we should continue in our day.
Ezekiel 44 23 And they shall teach my people the difference between the holy and profane, and cause them to discern between the unclean and the clean.
And that may be the most profound teaching in all of scripture. They shall teach the difference between the Holy and the Profane.
Dennis Prager: “Holiness is the elevation of the human being from his animal nature to his being created in the image of God”
This is the reason, for practicing Jews, that Kosher laws exist. That they keep separate refrigerators for milk and meat. It is to signify and bring to mind that some things are Holy.
This is the reason, for us, that we practice the Word of Wisdom, that we avoid unclean things, that we go through a temple recommend interview…so that we can be separated from the base things of the world. So that we can know that there are things that are Holy, and so we can become holy.
Then it talks for a few verses about sacrifices and offerings and cleansings. Then another profound thought in vs. 28. Do you pay the priest?
Ezekiel 44 28 And it shall be unto them for an inheritance: I am their inheritance: and ye shall give them no possession in Israel: I am their possession.
The chapter closes again with a nod to Kosher law…to holiness.
Ezekiel 44 31 The priests shall not eat of any thing that is dead of itself, or torn, whether it be fowl or beast.
Kosher law forbids some types of animals. Those that can be eaten must be slaughtered, and it must be painless. Blood must be drained from the animal. Some parts of an animal are forbidden. Meat and dairy are separated. Utensils pick up the kosher status of what they eat. Stoves must be cleaned, even dishwashers must be separate or run separately.
The key to the temple is to bring people back into the glory of God. To separate them from the world.
After the Fall, ancient tradition (Apocrypha) says that Adam longed for the return to the Garden and God’s presence. He had been placed at the Cave of Treasures, which was below the Garden, yet higher than the wicked who would later dwell in the valley below. Eventually God would give Adam 3 tokens from the Garden to place in the Cave of Treasures: gold, frankincense and myrrh. These treasures would later go from the first Adam, and be given to the second Adam, Jesus Christ, at his birth in Bethlehem. Jesus is the rightful owner of the gifts and tokens given to Adam from the Garden/Temple of God.
According to LDS theology, Moses’ key purpose in bringing the children of Israel to Sinai was not to receive the 10 Commandments, but to bring them a higher law and purpose: to actually take them up the mountain and into God’s presence. He wanted to restore them to the Garden of Eden, where Adam and Eve talked and walked with God. He sought for them to have the experience he had had with God, seeing him face to face. Yet, they refused to climb the mountain, and insisted that Moses be their eyes and ears before God.
In his wrath, God took away from them the higher law and priesthood power, and gave them a lesser law and priesthood authority (Levitical priesthood), which would stay in place until the mortal calling of Christ, who would fulfill the Mosaic Law and replace it with his higher law and power of the Melchizedek Priesthood (D&C 84:1-27, Hebrews 4-7).
How many of us, are brought to the mountain (temple) and fail to take advantage of it’s blessings? We must take care that we do not do the same that was done anciently, to refuse the gift placed before us.
Ezekiel 45 – Talks about dividing inheritances, who receives what in the city. The Prince (the Messiah) is mentioned several times.
This begs the question…to whom is he dividing the city up? He is prophesying to the Tribe of Judah in exile. He is offering them hope and the belief that they can get back into God’s good graces.
Ezekiel 46 – The Manner of Worship…(24 verses)
Ezekiel 46 1Thus saith the Lord God; The gate of the inner court that looketh toward the east shall be shut the six working days; but on the Sabbath it shall be opened, and in the day of the new moon it shall be opened.
2 And the prince shall enter by the way of the porch of that gate without, and shall stand by the post of the gate, and the priests shall prepare his burnt offering and his peace offerings, and he shall worship at the threshold of the gate: then he shall go forth; but the gate shall not be shut until the evening.
There are several verses of how and when to sacrifice and then in verse 9…
Ezekiel 46 9 But when the people of the land shall come before the Lord in the solemn feasts, he that entereth in by the way of the north gate to worship shall go out by the way of the south gate; and he that entereth by the way of the south gate shall go forth by the way of the north gate: he shall not return by the way of the gate whereby he came in, but shall go forth over against it.
Crowd control!
Man Touches God (Michelangelo - Sistine Chapel)
(Pause for picture…) Doesn’t Michelangelo’s painting signify the temple? Where else does the finger of God reach down to us?
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Lehi and Nephi’s Vision of the Tree of Life speaks of an iron rod that one must hold onto to obtain the Tree of Life. Clearly, the Tree of Life was upon a mount, which would require a rod to assist one in climbing. Next to the Tree of Life were the Waters or Fountain of Life, representing with the Tree of Life the love and salvation of God. Nephi would see in vision that the fruit of the Tree is Jesus Christ and the atonement encourage us to partake of the living waters (1 Nephi 8-15).
Ezekiel 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.
Is this really water or is this symbolic, or both?
2 Then brought he me out of the way of the gate northward, and led me about the way without unto the utter (CJB “outer”) gate by the way that looketh eastward; and, behold, there ran out waters on the right side.
3 And when the man that had the line in his hand went forth eastward, he measured a thousand cubits, and he brought me through the waters; the waters were to the ankles.
4 Again he measured a thousand, and brought me through the waters; the waters were to the knees. Again he measured a thousand, and brought me through; the waters were to the loins (CJB “waist”).
5 Afterward he measured a thousand; and it was a river that I could not pass over: for the waters were risen, waters to swim in, a river that could not be passed (CJB “waded”) over.
6 And he said unto me, Son of man, hast thou seen this? Then he brought me, and caused me to return to the brink of the river.
In Ezekiel 47, we see that a river flows from under the temple and ultimately will heal the Dead Sea and the deserts.
7 Now when I had returned, behold, at the bank of the river were very many trees on the one side and on the other.
8 Then said he unto me, These waters issue out toward the east country, and go down into the desert, and go into the sea: which being brought forth into the sea, the waters shall be healed.
9 And it shall come to pass, that every thing that liveth, which moveth, whithersoever the rivers shall come, shall live: and there shall be a very great multitude of fish, because these waters shall come thither: for they shall be healed; and every thing shall live whither the river cometh.
The Garden of Eden also sent forth rivers to the surrounding lands, watering them and healing them from the drought conditions that often beset many areas of the world.
There is also imagery for the future temple (both ancient and modern) . The Temple also heals the land with a river that flows from it. There is symbolism showing how the temple also gives life to those who drink from the waters therein. The Garden of Eden was tied to the first Adam. The latter-day temple is tied to the second Adam, Jesus Christ.
When we partake of his living waters, particularly those offered in the temple of God, we are given eternal life. Why in the temple of God? Because in the holy and sacred space is where man meets God face to face. Jacob’s ladder (Gen 28), Isaiah theophany (ch 6), Lehi’s vision (1 Nephi 1), and John’s Revelation (1, 4) all tell us about their visions of the celestial throne and seeing God sitting upon it. This is a pattern for all of us.
Ezekiel 47 10 And it shall come to pass, that the fishers shall stand upon it from Engedi even unto Eneglaim; they shall be a place to spread forth nets; their fish shall be according to their kinds, as the fish of the great sea, exceeding many.
11 But the miry places thereof and the marishes thereof shall not be healed; they shall be given to salt.
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.
Paul spoke of our bodies being the “temple of God” (1 Cor 3:16-17). Each of us should seek to make of our own lives a paradise of God, a Garden of Eden. Each of us should seek to arise from the fall of the first Adam, and claim the atonement of the second Adam, Jesus Christ.
From here in verse 13 on into chapter 48 we have a division of land:
Ezekiel 47 13 Thus saith the Lord God; This shall be the border, whereby ye shall inherit the land according to the twelve tribes of Israel: Joseph shall have two portions.
14 And ye shall inherit it, one as well as another: concerning the which I lifted up mine hand to give it unto your fathers: and this land shall fall unto you for inheritance.
15 And this shall be the border of the land toward the north side, from the great sea, the way of Hethlon, as men go to Zedad;
The borders are discussed until the chapter ends in verse 23. Why is this notable? (next paragraph)
Chapter 48 continues the division of the land mentioned earlier…but gets specific by tribe. Dan, Asher, Naphtali, Manasseh, all the sons are mentioned and given a portion.
It’s notable because they are IN CAPTIVITY and the 10 tribes are GONE! They are hearing, from a prophet of god, just how the land will be divided, as if the 12 tribes are all back in Israel. It almost reads like it is being measured and parceled out at the time, but the people are in exile or are lost.
On through the end of chapter 48, a return is spoken of as if it is a foregone conclusion. This would be a dramatic rebirth for those living in Babylon in captivity.
In today’s LDS temples, we experience the earth’s Creation, the Garden, the Fall, and the return into God’s presence in the Celestial Room (representing heaven). We symbolize Adam, as he symbolizes Christ. In this experience, we literally practice for the day when each of us will kneel at the throne of God and behold our Lord. The question is whether we shall be like the prophets who entered into the throne room of God’s holy temple, or stayed below like the rebellious Israelites in Moses’ day.
We do not need to hear from prophets about a future restoration as these captives in Babylon did. We live in the midst of the effects of the literal restoration.
Think of the millions in the world that are lost, that are, in effect, in their own Babylonian confinement. What effect would it be to them to learn of the gospel, of the temple, to see the river of knowledge flowing from it and to receive their “portion”? Would it not be just as great to them of our day as those lost in Babylon of old?
Bibliography
David Larsen’s notes on Margaret Barker’s talk at the Temple Studies Group Symposium IV:http://www.heavenlyascents.com/2010/11/08/the-temple-studies-group-symposium-iv-margaret-barker/
The Conflict of Adam and Eve Against Satan (Books 1 and 2):http://www.sacred-texts.com/bib/fbe/fbe005.htm
http://joelsmonastery.blogspot.com/2010/11/ot-gospel-doctrine-lesson-43-shepherds.html
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