The greatest mystery of the Temple’s design is its mathematical and geometric perfection. Ezekiel 45:2 provides the dimensions of 500 x 500 cubits (875 x 875 feet) for the Temple. The most important consideration in the architectural design of the Temple is the overall measurement of the structures that are inside the wall of Ezekiel 40:5. The width of this wall is given in Ezekiel 40:5 as 6 cubits (10.5 feet). Therefore, are the structures inside the wall 488 x 488 cubits? Or are they 500 x 500 cubits? We believe the answer is 500 x 500 cubits. All other designs for Ezekiel’s Temple include the wall as a part of their overall measurement and this leaves 488 x 488 cubits for all the structures that are inside the wall.  We don’t believe that it is possible to fit the structures that are inside the wall of Ezekiel 40:5 into an area of 488 x 488 cubits and remain consistent with the language of Ezekiel 40-42. The ISOW Temple is the only Temple design that does not include the width of the wall of Ezekiel 40:5 as a part of the overall measurement.

To find out why this consideration is so important, purchase the Millennial Temple online course or DVD teaching. The specific answer to the above question is shared in Lesson 3, “Introduction and Approach to the Temple,” as well as Lessons 4-6, “The Temple Tour Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3”.

Yes! This Temple design has been presented by its foremost designer, Dr. Charles Ruark, to multiple leading biblical scholars and professional architects. One scholar who has provided an important assessment is Donald Wilkins, M.Div. and Th.M. from Talbot Seminary, as well as an M.A. and Ph.D. from UCLA. Dr. Wilkins is the Scholar in Residence at the Lockman Foundation and translator of Ezekiel 40-48 for the 1995 and 2020 NASB (New American Standard Bible). Daniel L. Black, Th.D., Th.M., a biblical scholar who has worked at Pathway Press for years, also provided his scholarly review. Finally, French Arrington, Ph.D., D.D., a well-known and leading biblical Greek scholar, who has served on many theological boards and published multiple academic works, has also provided his scholarly assessment.

Dr. Ruark further presented the Temple to architects Tom Testerman of HFR Design and Jim Easter of Easter Healthcare Consulting in 2018. Graphic designer, Jacob Nagele assisted in creating digital files for the Temple from 2006 to 2016. Mike Halsey, CEO of Magnetic Dreams transferred the files to the digital program they are now shown in. For approximately two decades this Temple design has undergone the watchful eyes of scholars, architects, and graphic designers to be presented as it appears today.

With this brief backstory, the recommended translation for studying Ezekiel 40-48 that best aligns with this Temple model are the 1995 and 2020 editions of the NASB. For this reason, the NASB has been used as the preferred translation for the lessons featured in the Millennial Temple online course or DVD teaching.

Purchase the Millennial Temple online course or DVD teaching to begin this exciting study that features a “walkthrough” of Jesus’ personal home during His coming 1,000-year reign!

For a point of reference as to the time in the future when the events described in Ezekiel 40-42 will take place, you’re invited to explore Lesson 1, “The Day of the Lord.” This subject is also examined in Lesson 2, “New Things in the Millennial Kingdom.” Finally, to get a thorough understanding of the design of the Temple, check out Lessons 3-4-5 and 6 “Introduction and Approach to the Temple; The Temple Tour Part 1 & Part 2 & Part 3”

It all goes back to a promise. God promised Abraham in Genesis 15 that his descendants would outnumber the stars in the heavens. If this is taken literally, then Abraham would need more than 200 sextillion descendants. Although Christians are the spiritual children of Abraham (Galatians 3:29), we will cease having children when the Church Age ends. However, God will begin to keep his promise to Abraham of an uncountable number of physical descendants during the 1,000-year reign of Christ. During this period, both Jews and Gentiles will have lifespans greatly exceeding 100 years and have a multitude of children, filling the earth dramatically. The promise that God made to all peoples of the earth that He would one day do away with death will also be fulfilled during the Millennial Reign (see Isaiah 25:6-9).

To learn more about how God will lengthen human life and even do away with death during the Millennial Reign of Christ, purchase the Millennial Temple online course or DVD teaching. Dr. Ruark deals with this question specifically in Lesson 8, “Medical Explanation for Millennial Bodies.”

Additional insight as to why Jesus will return to earth is also found in Lesson 2, “New Things in the Millennial Kingdom,” Lesson 14, “God Dwells with Man,” and Lesson 16, “The Veilless Temple.”

The design for this Temple model is taken from the most literal translation of the Scripture and math possible. This topic is covered in detail in Lesson 3, “The Introduction and Approach to the Temple.” Briefly stated, the Temple is a symbol of the Cross and the architecture of the ISOW Temple is based entirely on the geometry of the Cross.

A cubit is a unit of measure that is roughly the equivalent in length of the human forearm. Typically, it is thought to be 18 inches. The cubit Ezekiel uses is the “long” Hebrew cubit, which is a cubit and a handbreadth or about 21 inches (Ezekiel 40:5). The long cubit includes the turn of the elbow which adds 3 inches to the common or standard cubit.

 This standard of measurement is explored in detail in Lesson 3, “Introduction and Approach to the Temple.”

It can be referred to as either Ezekiel’s Temple or the Millennial Temple. The name “Ezekiel’s Temple” refers to the Temple found in Ezekiel 40-48 in the Old Testament book of Ezekiel. The name “Millennial Temple” connects this Temple to the future age known as the Millennium, during which time this Temple will be built and exist on earth for 1,000 years.

 To learn more about Ezekiel’s Temple or the Millennial Temple, check out Lesson 1, “The Day of the Lord,” which describes how the Millennial Reign of Christ will begin and why it will feature a Temple.

There could be several reasons why any group sees this Temple as symbolic. One leading school of thought with this view is Preterism. Preterists do not believe that the Book of Revelation in the New Testament describes literal, future events. They believe that Revelation, along with many of the prophecies that Jesus shared in Matthew 24, were fulfilled in the first century. This school of thought has had a significant influence on academia.

To find out why we believe this is not the best interpretation of Ezekiel’s Temple or the Millennial Temple, purchase the Millennial Temple online course or DVD teaching and check out Lesson 11, “The Millennial Sacrifices.”

When someone takes the time to read and understand the passages referred to in this teaching, it is difficult to deny the literal existence of the architectural structure described in Ezekiel 40-48. It is clear that this structure has not yet been built, but it’s also clear that Ezekiel 43:18 plainly indicates that this Temple will be built at a time in the future.

As a Christian, if you believe that there’s a purpose to God’s prophetic words, this Temple is a big deal. The coming existence of the Temple debunks the secular worldviews of theistic evolution and modern cosmology. It also gives us a clear vision of the coming age.

If you want to look into the world to come, purchase the Millennial Temple online course or DVD teaching today. For more specific insights into the importance of the Temple’s actual existence, check out Lesson 2, “New Things in the Millennial Temple”, Lesson 3, “Introduction and Approach to the Temple,” Lesson 7, “The Healing River”, and Lesson 12, “The Finale of God.”

The infallibility and historical accuracy of God’s Word is under greater attack today than ever before.

The architectural perfection of the Temple described in Ezekiel and the rules governing it demonstrates an incredible consistency with prophecies throughout the Bible about the age to come. It tears down the assumption of modern biblical critics that the Bible is an imperfect collection of stories gathered from history and provides tremendous evidence and proof of its divine origin and inspiration.

For more insight as to why the authors of the Millennial Temple teaching believe one should take a literal approach to references in the Bible concerning the Temple, check out Lesson 2, “New Things in the Millennial Kingdom,” Lesson 3, “Introduction and Approach to the Temple,” Lesson 7, “The Healing River,” and Lesson 12, “The Finale of God.”

The Millennial Temple is a New Covenant Temple in which sin has already been atoned for. All those under Jesus’ reign during this time will be under the New Covenant.

To learn more about how the Temple functions as part of the New Covenant, check out Lesson 11, “The Millennial Sacrifices,” and Lesson 16, “The Veilless Temple.”

Ezekiel 40-48 does not refer to this Temple in that way, though the Old Testament does refer to past Temples in those terms.  Mt. Zion came to be associated with the highest part of Solomon’s Temple. Thus the “mountain of the Lord” came to be known as the geographic location of the Temple in the city of Jerusalem. A prophetic reason that this Temple could still be referred to as the “mountain of the Lord” is because the overall height of the Millennial Temple of over 60 cubits (105 feet, Ezekiel 40:14) will be much higher than that of its surroundings.

It’s important to remember that Zechariah states that during the Millennium, a large plain will stretch from Geba, six miles north of Jerusalem to Rimmon, 40 miles south of Jerusalem (Zechariah 14:10). This means that the landscape of Jerusalem will be different during the time of the Millenium from what it is now, and that the Temple will stand much higher than anything else in the area.

The Inner Temple (Ezekiel 41) will have a total height of 50 cubits (87.5 feet) which will be much higher above anything else in the vicinity, thus being a “mountain” compared to all other structures.

Lesson 3, “Introduction and Approach to the Temple” contains more insight regarding the Temple’s location.

To answer this question  Zechariah 14:10-11 states:

“All the land will be changed into a plain from Geba to Rimmon south of Jerusalem; but Jerusalem will rise and remain on its site from Benjamin’s Gate as far as the place of the First Gate to the Corner Gate, and from the Tower of Hananel to the king’s wine presses. People will live in it, and there will no longer be a curse, for Jerusalem will dwell in security.” (1995 NASB)

We believe that the city described in Ezekiel 45:6, 48:15-20, and 48:35 is the Jerusalem of Zechariah 14:10-11. It’s the millennial city of Ezekiel 48. It’s a square made up of 4,500 cubits on every side (see Ezekiel 48:16-17 and 48:35) and will have a layout similar to Old Testament Jerusalem. It will not be physically possible to fit the Temple inside modern Jerusalem.

Lesson 3, “Introduction and Approach to the Temple” in the Millennial Temple teaching contains amazing insights into the Temple’s location and overall size..

We believe that the allotment of land described in Ezekiel 48:20, which is 25,000 x 25,000 cubits, will eventually come to be known as “Jerusalem” during the Millennial Age.  This allotment will include the Temple of Ezekiel 42:15-20 and the city of 45:6, 48:15-21, and 48:35. This change in the name of the millennial city to, “The Lord is there” is because the Temple, due to its enormous size, can’t fit into the current modern-day location of Jerusalem. It will have a special location within the millennial boundaries of “Jerusalem” as described in Ezekiel 48. We have detailed maps showing the exact location of the Millennial Temple and the city of Ezekiel 48:35 which we also refer to as Jerusalem.

Lesson 3, “Introduction and Approach to the Temple” contains more insight about the Temple’s location.

We will state four design flaws found in all other Temples and the reasons for them:

First and foremost, other Temple designs include the width of the Temple wall of Ezekiel 40:5, which is 6 cubits, in their measurement of the overall Temple, making the whole structure 500 x 500 cubits, including the wall. This leaves 488 x 488 cubits of area left inside the wall. This understanding is because no verse in Ezekiel 40-48 explicitly states that the overall measurement doesn’t include this wall. Therefore, it is assumed that it does. However, if the measurements for the structures inside the Temple wall are studied closely, you will discover that the measurements given for the gates, pavements, buildings, etc. inside the wall do not easily fit into the area of 488 x 488 cubits assumed by other Temple designs. This is the reason that the ISOW Bible College’s Temple design is so different from other Temple designs. Our design assumes an overall measurement of 512 x 512 cubits including the wall of 40:5 or 500 x 500 cubits not including the width of this wall.

Second, there is a critical correspondence that must be satisfied by all Temple designs in order to be consistent with the language of Ezekiel. It is found in Ezekiel 40:18 which equates the width of the lower pavement to the length of the gates of the Temple. The vital importance of this equality is somewhat difficult to explain to someone who has yet to study the Temple in detail. The basic explanation points to the first reason above. Other Temple designs can only have a lower pavement width of 44 cubits when Ezekiel requires 50 cubits in order for it to be equal to length of the gates. This is because the width of the Temple wall of 6-cubits must take up a width of 6-cubits that would otherwise belong to the lower pavement. The design of ISOW Bible College’s Temple pairs the width of the lower pavement to the lengths of the gates perfectly, at 50 cubits!

Third, the location of the Altar of Sacrifice in the layout of all Temple designs is flawed due to the altar’s incorrect placement within the inner court described in Ezekiel 40:47. Incorrectly locating the altar renders the sacrificial system invalid and the sacrifices profane. See pp.141-142 of “The Messianic Temple” by Chaim Clorfene. The ISOW Bible College is acutely aware of the absolute necessity of correctly placing the Altar of Sacrifice within the Temple. If we were not 100% confident of our altar placement, the Millennial Temple Project would have long since been terminated.

Scholar Chaim Clorfene states in “The Messianic Temple” (p. 141-142), “There is no contemporary scholar or group of scholars with authority to establish the place of the Altar, and there is widespread disagreement about the exact location.” However, we believe that Ezekiel does provide enough detail to determine the altar’s exact location. We further argue that all major design flaws stem from the necessity of all Temple designers, including Clorfene (p.84 v.47 of Ezekiel chapter 40; p.142 Fig. 43:20), to situate the Altar of Sacrifice in the exact center of the inner court. In so doing, this situates the altar in the exact center of the overall layout of all Temple designs except Clorfene’s. In his Temple design in regards to his overall layout, the placement of the altar is somewhat ambiguous, but it is clear that he places it quite close to the exact center of his Temple. Thus, all Temples including Clorfene’s are rendered as profane by their incorrect placement of the Altar of Sacrifice. The ISOW Temple correctly places the Altar of Sacrifice at its holy and unique location within the Temple. For a detailed understanding of the placement of the Altar of Sacrifice within the Temple take “Introduction and Approach to the Temple” and the Temple Tour Parts 1, 2, & 3. Also, the Bible College will provide detailed schematics of the Altar of Sacrifice and its exact location within the overall Temple and within the inner court.

Fourth, all Temple designs incorrectly orient the building described in Ezekiel 41:12-15. This is the structure located directly behind or to the rear of the Inner Temple and due West of it. The fact that all Temple designs, except Clorfene’s, orient the 90 cubits length of this building (Ezekiel 41:12) from north to south, rather than from east to west, severely distorts the layout of the of the overall Temple. While Clorfene’s Temple design does not share this difficulty, he ignores details from Ezekiel that do not match the Torah guidelines for Temples or those found in Jewish oral tradition. The ISOW Bible College Temple correctly orients the 90 cubits length of the building east to west and its 70 cubits width north to south.

Check out the Millennial Temple online course or DVD teaching to see how this important technical problem is solved in the layout of the ISOW Bible College Temple design. Specifically, Lesson 3, “Introduction and Approach to the Temple,” and Lessons 4-6, “The Temple Tour Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3” provide incredible insights into the Temple’s design and mathematical perfection.

This seems to be an official title and role, and according to Ezekiel 37:24-28, David will be the first to serve in this capacity. This is because the Millennial Kingdom will be the Davidic Kingdom spoken of in prophecy (Jeremiah 33:14-26).

David’s family will own all the land on either side of the holy allotment as shown in the maps provided in the Millennial Temple online course or DVD teaching. David will have a daily meal with the Lord Jesus on most days throughout the Millennium (see Ezekiel 44:3). He will be the officiator of public worship as described in Ezekiel 46. Finally, Ezekiel 45:7-9 suggests that eventually there will be multiple princes arising from David’s sons. However, this does not mean that David ever ceases to be both prince and king.

The answer to this question lies in the two part aspect of death, i.e., spiritual death, and physical death. When Adam and Eve ate the fruit in the garden they didn’t die physically immediately. Their physical death was gradual. It’s the physical process known as aging, and it always results in death. Nevertheless, their genomes were immediately corrupted by the toxins of that poisonous fruit, resulting in our corrupt physical bodies of today that age and eventually die. However, the spiritual consequences of their disobedience overtook them immediately. They were expelled from the Garden and lost their communion and fellowship with God. Citizens of the Millennium will still possess the same profane corrupted bodies that we possess today. Although millennial lifespans will be greatly lengthened, millennial citizens will still possess the corrupted genomes of Adam and Eve. Every time the public sets foot on Messiah’s holy property, it suffers physical defilement having nothing to do with moral or spiritual sin. For this reason, animal sacrifices will be required so that the public may enter the physically holy Temple property for worship. Millennial sacrifices provide perpetual atonement for this perpetual physical defilement.

To learn more about how these sacrifices deal with the profaneness of our physical bodies and what their purpose will be in regard to the Messiah’s house, which is the Millennial Temple, check out Lesson 8, “Medical Explanations for Millennial Bodies” and Lesson 11, “The Millennial Sacrifices” taught by Dr. Ruark and Instructor, Matthew Foley in the Millennial Temple teaching.

This could be answered “Yes,” and, “No.” While the sacrifices themselves are not shared with the public physically, they do serve to maintain the physical purity and holiness of the House itself. By doing this, the Temple does bring healing to the world through the river that flows from it and the miraculous medicinal leaves of the trees  found on its banks (see Ezekiel 47:12).

One of the most inspiring aspects of the Millennial Temple teaching is the insight it unpacks as to how the Temple will heal the world during Jesus’ Millennial Reign. For specific insight on this question, check out Lesson 11, “The Millennial Sacrifices.”

Definitely. The Millennial Temple online course or DVD teaching points to a future time when there will be lasting peace and prosperity on the earth. Our world is longing for this kind of intervention. The earth will become fully green and completely free of carbon emissions. Again, people in our world long for this kind of breakthrough. This time period is known as the Millennium which this teaching explores in detail.

The implications of the millennial sacrifices also go very deep. They transport us right back to the Garden of Eden where the demise and disaster of the human race took place. This is where the original corruption of the human genome occurred which caused our bodies to become common or profane as opposed to immortal and holy. The earth also eventually became profane. The climate change that we are suffering from today is a direct result of Adam’s sin. The Millennium is all about the restoration of not only our physical bodies to their original immortal holy state but also the restoration of the earth. All humanity longs for this kind of renewal and restoration.

Lesson 8, “Medical Explanations for Millennial Bodies” and Lesson 14, “God Dwells with Man” contain interesting scientific facts that go to the heart of answering this question.

Paul also writes in Romans 8:10 that the body is dead because of sin. When Adam sinned in the Garden of Eden, his genome became corrupt immediately because of the poisonous fruit, and he died about nine hundred and thirty years later. The fact that the Holy Spirit indwells every believer is Jesus’ pledge that He will resurrect every believer into an incorruptible body like His own by the end of the Church Age. This is what sets believers of the Church Age (us) apart from people of the Millennium during the Millennial Reign of Jesus, and why believers of the Church Age will already have bodies without death.

Don’t miss Lesson 8, “Medication Explanations for Millennial Bodies” for more insight into this important question.