01/25/2026 – Week 13 of 13 – Ezekiel study (Nov 1st thru Jan. 24th) – Chapters 40 – 48 / Post 1 of 2//
Four sources for my quoted commentary excerpts, so far in our Ezekiel study, I have added (*D) this week for one commentary in chapter 28:
(*A) – Apologetics Study Bible
(*B) – The Evidence Bible – NKJV / Commentary by Ray Comfort
(*C) – My personal standby for this study: “Be Reverent – Bowing Before Our Awesome God – OT Commentary Ezekiel” Warren W. Wiersbe / ISBN 978-1-4347-0050-6
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Big picture again: Why a 13 week fellowship on Ezekiel? Ans.: 1) Embrace: “The LORD is unfathomable!” ; 2). The times: Then and now are strikingly similar. So…, how then shall we live! (Ephesians 6:13!)
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Just FYI, particularly for this lesson: If, you search the blog on text: 1) “Day 209” and 2) “Day 216”, the result will produce ten posts on our concluding chapters #40 thru #48. Day 209 covers. I would note these three as standouts: 1) “12/12/20 – Comparison of three temples and significance of Ezekiel Temple” ; 2) “02/01/2025 – 48: 30 – 35 / Signs of Ezekiel Temple; 3) 12/19/2020 – Matthew Henry commentary: 46: 1-15 / 47: 1-12 / Ch. 48
I also highly recommend these two articles, links below:
https://biblehub.com/q/why_do_ezekiel’s_and_1_kings’_temples_differ.htm
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Ok, Let’s get started with new commentary on this, our final lesson:
(*C)
Introduction: THE INTERPRETATION OF THE NEW TEMPLE
“Ezekiel has described the return of the jewish people to their land, the cleansing of the nation, and the restoring of the land to productivity and security. But for the picture to be complete, he must give them assurance that their beloved temple and its ministries will be restored, for the presence of God’s glory in the temple was what set Israel apart from all other nations (Romans 9:4). In the last nine chapters of his book, Ezekiel will describe in detail the new temple and its ministry, the new boundaries of the tribes in the land, and the return of the glory of God to Israel.
For centuries, devout and scholarly bible students, both Jewish and Christian, have struggled to interpret the vision described in this chapter, but they have by no means reached a satisfactory agreement. at least four views have emerged from these studies, and all of them have their strengths and weaknesses.
I. Ezekiel described “ideal worship” for God’s people. Rejecting the idea that a literal temple will be built in Israel, this view spiritualized the vision God gave Ezekiel and seeks to apply it to the church today. The temple represents the glorious presence of God among His people, and the gates speak of the open access the people have to the Lord. The river from the temple pictures the flowing forth of God’s blessings from the church to the world, getting deeper and deeper and turning the desert into a garden. The arguments for this view center on the finished work of Christ and the end of the old covenant. Because of the death, resurrection, and present ministry of Christ our High Priest, we no longer need earthly temples, priests, or sacrifices. The new covenant of grace has superseded the old covenant of law, and to go back to the old covenant is to reject the messages of Galations and Hebrews. This interpretation is presented primarily by those in the amillennial school who also spiritualize the Old Testament promises to Israel. They believe there is no future for Israel as a nation, and this includes the establishing of an earthly kingdom.
But this approach has its problems, not the least of which is the presence of so much detail in these chapters. If the Lord wanted Ezekiel simply to describe “ideal spiritual worship” for the church today, He didn’t have to give us the measurements of the walls, gates, courts and buildings. The prophet’s use of temple imagery is no problem to us because he was a priest and the Jewish people understood this language, but why all the details? Do we ignore them or seek to understand and apply them? If so, what do they mean for spiritual worship today? Furthermore, why would Ezekiel leave out so many important elements from the Old Testament pattern of worship? Ezekiel’s temple has no ark, golden altar of incense, lamp stand, table of bread, veil, or high priest. He includes only three of the five Levitical sacrifices, and two of the seven annual Jewish feasts, and yet none of these omissions is explained. (I will have more to say about the old covenant issue alter in this chapter.)
When we start to spiritualize the Scriptures, every interpreter does that which is right in his own eyes and the results are confusing. We can’t deny that the temple is used as an image of the church universal (Ephesians 2: 19-22) and the local church (1 Corinthians 3:9ff.), but similarity of image is no proof that what the Bible says about a Jewish temple should be applied to the church. The idea that the river of the sanctuary pictures the worldwide blessings of the gospel (or the church) is a bit hard to accept in the light of church history. Instead of the pure river of blessing flowing out from the church to the world, it appears that the dirty river of sin is flowing from the world into the church!
However, the “spiritual” approach does emphasize the important point. The Jewish people had defiled their temple and the glory of the Lord had departed, and Israel needed to return to holy worship and abandon their routine of empty religious activity. In fact, it’s a lesson the church needs to recover today. Too much so-called worship is only a demonstration of man-centered religious activity that fails to bring glory to the Lord.
II Ezekiel gave the plans for the post-captivity temple. If this is true, then the Jewish remnant didn’t know it when they returned to their land because they built the second temple according to the plans of Moses gave in Exodus. The old men in the group wept, not because the second temple wasn’t like Ezekiel’s vision but because it was so unlike the magnificent temple Solomon built (Ezra 3: 10-13)… The “second temple” interpretation falls short of dealing honestly with the biblical text.
III. Ezekiel’s vision anticipated John’s vision in Revelation 21. Yes, there are some similarities. Both men were taken to high mountains (Ezekiel 40:2), and both saw the glorious city of God. In both visions, a man was measuring the city (vv. 11-15), and both visions describe a life-giving river (Revelation 22:1). Ezekiel and John both emphasized the exclusion of defilement from the city (21:27). However, John’s vision says nothing about worship; in fact, he states clearly that there will be no temple in the city he described (v. 22). Ezekiel’s temple is designed in a square and is made from ordinary materials (stone abounds in Israel), while John’s city appears to be a cube (v. 16) and is made out of precious metals and jewels. The heavenly city will be made up of believers from the whole world (vv. 24-27), while Ezekiel’s temple is emphatically Jewish, including the offering of Levitical sacrifices. Though this doesn’t exclude believing Gentiles, it does mark the worship as Jewish. It doesn’t appear that God had John’s vision in mind when showed Ezekiel the temple.
IV. Ezekiel described a temple to be used during the millennial reign of Christ. This interpretation takes the prophetic Scriptures at face value and tries not to spiritualize them. Ezekiel described the design of a literal temple that will be the center for worship during the kingdom of Christ, a worship based on the Levitical order in the Mosaic law. According to Ezekiel 43: 6-12, the Lord gave all the details in order to focus the Jews’ attention on. God’s holiness and thus bring them to repentance. The Lord wanted them to treat His temple with respect and not like any other building in the neighborhood, and He especially wanted them to abandon their idolatry.
To this present day, Israel has had four different sanctuaries: the tabernacle of Moses, the temple of Solomon, the second temple after the captivity, and Herod’s temple in the time of Jesus. God’s glory left the tabernacle (1 Samuel 4: 19-22), which was eventually replaced by Solomon’s temple. Before the temple was destroyed by the Babylonians, Ezekiel saw God’s glory leave the temple (Ezekiel 9:3; 10:4; 11: 22-23). There is no evidence that the glory of God ever resided in either the second temple or Herod’s temple. The Son of God ministered in Herod’s temple and in that sense brought back the glory (John 1:14; Haggai 2:). But Jesus abandoned the temple in a manner similar to the way the glory left Solomon’s temple: He went to the Mount of Olives (Ezekiel 11: 22-23); Matthew 24:3). When at His return, Jesus brings the glory to the millennial temple, He will come from the Mount of Olives (Ezekiel 43: 1-5; Acts 1:9-12; Zechariah 14:4). The Jews have not had a temple since Herod’s temple was destroyed by the Romans in AD 70.
There are two temples in Israel’s future: The tribulation temple, which will be taken over by the Antichrist (Daniel 9:24, 26-27; Matthew 24:15; 2 Thessalonians 2:1-4), and the millennial temple that Ezekiel describes in these chapters (Revelation 11:1; 15:5). But Ezekiel isn’t the only prophet who said there would be a holy temple during the kingdom age. You find a kingdom temple and the kingdom worship mentioned in Isaiah 2: 105, 60:7, 13; Jeremiah 33:18; Joel 3:18; Micah 4:2; Haggai 2;7-9; and Zechariah 6: 12-15, 14:16, 20-21. Ezekiel 37:24 – 28 records God’s promise to His people that He would put His sanctuary among them. “My tabernacle also shall be with them; indeed, I will be their God, and they shall be My people” (v. 27 NKJV).
God gave the plans for the tabernacle to Moses, a prophet (Exodus 25: 8-9, 40), and the plans for Solomon’s temple to David, a king (1 Chronicles 28: 11-19)_. Now He reveals the plans for the glorious millennial temple to Ezekiel, who was priest as well as a prophet. These plans had a direct bearing on the people to whom Ezekiel was ministering, discouraged Jews who in the Babylonian siege, the lost their land, their Holy City, their temples nd many of their loved ones. In these closing chapters of his prophecy, Ezekiel assured them that God would keep His covenant promises and one day doll again with His chosen people.
As we study these chapters, we will discover other reasons why the literal interpretation of this vision yields the best understanding and application of the word that God gave Ezekiel.
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The outer court (40:5-27).
… The outer court covers nearly 400,000 square feet, but it will not have a court of the Gentiles with the all important separating wall (Ephesians 2:14), nor will it have a separate court for women. In the millennial temple, our Lord’s desire will be fulfilled that His house be a house of prayer for men and women of all nations (Mark 11:17; Isaiah 56:7; Jeremiah 7:11). The size of the outer court and accessibility of so many rooms suggest that the area will be a place for fellowship, where people can meet and enjoy sacrificial meals together.” (fyi – pg 223 of Warren Wiersbe’s book (*B))
The Sanctuary (40:48 – 43:12)
“… Today, Jesus Christ is enthroned in heaven as our “high priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek (Hebrews 6:20; Psalm 110: 1-4)… God spoke to the prophet and told him to tell the Jewish people what he saw and heard so they would be ashamed of their past sins and turn from them… This passage reminds just that people who frequent “holy places” ought to be “holy people.” The Jewish remnant that returned to their land to rebuild the temple would need to take this message to heart, and we need to take it to heart today.”
The altar and sacrifices (43: 13-27; 45:13 – 46:24). “… When the millennial temple is discussed, the question is frequently asked, “Since Jesus has died for the sins of the world fulfilled the law, and brought in the new covenant, why would believing Jews want to return to the old covenant? What need is there to go back to animal sacrifices when Jesus has made one perfect offering for all time? This this is one of the major arguments used by some students against taking Ezekiel 40 – 48 literally. But if we understand the role of the sacrifices under the old covenant, it will help us see their significance in the millennial temple.
The sacrifices mentioned in this section of Ezekiel are the burnt offerings (40-: 38-39, 42; 43:18, 24, 27; 44:11; 45:15, 17, 23,25,; 46:2, 4, 12, 13, 15); the trespass or guilt offering (40:39; 42:13; 44:29; 46:20, 4, 12, 13,15); the trespass or guilt offering (40:39; 42:13; 44:29; 46:20); the sin offering (40:39; 42:13; 43:19, 21, 22,25; 44:27, 29; 45:17,19,22,23,25: 46:20); the peace or fellowship offering (43:27; 45:15, 17; 19, 22,23,25; 46:20); the peace or fellowship offering (43:27; 45:15, 17; 46:2, 12); the meal (grain) offering (42:13; 44:29; 45:15, 17,24,25; 46:5, 7,11,14,15,20); and the drink offering (45:17. For the Mosaic regulations for these offerings, see Leviticus 107).
The burnt offering speaks of total dedication to the Lord, “all on the altar” (Leviticus 1:9; Romans 12: 1-2). The sin offering (Leviticus 4; 6: 24-30) and the trespass or guilt offering (Leviticus 5: 7: 1-10) deal with the sinner’s offenses against God and people. The sin offering was brought by those who sinned through ignorance, for there was no sacrifice available for high-handed deliberate sin (Numbers 15: 30-36; Psalm 51:1, 11, 16-17). The trespass offering dealt with offenses for which some kind of restitution should be made. The offerer was required to restore the amount of the property plus a fine of about 20 percent of its value. Sin is not a cheap thing – nor is God’s forgiveness!
The peace or fellowship offering (Lev. 3; 7: 11-38) was an expression of praise and thanksgiving or perhaps as the indication of the completion of a special vow to the Lord. Part of the meat from the sacrifice was given to the worshipper, who could cook it and enjoy a feast with family and friends. Except for weddings and other high occasions, the Jewish people rarely killed their animals just to have a meal. Meat was an occasional luxury. Thus the fellowship offering was an occasion for worshipping the Lord and enjoyment with His people. The grain or meal offering involved presenting sheaves, the roasted kernels of grain, fine flour, or various kinds of baked cakes. It was an acknowledgment that God is the source of the food that sustains life (1 Chronicles 29: 10-14). The drink offering was a portion of wine that was poured out along with another sacrifice. it symbolized life poured out wholly to the Lord (Philippians 2:17).
All of these offerings in some way pointed to Christ and His sacrifice of Himself for our sins (Hebrews 10: 10-18). God forgave the sins of the worshippers if they brought the sacrifice by faith and trusted the Lord, because the blood of animals can never remove the guilt of human sin (v. 4). God’s forgiveness was declared (Leviticus 4:20, 26, 31, 35; 5:10, 13, 16, 18; 6:7), but only because of the work of Jesus Christ, which was pictured by the sacrifice. Old Testament believers weren’t forgiven because animals died, but because they put their faith in the Lord (Hebrews 11; Psalm 51:16-17; Habakkuk 2:4).
Therefore, the use of animal sacrifices in the millennial temple no more minimizes or negates the finished work of Christ than these sacrifices did before Jesus died. It appears that the sacrifices will be offered in a memorial sense and as expressions of love and devotion to the Lord (Isaiah 56: 5-7; 60:7). They will also bring people together for fellowship and feasting to the glory of the Lord.
The temple will be a place of learning for both Jews and Gentiles (Isaiah 2:1-3), and no doubt the worshippers will study the Old Testament law and learn more about Jesus. They will study the New Testament as well and see the deeper significance of the sacrifices and the feasts. The only “Bible” that the early church possessed was the Old Testament, and the Christians were able to lead sinners to faith in Christ without John 3:16 or “The Roman Road.” Of the seven feasts that the Jews celebrated (Leviticus 23), it appears that only Passover (Ezekiel 45: 21-24) and Tabernacles (v. 25; Zechariah 14: 16-19) will be observed in the kingdom age. Passover speaks of the Lamb of God and the deliverance of the Jews from bondage in Egypt, and Tabernacles was a joyous harvest feast that anticipated the coming kingdom and reminded the Jews of their wilderness journey. Ezekiel 44:24 indicates that the weekly Sabbath will also be observed.
Will the Lord’s Supper also be observed in the kingdom age? The words of Jesus after He instituted the Lord’s Supper seem to suggest so. “I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom” (Matthew 26:29 NASB; see Mark 14:25; Luke 22:18). If the saint in the church can remember Christ by breaking bread and drinking the cup, why can’t Jewish believers remember Him by bringing sacrifices? Neither remembrance has any atoning value.
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(*A)
“40: 5-27. In the Hebrew text, all of Ezekiel’s measurements are in cubits, a unit of approximately 18 inches…”
“40: 31-34, 37, 39-41. Many of the details of the temple complex the prophet envisioned and typological significance. Each of the gates in the inner court had eight steps instead of seven (vv. 31, 34, 37). Eight is a Messianic number in rabbinic literature, suggesting the Messiah is the only way of access (Acts 4:12). Details such as a washroom for cleansing sacrifices and eight slaughter tables also pointed t;o the work of the Messiah, the perfect sacrifice. (Hebrew 10:10).
THE PLAN OF THE NEW TEMPLE (40:1 – 46:24)
“… In the millennial temple, our Lord’s desire will be fulfilled that His house be a house of prayer for men and women of all nations (Mark 11:17; Isaiah 56;7; Jeremiah 7:11). The size of the outer court and the accessibility of so many rooms suggest that the area will be a place for fellowship, where people can meet and enjoy sacrificial meals together.” (fyi – pg 223 , 2nd paragraph)
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(*B):
“41:1 Features unique to Ezekiel’s temple by Lambert Dolphin
No wall of partition to exclude Gentiles (compare Ephesians 2:14). The Gentiles were previously welcome in the Outer Courts, but excluded from the Inner Courts, on pain of death.
No Court of Women (Compare Galations 3:28. Outer Court and Inner Court only)
No Laver (see Ezekiel 36: 24-27; John 15:3)
No Table of Shewbread (see Micah 5:4; John 6:35)
No Lampstand of Menorah (see Isaiah 49:6; John 8:12)
No Golden Altar of Incense (Zechariah 8: 20-23; John 14:6)
No Veil (Isaiah 25: 6-8; Matthew 27:51)
No Ark of the Covenant (Jeremiah 3:16; John 10: 30-33)
Major changes to the Altar: The sacrificial Altar will be approached by a ramp from the east. Previous altars were all approached from the south. Now there will be stairs to the altar, not a ramp as previously. The top of the altar is now described by the Hebrew word “Ariel” (Isaiah 29:1), meaning “hearth.of God” or “lion of God” (Revelation 5:5).
If the previous temples, as well as the Tabernacle of Moses, are pictures of men as the dwelling place of God, then Ezekiel’s temple may be intended to teach us about the marvelously new resurrection bodies waiting for every believer when he leaves this present life. (2 Corinthians 5: 1-5)
(*A)
“44: 1-3 Ezekiel’s guide took him to the eastern gate of the temple, but he found that it was closed. It was to be remain closed because the Lord entered the temple through that gate. Only the “prince could sit in the gate to “eat a meal before the LORD, probably a communal meal (vv 2 – 3)…
Some interpreters identify the “prince” as the Messiah. But since he was required to offer a sin offering for himself, he could hardly be the Messiah (45:22; 2 Corinthians 5:21). The Messianic statement in 37:25, “My servant David will be their prince [Hebrew nasi’] forever,” may refer both to Messiah and to David, the “prince” who will serve as the temple administrator and the Messianic leader of the millennial temple.”
“44: 4-14. Zadokite priests would be the only ones allowed to minister in the temple, according to Ezekiel’s vision. Because these regulations for priests are substantively different from those in Leviticus…”
(*C)
“The river of life (Ezekiel 47: 1-12). After seeing the kitchens in the temple (46: 19-24), the prophet noticed a trickle of water issuing from the Holy of Holies, past the altar on the south side. The guide let him out the north gate (the eastern gate was closed) and around the temple to the eastern gate where he saw the water coming out from under the building on the south side of the gate. (See Psalm 36:8; 46:4.). The guide measured the depth of the water four times and the river became so deep you could swim in it. Ezekiel learned that the river flowed to the Dead Sea where it brought new life to that forsaken area. The water from the temple would heal the Dead Sea as well as the rivers, and the water creatures would multiply wherever the waters came. The trees on the banks of the river would provide food each month and the leaves would be used for healing. Life comes from the temple of God, not from a palace or a government building!
Jerusalem is the only great city of the ancient word that wasn’t located on a river , and in the east, a dependable water supply is essential for life and for defense. During the kingdom age, Jerusalem shall have a river such an no other nation ever had. But is this a literal river or merely a sacred symbol of the life-giving power of the Lord? Perhaps it is both. Joel 3:18 and Zechariah 13:1 and 14: 8-9 speak of this river as a literal entity, so the river both illustrates and accomplishes the life-giving work of God. Jesus saw such a river as a symbol of the Holy Spirit (John 7: 37-39), and the apostle John saw a similar scene in the heavenly city of God (revelation 22: 1-2). A river played an important role in the garden of Eden (Genesis 2: 10-14).”
“The portion for the city (Ezekiel 48:30-35). This will be a “kingdom Jerusalem,” a new city for the new nation and the new era. Jerusalem’s gates have always been significant (Nehemiah 3: Ps. 48; 87.2; 122.2), but now the city will have twelve gates, each one named after one of Jaco’s twelve sons… Any Gentile coming to the city to learn about the Lord will have to enter the city through one of these gates and be reminded that “salvation is of the Jews” (John 4:22). The city will be about 1.6 miles square. These gates, of course, remind us of the gates to the Holy City that John described in Revelation 21:10-13, 21.
But the most important things about the new city will be the presence of the Lord among His united people (Ezekiel 35:10). The new name will be “Jehovah Shammah – the Lord is there.” This one of seven compound names of Jehovah found in the Old Testament: Jehovah Jireh — “The Lord will provide” (Genesis 22:13-14); Jehovah Rapha — “the Lord who heals” (Exodus 15:26); Jehovah Shalom — “the Lord our peace” (Jedges 6:24); Jehovah Tsiidkenu –“the Lord our righteousness” (Jeremiah 23:6); Jehovah Shammah — ‘the Lord is there” (Ezekiel 48:35); Jehovah Nissi — “the Lord our banner” (Exodus 17:8-15); and Jehovah Ra’ah — “the Lord our shepherd” (Psalm 23:1).”
THE MEANING OF THE NEW TEMPLE
“In examining all the information Ezekiel recorded for us, we must be careful not to lose the major messages among these important details. There is a sense in which the messages of the entire book are wrapped up in one way or another in chapters 40 through 48. The spiritual lessons are a meaningful to us today as they were to Israel in Ezekiel’d day, or as they will be to the Jewish people in Messiah’s day.
Separation from sin. Ezekiel was a priest as well as a prophet, and it was the responsibility of the priests to teach the people the difference between the holy and the unholdy and the clean and the unclean. (Leviticus 10:10-11); Ezekiel 44:23). Israel drifted into sin because hey began to erase these differences and became like the pagan nations around them. The temple in Jerusalem with its special courts and holy chambers , reminded the people that God put a difference between the holy and the profane. For people to “Call evil good, and good evil, [and] put darkness for light, and light for darkness” (Isaiah 5:20) is to violate the basic principle of holy living (See Ezekiel 40:5; 42:14-20; 43:7.)
Worship. The temple was a place of worship, but the heart of the worshipper was far more important than his or her gifts. The Jews in the southern kingdom of Judah had filed the holy temple of God and dared to worship Jehovah along with the idols of the nations around them! God’s people don’t decide how they are going to worship the Lord; they simply obey what He has told them in His Word.
Fulfillment. One of the purposes of the millennial kingdom is that God might fulfill His promises to His people, promises He couldn’t full because of their rebellion and unbelief. In His grace and mercy, God gave Israel a wonderful land, a perfect law, and a glorious Lord. They defiled the land by their terrible crimes; they disobeyed the law by adopting pagan practices; and they defied their Lord and tempted Him bey resisting His calls to repentance. But during the kingdom, Israel will trust the Lord., obey His Word, worship in His temple as they should, and bring delight to the Lord who will use from David’s throne.
But there’s a further fulfillment, for the kingdom age will “wrap up” all the previous ages in God’s revelation of Himself and His purposes. The land will be like the garden of Eden (36:35), complete with a rive of life and trees for life. The promises made to Abraham will be fulfilled and his descendants will possess and enjoy their land. The law of Moses will be obeyed from the heart, and the Lord will be worshipped and glorified. The Messiah that Israel rejected at His first coming will be received and honored and will reign over them (43:6-7). God will fulfill every kingdom promise found in the pages of the prophets!”
God’s glory and God’s name. If the book of Ezekiel teaches us anything, it teaches us that we must honor God’s name and magnify His glory. The glory of God departed from Israel because they defiled the temple. The glory of God returned to the new temple because it was holy and a place where God could dwell. “They shall know that I am the LORD” is a statement found at least sixty times in Ezekiel’s book. While God’s glory doesn’t dwell in our church buildings, God can be glorified or disgraced by what we do in those building we have dedicated to Him. As His people, we must be reverent and honor His name.”
The sovereign rule of God. The first vision God gave Ezekiel was that of His glorious throne, moving quickly here and there so that His angelic creatures could accomplish His purposes in the world. Today, the church of Jesus Christ is left in this world, not just to pray “Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven,” but to help accomplish that will in the power of the Holy Spirit. God is still on the throne and Jesus Christ has “all authority in heaven and on earth” (Matthew 28:18). Need we ask for more?
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Soli Deo Gloria!