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Ezekiel’s city and John’s city:    • Ezekiel’s City DESCRIBED as John’s New Jer…  

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Why There Is No Temple in the New Jerusalem City

This episode of Bible Prophecy Answers tackles a focused question many readers of Revelation ask: Why is there no temple inside the New Jerusalem? The host frames the discussion around Revelation 21:22, where John describes the climactic city of God’s future kingdom and makes a startling observation—he “saw no temple” in the city. Rather than treating that detail as symbolic filler, the episode argues it is theologically intentional and prophetically consistent with the Old Testament, especially Ezekiel’s end-times vision.

From the start, the host notes that the series is exploring themes like new creationism, premillennialism, the New Heaven and New Earth, the millennium, and the New Jerusalem. The goal is not to avoid prophecy details but to interpret them carefully—“nothing more or nothing less”—because God includes details for a reason.

Revelation 21:22: The Lord God and the Lamb Are the Temple

The core text is Revelation 21:22, where John says the New Jerusalem contains no temple, “for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple.” That statement becomes the foundation for the episode’s primary answer:

Why no temple?

Because a temple is not needed in the New Jerusalem. In the biblical storyline, a temple functions as a sacred space that mediates God’s presence among His people. But in the New Jerusalem, God’s presence is immediate and direct. The city does not require a separate structure to represent or localize God’s dwelling, because God Himself—Father and Son—fulfills what the temple always pointed to.

This interpretation highlights a major biblical theme: the movement from limited access to God’s presence toward full access, culminating in the restored and permanent fellowship between God and humanity.

Ezekiel’s Vision Supports the “No Temple in the City” Detail

A major argument in the transcript is that Ezekiel and John are not contradictory; instead, Ezekiel provides a background framework that helps explain John’s description.

Ezekiel separates the temple from the city

The host emphasizes that Ezekiel distinguishes the temple from the city. In Ezekiel’s prophetic tour, the angelic guide shows a structured sacred region that contains multiple elements in relationship—but not identical location. This matters because it supports the idea that even if a temple exists in Ezekiel’s vision, it is not necessarily inside the city itself, which aligns with John seeing “no temple in it” (in the city).

In other words, the “no temple” detail is not a problem to solve by dismissing Ezekiel or spiritualizing John. Instead, the episode proposes a straightforward reading: temple and city are distinct but near each other.

The Holy Allotment: Ezekiel 45 and the End-Time Sacred Plateau

One of the transcript’s most important concepts is the Holy Allotment (referencing Ezekiel 45:1–7). Ezekiel describes a large square portion of land—notably described as being on a plateau—set apart as uniquely holy. Within this Holy Allotment, Ezekiel’s vision includes both sacred and civic components.

The city structure and its tribal gates

Ezekiel describes a city-like structure with three gates on each side, named for the twelve tribes of Israel. This echoes the broader biblical theme of covenant identity and God’s faithful restoration of His people. The host notes that the city aspect in Ezekiel often gets overshadowed by the heavy attention given to the temple measurements, but it should not—Ezekiel’s city has a function, and that function ties into end-time governance and God’s dwelling with humanity.

Temple in the center, residences around it

The transcript explains that in the Holy Allotment, the temple sits centrally and is surrounded by residential areas for priests (referencing Ezekiel 48:10). This arrangement reinforces the point: Ezekiel presents a sacred region with distinct places—a city location and a temple location—functioning together in close proximity.

A Helpful Analogy: Government Seat and Sacred Space

To make this easier to visualize, the episode uses an analogy: Washington, D.C.—a central seat containing major institutions close to each other (for example, an executive center and a national religious landmark). The analogy isn’t meant to be exact, but it helps communicate the relationship Ezekiel describes:

• A city place

• A temple/sanctuary place

• One unified holy region where Christ’s rule is centered

The host suggests that the entire allotment can be viewed as the throne or seat of Christ’s government, with the city and temple functioning as coordinated elements of the larger divine administration.

Ezekiel 37: God’s Sanctuary and Dwelling Place Forever

The transcript then connects the discussion to Ezekiel 37:26–27, where God promises an everlasting covenant of peace and says He will set His sanctuary in their midst forever, and that His dwelling place will be with them.

The host highlights the wording (“also”) to support the idea of two related realities:

• a sanctuary/temple

• a dwelling place/city structure

This becomes a crucial theological bridge: both Ezekiel and John are pointing toward the same ultimate hope—God permanently dwelling with His people—even if the visions describe the layout with different emphases.

Ezekiel’s City Name: “The Lord Is Here”

One of the most powerful moments in the transcript is Ezekiel’s concluding declaration about the city: “The name of the city from that day shall be, The Lord is there/here” (Ezekiel 48:35). The host interprets this as the climactic restoration of fellowship between God and humanity—not temporary, but permanent.

This city name functions as a theological headline for the entire discussion: the endpoint of prophecy is not merely architecture, measurements, or geography, but God’s presence fully realized—the fulfillment of His promise to dwell in the midst of His people forever.

What’s Next: Where Is the New Jerusalem Now?

The episode closes by previewing upcoming content. The host notes that scholars often object to linking Ezekiel’s city with John’s New Jerusalem based on perceived differences—especially city size and timing—but promises a future episode addressing those objections and arguing that the dimensions align more than critics assume.

Finally, the next major question is introduced: Where is the New Jerusalem now? That sets up the continuation of this series on the New Creation, the millennium, and the New Jerusalem as part of a broader framework of New Creation Premillennialism.

Key terms: New Jerusalem (Revelation 21), Revelation 21:22 no temple, Ezekiel temple vision, Ezekiel 40–48 city and temple, Holy Allotment (Ezekiel 45), sanctuary in their midst (Ezekiel 37), New Creation Premillennialism, Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple.

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