Egypt's coat of arms

Egyptians to worship in Mt Zion

Do the Egyptians belong in Mt. Zion? From the beginning of Covenant Israel’s history and quest for nationhood, a mixed multitude traveled with them from Egypt.  Moses was married to an Ethiopian. In the latter days Egypt and Israel’s relationship once again unite, not as master and slave but as brethren in the new temple keeping the Feasts of the Lord.

In the prophetic imagery of Zechariah 14, the nations share in the post parousia (coming of Christ) blessings of Israel.

“And it shall come to pass that everyone who is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall go up from year to year to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, and to keep the Feast of Tabernacles.

And it shall be that whichever of the families of the earth do not come up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, on them there will be no rain.

If the family of Egypt will not come up and enter in, they shall have no rain; they shall receive the plague with which the Lord strikes the nations who do not come up to keep the Feast of Tabernacles.

This shall be the punishment of Egypt and the punishment of all the nations that do not come up to keep the Feast of Tabernacles. ” (Zech 14:16-20)

This prophecy describes the nature of the kingdom of God and the reign of Christ in Mt. Zion. The kingdom is spiritual, not an earthly reign of Christ on earth. Jesus made it clear that Jerusalem on earth is not the place of worship, (John 4:20-24). He told Pilate that his kingdom was not of this world, John 18:36.  Yet how does one reconcile the latter days prophecy of Zechariah which speaks of Egyptians and all nations coming to Jerusalem to worship each year at the Feast of Tabernacles?

Some reason that the temple, the Levitical priesthood, and sacrifices and Old Covenant worship demands rebuilding of the physical temple. Thomas Ice and Randall Price grossly mislead “Christian Zionists” in their advocacy of a literal temple in Jerusalem. They record the words of Temple Institute’s director Zev Golan in their book “Ready to Rebuild:”

“Our task is to advance the cause of the Temple and to prepare for its establishment, not just talk about it….We believe that all of our hopes and all of our attempts…will cause some activity in the heavens, and with God’s help, the day will come soon when we will build the Temple.” Ready to Rebuild, p. 107.

A House Not Made With Hands

The last days temple of God is a house “not” made with hands. (2 Cor. 5:1; Heb. 9:11) The attempt to build a temple today is like saying man can build God. The heavenly city has no temple for God and the Lamb are its temple. “But I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple.” (Rev. 21:22). God is Spirit; therefore the temple is spiritual.

Paul taught that the temple of God comes out of heaven and is a house “not made with hands.” (2 Cor. 5:1ff) John concurred, (Rev. 21:2-3).  God does not dwell in temples made with man’s hands, (Acts 7:48-50). The temple structures of the Old Covenant were but shadows patterned after the true spiritual tabernacle in heaven. Paul teaches it is that which the Lord built and not man, (Heb. 8:1-2).

Hence, Moses was to make all things according to the pattern shown him in the mount, (Ex. 25:1-2). The pattern reflected the tabernacle in the heavens. (Heb. 9:24f)  Paul, writing to the church at Corinth says, You are the temple of God. Peter wrote to the church saying they were “living stones” being built up as a spiritual house. (1 Pet. 2:6) Thus, God’s temple are his people in whom he lives and dwells. 2 Cor. 6:16-18.

Music in the Messianic Age

“During the time of the first and second Temples, half the 38,000 Levite priests played on two types of harps, singing meoldies that no one else was permitted to learn. This secret knowledge was passed from father to son until the destruction of the second Temple.” That temple was destroyed in 70 A.D.

But according to the Book of Revelation, the 144000 who are the firstfruits of Christianity, stand with Jesus Christ on Mt. Zion. Of them it says, “They sang as it were a new song before the throne, before the four living creatures, and the elders; and no one could learn that son except the hundred and forty-four thousand who were redeemed from the earth.” (Rev. 14:1, 3.

According to chapter 15:3, they sing the song of Moses. That song was one of destruction of Israel in 70 AD being sung by the remnant who accepted Christ. See Deut 32. While men were being prepared to assume the ranks of the Levitical priesthood which according to Hebrews was changed with the changing of the Law, (Heb. 7:11-12), God made all believers kings and priests, Rev. 1:5-6.

Thus, Price and Ice pay too high a gospel price for the chilling freeze they put on the gospel to support a reinstitution of Old Testament shadows and types. Did not Paul say: “For if I build again those things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor….I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain.” Gal. 2:18, 21.

Do Egyptians Belong in Mount Zion?

In their segment entitled “Pilgrimage to the Mount,” Ice and Price note the restrictions forbidding Jews and non-Jews to enter a space of about 500 cubits by 500 cubits to prevent trespassing on the Holy of Holies and violating the rabbinical ban.

However, the Bible recognizes no such restrictions in the temple of Jesus Christ. In fact, through his death and parousia, we have access by His blood into the very holy of holies.

“Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh.” (Heb. 10:19-20). So, when Zechariah says the Egyptians and all nations must go up to Jerusalem to worship and keep the Feast of Tabernacles, the New Testament shows us they do so inside the holy of holies.” [emp. mine]

Not only are the Egyptians and all nations to enter the Holy of Holies, but they are to use the pots and bowls in the temple to cook in them.

“In that day HOLINESS TO THE LORD” shall be engraved on the bells of the horses. The pots in the Lord’s house shall be like the bowls before the altar. Yes, every pot in Jerusalem shall be holiness to the Lord of hosts. Everyone who sacrifices shall come and take them and cook in them.” (Zech. 14:20-21).  Obviously these do not describe literal activity but figurative descriptions of the new spiritual temple under Christ which Christians of all nations now enjoy.

These actions were considered sacrilege in the Old Covenant physical temple. They demonstrate that God has forever left behind the relics of a system which could not bring about salvation but was only a type and a shadow. As long as the first tabernacle stood, it signified that the way into the holiest of all was not made manifest. (Heb. 8:8-9).  It was imposed on the Jews until the time of reformation, i.e. until the Old Law passed away in 70 A.D.

That time equated with Christ’s parousia or coming in glory, Luke 21:20-22, 27, all within the first century generation. Price and Ice have abandoned the gospel of Christ in preaching a another gospel that returns them to the relics of the past.

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