Is the Sealed East Gate a Fulfillment of Prophecy?

A number of Bible prophecy teachers believe that the eastern gate on the Temple Mount in Israel is sealed shut as a fulfillment of the prophecy in Ezekiel 44:1-3. However, there are two main reasons why this is impossible. Taken in context, this passage refers to the eastern gate of the Millennial Temple complex, which is one square mile — it would not fit on the comparatively tiny Temple Mount. Secondly, the eastern gate will be sealed after the glory of the Lord enters through it, not before.

Ezekiel chapters 40-48 describe the future Millennial Temple. In Ezekiel 43:1-4, Ezekiel watched the glory of the Lord enter through the eastern gate of the Millennial Temple — at this point the gate is open.

“1 Then he led me to the gate, the gate facing east; and behold, the glory of the God of Israel was coming from the way of the east. And His voice was like the sound of many waters; and the earth shone from His glory. And it was like the appearance of the vision which I saw, like the vision which I saw when He came to destroy the city. And the visions were like the vision which I saw by the river Chebar; and I fell on my face. And the glory of the Lord entered the house by way of the gate facing east. And the Spirit lifted me up and brought me into the inner courtyard; and behold, the glory of the Lord filled the house.” [Emphasis Mine] [NASB]

Then later, in Ezekiel 44:1-3, Ezekiel is brought back to the eastern gate, and it is shut. At this point God tells him:

“This gate shall be shut; it shall not be opened, and no one shall enter by it, for the Lord God of Israel has entered by it; therefore it shall be shut.” [Emphasis Mine] [NASB]

This is referring to the previously mentioned eastern gate, which was open when the glory of the Lord entered by it. It was closed after the glory of the Lord had entered through it. Again, this is a future prophecy that cannot occur until the Millennial Temple is built. Therefore the eastern gate spoken of by Ezekiel doesn’t even exist yet.

From this we can determine that the sealing shut of the eastern gate on the Temple Mount is not a fulfillment of Bible prophecy.