Posted on 10/15/2014 7:58:19 PM PDT by imardmd1
Q. Does the Jewish temple need to be rebuilt before Jesus returns?
A. With the constant turmoil always threatening stability in the Middle East, many Bible commentators are speculating louder than ever about whether the Jewish temple will be rebuilt in the months and years to come. Entire Christian ministries are established to assist in the building of the temple to hasten the return of Jesus. For many, such an event will signal the start of the final events of earth’s history.
However, in the same way many Christians misplace the focus from spiritual Israel to the literal Jewish nation, they are also confused on the subject of the temple. Most of the speculation for a rebuilt temple springs from a vague reference in 2 Thessalonians 2 dealing with the Antichrist power: "That day shall not come … [until] that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God" (vs. 3, 4).
Many say that for the Antichrist to sit in the temple, it will obviously have to be rebuilt.
Those who support this belief are known as Christian Zionists, and they include such popular writers as Hal Lindsey, Tim LaHaye, and John Hagee. Their published book sales exceed 70 million copies—including the popular Left Behind series. Their beliefs are endorsed by some of the largest theological colleges and institutions.
But are they correct? To begin, let’s go to 1 Chronicles 17:11, 12: “It shall come to pass ... that I will raise up thy seed after thee, which shall be of thy sons; and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build me an house, and I will stablish his throne for ever.” This prophecy given to King David says his offspring will build the temple. Later, in 1 Chronicles 28:6, God reaffirms, "Solomon thy son, he shall build my house and my courts."
But this text is also one of the clearest examples of a dual prophecy found in Scripture. Dual prophecies have both a physical and spiritual fulfillment. Indeed, Solomon, the son of David, built the physical temple. But this prophecy also applies spiritually to Jesus, the true “Son of David,” who is to build a temple and kingdom that will last forever.
Jesus’ prophecy that the pride of the Jewish nation, the temple, would be destroyed inspired the most intense rejection of His teachings. (See Matthew 24:1, 2.) In Mark 14:58, Jesus says, "I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, and within three days I will build another made without hands." Of course, Jesus is speaking of rebuilding a temple--not of stone and nails, but of living stones (1 Peter 2:5). Yet many refused to grasp this teaching (John 2:20, 21). They even mocked Jesus on the cross regarding His prophecy (Matthew 27:40).
Yet when Jesus died, the veil in the earthly temple ripped in two from the top to bottom, signifying that the temple no longer held meaning. A temple for sacrifice today would be as useless as it was then, and it would not be the house of God.
The New Testament is replete with the idea that the temple is the body of Jesus. Ephesians 2:19–22 says, "Ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God: And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit." (See also 1 Peter 2:5.)
Even after God provides all this clear evidence that His temple is a spiritual one, many Christians are waiting for the Jews to receive a construction permit to rebuild a physical temple on the site where a Muslim mosque now sits. However, there is no prophecy, promise, or commandment in the Bible that says the physical temple would ever be rebuilt after the Romans razed it nearly 2,000 years ago.
1 Corinthians 3:16
Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
It’ll at least need a new roof. Maybe some paint.
The Eastern Gate. It all boils down to the Eastern Gate.
Is that the temple in which the Man of sin, the son of perdition, will be sitting?
Good article. It makes sense to me.
Wouldn’t the third temple be the spiritual one mentioned in the book of Revelation?
I guess I am missing the connection between the Gate and a a temple of out time. Care to elaborate?
Right on.
But you can’t convince the Jews of that.
I don’t mind seeing them build the third temple just to get the muzzies off that mountain.
AMAZING FACT! Amazing Facts is a SDA publication. I took their course twenty years ago. It is designed to make everything revolve SABBATH KEEPING.
I also saw their Tv program about twenty five years ago in which their bald headed pastor talked on being saved by Grace.
His words were....”YOU are saved by Grace IF YOU KEEP THE SABBATH!” No mention of the blood of Christ, it was all SABBATH KEEPING.
One can attempt to allegorize the Temple away, except for the Eastern Gate:
Now, once one cannot allegorize this thing, the rest need not be allegorized either, as there is no purpose for the Eastern Gate EXCEPT for the Prince, and there is no reason for the Gate, without the Temple.
How does one deny the prophets, where it is said that all the world will come to Jerusalem on the three required Holy Days. or they will receive no rain? The reason for traveling to Jerusalem is simply because of the Temple - The rest of the Holy Days do not require sacrifice.
How does one deny Ezekiel's Temple, with it's sacrifices (which are different from previous Temple sacrifices, and have never been performed)? What of the exactitude of it's measurements (which are different from the previous ones)?
How does one deny the precincts around the Temple - Speaking of physical, geographical itemization, even the the bells on the horses being dedicated to YHWH, and etc?
One cannot. The Temple is going to be there... with every bit of certainty as the Hebrew people returning to the land (denied for millennia by Replacement Theology).
“However, in the same way many Christians misplace the focus from spiritual Israel to the literal Jewish nation, they are also confused on the subject of the temple. Most of the speculation for a rebuilt temple springs from a vague reference in 2 Thessalonians 2 dealing with the Antichrist power: “
There remains a nation of Israel. It is a physical nation.
There are conservative Jews, who do not accept any of the NT, who are preparing the Temple implements for a rebuilt temple - based on the Hebrew Scripture prophecies.
The SDA is absolutely right about keeping Sabbath.
***The SDA is absolutely right about keeping Sabbath. **
This battle has been fought many times here on FR.
Argue all you want... This came DIRECTLY out of the mouth of YHWH:
Exo 20:8 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
Exo 20:9 Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:
Exo 20:10 But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:
Exo 20:11 For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.
That cannot be changed.
Were YOU a slave in Egypt?
Deuteronomy 5:12-15
15 Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and that the Lord your God brought you out of there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. Therefore the Lord your God has commanded you to observe the Sabbath day.
I don't think the one mentioned in the Revelation is the same place (temple) spoken of by Jesus:
"When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:)" (Mt. 24:15 AV).
There, Jesus warned the reader to look at Daniel's prophecy, but apply it to the future coming of the Antichrist, of whom Antiochus IV Epiphanes was a type, who defiled the Second Temple. Speaking of the Seleucid leader (Antiochus/Antichrist?):
"For the ships of Chittim shall come against him: therefore he shall be grieved, and return, and have indignation against the holy covenant: so shall he do; he shall even return, and have intelligence with them that forsake the holy covenant.
And arms shall stand on his part, and they shall pollute the sanctuary of strength, and shall take away the daily sacrifice, and they shall place the abomination that maketh desolate" (Dan 11:30-31 AV).
So maybe it isn't the site of the temple after all which site would be described in that book. There is information on the internet about it.
I used to want to contribute to building a third temple but I decided it could be blasphemous because animal sacrifices would resume and that goes against Christian teachings and is an insult to Jesus' sacrifice to those who should know better.
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