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.
by blood? I don't know (nor do you know). If standing on allegory, then yes, yes I was.
Interesting. I kept thinking of Hussein while I was reading your post.
Very good point—my feeling also is that Zechariah 14 certainly figures in on the need for some kind of worship center. But any construct must take into account that no further sacrifice for sin other than that of the Lamb on the Cross, whose work was finalized there, never to be repeated again.
While I tend to (want to) agree with you, one cannot deny the prophets. The sacrifices are predicted explicitly. I will have to cross that particular bridge when I get there, but as for now, I cannot teach against the prophets, as EVERY word that ever came out of the mouth of YHWH is true. Let YHWH be true, and every man a liar.
I said "no sacrifices for sin." Maybe that, as you say, not strictl true subsequent to the Great Tribulation when the Kingdom of Heaven is instituted on earth.
What about other sacrifices for those who want to stay alive, but as yet have not completely committed trust to Messiach? Unbelievers will be present throughout the Millenium Reign, many to rise up against Yeshua/Iesous/Jesus LORD at the end, but how are their sins covered when they are not (yet) converted nor regenerated?
(Noting that David vice regent to The Christ will be ruling.)
Yeah, I took the hint from some of the words in their links to other pages, but I was interested in posting a hypothesis that might draw out some interesting/unexpected responses. Thanks for your observation, and for saving me the extra effort to find the site’s religious connection.
No, the temple will be physical so the Beast can sit in it. The 7 year trib starts when Israel signs a peace treaty. The Jews will immediately start to build. I’m told they already have the implements ready to go. The Beast will declare He is God from there to begin the final 3 1/2 years.
PS. Jesus will rule and reign from the temple for 1k years and EVERY NATION will be required to come there for Tabernacles unless they don’t need any rain. Egypt will loose rain and get plagues.
Build it - make Him come! I’m done!
I don`t know if another temple will be built or not, but Jesus said he would come back at the last day, not before.
I do not see the reign of Christ as literal but as spiritual because he said he was not of this world.
Revelation tells us that those in the first resurrection will live and reign with Christ a thousand years, how can we be sure this has not already happened?
Jesus said you must be born again to see the kingdom of God and that the kingdom of God is within you.
The kingdom of God has been here for almost two thousand years, but will the temple be built? I have no idea.
The so-called Wailing Wall was a retaining wall, not a part of the temple itself.
Revelation 13 discusses what the Beasts look like and what they cause.
And if you look hard enough, the first 4 commandments ( not the roman catholic ones) are all in there as being violated.
1.Worship beast- 1. You shall have no other Elohim.
2. Worship the image 2. You shall not make for yourself a graven image- do not worship or bow down and serve them
3. Blaspheme YHWH. 3. you shall not make wrong use of the name YHWH
4. Mark of the beast 4. Remember the Sabbath, to keep it holy
Those four in scripture tie specifically to the first four commandments that people tend to think are not as important as the last 6..
And if you ascribe to the Greco roman Latin mother church’s first four commandmemts, then you may never see what the Beast will be doing..
The satanic trinity will be counterfeiting our Heavenly Father causing people to worship the beast instead..
And considering our Heavenly Father has a different calendar than what the world uses (the world uses something named for some pope- red flag !) , maybe christendom, judaism and Islam are all on a counterfeit system underwritten by the enemy to do what the beast wants done- stealing worship from He who made heaven and earth and sea and fountains of water.
Or go on thinking the enemy isn’t that clever or desperate..
But the people of Israel have not accepted that and won't until the new temple is desicrated. That will happen mid week of the last week of seven years allotted to the people of Israel in Daniel's prophesy of 490 years. Those seven years have not happened yet.
That's right, when looking at it from the Mosaic Covenant viewpoint, which only those granted the grace to see it can reject the Old and accept the New Covenant.
Ah, no, that is NOT what He said. He said, "My Kingdom is not of this world." That speaks of the Kingdom of God/Christ. The Kingdom of Heaven is of this world, and He is the King of that Kingdom, also. There is a difference between the two.
Actually, Jesus was both human and divine, fully human and fully Deity, so His body was of this world, as was Adam's.
N'est ce pas? (is it not?)
Because the Great Tribulation has not yet occurred, for one reason.
No, He said, "The Kingdom of God is in the midst of you" as the grammar of the Greek demands.
The kingdom of God has been here for almost two thousand years, but will the temple be built? I have no idea.
The Kingdom of God is not of this world. When you are better taught, you will see that prophecy allows the Third Temple to be built, as 2 Thess. 2:3,4 and Mt. 24:15 indicate. This Pastor Dave has not made his theory account for all the context of the Bible that refers to the building of another Temple, which the Jewish scholars most certainly have.
No, He said, “The Kingdom of God is in the midst of you
Neither shall they say: Behold here, or behold there. For lo, the kingdom of God is within you.
If it was in your midst it could still have the same meaning, but that is beside the point, it was here then and it is still here.
But those who are not born of the spirit can not see it.
Ah, no, that is NOT what He said. He said, “My Kingdom is not of this world
And he is no longer of this world, he sits at the right hand of God.
And he said that he would raise up those who were his at the last day.
N’est ce pas? (is it not?)>>>>
same to you, what ever it means.
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