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HOUSMAIL HM009 21
November 1998 THE THIRD TEMPLE Many
Christians (especially those of the FUTURIST school of prophecy) claim that a
third temple MUST be built, to fulfil several prophecies which they
understand to refer to events associated with the appearance of the
ANTICHRIST, and a GREAT TRIBULATION, immediately prior to the second coming. There
have been recent media reports of the appearance of a new RED HEIFER in
Israel. (The first in nearly 2000 years) (1)The Temple Mount
Faithful Movement, a Jewish organisation based in Jerusalem, has long term
objectives to liberate the Temple Mount, and rebuild the temple.
Architectural plans have been prepared; a priesthood is being trained;
garments and temple vessels are being made. (2)These reports have
fuelled speculation about the possible building of a THIRD TEMPLE in
Jerusalem in the very near future. This
issue of HOUSMAIL will address the question of whether the Bible supports
this expectation THE
PROPHECY OF JESUS IN MATTHEW 24 AND LUKE 21 Jesus left the
temple and was going away, when his disciples came to point out to him the
buildings of the temple. But he answered them, "You see all these, do
you not? Truly, I say to you, there will not be left here one stone upon
another, that will not be thrown down." (Matthew 24:1-2) The
destruction of the SECOND TEMPLE by the Roman army, in AD 70, was in direct
fulfilment of this prophecy made by Jesus. Just
as Jesus said, the stones of the temple which the four disciples saw that
day, were all thrown down. In fulfilment of the ancient prophecy by Daniel,
the Roman soldiers celebrated their victory by erecting their standards in
the temple area and offering sacrifices to them. (the "desolating
sacrilege" - Matthew 24:15 RSV) And as Micah had predicted centuries before, the temple
site was ploughed. (Micah 3:12) The "desolation" of the house of God in Jerusalem
was complete. (Matthew 23:38) Shortly
after the rebellion led by Bar Kochba in AD136, the Emperor Hadrian built a
temple to Jupiter on the site. In AD628 a Byzantine Church was built there.
Today the current "desolating sacrilege" (abomination of
desolation) is the Mosque of Omar - The Dome of the Rock - which has occupied
the temple site since AD691. THE
IMPLICATIONS FOR DISCIPLES OF JESUS THE
OLD MOSAIC ORDER HAS PASSED AWAY. When
Jesus died there was a great earthquake. "And behold, the curtain of the temple was
torn in two, from top to bottom; and the earth shook, and the rocks were
split;" (Matthew 27:51) This
was the beginning of the end for the Mosaic system of worship. Before that
generation came to its end, the Temple was destroyed, and eventually, the
nation itself was scattered to the four corners of the earth. The
Epistle to the Hebrews was written to explain to JEWS that their ancient
Mosaic ritual, the covenant on which it was based, and the Temple system
which supported it, is gone for ever! All of this, we are told, was a mere SHADOW pointing to the
reality which came into effect through the sacrifice of Jesus. (Hebrews 8:5) The
Jerusalem Temple was the old "outer tent" spoken of in Hebrews 9:8. The Mosaic Covenant
was the "first covenant". (Hebrews 8:7) The Day of Atonement ritual reminded men every year
that the blood of animal sacrifices alone, could never grant a permanent
cleansing from sin. (Hebrews 9:7, 9) The veil at the entrance to the Holy of Holies testified to
imperfection of the Mosaic system, by erecting a barrier between ordinary men
and God as long as the Temple remained standing. (Hebrews 9:8) As
long as the Temple remained in existence, it was a visible reminder of that
old system - an edifice defiled by the impure hearts of the vast majority of
its priests and worshippers - a physical and mental barrier for the minds of
men addicted to mere outward ritual, without true inner holiness. So, it had
to go. What
was really needed was a better covenant enacted on better promises (Hebrews 8:6) with a single
once-for-all-time sacrifice, and an eternal redemption. (Hebrews 9:11-14, 26) That is what Jesus
has done for us. With his sacrificial death, that first covenant became
obsolete, and was ready to pass away. (Hebrews 8:13) That
earthquake which tore the veil when Jesus died, was a direct "ACT OF
GOD" which demonstrated that a NEW WAY was opened into a new Heavenly
Sanctuary. (Hebrews 9:11)
Now we can experience the benefits of the NEW COVENANT, which does not
require "temples made with hands". (Acts
17:24) Nor is there any need for further offering
for sin. (Hebrews 10:18) Jesus has done that once and for all time. Under this
"better covenant" God promises to write His laws in our hearts and
minds, so that we can be his people. (Hebrews 8:10) The
destruction of the temple in AD70 removed the last physical vestiges of the
old system. For nearly 2000 years, the "desolating sacrilege" by
pagan temple, Byzantine Church, and Muslim mosque, has remained as a physical
barrier to all attempts to re-establish the Old Mosaic System. This is God's
continuing silent witness to the replacement of the old system with the new. If
only the Jews could see it. Alas ..... for most, memories of that obsolete
system still form a mental barrier which must be removed before they can
recognise their Messiah. HARDNESS OF HEART (RSV) or BLINDNESS (KJV) prevails.
(Romans 11:7-10
& 2 Corinthians 3:14) AND A NEW TEMPLE WILL NOT HELP THAT SITUATION! Jews
do not need a NEW TEMPLE. Instead, they need the NEW COVENANT, under which
they themselves would be numbered amongst the "living stones" from
which the REAL temple is constructed. But to experience that, they would
first need the veil removed from their eyes, until they cease stumbling over
"the stone that makes men stumble". (Romans
9:33) Perhaps
that is encompassed in Paul's oblique reference to what some see as a
possible "national revival" of Jewish Christianity, prior to the
second coming? (Romans 11:15) Can
the SHADOW be reinstated? I
doubt it. That Old Mosaic Ritual, the covenant which established it, and the
Temple system which supported it, is gone for ever! A
THIRD TEMPLE OF A DIFFERENT KIND IS ALREADY UNDER CONSTRUCTION! THE
MESSAGE OF JESUS TO THE SAMARITAN WOMAN "The hour is coming when neither on this
mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father ..... the hour is
coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in
spirit and truth, ..... God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship
in spirit and truth.'" (John 4:21-24) PETER
- A NEW TEMPLE WITH LIVING STONES AND A ROYAL PRIESTHOOD "Come to him, to that living stone,
rejected by men but in God's sight chosen and precious; and like living
stones be yourselves built into a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood,
to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ (1 Peter 2:4-5) But you are a
chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's own people, that you
may declare the wonderful deeds of him who called you out of darkness into
his marvellous light. (1 Peter 2:9) PAUL
TO THE CORINTHIANS "Do you not know that your body is a
temple of the Holy Spirit within you, which you have from God? You are not
your own; you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body." (1 Corinthians 6:19- 20) THE
TOKEN OF GOD'S PRESENCE IN THE NEW TEMPLE At
the dedication of Solomon's Temple, God gave a temporary visible token of His
presence. The Glory of God was so powerfully present that the priests could
not stand to serve. (1 Kings 8:10-11) Today,
we look for a different token of the presence of God. When God takes up
residence in us, and the Holy Spirit dwells within, there will be real and
unmistakable FRUIT of the presence of God in His temple. And it won't be
temporary! But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience,
kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such
there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the
flesh with its passions and desires. (Galatians 5:22- 24) In such a Temple,
God's works will be done! From such a Temple, God's words will be spoken! AND
JESUS WILL BE GLORIFIED by that! There
is no escaping Paul's next conclusion about The Temple Of God:- "Since we have these promises, beloved,
let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, and make
holiness perfect in the fear of God." (2 Corinthians 7:1) CONCLUSION If,
prior to the second coming, there is ever a third temple permitted to be
built in Jerusalem ..... if Mosaic sacrifices are ever permitted to be
restored in such a Temple ..... GOD'S TESTIMONY TO JEWS THAT JESUS IS NOW THE ONLY WAY TO GOD, (John 14:6, Acts 4:12) WILL BE RENDERED VOID! AND
NOW ...... A COMFORTABLE "EACH WAY BET"! I
do not find any Biblical grounds to say with finality, that there will NEVER
be any attempt to rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem! Given
the strong ambition of religious Jews, we should certainly concede the
possibility that Jewish plans to rebuild a Temple, might get to the point of
COMMENCEMENT of construction, and perhaps even near completion. That has
already happened once before, in the fourth century, under the Roman Emperor
Julian. But that venture was a notable failure. It would have restored the
obsolete Jewish system of worship, which God destroyed in AD70. The Temple
and its Mosaic sacrificial system has been replaced for ever, by a better one
instituted by the Jewish Messiah. For precisely the same reasons, it seems
inevitable that any similar attempt in our own time would be doomed to the
same failure. However,
if such a project was commenced, it seems likely that it would trigger a Holy
War with the Muslim nations. It might even precipitate Armageddon! After all
the temple Mount is the THIRD HOLIEST Muslim site. That would certainly seem
to fit well with other end time prophecies which include Arab nations amongst
those making war against Israel. But
will the Jews actually get to complete a building, and restart Temple
Services? That
is a different question! It seems most unlikely. Allon Footnotes: 1. See HOUSMAIL No. HM 007 2. The Temple Mount Faithful Movement have a Web Site at: http://www.templemountfaithful.org/ (Current
at November 1998) |