The Rebuilding of the Jewish Temple
By Micah Winefeld
The world’s most valuable piece of real estate is located on a small hill adjacent to the ancient city of Jerusalem. The battle over who controls it will incite a world war. This much-coveted 35-acre compound is known as the Temple Mount. The Temple Mount is presently under Muslim control, while the Jews yearn to rebuild their temple on this site. These conflicting agendas will eventually trigger a major war in the Middle East that will have global consequences. Islam, which is the world’s fastest-growing religion with 1.5 billion adherents, considers the Temple Mount to be the third most sacred Islamic site. Muslim tradition holds that the Islamic prophet Muhammad made his “night journey” to heaven from this location. Today, this mountain is home to two of Islam’s oldest centers of worship, the Al Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock. The entire area is controlled by the Palestinian Islamic authorities, the waqf. The waqf has very strict rules concerning non-Muslim visitation and activities on the Temple Mount. Jews and Christians cannot read from the Scriptures or pray on the Mount. There have been many incidents in recent decades that have brought about an Islamic riot due to violations of these rules. In some cases, rioters have been killed. This illustrates that this area is a very serious flash point in the ongoing hatred that Islam expresses toward the Israelis’ occupation of what Muslims called an Islamic trust – territory that belongs to Allah.
In spite of all of this, many Israelis are committed to the hope that someday they will be able to build the third Jewish temple on the Temple Mount. Archeological evidence confirms the Biblical documentation of the previous temples that stood on this mountain. Jews recognize the Temple Mount as “the navel of the earth.” (See Ezekiel 5:5.) It is an ancient tradition that God gathered dust from here to create Adam. They also believe this was the location of Abraham’s attempted sacrifice of Isaac. (See Genesis 22:14.)
Most Jewish scholars believe that the third Jewish temple must be built upon the Temple Mount. In Deuteronomy 12:13-14, the Lord instructed Moses: “Take heed to thyself that thou offer not thy burnt offerings in every place that thou seest: But in the place which the Lord shall choose in one of thy tribes, there thou shalt offer thy burnt offerings, and there thou shalt do all that I command thee.” It is evident from many Scriptures that the Lord chose Mount Moriah, also known as “the mountain of the Lord” or “Mount Zion,” to be the location of His temple. (See Psalm 48.) Therefore, the Jewish people do not have a choice in this matter. If they are to build another temple, it must be constructed upon the Temple Mount.
Both Jews and Muslims are passionate about their religious traditions and aspirations that are bound up on this small plot of ground. As we shall see in this article, the day is coming when a very serious war will erupt over the Jewish occupation of the Holy Land and their aspirations to build their temple upon the Temple Mount. This war will pave the way for the world’s final seven years under the rule of man.
I have been following the developments in Israel concerning the preparations for temple worship and the rebuilding of the Jewish temple for over 40 years. During this time, it is safe to say that all of the talk and preparations have involved the efforts of a few Jewish rabbis and their dedicated followers. However, this seems to be changing. In the last year, two Israeli politicians have called for the rebuilding of the temple. Just a few weeks ago, Housing and Construction Minister, Uri Ariel, stated: “…we need to build a real Temple on the Temple Mount.” They recognize that their statements are provocative. However, they believe the time has come for the rebuilding of the temple.
The rebuilding of the third temple on the Temple Mount is not a prerequisite for the beginning of the Tribulation Period. However, according to four Scriptures, a temple will be constructed and temple worship inaugurated before the mid-point of the seven-year Tribulation Period. While addressing the disciples’ question about the “end of the age,” in His Olivet Discourse, Jesus warned the future generations living in Jerusalem to be aware of the approaching “abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place…” (Matthew 24:15) A little over 600 years before Christ, Daniel had warned that the final years leading up to the beginning of the kingdom, would feature a political leader who will confirm a covenant with Israel for seven years. We know him as the Antichrist. At the middle of this designated time frame, the Antichrist will cause the temple sacrifices to cease and turn on Israel with vengeful wrath. (See Daniel 9:27.) The Apostle Paul, writing to the church at Thessalonica about 20 years after Christ, clarified that the Antichrist will enter the temple and declare himself to be God. Paul wrote:
“Let no man deceive you by any means for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and 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, showing himself that he is God.” (2 Thessalonians 2:3-4) Finally, at the end of the first century, about 25 years after the destruction of the temple in 70 A.D., the
Apostle John mentioned the Temple in the final book of the Bible. While describing events that will take place during the mid-point of the Tribulation Period, an angel commanded John to measure the temple. He also wrote that the Temple compound will be controlled by the Gentiles during the last half of the Tribulation. (See Revelation 11:1-2) Therefore, the Scriptural command for the rebuilding of Jewish temple during the Tribulation Period has been given by four writers, spanning a period of 700 years.
A model of the Second Temple of the First Century
There are several preparations that must take place before a temple can be constructed on the Temple Mount and temple worship reinstituted. Let us examine these preparations.
Israeli control of Jerusalem and the Temple Mount
The Scriptures indicate that after the Jewish temple was destroyed in 70 A.D. there would be no temple in Jerusalem throughout the remainder of the Church Age. The prophet Hosea, writing about 100 years before Daniel, wrote about an amazing prophecy concerning the absence of a temple in Israel’s future. He wrote: “For the children of Israel shall abide many days without a king, and without a prince, and without a sacrifice … Afterward shall the children of Israel return, and seek the LORD their God, and David their king: and shall fear the LORD and his goodness in the latter days.” (Hosea 3:4-5) These words perfectly describe the political and religious realities of the Jewish people as they were scattered among the nations for over 19 centuries. Jesus proclaimed that Jerusalem would be “trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.” (Luke 21:24)
The first half of the 20th century witnessed amazing events that created the perfect opportunity for the return of the Jewish people to their ancient homeland. Finally, on May 14, 1948, the nation of Israel was reborn. However, Israel would not control all of Jerusalem and the Temple Mount until the defeat of her Arab enemies in June 1967. Only days after this victory, the Israeli government annexed East Jerusalem, uniting all of Jerusalem. However, due to the threat of a major Islamic war over the Temple Mount, the leaders of Israel decided to return control of the Temple Mount to the Muslims. So, Israel is not in complete control of the Temple Mount. Something in the future must change this status, thus allowing Israel to build a temple on the Temple Mount. But, that will once again be interrupted by the Antichrist at the mid-point of the Tribulation. In Revelation 11:2, an angel told John that the Temple compound would be “given unto the Gentiles, and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months.” Therefore, the Bible indicates there will be a struggle for the control of Jerusalem and the Temple Mount in the last of the last days. (See Zechariah 12-14.) Zechariah 14:2 indicates half of Jerusalem will be under the control of the Israelis until the end of the Tribulation Period. In light of the developments in Israel over the last few decades, all of this indicates we have arrived at the end of the Church Age. It is apparent that the Lord is about to revive His final plans for His chosen people. At the center of all these activities is the rebuilding of their temple in Jerusalem.
The Attitudes in Israel about a Temple
For 2,000 years now, Orthodox Jews have prayed three times a day for the following 5 things: (1) The return of the land of Israel to the Jews. (2) The return of the Jews to the land of Israel. (3) The rebuilding and reuniting of all Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. (4) The restoration of divine temple worship. (5) The rebuilding of the temple on the Temple Mount. An examination of these requests indicates that the first three have been fulfilled and the preparations for the fourth item are now under way.
Orthodox historian, David Solomon, says about the rebuilding of the temple: “It was the essence of our Jewish being, the unifying force of our people. … No one can say how, and no one wants to do it by force. Sooner or later, in a week or a century, it will be done. And we will be ready for it. … Every day’s delay is a stain on the nation.”
Preparations for Temple Worship
Since my first trip to the Holy Land in 1985, I have been following the exciting preparations for temple worship. My tour groups have made many trips to the Temple Institute in Jerusalem. We will be visiting the new facilities of the Temple Institute on my next tour in March, 2014. Plan now to join us!
Many in the Islamic world stubbornly refuse to recognize the historical Jewish connection to the Holy Land, Jerusalem, and especially the Temple Mount. No excavations have been allowed on the Temple Mount. However, several years ago, Islamic authorities of the Temple Mount brought in heavy earthmoving equipment and removed tons of soil from the Temple Mount to expand their prayer facilities. They dumped the soil in a ravine near the Mount of Olives. Realizing this soil contained clues to Jewish history of the area, a team of Israelis gained permission to move the soil to another location. With the aid of thousands of volunteers, they have been sifting through this soil. This very meticulous effort has already yielded several historical items from the first and second temple periods. Those in charge of this project claim that it will take another 15-20 years to sift through all of the soil. If you are interested in this, I recommend you visit the Temple Institute website at www.templeinstitute.org. Also you can check out the Temple Mount sifting project at www.templemount.wordpress.com.
Another fascinating development in recent years has been the training of young Jewish men for the priesthood. Through DNA analysis, the priestly tribe of Levi has been identified and some are being trained as priests. Jimmy DeYoung, a Christian journalist living in Israel, writes: “A group of religious Jews who live in the Jordan Valley near the ancient city of Jericho are taking practical steps to prepare for the building of the third temple in Jerusalem by preparing descendants of the Kohanim, the priests, and the Levites for service in this next temple. These Jewish leaders have established a training center where temple priests can learn exactly how to conduct the daily temple services and offer the required sacrifices as dictated by the Jewish laws from the Biblical book of Leviticus. The training center will include an exact replica of the temple where the student-priests can learn to do their duties which are required and this training center, the organizers believe, comes at an historic time marking the beginning of the work for the third temple.” (Jimmy DeYoung, Watchman Newsletter, October 12, 2009)
A visit to the Temple Institute quickly reveals that much research has been completed concerning the future temple and its construction. Models of the temple to be constructed are on display, along with many of the vessels and instruments of worship that are necessary for temple worship to begin. When you ask the folks at the institute how long it will take to construct this temple, they smile and simply say: “Not too long, we have been waiting for almost 2,000 years.” Some at the institute have commented that when permission is granted for temple construction to begin, they are prepared to erect a Tabernacle on the Temple Mount, much like the one that served Israel for hundreds of years until the temple was completed by King Solomon. With priests prepared and everything in place, they will begin to offer sacrifices while the temple is under construction. The leaders of the institute remind us that the second temple of the first century was under continual construction while temple worship proceeded in the unfinished temple. Therefore, it is highly likely that Israel will at some point begin to worship in the temple during the Tribulation Period while it is still under construction. We can rest assured that the leaders of this construction and worship will have divine insight and instruction. According to Revelation 11:2-6, two very special Jewish witnesses, probably a resurrected Moses and Elijah, will return to proclaim the gospel and give direction to the construction and Jewish worship at the temple. Jesus declared that Elijah would come before Him and “restore all things.” (Mark 9:12) From a Jewish perspective, this would seem to include the rebuilding of the temple.
When Will Temple Construction Begin?
What stands in the way of the building of the Jewish temple? Physically, the presence of Islamic worship centers on the Temple Mount – the Al Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock, prevent the construction of a Jewish temple. History demonstrates that any movement of stones or dirt around the Temple Mount brings the region to the brink of war. One cannot begin to imagine what would develop should Israel decide to remove one or both of these structures. For centuries, Muslims have expressed hatred and mistrust of the Jewish people. Since the establishment of the State of Israel, and especially the Jewish occupation of Jerusalem, this Islamic hatred is at an all-time high! Therefore, it would appear that Israel is waiting on divine help to clear the way for the building of its temple.
In my opinion, this divine assistance will come during the future Gog-Magog war mentioned in Ezekiel 38-39. In this war, Russia and Iran, along with Turkey, Libya, and Sudan will come against Israel. As they are poised to attack on the northern border of Israel, the Lord will supernaturally defend His people with a massive global earthquake that will destroy the armies amassed on Israel’s border. (Ezekiel 38:18-23) This earthquake in Israel will cause “every wall [to] fall to the ground.” (Ezekiel 38:20) This would include all structures on the Temple Mount. The most radical of the Muslim armies will be defeated and their people humiliated. The Temple Mount will be in ruins. It seems to me that this will create the perfect opportunity for the Antichrist to seize the moment and confirm a covenant with Israel. This treaty will possibly include permission to build their temple on the Temple Mount.
It is very important to note that the stage is rapidly being set for the Ezekiel war. Russia and Iran are close allies and it is apparent they aim to control the future of the Middle East. A surge of radical Islam is currently reshaping the Middle Eastern landscape, creating new foes and alliances. Thanks to the Obama administration, the U.S. is now supporting the Muslim Brotherhood and ignoring alarming developments in Iran. Many who have studied Ezekiel 38-39 have concluded that something must happen to the U.S. – Israeli relationship that will make the world’s only Jewish nation vulnerable to attack, since it will be without the support or defense of its great ally.
In my opinion, current events will bring about a radical change in the Middle East and spark the Ezekiel war. This will lead to the rebuilding of the Jewish temple in Jerusalem. As these events unfold, the Lord could come at any time for His bride – the church of Jesus Christ. Get ready for the shout that will take us out!
The Approaching Economic Tsunami
As the stock mark continues to reach record highs, author Micahel Synder has released a best-selling book on the U.S. economy. In The Beginning of the End, he writes, “Is the global economic downturn going to accelerate as we roll into the second half of this year? There is turmoil in the Middle East, we are seeing things happen in the bond markets that we have not seen happen in more than 30 years, and much of Europe has already plunged into a full-blown economic depression. Sadly, most Americans will never understand what is happening until financial disaster strikes them personally. As long as they can go to work during the day and eat frozen pizza and watch reality television at night, most of them will consider everything to be just fine. Unfortunately, the truth is that everything is not fine. The world is becoming increasingly unstable, we are living in the terminal phase of the greatest debt bubble in the history of the planet and the global financial system is even more vulnerable than it was back in 2008. Unfortunately, most people seem to only have a 48 hour attention span at best these days. They don’t have the patience to watch long-term trends develop. And the coming economic collapse is not going to happen all at once. Rather, it is like watching a very, very slow-motion train wreck happen. The coming economic nightmare is going to unfold over a number of years. Yes, there will be moments of great panic, but mostly it will be a steady decline into economic oblivion. And there are a lot of indications that the second half of this year is not going to be as good as the first half was.” This writer agrees with these observations and comments. We must remember that according to Revelation 6:5-6, the Tribulation Period will begin with a time of global hyperinflation.
When one begins to look at the big picture, it is evident that the world is spiritually, morally, politically, geologically, and economically ready for the most difficult time for the family of nations in the history of mankind. Jesus said: “For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world, to this time, no, nor ever shall be. And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened.” (Matthew 24:21-22)
As believers in Jesus Christ, we are the only ones on the planet that have any hope. Read Romans 8:28-39 and thank the Lord for His everlasting love and the home He has prepared for us in heaven. (John 14:1-3) If you are not saved, now is the time to give your soul to the Lord. Repent of your sins and receive the Lord Jesus as your Lord and Savior. Read Romans 3:23; 6:23; 5:8; and 10:9-13. Now is the time to believe upon and receive the Lord Jesus. (John 1:12; 3:16; Acts 4:12)
Moving Toward the Great Judgment of God
In my opinion, recent events in the U.S. undoubtedly indicate that our nation is perilously close to the spiritual point of no return. Following the pattern in Scripture, this means that our beloved nation is ripe for divine judgment.
The recent decision by the highest court in the land to give same sex marriage the same recognition as the Biblical mandated view of marriage between one man and one woman is a clear warning that divine judgment is about to fall upon America. God performed the first marriage in the Garden of Eden. He created man, then woman. Then, He then declared: “Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.” (Genesis 2:24) Thousands of years later, while answering His critics’ question about divorce, Jesus repeated the Genesis declaration concerning marriage: “Have you not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female, And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they two shall be one flesh? Wherefore they are no more two, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.” (Matthew 19:4-6) A few decades later, the Apostle Paul, while writing about marriage repeated this: “For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they shall be one flesh.” (Ephesians 5:31) Therefore, it is obvious that the marriage between one man and one woman is the mandate of Scripture, and was supported by all the writers of the Biblical books, both in Old and New testaments.
Furthermore, these same godly men, under divine inspiration, declared that same sex affections and relations are an abomination to God. The Bible makes it clear that He will carry out divine judgment upon any culture that openly accepts this deviation from His holy mandate. (Read Leviticus 18:19-30.) Some homosexual groups claim that the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah was not due to their homosexual lifestyles. However, this does not agree with the Genesis account and the New Testament writers’ comments about God’s judgment upon these two cities.
In the Old Testament account, the Bible focuses on how the homosexual lifestyles of men in Sodom and Gomorrah brought about their destruction. Notice that according to Genesis 19:4, the men who surrounded the house of Lot demanded that he release the two angels because they thought they were young men. The Bible tells us that these men represented all the men of the city when they cried out to Lot: “Where are the men which came in to thee this night? Bring them out unto us that we may know them.” (Genesis 19:5) The Hebrew word translated “know” plainly indicates they wanted to have sex with these men. Notice that Lot’s response indicates this. He called their request “wicked.” (Genesis 19:7) In his desperation, Lot offered his two virgin daughters to the mob for sexual exploitation. (Genesis 19:8) Also, in the previous chapter of Genesis, the Lord stated to Abraham as he was revealing what was about to happen to Sodom and Gomorrah: “Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous; I will go down now…” (Genesis 18:20)
The New Testament sets forth Sodom and Gomorrah as examples of God’s judgment upon any generation that dares to ignore the Biblical warnings about the acceptance and permeation of homosexuality in a culture. Jude 7 declares: “Even as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange [different] flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.” While writing about the divine judgment that will come upon the ungodly, the Apostle Peter wrote: “And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes condemned with an overthrow, making them an example unto those that after should live ungodly.” (2 Peter 2:6)
Also, in writing about God’s wrath against ungodliness in Romans 1, the Apostle Paul warns that the open practice and acceptance of homosexuality is a clear indication that a society is morally bankrupt, and has been given up by God and subject to His divine judgment. (Read Romans 1:24-27.) Please notice that in verse 27, God warns the men who commit sex with other men that they will receive in their bodies a due penalty because of their perversion. This is exactly what is taking place in our world today. Please go to www.cdc.gov and examine the statistics given by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. They state that it is believed that about 4 percent of the American population practices same sex. However, the statistical data collected demonstrate that about 92 percent of those who contract HIV (aids) have had some connection with the homosexual community!
The homosexual community would read this article and claim that it is hate speech. However, that is not the intent behind God’s laws, standards and mandates. God loves them enough to tell them the truth, and we should too!