THE THIRD TEMPLE IS VERY IMPORTANT TO JESUS AND ENDTIME PROPHECY
Jesus energetically twice defended and cleaned the Temple of God from indignation and greed. He knew the current leadership of his nation had allowed shysters to use the Temple for financial fraud. Note his words.
Mark 11:17 NKJV 17 Then He taught, saying to them, "Is it not written, 'My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations'? But you have made it a 'den of thieves.'"
Jesus became angry at the abuse of the Temple in Jerusalem. The Temple that he and his disciples would use to evangelize, and witness to the people. Much of the work of God began in the Temple at Jerusalem. It was no doubt emotionally important to Christ. Further, when asked about the date of his return he labeled the abomination of the Temple as a lynch pin or trigger point in the end time event. Note his powerful words.
Matthew 24:14-22 NKJV 14 "And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come. 15 "Therefore when you see the 'abomination of desolation,' spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place" (whoever reads, let him understand), 16 ... 21 "For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be. 22 "And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect's sake those days will be shortened.
Jesus is saying we believers should be watching for this huge trigger event of the end of the age. Clearly a Third Temple has to be available to fulfill these prophecies of Jesus and Daniel. Just like believers were watching for the return of the people of Judah to the Holy Land for centuries, we too will be watching and speculating. When events happen involving, Jerusalem believers would be expected to SPECULATE on the possible meaning if we were watching.
SCENARIO NUMBER ONE IS THAT TWO STRONG LEADERS WILL DO IT.
Nehemiah and Zerubbabel were the two leaders in the past. Exactly seventy years on Hanukkah from the day President Truman announced Israel as a sovereign State, President Trump became the only world leader to dare recognize Jerusalem as the capital, against world wide opposition. This event seemed prophetic. Netanyahu is the longest serving Prime Minister in the history of Israel and very patriotic. However both men have found themselves under similar personal attack. Netanyahu has lost some of his conservative coalition parties support based on personal vendettas. It appears to us that powerful spiritual forces have combined to block both men. It would take very determined leaders to push through a third Temple just as it did the second Temple against fierce opposition.
Nehemiah 6:10-11 NKJV 10...a secret informer; and he said,... they are coming to kill ungodly you; indeed, at night they will come to kill you." 11 And I said, "Should such a man as I flee? And who is there such as I who would go into the temple to save his life? I will not go in!"
It took a very determined leader like Nehemiah to push through the rebuilding of the second Temple. If you read about Nehemiah and Zerubbabel it was a long and twisted battle to achieve the goal. Will something like that occur in our day? No one can be sure at this point but the forces that want to thwart the full rebuilding of Jerusalem as a Jewish city and the third Temple are winning for now.
Zechariah 4:6-9 NKJV 6 So he answered and said to me: "This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: 'Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,' Says the LORD of hosts...! And he shall bring forth the capstone With shouts of "Grace, grace to it"'" 8 Moreover the word of the LORD came to me, saying: 9 "The hands of Zerubbabel Have laid the foundation of this temple; His hands shall also finish it...
These two governors of Judah play a central part in the rebuilding of Jerusalem and the second Temple. Yet God said it was not so much based on political power but by spiritual power provided by God. However those men showed determination and courage and leadership.
SCENARIO TWO A GREAT CRISIS PRECIPITATES THE BUILDING OF THE TEMPLE
Many perceive that as long as the people of Judah are prosperous, fat and happy, they will feel no need to build the house of God. Therefore God will allow some disaster to befall Judah. This pattern can be seen in the building of the second Temple of God. The Temple got started and stopped due to outside pressures and spiritual apathy. The people withdrew from the project. God let an economic crisis and warnings from the prophets spur them on to complete the project.
Haggai 1:9 NKJV 9 "You looked for much, but indeed it came to little; and when you brought it home, I blew it away. Why?" says the LORD of hosts. "Because of My house that is in ruins, while every one of you runs to his own house.
They may need some very strong motivation in today's world.
SCENARIO THREE THE BEAST OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE WILL PROMOTE THE TEMPLE
The future king of the Holy Roman Empire a dictator of enormous military power, will promote the Temple. He will encourage the Jewish nation to either restart or start the Temple. He will guarantee the safety of Israel from others during this project. Under the umbrella of the beast power and persuasion Judah, will rebuild the Temple. The Jewish leaders will be deceived partly because they give no credence to the New Testament warning regarding this powerful leader. Today Not believing in the NT they will not see the obvious danger of allowing this European army so close to them until it is too late. They will feel that they need his protection and therefore will allow his 'peace keeping armies ' to enter their territory. Then after years of peaceful functioning of the Temple he will suddenly betray them.
2 Thessalonians 2:3-4 NKJV 3 Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, 4 who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.
The world will see the beast as a peace maker sort of a modern 'Pax Romana' or peace of Rome. The new Temple will stand and function for the Jewish people for years. Then suddenly a betrayal. All the world will be told we have an age of PEACE, PEACE but suddenly war on the Jews and more will be unleashed. Who is holding the leash of Satan? God is, and no one knows when he will release it allow the abomination of the third Temple.
2 Thessalonians 2:6-9 NKJV 6 And now you know what is restraining, that he may be revealed in his own time. 7 For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way. 8 And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming. 9 The coming of the lawless one is according to the
working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders,
The world will have to wait until God decides to remove the restrains on Satan's final evil plan where the beast uses this internationally famous location to proclaim himself God on earth. Wow !
2 Thessalonians 2:1-2 NKJV 1 Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask you, 2 not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ had come.
The second coming of Christ cannot occur until the beast desecrates the third Temple in Jerusalem. God will not bring the end of this age until all prophesies are fulfilled. We as good watchmen are trying to understand all the pieces of this puzzle. Some Old Testament scripture will also be used by some to mislead the leadership of Israel.
Isaiah 45:13-14 NKJV 13 I have raised him up in righteousness, And I will direct all his ways; He shall build My city And let My exiles go free, Not for price nor reward," Says the LORD of hosts. 14 Thus says the LORD: ..., saying, 'Surely God is in you, And there is no other; There is no other God.'"
Based partly on the magnanimous example of Cyrus, the Israelite leaders will believe that they can also trust the 'great man of peace' . When that Temple is built we will know that the end of age and glorious reign of Christ is a lot closer. Why do we need to speculate about it? When the beast sets up the abomination, we know it is a countdown to the return of the Messiah.
Daniel 12:11-13 NKJV 11 "And from the time that the daily sacrifice is taken away, and the abomination of desolation is set up, there shall be one thousand two hundred and ninety days. 12 "Blessed is he who waits, and comes to the one thousand three hundred and thirty-five days. 13 "But you, go your way till the end; for you shall rest, and will arise to your inheritance at the end of the days."
Watching Prophecy closely and speculating on where we are, should help us resist apathy. But never forget to remain humble realizing that no one knows the day or hour when Jesus will return. We will face some surprises
