In a church Bible study a few years ago, I was hastily chastened for making reference to the rebuilding of the Jewish temple before the time of the end. A scripture out of context was read stating we are no longer Jews or Gentiles and since the coming of Christ, there has been no need for a temple to be built.
In a recent Bible study, the recognition of Jerusalem and the building of the Temple was revisited. It is common knowledge that since returning to the Holy Lands, the Jews have drawn up plans for the rebuilding of the third Temple. The only thing standing in their way was the United Nation recognizing Jerusalem, the city ordained by God as the capital of Israel. The one thing that prevents our religious leaders from rejoicing in the fulfillment of Biblical prophecies is, it denies the church the right to claim the blessings of Abraham. Religious and world leaders protested and condemned the President of the United States for advancing the prophecies of God.
We prefer to read and interpret the Bible in a hopscotch fashion, the same as the media deals with news today. Following that scenario, we can make the Bible say exactly what we want it to say. This type of interpretation has allowed the pacification of Christian values as we use the word of God to justify our sins. It is no wonder that the believability of the real God has suffered because we have turned his word into a polluted mess.
Jesus also foretold the building of the Third Temple, after the destruction by the Romans in A.D. 70. In Matthew 24:2, Jesus told the disciples after they commented about the beauty of the Temple, that not one stone would be left upon another. This was fulfilled in A.D. 70, by the Romans under Titus. Later Jesus refers to the time of the end, when the Third Temple would be defiled, causing the abomination of desolation.
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),
Matthew 24:14-15 The abomination of desolation is referred to three times in the book of Daniel, (Daniel 9:27,11;31, 12:11). Each mention refers to the Temple being defiled.
Paul also notes the need for a Third Temple and the role the Temple will play. The anti-Christ will enter the Temple and proclaim himself to be God. This is consistent with the words of Jesus and Daniel about the role this Temple will play.
"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, shewing himself that he is God." (2nd Thessalonians 2:3-4)
The long absence of a Temple and Israel’s gathering are also foretold by Hosea. The many days refers to our own day. The only other time, since Hosea day there was no Temple was for the 70-year period, between 586 B.C. and 516 B.C. Seventy years does not qualify as a long absence when the only other time is over 1900 years.
"For thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God, and the LORD hath chosen thee to be a peculiar people unto himself, above all the nations that are upon the earth" (Deuteronomy 14:2)
God’s relationship to Israel, is based on his word, to the fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The special relationship between Israel and God is holy, Israel has a specific purpose on the Earth. They are unique amongst the nations. From these verses in Deuteronomy, we can conclude the following points about God’s relationship with Israel.
• God chose Israel
• Israel as a nation is distinct from all the other nations.
• The Lord loves Israel
• God will keep his word he made to the fathers
A point to remember the church and the Jews are two different groups and the promises made to the fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob were promises made to the Jews, not the church.
"Give none offense, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God:" (1st Corinthians 10:32)
While the Church is being judged at the Judgment Seat of Christ in the air, the Jews will be judged under Antichrist on the earth. The Jews are an "earthly" people, and as all the promises to them are "earthly," it follows that their judgment must be of an "earthly" character. The basis of their judgment is their "rejection of the Godhead."
In the days of Samuel, they rejected God the Father. "And the LORD said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them." (1st Samuel 8:7)
In the days of Christ, they rejected God the Son. "And they cried out all at once, saying, Away with this man, and release unto us Barabbas." (Luke 23:18)
In the days of Stephen, they rejected God the Holy Spirit. "For their sin, they have been scattered among the nations until the "Times of the Gentiles" are fulfilled." (Acts 7:51,54-60)
When the "Times of the Gentiles" are about to end the Jews will be gathered back to the Holy Land "unconverted," and caused to "pass under the rod." Ezekiel 20:34-38. They will be cast into God's "Melting Pot" (Ezekiel 22:19-22), and pass through an experience spoken of by Jeremiah and Daniel as the "TIME OF JACOB'S TROUBLE." Jeremiah 30:4-7; Daniel 12:1. Christ calls it "The Great Tribulation," and He and Zechariah the Prophet associate it with the "Return of the Lord." Matthew 24:21-31; Zechariah 14:1-11. The human agent the Lord will use will be the Antichrist, the awfulness of whose rule will be supplemented by the pouring out of the "Vials of God's wrath" upon the earth. Revelation 15:1,5-8; 16:1-21.
The result of these terrible judgments will be that the Jews will call in their misery upon the Lord. Zechariah 12:10. Then Christ will come back to the Mt. of Olives (Zechariah 14:4) and the Jews will look upon Him whom they "pierced" (Zechariah 12:10), and a nation, the Jewish Nation, shall be "born (converted) in a day." Isaiah 66:8. This will complete the judgment of the Jews.
No comments:
Post a Comment