BUILDING THE NEW JEWISH TEMPLE BY JOEL RICHARDSON.

BUILDING THE NEW JEWISH TEMPLE. 

There is an interesting dynamic that takes place when you listen to many of the comments made by Christians who identify themselves as Zionists, or supporters of Israel and the Jewish people, when signs of a rebuilt Jewish Temple are discussed. Quite frequently, their comments are overly negative. Because there is the Scripturally-based expectation that sometime after the Temple is rebuilt, the Antichrist will desecrate it, the Temple itself, or any plans to built it, are often thus treated as evil. But think about the logic here. The Antichrist will invade the land of Israel, but this doesn’t mean that we treat the State of Israel as evil. If the State of Israel didn’t exist, the Antichrist wouldn’t be able to invade it. Yet we support Israel. As we should. Yet many of these Christians who support the Jewish State will actually condemn the notion of a rebuilt Temple. Why a distinction between the resettling of the land and any effort to rebuild a Temple? Biblically, the Jewish people are commanded to faithfully steward the land until Messiah comes. Christians who understand the Scriptures support them in their efforts to do such. Likewise, the Jewish people are also commanded to offer sacrifices on the Temple Mount, so do I believe that we should support their efforts to do so. Simply because the Antichrist will in the future, for a brief time enter, violate and “trample” the Temple, this does not thus make the Temple, or the idea of a Temple, evil. Others will argue that any sacrifice at all is an abomination in light of the once-and-for-all sacrifice made by Jesus. While I would agree that it is only the blood of the Messiah shed on the cross that can truly atone for sins, this does not mean that any sacrifice made is thus an abomination. Far from it. After the cross, Paul and the early believers continued to participate in the various Temple rituals (Acts 21:24-26). And during the millennium, it is clear that some sacrifices will take place (Ezekiel 40-47). I’m quite sure these very brief comments will stir up a bit of controversy and will likely be misread by some, but essentially, my point is simply that so long as Christians continue to make clear the Cross of Jesus the Messiah as the only source of atonement and salvation, simple support for efforts to rebuild a Temple are far preferable to the finger pointing often cast toward the Jews as soon as the issue of a future Temple is discussed. In any case, an interesting article was featured today in The Times of Israel:

Jordanian minister accuses Israel of planning to erect the third Temple