“They are to make a sanctuary for Me so that I may dwell among them. You must make it according to all that I show you—the pattern of the tabernacle as well as the pattern of all its furnishings.” (Exodus 25:8-9)
One key sign pointing to the imminent Rapture of the Church is a Middle East Peace Agreement that allows the building of the Third Temple. Current events are acting as a catalyst for this development:
Statement by President Trump on Jerusalem / The White House, December 6, 2017
When I came into office, I promised to look at the world’s challenges with open eyes and very fresh thinking. We cannot solve our problems by making the same failed assumptions and repeating the same failed strategies of the past. Old challenges demand new approaches.
My announcement today marks the beginning of a new approach to conflict between Israel and the Palestinians.
In 1995, Congress adopted the Jerusalem Embassy Act, urging the federal government to relocate the American embassy to Jerusalem and to recognize that that city — and so importantly — is Israel’s capital. This act passed Congress by an overwhelming bipartisan majority and was reaffirmed by a unanimous vote of the Senate only six months ago.
Yet, for over 20 years, every previous American president has exercised the law’s waiver, refusing to move the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem or to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital city.
Presidents issued these waivers under the belief that delaying the recognition of Jerusalem would advance the cause of peace. Some say they lacked courage, but they made their best judgments based on facts as they understood them at the time. Nevertheless, the record is in. After more than two decades of waivers, we are no closer to a lasting peace agreement between Israel and the Palestinians. It would be folly to assume that repeating the exact same formula would now produce a different or better result.
Therefore, I have determined that it is time to officially recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.
While previous presidents have made this a major campaign promise, they failed to deliver. Today, I am delivering.
I’ve judged this course of action to be in the best interests of the United States of America and the pursuit of peace between Israel and the Palestinians. This is a long-overdue step to advance the peace process and to work towards a lasting agreement.
Israel is a sovereign nation with the right like every other sovereign nation to determine its own capital. Acknowledging this as a fact is a necessary condition for achieving peace.
Just like the events leading up to the building of the second Temple, there is a great deal of opposition:
Abbas says Trump’s Jerusalem decision ends historic US role as peace broker / The Times of Israel, December 6, 2017
PA leader calls for emergency meeting of PLO to form a response; says move is a reward to Israel for ‘occupation, settlement, apartheid and ethnic cleansing’
Erdogan speaks to Pope Francis over US Jerusalem move / AA News, December 7, 2017
Both agree that any attempt to change the city’s status quo should be avoided
Iran warns of ‘intifada’ against Israel / Arutz Sheva, December 7, 2017
Arab world blasts Trump’s announcement on recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.
Russia says Trump’s Jerusalem declaration ‘defies common sense’ / The Times of Israel, December 8, 2017
‘Deeply concerned’ Putin to visit Turkey for talks on Jerusalem, Syria; Erdogan has threatened to cut ties with Israel over US embassy move
ERDOGAN AND MACRON TO URGE US TO REVERSE JERUSALEM DECISION / Jerusalem Post, December 9, 2017
> Muslims around the world rally against Trump in solidarity with Palestinians
> Commander of Iranian-backed Iraqi militia seen on Lebanese-Israeli border
Could the upcoming Ezekiel war lead directly to the desire to rebuild the Temple?
Signs of the Third Temple being built are in the news with greater frequency in these last days:
‘Preparation for Temple no longer a dream’ / Israel National News, August 8, 2016
In a new video, Temple Institute raises the question: how much longer until the Jewish Temple will be rebuilt?
In the run up to the 2,849th annual commemoration of the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem (Tisha B’Av), the Temple Institute has released a video proposing the rebuilding of the third Temple.
The Temple Institute is dedicated to doing everything possible to build the third Jewish Temple on the Temple Mount. They have published tens of volumes and recreated over 70 sacred vessels for use in the third Temple.
Top Rabbi Joins Growing List of Pro-Temple Politicians / Breaking Israel News, June 24, 2016
Israel’s Chief Ashkenazi Rabbi David Lau joined a growing list of Israeli politicians who are calling for the Third Temple to be built on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. He suggested the Messianic vision could be realized without touching Muslim structures at the site by simply building a new structure alongside the existing Muslim buildings that stand on the site of the previous two Jewish Temples.
He expressed his vision citing the Prophet Isaiah.
My house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples. Isaiah 56:7
In an interview two weeks ago on the Knesset Channel, the Chief Rabbi said that, according to the measurements for the Temple described by the sages, the Third Temple would not take up the entire Temple Mount Compound and there would be plenty of room for “Jews, Christians, Muslims, everyone.”
School Year Begins for Third Temple Priests / Breaking Israel News, August 4, 2016
The Temple Institute has brought the Third Temple one step closer by establishing a school for Jewish priests (kohanim) to learn how to perform the Temple Service. A group of students, certified as being from the priestly caste, stands ready to learn all of the details of this complicated task, which may become relevant sooner than anyone thinks.
Discussing plans to build a Jewish Temple on the Temple Mount is considered by some to be incitement to Muslim violence. The Temple Institute is advancing the 2,000 year old dream of a Temple in Jerusalem in a way that does not disturb Muslim observance on the Temple Mount.
The first job for the Kohanim proposed by the Institute will be to initiate the Red Heifer service, which is performed outside the Temple Mount.
Israel’s Chief Ashkenazi Rabbi David Lau and several other Israeli politicians have suggested allowing multi-faith prayer at the site that would not involve removing or renovating the Muslim structures.
MUSLIM LEADER HOSTS RABBIS, WELCOMES 3RD TEMPLE / WND, July 10, 2016
Turk calls for end of anti-Jewish sentiment in Islamic world
WASHINGTON – A prominent Turkish Muslim leader hosted a gathering of Israeli rabbis to call for an end of anti-Jewish sentiment in the Islamic world, saying he looks forward to the rebuilding of the Third Temple in Jerusalem.
Adnan Oktar welcomed the delegation, including Rabbi Dov Lipman and Rabbi Ben Abrahamson, for an iftar dinner during Ramadan in Istanbul. The dinner included other Muslims and Christian representatives as well.
Lipman, a senior officer of the World Zionist Organization, said he was very pleased by the friendship and goodwill he experienced.
Oktar explained that the days when the Prophet Solomon’s Masjid and Palace (Solomon’s Temple) will be rebuilt in an atmosphere of global peace and tranquility are at hand. Abrahamson, a historian and consultant to the Sanhedrin regarding issues related to Islam, emphasized the rebuilding of the Temple is a very good development for all mankind.
Oktar said Muslims, Jews and Christians share many common values and the current opposition was a ploy of Satan. He said people of reason who are full of love should come together and encourage peace.
We believe that the Beast (along with the Dragon), assisted by the False Prophet, will soon finalize the Israeli-Palestinian “land for peace” treaty, which will allow the Third Temple to be built. This will begin the dark 7 year period called the Tribulation.
But, what if there is more to the Temple than a physical building? What about the “Living Temple?”
Coming to Him, a living stone—rejected by men but chosen and valuable to God— you yourselves, as living stones, are being built into a spiritual house for a holy priesthood to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For it is contained in Scripture:
Look! I lay a stone in Zion,
a chosen and honored cornerstone,
and the one who believes in Him
will never be put to shame!
So honor will come to you who believe, but for the unbelieving,
The stone that the builders rejected—
this One has become the cornerstone,
and
A stone to stumble over,
and a rock to trip over.
They stumble because they disobey the message; they were destined for this.
But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood,
a holy nation, a people for His possession,
so that you may proclaim the praises
of the One who called you out of darkness
into His marvelous light.
(1 Peter 2: 4-9)
As Christians, we know that God Himself became a man as Jesus Christ, took on man’s nature, lived, died, resurrected, and ascended as a man, and now is ruling in the heaven:
But Stephen, filled by the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven. He saw God’s glory, with Jesus standing at the right hand of God, and he said, “Look! I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!” (Acts 7:55-56)
We should also know that we, as Christians, are heirs with Christ:
All those led by God’s Spirit are God’s sons. For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption, by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father!” The Spirit Himself testifies together with our spirit that we are God’s children, and if children, also heirs—heirs of God and coheirs with Christ—seeing that we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him. (Romans 8:14-17)
and…
When the time came to completion, God sent His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba, Father!” So you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God. (Galatians 4:4-7)
The Bible uses our relationship as the Church with Jesus Christ as His “body” and His “bride”. These are symbolic designations for something so wonderful and beyond our comprehension that we can’t fully understand it at this time. But, as a redeemed Christian, know that:
- You are forgiven of all sin (Ephesians 1:7)
- You are predestined, called, justified and glorified (Romans 8:30)
- You are being transformed into Christ-likeness (2 Corinthians 3:18)
- You are sealed by the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:13-14)
- You are holy (Hebrews 10:10)
- Your spirit is already seated with Christ in Heaven (Ephesians 2:6-10, Colossians 3:3)
Acts 2 records that approximately 120 followers of Jesus were gathered in Jerusalem for the Shavuot celebration when “suddenly there came a sound from the sky like the roar of a violent wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then they saw what looked like tongues of fire, which separated and came to rest on each one of them. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in different languages, as the Spirit enabled them” (Acts 2:1-4).
No longer would man walk by commandments on tablets of stone, but by the Holy Spirit, who would write the law on hearts of flesh and give power to overcome the powers of darkness…the law of sin and death…while empowering us to become witnesses to the ends of the earth! The “church” had been born.
Just as the nation of Israel had been created in the wilderness of Sinai to reveal the one true God to the world, now the doors had opened to the nations to come and know and worship Him in Spirit and in truth. Whereas God once dwelt in the Temple fashioned of bricks and mortar, by His Spirit, He now dwells in vessels of clay.
Whereas men once went up to Jerusalem to enjoy God’s presence, His presence now remains with us as we travel the earth taking His wonderful message—this Good News of the Messiah of Israel to the Jewish People and to the nations.
You have not come to a mountain that can be touched and that is burning with fire; to darkness, gloom and storm; to a trumpet blast or to such a voice speaking words that those who heard it begged that no further word be spoken to them, because they could not bear what was commanded: “If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned to death.” The sight was so terrifying that Moses said, “I am trembling with fear.”
But you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, to the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God, the Judge of all, to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.
See to it that you do not refuse him who speaks. If they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, how much less will we, if we turn away from him who warns us from heaven? At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, “Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.” The words “once more” indicate the removing of what can be shaken—that is, created things—so that what cannot be shaken may remain.
Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our “God is a consuming fire.” (Hebrews 12:18-29)
Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.” (Revelation 21:2-4)
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Rapture and End Times 