What are the implications, and our response as believer/followers in Messiah Yeshua (Jesus) to this?
With the current war in the Middle East (‘Swords Of Iron’ since October 7, 2023), we are seeing such an increase unfolding, even approaching Biblical proportions, to the point that many believe we’re entering the End-Times Psalm 83 war. Let’s add to this the prior Israeli statements that the ‘red heifers’ (Numbers 19) will be qualified to be sacrificed by Passover 2024, and their intent to sacrifice one on the Mount of Olives at that time or at the latest on Shavuot (Pentecost) 2024. Suddenly, we appear to be faced with the real possibility of the Oblation Altar, and the construction of the Tribulation-Temple being built in just a few months from now.
Let’s examine what might appear to be a paradox of valid premises – important to the point that both end in judgments of the world and are major or minor depending on where one’s support apart from ‘wisdom from above’, falls.
Most Biblical-Prophetic commentaries concur that for any construction on the Temple Mount to begin, there would have to be a ‘peace-treaty’ Covenant made with many, allowing the construction on the Temple Mount which most commentaries believe is spoken of in Daniel 9:27, following horrific war (Psalm 83, Isaiah 17:1, Ezekiel 38-39). This ‘peace treaty’ is done with the anti-Christ. He is the one who then later causes that ‘peace treaty’ to cease and takes away the ‘Oblation Altar'(Daniel 12:11) he permitted and defiles the Tribulation-Temple with the “Abomination of Desolation” (Daniel 9:27, Daniel 12:11, Matthew 24:15) proclaiming himself to be ‘God’ (2Thessalonians 2:4).
In noting this verse in Tanakh/(Older Testament):
“The temple of the LORD, The temple of the LORD, The temple of the LORD, are these ….” (Jeremiah 7:4b).
In Biblical-era Judaic commentary, it is considered as the first two Temples and the Ezekiel Temple built by Messiah Yeshua in the Millennial Kingdom. As a result, there are some Orthodox Rabbinic Jews who say they will not support the rebuilding of the Temple before Messiah comes (returns!). This speaks then of the Tribulation-Temple mentioned in Scripture and it is referred to only as the ‘Temple of God’ once; while the first, second and Ezekiel’s Temples are referred to as the Temples of YHVH Elohim.
So what implication does the Tribulation-Temple hold for us as believers in Yeshua?
Let’s note two passages where Rav. Sha’ul (Paul) writes:
“Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved. For I bear them record that they have a zeal of Elohim/God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of Elohim/God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of Elohim/God.” – Romans 10:1-3.
“And so all Israel shall be saved: As it is written, ‘there shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: For this is My Covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins. As concerning the Good News/Gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers’ sakes. For the gifts and calling of Elohim/God are without repentance” (Romans 11:26-29).
What’s something we can glean from this?
Rabbinic Judaism from after the time of Yeshua onward became a religion of ‘rote’ in the sense that “Good Deeds/Mitzvot” were viewed as a substitution for the atonement sacrifices (those sacrifices which pointed forward to Messiah) while Torah clearly says it is the blood that makes atonement in Leviticus 17:11. Messiah Yeshua is our atonement sacrifice that was prophesied, even from the Garden of Eden, to come (Genesis 3:14). Which the ‘Seed of the woman’ is spoken of even by Biblical-era Judaic commentary as being the Seed from another place – even Messiah.
But it’s not just what later Rabbinic-Judaism had missed, but also what Christianity had as well in what is noted above as for both. While not knowing Messiah or if knowing Him as Christ/The-Anointed-One (in Greek) doesn’t excuse one from walking in the mitzvot/good works of Torah (as is clearly stated over and over stated to us as believers in the Brit-Chadashah/(New Testament). Two wrongs don’t make a right no matter how zealous one is from either side of the ditch.
So how does this apply to our response as Believers to the Tribulation-Temple?
The Temple in Jerusalem that was destroyed in 70 AD/CE was still the Temple of YHVH Elohim though as Messiah said 40 years prior to 70 AD/CE:
“Behold, your House is left unto you desolate: and verily I say unto you, Ye shall not see Me, until the time come when ye shall say, Blessed is He that cometh in the Name of the-Lord/(YHVH)” (Luke 13:35).
Even the Judaic-commentary confirms this during 40 year time period:
“Forty years before the Temple was destroyed (30 A.D.) the chosen lot was not picked with the right hand, nor did the crimson stripe turn white, nor did the westernmost light burn; and the doors of the Temple’s Holy Place swung open by themselves…” (Talmud Bavli, Yoma 39b).
YHVH Elohim knows the hearts of those who don’t know Yeshua as the Messiah whether through ignorance of not really knowing what is spoken of Him; or of those who do know yet have chosen after knowing to reject Him. Many Jewish people don’t really know who Yeshua is. Many just think He’s the Greek god of the gentiles and aren’t taught who He is in his Judaic/Hebrew culture and life. And while there are many Jewish believers in Israel, even some among the Orthodox (even including in Mea Shearim in Jerusalem), yet Temple Mount leadership and others are still looking to build the Tribulation-Temple apart from Him.
CONCLUSION:
Moshe (Moses) spoke in Torah of the coming of Messiah. This passage is even recognized in Biblical-era Judaic commentary as speaking of Messiah when he spoke of “the Prophet”:
“YHVH (The LORD), thy Elohim/God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto Me; unto Him ye shall hearken; ‘According to all that thou desiredst of the Lord thy Elohim/God in Horeb in the day of the assembly,’ saying, ‘Let me not hear again the Voice of YHVH (The LORD) my Elohim/God, neither let me see this Great Fire any more, that I die not.’ And YHVH (The LORD) said unto me, ‘They have well spoken that which they have spoken. I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and I will put My Words in His mouth; and He shall speak unto them all that I shall command Him. And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto My Words which He shall speak in My Name, I will require it of him” (Deuteronomy 18:15-19).
“For Moses truly said unto the fathers, A Prophet shall YHVH (The LORD) your Elohim/God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; Him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you.” -Acts 3:22.
The Tribulation-Temple is built with a zeal for the Torah-commands, but that’s not the problem as it’s being built from almost 2,000 years of rejection of Yeshua as being the Messiah. It is built only on a prescriptive use of the mitzvot by rote and is built after a ‘peace treaty’ by the anti-Christ and is soon defiled by him claiming himself to be ‘God’. On the other hand, there will be some who will then support the anti-Christ when he causes the Oblation Sacrifice (which isn’t an atonement sacrifice) to cease and sets up the “Abomination of Desolation”!
As we see things things coming to pass, it’s exciting to watch – another mileage marker being passed unto the coming of Messiah Yeshua’s return. Yet considering the various implications of supporting or even not supporting can cause one’s head to hurt – much like Tevye in the “Fidder On The Roof.” “On the other hand … on the other hand … There is no other hand”!
As for me: I’m waiting for Messiah’s return and what will be the third Ezekiel’s Millennium Temple!
Maranatha
©2023 WBCarl