A THIRD TEMPLE?

Many eyes are looking towards Israel for what they believe is a sure sign of the soon return of the Lord, - the building of a third Temple. This is because of a particular interpretation of a verse in Daniel 9

Vs 27 ”Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week;

but in the middle of the week he shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering.”

 

This interpretation goes like this:- The Antichrist makes a peace pact with the Jews. After three and a half years he breaks the covenant and stops the sacrifices at the temple. From this they assume that a third Temple has been built. This all happens during the last seven years of the Age, which is a time of God’s special dealings with Israel. Meanwhile Christians will be ‘raptured’ out. The seven years are the final ‘week’ of a prophecy in Daniel 9:24 in which God told Daniel:-

               

“Seventy weeks are determined for your people and for your holy city, to finish the transgression, to make an end of sins, to make reconciliation for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy, and to anoint the Most Holy.”

 

The weeks are weeks of years, so a week is seven years. According to this interpretation only 69 weeks have been fulfilled and there is another week to go. They teach that between the 69^th and 70^th week, God has inserted the Church Age. When the Church is ‘raptured’ out there is a time of great tribulation coming on the world. The promises contained in vs 24 have not yet been fulfilled.

 

This is the popular end time teaching in many evangelical and Pentecostal churches. It has made its way into the notes of the Schofields, Dakes and other Bibles and thus assumes the authority of holy writ. God told Daniel that some end time truth is sealed until the time of the end; (Daniel 12:9) but about 200 years ago, there were those who went ahead of the Spirit and put together an end time scenario which doesn’t leave a lot of room for the Holy Spirit to bring revelation on the real plan of God for the Church. Getting raptured out any moment may sound exciting but what God has for the Church is even more exciting.

 

The truth is that the seventy weeks were seventy consecutive weeks; the last ‘week’ was the week of Jesus’s ministry. In the middle of the week, after 3 and a half years of ministry Jesus brought an end to the sacrifices as far as God was concerned, by making the one perfect sacrifice for all time. By His death on the Cross He confirmed or strengthened the Abrahamic covenant and He fulfilled all the promises contained in vs 24. God has only one answer for this world’s condition, and that is the Cross of Christ. Anything that He is going to do was accomplished there. We just haven’t yet understood the full extent of all Jesus achieved there. Jesus work is a finished work. He is now seated at the right hand of God “waiting till His enemies are made His footstool.” (Hebrews 10:12-14)

 

Jesus moved with a sense of purpose. He knew the plan of Redemption and worked within the will of the Father. He often said ‘it is not time yet’ because He was working to the plan. He said “I am sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”(Matthew 15:24)) That is because the work of redemption had to be first demonstrated in Israel, the pattern nation and priestly nation. The whole sacrificial system and the commemorative Feasts and all God’s redemptive acts for Israel were set up as a platform for the work of Redemption. The time came when God told Peter to take the gospel to the Gentiles. (Acts 10 and 11) The seventy “weeks” were completed.

 

There is no specific seven year period of tribulation, though persecution and tribulation may come. The Jews may or may not build another temple, though one would expect that they would want to. The third temple as far as God is concerned is the Living Temple that Jesus is building, (Ephesians 2:19-22). There was, at one time in the days of Solomon, three places of worship which are a type of the present time: –

*The tabernacle of Moses at Gibeon which represents the Jewish people. It had lost the Ark, the Presence of God, but the sacrifices were still made there and Solomon went there when seeking God at the beginning of his reign. (2 Chronicles 1)

* The tabernacle of David, a tent in Jerusalem which now housed the Ark. It was open and the Ark was in full view of the people. David organized continual worship to be held there. There was none of the rituals connected to Moses tabernacle and the sacrifices were sacrifices of praise. This tabernacle represents the Gentile Church. (Acts 15)

*The great golden temple under construction being built at the command of Solomon, son of David. This represents the Living temple being built by Jesus Son of David.

 

When Solomon’s temple was finished, the Ark was brought up and placed in the Holy of Holies. Also the old tabernacle of Moses was brought from Gibeon and placed in the temple, probably in one of the store rooms. (2 Chronicles 5:5) Then the Temple was filled with the glory of God.

 

Jesus is still building the Living Temple. When it is finished, the gentile church and the Jewish people are going to come together as ‘one new man’ (Ephesians 2:15) and the glory of God will fill it. Jesus said “I will build My church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it.” (Matthew 16:18) The Living Temple is going to be filled with God’s glory and the nations will flock to it.

 

“’I will shake all nations and they shall come to the Desire of All Nations, and I will fill this temple with glory,’ says the Lord of hosts. ‘The silver is Mine, and the gold is Mine,’ says the Lord of hosts. ‘The glory of this latter temple shall be greater than the former,’ says the Lord of hosts. ‘And in this place I will give peace,’ says the Lord of hosts.” Haggai 2:7-9

 

We are experiencing some of this shaking now. Don’t be perturbed; God is shaking the nations to reveal the things that cannot be shaken.

 

“Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear for our God is a consuming fire.” Hebrews 12:28, 29

 

CAPSTONE GRACE

CAPSTONE GRACE

“And he shall bring forth the capstone with shouts of ‘Grace, grace,’ to it”

Zechariah 4:7

This prophecy was spoken by the Prophet Zechariah to Zerubbabel who, along with Joshua the High Priest, led the first contingent of exiles from captivity back to Jerusalem.

Zerubbabel was of the kingly line and is a Type of Jesus in that they both undertake to build a temple. As with prophecy generally, this prophecy had an immediate application concerning Zerubbabel’s Temple, and also a future application concerning the Temple Jesus is building. It is a prophecy which even now is being fulfilled.

 

The exiles set to work with a will; constructing first an altar, then beginning their most important task - the reconstruction of the Temple. Zerubbabel as Governor had ultimate responsibility for the building. The workers became discouraged because of the fierce opposition of the Samaritans in the surrounding villages who eventually managed to get an order to stop the building from the Persian government (Israel’s overlords ).

Into this situation God sent the prophets Zechariah and Haggai to bring His Words of encouragement.

“Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit

Says the Lord of hosts.” Zech. 4:6

The work would be accomplished, not by trusting in human resources, but in the Spirit of God who would instruct, provide and facilitate the work. It would not be a triumph of human achievement, but of the grace of God.

“Who are you great mountain?

Before Zerubbabel you shall become a plain!” Zech. 4:7

 

No obstacle would be able to prevent God’s work.

“The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this temple,

His hands shall also finish it.”Zech. 4:9

 

The one who began the work, would be the one to finish it.

“And he shall bring forth the capstone

       With shouts of ‘Grace, grace to it!’” Zech 4:7

 

This would indeed be a work of Grace, founded on Grace and triumphantly finished by Grace. The Temple in Jerusalem was finished in spite of all the difficulties and it stood, as did the first Temple and the Tabernacle before it, as  prophetic witnesses to the ultimate Temple ‘not made with hands.’ (Acts 17:24).

Jesus is building a Temple – a Living Temple made with ‘living stones’; (1 Peter 2; 4,5) Jesus Christ being the ‘chief cornerstone.’(1 Peter 2:6, 7; Ephesians 2:20). It is a ‘habitation of God in the Spirit.’ (Ephesians 2:22). It is still under construction but will soon be finished. If you belong to Jesus, you are a living stone in this Temple. What a privilege! You need to be yielded to the Builder to be shaped and molded and ‘built together’ with other living stones. 

 Not the “might nor power” of Man can build this Temple, – but by My Spirit says the Lord of hosts.”  It is founded on Grace and every living stone is lovingly placed by the power of God’s amazing Grace.

Though the opposition of the enemy sometimes seems overwhelming, nothing will prevent Jesus from finishing this great work. Jesus’ has laid the foundation of this temple and His hands shall also  finish it’. Every obstacle to the work, the ‘great mountains…shall become a plain.” Jesus said “I will build My Church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” (Matthew 16:18). This Temple is to be the powerhouse of the Kingdom and the ‘gates of hell’ shall fall before it.

The Temple built under Zerubbabel was eventually completed.  It is said that some things which the First Temple [Solomon’s temple] had contained, were missing from the Second Temple, - The Ark and the Shekinah [Glory Presence], the Holy Fire, the Urim and Thummim [special stones of revelation] and the spirit of prophecy. These were to be restored in the Living Temple. They will be experienced in their full manifestation when the Living Temple is finished.

When the foundation of Zerubbabel’s Temple was laid, some of the old men wept, remembering the glory of Solomon’s Temple. The prophet Haggai assured that God was with them – this was all part of His plan; that, though this Temple was ‘as nothing’ compared to the former in their eyes, yet the glory of the latter house would be greater than the former. All nations would come to the ‘Desire of Nations’ and God would fill this Temple with glory. (Haggai 2:3-9)The Temple would be finished! Even so, the Temple Jesus is building will be completed and filled with the glory of God.

“And he shall bring forth the capstone

With shouts of ‘Grace, grace to it!’”

 

The end time revelation which brings the Living Temple to completion is a deeper revelation of Grace which comes with the understanding the finished work of Christ. There are those today whom God has raised up to preach these truths, essential to the Church in these challenging days. As has always been, there are those who oppose this new revelation, calling it ‘Hyper Grace’ and condemning those who preach it. They charge the Grace preachers with ‘giving people a license to sin.’ As someone quipped, “They can sin without a license.”

There is really no cause for concern. Those who have had a genuine revelation of the Grace of God have no wish to sin. Revelation changes people,

But we all with unveiled face, beholding, as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.” 2 Corinthians 3:18

 

Revelation accomplishes in the seeker, that which it reveals. This is the amazing principle of the Spirit of Grace. Seeing the great love of God, His holiness, His utter goodness, is what transforms us. It is seeing this by revelation of the Spirit of God, that leads us to repentance. (Romans 2:4)  Those who claim to be Christians who still have a desire to go on sinning, need to re-examine their experience. {2 Corinthians 13:5}. Teachers and preachers need to aim to bring revelation rather than major on ‘do’s’ and don’ts’. “The letter kills, but the Spirit gives life” (2 Corinthians 3:6).

The revelation of the finished work of Christ - of all that Grace has accomplished, will be the downfall of the enemy. 

 ‘What gives the enemy authority and power in the Earth? It is sin. The finished work of Christ with its immeasurable Grace shows that the sin of every person who ever lived has been paid for by the Cross. Jesus tasted death for everyone. (Hebrews 2:9). That doesn’t mean that they are automatically saved; they still have to ‘repent and believe’ but their sins have been paid for and are now a matter between them and God, not the Devil.  The enemy has no more legal authority in the Earth and no right to accuse anyone. He has no legal right to keep the people of the world in his grip. (1 John 5:19)The dominion that Man lost at the Fall has now been restored to redeemed Man. Satan is called the ‘Accuser of the Brethren’ (Revelation 12:10). In Revelation 12 we see him cast down from the authority which he exercises illegally. The Manchild of Revelation 12 is a generation of the ‘Seed of the Woman’ (Genesis 3:15). They are the end time Overcomers who have come into the revelation of the finished work of Christ and are thereby able to exercise Kingdom authority over the Accuser.

The finishing stone – the Capstone of Grace is being prepared for the Living Temple. When it is finished the Shekinah will flood out from the Most Holy Place. The Veil which represents all the sin that has separated Man and God is gone along with the revelation that there is nothing between God and His people. The Holy Fire of the Spirit will ignite the hearts of God’s people and the spirit of prophecy will bring unprecedented revelation. The Holy Spirit will do His work of convicting and convincing and healing love will flow. It will be known and seen that God is in His Holy Temple. This is the Temple before which the ‘gates of hell’ will fall.  It will soon be finished. - ..’the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.’  Eph. 1:22.23 “The measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ…”.Ephesians 4:13