Today is a “day of mourning” over the destruction of the first and second Jewish temples (Temple of Solomon and Temple of Herod – a rennovation of the 2nd Temple of Zerubbabel and Haggai). Both temples were destroyed on this day – the 9th day of the Jewish month of AV. Thousands of Jews will gather today at the Wailing Wall (the Western Wall of the Temple Mount) – many prayers will be given to the LORD GOD of Israel for the rebuilding of the Jewish Temple.
About 100 yards from the Wailing Wall one can find the Temple Institute where items and materials for the Temple have been made and prepared. The identity and survival of the Jewish people is connected with the building of the Temple. The Temple was the place for worship, prayer, teaching, and celebration. There is only one place to put the Temple – on the Temple Mount which King David purchased from Aravnah the Jebusite (II Samuel 24). It belongs to the Jews, not Muslims (who also lay claim to the Temple Mount, insisting that the prophet Mohammed ascended to heaven from this Mount – it is the location of the Dome of the Rock and the Al Aqsa Mosque and recent construction of a third mosque to handle many more Muslims for worship on their sacred day – Friday).
Zechariah 6:12-13 clearly teaches that there is One coming Who will build the Temple – He is called “THE BRANCH” – Isaiah 11:1 says He comes from the line of Jesse, the father of King David. Jeremiah 23:5-6 speaks of this coming BRANCH as “The LORD our righteousness.” Zechariah says that He will be a KING that will sit on the throne of David as well as HIGH PRIEST. As Zerubbabel was in the direct line of King David, and Joshua in the direct line of Zadok – this coming One will be all that the Bible predicts – and He will be the One Who not only will build the most magnificent Temple in the history of the world – exalting it on the Mount – far above all other hills and mountains (Isaiah 2 and Micah 4), but the Bible teaches that ALL NATIONS will come to this Messianic Temple (Jews call the “THIRD TEMPLE”) to worship the LORD (Psalm 66:4; Isaiah 66:23; Zechariah 14:16).
May the hearts of all those gathered at the Wailing Wall this week truly look to the Messiah as their only hope of salvation, peace, and the building of this promised TEMPLE on the TEMPLE MOUNT!
In the meantime, as we wait for that promised Day to come (the return of the Messiah of Israel), we must cope with the problems of terrorism and the Islamic goal of annihilating the Nation of Israel. Even if this present conflict ends soon (our hope and prayer!), the Bible predicts further trouble for the Jewish people – Jeremiah 30:7-11. Our Lord YESHUA predicted “GREAT TRIBULATION” – the worst ever in the history of the world! It is in our immediate future! The Bible also warns us that there will be an attempt to build the TEMPLE without the Messiah or as some say now – in order to receive the Messiah! It will apparently be a part of an “enforced” peace agreement by world leaders (Daniel 9:27) and will experience the coming of a false Messiah – ANTICHRIST – who will enter a rebuilt Jewish temple and demand that he be worshipped – this event (called the “abomination of desolation”) will trigger the worldwide persecution of Israel. Revelation 11 also speaks of a rebuilt Temple on the Temple Mount and that it will share that location with Gentiles during the coming Tribulation (Revelation 11:1-2).
The answer to the problems of the Middle East is the return of the MESSIAH of ISRAEL, the true PRINCE of PEACE (Isaiah 9:6-7) – may He come SOON!
