6 June 2010: It's has been quite amazing for the past week to just sit back and witness the events off the coast of Israel, events which have caused many to suddenly forget about the much written about impending war between Israel and the "inner ring" of Arab Islamic enemies surrounding her.
It seems the whole world has now shifted its collective focus onto a resurgent Islamist Turkey, mind you a nation which is still a full member in good standing of the US/European NATO military alliance, and the potential for a military confrontation between Israel and Turkey. This theme has gone so far as to cause many gentiles to fawn over a group of Rabbis who think these events off Israel's coastline are a foreshadowing of Ezekiel's prophesied battle of Gog/Magog.
I, for one, am not buying into this newspaper exegesis. The prophetic Word of God reveals the truth of the matter, key verses coming from the prophet Daniel as imparted to him by the angel Gabriel, re-iterated in detail by the Lord Jesus Christ, spoken off by the Holy Spirit-filled Apostle Paul and end-capped by God the father Himself to Christ and to John on Patmos in the Revelation of Jesus Christ. These prophetic words, discussed at length on this blog, are what is true and what ultimately must take place.
It seems to me that Israel's blockade and quarantine of Gaza is militarily and diplomatically untenable in the long-term with an anticipated intervention in these blockade-running events by both Turkey's armed forces and the Islamic Republic of Iran's IRGC regular forces. A simple and quite possibly very necessary solution would be for Israel to send in the IDF to eliminate Hamas and the terrorist infrastructure and re-impose Israeli sovereignty over the whole of the Gaza Strip. Any foreign intervention thereafter in Gaza would be considered as an act of war under international law. Such an Israeli action could also very well precipitate the final act of the Psalm 83 war, wherein the Arab League determines to invoke its "final solution" upon Israel, as it originally attempted during 1947/48.
However, there remains the question of the eschatology of the Jews and the sequence of the events they believe will transpire leading up to the arrival of their Mashiach. Also as discussed earlier on this blog, a key prophecy in this vein as far as the Bride of Christ is concerned is that given before the Jews at the sheep gate pool, Bethesda, in Jerusalem by the Lord Jesus Christ. He said, "I am come in my Father's name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive." (John 5:43)
It is to this errant Jewish eschatological view that I address, for the sake of our awareness, the remainder of this blog entry with some studied observations.
The Third Temple MUST be erected on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem.
Between now and then, the whole of Jerusalem and the Temple Mount will remain under full Israeli sovereignty until the mid-point of Daniel's 70th Week when the "abomination that makes desolate is set up" by the False Prophet specifically for the worship of "the Lawless One", the Antichrist, who will have suffered a mortal head wound (assassination attempt?) and yet will live, re-animated by the Satanic demon Apollyon/Abaddon.
From that the specific point of the setting up the abomination and the end of the daily sacrifice forward to 42 months, all of Jerusalem and the outer-court of the Temple will be over-taken by the Antichrist and trod underfoot by Gentiles. This is to say that the Antichrist, the one whom many of the Jews will accept as their long-awaited Mashiach, a man who must be of the line of David for the Jews to accept him, and hence his Jewish title "Mashiach ben David;" is the man who comes in his own name as prophesied by our Lord Jesus Christ. This false messiah will have under his sovereign control at this point the both the city of Jerusalem and the Temple on the Mount, while the outer court will be under the control of the gentiles, "the people of the prince" - the Romans - the population from which Antichrist will arise in the near future. (Daniel 12:11 & Matthew 24:15-32)
Clearly, the prophetic Word of God says nothing about the division of Jerusalem or of the Temple Mount until that point at the middle of Daniel's 70th Week. The modern State of Israel shall not lose, relinquish or cede control of Jerusalem or any portion of Temple Mount between right now and that point in the middle of Daniel's 70th Week. These places are freely taken from Israel by the "people of the prince," the Beast, and the False Prophet. Coming events will make these things increasingly clear as prophecy is fulfilled regarding Psalm 83, Isaiah 17, Zechariah 9, Joshua 13, among others, while we are en route to Daniel's 70th Week.
Given recent events, there are some who propose that President Obama might be the Antichrist. I believe that Obama cannot be the Antichrist. He is not, from our Biblical perspective, a descendant of the "people of the prince," nor can he be accepted by the Jews (as prophesied by Jesus Christ) simply because he is not of the lineage of King David, via King Solomon's progeny from the Jewish eschatological perspective. In fact, Obama does not even qualify to be the immediate predecessor false and pseudo-messiah the Jews are awaiting, the one known as Mashiach ben Yosef. The Jews believe this Mashiach ben Yosef will lead Israel militarily and ultimately is prophesied to die in the Battle of Gog/Magog (Ezekiel 38/39), which itself is a major event immediately preceeding the Messianic Redemption of Israel. Make note here that this Mashiach ben Yosef will be a man who is a descendent of the 10 northen tribes of Israel, the tribes of Joseph, and not of the Tribe of Judah, and therefore not of the lineage of Kings David and Solomon.
The Jews believe that following Mashiach ben Joseph's death during the Ezekiel 38/39 Gog/Magog battle Mashiach ben David (the Antichrist) will rise up and will lead the rebuilding of the Third Temple. Rebuilding of this Temple is one of the key items that Jews await, it is rebuilding of the Temple which serves to point to this man as being the Jews long-awaited Mashiach and their final redemption. We know differently, yet this is what the majority of Judaism believes and fully expects will take place in the near future.
As an addendum to the above blog entry, I'm including the following comments as culled from a private email sent out a short while ago regarding some comments and questions posed. Redactions are necessary at this time.
ReplyDelete--
In John 5 Jesus was clearly speaking to the Jews in general, those Jews gathered at Bethesda's sheep gate pool in Jerusalem who wanted to kill Him due to his actions and words taken on that Sabbath day. They did not know the time of their visitation, yet they wanted to kill the incarnate God of the fathers. The Jews, in general, of that day and to this very day are under the Lord's Covenant of Moab - they have imperceptaible hearts, blind eyes anddeaf ears to the Gospel, to the Truth. The Lord's prophetic accusation in John 5:43 appplied to the Jews in general in the same manner as Paul's inspired words in Romans 11 are applicable to the Jews in general.
Therefore, the Word of God does say that the Antichrist, the man we know from prophecy who will be the false "messiah, son of David" will be received by the Jews. Israel's population at the start of Daniel's 70th Week will be in the several millions. However, in The Revelation of Jesus Christ our God the Father says only 144,000, representing all 12 tribes of Israel, will go out preaching the Gospel. 144,000 our of several millions? This is "all Israel" being saved per Paul in Romans 11? Those 12 tribes literally are composed of the 12 tribes of Israel from Yosef(Joseph) (the lost ancient northern kingdom of Israel and from Judah. This precisely concur with the prophecy of Ezekiel 37 regarding the tribal make-up of Israel in the present time, and during Daniel's 70th Week. So, yes, what Paul says in Romans 11 is 100% consistent with the Word of God in Revelation regarding the 144,000 and Ezekiel 39:29 where God shall have poured out His Spirit on the house of Israel.
There is nothing in The Word about Israel standing in oppostition or in rejection of the "Covenant among many." On the contrary, the prophetic Word of God says Israel will receive the Beast and accept his covenant among many, and most importantly, allow him access to the Temple. Since when, and particularly in that coming day would religious Jews, such as the Sanhedrin allow a gentile access to the Temple Mount not to mention the interior of the holiest place within theTemple sanctuary itself? This is the truth as it is written in Daniel 11:45, this Beast, the Lawless one, freely establishes his palatial headquarters between the seas (Dead and Mediterranean) on the Temple mount. This occurs prior to the Abomination of Desolation.
Continuing from the above...
ReplyDelete... you ask where does that statement of mine come from? It comes from what i have learned in reading the eschatological works of the Jews themselves, from the teachings of Orthodox rabbis of the Chabad-Lubavitch worldwide organization in their online, very searchable "Knowledge Base."
From an article within that knowledge base by Naftali Silberberg entitled "The Battle of Gog and Magog" come these quotes:
"The defeat of Gog and Magog will precipitate the Messianic Redemption."
"According to (Jewish) tradition, the central personality in this war is Moshiach ben Yosef—Moshiach of the tribe of Joseph. Jewish tradition speaks of two redeemers, each one called Moshiach. Both are involved in ushering in the Messianic Era. They are Moshiach ben David and Moshiach ben Yosef. (The unqualified term "Moshiach," however, belongs exclusively to Moshiach ben David, the ultimate redeemer.)"
"Moshiach ben Yosef will be killed in the war against Gog and Magog. Again, it is unclear whether the death will be in physical battle, or as a result of the spiritual battles which he will wage against the forces of evil. Either way, the prophet Zechariah (12:10) describes the national mourning that will follow his death."
"According to certain sources, Moshiach be Yosef will serve as Moshiach ben David's viceroy. Thus finally bringing to an end the schism between the northern Ten Tribes, which were ruled by Joseph's descendants, and the Kingdom of Judea, which was ruled by the Davidic dynasty."
In these quotes, the prophetic truth of Ezekiel 37 is hinted at and danced around, but being under the Moabite Covenant the Jewish interpretation of the prophecy is fundamentally flawed.
continuing...
ReplyDeleteA more detailed expose spells this messiah's name as "Moshiach ben Yossef" and specifically identifies him as coming from the tribe of Ephraim (Mashiach ben Ephrayim). Various Jewish sources attribute to this "messiah ben Joseph" certain tasks, such as gathering of the exiles in diaspora and the rebuilding of the Bet Hamikdash, the Third Temple, and a few other things.
More quotes:
"The essential task of Mashiach ben Yossef is to act as precursor to Mashiach ben David: he will prepare the world for the coming of the final redeemer."
(Name redacted), you are particularly going to be interested in this next quote for the obvious (redacted) related reason:
"The principal and final function ascribed to Mashiach ben Yossef is of political and military nature. He shall wage war against the forces of evil that oppress Israel. More specifically, he will do battle against Edom, the descendants of Esau.5 Edom is the comprehensive designation of the enemies of Israel, and it will be crushed through the progeny of Joseph. Thus it was prophesied of old, "The House of Jacob will be a fire and the House of Joseph a flame, and the House of Esau for stubble.." (Obadiah 1:18): "the progeny of Esau shall be delivered only into the hands of the progeny of Joseph.""
This begs the question, from what tribe does current Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu descend? It might be interesting to know. See Genesis 30:23 regarding the prophetic implications of the coming final conflict between the descendants of Joseph and Esau.
Now, regarding the furture death of Mashiach ben Yosef, the Jews believe...
"His (Mashiach ben Yosef's) death will be followed by a period of great calamities. These new tribulations shall be the final test for Israel, and shortly thereafter Mashiach ben David shall come, avenge his death, resurrect him, and inaugurate the Messianic era of everlasting peace and bliss."
So, through this we may strongly infer that the Jews believe that Mashiach ben Yosef will be revealed in the warfare of coming Psalm 83 war.
One very important final note from what I've learned through this research. The Jews believe that the final messiah, Mashiach ben David, will be just a man, not God nor God Incarnate. The Jews rejection of him (the false Mashiach ben David) will occur at the Abomination of Desolation event in the middle of Daniel's 70th Week when he declares himself to be God and the false prophet kills all who will not worship his idol stood up in the Holy Place of the Temple.
hartdawg,
ReplyDeleteWithout question both of the 'last days' messiah's the Jews are anticipating are merely Jewish men.
The first is a precursor redeemer, Mashiach ben Yosef, the 10 northen tribes of Joseph, i.e. those tribes taken and dispersed in the Assyrian conquest, and he will be a Jewish man from the tribe of Ephraim (Mashiach ben Ephrayim).
The second and true redeemer as expected ONLY by the Jews, will merely be be a Jewish man from the Davidic, via Solomon, line of Judah.
The Jews tenaciously have held onto this erroneous interpretive belief because they remain under the key provision of the Covenant given in Moab and are incapable of correctly interpreting or understanding prohetic Scripture.
The specific verse explaining this Coventant condition is Deuteronomy 29:4
"Yet the LORD has not given you a heart to perceive and eyes to see and ears to hear, to this very day."
This key verse is referenced by David in Psalm 69:22-23, by Isaiah 29:10 and by paul in Romans 11:8, with the whole of Romans 11 providing complete context to this subject.
To this very day the Jews believe erroneously and will continue to do so until the Lord pours out His Spirit upon them sometime between the end of the Battle of Gog/Magog and the commencement of Daniel's 70th Week.
Related news. Jewish anti-Messianic activists and Messianic Jewish missionaries have been in conflict for some time.
ReplyDeleteHere is a news item from INN regarding anti-Messianic meddling and alleged Messianic Jewish violence against them:
Messianic Group Loses Court Case
This must read report is linked in the above INN news item, but I am adding the direct link here just for good measure. It's a very good glimpse at how some Jews look upon the Bride of Christ.
ReplyDeletePublished: 05/28/10, 1:29 AM
A Close Look at 'Jews for Jesus'
Excerpt:
"Moshe Rosen, the Jewish convert to Christianity who founded the missionary group 'Jews for Jesus', died on May 19, 2010 in San Francisco after a prolonged battle with cancer. He was 78. His passing presents an opportunity to reflect on the devastating effect he had on Jewish lives.
LeCanadian wrote...
ReplyDelete"I have a question about the third temple, how can we be absolutely certain that the word is speaking of a real literal temple on temple mount?"
LeCanadian,
First things first, your linked reference to the false teachings of Joel Richardson (not his real name) has been removed from your post.
The reason is simple. I refuse to allow his false teachings and lunatic theories concerning the Word of God any reference on this blog. Joel's eisegetical musings border on blasphemy of the Holy Spirit, the only unpardonable sin. There no place for that kind of rubbish here.
As to your question... if a true believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, in whom the Holy Spirit indwells and provides guidance, does not accept the literal written Word of God then that presents a very serious problem, don't you think?
Put another way, how is it remotely posible that the Holy Spirit would deny what the Word of God clearly states about a Temple existing on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem during Daniel's 70th Week.
Search through this blog's entries and you will find I have covered many aspects of the coming Temple in detail. That this Temple will literally exist is not a subject for debate because the Word of God declares it will be so.
On another note, why is it necessary for you to be "absolutely certain" about the Third Temple?
Do you plan to be here to see it, or will you be with the rest of the Bride of Christ caught up prior to the Temple's construction in the Harpazo?
We will not be here to see the Temple, or the Two Witnesses. nor the 144,000, nor the Tribulation Saints, nor the antichrist nor his false prophet.
I know for a fact that Mr. Richardson does not believe that. He believes in a literal temple. The post that lecanadian linked to was posted in a forum.
ReplyDeleteBut to lecanadian's question, what scripture references can we use to prove a literal temple is in view?
2 thess the 2nd chapter, matt chapter 24, rev 11 for starters.
ReplyDeletei looked at joel richardsons book and it only took a few minutes to recognize scripture twisting at its finest. i`m no authority but i recommend listening to people who have been attested by God. such people include dr reagan, hal lindsey, grant jeffreys and tim lehay to name a few.
ReplyDeleteThis sort of confusion arises because Covenant Theology’s allegorical interpretation of prophecy cannot recognise two separate entities of Israel and The Church. They see Israel as the church in the O.T. and the church as Israel in the N.T.
ReplyDeleteIsrael consists of a chosen people called out of the gentile nations by God named Jews or Israelites. Israel is the presently divorced WIFE of Jehovah. Their temple is built of stone into which the antichrist will set up an idol to himself and seek to change the Jewish laws and feasts.
The Church consists of both Jew and Gentiles saved by faith in Christ and baptized into One Body by the Holy Spirit. The Church is called the BRIDE of Jesus Christ, engaged to be married not yet wed. The Church is also known as the Temple of The Holy Spirit which is a building of LIVING stones.
Sue
I know of some dispensational churches that teach that the temple in rev 11 is not physical too, so it is not just covenant theology (I don't agree with everything in that theology but they make some points sometimes).
ReplyDeleteWell it is not a required doctrine anyway so I guess it is something people should decide for themselves after they study.
mike thanks for that link it is good to study other opinions on these matters. Just when I think i have it figured out there is more to learn!
ReplyDeleteexpected, I believe the church is the bride too but where do we find it? When I read of the lamb's wife (the wife of Jesus) it has the names of the 12 tribes of Israel??
ReplyDeleteRevelation 21:9-12 "And there came unto me one of the seven angels... saying, come hither, and I will shew thee the bride, THE LAMB'S WIFE. And he ... shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem ... which had a wall great and high, and twelve gates... and names written thereon which are the names of THE TWELVE TRIBES OF ISRAEL."
This seems to say the bride is Israel, no?
LeCanadian said “…This seems to say the bride is Israel, no?
ReplyDeleteI have to be brief, so my answer is ‘Non’! :)
The dispensationalist’s you mention e.g. those of Premill. Covenant Theology only part company with Covenant Theology over one verse in Revelation and a feeble one in Peter; otherwise they follow C.T. interpretation. They do a mix of ‘linen and wool’ and therefore come up with ‘unclean’ interpretation.
Sorry I cannot take any longer on this but suggest you read “Footsteps of the Messiah” and “Israelology – The Missing Link in Systematic Theology” by Dr.Arnold Fruchtenbaum of ‘Ariel’ Ministries if you are seriously seeking to understand this important issue.
God bless
Sue
Mike,
ReplyDeleteYou might be correct on Joel's view regarding the literalness of the coming 3rd Temple. I've not seen any direct reference on this issue from him.
The cited quote was posted to Joel's forum by one of his ardent followers - Mitchell. Mitchell was long ago banned from posting comments to this blog due to precisely that kind of diametrically opposed to the Word of God rubbish.
The link you posted above is Mitchell's anonymous screen name "In Christ Alone."
I will be removing that link shortly.
On June 15, 2010 6:05 PM Mike wrote:
ReplyDelete"hartdawg, I think the argument was from the thread here:
(Link redacted)
That link doesn't mention the temple in Rev 11, but one thing I've always wondered is why is John told to "measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein"? I'm sure that an entire word study could be done on just the word "measure", but let's look at "temple" instead:
* The very first time we find the word "temple" in Revelation is in 3:12a regarding the Church in Philadelphia when Christ says, "He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go out no more." For one to be made a pillar in the temple it must mean that the temple in view here is not one made of stone, but one that is made of people.
* Lampstands/candlesticks were items that were found in the temple in the Old Testament, yet John shows us that this time the lampstands/candlesticks in the temple are represented by the two witnesses (11:4), which again could indicate that the temple in view is not of stone, but of people.
* In the Old Testament, a priest was one who served within the physical temple of God. In Rev 1:6 and 5:10 we are told that anyone who has been washed by the blood of the Christ is a priest, and the Christian understanding of this "temple" imagery is that the "priests" serve among the people of God, not within a "structure".
This of course reminds me of Ephesians 2:19-22, which says, "Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief corner[stone], in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit."
With this in mind, some say that it would therefore stand to reason that when John speaks of the temple being trampled on in chapter 11 that he is referring to God's people, and not a physical third temple per se built in Jerusalem."
The Temple of Revelation 11 is the same Temple discussed in Ezekiel 40 and onwards. It is a real, physical Temple with real phyiscal dimensions, real phycial gates and points of entry, Vestibule, Side Chambers, walls, an Inner Court, an Outer Court, The Holy Place and the Holy of Holies, chambers for the singers and priets, and a place for the preparation of the Daily Sacrifice.
ReplyDeleteThe coming 3rd Temple is a "real deal" literal physical structure. Period.
You make the claim that the Third Temple Must be built on the present Temple Mount.
ReplyDeleteAccording to Zechariah 14:6-9 on the day of the Lord’s return an earthquake will split the Mt. of Olives in two along an East-West line that creates a great valley through the center of Jerusalem. Immediately a river will fill the valley creating a waterway from the Mediterranean to the Dead Sea.
Remember that this earthquake splits the Mount of Olives in two and divides Jerusalem into 3 sections.
If the Lord returns to the same area of the Mt. of Olives from which He left, as suggested by Acts 1:11, the earthquake creating this East-West valley will destroy the current Temple mount and anything that may be standing upon it.
Ezekiel 47:1-12 describes a great river flowing from under the south side of the Temple and then eastward to the Dead Sea during a period of time that most scholars believe has not occurred yet. Revelation 22:1-2 confirms this. If as it appears, Ezekiel, Zechariah, and Revelation all describe the same river.
This scenario requires a Temple to be present on the day the Lord returns, but since the current Temple mount will have been destroyed by the earthquake mentioned above, this Temple must be somewhere else. Since the river originates under the Temple and flows from its south side before heading East and West, the Temple must be north of the newly created river valley.
I believe it will be built north of Jerusalem in Shiloh according to the dimensions given by Ezekiel.
Tom,
ReplyDeleteThere's zero Biblical evidence to locate the 3rd Temple anywhere but in Jerusalem.
Additionally:
The Tribulation (3rd) Temple is not the Millenium Temple (Ezekiel's Temple) because it is destined for destruction in the great earthquake.
There is no "if" about the Lord's second coming occuring at the Mount of Olives.
If your claim is correct about the 3rd Temple being in Shiloh, then why has it not already been built and placed in worship services at some point during the past 31 years?
Anonymous wrote:
ReplyDelete"The point of any good writer is to give the reader enough information on a given subject leading them to come up with their own conclusion and not to reply simply on your interpretation."
This is a blog. My blog, and thus it primarily reflects my beliefs regarding Biblical eschatology, or those who I am in agreement with in those beliefs.
No one is obligated to accept what I write herein, all are free to decide for themselves what they do or don't accept as valid interpretation of prophetic Scripture.
"Many of your articles, especially those concerning prophetic events are short and to the point, leaving the reader no choice but to accept your conclusion."
Each reader has a God-given mind and intellect with the ability to research various subjects for themselves. Therefore, my echatological conclusions are irrelevant.
Apparently "Anonymous" you have little regard for the readers of this blog to think them mindless robots incapable of being Bereans in determining what they believe or don't believe, or what prophetic interpretation they accept or dismiss.