According to the Bible, a third Jewish temple, often known as the “tribulation temple,” must be built on the 35-acre Temple Mount in Jerusalem. The first Jewish temple was the stunning Solomonic Temple which was destroyed in 586 BC by the Babylonians. The second temple was built by Zerubbabel and greatly embellished by Herod the Great. It was reduced to rubble in AD 70 by the Romans.
The Bible indicates in at least four places that the Jewish people will rebuild a third temple structure on the temple mount in the end times.
Daniel 9:27 “And he [Antichrist] will make a firm covenant with the many for one week, but in the middle of the week he will put a stop to sacrifice and grain offering.”
Matthew 24:15 “Therefore, when you see the Abomination of Desolation which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place.”
2 Thessalonians 2:4 “who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God.”
Revelation 11:1-2 “And there was given to me a measuring rod like a staff; and someone said, ‘Rise and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and those who worship in it. And leave out the court which is outside the temple, and do not measure it, for it has been given to the nations; and they will tread under foot the holy city for forty-two months.”
How this temple can be rebuilt is one of the thorniest problems in all of Bible prophecy. How can the Jews rebuild their temple with the Dome of the Rock and the Al-Aqsa mosque sitting there? Many solutions to this problem have been proposed. But never forget that before 1948 people thought it was impossible for the Jewish people to ever be restored to their ancient homeland. Yet, today almost 40 percent of the Jews in the world now live in Israel, and incredibly almost two-thirds of them now want to see the Temple rebuilt.
Ynet news reported the startling findings of a new poll about the temple on July 30, 2009. The poll asked respondents whether they wanted to see the Temple rebuilt. “Sixty-four percent responded favorably, while 36% said no. An analysis of the answers showed that not only the ultra-Orthodox and the religious look forward to the rebuilding of the Temple (100% and 97% respectively), but also the traditional public (91%) and many seculars – 47%. . . . The Temple was destroyed 1,942 years ago, and almost two-thirds of the population want to see it rebuilt, including 47% of seculars.”
This ground swell of support for a third Jewish temple is a key sign of the times. For years groups like the Temple Mount Faithful and others have championed and even made preparations for the rebuilding of the temple but broad public support seemed woefully lacking. That appears to have drastically changed. The temple must be in place during the tribulation period for the Antichrist to take his seat in it and defile it and for sacrifices to be reinstituted. While no one know when it will be rebuilt or how it will be accomplished, the stage setting for its appearance continues to fall into place.
#1 by Steve Thomas on December 1st, 2009
How long to rebuild? Does construction need to start prior to the Rapture? Also, how does a time of “peace and safety” (1 Thess. 5:3) figure in today’s world events? Does that speak to the time of the Rapture?
#2 by Stephanie on February 2nd, 2010
Hi, Mark
I just read this article on CNN Money. Is there any truth to this?
http://money.cnn.com/news/newsfeeds/articles/marketwire/0581861.htm
http://kintimining.webs.com/
http://temple-now-project.intuitwebsites.com/about.html
It is about starting plans and going forward to build the Temple.
Thank you!
#3 by George Klassen on February 17th, 2010
Hi Mark
I believe that an agreement will be reached between the nation of Israel and others to permit the rebuilding of the Temple immediately next to the mosque and adjacent to the “wailing wall”. I believe the timing willbe immediately before the tribulation period and will perhaps be an actual part of the agreement the “anti Christ” makes with Israel for peace at the beginning of that 7 year period we call “the tribulation”. What do you think??
#4 by Collin Sadler on February 21st, 2010
(First of all, please all being slight off-topic with my Daniel 9 specific comment as follows:)
Dear Mark,
I noted your appearance in a History Channel interview regarding the 70 shibiym/shabuwa of Daniel. Where the great expositors came up without a fulfillment, for they had not lived in the days approximate to 1948 per the words being shut up and sealed until the time of the end” (12:4 & 9), it’s unfortunate that you promulgated the error of commentators with less integrity.
In addition, please consider that where scripture says “seven”; and “sixty-two”; you repeated the false contortion of ~sixty-nine~, — for which Newton said does “violence” to scripture.
Equally, (per Young), where the feminine gender text is concise, (i.e., 70 sevens = 490), the masculine gender is inconcise, (i.e., 70 shibiym ≠ 490). — Please note the distinction is analogous to a “cool” car, which is NOT a depressed thermal gradient, requiring neither hat, coat, nor gloves.
Please allow me to ask if you’ve considered a fulfillment which meets:
1. the “time of the end”
2. the masculine shibiym/shabuwa
3. an “anointed one” (small “a”) after the seven
4. an “anointed one” (small “a”) after the sixty-two
5. the ~Solomon~ confirmation (biyn) in the “books”, (i.e., per the prophetic Psalms)
6. the “word” as NOT from a man, but rather from GOD.
7. the correct fulfillment per the 9:2 “years” AND the 9:24-27 shibiym/shabuwa
With Best Regards,
#5 by Collin Sadler on February 21st, 2010
(Please forgive this slight off-aspect to the above cited prophecy of Daniel.)
Dear Mark,
I noted your appearance in a History Channel interview regarding the 70 shibiym/shabuwa of Daniel. Where the great expositors came up without a fulfillment, for they had not lived in the days approximate to 1948 per the words being shut up and sealed until the time of the end” (12:4 & 9), it’s unfortunate that you promulgated the error of commentators with less integrity.
In addition, please consider that where scripture says “seven”; and “sixty-two”; you repeated the false contortion of ~sixty-nine~, — for which Newton said does “violence” to scripture.
Equally, (per Young), where the feminine gender text is concise, (i.e., 70 sevens = 490), the masculine gender is inconcise, (i.e., 70 shibiym ≠ 490). — Please note the distinction is analogous to a “cool” car, which is NOT a depressed thermal gradient, requiring neither hat, coat, nor gloves.
Please allow me to ask if you’ve considered a fulfillment which meets:
1. the “time of the end”
2. the masculine shibiym/shabuwa
3. an “anointed one” (small “a”) after the seven
4. an “anointed one” (small “a”) after the sixty-two
5. the ~Solomon~ confirmation (biyn) in the “books”, (i.e., per the prophetic Psalms)
6. the “word” as NOT from a man, but rather from GOD.
7. the correct fulfillment per the 9:2 “years” AND the 9:24-27 shibiym/shabuwa
With Best Regards
#6 by Collin Sadler on February 21st, 2010
Oops, — didn’t see the “moderation” note, and thought the post might have been dropped!
C. Sadler
#7 by CAROLINE REICHE on June 1st, 2010
DEAR MARK
I HOPE AND PRAY YOU DO NOT BELIEVE IN THE RAPTURE THEORY. THAT ALL THROUGH THE MAJOR PROPHETS AND MINOR PROPHETS SPEAKS ABOUT ONE DAY OF THE LORD JESUS SHALL DESCEND ON A WHITE HORSE AS A MIGHTY WARRIOR READY TO MAKE WAR AGAINST THE DEVIL AND PUT HIM AWAY FOR A THOUSAND YEARS WHICH IS ONLY ONE DAY WITH THE LORD. ABOUT 15 YEARS AGO GOD SPOKE TO ME IN MY DREAMS TO TELL PEOPLE TO READ MATTHEW 24 WHICH IS ABOUT THE LAST DAYS. JESUS NEVER ONCE SAID THAT WE WILL ESCAPE TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS — JESUS TELLS US WE WILL BE HATED AND KILLED FOR HIS NAME SAKE AND I REPLY BRING IT ON JESUS I AM READY TO DIE FOR THY NAME SAKE. EVEN THE ANGELS TOLD THE DISCIPLES WHY ARE YOU STILL GAZING UP THE SAME JESUS SHALL DESCEND AS HE ASCENDED. AND JESUS MENTIONS WHEN HE RETURNS THE STARS SHALL FALL AND THERE WILL BE NO NEED FOR THE SUN AND MOON BECAUSE JESUS IS THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD. I BELIEVE IT’S THE COWARDLY CHRISTIANS THAT ARE HOPING TO BE RAPTURED. JESUS DID TELL US TO WATCH AND PRAY AND KEEP MINISTERING THE GOSPEL OF JESUS AND TO LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL OUR HEART WITH ALL OUR SOUL AND WITH ALL OUR STRENGTH AND TO LOVE ONE ANOTHER AS WE LOVE OURSELVES. A WOMEN INSTRUCTED ME TO ALWAYS PRAY TO OUR HEAVENLY FATHER IN JESUS NAME FOR THE HOLY SPIRIT TO TEACH ME THE TRUE TEACHING OF MY LORD JESUS CHRIST AND ASK FOR WISDOM AND MORE FAITH IN THE WORD OF OUR FATHER WHICH IS QUICK AND POWERFUL TWO EDGED SWORD DIVIDING SOUL AND SPIRIT PIERCING INTO JOINTS AND MARROW INTO THE INTENTS OF OUR HEART INTO THE INTEND OF OUR THOUGHTS. PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF YOU BELIEVE IN THE RAPTURE.
LOVE IN CHRIST JESUS
#8 by CAROLINE REICHE on June 1st, 2010
#9 by M. GERALDINE REYES on January 4th, 2011
I believe the Jewish 3rd temple will be built before the rapture…for the first three and a half years the Jews will be reinstituting the temple rituals practised during Solomon’s reign, and it will be disallowed by the Anti-Christ who will sit on the throne of the temple and declare himself to be god….In these present times (Grace Period), Jews are willing to reinstitute the temple sacrifices if the third temple would be built…which means, they would continue doing so in the rebuilt third temple until they are stopped by the Anti-Christ