The phrase "the temple of the God" occurs some six times in the
NT with 2Thess. 2:4 and Rev. 11:1 being two of those occurrences that
are in and of themselves prophecy by context. Therefore, the
correct interpretation (God or
god) of these two said prophetic Passages must rest upon a meaning
that will neither contradict nor compromise any other Biblical Passages.
Therefore, as stated the two most commonly cited Passages insisted upon
to prove that a third Jewish Holy Temple under the direction and
ownership of God is to be reconstructed BEFORE the Second Coming of
Yeshua Jesus are 2Thess. 2:4, and Rev. 11:1.
2 Thessalonians 2:4 (KJV)
4 Who opposeth and exalteth
himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he
as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.
Revelation 11:1 (KJV)
1 And there was given me a
reed like unto a rod: and the angel stood, saying, Rise, and measure the
temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein.
As such, it is then supposed that in the middle of an alleged coming 7
years of Tribulation that the man Anti-Christ will break his 7 years
peace covenant with the nation of Israel and the Jewish people, in the
middle of Daniels 70th Week, and enter into the Holy Temple of Yahweh
God and declare himself to be God.
To this end,
can we then Scripturally prove that "the Temple of the God" references
of 2Thess. 2:4, and Rev. 11:1 are literally referring to a future
reconstructed Jewish Temple - The Holy Temple of Yahweh God?
In addition, does Matt. 24:15 actually refer to the Holy Temple of God?
Matthew 24:15 (KJV)
15 When ye therefore shall
see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet,
stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:)
Matthew 24:15 refers to a "Holy Place or location" (greek
topos #5117) which could
easily be understood as Holy Jerusalem, the Holy Temple Mt., or simply a
Holy Place...it does not by any means mandate a Holy Jewish Temple of
Yahweh God... Why?
If Yeshua Jesus was the perfect and final sacrifice (Heb.
9:11-14), then how could God accept and recognize another HOLY Temple
with temple sacrifices for sin?
Moreover, as any serious student of the Word knows the original Greek
Texts had no capitalization nor punctuation - that was added much later
by Manuscript translators.
Thus, are the prophetic "Temple of the God" references pointing to a
Holy Jewish "Temple of God" or to a pagan "temple of god"?
We must remember that in Rev.
11:1 it is an angel of God that tells John it is "the temple of the
god". Once again, if God
recognizes another Holy Temple of God after tearing down His former Holy
Temple of God in 70 A.D., then this puts the Cross of Christ to an open
shame (Heb. 10:1-18) and would be an abomination.
Meanwhile, it is indeed true that both 2Thess. 2:4 and Rev. 11:1 each
have the same phraseology of "the temple of the God/god".
However, it cannot be validated merely from the use of the Greek
definite article "the" preceding the word God/god that God/god
used in these cited Passages is intended as the one True God or a pagan
god.
Why not? We also see this same Greek definite article "the"
used preceding the god(s) of Acts 7:43, 14:11, and 2 Cor. 4:4 which we
know are all pagan. gods. Thus, the mere presence or absence of a
Greek definite article does not provide an adequate basis for choosing
between "God" or "god" in translating "Theos"
in these particular Passages.
Meanwhile, the Greek naos of Rev. 11:1 does indeed suggest a
literal temple or shrine but John's mere measuring of this
naos structure by no means
substantiates that it is a Holy Temple of the only True God and not
simply a temple of a pagan god. As such, Matthew
24:15 simply reveals that the
pagan idol statue will stand in a Holy Place but does not venture so far
as to declare nor reveal that the idol itself will be in a
naos structure that is
likewise Holy...merely the fact that the standing
location of the idolatrous statue is
Holy and not the naos
structure itself.
Finally, once again would you suggest that the Temple of God referenced
in 2Thess. 2:4 and Rev. 11:1 is "OF" God in
the sense that God acknowledges ownership of this said third Temple? If
that be the case, as I stated earlier, this third Temple will be a
direct contradiction to the finished work of the Cross of Christ.
That being said, if we then insist that these two cited prophetic
Passages actually refer to a literal third Jewish Holy Temple of God
that is to be futuristically rebuilt in Jerusalem, with all of its
corresponding rites and sacrificial rituals - and this said Temple being
appropriated and sanctioned by God Himself, then it is only logical and
reasonable to request "specific" Scriptural validation for such a notion
seeing that there is seemingly a plethora of Biblical evidence that
would appear to be to the contrary...(i.e. Heb. 6:20; 8:13; 9:11-14;
10:9-10; et. al.).
Hebrews 6:20 (KJV)
20 Whither the forerunner
is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after
the order of Melchisedec.
Hebrews 9:8 (KJV)
8 The Holy Ghost this
signifying, that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made
manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing:
Hebrews 8:13 (KJV)
13 In that he saith, A new
covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and
waxeth old is ready to vanish away.
Hebrews 10:9 (KJV)
9 Then said he, Lo, I come
to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish
the second.
To this end, it is then also imperative that any cited evidential
Scriptures be allowed to speak for themselves and not be embellished nor
annotated by our own individual imaginations or IMO's...
Therefore, in invite you the reader to please cite the "specific"
Scriptures that declare a third Jewish Temple will indeed be
orchestrated and rebuilt by God in Jerusalem pre-Great Tribulation and
pre-Second Coming of Jesus (not
to be confused with the post second coming of Jesus - Millennial Temple),
that will both host and evidence all of the detailed declarations that
many insist upon in respect to an alleged Temple sacrificial system that
is only to be a MEMORIAL sacrificial system to Christ and His work of
the Cross.
Likewise it is equally fair to ask, what are the "specifically stated"
Passages that reveal the 144,000 Jews will actually be the ones who help
to turn significant numbers of Jews to God as a consequence of
a suggested coming revival in Israel before the onset of the Great
Tribulation? In addition, where are the Scriptures
that "specifically state" that God, Jesus, Enoch/Moses and Elijah
will be the chief architects of a supposedly new third Holy Temple of
Yahweh God that is to be reconstituted/reconstructed in Jerusalem that
will practice, as previously stated, "memorial" sacrifices unto Christ?
Therefore, in all kindness Scriptural FACTS only and not
personal IMO's will be most appreciated here.
What the misguided
Orthodox Jews may or may not attempt to build in the future has NO
impact whatsoever on Yeshua’s PERFECT and FINAL SACRIFICE.
YHWH will not accept ANY further Blood Atonement sacrifices for
sin prior to the Second Coming of Jesus.
Meanwhile, we now know for a fact that an Islamic Caliphate is in
development which declares that Jerusalem is to be its capital.
Thus, that being the case doesn't the Temple Mount in the Holy city of
Jerusalem already currently have "two" temples/sanctuaries to a pagan
"god" (i.e. Dome of the Rock and the Al-aqsa Mosque)?
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