Is a third Holy Temple in the works?

by Michael G. Mickey

(10-13-06)

With every passing day it's something new and exciting to report. In today's commentary I want to briefly discuss an Israel National News article of great significance to those of us watching for fulfillment of end times prophecy entitled "Synagogue Planned For Temple Mount, Hashemites to Add Minaret."

One of the facts we know concerning the Tribulation Period to come is the prophesied Antichrist, a prince or leader of Roman descent, at the midpoint of the seven-year Tribulation Period, is going to commit the abomination of desolation as described in Matthew 24:15-21:

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:)

Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains:

Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house:

Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes.

And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days!

But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day:

For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.

And what did Daniel, referred to in Matthew 24:15 above, say of this future event? Daniel 9:27 tells us:

And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.

The "he" spoken of above is the prophesied Antichrist to come. He is going to confirm a covenant of peace seven years in length between Israel and her enemies. Then, after 42 months pass of the 7-year plan have passed, he is going to commit the abomination of desolation. He will enter a third Holy Temple of the Jews that presently doesn't stand and end its religious practices. The Apostle Paul expands on this in 2nd Thessalonians 2:4:

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.

Not only is the prophesied Antichrist going to shut down the Jewish people's religious practices taking place in this Temple, he is going to sit in the temple of God himself, indicating that he is God!

Now back to our news story...

Israeli Knesset Member Uri Ariel is drawing up plans to construct a synagogue on the Temple Mount, Judaism’s holiest site, "in an area that is indisputably not within the areas that require immersion and other preparations, according to Jewish law." Ariel says this concept has been brought up and considered countless times since the 1967 Six Day War. He is stating this represents "an opportunity for the Moslem world to demonstrate and prove that it is tolerant enough."

While I don't know what is going to take place from this point forward, this is a BIG news story as we know that, at least by the midpoint of the Tribulation Period to come as stated earlier, a Jewish Temple is going to be in operation as in times of old. This will occur that the prophecy of the Antichrist declaring himself to be God be fulfilled according to God's prophetic plan leading up to the return of Christ.

Uri Ariel's words concerning his proposed plan must surely strike a chord with the Jewish people. He said of his plan, as seen in the article linked above, "Since the destruction of the Holy Temple, the loss of our independence and the start of our exile and oppression during the destruction of the Second Temple, the Jewish presence at the site of our temple has always been an unmistakable symbol. The Romans, Byzantines and Crusaders expelled us and prevented Jews from entering Jerusalem, because they couldn’t stand to allow the Jewish nation to serve its G-d at this holy site. This synagogue will not interfere with believing Moslems who wish to pray at the Al-Aksa Mosque. On the contrary, this is an opportunity for the Moslem world to demonstrate and prove that it is tolerant enough."

Many believe that a portion of the Antichrist's peace covenant to come is going to address the Temple Mount itself and make provision for a Temple or synagogue like the one Ariel is planning to exist there-on. The more attention Ariel's plan gets, the more I theoretically believe this is possible, as well as the possibility the Antichrist's plan will see the hotly-contested separation barrier which Israel has built in recent years as a defensive measure to prevent terrorism be torn down as well, creating a worldwide news story reminiscent of the tearing down of the Berlin Wall. Can you imagine how a scene like that would exalt the prophesied Antichrist in the eyes of the world should it happen today or six months from now, particularly at this time in history when so much potential exists that a nuclear war may break out in the not-too-distant future if the world continues on its present course?

Already I know what people are going to wonder based on this commentary. Many are going to wonder if I'm implying that we're going to have to see Ariel's planned synagogue or something similar be built on the Temple Mount before the Rapture of the Church occurs. To be clear, I am NOT suggesting that at all!

The Rapture of the Church could occur today, tomorrow, a year from now or even as you're reading this for that matter! For the prophecy to be fulfilled, the Temple will not have to be in operation at the time of the Rapture, but in operation a full three and one-half years into the Tribulation Period to come! Trust me when I say that the Jewish people, when the time comes for this or a similar Temple to be built, will be more than capable of doing so and will --- right on God's schedule which is infallible.

Isn't it amazing how we're seeing the end times prophecies of the Bible lining up for literal fulfillment to occur? If you're not looking for the return of Jesus Christ to occur, this is the time to begin doing so as the clock is counting down to Christ's return for His Church, which I believe with every fiber of my being is right around the prophetic corner.