The Third Temple

I have seen several stories about a "third temple" being built in Jerusalem. The building of this temple is thought to be a sign that God would then return. Pfft. The temple's already here.

The Temple Institute is an organization in Israel dedicated to the rebuilding of God's house. They already have prepared all the items to fill it - the golden lampstand,  utensils to be used for sacrifices, the altar, etc.

They have collected red heifers from around the globe to be used in a temple cleansing ceremony. The only thing they don't have is the actual temple.

Well, the Jewish religious leaders are missing several other important things. They don't have the New Testament. And Jesus. They have none of The Gospel texts or the writings of the Apostles. Nor do they have The Book of Revelation.

I have had a song in my head for weeks now, playing on repeat. The song features two verses from Revelation. Here's the first of those verses. This is God speaking now.

"Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them and they shall be His people and God Himself will be with them as their God." - Revelation 21:3

What if God's temple is already here? I have written about this before back in 2015 in a story called Rebuilding The Temple. I am revisiting that premise today.

The story was based on the following text from 1st Corinthians.

"Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God?" - 1 Corinthians 6:19

Is not the Holy Spirit God? Is He not already with us? In us? God's Spirit already dwells in His temple - the body of His children.

Another "sign of the times" is "The Abomination of Desolation" where Satan sacrifices to himself in God's Holy temple. Hasn't he already done that with the sin we have in our hearts - the "Holy of Holies" in the center of our bodies, God's temple?

"And at the temple he (Satan) will set up an abomination that causes desolation, until the end that is decreed is poured out on him." - Daniel 9:27

Something to consider anyway. Thankfully we have Jesus who will sweep our temples clean.

"And Jesus entered the temple and drove out all who sold and bought in the temple, and He overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons. He said to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,’ but you make it a den of robbers.” - Matthew 21:12-13

Then we all should be praying.

Every Tear - AIG VBS