Jews, Jerusalem, Coming Crisis

We are invited by the Bible to look not for an earthly temple that might be rebuild at Jerusalem, but rather to the heavenly sanctuary where Christ ministers for us, and works towards writing His laws in our hearts.

SUMMARY
Christianity, Judaism and the Muslims trace their roots from Abraham, and look at Jerusalem as a sacred spot. What does the Bible has to say about the idea that a temple will be rebuilt at Jerusalem, which will be the centre of the conflict between good and evil? Could it be that the evil one has us looking at the wrong piece of geography, at the wrong temple, at the wrong sacrifices? On a casual look, there are some biblical passages that seem to indicate that the temple will be rebuilt (see Isaiah 2:2, 3; Ezekiel 37:26).

In Luke 21:6 Jesus predicted the destruction of the temple (see also Matthew 23:38). In the New Testament the Bible predicted that the physical temple will be destroyed and left desolate. The Bible does not say that the temple in Jerusalem will be rebuilt. God’s temple was the centre of God’s truth. There are times when the Bible speaks of God’s church or God’s people as the temple. Could it be that when the Bible speaks of the restoration of the temple it speaks of the restoration of the living truth, a better sacrifice, a better priesthood, a better sanctuary? In the New Testament the Bible is not as concerned about a physical Israel, as it is about a spiritual Israel (God’s people). Romans 9:6-8 states that an Israelite is not one by biological birth, but rather the children of the promise.

How to become a child of promise, of the Israel of God? In Galatians 3:29 the Bible states that those who are Christ’s are the seed of Abraham. In Hebrews 11 it says that Abraham was looking for an eternal inheritance. A true Israelite today is one who has accepted Christ. So the church is the Israel of God today. This means that the true temple is not something built on Earth, but in heaven.

In the New Testament we are not looking at an earthly sacrifice, and an earthly temple. But a heavenly priesthood and a heavenly temple, at Jesus – the better sacrifice. The true sanctuary is in heaven where Jesus ministers as high Priest (Hebrews 8:1, 2).

Our eyes are fixed not on an earthly sanctuary where the Antichrist defiles the temple, but on the heavenly temple, on Jesus’ blood. Let’s take our eyes of a conflict in Jerusalem. The conflict is bigger than Jerusalem – it is the conflict between good and evil, over your soul. Focus your attention on heaven’s Lamb. Jesus lives to make intercession for us (see Hebrews 7:25). Jesus has never lost a case. No sin is too great for him to pardon. Christ’s power and forgiveness is yours, and it can transform your life. When we look at heaven’s sanctuary we see Christ, the high Priest, and the judgment, and the restoration of truth (see Revelation 11:18, 19).

The devil wants us to look on earth. But God will have His people look at the heavenly sanctuary where Jesus is interceding for us and wants to write His law on our heart and mind. Hebrews 8:8-10 talks about a new covenant with the house of Israel (spiritual Israel) where He puts His laws into our mind, and writes them in our hearts. Will you ask Jesus to come in your heart right now and write His laws in your heart?