Prophecy Alert: Temple Altar Construction Begins

Temple Altar Construction Begins

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Referring to the last days, Jesus prophetically urged the church to not be caught sleeping, but to “watch and pray.”

SOMETHING SIGNIFICANT happened this past week, which bypassed the radar of most news reports. But it’s a major incident in the events leading to the return of Jesus Christ.

According to the report here, the Temple Institute has begun work recently on a sacrificial altar in Mitzpe Yericho, which is an Israeli settlement on the West Bank, about 15 miles east of Jerusalem. The intention is to bring the altar to the Temple Mount, as soon as the temple is rebuilt.

There is a spiritual renaissance going on today in Israel for the rebuilding of the temple in Mount Moriah, where Solomon’s original temple was built. The above amateur video shows the laying down of the foundation for the altar, with stones from the Dead Sea and hot tar to hold them together.

The process by which the Israelis will build the temple on the site, presently supervised by Arabs, may be problematic; since the Jews are prohibited from worshiping at all on the Temple Mount and there are constant skirmishes between them.

But the desire for the rebuilding of the temple is growing, and this new development certainly speaks about the commitment of the Temple Institute to new spirituality and a return to their biblical roots.

According to their website, the Temple Institute, founded in 1987, “is a non-profit educational and religious organization located in the Jewish quarter of Jerusalem's Old City. The Institute is dedicated to every aspect of the Biblical Commandment to build the Holy Temple of G-d on Mount Moriah in Jerusalem. Our short-term goal is to rekindle the flame of the Holy Temple in the hearts of mankind through education. Our long-term goal is to do all in our limited power to bring about the building of the Holy Temple in our time.”

This ceremony, conducted on the same day the temple was destroyed almost 2,000 years ago, marks an important stepping stone toward the re-institution of animal sacrifices.

My understanding is that Israel ended animal sacrifices after 70 AD, when the temple was destroyed and Jerusalem sacked. But – for anyone watching bible prophesy unfold – there are scriptural reasons why the return of animal sacrifices and the rebuilding of the temple is significant. The book of Daniel has much to say about the end times. Daniel speaks about a 70 week prophesy, whose last week is yet to be fulfilled. The 70 weeks prophecy must be for another discussion, but suffice it to say, using the day-for-a-year prophetic principle, we understand that the last week of that prophesy will consist of seven years.

Speaking of the Antichrist, Daniel writes, “He (Antichrist) will confirm a covenant with many for one week, but in the middle of the week he will bring sacrifices and offerings to a halt” Dan 9:27 (NET1).

For 2,000 years there haven’t been animal sacrifices in Israel. This is why the Bible, in foretelling the future, is more reliable than tomorrow’s newspaper.

We can only conjecture exactly when the building will actually take place and for how long they will carry out sacrifices until the Antichrist comes on the scene and then puts a stop to it. It could be a long way off, but know this: that when Antichrist puts a stop to the sacrifices, that’s when the 3 ½ year Great Tribulation begins.

Jesus says this, when speaking of the Antichrist, “So when you see the abomination of desolation — spoken about by Daniel the prophet — standing in the holy place (let the reader understand) [that’s the temple], then those in Judea must flee to the mountains....for then there will be great suffering unlike anything that has happened from the beginning of the world until now, or ever will happen. And if those days had not been cut short, no one would be saved. But for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short.” Matt 24:15-22 (NET1)

We're not setting dates here and I’m certainly not wanting to be an alarmist, but it’s far more better to understand what’s going on in the world in the light of scripture and to "watch and pray."

All I know is one thing: that my heart’s desire is to do whatever work the Lord has given me to do in this crucial hour.

And, know this: Christ is returning soon for His own spotless, bride – the church, which, if we're born again, we're all a part of! So, let’s be alert and prepared, rededicating ourselves to the Lord; and let Him use us as His instruments on the earth! To God be the glory!