Most eschatologists regard the building of a third temple in the end times as doctrine, but is this as clearly supported in scripture as people think?

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Scrutinizing the Signs of Our Times

Continuing this series, I challenge whether scripture sufficiently supports popular interpretations of significant prophetic signs. While I am not outright rejecting these beliefs, I want to show that they may play out as expected.

The coming times will be times of great deception and delusion. The enemy knows our beliefs and would be foolish not to use them to deceive us. So, let’s critically analyze popular interpretations of prophecy so that we may navigate the coming times with discernment and understanding.

A Third Jewish Temple During the Great Tribulation

This is one of the biggest mysteries of end-time prophecy. Both the book of Daniel and Jesus spoke of the abomination of desolation. This is an act of idolatry perpetrated in the holy place, generally considered to be the temple sanctuary. It is an act that leads to the desolation of the temple and even Jerusalem. It has happened before, most notably under Antiochus IV Epiphanes and again under Roman occupation. The latter resulted in the destruction of the temple, Jerusalem, and the murder and scattering of the Jews.

The abomination of desolation appears to be a paradigm with multiple fulfillments. Though it was fulfilled at the end of the last age, it may repeat at the end of this age. In this paradigm, the abomination occurs right before the signs in the heavens of the Day of the Lord. So, in Revelation, we could expect to see this event in close proximity to the sixth seal being opened.

Paul described a different fulfillment of the abomination of desolation at the end of this age than prior fulfillments. In the preceding age, an antichrist figure set up an idol on or in the temple. But in this age, the Antichrist will be a living idol. According to Paul, the Antichrist “opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God.”

With this definitive statement by Paul, you may wonder why I struggle with the concept of a third Jewish temple at the end of this age.

The Struggle

At some point, there will be a third temple where Jesus will sit on the throne. Isaiah 2 gives a beautiful picture of the temple in the end times. But the Bible is silent on when it will be constructed. So, I question if it will be built before Jesus’ return. I have three primary reasons for my position.

1. The absence of scripture around its rebuilding;
2. Jesus’s crucifixion eliminated the need for a temple for sacrifices; and
3. The nations are prophesied not to tread on the sanctuary.

The Absence of Scripture

The temple’s destruction and rebuilding were significant events prophesied. Jeremiah prophesied the first temple’s destruction. After Nebuchadnezzar destroyed the first temple, God sent angels to Daniel to prophesy the temple’s rebuilding. The angel foretold of its reconstruction down to the very year. Jesus then prophesied this second temple’s destruction. For nearly 2,000 years, abominations have stood on the desolated temple mount. First, the Temple of Jupiter stood on the Tempel Mount. Now, the Al Aksa Mosque stands on the same spot as a pagan abomination to this very day. Yet, there seems to be no prophecy for rebuilding a third temple.

Jesus’s Crucifixion Eliminated the Temple Requirement

There is no need for a third temple before Jesus’ return. God sent His only Son to die for our sins. Per the Septuagint translation of Daniel 9:26-27, Jesus allowed for the destruction of the temple and the taking away of the sacrifice after his 3 1/2 year ministry. Why would He allow the rebuilding of a Jewish temple for sacrifices after He made these sacrifices obsolete through His new covenant? Such an act would fly in the face of everything He died for.

The Nations will not Tread on the Sanctuary

Revelation 11 describes a scene when an angel tells the apostle John to measure the temple, the altar, and those who worship in it. This appears to be the temple in heaven that corresponds to the Temple Mount on Earth.

But then the angel gives a significant clue. He states, “Leave out the court which is outside the temple and do not measure it, for it has been given to the nations; and they will tread under foot the holy city for forty-two months.”

The “forty-two months” corresponds to the 3 1/2 year reign of the Beast. So, we can deduce that during the reign of the Beast, the nations will not trample on the actual temple and altar but only on the courtyard.

But this statement creates a paradox. How can the Antichrist take his seat in the temple of God if he will not tread on the temple?

Alternative Positions

A Metaphorical Temple

An alternative explanation is that the abomination of desolation is a spiritual desecration. As Paul explained, we who are infilled with the Holy Spirit are God’s temples. This explanation seems like a stretch. Paul’s described a physical event, “he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God.“

A Non-Jewish Temple

But what if this temple isn’t a Jewish temple?

In Paul’s prophecy, the meaning of the Greek word used for God can be used broadly. The word theos is used frequently to describe God. But Strongs’s first definition is broader, meaning “a general appellation of deities or divinities.“

So it is possible, though not conclusive, that Paul’s prophecy refers to a temple of another deity. That is, a pagan temple that stands on the original courtyard of the Jewish temple.

A Multifaith Temple

If a new temple is to be built on the Temple Mount per Daniel 11, the false prophet would be more likely to advocate for the rebuilding of a temple than the Antichrist.

I believe the False Prophet will convince many that he is Jesus and will bridge the gaps between Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. But a temple built by the false prophet would likely not be a Jewish temple, but a temple to the God of Abraham, a temple for all three faiths. This concept has already been seeded with the Abrahamic Family House in Dubai. In connecting these religions, he will prepare the way for the Antichrist to take his seat in the temple, displaying himself as God. However, this position is also speculative.

Hold on Loosely

So I suggest holding to the rebuilding of a Jewish temple loosely. Paul’s prophecy will take place. But this could play out a number of different ways, so we should watch and wait as events play out. The main takeaway from this series is that prophecies may not play out exactly how we think. We can say for certain that the Antichrist will take his seat in the temple of God (or a god), displaying himself as being God. It is possible, if not likely, that this will occur in a third Jewish temple. But since there are scriptures that indicate otherwise, we should at least keep an open mind about this sign. If the prophecy is fulfilled differently than expected, you will not be deceived or miss the sign because you are waiting for a different one to manifest.

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Related Posts:

How the Antichrist Will Fool the World with Prophecy

Antichrist Spirit Rising: The Paradigm at the End of the Ages

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