Does An Actual Temple Need To Be Rebuilt In Jerusalem Before Christ’s Return?

2Th 2:1 Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask you,
2Th 2:2 not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ had come.
2Th 2:3 Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition,
2Th 2:4 who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God. (biblical ref. are all from the NKJV)

This verse has been used by many as support for the rebuilding of the Temple in Jerusalem before Christ’s Second Advent. After all, the man of perdition, called Anti-Christ, must have somewhere to sit!

Those who support this belief are called Christian Zionists. Christian Zionism can be defined as:

"a movement, largely among Gentile Christians, supporting the right of the Jewish people to return to the Promised Land to rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem and reinstate Temple Sacrifices"

Some of the people who support the movement are; Grant Jeffery, Hal Lindsey, Tim LaHaye, and John Hagee whose combined book sales exceed 70 million U.S. dollars. Tim LaHaye, along with Jerry Jenkins co-wrote the very famous series Left Behind. I make no bones about referring to this set of fictional accounts as, “Truth Left Behind”, and have blogged about it!

Their beliefs are endorsed by some of the largest theological colleges and a significant portion of Evangelical, Charismatic, Pentecostal, and fundamentalist Christians worldwide.

Let’s explore this idea by going to 1 Chronicles. The applicable verses concerning the Temple states:

1Ch 17:11 And it shall be, when your days are fulfilled, when you must go to be with your fathers, that I will set up your seed after you, who will be of your sons; and I will establish his kingdom.
1Ch 17:12 He shall build Me a house, and I will establish his throne forever.
1Ch 17:13 I will be his Father, and he shall be My son; and I will not take My mercy away from him, as I took it from him who was before you.
1Ch 17:14 And I will establish him in My house and in My kingdom forever; and his throne shall be established forever.

Later on, in 1 Chronicles 28, God verifies and reaffirms to David:

1Ch 28:6 Now He said to me, 'It is your son Solomon who shall build My house and My courts; for I have chosen him to be My son, and I will be his Father.
1Ch 28:7 Moreover I will establish his kingdom forever, if he is steadfast to observe My commandments and My judgments, as it is this day.'
1Ch 28:8 Now therefore, in the sight of all Israel, the assembly of the LORD, and in the hearing of our God, be careful to seek out all the commandments of the LORD your God, that you may possess this good land, and leave it as an inheritance for your children after you forever.
1Ch 28:9 "As for you, my son Solomon, know the God of your father, and serve Him with a loyal heart and with a willing mind; for the LORD searches all hearts and understands all the intent of the thoughts. If you seek Him, He will be found by you; but if you forsake Him, He will cast you off forever.

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This scripture is a wonderful example of what’s called, in theological circles; dual prophecy. Please note, I said dual prophecy, not dual covenant. Dual Covenant teaching is a false teaching which states that the Jews are "automatically saved" through previous covenants (Abraham, Moses, etc.).

Dual Prophecy, on the other hand, is when the same scripture applies to differing times and peoples. Please notice 1 Chronicles again:

1Ch 17:11 And it shall be, when your days are fulfilled, when you must go to be with your fathers, that I will set up your seed after you, who will be of your sons; and I will establish his kingdom.

This verse applies to Solomon, of course, but spiritually, also to Jesus, the son of David. Jesus was also to build a temple and kingdom that would last forever. This is called dual prophecy. The Christian Zionists seem to forget that the scriptures in 1 Chronicles say something else, something very important; the word “if” abounds!

As we all know, Solomon “forsake” God (along with the people) and the Temple was destroyed. The prophetic application to Solomon (to carry the prophecy to fruition) was forsaken. Next, we move on through history to the Second Temple; the one built by Herod the Great.

Mat 24:1 Then Jesus went out and departed from the temple, and His disciples came up to show Him the buildings of the temple.
Mat 24:2 And Jesus said to them, "Do you not see all these things? Assuredly, I say to you, not one stone shall be left here upon another, that shall not be thrown down."

and,

Mar 14:58 "We heard Him say, 'I will destroy this temple made with hands, and within three days I will build another made without hands.' "

and, this one’s very important

1Pe 2:4 Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious,
1Pe 2:5 you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
1Pe 2:6 Therefore it is also contained in the Scripture, "BEHOLD, I LAY IN ZION A CHIEF CORNERSTONE, ELECT, PRECIOUS, AND HE WHO BELIEVES ON HIM WILL BY NO MEANS BE PUT TO SHAME."
1Pe 2:7 Therefore, to you who believe, He is precious; but to those who are disobedient, "THE STONE WHICH THE BUILDERS REJECTED HAS BECOME THE CHIEF CORNERSTONE,"

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It is clear that Jesus is the Chief Cornerstone of the Temple, and we (believers) are his “stones” that are used to build His Temple. When Jesus died on the Cross, the veil in the physical Temple ripped in two from top to bottom, and in 70 A.D. the Roman general Titus destroyed the physical Temple.

A rebuilt physical temple in Jerusalem in modern times would actually be an insult to God and His Word. He and we are the Temple now and His spirit inhabits His stones! (See 1 Peter 2:5)

He is our sacrifice for sins, not some animal. We, the believers in Christ have been grafted into the Jewish nation and are Jews!

Please believe me, I wish all the best to the modern nation of Israel, but I’m so thankful I’m part of the Spiritual Israel!

BTW, who will sit on the throne and proclaim himself God? At the end Satan will possess the human who claims to be the head of the church (the Temple) and commit the abomination that will lead to the final desolation – he will call fire down from heaven and proclaim himself God! With the help of the little lamb he will cause all, great and small, to worship the him – except for those who refuse! Then, after the 1,000 years, the New Jerusalem will return and the His Kingdom will last forever!

The Observer