Dr Randall Price
Southern Baptist: Theologian, archaeologist (eg. Qumran caves),
author (30 books), professor, director of Judaic studies, etc.
Rebuilding the Temple: Prophecy, Politics and the Future of Jerusalem
Why hasn’t the 3rd temple happened?
The crocodile and the scorpion story to illustrate: Croc on the banks
of the Nile, out of the desert came a scorpion. Scorpion said, “Friend croc,
why don’t you let me on your back and we swim across the Nile?”
Croc said, “What if you sting me on the way?”
Scorpion said, “No, if I sting you we’d both die!”
Then in the middle of the river, the scorpion got very agitated and
stung the croc.
The croc asked, “Why?”
The scorpion replied, “Because this is the Middle East!”
God’s presence was in the garden of Eden. There was the tree of life,
and cherubim stood at the east to guard the holy entrance. The direction away
from God was to the east. The direction towards God is west (atonement). Adam
and Eve exiled.
Mt Sinai: God’s presence returned. The temple: bringing a bit of heaven
onto earth. There was no holy place on earth left. The tabernacle mimics what’s
in the garden. A mediator is needed though.
Shekinah: God’s presence, God tabernacled amongst us.
God had to take the form of man temporarily. Abraham had some sense of
that when he was called. He used male sheep which represents the Messiah who
was about to come.
The Lord has chosen Zion. He wants to come and dwell with us.
Current situation: Spiritual temple, body of Christ. When the third
temple is rebuilt, there will be the 7 year tribulation, and Messiah’s second
coming.
1 Kings 9:3. “I have consecrated this temple, which you have built, by
putting my Name there forever. My eyes and my heart will always be there.”
Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) Exodus 25:22. “There, above the cover
between the two cherubim that are over the ark of the covenant law, I will meet
with you and give you all my commands for the Israelites.” Another words, “You
come, I’ll speak, and you will continue to live.” However, Israel failed, and
God held its leaders accountable, and first temple destroyed.
Isaiah 58:12. “…you will rebuild the ancient ruins”. The temple is to
be built where it was built.
2nd temple missing the ark.
9th of Av: 1st and 2nd temple
destroyed. Further discipline for the Jewish nation. Until they say “blessed is
he who comes in the name of the Lord.”
This is still the time of the Gentiles. The Temple Mount: Islamic (Gentiles)
hold authority over that site. God’s presence isn’t there yet, as the national
hasn’t changed yet, because it hasn’t had that relationship with God yet.
Dung gate: Where the people carry dung in the past. Dung Gate is a main
passage for vehicles coming out of the Old City and for buses headed to the
Western Wall.
The debate about the site of ascension of Mohammad: The Al-Aqsa Mosque.
There was no mosque in Jerusalem, The Muslims only arrived 500 years after
Mohammad’s ascension. Strangely the Temple Mount becomes the place: mostly due
to political reasons. In their prayer, Muslims turn towards Mecca, not the Dome
of the Rock! Different from the Jews who pray towards the temple.
Excavations: to prove Jewish connection, that the first and second
temples were under Temple Mount. The world is in “Temple Denial.” Let the
stones speak for themselves!
1948, 1967: Politics that made people go into “Temple Denial.”
Isaiah 2:2-3. Nations will stream towards Jerusalem to worship.
Isaiah 27:13. Even the enemies/Gentiles will worship the Lord.
Ezekiel 47:8. The water coming out of the temple will turn the dead sea
fresh!
This motivated the Orthodox Jews. Temple Institute. People performing the
temple ceremonies now.
Zechariah 14:2. “I will gather all the nations to Jerusalem to fight
against it; the city will be captured, the houses ransacked, and the women
raped. Half of the city will go into exile, but the rest of the people will not
be taken from the city.”
Adonai Shema: “and the name of the city [of Jerusalem] from that day
shall be, ‘The Lord is there.”
Jeremiah 9:11. Desolation and restoration. Desolation always comes with
restoration.
The divine purpose will have come to a full circle.
For all the slides of that evening:
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