Should the third Temple in Jerusalem be rebuilt?

[sconea]

Joseph_Alison:

Salaam everyone;
There is a claim that the Aqsa Mosque, the third holiest place for Muslims, is built on the foundations of the second temple which was destroyed in 70 AD. Obviously if such was the case, rebuilding of the Jerusalem Temple would necessitate the demolition of the Aqsa Mosque, with incalculable consequences.

Any Muslim nation in the neighborhood possessing WMD would render any plan to destroy the Aqsa Mosque impossible that is because of fear from nuclear weapon use against Israel if it touches the Sacred Mosque.

The strong presence of the US troops in the region (Iraq, Afghanistan) created the best conditions ever to destroy the Aqsa Mosque while the Muslims nations could do nothing to prevent it; the US army would serve as a shield to keep at bay anyone wanting to defend the Aqsa Mosque.

I would like to ask our Catholic Brethren if they think the third temple in Jerusalem should be rebuilt, and if so, why and if they think the Aqsa Mosque should be destroyed for that purpose?

Salaam.
Joseph.

Joseph…

When the temple was destroyed in about 70AD, that was the end of the old covenant. The new covenant is the kingdom, and temple not made with human hands…the Catholic Church. There is no ‘third’ temple.

In order for protestants to deny that the kingdom set up by Christ was the Catholic church they are twisting, reinterpreting, and misinterpreting verses of scripture which have already been fulfilled, especially those from the book of Daniel.

For a clearer understanding of this, i recommend **David Currie’s ** excellent study published in 2003, especially chapter 5 on the book of Daniel. His book is a virtual summa of the apocryphal literature covering the early writers jewish, secular and the early church fathers.

Check out the reviews at amazon books.

Rapture: The End-Times Error That Leaves the Bible Behind

blessings…sconea

 

[Kitty_Chan]

Originally Posted by StMarkEofE
What is the point of rebuilding the temple in the first place?

You asked this question I answered it below, then you say Im nuts, no Im answering your question of what the point is supposed to be. I have highlited parts to help in what I said.

Kitty Chan]Im not saying the Temple should be rebuilt just so we are clear. Im saying there are those that do. think it should be.

Then a quote if you want I can give the source

*According to the prophets of the Bible, amongst the most basic missions of the messiah are:

to cause all the world to return to G-d and His teachings,
to restore the royal dynasty to the descendants of David,
*to oversee the rebuilding of Jerusalem, including the Temple, in the event that it has not yet been rebuilt; ** to gather the Jewish people from all over the world and bring them home to the Land of Israel,
and to reestablish the sanhedrin,
restore the sacrificial system,
as well as the Sabbatical year and Jubilee.

Then I said

Now as for the ill will, if it does go that the Temple will be rebuilt there **will be no war ** in fact **there will be peace across the world. **

So to be clear there will be no provocation, thats the whole point if said leader pulls off peace in the middle east, everyones gonna love him. and like I said It will be a fake peace by a fake christ because the Prince of Peace Jesus has not made it. Only Christ can bring world peace.

please lets be clear and when discussing topics especially when posted as questions, is it possible to stay away from personal attacks ???

 

[bapcathluth]

Matt16_18:

How do you know that? When I lived in Israel, I asked some “ordinary secular Jews” if they would like to see the Temple rebuilt and the animal sacrifices reinstated. I was surprised to hear these secular Jews say that they would like for this to happen. They are, however, not interested in starting a war with the surrounding Muslims nation to make that happen. Even the Jews at the Third Temple Institute aren’t interested waging a war to gain control over the Temple Mount.

I find your claim hard to believe. I have been to Israel, and I live in a neighborhood here in the US filled with high tech workers and professors. At least ten of the families at my kids’ elementary school are secular Israelis. They all think the third temple Institute people are crazy, and they want nothing to do with a third temple. I know these Israelis well because my husband works with some of them, and we go to many parties and school functions together.

By the way, thanks for posting the photo of the Dome of the Rock. I have been there as well, and it is beautiful. The windows are amazing and the mosaic and lovely calligraphy on the walls are truly memorable. Our tour guide also took us down to see the “rock”. The Muslims believe this is where Mohammed road a horse into heaven and they believe that you can see the hoof prints on the rock.

I read in an archaelogical book that this rock was part of where they made sacrifices in the ancient Jewish Temple and that was where the blood drained.

 

[starrs0]

These Evangelicals have been deceived they think they are doing God’s work by supporting the temple being rebuilt. When in fact they are promoting the work of Satan it’s my understanding that Antichrist will bring about the rebuilding of the temple and then we all know what will happen then……

 

[Maranatha]

This was posted in the Transforming the Catholic-Jewish Relationship thread.

Ghosty:

The blood-atonement is obvious, and has actually been brought up again recently when SSV linked to an older thread on the subject. Since the Temple practices have been on a 2000 year hiatus (because the temple was destroyed in 70 A.D.), it’s easy to forget how central the practice of sacrifice was to Judaism. Not in the sense that blood was the only part of worship, quite the contrary, just that it was integral to the practice of personal and corporate atonement. This connection is so critical that it’s actually one of the prime Catholic “identifiers”, the Crucifix. It’s why we call Jesus the “Lamb of God”, in reference to the Passover Lamb who gives its blood so that death will pass over the faithful. The idea that the spilling of blood is intimately tied to the cleansing of sins and impurities, and is a sacred act commissioned by God, is at the center of our faith, and it comes straight from Judaism. Also important is the individual’s feeling and contrition in participating in the blood-sacrifice, making it not a mechanical trade of blood for forgiveness, but a spiritual growth and letting go of evil. This is why we don’t believe the Blood of Christ cleans us regardless of ourselves, but rather works with us intimately to purify us as we ourselves work towards that profound sanctification.

Many times as Catholics I think we forget that this intimate encounter and Sacrifice is not simply a “Christian” thing, but the manifestation of a very Jewish thing. While Orthodox Jews obviously don’t practice this ritual right now, I know many who look forward with deep spiritual longing to the day when they can resume that part of their faith. It’s as if they’ve been waiting for 2,000 years to have Mass again. Think about that.

 

[itsjustdave1988]

Joseph_Alison:

I would like to ask our Catholic Brethren if they think the third temple in Jerusalem should be rebuilt, and if so, why and if they think the Aqsa Mosque should be destroyed for that purpose?

I don’t believe God would allow it. It was destroyed, in my opinion, in accord with Divine providence.

Many Jewish authors do not want it rebuilt either, as it would create a dillema: would they need to begin animal sacrifices again, as is prescribed in the Hebrew Scriptures? Can you imagine thousands of animals slain routinely as happened in OT times? Many Jewish authors don’t like to think about it. They prefer no Temple because now they have an excuse to not do as Hebrew Scripture prescribes.

 

[Fidelis]

Ghosty:

God didn’t accept the yearly sacrifice for at least 40 years before the destruction of the last Temple, as recorded in the Talmud. That is, the signs that accompanied the acceptance of the sacrifice did not occur at all during that period (it had been off and on prior to that). Orthodox Jews claim that this was because of the deteriorating morality of the Jews during that time, culminating in the Temple being taken away. Apostolic Christians, obviously, have an alternative explaination, centering on another event that occured 40 years before the destruction of the Temple.

In other words, from a Christian perspective there would be no acceptance of the sacrifice simply because those things are done (not because the Jews are in any way forsaken), and the final Sacrifice has been completed. Orthodox Jews will have a different perspective on the matter, varying from person to person.

Not only that, but let us not forget that the Church has always, starting with the Early Church Fathers, taken Christ’s prediction of the Temple’s destruction as the final word as to it ultimate fate.

Further, we have already seen what happened when someone, in defiance of Christ’s own words (in Matthew 24) did try to rebuild the Temple. The rebuilding of the Temple was tried only once before, in the fourth century. Knowing about this is a very good example of how reading Church history enlightens one. We can find several sources about it from the fourth century: St. Cyril mentions it, as do several of the Church historians at that time.

The Roman Emperor, Julian the Apostate, because he had such a passion to overthrow Christianity, decided that, since Christ had prophesied that not one stone of the Temple would be left on the other, if he rebuilt the Temple, he would prove that Christ was an impostor, and therefore paganism could be restored. So he deliberately invited the Jews back to Jerusalem, and they began building the Temple with Julian’s blessing.

St. Cyril, bishop of Jeruslaem at the time was informed of Julian’s plans. Yet St. Cyril faced the difficulty with outward calm. He was sure that the temple could not be built, because Jesus, who is God, had said so. The bishop looked calmly at all the materials and said, “I know that this will fail.”

Julian’s builders would build a little in the daytime, and the next morning they would come and all the stones would be on the ground. They tried again and balls of fire began to come out of the earth. Anyway, they finally failed in their attempt and gave up the operation. Of the few stones that remained, not one was left on the other, just as our Lord predicted.

 

[TPJCatholic]

Jesus did away with sacrifices (His was once for all) and He personally predicted the destruction of the Temple. I cannot see the rebuilding of the Temple being anything but the work of the anti-christ.

Anyone helping to rebuild the temple is doing the work of the antichrist. Perhaps one day it will be rebuilt to fulfill prophecy; however, I personally believe that the sacrilege will be done in a Catholic Church, because that is where Christ/God now resides in the Tabernacle.

 

[Kitty_Chan]

TPJCatholic:

Jesus did away with sacrifices (His was once for all) and He personally predicted the destruction of the Temple. I cannot see the rebuilding of the Temple being anything but the work of the anti-christ.

Anyone helping to rebuild the temple is doing the work of the antichrist. Perhaps one day it will be rebuilt to fulfill prophecy; however, I personally believe that the sacrilege will be done in a Catholic Church, because that is where Christ/God now resides in the Tabernacle.

yes if there is a rebuilding only by the anti christ the fake peace maker. I dont agree that christians should help rebuild the Temple. But some are. We should support Israel, and be a light.

What you say is interesting about the sacrilege being done in a Catholic Church, because of the Tabernacle. You see while those Left Behind books may have had arguements for believers inside. they did serve a purpose to get people thinking. I mentally switched the scenes to what you said and it works too.

For the record I dont know how it will all work out, the left behind may have some ideas but now its in print my personal idea is it wont go exactly that way. Gods not going to let a blueprint of proof to be made available because it would crush Faith and Freewill. Thats why absolute concrete proof of Himself is not made known to us. Not that He cant do it He wont.

 

[Brain]

StMarkEofE:

Sounds to me as if the Evangelicals are attempting to force the hand of God into a time table of tribulation. Only the Father knows…remember?

not entirely true…
THE SHADOW KNOWS! bwa ha ha ha!

 

[starrs0]

I agree Kitty we can’t really be sure on how it’ll all go down point by point (much less when) But I do think we can have at least a general idea. I do believe there will one day be a temple in Jerusalem but it will be for Antichrist since he will deny Christ existed and then claim to be (and accepted by many as) the “real” Messiah he may use the building of the temple to convince people of this.

 

[TPJCatholic]

Kitty Chan,

I don’t think the left behind theories are even remotely close. Jesus will return once and the Rapture will happen, along with the Final Judgment, as parts of the final events of history.

The Catholic Churches (along with the Orthodox Churches) are the only Churches to continue offering a daily re-presentation of Jesus’ once-for-all sacrifice. It makes sense to me that the sacrilege would have to happen where God is Present.

 

[inJESUS]

Look who the anti-christ is to muslims It seems muslims will keep following the anti-christ :

Isa (Jesus) in the Hadith

‘Isa the destroyer of Christianity

The prophet ‘Isa will have an important role in the end times, establishing Islam and making war until he destroys all religions save Islam. He shall kill the Evil One (Dajjal), an apocalyptic anti-Christ figure.

In one tradition of Muhammad we read that no further prophets will come to earth until ‘Isa returns as ‘a man of medium height, or reddish complexion, wearing two light garments, looking as if drops were falling down from his head although it will not be wet. He will fight for the cause of Islam. He will break the cross, kill pigs, and abolish the poll-tax. Allah will destroy all religions except Islam. He (‘Isa) will destroy the Evil One and will live on the earth for forty years and then he will die’. (Sunan Abu Dawud, 37:4310) The Sahih Muslim has a variant of this tradition: ‘The son of Mary … will soon descend among you as a just judge. He will … abolish the poll-tax, and the wealth will pour forth to such an extent that no one will accept charitable gifts.’ (Sahih Muslim 287)

What do these sayings mean? The cross is a symbol of Christianity. Breaking crosses means abolishing Christianity. Pigs are associated with Christians. Killing them is another way of speaking of the destruction of Christianity. Under Islamic law the poll-tax buys the protection of the lives and property of conquered ‘people of the Book’. (At-Taubah 9:29) The abolition of the poll-tax means jihad is restarted against Christians (and Jews) living under Islam, who should convert to Islam, or else be killed or enslaved. The abundance of wealth refers to booty flowing to the Muslims from this conquest. This is what the Muslim ‘Isa will do when he returns in the last days.

Obviously, this is the anti-christ.

 

[WhatMeWorry]

It’ll never happen.

Dr. Warren Carroll, founder of Christendom College and a former moderator of the history forum, answered this question a few years ago. It’s been attempted and failed miserably. All future attempts will probably meet with the same failure.

To re-institute an imperfect animal sacrifice would be a denial of everything Christ accomplished in his crucifixion and death. He is the final, perfect sacrifice. No other is needed, and no other will be instituted.
ewtn.com/vexperts/showresult.asp?RecNum=325142&Forums=3&Experts=3&Days=2002&Author=&Keyword=emperor+julian&pgnu=1&groupnum=0&record_bookmark=6&ORDER_BY_TXT=ORDER+BY+ReplyDate+DESC&start_at=

ewtn.com/vexperts/showresult.asp?RecNum=325319&Forums=3&Experts=3&Days=2002&Author=&Keyword=emperor+julian&pgnu=1&groupnum=0&record_bookmark=5&ORDER_BY_TXT=ORDER+BY+ReplyDate+DESC&start_at=

 

[TPJCatholic]

Whatmeworry,

I would not be so fast to say no other sacrifice will take place…there are plenty of people who want it to happen and many Christians are doing athe anti-christ’s work to try to make it happen.

I do agree that it will be a failure…

 

[itsjustdave1988]

I remember Scott Hahn mentioning some failed attempts to rebuild the Temple after AD 70 in his audio series *The End: A Study of the Book of Revelation. *If I remember correctly, earthquakes foiled one such attempt.

According to this website, templemount.org/history.htm,

Emporer Julian in AD 362 “Authorizes Jews to rebuild Temple. Work stopped by fire or earthquake.”

By Divine Providence, Judaism has been in exile from Temple worship for the past 2000 years. I’m thinking God must have been very upset about something that occurred before AD 70. Comparatively, the longest prior exile was the Babylonian exile, due to the idolatry of the people of Israel. It only lasted 40 yrs I think.

 

[starrs0]

I agree with TPJCatholic there are those who want the temple rebuilt very badly both Christian and Jewish and when the time comes it will be done and yes it WILL be a slap in the face to Christ and his sacrifice but we are deal misguided people here. The Evangelicals belive this will signal the end times (it will). While the Orthodox Jews think it will signal the coming of their promised Messiah who will lead them to be the “chosen ones” who rule the world This is the same mistake that was made 2000 years ago. they want this so much they will be willing to go against God and side with Antichrist to accomplish it when he comes.

 

[Ghosty]

While the Orthodox Jews think it will signal the coming of their promised Messiah who will lead them to be the “chosen ones” who rule the world

That’s pretty far off from Orthodox Jewish belief. There’s nothing about being “chosen ones who rule the world”. Their view of being “chosen” is the same view the Catholic Church has of them being the chosen ones, and they don’t have any idea of ruling the world. Far, far from it, in fact.

Peace and God bless!

 

[Neithan]

itsjustdave1988:

I’m thinking God must have been very upset about something that occurred before AD 70.

[clueless guy says]: “Whoa… that’s weird because I think I learned something in my religious studies 101 class about some jewish dude who lived like around the year 30 or something. He told everyone he was God’s son and stuff, and that he would save his people from hell… but that ticked them off and they killed him for it!! Makes you wonder eh?”

 

[StMarkEofE]

[clueless guy says]: “Whoa… that’s weird because I think I learned something in my religious studies 101 class about some jewish dude who lived like around the year 30 or something. He told everyone he was God’s son and stuff, and that he would save his people from hell… but that ticked them off and they killed him for it!! Makes you wonder eh?”

Sounds of Cheech and Chong.