The Jewish Temple

[Augustine3]

If the Jewish temple was rebuilt a third time, would the Jews be able to offer sacrifice in it?

I heard Dr Hahn say the Levitical genealogy list was lost when the second temple was destroyed in A.D. 70.

 

[Bruce_Killian]

If there were a prophet-priest like Moses presumeably the priesthood could be reestablished. Also those with the last name Cohen, Kohen, etc. are likely to be descended from a priestly tribe, genetic testing may also help. There are other problems like where do they get holy fire, because they can only offer sacrifices with holy fire. I am not completly convinced that there every will be legitimate Temple sacrifices, because Hebrews say that it was passing away Heb 8:13.
grace and peace,
Bruce

 

[patrick457]

If there were a prophet-priest like Moses presumeably the priesthood could be reestablished. Also those with the last name Cohen, Kohen, etc. are likely to be descended from a priestly tribe, genetic testing may also help. There are other problems like where do they get holy fire, because they can only offer sacrifices with holy fire. I am not completly convinced that there every will be legitimate Temple sacrifices, because Hebrews say that it was passing away Heb 8:13.
grace and peace,
Bruce

There were actually DNA tests on that.

 

[KLJM12]

If the Jewish temple was rebuilt a third time, would the Jews be able to offer sacrifice in it?

I heard Dr Hahn say the Levitical genealogy list was lost when the second temple was destroyed in A.D. 70.

The temple was built a third time already.

Originally built under Soloman.
Subsequently rebuilt by Zorobabel and completed in 516BC.
Rebuilt again by Herod and completed in 10BC.
(newadvent.org/cathen/14499a.htm)

And it would not matter if they still knew which Jews were descended from the levites. Their sacrifices would be meaningless. They would simply be brutally butchering animals and burning plants on stone tables.

The Old Covenant has been fulfilled. Man cannot re-initiate a covenant that has been completed by God himself.

 

[patrick457]

The temple was built a third time already.

Originally built under Soloman.
Subsequently rebuilt by Zorobabel and completed in 516BC.
Rebuilt again by Herod and completed in 10BC.
(newadvent.org/cathen/14499a.htm)

To be exact, the Temple built under Zerubbabel and Herod’s are both considered to be the ‘Second Temple’. Zerubbabel’s Temple was not totally destroyed as the first - it was simply desecrated and subsequently rededicated by the Maccabees. Herod simply expanded and renovated the sanctuary area.

 

[Sirach2]

In my book on apologetics, it was mentioned that the Jews attempted to rebuild the temple after its destruction in order to disprove Jesus’ prophecy. God sent huge balls of fire preventing the workers from rebuilding, and they finally gave it up. I believe God would do this again if they were ever foolish enough to ignore this historical warning and try again.

 

[patrick457]

In my book on apologetics, it was mentioned that the Jews attempted to rebuild the temple after its destruction in order to disprove Jesus’ prophecy. God sent huge balls of fire preventing the workers from rebuilding, and they finally gave it up. I believe God would do this again if they were ever foolish enough to ignore this historical warning and try again.

That was Julian the Apostate (361-3). He did plan to rebuild the Temple for the Jews in 363 as part of the campaign to spite Christians by favoring religions other than Christianity. The project however ultimately failed, partly because the Jews themselves were not too interested towards what he was doing, partly because of the very severe Galilee earthquake of that year, partly because of the ‘balls of fire’ during construction (the origins of which are unknown - could have been either an accident or a sabotage - but was nevertheless interpreted as a divine sign), and partly because Julian himself died within the year while engaged in a campaign against Sassanid Persia.

 

[drafdog]

According to some Jewish scholars, the third Bais HaMiqdash will come down from heaven from G-d. It will be created, not built.

Reb Levi

 

[mercytruth]

In my book on apologetics, it was mentioned that the Jews attempted to rebuild the temple after its destruction in order to disprove Jesus’ prophecy. God sent huge balls of fire preventing the workers from rebuilding, and they finally gave it up. I believe God would do this again if they were ever foolish enough to ignore this historical warning and try again.

We do not know the mind of God on a question as this one. There is indeed the heavenly Jerusalem and the heavenly temple after which the earthly tabernacle & temple were patterned.

Justin Marytr, Ireneaus, Lactantius and others spoke of an earthly Jerusalem during the time of the millenium.

2 Maccabees 2: "And when Jeremiah came thither he found a hollow cave: and he carried in thither the tabernacle, and the ark, and the altar of incense, and so stopped the door. Then some of them that followed him, came up to mark the place: but they could not find it. And when Jeremiah perceived it, he blamed them, saying: The place whall be unknown, till God gather together the congregation of the people, and receive them to mercy. And then the Lord will shew them these things, and the majesty of the Lord shall appear, and there shall be a cloud as it was also shown to Moses, and he shewed it when Solomon prayed that the place might be sanctified to the great God."

2 Thessalonians 2:3-4 "Let no man decieve you by any means, for unless there com a revolt first, and the man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition, Who opposeth, and is lifted up above all that is worshipped, so that he sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself as if he were God."

Israel in part is blind to Jesus as being the Messiah. Those of the Christian faith in part are blind to the possibility that God will establish Israel in the land with an earthly Jerusalem and with an earthly temple.

It may be that our mutual blindness is serving a Divine purpose.

God’s peace

micah