Where should we worship God?

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John 4:20 Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship. 21 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father.  22 Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews.  23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.  24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

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Common, among amongst some Evangelicals is a to accept the idea of a literal understanding of the Bible and  to here have interest in matters supposedly prophetic, is the false  belief that before Jesus returns there will have to be a new (or rebuilt) temple in Jerusalem.; Did Daniel, Apostles  Paul, John, and Jesus all specifically predict a third Jewish temple?  Really now! Did any of them?; Jesus Himself, however, specifically warned against taking the traditions of Jewish religious teachers above those of the Bible Mark 7: 7 Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.

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The Third Temple, or Ezekiel’s Temple  is a Jewish Holy Temple architecturally described and prophesied in the Book of Ezekiel, a house of prayer for all people with a sacrificial service. It is noted by Ezekiel as an eternal edifice and permanent dwelling place of the God of Israel on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem?

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12 This is the law of the temple: The whole area surrounding the mountaintop is most holy. Behold, this is the law of the temple. (Ezekiel 43:12)

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Forget anything the Torah or the Talmud Teaches.. rather always  see the New Testament for the right answers..

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The Hebrew Old testament scriptures state that the Jews were God’s holy people (Deuteronomy 7:6), yet the Greek  New Testament shows that now instead God’s holy people are Christians:

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13 Jesus Christ…15 He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16 because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.” (1 Peter 1:13, 15-16)

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9 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, (1 Peter 2:9)

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The Apostle Paul told the Christians in Corinth:

16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?

17 If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are. (1 Corinthians 3:16-17)

19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? (1 Corinthians 6:19)

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16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. (2 Corinthians 6:16)

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Notice that the Apostle Paul supports the idea that the temple of God now has to do with Christians, not   the Jewish people (except those who are Christians and have the Holy Spirit).  His wording “know ye not” indicates that this is something that they already should have known.

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Notice that the Apostle Paul told the Christians in Ephesus basically the same thing:

19 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; 20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; 21 In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: 22 In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit. (Ephesians 2:19-22)

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Thus,  clearly Paul’s writings regarding the temple have to do with Christian people and not a Jewish building. 

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And while I do believe that the Bible should normally be interpreted literally, it is clear that the Apostle Paul repeatedly used the term “naos” metaphorically to refer to true Christians.

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While He was on the earth, Jesus taught He was greater than the physical, hieron, Jewish temple:

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6 Yet I say to you that in this place there is One greater than the temple. (Matthew 12:6)

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1 Now this is the main point of the things we are saying: We have such a High Priest, who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens, 2 a Minister of the sanctuary and of the true tabernacle which the Lord erected, and not man. (Hebrews 8:1-2)

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4 Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, 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. 6 Therefore it is also contained in the Scripture,

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“Behold, I lay in Zion

A chief cornerstone, elect, precious,

And he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame.” (1 Peter 2:4-6)

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16 Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? 17 If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are. (1 Corinthians 3:16-17)

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Clearly  the New Testament,  states that the  Christians alone now are the ” temple of God” 

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Now there is still no verse at all in the whole New Testament by Jesus that is referring to a Jewish temple being rebuilt related to the Tribulation (nor  byPaul or Daniel for that matter).

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Jesus stated:15 When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) (Matthew 24:15)

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Carefully notice that no temple of any kind is mentioned in this passage.  Bible literalists should realize that perhaps a future Jewish physical temple is not being referred to by Jesus here, but that Jesus is referring to either the area the temple was originally built at or to the city of Jerusalem.

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27 And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate. (Daniel 9:27)

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31 And arms shall stand on his part, and they shall pollute the sanctuary of strength, and shall take away the daily sacrifice, and they shall place the abomination that maketh desolate. (Daniel 11:31)

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Notice that while those scriptures are referring to sacrifices, neither one of those passages says anything about a temple being built or involved. It should be understood that the Bible itself nowhere teaches that animal sacrifices require a temple in Jerusalem. Until Solomon built the first temple (1 Kings 6:14), the Bible shows that the Jews sacrificed on altars. David, Solomon’s father, for example sacrificed on an altar (2 Samuel 24:25), as did Aaron and his descendants (Exodus 20:24; Leviticus 1:10-11).  And prior to all of that, Abel (Genesis 4:4), Noah (Genesis 8:20), Abraham (Genesis 22:9-13), and others sacrificed animals to God.   So for over 3,000 years, animal sacrifices were offered without a Jewish temple.

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3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;

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4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God. (2 Thessalonians 2:3-4)

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And it is not necessary that it is a “Jewish temple in Israel” that the “man of sin” sits in.  The man of sin could possibly sit on something that has been called “Satan’s throne” 

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The Bible is clear that a third temple will eventually exist in the Millennium?  (Ezekiel 40-48), but it is still  only clearly in existence after Christ returns (cf. Ezekiel 48:35).

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it should be added that even among earlier professors of Christ there has long been the view that another Temple would NOT be rebuilt.

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Catholic Saint Thomas Aquinas (died 1274):…”Others, however, maintain that never will…the temple be rebuilt (Connor, Edward. Prophecy for Today. Imprimatur + A.J. Willinger, Bishop of Monterey-Fresno; Reprint: Tan Books and Publishers, Rockford (IL), 1984, pp. 76,78)

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1 And there was given me a reed like unto a rod: and the angel stood, saying, Rise, and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein.

2 But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months. (Revelation 11:1-2)

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Revelation 11:2 seems to be saying that “the temple of God” will NOT be in Jerusalem as the Holy City is only the outward court that is given to the Gentiles. Thus it would seem that Revelation 11:1 could be referring to be some building in Jerusalem would seem to be if the “man of sin” were to sit

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There are a variety of positions taking in human commentaries even on Revelation 11:1-2.   But we do not put our trust in any commentaries but only in what the Holy Spirit teaches us.

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“One explanation is that Revelation 11:1 is not referring to a physical building whatsoever, and instead is referring to the group of Christians which are protected during the tribulation (Revelation 12:14-16).  The related explanation for Revelation 11:2 in that case would be that those “the court outside the temple” are the Christians that were not protected, but will be subject to Satan during that same time (cf. Revelation 12:17) The other explanation is that Revelation 11:1 may be referring to a building which becomes the center for Christian worship by those protected during the Great Tribulation.  This would seem to allow it to be understood fairly literally as there are people worshipping there” But even if there are better explanations, Revelation 11:1-2 simply does not support the view that a Jewish temple must be rebuilt.

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1 Behold, I send My messenger,

And he will prepare the way before Me.

And the Lord, whom you seek,

Will suddenly come to His temple,

Even the Messenger of the covenant,

In whom you delight.

Behold, He is coming,”

Says the Lord of hosts. (Malachi 3:1)

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Now when Jesus comes again, where does He go?

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Notice:

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16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17)

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So, when Jesus returns, He will have His people come to Him. And then, notice where He will end up on the earth:

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9 Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. 10 And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, 11 who also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.” 12 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey. (Acts 1:9-13)

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3 Then the Lord will go forth

And fight against those nations,

As He fights in the day of battle.

4 And in that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives,

Which faces Jerusalem on the east.

And the Mount of Olives shall be split in two,

From east to west,

Making a very large valley;

Half of the mountain shall move toward the north

And half of it toward the south. (Zechariah 14:3-4)

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The Mount of Olives should NOT be confused with the Temple Mount as it is a different mountain/hill. The Mount of Olives was never the site of any accepted Jewish temple.

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So, it should be clear that the temple being referred to here is not a physical temple but His people. Jesus is going to come to His people and then will end up at the Mount of Olives, not a Jewish temple. Christians are the “people of God” in the New Testament.  The New Testament seems to be clear that Christians, and not non-Christian Jews, are the “temple of God.”  “

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And a 3rd temple it is not absolutely required to be built in order for end-time prophecies to be fulfilled.

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You can be the temple of the Living God if you accept Jesus Christ as Lord and His Holy Spirit as well.

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