Planning and Funding The Third Temple

People often look at me in disbelief when I make the claim that Christian Zionists believe that animal sacrifices will be resumed after the second coming of Christ. It is obvious that such Christians support the rebuilding of a Temple on the old location in Jerusalem. This includes sacrificial altars and underground basins to hold the blood of animals.

Question: Will those altars and basins and utensils all be for show? Will they be built to show only how it used to be? Of course, not. The Jewish rabbis plan to use them, and they are training "cohens" now in the art of animal sacrifice.

http://www.smh.com.au/world/jews-raise-millions-to-be-ready-for-coming-of-the-messiah-20091113-ieqk.html

I suspect, though, that Christians will be disappointed that this "third temple" will look nothing like that which is described in the final chapters of Ezekiel. Instead, the plan is to duplicate Herod's temple.

''That is why we have engaged two architects,'' Mr Glick said. ''It will be a modern building, with car parks and elevators, but it will look very much like the Second Temple.''

It is envisioned that Christianity and Islam will essentially convert to Judaism and participate in this Third Temple. After all, it is to be built largely through Christian donations.

Mr Glick envisages a house of prayer open to all believers in the monotheistic faiths, Christians, Muslims or Jews.

The Temple Institute has become a fixture on American evangelical tours of Israel. Thanks largely to their donations, it has so far spent $US27 million ($29 million) on preparations.

''We started with $US100,'' Mr Glick said. ''There are 70 million evangelical Christians around the world, and most of them have become Israel's strongest supporters.''

Funny thing, though . . . Christian Zionists are usually taught that this Temple will be the home of the Antichrist for a few years. Seems to me Christians ought to let the Antichrist fund his own house project.

Another thing . . . Christians seldom think about the fact that Herod's Temple included a "middle wall of partition" to keep non-Jews farther away from God, so as not to taint His holiness. Women, too, were kept outside that wall.

Realize, of course, that God never revealed to Moses or David or Solomon anything about a middle wall of partition to keep out second-class citizens of the Kingdom. This was all just one big tradition of men, and Jesus came to destroy those traditions. Eph. 2:14,

"For He Himself is our peace, who made both groups into one, and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall."

Thanks to Christian Zionists, though, that barrier is being funded and will be rebuilt, if the Jewish Zionists get their way.

If Christian Zionists want to be second-class citizens in a Jewish Kingdom, who am I to stand in the way of legitimate, self-imposed slavery? But I prefer to opt out of that program and rely instead upon the Temple that has Christ as its corner stone, with the foundation of the apostles and prophets (Eph. 2:20). The Hebrew prophets of God will not be the foundations of the planned Jewish temple of the future. They are the foundation of a greater Temple made of living stones.