The Temple Institute have published architectural plans for the Third Temple. The announcement was timed to coincide with Tisha B'Av on the Jewish calendar (the 9^th of Av), which marks the anniversary of the destruction of both the First and Second Temples. The organization have created a presentation video of what they hope the rebuilt Temple will look like once it has been completed. This presentation comes one year after the Temple Institute first launched their 'crowd-funding' campaign to raise money for creating the architectural plans. It's not the first time plans have been published regarding the rebuilding of the Jewish Temple. A couple of years ago the reconvened Sanhedrin, the highest religious legal body in Judaism, revealed detailed blueprints for the special chamber where they are to sit. But this is the first time plans for the entire structure have been unveiled...

You may also remember how that a couple of weeks ago, we commented on a special announcement that was to be made by the Temple Institute on July 12th. Unfortunately I was on my holidays at the time of the announcement, but given the significance of the date and the wording of the advertisement, I thought it might have something to do with the status of the Temple Mount. The news turned out to be that for the first time in two thousand years, farmers have begun the process of raising a special herd of red heifers in the land of Israel itself. Using state-of-the-art DNA technology, they hope to be able to breed a perfect red heifer, which is required for the cleansing of the Temple Mount, the priests and vessels of the sanctuary prior to the construction of the Jewish Temple. Previously, most of the cows inspected by the Temple Institute for the role of the Red Heifer had been bred by Christian farmers in the United States.

It is indeed tremendous times we are living in. There is no doubt we are witnessing end times Bible prophecy being fulfilled before our very eyes. It is exciting on the one hand, yet sad on the other hand, knowing that the Jewish nation is still predominantly blinded as to the identity of their Messiah. They do not realize that these sacrifices could never take away sin. They were merely intended to point us to the ultimate sacrifice that only the Messiah Himself could make (Isaiah 53:6). He was that pure red heifer, without spot and blemish (Numbers 19:2). Those who walked with Him testified that “He knew no sin”, 1^st Corinthians 5:21, “He did no sin”, 1^st Peter 2:22 and “in Him is no sin”, 1^st John 3:5. He was taken and crucified outside the camp (Numbers 19:3, Hebrews 13:12). The scarlet thread, the cedar wood and the hyssop, essential elements in the sacrifice of the Red Heifer (Numbers 19:6), remind us of the purple robe that was used to mock Him (John 19:5), the cross that He bore (John 19:7), and the drink that was offered to Him while on the cross (John 19:29). Just as the ashes of the Red Heifer were taken by a ritually clean man and put in a clean place outside the camp, so the body of the Messiah was taken down by Joseph of Arimathea (Luke 23:52) and put in a new tomb in which never a man had lain (Matthew 27:60).

We are thankful to God that through the Israel's rejection of the Messiah, we Gentiles have been brought in to God's covenants of promise. But we do long for the day when Israel as a nation will recognize the one they rejected and turn unto Him for salvation. Upon leaving the Temple for the last time, the Lord Jesus Christ's words were to the Jewish nation, “Behold, your house is left unto you desolate: and verily I say unto you, Ye shall not see me, until the time come when ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord”, Luke 13:35. A similar prophecy is found in the pages of the Old Testament. Hosea 5:15, “I will go and return to my place, till they acknowledge their offence, and seek my face: in their affliction they will seek me early.”

The rebuilding of the Jewish Temple shows us just how close we may be to the return of the Lord Jesus Christ to this earth. Many Jewish people think that by rebuilding the Temple they are somehow meriting divine favour and hastening the arrival of the Messiah. This is not so. Unfortunately, as the prophecy in Hosea states, as well as in many other verses, it will take a period of great affliction before the Jewish nation will be willing to recognize and receive the one they rejected so long ago. But you don't need to wait until then to receive the Messiah! You can receive Him into your heart by faith today! John 1:11-12 says that “He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name”, John 1:12. God loves you so much, He sent His only Son Jesus Christ into this world to bear the punishment for your sin (Isaiah 53:10). All who trust in Him for the forgiveness of sins have everlasting life (John 3:16). Jesus Christ is coming back soon. Don't wait until it is too late. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved (Acts 16:31).

Source Ynet News