Temple Institute Altar and Blood Moons

Temple Institute Altar of 2009

Two readers sent me links to articles about a new altar produced by the Temple Institute:

March 14, 2015

The Institute, based in the Old City of Jerusalem, announced it has finished building an altar that is essentially “ready for use” in sacrificial services.

The altar is the most ambitious project to date toward the goal of rebuilding the Jewish Temple. The massive outdoor altar, which took several years to build, can be operational at little more than a moment’s notice, reported the Israeli magazine Matzav Haruach.

The altar is the last major component needed for the long-obstructed sacrifices to resume in a future Jewish temple. http://www.wnd.com/2015/03/holy-altar-constructed-for-third-jewish-temple/#zP0wAOY1qHHZLf0R.99

According to the Bible, the altar may not be made out of stones hewn by metal implements. The altar prepared by the Temple Institute, under the direction of architect Rabbi Shmuel Balsam, follows this requirement.

It is constructed instead from bricks fired at roughly 1,000 degrees Celsius (1,832 degrees Fahrenheit), to withstand the immense heat of the Temple’s eternal flame and the weight of the sacrificial animals. Its measurements conform to the interpretation of Maimonides.

What makes the altar so unique is that it can be disassembled and reassembled easily, allowing it to be transported quickly and efficiently from its current location, on display at the institute, to the Temple Mount when the time comes. It was inaugurated in December 2014 and is now ready for use. With Passover around the corner, and the Passover sacrifice a central component of the traditional celebration, perhaps that time will come soon! http://www.breakingisraelnews.com/32009/altar-jewish-holy-temple-rebuilt-jewish-world/#OvLPDZu9ziO8L5Ld.99

Now, the Temple Institute was long had an altar of unhewn stones that it could perform sacrifices on. Not only did I report on the in late 2009, I also confirmed this when I visited the Temple Institute during a trip to Jerusalem in October 2013.

It is certainly the goal of the Temple Institute to re-initiate animal sacrifices and no doubt they would like to do that this Passover (which begins after sunset on the 2nd of April in 2015).

Now the article by World News Daily (WND) had some other parts that I believe are misleading such as:

Bible scholars say the rebuilding of the ancient temple is predicted throughout scripture, starting with Daniel’s vision in Daniel 9:27. Jesus echoed Daniel’s warning about an abomination standing in “the holy place” in the last days in Matthew 24:15, followed by the Apostle John’s vision of the Temple in Revelation 11:1-2. http://www.wnd.com/2015/03/holy-altar-constructed-for-third-jewish-temple/#Gs1xLRbW86qKo2Rk.99

How is that misleading?

While it does discuss sacrifices, there is no mention of a temple in Daniel 9:27 (see also ). I would also add that I confirmed with the reconstituted Sanhedrin via email and the Temple Institute in person that the Jewish leaders associated with those groups DO NOT BELIEVE THAT THEY MUST HAVE A REBUILT TEMPLE TO SACRIFICE. They only need an altar and would like permission from Israeli authorities (it is the lack of the latter item that has prevented them from resuming animal sacrifices). I would add that Ezra makes it clear that Jews DO NOT need a temple to sacrifice:

6 From the first day of the seventh month began they to offer burnt offerings unto the LORD. But the foundation of the temple of the LORD was not yet laid. (Ezra 3:6)

Getting back to misleading statements in the WND article, while Jesus did mention the ‘holy place,’ He also did not mention a temple (see also Why is a Jewish Temple in Jerusalem Not Required?). Jesus may have been referring to an actual Christian location, as opposed to a Jewish one (see Church of God on Jerusalem’s Western Hill). As far as Revelation 11:1-2 goes, believers need to realize that according to the New Testament, it is Christians who are the ‘temple of God’ is this age, not a possible reconstructed Jewish building (see also Why is a Jewish Temple in Jerusalem Not Required?).

WND also had this in its article:

Jonathan Cahn, author of “The Harbinger” and “The Mystery of the Shemitah” also sees the announcement as significant.

“We know that end-time prophecy cannot be fulfilled without the rebuilding of the Temple in Jerusalem,” Cahn, a Messianic Jewish rabbi in New Jersey, told WND. http://www.wnd.com/2015/03/holy-altar-constructed-for-third-jewish-temple/#Gs1xLRbW86qKo2Rk.99

Jonathan Cahn’s “The Harbinger” and “The Mystery of the Shemitah”are flawed (here is a link with some information related to him: Pat Robertson declared ‘Harbinger’ author as God’s prophet; is he right about 2015?). Also, his contentions about a temple must be rebuilt in this age are also biblically wrong (see Why is a Jewish Temple in Jerusalem Not Required?).

WND also had the following in its article:

Mark Biltz, author of “Blood Moons: Decoding the Imminent Heavenly Signs” and pastor of El Shaddai Ministries, says…
“They could actually do sacrifices without a temple, some sacrifices. And Passover is one of them. There’s always been a drive to sacrifice a lamb on the Temple Mount,” http://www.wnd.com/2015/03/holy-altar-constructed-for-third-jewish-temple/#Gs1xLRbW86qKo2Rk.99

The above is correct.

WND also had the following in its article:

As an expert in the Hebrew roots of the Christian faith, Biltz is always looking at current events in light of the times and the seasons according to the Hebrew calendar. And there is something else special this year about Nisan 1, which arrives at sundown March 20.

“Amazingly, there is also a total solar eclipse occurring at the beginning of the religious calendar on March 20. A total solar eclipse speaks of judgment coming on the nations. This is followed two weeks later by a total lunar eclipse or blood moon on Passover.”

So the fact that a remnant of Jews has prepared an altar and the sacred vessels for temple services, even if the politics are still such that constructing the temple is currently impossible, is exciting, Biltz said. http://www.wnd.com/2015/03/holy-altar-constructed-for-third-jewish-temple/#Gs1xLRbW86qKo2Rk.99

While prophetically we do live in exciting times, the next blood moon IS NOT a biblical sign. Nor, is likely the one coming up in September 2015–the blood moons the Bible tells of do not happen until years after the start of the Great Tribulation (see also Blood Moons and Prophecy).

However, there are a number of Protestants promoting the nonsense that there will be a pretribulation rapture this year, likely in September, and tying it in with the New Moons. A video I watched about that also tied it in with the predictions in Jonathan Cahn’s Harbinger book, which as I mentioned before was biblically flawed.

That being said, the Temple Institute is preparing to perform animal sacrifices, has given statements showing that it is willing to do them without a new temple being built (only an altar and some implements with a Levite are biblically-required per scripture, and the Temple Institute has basically claimed to have all of that).

The Bible teaches that animal sacrifices will stop (Daniel 9:27; 11:31), which means that they first must start. And irrespective of Protestant views about a Jewish temple the time will come for the sacrifices to. And that may very well happen after some type of peace deal is confirmed in the Middle East (cf. Daniel 9:27; see also The ‘Peace Deal’ of Daniel 9:27).

The resumption of animal sacrifices is something that the Temple Institute may well be involved in–and they mainly only need permission from Israeli authorities to do so. One person there reported to one of our sons in September 2013 that this could be done within hours of getting permission.

And getting that permission is not impossible. Though it that may well take a war, peace deal, and/or political gridlock for that to happen. But it will come to pass.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

Why is a Jewish Temple in Jerusalem Not Required? Although people like Timothy LaHaye teach a third Jewish temple is required, who is ‘the temple of God” in the New Testament? Does the Bible require a rebuilt Jewish Temple? Here is a related item in the Spanish language ¿Por qué no se requiere un templo judío en Jerusalén? Here is a link to a sermon titled The Temple, Prophecy, and the Work.
Blood Moons and Prophecy There are four ‘blood moons’ expected in 2014 and 2015. Do they signal the Day of the Lord or the return of Jesus Christ? A related YouTube video is also available: Blood Moons, Prophecy, 2014, and 2015.
The Red Heifer, Jewish Beliefs, and the End of the World The Temple Institute is watching a ‘red heifer.’ Why might this be important in the sequence of end time events? Here is a related link in the Spanish language Novilla roja descubierta en EE.UU. e Instituto del Templo está interesado en ella. Here is a related video in English The Red Heifer and the End of the World.
Church of God on Jerusalem’s Western Hill Could this building, often referred to as the Cenacle, possibly have been the oldest actual Christian church building?
Does the ‘Cenacle’ deal have prophetic ramifications? After a 20 year negotiation, the Church of Rome has negotiated the right to have Catholic mass in the building known as the Cenacle. It is in the area where the Church of God on Jerusalem’s Western Hill once stood. This is believed to be the location of the earliest Christian church building. How does the Bible define the ‘temple of God’ in the New Testament? Could this be the area where the ‘man of sin’ will sit in the “temple of God’ that Bible prophecy discusses in 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4? This is a YouTube video.
The ‘Peace Deal’ of Daniel 9:27 This prophecy could give up to 3 1/2 years advance notice of the coming Great Tribulation. Will most ignore or misunderstand its fulfillment? Here is a link to a related sermon video Daniel 9:27 and the Start of the Great Tribulation.
When Will the Great Tribulation Begin? 2015, 2016, or 2017? Can the Great Tribulation begin today? What happens before the Great Tribulation in the “beginning of sorrows”? What happens in the Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord? Is this the time of the Gentiles? When is the earliest that the Great Tribulation can begin? What is the Day of the Lord? Who are the 144,000? Here is a version of the article in the Spanish language: ¿Puede comenzar la Gran Tribulación en 2014 o 2015? ¿Es el Tiempo de los Gentiles? You can also see the English language sermon video: The Great Tribulation from the Mount of Olives.
Jerusalem: Past, Present, and Future What does the Bible say about Jerusalem and its future? Is Jerusalem going to be divided and eliminated? Is Jesus returning to the area of Jerusalem? There is also a related YouTube video you can watch titled Jerusalem To be divided and eliminated.
Who is the Man of Sin of 2 Thessalonians 2? Is this the King of the North, the ten-horned beast of Revelation 13:1-11, or the two-horned Beast of Revelation 13:12-16? Some rely on traditions, but what does the Bible teach? Here is a related link in Spanish/español: ¿Quién es el Hombre de Pecado de 2 Tesalonicenses 2? Here is a version in Mandarin: 主编：谁是’大罪人’？Here is a link to a related YouTube video, in English, titled Who is the Man of Sin?
Continuing Church of God The group striving to be most faithful amongst all real Christian groups to the word of God.
Anglo – America in Prophecy & the Lost Tribes of Israel Are the Americans, Canadians, English, Scottish, Welsh, Australians, Anglo-Saxon (non-Dutch) Southern Africans, and New Zealanders descendants of Joseph? Where are the lost ten-tribes of Israel? Who are the lost tribes of Israel? What will happen to Jerusalem and the Jews in Israel? Will God punish the U.S.A., Canada, United Kingdom, and other Anglo-Saxon nations? Why might God allow them to be punished first? Here is a link to the Spanish version of this article: Anglo-América & las Tribus Perdidas de Israel. Information is also in the YouTube sermons titled Where are the Ten Lost Tribes? Why does it matter? and British are the Covenant People. A short YouTube of prophetic interest may be Barack Obama and the State of the Apocalypse.