Jordan accuses Israel of temple building plans

Model of 516 B.C. Second Temple in Jerusalem (Ariely)

A Jordanian official is accusing the nation of Israel of making plans for a temple in Jerusalem:

Jordanian Minister Accuses Israel of Planning to Erect the Third Temple reposted from The Times of Israel January 3, 2013

Islamic Endowments Minister Abdul Salam Abadi says Israel wants to partition the Temple Mountby Elhanan MillerA Jordanian minister accused Israel on Wednesday of planning to partition the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem and the Temple Mount plaza surrounding it in order to erect the third Temple. Islamic Endowments Minister Abdul Salam Abadi told a visiting clerical delegation from Australia that he received instructions from the “Hashemite leadership” to safeguard the Arab and Islamic identity of Jerusalem, Jordanian media reported. Abadi said Israel was planning to divide the mosque from its courtyards with a 144-dunam structure.

http://www.templeinstitute.org/archive/03-01-13.htm

Of course, groups like the Temple Institute want to build a new temple in Jerusalem (it would be considered the third, with Solomon’s temple, which was destroyed around 586 B.C., the first).

Politically, the nation of Israel would not currently risk building an actual temple in that region. However, that does not mean that it would not be interested in making provisions to do so.

While various ones believe that the Bible requires that another temple be built in Jerusalem in order to fulfill biblical prophecies, this is not strictly so. In New Testament times, Christians are repeatedly referred to as “the temple of God,” and all that the Jews actually require to perform sacrifices is an altar in the general area where the temple used to be, such as the type of altar that Temple Institute already has available. Notice what the Bible clearly teaches:

6 From the first day of the seventh month they began to offer burnt offerings to the Lord, although the foundation of the temple of the Lord had not been laid. (Ezra 3:6)

From a Church of God perspective, notice what the late Herbert W. Armstrong wrote:

God made a prophecy in the third chapter of Malachy…Continuing, “…shall suddenly come to His temple…” What kind of temple is He coming to? Are the Jews going to tear down the Dome of the Rock and build a new temple? Oh, no!… A holy temple! Christ is coming to His church! Christ is coming to His temple! Do we see that? The church is the temple. “…in whom ye are also builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.” (Armstrong, Herbert W. Congress of Leading Ministers Hears Defined and Reemphasized Spiritual Organization of Church. Worldwide News, March 6, 1981, p. 10)

While some have made a variety of false claims about Herbert Armstrong and the fulfillment of Daniel 11:31, notice what he actually wrote:

But, verse 11, “from the time the daily sacrifice shall be taken away . . . . ” Consider this a moment. This does NOT imply a material temple to be built in our time in Jerusalem. It does seem to imply the Israelis may restore the daily (twice daily) sacrifice – – possibly at the wailing wall. The indication is the armies of the “beast” of Revelation 17, entering Jerusalem (Dan. 11:41, Zech. 14:2), will stop this daily sacrifice. (Armstrong, Herbert W. The Time We Are In, Now. Pastor General’s Report-Vol 1, No. 15, November 20, 1979, Page 2)

Thus, Herbert Armstrong taught that there would be sacrifices that would be stopped. And that would, without a temple, at least require an altar in the appropriate area in Jerusalem. Which is consistent with other parts of the Bible (like Ezra 3:6).

But that does not mean that the Jews do not want a temple and may not ever try to have one. But from a strictly biblical perspective, a new temple in Jerusalem is not required.

Some articles 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? What does the Bible teach about the temple in the end-times?
Solomon’s Temple This is a a 5 minute animated film that shows one artist’s understanding of the details about Solomon’s temple.
The Temple and the Work This article discusses the two temples of the Old Testament and gives insight as to their possible relevance to the situation which has impacted the Church during this past decade or so.