‘Towards the Third Temple, the final blasphemy against Christ’

Donald Trump ‘Third Temple’ coin
(Photos: Mikdash Educational Center)

A reader in Italy sent me the following link to an article by a Roman Catholic writer: https://www.maurizioblondet.it/110484-2/

That article is in Italian and is very long. Here are some machine-translated excerpts:

Towards the Third Temple, the final blasphemy against Christ

27 February 2025

Among the consequences of Israel’s more than year-long military campaign in Gaza is a renewed enthusiasm among both Jews and Christian Zionists for the construction of a so-called “third temple” in Jerusalem.

Last August, for example, far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir visited the Temple Mount (for the sixth time) where he called for the right of Jews to pray on the site and build a synagogue. The Israeli daily Haaretz, which covered the event, called it an “act of deception,” concealing the long-term goal of razing Islamic structures on the Temple Mount and building the Third Temple.[1]

Earlier last year, in a television interview, a far-right member of the Knesset endorsed the construction of the third Temple where “we will be able to eat … from the Passover sacrifices. [2] After the US presidential election in November, Yosef Berger, the rabbi in charge of the site of King David’s Tomb, declared that “Like Cyrus, God put Donald Trump in power to build the Temple and pave the way for the moshiach [messiah].”[3] …

However, the building of the Third Temple, with its apparent revival of Mosaic Law and animal sacrifice, represents an affront to heaven that openly rejects the redemption of both Jews and Gentiles by Jesus Christ. …

Access to the Temple Mount has also stimulated Jewish activism to begin preparing for the third Temple. At least three major organizations have been working toward this goal for several decades. They are the Temple Institute,[50] the Temple Mount and Land of Israel Faithful Movement (abbreviated TMF),[51] and Returning to the Temple Mount.[52] Note that all three organizations maintain English-language websites, calculated to appeal to the many American and European Christian Zionists who support the Temple initiative.

Collectively known as the “Temple Mount movement,” these organizations represent an eclectic mix of Orthodox Jews and secular Zionists. The government-funded Temple Institute operates a visitors center and museum in Jerusalem, trains priests, makes vessels for use in ritual ceremonies, and indoctrinates Israeli schoolchildren with its program. Incredibly, the Temple Institute claims to know the precise and hidden location of the Ark of the Covenant, “awaiting the day when it will be revealed.”[53]

The TMF website states that “(t)he Temple Mount can never be consecrated to the Name of God without removing these pagan shrines [the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock]. It has been suggested that they be removed, relocated, and rebuilt in Mecca.” Furthermore, consecrating the Temple Mount will make it “the moral and spiritual center of Israel, the Jewish people, and the entire world.”[54] In 1990, the TMF attempted to lay a cornerstone of the Third Temple, leading to a riot on the Temple Mount in which seventeen Palestinians were killed.[55] The movement’s leader, Gershon Salomon, only regretted that Muslim blood had contaminated the Temple Mount. In 2022, the TMF announced on Facebook that it will “offer a cash reward to those who succeed in sacrificing a lamb on the Temple Mount, as well as to those arrested in the process.”[56]

According to the Lord’s command to Moses and Aaron in Numbers 19:1-10, the people of Israel are to procure “a red heifer without blemish, in which there is no spot, and upon which no yoke has ever come.” As author Victoria Clark describes it, the ritual sacrifice of the heifer “will provide the ashes necessary for the purification, first of the builders, and then of the future priests of the Temple. According to the divine instructions detailed in Numbers 19, the animal must be without a single spot and red from head to foot. If there were nine such heifers between the late thirteenth century BCE, when Moses lived, and the destruction of the Second Temple in CE 70, there were none at all for nearly two thousand years thereafter.”[62] (The twelfth-century Jewish philosopher Moses Maimonides had proclaimed that the appearance of the tenth heifer would signal the coming of the Messiah.) American Christian Zionists came to the rescue, first in the person of Clyde Lott, a Pentecostal preacher and cattle rancher from Mississippi. After lengthy negotiations with Orthodox rabbis at the Temple Institute in the 1990s, Lott prepared to ship thousands of Red Angus cattle to Israel, where the perfect Red Heifer, in accordance with rabbinic guidelines, could be bred. Lott toured the United States, speaking at churches and conferences and raising significant funds. Donors were solicited to sponsor, for example, the purchase of a Red Heifer for $1000, or half a heifer, or the plane ticket for a cow for $341.[63]

The red heifer project evoked the full range of predictable reactions in largely secular Israel where, for example, Jewish author Gershom Gorenberg sarcastically referred to Lott and his associates as “doomsday herders.” The Temple Institute has had at least two “near misses” in its breeding efforts over the years. This includes the highly publicized birth of Melody in 1996, a pure red calf who inappropriately developed a tuft of white hair on her tail before the age of two.[64] Undaunted, Jewish activists with the support of American Christian Zionists continue their search for the perfect red heifer. …

Most of the prerequisites for a third temple are now in place. The only exceptions are access to the Temple Mount and a suitable red heifer. As the occupying power of East Jerusalem, the Israeli government could at any time authorize the destruction of Muslim structures on the Temple Mount, thus allowing construction of the temple to begin.

During his first administration, Trump brokered what became known as the Abrahamic Accords between Israel and four Arab countries. Likewise, his administration assisted in the creation of the Abrahamic Family House, a previously unimaginable “interfaith complex” consisting of a mosque, a Catholic church, and a synagogue in Abu Dhabi. Given his considerable ego and “lame duck” status as president, it would be entirely typical of Trump to broker a deal that would allow for the construction of the Third Temple. Furthermore, Trump is a real estate man by trade: he can relate to (and perhaps envy) the great roles of Solomon, Cyrus, and Herod in the construction of the previous Temples. Rabbi Yosef Berger, quoted at the beginning of this article, stated in November that “Like Cyrus, God put Donald Trump in power to build the Temple and pave the way for Moshiach [messiah].” The Temple will be built by non-Jews, something that “will only be fully revealed after Trump fulfills this role.”[67]

While I do not consider that a ‘third temple’ is “the final blasphemy against Christ,” I do agree that one is not required since Jesus’ sacrifice.

And it is also true that groups like the Temple Institute believe that they will need to clear Islamic structures from the area known as the Temple Mount in order to build its temple:

When will the reconstruction of the Holy Temple Commence?

There are two approaches to answering this question.

One approach is based on the geo-political dynamics of the Temple Mount, and the other approach is based on the desire of the nation of Israel and her fellow nations to rebuild the Holy Temple.

Geo-politically, the Temple Mount has to be cleared of the Dome of the Rock and the mosques which are presently located upon it before the physical rebuilding of the Holy Temple can begin. Many scenarios can be imagined which would accomplish this, the most promising, and not necessarily the most far-fetched, would entail Moslem recognition of the Mount as the intended location for the rebuilt Temple. With the acquiescence of the Moslem world the Moslem structures currently on the Mount would be disassembled and reassembled elsewhere. (http://www.templeinstitute.org/frequently-asked-questions.htm viewed 11/10/13)

Of course, the Muslims are not interested in getting their famous Dome of the Rock and their mosques removed–putting in such a temple would bring war, not peace. That is part of why I have long understood that the Jews would be willing to resume animal sacrifices without the rebuilding of a full Jewish Temple–and that is consistent with the Bible (Ezra 3:6) as well as the position of certain Jewish leaders, such as those in the reconstituted Sanhedrin (see Why is a Jewish Temple in Jerusalem Not Required?) and even some at the Temple Institute.

Notice something that the late Pastor General of the old Radio/Worldwide Church of God, Herbert W. Armstrong, wrote about this:

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)

“And are built upon the foundation of the apostles [New Testament] and prophets [Old Testament], Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; in whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy TEMPLE in the Lord” (verses 20-21). So God reveals here that the Church is: 1) the HOUSEHOLD or begotten FAMILY of God; 2) a building—a HOLY TEMPLE—fitly joined together—that is, well organized (and, of course, on GOD’S pattern). As a building—the HOLY TEMPLE to which Christ will come—it is built on a FIRM FOUNDATION: the apostles, chosen by Christ, and the prophets. …

There has been much perplexity and discussion as to when the temple will be built to which Christ shall come. Malachi’s prophecy speaks of Christ’s second coming to His temple (Malachi 3:1-6). In Haggai’s prophecy it is referred to prophetically. Zerubbabel has been sent as governor of a colony to build the second temple 70 years after the destruction of Solomon’s temple. He built the temple to which Jesus came, though it had been enlarged and embellished by the Roman Herod. But speaking of this temple, as a type and forerunner of the temple to which Christ shall come at His second coming , it is written, “The glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the former, saith the ‘ Lord of hosts: and in this place will I give peace, saith the Lord of hosts” (Haggai 2:9).

It is inconceivable that the Israelis, in the present international turmoil over their possession of old Jerusalem, could ever demolish the Arab Moslem Dome of the Rock – now on the site of Solomon’s temple-and build a new one there of greater splendor and glory than Solomon’s! However, as the second temple Zerubbabel was building was a typical forerunner of the temple to which Christ shall come, even so Zerubbabel was the typical forerunner of one Christ would use in building the far more glorious temple to, which Christ shall come in His GLORY!

Zechariah 4:9 : “The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house; his hands shall also finish it . . .. ” And as Zerubbabel’s hands did finish that second temple, so shall the one Christ uses in building the temple to which He shall come in His GLORY!

And the Church of God of the present day shall be a “building fitly framed together [and growing] unto an holy temple in the Lord” (Ephesians 2:21). (Armstrong HW. 7 Proofs of God’s True Church, Part 6. Plain Truth. August, 1979, p. 38)

Many of us are being tried and tested as NEVER BEFORE–and for our own good! 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. (Armstrong HW. The Time We Are In, Now. Pastor General’s Report-Vol 1, No. 15, November 20, 1979, Page 2)

Let me also add here that the old Church of God, the group that changed its name to Church of God (Seventh-Day) in the 20th century, published the following in the 19th century:

What is the ‘holy place’? I understand it to be the Church, which is called the temple. Turn to 1st Cor. 3:16, 17. (Watkins J. The Midnight Cry. Hope of Israel, October 28, 1863)

So, a published Church of God position in the 1800s was that the ‘holy place’ and the temple was the Christian church.

Here is what 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)

In that verse, Jesus says that we should look at Daniel. Jesus also taught that the one who reads this passage needs to understand something—perhaps Jesus’ comment itself suggests that the apparent idea that “a physical Jewish temple may be required” may not be correct?

Carefully, notice that no temple of any kind is specifically 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 something else in the city of Jerusalem.

Thus, it seems improper to teach that Jesus is specifically teaching that a third Jewish temple will be rebuilt as there is no scripture in the entire New Testament that shows that He specifically taught that.

Although several Jewish groups want a massive temple to be built, and some hope the current religiously-inclined government in Israel will support that building. Let me add that representatives of the Reconstituted Sanhedrin and Temple Institute have directly told me that all that they need to resume animal sacrifices is an altar. And they have had one for years–the Reconstituted Sanhedrin specifically performed a ceremony on December 10, 2018 to dedicate a new altar for the use of daily sacrifices (for more information, watch: Sanhedrin makes burnt offering to dedicate altar!).

It should pointed out that the Bible itself specifically shows that sacrifices were made in the time of Ezra BEFORE the second temple was ready:

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)

Thus, Jews know that they can perform animal sacrifices without a rebuilt Temple. And that is what two of the main groups behind doing so have told me.

That said, perhaps it should be mentioned that stones from the second temple were believed to be moved to build what seems to have been the first Christian church building in Jerusalem (see Church of God on Jerusalem’s Western Hill). While this building might relate to one that the Man of Sin of 2 Thessalonians 2 may end up in, it would not yet seem to be a place that animal sacrifices would begin in–especially since the Temple Institute and the Sanherdin have another location in mind. That being said, because of traditions that this building is above the tomb of David and the ark of the covenant (many discount that, but others agree, see also Church of God on Jerusalem’s Western Hill), if additional archaeological evidence surfaces to support this (or some other location related to David, the ark of the covenant, or the temple), groups like the Temple Institute may change their location ideas.

Anyway, here is a photo I took in October 2013 of some of the original bricks of the Church of God on Jerusalem’s Western Hill:

None of those bricks are expected to be used by the Jews to build a temple before Jesus returns.

Despite the views of many that a massive third temple in Jerusalem has to be built before the start of the Great Tribulation/Apocalypse, the reality is that the Jews do not need a temple to be rebuilt before Jesus returns.

All that being said, the Bible does show that there will be daily sacrifices again in Jerusalem and that they will one day be stopped (Daniel 9:27, 11:31, 12:11) and that they can be done without a temple (Ezra 3:6).

Tearing down the Dome of the Rock will not bring real peace (though a temporary peace deal will come per Daniel 9:26-27). While the Jews can build structures in this age, they cannot build God’s Holy Temple.

Yet, since sacrifices will be resumed, the Jews will use an altar and likely put up a tent or an actual structure to do so. No massive third temple is needed for the sacrifices or for prophecies for this age to be fulfilled.

But the stopping of animal sacrifices scripturally must occur.

Partially because of Donald Trump, steps towards the resumption of those sacrifices will take place–with out without a ‘third temple.’

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 two sermons The Temple, Prophecy, and the Work and God’s Temple in Prophecy. And here is a version of the latter one in the Spanish: El templo de Dios en profecía.
Nascent Sanhedrin structure and high priest: The plan is to start animal sacrifices this would fulfill prophecy! The reconstituted Sanhedrin wants the reimplementation of animal sacrifices. A related video is titled Sanhedrin pushing animal sacrifices.
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 are links to three related videos in English: Red Heifers and the Fate of the World and The Red Heifer and the End of the World and Red Heifers and Antichrist? and Temple Institute, Heifers, Hamas, and a Tent. Here is a link to two videos in the Spanish language: Novillas rojas and La novilla roja y su posible implicación profetica.
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.
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 are also two related YouTube videos you can watch: Jerusalem To be divided and eliminated and God’s and Satan’s Plan for Jerusalem.
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 here are links to videos in Spanish: ¿Quién es el Hombre de Pecado de 2 Tesalonicenses 2? and ¿Quién es el ‘hombre de pecado’? Here is a version in Mandarin: N;ÿ Œf/’Y’jNº’ÿ Here is a link to a related English sermon video titled: The Man of Sin will deceive most ‘Christians’.
Lost Tribes and Prophecies: What will happen to Australia, the British Isles, Canada, Europe, New Zealand and the United States of America? Where did those people come from? Can you totally rely on DNA? What about other peoples? Do you really know what will happen to Europe and the English-speaking peoples? What about Africa, Asia, South America, and the Islands? This free online book provides scriptural, scientific, historical references, and commentary to address those matters. Here are links to related sermons: Lost tribes, the Bible, and DNA; Lost tribes, prophecies, and identifications; 11 Tribes, 144,000, and Multitudes; Israel, Jeremiah, Tea Tephi, and British Royalty; Gentile European Beast; Royal Succession, Samaria, and Prophecies; Asia, Islands, Latin America, Africa, and Armageddon; When Will the End of the Age Come?; Rise of the Prophesied King of the North, and Christian Persecution from the Beast; and WWIII and the Coming New World Order; and Woes, WWIV, and the Good News of the Kingdom of God.