Third Temple Beginning March 16, 2010?

The Ark of the Covenant

Last year I reported about an old prediction that the “third temple” was to be re-built starting March 16, 2010 (Will a Third Temple Be Built in 2010?). Now as we get closer to that date, there are two recent news items that tie into this:

From ruin to reconstruction, the Hurva Synagogue is completed – again

The Jewish Journal of Greater L.A. – March 9, 2010

“After four years of construction, the Jewish Quarter’s landmark Hurva Synagogue – built by Polish Jews in 1701, destroyed by Arab creditors two decades later, rebuilt in 1864 by followers of the Vilna Gaon, and dynamited in 1948 by Jordan’s Arab Legion – is being re-dedicated this Sunday and Monday (March 15-16, 2010). http://www.jewishjournal.com/nation_world/article/from_ruin_to_reconstruction_the_hurva_synagogue_is_completed_-_again_201003/

Regarding the Rumor about the Building of the Holy Temple on March 16, 2010

and the Story that Lies Behind It

The Temple Institute – Jerusalem

A STORY HAS BEEN CIRCULATING RECENTLY concerning the prophesied commencement of construction on the Holy Temple on March 16th, 2010. It would appear that the current interest began when a certain Israeli daily newspaper published a story claiming that the celebrated Rabbi of Vilna, Eliyahu ben Shlomo, known to this day as the Vilna Gaon, (The genius of Vilna), or by his acronym, the Gra, who lived over 200 years ago, (1720-1797), purportedly declared that the beginning of the redemptive process would commence upon the completion of the rebuilding of the Churva synagogue in Israel. http://www.templeinstitute.org/gra-churva-holy-temple.htm

The Hurva Synagogue, of course, is not the temple.

The reality is that it appears that the Temple Institute would love to be able to begin construction next week. And it is right that Israel could authorize it. However, as it does not appear that any one has gotten official government approval for this project, to actually formally start temple construction seems remote.

It is fairly clear that a third temple will not be completed in the Temple Mount area in Jerusalem in 2010. Additionally, the political situation simply does not seem to be able to allow it at this time.

Now that does not mean that some Jews may not build implements for a third temple (this has already occurred under the auspices of the Temple Institute) or that some may not try to start some construction somewhere in that area.

But a complete third temple will not be finished in 2010.

However, as the Europeans and Americans are now working on a peace plan for the Middle East it may be possible that a peace plan could allow for some type of temple activities. But even that would seem to be questionable at this stage until at least the Fall of 2010 (and probably later than that).

Either way, it should be pointed out that a temple in Jerusalem is NOT required for Jews perform sacrifices according to the Bible (Ezra 3:6) and certain Jewish sources (like the current Sanhedrin). Bible prophecies related to sacrifices can be fulfilled even if no third temple is built during this age. But it may be that this 19th century prophecy will motivate some to try to do something this month to push the idea of a temple and/or sacrifices forward.

An article of related interest would be:

Why is a Jewish Temple in Jerusalem Not Required? Although people like Timothy LaHaye teach a third Jewish temple is required for end-time prophecies to be fulfilled, who is ‘the temple of God” in the New Testament? What does the Bible teach about the temple in the end-times? The Bible teaches that the sacrifices will be stopped (Daniel 9:27; 11:31), but do Jewish sources or the Bible mandate a completed temple for those sacrifices? What did Ezra do when there was no temple?