Posted on April 30, 2013 by Bro Hiltibidal — 11 Comments
Foolish Conjecture and the Future Temple
We live in times where speculation is more often the basis of people’s reasoning instead of known facts or truths. I never cease to be amazed at the comments and conclusions people make based in speculation rather than facts.
Everyone wants to be the expert and final authority in matters they have only speculation or some supposed inspirational feeling about. Such is the subject of the third temple for the Jews. You hear those that will try to convince you that it will be built at Shiloh and not Jerusalem. This way there would be no conflict with the Islamic religion and the temple mount.
Oh, they provide other reasons and all based in speculation or personal interpretation of some portion of Scripture. Peter helps us in this matter when he says this in 2 Peter 1:20, “Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.” Simply any interpretation that is not supported by the whole of Scripture is an incorrect interpretation. No Scripture stands alone apart from the rest.
Many a false doctrine and cult or religious movement has been concocted by this method. The current trend of progressive interpretation has moved away from traditional principles. They take verses or phrases out of their context and apply it as they please. They change the meaning of words to prove their preconceived ideas and on and on. This has resulted in a continual progression of rewriting the Word of God.
Recently another speculative process is resulting in a movie concerning the future temple in Jerusalem. Ken Klein, a former NFL player turned author and filmmaker, has come up with “evidence,” at least in his mind, that the temple never sat where everyone thought. (Maybe he needs to stick to football)
Try to tell that to the orthodox Jews who have already prepared the instruments, vestments and training of priests preparing for the temple to come. Try to convince those drafting the plans of a future temple compound.
The articles for the temple, the training of priests who pass DNA testing , the actual participation on paschal sacrifice, the red heifer is present, the re-establishment of the Sanhedrin, everything but the physical temple is ready to go. The signs of the endtimes are everywhere.
Speculation is not a firm footing to place your spiritual thought process on for the end result will prove a disaster. Multitudes have placed their future hope of eternity in heaven on speculation and in the words of Jesus will be forever disappointed. “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity” (Matthew 7:21-23).
The dome of the rock is a point of contention and debate abounds concerning the actual site of the temple. If it is at the place of the Islamic center when the time to rebuild comes, it will have been removed by what means would be speculation and conjecture. It is thought a bomb might remove it in one of the wars to come, others say an earthquake, again speculation.
We do know that the first temple built by Solomon with the material gathered by David was built on the threshing floor David purchased from Ornan or Araunah, thought to be the same area where Abraham built the altar to sacrifice Isaac on mount Moriah. “Then Solomon began to build the house of the LORD at Jerusalem in mount Moriah, where the LORD appeared unto David his father, in the place that David had prepared in the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite” (2 Chronicles 3:1).
From archeological discoveries, the position of the original altar for sacrifice is on the temple mount a distance from the dome of the rock. Facts, not speculation, may not be sensational or intriguing and may not bring attention to self, but you cannot change truth no matter how important you may think your ideas or speculation to be.
We need to stick to the Book; it is the truth, and if our ideas are not in alignment with it, then we are wrong and not God. “For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven” (Psalms 119:89).