Why Are We Waiting on the Third Temple?

WHY ARE SO MANY WAITING FOR A THIRD TEMPLE?

The expectation of a third temple comes largely from dispensationalism. This is the belief that God temporarily paused His dealings with Israel, established the Church, and will someday return to Israel’s Old Covenant system.

I’ve heard this repeatedly said to “keep your eyes on Israel. They are God’s time clock.” I find this to be so untrue. Let’s place our eyes on Jesus and the scriptures instead. Many believe a future temple will be rebuilt in Jerusalem and that animal sacrifices will begin again. Question: why would God restore the shadows after Christ brought the reality? Jesus was the image and still is today. Once again, we must keep our eyes on Him and not Israel. Why go back to the shadows?

For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect.

Hebrews 10:1

Animal sacrifices never removed sin:

For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.

Hebrews 10:4

Jesus accomplished what those sacrifices could never accomplish:

But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God;

Hebrews 10:12

For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.

Hebrews 10:14

Why would God accept animal sacrifices again after Jesus offered one sacrifice for sins forever? Would this not be a slap in the face of Christ’s finished work? There has never been two salvation plans, one for Israel and one for the church.

For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;

Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;

Ephesians 2:14-15

So God’s children are both believing Jews and Gentiles.

God’s New Covenant temple is not a future building in Jerusalem. It is His people:

Let the word decide.

Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.

1 Peter 2:5

Here are some questions we need to ask ourselves.

Why wait for a temple made with dead stones when God has already built His temple with living stones?

Why restore the Levitical priesthood when Christ is our eternal High Priest? Why return to animal blood when the blood of Jesus established the New Covenant? Why would God tear the veil and then hang it back up again? Why would He rebuild what Jesus fulfilled?

Let’s read this slow and think about what’s being asked.

Perhaps, we should stop waiting for a third temple and recognize the temple God has already been established, Jesus Christ dwelling within His people.

What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?

1 Corinthians 6:19

God moved out of the physical temple in the first century and now He lives in temples not made with hands.

Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?

1 Corinthians 3:16

This was his plan from the beginning and now He is here dwelling in us now.