The World According To Missygirl

The Temple Institute, an organization which has tasked itself with preparing for the rebuilding of the Temple in Jerusalem, has published the first set of blueprints for a small part of the building. Architects have completed work on an area known as the 'Chamber of Hewn Stone', the place where the 71 members of the Sanhedrin are to sit.

The Sanhedrin is a religious council that is made up of 71 of the most learned Jewish scholars in the land of Israel. The Sanhedrin, which presided over the trial of the Lord Jesus Christ, was dissolved in the year 358 AD. The council was officially reconvened on the 13th of October, 2004. Often in direct opposition to government policy, they have taken on various projects, such as planning for the rebuilding of the Jewish Temple and anointing a king to replace the democratically elected Knesset. They have in the past attempted to reinstate the sacrificial system, which the Bible prophesies will recommence just prior to or during the tribulation period (Daniel 9:27).

"No land can be prepared, no foundation can be laid, no wall can be erected without a detailed architectural plan first being drawn up, approved by engineers and presented to the appointed site manager. The plans you are viewing on this page fulfill every requirement necessary for the immediate commencement of work on this aspect of the Holy Temple complex.

The Sanhedrin Chamber of Hewn Stone is but a single chamber in the northern wall of the Holy Temple. It was chosen as the initial focus of the blueprint project, not because of its architectural significance, per se, but because of its overwhelming spiritual significance to the world. The seventy elders of the Sanhedrin have been vested with the authority of the seventy elders whom G-d commanded Moshe to appoint in the desert:

"Then HaShem said to Moses, 'Assemble for Me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom you know to be the people's elders and officers, and you shall take them to the Tent of Meeting, and they shall stand there with You. I will come down and speak with you there, and I will increase the spirit that is upon you and bestow it upon them. Then they will bear the burden of the people with you so that you need not bear it alone.'" (Numbers 11:16-17)

It is of course easy to be critical of the Sanhedrin. It is true that they did preside over the crucifixion of the Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ. But there were members among the Sanhedrin who did believe, such as Joseph of Arimathaea, who did not consent unto the counsel and deed of them (Luke 23:50-51). And Caiaphas, the high priest, whether a believer or not, did prophesy that one man should die for the people that the nation perish not (John 11:49-50).

But as you can see from what is happening today, this rebuilding of the Temple is being done in unbelief. The very fact that the Sanhedrin have focused their attention on designing the building where they will sit, rather than on God's dwelling place, shows just how full of self-importance they are. It seems that even God Himself must take second place to them.

Reading the article by the Temple Institute on the relevant Scripture portion in Exodus 25:8, they speak of how Moses was amazed that the Creator of the universe should desire to dwell in a house made with hands, and how the nation should be ready and willing to build the Temple in our days. But they are willingly ignorant of the fact that Lord went much further than that. For He came into the world that He had created (John 1:10). He "made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men" (Philippians 2:7). Praise God that He ever came. And John adds, "the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth" (John 1:14). What grace and glory the Temple of the Son of God displayed here on earth compared to the monstrosities now being engineered by man!

The Lord referred to the Temple on three separate occasions throughout His earthly ministry. On the first occasion, when He drove the moneychangers out of the Temple, He said, "make not my Father's house an house of merchandise" (John 2:16). On the second occasion the Lord says, "It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves" (Matthew 21:13). On the third and final occasion, it was no longer the 'Father's house' or 'My house', but 'your house':

"Behold, your house is left unto you desolate: and verily I say unto you, Ye shall not see me, until the time come when ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord" (Luke 13:35).

The same mindset still exists in the Sanhedrin today. This is still very much 'their house', and it will remain desolate until the return of the Lord Jesus Christ. This will be the house that the Antichrist will eventually defile during the tribulation period (2nd Thessalonians 2:4). Only when the Jewish people recognize the Lord Jesus as their Messiah, will the Lord return and set up His kingdom (Zechariah 12:10).

Praise God that we are alive to witness these events coming to pass. How close must be the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. At His first coming, John records that "He came unto his own, and his own received him not" (John 1:11). The Jewish Sanhedrin and the nation in general did not recognize Christ at His first coming. But the Bible says that "as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name" (John 1:12). Have your sins been forgiven? Have you believed on Jesus Christ for salvation? He came into this world the first time that He might "put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself" (Hebrews 9:26). And Hebrews 9:28 promises that "unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation". Don't wait until it's too late. Turn away from your sin, and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation today.•