Related page: Man of Lawlessness (2 Thess. 2: 1-12) Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society.  Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. © Copyright 2010 - 2017   All rights reserved. Daniel 11 Explained (condensed ‘one page’ commentary) ‘Matthew 24’ Explained (must match Revelation) The ‘Seals’ Explained (Revelation timeline revealed) Seven Churches Explained (Past & Present Church Prophecy) Note: ‘Sitemap’ shows a complete list of all pages (by category). ‘Homepage’ gives 3 simple steps + timelines + summary. Current Events from Daniel 11 (matching the Middle East) The Abomination (Daniel 11:31) done Recent Events ISIS - Saudi - Turkey (Daniel 11: 24-27) Final Events to the Abomination (Daniel 11: 28-30) Shiites re-take Persia + America’s Role Begins (Daniel 11: 21-23) soon done done Will a 3rd Temple be built before the rapture?  (Short answer: “No, not before, but it will be built.) Introduction   There are many people who say that a 3rd Temple will be built before the rapture, but then again, there are a lot of post-tribulationists who think everything happens before the rapture.  Of course, they are wrong.  As I’ve pointed out before, don’t listen to post-tribs, at least not concerning end times, because they twist and overlap Revelation, which inevitably leaves some things out of God’s prophecy, which is forbidden by God, and makes them, by definition, false prophets. (Rev 22:19)  In reality, there’s nothing in scripture to indicate that a 3rd Temple gets built before the rapture.    Sure, Israel has been ready to build a 3rd Temple, for a long time, with all the sacred items,  which accompany the 3rd Temple, and priests who are trained to carry out the rituals.  However, that doesn’t mean they will build it before the rapture.  Yet, the Jews have convinced a lot of Christians, mostly post-tribs, that a 3rd Temple needs to be built before Jesus returns.  Personally, I don’t see why so many Christians look to the Jews for interpretation of Bible prophecy.  I mean, if they don’t believe in Jesus, then what could they possibly understand about His return?  After all, they ignore most of the New Testament.  Here’s a Christian-news alert: The Jews are awaiting for a different messiah, one on earth, which the New Testament says not to do, because Jesus will appear “on clouds of the sky, with power and great glory.” (Matthew 24:30)  Therefore, Israel’s desire for a 3rd Temple is not related to Jesus.    Nevertheless, many “evangelicals” in America have come to believe that Trump is hastening the return of Jesus, by speeding the process of building a 3rd Temple.  They even compare Trump to King Cyrus, and think that the declaration of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and planning the embassy move is part of the process, but that’s a far cry from a 3rd Temple.  In fact, that’s why post-tribs project the rapture several years into the future: to allow ample time for all that to happen.  However, they are deceiving people into looking for the wrong signs, which could be an eternal mistake, if people think they can wait, before getting to know Jesus, and do whatever they please, until a 3rd Temple is built.  The rapture will indeed catch those people like a thief in the night, but it won’t be a surprise to everyone. (1 Thess 5:4)   That’s why it’s dangerous to twist and overlap God’s prophecy, and tell people the wrong signs.  Jesus said to look for the abomination that causes desolation, in the Book of Daniel, so anything else is not following Jesus’ advice.  When Christians don’t follow Jesus’ advice, that’s when they get things wrong.  I’m far from perfect, but I’ve always recognized that the signs leading to the abomination, in the Book of Daniel, are the most important signs to watch, because that’s what Jesus said to do.  And, those signs don’t include a 3rd Temple.    When all is said and done, it doesn’t matter what Jews or false prophets say about the 3rd Temple; it matters what scriptures say.  There is indeed evidence that a 3rd Temple will be built, but the Bible doesn’t say that it will be built before the rapture.  The following scriptures are some that a person provided when asking about the 3rd Temple.  The first three (part 1) involve the ‘abomination’, which is the last sign, immediately before the rapture. [see Matt 24 Yet, the verses in part 1 don’t include a Temple.  The verses in part 2 include a Temple, but they are after the rapture.  Part 1: The Abomination that causes Desolation #1: A “temple fortress” is not a temple Daniel 11:31 “His armed forces will rise up to desecrate the temple fortress and will abolish the daily sacrifice. Then they will set up the abomination that causes desolation.”   The above is the primary verse in Daniel 11 that all signs have been leading to, the ‘abomination’, where we have now arrived.  Trump’s declaration on December 6, 2017, spurred rioting among the Palestinians, and other Muslims, which coincided with a ‘triple confirmation’ of the middle of the 70th Seven.  Therefore, I think the riots will eventually turn into the ‘uprising’ (intifada) that is mentioned in the above verse.  If I’m correct, then they will somehow desecrate the ‘temple fortress’, but a fortress is a ‘wall’, so I think that represents the Western Wall.  After all, people usually desecrate something that is holy, and the Jews consider the Western Wall to be holy.  Plus, a ‘desecration’ would probably stop the Jews from praying in front of the Wall, at least for a short time, which would account for “abolishing the daily sacrifice” (prayer).  In any event, a “temple fortress” is not a temple. #2: A “wing” is not a temple Daniel 9:27 “He will confirm a covenant with many for one 'seven.' In the middle of the 'seven'  he will put an end to sacrifice and offering. And on a wing [of the temple] he will set up an abomination that causes desolation, until the end that is decreed is poured out on him.”   The above references the middle of the 70th Seven, which I mentioned before, because that’s the approximate time that the abomination is set up.  Yet, the abomination is placed “on a wing” [of the temple], not in the temple.  I mean, the NIV, which I quoted above, is the only version that I’ve seen, which actually includes the word ‘temple’ (and it does it in brackets).  The other versions just say “wing.”  When a person thinks of a ‘wing’, they usually think of an ‘attachment’ (away from the main body), such as a bird-in-flight or a hospital wing.  The Temple Mount is much larger than most people think, so there are areas on top that could be considered a ‘wing’.  On the other hand, a wing could also be an area adjacent to the Temple Mount, such as the Western Wall plaza (Kotel), Mount of Olives, or Old City.    The following verse indicates that the abomination will be standing in the “holy place”, but all the above choices would be considered holy, especially where an abomination is concerned.  Matthew 24:15-16  [Jesus said,] “So when you see standing in the holy place 'the abomination that causes desolation,' spoken of through the prophet Daniel -let the reader understand- then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.”   Some might even say that all of Jerusalem is holy, which is why the Israelites refuse to split the city, so a ‘wing’ might even include East Jerusalem, which is currently under dispute.  In fact, all of Israel is considered “Holy Land”, so “standing in the holy place” is a vague description.  My point is: When Jesus said to watch for the abomination, in the Book of Daniel, He didn’t mean to watch for a 3rd Temple because scripture in Daniel can be fulfilled without it.  Part 2: After the rapture #1: The Two Witnesses Revelation 11:1-2 “I was given a reed like a measuring rod and was told, "Go and measure the temple of God and the altar, and count the worshipers there. 2 But exclude the outer court; do not measure it, because it has been given to the Gentiles.  They will trample on the holy city for 42 months.”    The above is a reference to the 3rd Temple, which illustrates the counting of the 144,000 Israelites, in Rev 7, who receive the seal of God on the foreheads.  However, that is after the rapture because it’s after the 6th Seal, which matches the rapture in Matthew 24:29-31.  It also illustrates that the Gentiles will not have a second chance for heaven, after the rapture, but will “trample” Jerusalem anyway.    The “42-months” is the first part of ‘tribulation’, when the Trumpet plagues will happen, and the two witnesses will prophesy in Jerusalem, during the same 1260-days. (chart left)  The “measuring” is the first step of construction (surveying), because it will take a shocking event, such as the rapture, for the Israelites to actually start building on the Temple Mount.  Seriously, the Arabs riot if the Jews even make the slightest hint at changing the ‘status quo’, which prevents Jews from even praying on the Temple Mount.  The riots would be far worse than they are now, concerning Trump’s declaration on the status of Jerusalem.  Yet, the two witnesses will have extraordinary powers, to keep the Muslims at bay, while the 3rd Temple is being constructed.  And, 42-months is plenty of time for completion.  #2: Man of Lawlessness (antichrist) 2 Thessalonians 2:4 “He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God's temple, proclaiming himself to be God.”   The “man of lawlessness” (antichrist) will rise in power (Rev 13:5), during the same 42-months that the two witnesses are prophesying, the Trumpet plagues are happening, and the Gentiles are trampling Jerusalem.  (It will be an eventful time.)  Naturally, the 3rd Temple must be built (under the protection and supervision of the two witnesses), before the antichrist can set himself up in it, and proclaim to be God.  That will happen after the 6th Trumpet War  (Rev 9:13-19), when the antichrist will lead the ‘beast’ to invade Israel (Daniel 11:41), and kill the two witnesses (Rev 11:7).  That is also the same war as mentioned in Revelation 13:7.  It’s only after the two witnesses are killed that the antichrist can enter the 3rd Temple and make the above proclamation.  Of course, that declaration perfectly matches Daniel 11:36, which is obviously after the rapture because it’s after the abomination in Daniel 11:31.  #3: Re-consecration of the Sanctuary Daniel 8:13-14 “Then I heard a holy one speaking, and another holy one said to him, "How long will it take for the vision to be fulfilled -the vision concerning the daily sacrifice, the rebellion that causes desolation, and the surrender of the sanctuary and of the host that will be trampled underfoot?"  14 He said to me, "It will take 2,300 evenings and mornings; then the sanctuary will be re-consecrated."”   The above “sanctuary” is indeed the 3rd Temple, but this is referring to the end of the 2300-day ‘tribulation period’ (Trumpets and Bowls), after Jesus has defeated the ‘beast’ at Armageddon (7th Bowl).  Jesus will need to “re-consecrate the sanctuary” because it was briefly occupied by the antichrist.  Then, Jesus will begin His 1000-year reign on earth.    Notice that the above verse gives an example event from the beginning, middle, and end of tribulation, to completely illustrate the 2300-days.  The “rebellion that causes desolation” is the same as the ‘abomination’, which happens immediately before the rapture and starts  the tribulation.  The “surrender of the sanctuary” was mentioned above, after the antichrist invades Israel and kills the two witnesses, in the middle of tribulation.  The “host that will be trampled underfoot” is when Jesus will defeat the ‘beast’ at Armageddon, at the end of tribulation.  When you think about it, the ‘holy one’ gives a brief, but complete timeline of tribulation, which illustrates that the total time is 2300-days. (chart left) Conclusion   Even though many people have been led to believe that a 3rd Temple will be built before the rapture, it really won’t.  Their beliefs are based on mis-interpretations of scripture and God’s basic timeline of end times.  Most of them are post-tribs that twist and overlap God’s prophecy in Revelation, which makes them, by definition, false prophets.  Therefore, don’t listen to them because they have people looking far into the future, when the real signs leading to the abomination, which Jesus said to watch for, have been completed and the abomination is due   For example, even many pre-tribs have been led to believe that Trump has been sent by God to hasten the building of a 3rd Temple, so Jesus can return.  Yet, a temple is not required for Jesus to ‘return in the sky’, as He will do during the rapture.   Don’t get me wrong; I have no doubt that Trump was hand-picked by God, as most leaders are, but it wasn’t to help Israel build a 3rd Temple.  Nor was it to broker the ultimate peace deal, as he often talks about.  [Post-tribs, and perhaps some others, believe that Israel will sign a peace treaty with the antichrist, but that is a gross mis-interpretation of Daniel 9:27.]  On the contrary, Trump is doing exactly what God had in mind: declaring Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and causing riots and division.  Those riots will eventually lead to the uprising (intifada) that sets up the abomination, in Daniel 11:31.  Therefore, Trump is perfectly executing God’s plan, but there’s still no 3rd Temple before the rapture.  Related page: Who are the Two Witnesses? (Revelation 11) Chart showing 70th Seven vs. 2300 days Timeline of end times according to the abomination in Daniel click to enlarge Chart showing 70th Seven vs. 2300 days Timeline of end times according to the abomination in Daniel click to enlarge Video: Post-Rapture Timeline (No 3rd Temple before Rapture) (51 min.)  New: 5-22-2018 
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