CHAPTER 21
In old western movies, just when the action was getting interesting, a message would flash across the screen—Meanwhile, back at the ranch. That is what happens after the sixth trumpet of the Revelation. The actual order of events is interrupted, and the scene moves from heaven back to earth.
To grasp fully what he was seeing in heaven, it was necessary that John also receive visions of what was taking place on earth. Chapters 10 and 11 of the Revelation deal briefly with those earthly visions.
The first vision was that of an enormous angel coming down from heaven. When he reached the earth, the angel stood with his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land. John said he was "clothed with a cloud," and there was a rainbow upon his head (I told you he was enormous). His face was shining like the sun, and his feet were like pillars of fire. No doubt, he had John's undivided attention.
When the angel cried out with a loud voice, seven peals of thunder also uttered their voices. We don't know what they said, because John was commanded NOT to record what he heard. Did that mean someone made an unauthorized revelation to John? Absolutely not. In heaven, God's will is carried out to the letter. Because John heard the message of the seven peals of thunder, he learned more about God's plans. Yet, he was kept from writing about it. That means at least part of what goes on in the last days will be concealed from us. This episode teaches us that we don't need complete understanding, nor should we expect it. John affirms that God is in control, and everything proceeds according to plan.
That brings us to another point. In the last days, the time will come when mysteries cease to exist. John's angel swore that when the seventh angel was about to sound his trumpet, all the mysteries of God would be finished. Furthermore, the angel declared that at the seventh trumpet there would be no more delay. At that time, every event associated with the end of the age will have been set in motion.
After that, John was shown a small, open scroll and told eat it. The angel warned that it would be sweet as honey to the taste, but bitter to his stomach. Then he was told, "You must prophesy again concerning many peoples and nations and tongues and kings." Evidently, the scroll contained prophecies which affected the whole world.
Unquestionably, all this was symbolic. However, using the principle of the Bible explains the Bible, it is not difficult to understand. Searching the Scriptures, we find the prophet Ezekiel had a similar vision. He saw something in a cloud that looked like a throne, and above it was a shining figure with the appearance of a man (see Ezekiel 1:26- 28). That figure was the same angel which John saw. Both had legs like pillars of fire and were wrapped in clouds and a rainbow. To further the connection, Ezekiel was also given a scroll to eat. We aren't told the contents of John's scroll, but on Ezekiel's there were written lamentations, mourning and woe. We can assume the messages were similar because they caused similar reactions. When eaten, both scrolls produced a bitterness: in the stomach for John and in the spirit for Ezekiel (see Ezekiel 3:14).
What can we learn from Ezekiel's experience that will help us understand John's? When Ezekiel examined the scroll he saw nothing but lamentations and woes. What's more, he was told the people would not heed his message.
But I have sent you to them who should listen to you; yet the house of Israel will not be willing to listen to you, since they are not willing to listen to Me. Surely the whole house of Israel is stubborn and obstinate (Ezekiel 3:7).
John too was given prophetic visions of judgment and woe. Like Ezekiel, his bitterness resulted from seeing the woes in the future and knowing his message would fall on deaf ears. Ezekiel prophesied to the exiles of the sons of Israel, and they didn't take him seriously. John, on the other hand, was given a message for the whole world, and to a great extent, he too has been ignored.
One of the subjects of the little scroll was the temple of God. John was given a measuring rod and told to measure (1) the temple of God, (2) the altar, and (3) those who worship there. That probably meant he was to count the number who worshipped in the Temple. John was told the court outside the temple was not to be measured. Since that part had been given to the nations (who tread under foot the holy city for 42 months), God was not interested in how many worshipped there.
To understand this vision, we need to see where it fits chronologically. So far, we have seen that several occurrences are placed in the forty-two months preceding the day of the Lord:
Now we can add another prophetical event to that period—the third Temple of God. According to Revelation 11:1-2 the Temple, or at least a tabernacle, will be operational for the last forty-two months of this age.
Since Israel regained possession of Jerusalem in 1967, there has been endless speculation about rebuilding the Temple. Numerous Jewish organizations have been established to promote Temple construction. In addition, there are groups which have already trained priests, and produced the necessary utensils for Temple worship.
But from a practical standpoint, there are still huge obstacles. Despite the zealousness of pro-Temple groups, the majority of the Israelis don't think a Temple is that important, and they are certainly not willing to go to war to get it. That by the way, is also the position of the Israeli government. What's more, even the orthodox Jews (the religious ones) aren't unified in calling for a new Temple. Many of them believe it is not supposed to be built before Messiah comes.
The major obstacle though, is Islam. According to Scripture, the Jews can only build the Temple on its former site, and that means some important Moslem shrines would be destroyed. Casualties would include the famous Dome of the Rock and Islam's third holiest site, the Al Aqsa Mosque. The Israelis are keenly aware of the sensitive nature of this issue. That is why, after the end of the 1967 War, soldiers were ordered to haul down the Israeli flag from atop the Dome of the Rock. As a gesture of peace, Israel returned control of the Temple Mount to the Supreme Moslem Council (called the Waqf). Since then, Jews have not been allowed to worship or pray anywhere on the Temple Mount.
While these factors don't bode well for a third Temple, that is exactly what Scripture says will occur. This has led to much speculation as to how the third Temple will come into being. Will an earthquake or a war destroy the Moslem shrines? Frankly, the Bible doesn't say. What it does tells us is that the last days will be marked by astonishing upheavals among the nations:
Look among the nations! Observe! Be astonished! Wonder! Because I am doing something in your days - you would not believe if you were told (Habakkuk 1:5).
Watching the fall of the Berlin Wall, I thought there would never again be anything so astonishing. Then a year later, without a shot fired, the entire Soviet Communist Party was thrown out of power! Truly, things are happening now which no one would believe, even if they were told in advance. And remarkably, this is just the beginning. From now on, we can expect other dramatic changes among the nations.
So, how will the obstacles be overcome? One helpful insight is contained in John's vision. Observing that Temple, he noted that the court outside the temple was being tread underfoot by the nations (Gentiles). Evidently during the last forty-two months, part of the Temple Mount will be as it is today—under control of someone other than the Israelis. But what is more significant is that the site of the former Temples will have been restored to Jewish control.
That Moslems would negotiate such an arrangement on the Temple Mount is out of the question. To make such a bargain would be to deny their faith. That is because Islam teaches that it has replaced Judaism. So, even admitting Israel's existence is an admission that Islam is in error. For that reason, only a traitor to Islam would negotiate with Israel, whose very existence is an affront to their god. For that reason, Sadat of Egypt was assassinated, and do not be surprised if Arafat suffers a similar fate. It is also unlikely that control of the Temple Mount will happen through war. (If a war eliminated Moslem influence in the region, the Israelis would not give up one inch of the Temple Mount.)
How then will the Temple come into being? It will come through a remarkable change of heart by the Israelis! In the near future, their desire for a Temple will grow until it surpasses the fear of holy war with the Moslems. When that happens, the Jews will take possession of part of the Temple Mount (even though the whole Mount is rightfully theirs), and reestablish their Temple. It is likely that several factors will be needed to produce a widespread desire for a third Temple. Here are some possible developments which would certainly affect the Israelis' attitude toward a third Temple.
1. A realization that the second Temple may not have been located under the Dome of the Rock
Unfortunately, the Waqf has purposely destroyed much archaeological evidence on the Temple Mount. Nevertheless, knowledge about the that area is increasing. The probable remains of both the Western and Eastern Gates have recently been found. This is important because it is believed the Second Temple was directly between those two Gates. If these discoveries are accurate, it means the actual Temple site is not under the Moslem shrine of the Dome of the Rock. According to Dr. Asher Kaufman, the actual site is some 330 feet northwest of the Dome of the Rock. That places it under a small cupola (a domed roof) known as the Dome of the Spirits. Interestingly, the little cupola is also known as the Dome of the Tablets. Even its name lends credence to the idea that it was the site of the Ark of the Covenant (hence the Temple).
The implications of these findings could be very significant. The Israelis know it would be political suicide to destroy the Dome of the Rock and the Al Aqsa Mosque in order to build their Temple. World opinion, however, might not be nearly so opposed to removing an insignificant structure no bigger than a gazebo. Few reasonable men could argue against a plan whereby the Moslems were persuaded "to share" the Temple Mount—particularly if their shrines were left intact.
2. The possibility of locating the Ark of the Covenant
The most important object in Israel's history was the Ark of the Covenant. Moses constructed the Ark according to God's instructions. About the size of a burial casket, the Ark contained the original Tablets of the Law. During Israel's early history the Ark was instrumental in a number of historical incidents, including the crossing of the Jordan River and the defeat of Jericho. Once, when some unauthorized Israelites looked into the Ark, the Lord struck down 50,070 men (see I Samuel 6).
Remarkably, the Ark disappeared shortly before the fall of Judah, and it hasn't been seen since. From all indications, it was not present in the second Temple. It has been suggested that a duplicate of the Ark was made during the time of Solomon. Owing to fears about Israel's religious and political instability, a son of Solomon is thought to have transported the original Ark to Ethiopia. According to some, the Ark has since remained hidden in Ethiopia.
Recent developments suggest that the Ark may once again play a part in the life of Israel. During the first half of 1991, all remaining Ethiopian Jews were airlifted to Israel. Some speculate that the long lost Ark was also returned and is now awaiting the building of a new sanctuary on the Temple Mount. If that is true, the mere disclosure of the Ark's existence could dramatically affect Israel's attitude toward another Temple.
Admittedly, no hard evidence for this theory has been produced. For that reason, we will do well to look to the Scriptures on the issue. Does the Bible imply the Ark will resurface in the last days? Perhaps. Jeremiah has this to say about the Ark of the Covenant and the last days:
"And it shall be in those days when you are multiplied and increased in the land," declares the Lord, "they shall say no more, 'The ark of the covenant of the Lord.' And it shall not come to mind, nor shall they remember it, nor shall they miss it, nor shall it be made again" (Jeremiah 3:16).
Frankly, that passage could be interpreted to support either of two opposite views: (1) The Ark was to have no significance from Jeremiah's time to the Millennium, or (2) the Ark would resurface in some significant way before the Millennium, and then be destroyed. In the latter case, the destruction would undoubtedly be at the hands of Antichrist when he seats himself in the sanctuary. The important point is that if the Ark is found, the attitude of the Jews toward a Temple would be greatly affected.
3. Possible location of the ashes of the red heifer.
In the Book of Numbers are instructions for a sacrifice which was unique in the Old Testament. All the others were repeated over and over, but the sacrifice of the red heifer took place just once. Moses and Aaron commanded the people to bring an unblemished red heifer on which no yoke had been placed. The animal was given to the priest, Eleazer, who slaughtered it outside the camp. With his finger he sprinkled the blood seven times on the front of the tent of meeting. Then the animal was burned. Finally, the ashes were gathered and stored in a kalal, a clay and dung pot.
According to the Law of Moses, whenever a person came into contact with a dead animal or human corpse, he became ceremonially unclean. That meant he could have no part in the organized worship of God. The remedy was washing in water which contained a pinch of the ashes from the kalal.
Eventually the supply of ashes ran low, so another red heifer was burned outside the north gate of the Temple. The old kalal with the remaining ashes was also tossed into the fire. Afterwards, those new ashes were gathered and stored in a fresh kalal. In this way, there was an unbroken line of ashes back to the one-time sacrifice by Eleazer. According to an account in one of the Dead Sea Scrolls, a red heifer was sacrificed shortly before the fall of Jerusalem in A.D. 70. That kalal (and its ashes) was buried before the fall of the city, and the location recorded on a copper scroll. So far, efforts to uncover the last kalal have been unsuccessful.
What do those ashes have to do with rebuilding the Temple? For the priests to conduct the ritual sacrifices they must be ceremonially clean. Without the ashes of the red heifer, that is impossible. Some think sacrifices can begin with the location of a new red heifer, even if the old ashes aren't found. Most Jews, however, reject that idea. Because John's vision includes an altar (for sacrifices), it means some provision for purification of the priests will have been made. Does that mean they will find a new red heifer? Or perhaps discover the remains of the last one? Time will tell. But if they find either, the discovery could kindle a tremendous surge of interest in the Temple. Then, thanks to the preparation already done by Jewish Temple organizations, worship in a tabernacle (a portable temple) could begin hours after locating the ashes of the red heifer.
4. Political developments.
Already, Israelis feel abandoned by the rest of the world. Perhaps the feeling of isolation will become so great they will say, "What have we to lose?"
In summary, any or all of these factors could cause the Israelis to change their minds about building the third Temple. We know that something is going to shake Israel from its apathy. How it happens doesn't matter. The point is that a temple (or tabernacle) system will definitely be in place during the final forty-two months of the age.
When the Jews returned from the Babylonian captivity, they rebuilt their Temple. At that time, God installed two men as overseers of that Temple. Their names were Joshua and Zerubbabel. You will be introduced to their End Time counterparts in the next chapter.