THE
SIGN AND EVIDENCE OF A CHANGE IN COVENANT RELATIONSHIP:
TEMPLE
CONSTRUCTION
Temple construction in Jerusalem will be
a sign to Israel that God's attitude toward Israel
generally, and the called out remnant specifically.
I believe that the Scriptures suggest
that Temple construction is the first and most important
event, from God's perspective, following the return from an
exiling judgment of the Jew. Israel (Judah) went
into exile in 606 B.C., as prophesied by Jeremiah. In
586 B.C., the Babylonians destroyed the First
Temple. In 536 B.C., Cyrus, who defeated the
Babylonians, released Israel from Babylon and a
remnant returned to Jerusalem. The first thing the
remnant did was commence the reconstruction of the
Temple. They did this before they rebuilt their homes.
Now, we must observe God's attitude
during this period of returning from exile. The
prophet Haggai says that from the 24th day of the 9th month,
even from the day that the foundation of the Lord's temple
was laid...from this day will I bless you. (Haggai
2:18-19) This event represented God's visitation
upon the remnant Jewish nation which returned from
Babylon. Jeremiah foretold this visitation. He
said: "For thus after 70 years be accomplished at Babylon I
will visit you..." He continues with an affirmation of
God's attitude toward this remnant group of Jews saying: "[I
will] perform my good word toward you, in causing you to
return to this place." (Jeremiah 29:10) God
continued and providing insight into His mind saying: "For I
know the thoughts that I think toward you, said the Lord,
thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected
end." (Jeremiah 29:11) This expected end is
affirmed by the prophet Zechariah, one of the prophets which
returned to Jerusalem at this time. (Zechariah
1:13)
Now, Zechariah 1 speaks again to Israel
from the year 520 B.C. Zechariah speaks about another
70-year period which is following by a Temple being
constructed. This 70-year is described as
70-years of God's indignation, unlike the 70-years of
Babylonian exile which was described as a period of
"desolations". The Scriptures define
"indignation" and "desolations" as opposite terms.
There are many Bible commentators who describe Zechariah
1:12 70-year period as representing another description of
the Babylonian exile (606 B.C-536 B.C) or the 70-year period
from 586 B.C to 516 B.C., from First Temple destruction to
Second Temple completion.
There are three principal reasons for
considering that the Temple construction referred to in
Zechariah 1:12-16, which follows a 70-year period, does not
represent the Babylonia exile, but another period in time.
First, the description of a
70-year period as a time of indignation contradicts the
description of the Babylonian exile as a time represented by
the desolations of Jerusalem and the cities of Judah.
(Jeremiah 25:11, 18, 34:22; Daniel 9:2) The
Scriptures define desolation as a time when the Jew would be
in exile and not inhabiting the land. Indignation
represents God's attitude when the disobedient Jew inhabits
the land.
Second, God's attitude
during this period of 536 B.C. to 516 B.C, the return from
exile and Second Temple construction, represents a period of
God's blessing, as noted above. It is not a period of
indignation.
Third, God had returned to
Jerusalem and blessed Second Temple construction as noted by
the Jeremiah 29 passages. In the Zechariah 1:16
passage, God says He "is returned to Jerusalem" in the
context of Temple construction. It is generally
accepted that this chapter of Zechariah was written in 520
B.C., sixteen years after the Temple foundation had been
laid to the ground. This verse would make no
sense in the context of 520 B.C. based on the fact that
Jeremiah said God would visit Jerusalem with the return from
exile in 536 B.C.
What are we to make of Zechariah
1:12-16? We must look to a different time.
A time when the Jew inhabits God's land. A time when
the Jew is in opposition to "the commandments of God and the
testimony of Jesus". (Revelation 12:17, 14:12) A
time when the Jew possesses the "spirit of antichrist". (1
John 4:3) I offer you the 70-year period
1949-2019. God visited Israel in the years 1948 and
1949 and fought for Israel as she possessed the promises.
(Joshua 5:13-15; Ezekiel 38:8, 12) In 1949,
following the successful possession of Canaan by war, the
world nations invited and admitted Israel as the 59th member
of the U.N. The "fig tree" (Israel) and "all the
trees" (U.N.) prophecy was fulfilled. (Luke 21:29) A
generation count was initiated. (Psalm 90:10) This
generation count aligns with Zechariah 1:12 70-year
period. Take 1949 and add 70 years. This is
2019. Now add 7 for Daniel's years. This is
2026. A person who observed the nation formation event
of Israel which began in 1948 and was completed in 1949
would fall well within the generational group inferred by
the Fig Tree parable.
Now, I am of the opinion that Israel,
while physically inhabiting God's land, is in fact,
experiencing a spiritual exile, a time when they are blind
and deaf. (Romans 11:7-10) But, Israel must be
strong and self-reliant before the commencement of Daniel's
70th week. (Daniel 9:27)
If Israel is in a spiritual exile, then
following the end of this exile, God should return to
Jerusalem and Third Temple (Tribulation Temple) construction
should begin. This is exactly what is described in
Zechariah 1:12-16. Israel's Minor Prophets
consistently speak to the Second Advent of Christ and
Zechariah may well be proclaiming the period of time
preceding the Time of Jacob's Trouble.
This is merely a summary. I wanted
to suggest a pattern of Temple construction following
Israel's return from exile. Today, the Temple
Institute has prepared for this day. They set up the
altar and sacrificed last December. The priests have
been trained. What are they waiting for?
They cannot build the House of the Lord without His
declaration. And such a declaration is contained in
Zechariah 1:16, which is certainly not a reference to the
Second Temple of Zechariah's day.
If we are the temple of God as Paul
affirmative states, then we must depart prior to the
dispensational shift which will happen prior to Temple
construction and the commencement of Daniel's 70th week, the
Time of Jacob's Trouble.
The covenant of God's grace through faith
alone, apart from works, in the atoning works of Jesus
will end. Then, God will confirm His promises to
Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. (Genesis 22:16; 1 Chronicles
16:16-17; Psalm 105:8-11) Surely, God will
affirm the suspended Abrahamic covenant when He permits
Temple construction. (Zechariah 1:16; Daniel
9:27) Daniel's covenant (9:27) is the
fullness of the Abrahamic covenant. The Abrahamic
covenant was the subject of "the oath of God". It was
extraordinary. Do you think that it was an accident or
coincidence that the "confirmed covenant" of Daniel 9:27
just happens to be the 22,016th verse of the Bible.
Genesis 22:16 calls to verse number 22016, just
as the Holy One of Israel testifies as the Root and
Offspring of David in Revelation 22:16.
Coincidence? No such thing in the Scriptures of
Truth! Hear O Israel, the Holy One of Israel is
coming. And out of His mouth goeth a sharp sword, that
with it He should smite the nations: and he shall rule them
with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the
fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. (Revelation 19:15)
FOR FURTHER READING SEE:
https://www.amazon.com/Day-Thy-Visitation-Jacobs-Trouble/dp/1981076387