Sunday, March 8, 2020

The Coming Temple


“Then Jesus went out and departed from the temple, and His disciples came up to show Him the buildings of the temple.  And Jesus said to them, “Do you not see all these things? Assuredly, I say to you, not one stone shall be left here upon another, that shall not be thrown down.”  Matthew 24:1-2  NKJV

If you follow my blog, you are aware of my thoughts concerning this year as potentially being one of the most significant we as watchers will see. With that in mind, one cannot downplay or overlook the importance of Israel’s feast and fast days when so much has happened in the past on these very days. This is an updated version of a subject that I have written about before concerning the Fast Day in Israel called Tisha Be-Av. As you will read, many feel there are reasons to be watching on this particular day for something to occur in the Middle East concerning the nation of Israel.

Many are familiar with the seven feast days appointed by God for the children of Israel to observe, but not all are aware that He also created four days of fasting to commemorate tragedies that occurred during Israels' history.

"Thus says the LORD of hosts: 'The fast of the fourth [month], The fast of the fifth, The fast of the seventh, And the fast of the tenth, Shall be joy and gladness and cheerful feasts For the house of Judah. Therefore love truth and peace.' Zecharaiah 8:19 NKJV 


Zechariah goes on to say that when the Messiah comes, these fast days will become days of celebration and feasting, but for now they are still days of mourning.

The fast of the fourth remembers the day that Moses came down from the mountain to find the children of Israel worshiping the golden calf and then broke the tablets God had given him. The seventh commemorates the assassination of the governor appointed by Nebuchadnezzar to govern the Jews left behind in Israel after the destruction of the temple. The tenth recalls the day that Nebuchadnezzar laid siege to the city of Jerusalem. But it is the fifth fast, which occurs on the ninth of Av on the Jewish calendar that I would like to explore today.

Called Tisha Be-Av, this day of mourning and fasting reminds Israel of the day that the temple was destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar and the Jews taken back to Babylon in captivity. This day has become, however, one of the most significant days in Israel's history due to the astonishing "coincidence" of numerous national disasters occurring on this exact day since it's inception. These are:

1312 BC Spies return from 40 days in Israel with evil reports of the Land of Israel. Jewish people cry in despair, give up hope of entering the Land of Israel.

587 BC Destruction of First Temple by the Babylonians, under Nebuchadnezar. About 100000 Jews killed during invasion. Exile of remaining tribes in southern kingdom to Babylon and Persia.
 
70AD Destruction of Second Temple by Romans, under Titus. Over 2,500,000 Jews die as a result of war, famine and disease. Over 1,000,000 Jews exiled to all parts of the Roman Empire. Over 100,000 Jews sold as slaves by Romans. Jews killed and tortured in gladiatorial "games" and pagan celebrations.

71AD Turnus Rufus plows site of Temple. Romans build pagan city of Aelia Capitolina on site of Jerusalem.

135AD Bar Kochba revolt crushed. Betar destroyed - over 100,000 killed.

1095AD First Crusade declared by Pope Urban II. 10,000 Jews killed in first month of Crusade. Crusades bring death and destruction to thousands of Jews, totally obliterate many communities in Rhineland and France.

1290AD Expulsion of Jews from England, accompanied by pogroms and confiscation of books and property.

1492AD Inquisition in Spain and Portugal culminates in the expulsion of the Jews from the Iberian Peninsula. King Ferdinand of Spain issued the expulsion decree, setting Tisha B'Av as the final date by which not a single Jew would be allowed to walk on Spanish soil. Families separated, many die by drowning, massive loss of property. With funds provided by Ferdinand, Christopher Columbus, a Messianic Jew, sets sail to locate the land which will become a Jewish refuge.

1914AD Britain and Russia declare war on Germany. First World War begins. First World War issues unresolved, ultimately causing Second World War and Holocaust. 75% of all Jews in war zones. Jews in armies of all sides - 120,000 Jewish casualties in armies. Over 400 pogroms immediately following war in Hungary, Ukraine,  Poland and Russia.

1942AD Deportations from Warsaw Ghetto to the Treblinka concentration camp begin.

1989AD Iraq walks out of talks with Kuwait.

1994AD The deadly bombing the building of the AMIA (the Jewish community center in Buenos Aires, Argentina) which killed 86 people and wounded some 300 others.

1990AD The First Gulf War begins in and as a result Saddam Hussein launches missiles
into Israel

Obviously more than just coincidence, one can't help but wonder what the future holds for Israel on this date? We know that the Bible tells us of many prophetic events yet to occur in Israel, most of which could be classified "judgmental" in nature. By far the most significant would be the start of the Seventieth Week of Daniel, otherwise known as the tribulation. The start of this period of time would obviously be considered a time of mourning in Israel, much as the Babylonian Captivity (also a judgment by God for their disobedience) was.

The Ninth of Av, this year, is a date I feel we should circle on our calendars. With all that seems to be happening in the world today, one can't help but wonder if this is the year to pay special attention to these dates to see if God will again allow something to happen in Israel just as He has done in the past.  Although I have no way of being sure, I suspect the coming months will bring events surrounding the temple mount, and the desire of many in Israel to worship freely as they once did.  Of course, I also couldn’t help but notice the Ninth of Av has been a day where the temple has also played a part in Israel’s history.

It is also important to realize that as the coming world leader, who enforces a peace between Israel and it’s enemies, will along with that, allow Israel to rebuild it’s temple.  This is, however, not because he feels Israel deserves a temple but rather that he has plans for it three and a half years later when he enters it to declare that he is God.  I have long thought that one of the most visible signs of the nearness of the rapture will surround the temple and its rebuilding.  Rebuilding this temple is not something that can be accomplished without much advance planning, and it should come as no surprise that the process is well on its way today.

With Passover and the spring feast days just a month away, I think we might well see some surprising things occur in Israel which will only serve to reinforce the thoughts of many that the time of our deliverance is just around the corner.

Keep watching.

https://www.raptureready.com/2020/03/08/shaking-the-nations-by-daymond-duck/