ASSUMING THE THIRD JERUSALEM TEMPLE IS BUILT, SHOULD YOU FLOCK THERE?

 

Click the photograph to read the article in Jerusalem Post

Assuming that the third Jerusalem Temple is built, should Christians all over the world flock to Jerusalem to worship? Going by the popular trend, there will be a lot of rejoicing even amongst the Christians when the third physical temple is built. 

        My answer is found in Matthew 24: 15 where Jesus said: 

“Ὅταν οὖν ἴδητε τὸ βδέλυγμα τῆς ἐρημώσεως τὸ ῥηθὲν διὰ Δανιὴλ τοῦ προφήτου ἑστὸς ἐν τόπῳ ἁγίῳ, ὁ ἀναγινώσκων νοείτω,” (Matthew 24:15 GNT28-T)

“Therefore when you see the ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in bthe holy place (let the reader understand),” (Matthew 24:15 NAS95)

        Just like Lot and his family, the Lord then warned those who are in Judea to flee as far as they can. 

“then those who are in Judea must flee to the mountains.”(Matthew 24:16 NAS95)

        Why did the Lord ask those nearest to the old Jerusalem or the Temple Mount to flee Judea? This is because the terror of the Abomination of Desolation and the imminent judgement that will be coming upon the Antichrist.         

        References to Daniel about this Abomination of Desolation:

Dan. 9:27 “And he will make a firm covenant with the many for one week, but in the middle of the week he will put a stop to sacrifice and grain offering; and on the wing of abominations will come one who makes desolate, even until a complete destruction, one that is decreed, is poured out on the one who makes desolate.”

Dan. 11:31 “Forces from him will arise, desecrate the sanctuary fortress, and do away with the regular sacrifice. And they will set up the abomination of desolation.

Dan. 12:11  “From the time that the regular sacrifice is abolished and the abomination of desolation is set up, there will be 1,290 days.

        The showdown and the Big Battle between Christ our Lord and the Antichrist will also happen right after this. 

“Then the LORD will go forth and fight against those nations, as when He fights on a day of battle.

"In that day His feet will astand on the Mount of Olives, which is in front of Jerusalem on the east; and the Mount of Olives will be split in its middle from east to west by a very large valley, so that half of the mountain will move toward the north and the other half toward the south.     

"You will flee by the valley of My mountains, for the valley of the mountains will reach to Azel; yes, you will flee just as you fled before the aearthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah. Then the LORD, my God, will come, and all the holy ones with Him!”
(Zechariah 14:3–5 NAS95)

        So, I guess after understanding these scriptures about the third physical temple, we will have to be wise not to go to Jerusalem when the third temple is built. 

        The temple that is prophesied by prophets of old refers to the body of Christ, which Christ Himself said He will build again in three days (John 2:19). 

“Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” The Jews then said, “It took forty-six years to build this temple, and will You raise it up in three days?” But He was speaking of athe temple of His body. So when He was raised from the dead, His disciples remembered that He said this; and they believed cthe Scripture and the word which Jesus had spoken.” 
(John 2:19–22 NAS95)