CHRISTMAS – NO NEED FOR A TEMPLE

The birth of the LORD Jesus Christ, as our Redeemer, has utterly destroyed any aspirations of anyone who is wanting a third Jewish temple, the red heifer, and all its paraphernalia. Sadly, many Christians, ignorant of the Scriptures given to us by the LORD God Almighty, are enthusiastically harping for the building of a new temple, and are eagerly waiting for the construction and the dedication of the same in Jerusalem. What a pity it is to see such ignorance fuelling, unabashed display of blind worshipful devotion and commitment, to this fanciful idea, from a Christian point of view.

We hear a lot these days about the third temple. People may want to build it. They may even succeed in building it. But who is going to be worshipped there in this third temple? Would it be YAHWEH, the LORD God Almighty, or would it be someone else, like how it turned out to be a “Golden Calf” in the wilderness. 

YAHWEH, the LORD Almighty, who chose as His dwelling place, the Tabernacle, during Moses’ time, and the Temple, during Solomon’s time, has Himself allowed the destruction of the temple in 70 AD. The LORD Jesus goes on to prophesy that the existing temple would be destroyed, and that He will raise it up in three days. Can we not see what Jesus the LORD meant here?
– “19 Jesus answered and said to them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” – John 2:19
– “2 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 24:2

The LORD makes it amply clear in the Bible, the New Covenant’s reasoning for the dismantling of the Old Covenant’s Temple, its worship pattern, and all the related sacrificial systems, for the remission of sins, put in place by the LORD Himself, through the Law given to Moses.
– “​1 For the law, having a shadow of the good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with these same sacrifices, which they offer continually year by year, make those who approach perfect…3 But in those sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year. 4 For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins.” – Hebrews 10:1-4
– “11 And every priest stands ministering daily and offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. 12 But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God…14 For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified.” – Hebrews 10:11-13,14
– “19 Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, 21 and having a High Priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.” – Hebrews 10:19-22

When the Holy Spirit came upon the disciples who gathered in the upper room, do we not read that flames were upon their heads? Why did it happen so? What is the reason for it? 
– “​1 When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. 2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.” – Acts 2:1-4

THE HOLY SPIRIT FALLS ON THE GENTILES TOO, JUST AS HE DID ON THE JEWS – pleasantly surprising to the Gentiles, and utterly shocking to the Jews.
– “44 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word. 45 And those of the circumcision who believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also.” – Acts 10:44-45

Is this not the same Shekinah glory of God Almighty, resting upon Jewish and Gentile Christians, just as it happened on the Mount Sinai, also with the Tabernacle in the wilderness, and upon the temple built and dedicated by king Solomon?
– “34 Then the cloud covered the tabernacle of meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. 35 And Moses was not able to enter the tabernacle of meeting, because the cloud rested above it, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.” – Exodus 40:34-35
– “​1 When Solomon had finished praying, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices; and the glory of the LORD filled the temple. 2 And the priests could not enter the house of the LORD, because the glory of the LORD had filled the LORD’s house.” – 2 Chronicles 7:1-2

Does not the Bible say that, we are now, the temple of God, under the New Covenant? The Old Covenant is completely dismantled. The New Covenant is ushered in. In the New Covenant there is not need of any physical temple, be it third temple or thirtieth – it has no place nor purpose. The human body is now, the temple of the Living God. Our heart is where the LORD lives now, not in any buildings and temples, built by human hands.
– “16 And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever—17 the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.” – John 14:16-17
– “16 Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? 17 If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are.” – 1 Corinthians 3:16-17
– “19…do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? 20 For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.” – 1 Corinthians 6:19-20
– “16…For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will dwell in them And walk among them. I will be their God, And they shall be My people.” – 2 Corinthians 6:16

Wake-up O dear Christian. Let us read our God given Scriptures. The LORD had made things clear to us through his written Word. Let us desire to be wise and not fools, to be washed away by every wind of new doctrine. Such doctrines are not from God. Surely they are from only one place. Be careful not to fall for the tricks and the scams of the devil.
– “14 So that we are no longer children [spiritually immature], tossed back and forth [like ships on a stormy sea] and carried about by every wind of [shifting] doctrine, by the cunning and trickery of [unscrupulous] men, by the deceitful scheming of people ready to do anything [for personal profit].” – Ephesians 4:14
– “8 Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ.”* – Colossians 2:8
– “17 You therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand, beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked; 18 but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen.” – 2 Peter 3:17-18
– “​1 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world.” – 1 John 4:1
– “3 But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ. 4 For if someone comes and proclaims another Jesus than the one we proclaimed, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or if you accept a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it readily enough.” – 2 Corinthians 11:3-4
– “​1 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; 2 Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;” – 1 Timothy 4:1-2

Beware dear brothers and sister, if we read our Bibles carefully, understand the words of our LORD Jesus properly, and follow the events that proceeded immediately after the ascension of the LORD Jesus Christ, we see the clear and definite change in the whole system of worship, in comparison to the Old Covenant. When the new comes in, it automatically means, the old has stopped and ceased; it means, the old is superseded by the new; it means, the old is no more in use, it has become obsolete. Hence we follow the New Covenant pattern of worship, and not the old.
– “7 For if that first covenant had been faultless, then no place would have been sought for a second. 8 Because finding fault with them, He says: “Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah— 9 not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they did not continue in My covenant, and I disregarded them, says the LORD. 10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put My laws in their mind and write them on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people…13 In that He says, “A new covenant,” He has made the first obsolete. Now what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.” – Hebrews 8:7-10-13
– “11 Therefore, if perfection were through the Levitical priesthood (for under it the people received the law), what further need was there that another priest should rise according to the order of Melchizedek, and not be called according to the order of Aaron? 12 For the priesthood being changed, of necessity there is also a change of the law. 13 For He of whom these things are spoken belongs to another tribe, from which no man has officiated at the altar. 14 For it is evident that our Lord arose from Judah, of which tribe Moses spoke nothing concerning priesthood. 15 And it is yet far more evident if, in the likeness of Melchizedek, there arises another priest 16 who has come, not according to the law of a fleshly commandment, but according to the power of an endless life.” – Hebrews 7:11-16
– “11 But Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation. 12 Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. 13 For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh, 14 how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? 15 And for this reason He is the Mediator of the new covenant, by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, that those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.” – Hebrews 9:11-15

Let us seek the LORD to open our eyes to His truth, and we follow the LORD Jesus Christ, and not men who stitch together fables that suits them, just like how the golden calf was made to come into existence – Exodus 32:1-35. Even so, the LORD help us.