“Jesus left the temple and was walking away when His disciples came up to Him to call His attention to its buildings. ‘Do you see all these things?’ He asked. ‘Truly I tell you, not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.’ As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately. ‘Tell us,’ they said, ‘when will this happen, and what will be the sign of Your coming and of the end of the age?’” (Matthew 24:1-3).
From this point on, Jesus begins to describe a series of future events, both concerning the destruction of the temple, which occurred in 70 AD, and His second coming and the events that will precede the end of time.
The first event prophesied by Jesus is the appearance of the “Abomination of Desolation.” It is not exactly known what the abomination of desolation is, as the Word of God does not explicitly say. Some believe that the “Abomination of Desolation” will be an idol that will be placed in the newly built third temple in Jerusalem. It is thought that this will occur during the first three and a half years of the reign of the Beast, and they mention that the beast will make an image of itself and place it in the temple; this image is presumed to be the abomination of desolation. Many well-known preachers and Bible teachers take for granted that the Temple of Jerusalem will be rebuilt by the Jews, with the approval of the antichrist. This is how they suppose that Israel will return to the ancient practice of sacrificing animals. However, at the end of the first three and a half years, the antichrist himself will break the covenant made with them and will cease the sacrifices and offerings.
If you want to learn more about the Great Tribulation and the abomination of desolation, we have studies that delve further into these topics—don’t miss them.
It is important to emphasize that those who hold this theory suggest that the beast is the abomination of desolation, and they also attribute the leadership of the Great Tribulation to it. On the other hand, they presume that this figure will indeed be the cruelest of all rulers, who, with his cunning and the support of Satan, will rule the world and eliminate everyone who does not obey him. Unfortunately, this theory is very popular and widely accepted in the evangelical Christian world. But before delving into the details, we must ask some vital questions for the development of this study.
There are various elements we must consider in the “Theory” of the reconstruction of the third temple, for example:
- Who does the Scripture say will rebuild the temple?
- What is the reason for the temple’s rebuilding?
- What is the Abomination of Desolation that the Prophet Daniel spoke of?
- What is the continual sacrifice, and who or what will take its place?
To answer these questions, let’s go to the Scriptures, and let them answer, without any doctrinal positions. One of the most common references regarding the reconstruction of the Temple of Jerusalem is the book of Ezekiel; however, if we read all the chapters related to the temple found between chapters 40 and 48, we will not see any mention of who will build the temple. The chapters in the book of Ezekiel describe a detailed vision of a future temple and the restoration of worship in Israel. They include the precise measurements of the temple, the sacred areas, the rituals, the laws for the priests, and the division of the land among the tribes of Israel. The vision also shows the glory of God returning to the temple and a spiritual and physical renewal of the nation of Israel. These chapters symbolize a complete restoration of the relationship between God and His people.
If we look a little deeper into the Scriptures, we find in the book of the prophet Zechariah, chapter 6, verses 11-15: “Take the silver and gold and make crowns, and set them on the head of Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest. Tell him this is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘Here is the man whose name is the Branch, and he will branch out from his place and build the temple of the Lord. It is he who will build the temple of the Lord, and he will be clothed with majesty and will sit and rule on his throne. And he will be a priest on his throne. And there will be harmony between the two.’ The crowns will be a memorial to Helem, Tobiah, Jedaiah, and Hen son of Zephaniah, in the temple of the Lord. Those who are far away will come and help to build the temple of the Lord, and you will know that the Lord Almighty has sent me to you. This will happen if you diligently obey the voice of the Lord your God.” (Zechariah 6:11-15).
The historical context of the book of Zechariah is post-Babylonian exile, when the people of Israel were returning to Jerusalem and facing the challenge of rebuilding the temple. For this reason, this prophecy has been attributed to a partial fulfillment through figures like Zerubbabel, who led the rebuilding of the Second Temple under Persian rule. However, the most common interpretation in both Jewish and Christian tradition is that the “Branch” has messianic implications for the future, pointing to a crucial role in the construction of the temple in a messianic era. However, in a prophetic context, we see that the branch does not refer to Zerubbabel, but rather to the Messiah.
Why do we say the Branch is the Messiah?
Zechariah’s prophecy was written in 521 BC, at a time when the Temple of Solomon had been destroyed for 66 years, during the Babylonian occupation which occurred in 587 BC. Zechariah, like the rest of the Israelite population, had a fervent desire to rebuild the temple. However, this second temple began to be rebuilt in 516 BC by Zerubbabel and Joshua. This work was a poor substitute for the Temple of Solomon, which was later taken over by Herod nearly 500 years later. Herod aimed to improve the work by expanding and enhancing it, beginning the project around 19 BC, and it was completed in 64 AD.
Herod was determined that his temple would surpass Solomon’s in all its glory. His plans were so grand that despite his enthusiasm for the project, the people doubted that it could be completed. In fact, they feared the existing temple would be destroyed before the new one was finished. They thus refused to accept the reconstruction until all materials and workers had been gathered. Despite being covered in gold, this temple remained a project of Herod, and did not resonate with the common Jewish sentiment. It’s worth mentioning that Herod the Great, son of Antipater, of Idumean descent, gained the support of Rome, and in 38 BC was appointed King of the Jews, becoming the first non-Jewish king to rule over Israel.
We can affirm that, despite the effort made by Herod, this temple did not represent the people of Israel in any way, and it was not built by clean hands that honored God. Additionally, the measurements of the Second Temple do not match those described in the book of Ezekiel (chapters 40-48). The specifications in Ezekiel present a temple much larger and more complex than the Second Temple built under Zerubbabel and later renovated by Herod the Great. The most notable differences are:
- Size and design: The temple in Ezekiel’s vision is significantly larger than the historical Second Temple. The dimensions of the courtyard, buildings, and surrounding areas are much greater than those of the Second Temple.
- Internal distribution: The arrangement of doors, chambers, and courtyards in Ezekiel’s vision is different from those of the Second Temple. The design that Ezekiel describes is much more detailed and seems more monumental.
- River of Life: In Ezekiel 47, there is a prophecy about a river flowing from the temple, something that is not mentioned in the construction of the Second Temple nor historically found in Jerusalem. Keep in mind this detail, as later you will understand what this river is about.
- Purity Requirements: The laws and regulations for the priesthood and ritual purity in Ezekiel’s vision are stricter than those applied in the Second Temple, which also suggests an ideal that was not reached during the time of Zerubbabel or Herod.
In Zechariah 6:11-15, it says that the “Branch” (in Hebrew, Tsemach) is the title given to an individual who will play a key role in the rebuilding of the temple. Many interpreters see in this figure a messianic prophecy, associating the “Branch” with the Messiah. This figure will not only build the temple but will also have a dual role: as a ruler on a throne and as someone related to the priesthood. This indicates a combined authority of king and priest.
Therefore, we must discard Zerubbabel or Herod as the ones designated by God to erect the new temple. Now, the prophet Isaiah confirms that the Messiah, as the Branch, is the one who will take charge of raising this work. Isaiah 53:2-3 says: “He grew up before Him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground. He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to Him, nothing in His appearance that we should desire Him. He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain. Like one from whom people hide their faces, He was despised, and we held Him in low esteem.”
These verses undoubtedly mention that the Branch is Jesus. He was the Branch that arose in the midst of the spiritual desert that the nation of Israel was in; He was like the shoot that sprouts from the tree or plant after it has been cut down. Therefore, we can definitively say that the prophecy of Zechariah 6 and Ezekiel 40-48 has not yet been fulfilled because the new temple is not a physical temple, but a spiritual one, which is being raised by Jesus Christ through His Church.
Let us now see what the Scripture says about this marvelous creative process of God:
Jesus told His apostles that He would be the foundation for the construction of a new temple. “And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.” (Matthew 16:18).
Paul confirms this prophecy and affirms that Jesus is the foundation of God’s new temple. 1 Corinthians 3:11-13 says: “For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work.”
The disciples of Jesus understood that God no longer dwells in temples made of stone, but in man. When you are baptized by the Holy Spirit, you become part of that new temple, just as Stephen pointed out when he was being accused before the Sanhedrin. He quoted the prophet Isaiah to emphasize that the new temple of God is us. “However, the Most High does not live in temples made by human hands, as the prophet says: ‘Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. What kind of house will you build for me?’ says the Lord. ‘Or where will my resting place be? Has not my hand made all these things?’” (Acts 7:48-50).
Peter was another apostle who taught the same. He calls us “living stones” and mentions that we are part of the material that God is using to build His spiritual temple. “As you come to Him, the living Stone—rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to Him—you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For in Scripture it says: ‘See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who trusts in Him will never be put to shame.’” (1 Peter 2:4-6).
Once again, Paul confirms that we, the born-again Christians, baptized by the Holy Spirit, are part of God’s temple. “If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire. Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple.” (1 Corinthians 3:15-17).
The temple of God is being built through His children scattered around the world. This building, whose foundation is Jesus Christ, has firm pillars that are His apostles, and it grows as we contribute. “Built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus Himself as the chief cornerstone. In Him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in Him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by His Spirit.” (Ephesians 2:20-22).
Being part of God’s temple comes at a high price. The disciples learned this and offered to be perfected. We too must learn obedience and be tested by fire until we reach the stature of the perfect man. “The one who is victorious I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will they leave it. I will write on them the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on them my new name.” (Revelation 3:12).
Paul points out that we, the believers, are the temple of God on earth, and therefore, we must not contaminate ourselves with anything that is profane or abominable in God’s sight. “What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: ‘I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people. Therefore come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you.’” (2 Corinthians 6:15-17).
As you may have noticed, the New Temple is Spiritual, it will not be built with stones.
All the Bible verses we’ve seen previously demonstrate that Jesus is the one who is rebuilding the spiritual temple where God will dwell for all eternity. Therefore, the vision of Ezekiel refers to the spiritual temple that will descend from heaven. In other words, the third temple is made up of the chosen of God, just as John saw in his vision in Revelation 21:2-3: “I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.’”
Revelation 22:1-2 describes a river of the water of life flowing from the throne of God and the Lamb. “Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb. Down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations.” (Revelation 22:1-2).
Do you remember the river flowing from the temple, as mentioned inEzekiel 47?
“The man brought me back to the entrance of the temple, and I saw water coming out from under the threshold of the temple toward the east, for the temple faced east. The water was coming down from under the south side of the temple, south of the altar.” (Ezekiel 47:1).
This passage describes a river flowing from the temple in Ezekiel’s vision, and further in the chapter, it mentions that the river becomes a torrent, bringing life to everything it touches, even transforming salty waters into fresh, healthy waters. This symbolizes spiritual renewal and restoration. This river represents eternal life and the blessing that flows from the presence of God, and it is part of the vision of the new Jerusalem in the final chapters of Revelation, which represents the final state of restoration and perfect communion between God and His people.
So, the Tabernacle, or temple of God, that will be built on Earth is very different from any temples built in the past, as Ezekiel’s vision describes the temple of God in the heavens. The Scriptures say that the holy city, the new Jerusalem, will descend from heaven. Let’s look at Revelation 21:22: “I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple.”
How does the Scripture say we are the temple of God, but when the new Jerusalem descends, it won’t have a temple?
The answer is: The chosen ones of God make up the spiritual temple here on Earth. God is carrying out a spiritual construction work in us. God is coming for His temple, which is being built in every born-again Christian baptized by the Holy Spirit. Therefore, the idea that the Jews will build the temple of God is completely false.
The idea of a third temple in Jerusalem is very lucrative for some people. They have even founded an institute to gather construction materials, clothing, utensils, the list of Levites who will participate in the rituals, and much more. They have raised millions of dollars, and it is an apparently unstoppable movement. But let me tell you that, although the people of Israel desire to build a new temple in Jerusalem with all their might, this is not going to happen.
It is possible that some readers may not agree with this statement, as, in practice, circumstances may suggest otherwise. I understand that behind this movement is an advanced, powerful, and influential nation, with great political, economic, and religious interests, even with the support of many influential Christians around the world, especially in the United States, who would like these theories to be true. However, the Scripture says this is not going to happen, no matter how much they desire it. I am not asserting that anyone in particular is wrong, but the purpose of this study is to make known what God’s Word really says. That is why I have presented many biblical citations that show the third temple is not a temple made of stones, but a spiritual temple. I have no doubt that this fact can dismantle many theories and debunk doctrines related to this topic. You are free to believe it or not, but consider what the Word says instead of trusting your own heart. Jeremiah 17:9 says: “The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?”
Therefore, the vision Ezekiel had represents the temple of God in the heavens, a temple that, of course, was never built on Earth and never will be. Precisely here lies the confusion today. From a dispensationalist perspective, it is believed that the Jews will rebuild the Third Temple in Jerusalem, assuming this will happen as part of an agreement or covenant facilitated by the Antichrist. Although it is not thought that the Antichrist will directly participate in the construction, it is believed he will allow or support its reconstruction, only to later defile it by sitting on a hypothetical throne.
The idea of a third temple built by the Jews is not biblical.
Dispensationalism teaches that many of the prophecies in the Old Testament, including the visions in Ezekiel and Daniel, have not yet been fulfilled, and that the Third Temple will be part of the future fulfillment, particularly within the context of apocalyptic prophecies. In this interpretation, dispensationalists believe that Israel has a central role in God’s eschatological plan and that the return of the Jews to their land, along with the construction of the Temple, is a sign of the fulfillment of biblical prophecies. They view passages like those from Ezekiel 40 to 48 and Zechariah 6:12-13 as references to a future literal temple that the Jews will build, either before or during the period of tribulation.
Despite the biblical evidence of a spiritual temple, dispensationalists view the prophecies in the Old Testament, especially those in Ezekiel and Daniel, as not yet fully fulfilled, and argue that there must be a physical Third Temple in the future. From this perspective, the return of the Jews to Israel in the 20th century and the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948 are seen as fulfillments of prophecy that prepare the way for the reconstruction of the Temple. For the dispensationalist Christian, it represents the acceleration of prophecy fulfillment and the return of Christ.
From this viewpoint, they believe that the Jews will someday rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem, on the site where the Temple of Solomon and the Second Temple once stood, even though the site is currently occupied by the Dome of the Rock, a holy site for Muslims. Some dispensationalists believe this event is near and see it as a sign of Christ’s return. However, attempting to build a temple on that site would involve demolishing those structures, which would have serious political consequences for Israel’s delicate situation with the Arab nations. In other words, rebuilding a Third Temple in Jerusalem would essentially declare war on the Arab nations, and this is something any Israeli political leader with common sense would avoid.
This line of thought highlights that the Jews will return to the ancient rituals, including animal sacrifices. But what are the biblical verses supporting this theory? Sadly for them, there is no verse in the Scripture that says the Jews will rebuild a temple in Jerusalem, as we have already demonstrated. Nor does it explain how the return of sacrifices could secure redemption for the people of Israel, when God has already provided a means for that through Jesus Christ.
One of the verses that some biblical scholars use to support the theory that a new earthly temple should be built is Daniel 9:25, which says, “Know therefore and understand that from the going forth of the command to restore and build Jerusalem until the Messiah the Prince, there shall be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks; the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublesome times.” According to them, this is proof that the Third Temple will be built during the Great Tribulation; however, the verse says the “street and the wall of the city” will be rebuilt, NOT THE TEMPLE, so these verses in no way serve as proof for the building of a new temple.
We must understand something: God does not delight in animal sacrifices.
Some biblical teachers mention that it is important for the Temple in Jerusalem to be rebuilt because, according to them, the new generation of priests will reconcile with God through these practices. They presume that Jehovah will forgive His people for having rejected their Messiah, and they will once again become His chosen people. They believe the temple will again be God’s dwelling place, from where He will rule the nations during the millennium. For many, it is essential for the Israelites to return to the Mosaic Law, thus canceling the perfect sacrifice of Jesus. What they fail to realize is that rebuilding a physical temple implies returning to the time of the law, which is a heresy and a deeply rooted deception in some sectors, who are unaware of its implications. Thinking that God will allow Israel to return to the law of Moses is simply absurd.
These ideas began to take shape more than a hundred years ago and have continued to grow over time, reaching millions of believers worldwide. Dispensationalism is a Christian theological movement that began in the nineteenth century, primarily associated with John Nelson Darby, who popularized a scheme of the history of redemption divided into “dispensations,” or specific periods in which God relates to humanity in different ways. One of the key features of dispensationalism is its focus on biblical prophecies, particularly the future of Israel as a nation. According to Darby’s school of thought, the Bible describes a separate plan for Israel and the Church, which includes the restoration of Jewish worship in a future physical temple in Jerusalem.
John Nelson Darby is one of the main theologians responsible for popularizing the doctrine of the pre-tribulational rapture, a teaching that holds that the Church will be taken to heaven before a period of global tribulation. This doctrine, although now known in some evangelical circles, was not a common interpretation before Darby.
A key element of Darby’s theology is his insistence that God has two distinct plans: one for Israel and another for the Church. This distinction is crucial for his understanding of the rapture. According to Darby, the rapture is the moment when God will take the Church to heaven before the tribulation period begins on earth, a period he understood as the fulfillment of prophecies directed specifically at Israel.
Darby advocated the idea that the rapture would occur before the tribulation. According to this teaching, the Church will not go through the period of suffering and judgment described in Revelation and other prophetic texts, as it will be taken before these events begin. Darby also maintained that the rapture is imminent, meaning it could happen at any moment, without specific signs or warnings preceding it. This belief in the imminence of the rapture led to a sense of urgency and expectation among his followers.
A central point in Darby’s teaching is that the rapture and the second coming of Christ are distinct events. According to Darby, in the rapture, Christ will come for His Church, while in His second coming, He will come with His Church to reign on earth. This contrasts with the Scriptures, which indicate that both events are one and the same. Darby’s error, both in relation to the rapture and his interpretation of God’s dealings with Israel and the Church, is overwhelming. However, this doctrinal line is common and accepted in many Christian congregations.
If you wish to know how the rapture will occur and who will participate in it, see our study titled: The Rapture of the church.
God does not have different plans for Israel and the rest of the world. Christ came to offer His blood for all human beings who believe in Him. There is no such thing as dispensations, or alternate plans. So, why did Jesus come? Wasn’t the blood that the Messiah shed enough for the redemption of man, including the Jews? We should stop believing in fallible men like Darby and believe in the Word of God.
“For Christ did not enter a sanctuary made with human hands, that was only a copy of the true one; He entered heaven itself, now to appear for us in God’s presence. Nor did He enter heaven to offer Himself again and again, the way the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood that is not his own. Otherwise, Christ would have had to suffer many times since the creation of the world. But He has appeared once for all at the culmination of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of Himself. Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and He will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for Him.” Hebrews 9:24-28.
Christ presented Himself once and for all to take away the sin of the world, both for the Jew and for the Gentile. Forget that Israel is going to start sacrificing animals, that is not biblical. I understand that, being completely blind to the preaching of the gospel, they have wanted to return to their old practices. This is not the first time Israel has turned away from God and burned strange incense. For two thousand years, they have desired to rebuild their temple because they do not recognize Jesus as their Messiah. They stubbornly continue to believe that their Messiah is coming soon, and indeed He is, but not in the way they expect. They are eager to prepare a temple made of stones where they can sacrifice to God. The worst part of this movement is that evangelical Christians, who are supposed to have believed in Jesus, support the idea of building a temple made of stones. Now it turns out that blind Jews are leading blind Christians!
According to these scholars, the reconstruction of the temple is an unquestionable fact because they consider Jerusalem to be the city chosen by God to be His dwelling place. They weakly cite the following verses to claim that God desires a new temple to be built for Him. Let us look at 2 Chronicles 6:5-6. “Since the day I brought my people out of Egypt, I have not chosen a city in any tribe of Israel to have a temple built for my Name to be there, nor have I chosen anyone to be a ruler over my people Israel. But I have chosen Jerusalem for my Name to be there, and I have chosen David to rule my people Israel.”
This prophecy was obviously fulfilled when Solomon built the first temple; however, these scholars believe that God will be pleased if His people build another temple made of stone, when the true temple began to be built two thousand years ago in His Church. Don’t they realize that God no longer dwells in temples made of stone? They believe that God will be pleased with the animal sacrifices that could not cleanse anyone’s sin in the old times, but they believe that in the future it will be possible. How can they believe such a heresy?
No animal can save man, only the blood of Christ Jesus.
Renowned preachers and Bible prophecy teachers believe that knowledge about the temple, the beast, or the Antichrist is only general knowledge, but in reality, they do not care to know it in depth, as they presume that they will be raptured before all these things happen. For them, all events related to the third temple should not be very important for us Christians, since we will be in heaven after being raptured. According to their poor vision, we will watch from there as the great tribulation comes upon the nation of Israel, affecting lukewarm Christians and the unconverted who are left on earth after the rapture.
Modern Christians pay attention and place their trust in a pre-tribulational rapture, and they entertain themselves watching movies about the Antichrist and how he will deceive the Jews and the rest of humanity. But they don’t realize that we will all go through the great tribulation, and that the rapture is only for the chosen.
If you wish to know who will participate in the rapture, listen to our study, The Rapture of the church.
For many Bible prophecy scholars, the construction of the third temple is an imminent sign that the “Abomination of Desolation” is about to come, and therefore, the return of Jesus. They want the temple in Jerusalem to be built because they believe this will accelerate Jesus’ return to earth. According to them, supporting Israel in this madness brings blessings and, as a bonus, accelerates the rapture. They believe that if the temple is not built, Christ will not return. How can anyone conceive such a thing?
They assume that this temple is “the Holy Place” that Jesus referred to in Matthew 24:15. “So when you see standing in the holy place the abomination that causes desolation, spoken of through the prophet Daniel—let the reader understand.” According to this doctrinal line, they assume that Jesus was referring to the temple when He mentioned the holy place. However, the holy place could be different locations depending on the context.
It generally refers to specific areas designated for worship, where God’s presence dwells. The “holy place” refers to a specific part of Moses’ tabernacle, and later part of the temple, where the priests performed their duties. It was one of the two main areas within the temple:
The Holy Place: This was the first room inside the tabernacle or temple, where only the priests could enter. In the Holy Place were the lampstand, the table of showbread, and the altar of incense. Exodus 26:33-35. The priests regularly entered to fulfill their duties.
The Most Holy Place: Beyond the Holy Place, separated by a veil, was the Most Holy Place (or Holy of Holies), which contained the Ark of the Covenant and was where the presence of God resided. Only the high priest could enter here, and only once a year, on the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16:2). In this context, the “holy place” represented a space of worship and service to God, accessible only to the priests who followed a strict code of purity and holiness.
In some passages, the “holy place” refers to the city of Jerusalem or the land of Israel in general. In Psalm 78:54, for example, the land of Canaan is mentioned as “His holy land.” “He brought them to the border of His holy land, to the hill country His right hand had taken.” Psalm 78:54. In this case, “holy place” refers to the land that God set apart for His people.
In other contexts, especially in the New Testament, the “holy place” can also refer to heaven, the place where God’s presence dwells. In Hebrews 9:24, it says that Christ did not enter a “holy place” made by human hands, but heaven itself. “For Christ did not enter a sanctuary made with human hands, that was only a copy of the true one; He entered heaven itself, now to appear for us in God’s presence.” Hebrews 9:24. In this case, the “holy place” refers to heaven, the true sanctuary where God dwells.
In the New Testament, the “holy place” is also understood spiritually, applying to believers. Paul describes Christians as the “temple of the Holy Spirit” (1 Corinthians 6:19), suggesting that believers, as the dwelling place of God, are now a “holy place” where the Spirit of God resides.
When Jesus says “Holy Place,” people immediately associate it with the temple in Jerusalem, but as we said earlier, the HOLY PLACE is not necessarily a temple, nor is the Abomination an idol. By the way, the Abomination of Desolation is something detestable, something so evil and harmful that it will bring devastation to the nations. Nowhere in Scripture does it mention that the Abomination of Desolation is an idol; it simply says that it is something detestable to God and causes great distress, which could be an action, a doctrine, a tradition, or a teaching.
An abomination can even be a thought that goes against the nature of God, so the “Abomination of Desolation” can be people, actions, or things. It is important that we understand that the holy place the prophet Daniel speaks of is Jerusalem, but it is not the Jerusalem on earth, rather the spiritual one.
Daniel 11:31 says: “His armed forces will rise up to desecrate the temple fortress and will abolish the daily sacrifice. Then they will set up the abomination that causes desolation.” Daniel mentions that “armed forces” will desecrate the temple and fortress. What kind of armed forces? Which temple?
If you want to learn more about this topic, I invite you to see our study titled: The Abomination of Desolation.
In this context, it is important to highlight that those who will remove the continual sacrifice are a multitude of soldiers. They will come to the sanctuary to remove it and replace it with something despicable. Let us begin with the latter, as both the troops referred to by Daniel and the abomination of desolation are topics we have treated separately in other studies.
Jesus Christ, with His death and the blood shed on the cross, has been the only acceptable sacrifice before God. There is no other way to approach Him. No other sacrifice can take the place of Jesus. Only through Jesus Christ can we approach God, by the blood of the Lamb, which cleanses us from all sin. With His one, continuous, and perfect sacrifice, Jesus offers us salvation from eternal death.
According to the old covenant, the Israelites could receive forgiveness for their transgressions when they sacrificed animals, as the penalty for sin is death. Therefore, the shedding of innocent blood was necessary for the remission of sins. The animals, by shedding their life, were paying for the life of the sinner, that is, for man not to die, another living being had to offer its life for him. “For the life of a creature is in the blood, and I have given it to you to make atonement for yourselves on the altar; it is the blood that makes atonement for one’s life.” Leviticus 17:11. Only in this way could the sinner receive forgiveness; the animals paid with their lives for the transgression of man. But two thousand years ago, this changed completely. The animal sacrifices ceased to be effective and now have no meaning. Christ came as the Lamb of God to offer Himself as a pleasing sacrifice before God.
In the Old Testament, the High Priest would enter the Most Holy Place once a year, on the Day of Atonement, to offer a sacrifice to God for the forgiveness of all of Israel’s sins. His main function was to act as a mediator between God and the people, presenting sacrifices for sins and making atonement with blood, which guaranteed forgiveness and reconciliation with God. However, two thousand years ago, that practice ceased. Jesus, as the High Priest and offering, entered the heavenly Most Holy Place and offered one unique sacrifice of Himself, by which humanity can obtain forgiveness and eternal life. His sacrifice is permanent and cannot be replaced.
The writer of the book of Hebrews explains this previous statement simply and masterfully. Let us look at Hebrews 9:24-28: “For Christ did not enter a sanctuary made with human hands, that was only a copy of the true one; He entered heaven itself, now to appear for us in God’s presence. Nor did He enter heaven to offer Himself again and again, the way the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood that is not his own. Otherwise, Christ would have had to suffer many times since the creation of the world. But He has appeared once for all at the culmination of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of Himself. Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and He will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for Him.” Hebrews 9:24-28.
Jesus is the only and continuous sacrifice capable of cleansing the sin of all humanity. He has taken the place of the lambs and goats that were sacrificed in the temple. Therefore, to claim that “it is necessary” to rebuild a temple for the Messiah to sit and rule the nations, and even more so, to believe that the Antichrist will eliminate these supposed newly instituted sacrifices to then use the temple as his own throne, is a complete fallacy. It is a lie that millions of Christians around the world continue to believe.
Let us understand once and for all: sacrifices ended with the death of Jesus and will never again be performed.
Shortly after Jesus’ death, in 70 A.D., the temple in Jerusalem was destroyed, and since then, animal sacrifices have never been performed again. Two thousand years later, these sacrifices have not been resumed, which confirms that Jesus remains the only and sufficient sacrifice, not only for Israel but for all of humanity. To claim that the animals sacrificed in a hypothetical temple would represent the “continual sacrifice” is a misinterpretation of Scripture. If for two thousand years no sacrifices have been made, and they were to be resumed at some point in the future, they could not be considered “continuous,” since, according to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, “continuous” means: “extending or moving without interruption”.
Clearly, a two-thousand-year interruption followed by the resumption of sacrifices cannot be considered a “continual sacrifice” in any sense. While the construction of a new temple for the people of Israel, or for certain evangelical groups, may generate enthusiasm and expectations, it does not guarantee that these plans will come to fruition.
Personally, I believe that the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem and the subsequent construction of the Dome of the Rock, completed in 691 A.D., as well as the completion of the Al-Aqsa Mosque in 705 A.D., were meant to prevent the people of Israel from rebuilding their temple.
God knows His people and understands that if they had the chance, they would be sacrificing animals right now. God’s people have been rebellious and still are; they will not change until God visits them again and causes them to bend, as has happened in the past. The people of Israel used to turn back to God only when they had no strength left, when surrounded by armies or facing famine. When God sent the prophet Jeremiah to warn them that they needed to correct their ways and abandon their idols and pagan practices, they responded in the same way as before, as described in Jeremiah 32:32-34: “For the evil of the children of Israel and the children of Judah, which they have done to provoke Me to anger—they, their kings, their princes, their priests and their prophets, and the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem. And they turned their back to Me and not their face; though I taught them, rising up early and teaching them, yet they have not listened to receive instruction. But they set their abominations in the house which is called by My name, to defile it.”
When Israel is surrounded by armies and has no strength left, they will have no choice but to plead to God for forgiveness. At that moment, they will recognize Jesus as their Messiah, and the whole nation will be saved.
Israel has defiled the house of Jehovah with their idols, rites, and traditions, still not understanding that Jesus came two thousand years ago to show them a new way and make a new covenant with them. Jesus came to offer them the opportunity to be the first to receive salvation, but… He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. (John 1:11).
Israel has not understood that the only way to reach Jehovah is through Jesus Christ; there is no other way. No sacrifice of red, blue, or any color of cow can erase sins. No cow, bull, or lamb can replace the perfect sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Let me say this emphatically: God does not have two plans… one for the Jewish people and another for the Gentiles. The gospel is one. The Jewish people will turn to Jesus Christ with all their hearts and understand that Jesus is their Messiah, the same one they crucified two thousand years ago, and they will repent for what their ancestors did. “Look, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all peoples on earth will mourn because of Him. So shall it be. Amen.” Revelation 1:7.
If you are Jewish, I tell you, turn back to your God, repent, and receive Jesus as Lord. He is the Messiah you have been waiting for, there is no other, do not wait for someone else, He has already come. And for the Christian people, I ask you not to support the foolishness of Israel and desire a temple that will serve no purpose at all. Instead, thank God for the opportunity to be saved, and thank God that the people of Israel have fallen into spiritual blindness, because thanks to that, you have attained salvation. But do not be proud, because God has not rejected them, and He never will. “I ask then: Did God reject His people? By no means! I am an Israelite myself, a descendant of Abraham, from the tribe of Benjamin. God did not reject His people, whom He foreknew.” Romans 11:1-2. Rather, pray for Israel so that they may be converted, pray that they may recognize Jesus as their Messiah.
