Does Israel Need to Rebuild the Temple?

Does the Bible say that the nation of Israel needs to rebuild the temple. That is one of the questions will be answering on today's addition of core Christianity hi this is Bill Meyer along with pastor Adm. Sanchez and this is the radio program where we answer your questions about the Bible and the Christian life every day. Our phone lines are open right now and you can call us for the next 25 minutes with your question.

At 833 the core that's 1-833-843-2673, as always, you can post your question on our Facebook, Instagram or twitter accounts. You can watch us on YouTube and you can email us with your question at questions at core, Christianity.com first up today let's go to Ronald in Fort Wayne, Indiana Ronald, welcome to the program. Thank you. What your question okay to do with Revelation 12 question yesterday but call and said it made her nervous that she couldn't find any information on the Scriptures on the subject. I looked up a lot but overall you have three locations decorate chapter 5 so cease off-line role will be like you all then he said to women in the land, and their wings for the headway sucked when stork that's in the same chapter 5 and Isaiah 60. Isaiah says, who are of the supplier of the clout to the window so that was three things I found in Revelation 12 Satan and his angels get more in heaven. During the tribulation and in the middle of the tribulation to get kicked out of heaven to the earth, so it says there was war in common that would be for God's throne in chapter and verse 12 therefore rejoice and that's plural and view the dwelling down that when we were God's throne as it will be at work from the start. Therefore rejoice, you neither dwell in them waltz of the inhabiters of the earth and of the seed for the devil is come down to you, having great wrath, because he know if it is but a short time. My question is how do you understand the difference between having singular and heaven plural says rejoice. She runs a row. There's a ton going on here first so you followed up a little bit at the beginning of your question with the with the call that we received yesterday we were talking about UFOs and aliens.

The Bible speak to UFOs actually think that the passages that you mentioned that your that appealing to some text in the profits and and honestly what we have here in the book of Revelation is this apocalyptic prophetic literature as well and often times in this genre of literature, you had this great imagery.

These depictions of the symbolic images and in some times a day people today read those those depictions of the trail looked at the unit at the helicopter or UFR that kind of thing, but they were completely missing the point. We read these texts in that way there communicating something specifically to the people of God and here in Revelation chapter 12 what's been communicated to the people of God's comfort in the midst of persecution and suffering from the beginning of the chapter to the very end. What we have here is essentially a description of what took place through the redemptive work of Jesus Christ. You have the evil one.

The accuser been cast out sent to the earth, verse, verse 12. As you said, therefore, rejoice O heavens and you who dwell in them, but woe to you, oh earth and see for the devil is come down to you in great wrath, because he knows that his time is short and so what is he doing here on earth he's been persecuting the Saints, but he no longer has asserted privileged place in the heavenly's if you will, as the accuser of the saints. Why because he is been disarmed. He's been bound by the Lord Jesus Christ to the redemptive work of Jesus in particular his cross and his resurrection and we have victory through that cross and resurrection of our Lord Jesus.

In fact that's what John says just a little bit prior to this they that is the saints verse 11 conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives unto death is what you have your really a great comfort that the people of God.

The saints are victorious. They conquer by faith through the blood of the Lamb through the word of their testimony.

What what Jesus Christ is done, but we also do experience the attacks and persecution of the evil one here on earth. And that's with the apostle John is getting at verse 12, but we have the comfort that Christ is building his church. The gates of hell and I can prevail against her and we know the end of the story. And so this really is meant to be a comfort to the saints to believers to us. Ronald thanks for your question. Thanks much Ronald by the way, we have a great new Bible study on the book of Revelation. You can find that by going to core Christianity.com/Revelation that's core Christianity.com/Revelation really unpacks a lot of the mysteries and the type of literature that the Revelation is. It will help you understand that book a lot in greater detail. This is core Christianity with pastor Israel Sanchez.

Let's go to Duncan in Ottawa, Canada hi Duncan, what your question for pastor. Israel way.

Chapter verses four and five. Read each one word and then he will have rejoicing in himself alone and not in another. For each one shall bear his own mold seems to contradiction on the surface, always already instructed to bear one another is burden and in so doing we fulfill the law of Christ. It seems he's saying we told her.

Let me let me know just beginning in verse one, chapter 6, to give us some more context and maybe even taking a step back.

Further, the book of Galatians was written to believers who were being drawn away from the gospel. Essentially, there was a group agitators Jewish quote" Christians who were sneaking the law back into the message of the gospel. If you will, saying, hey, if you really want to be justified. If you really want to be a part of the family of God. You need to observe these Hebrew ceremonies basically become Jewish. If you want to be Christian.

And so Paul is combating that heresy that compromising of the gospel and here in chapter 6 he says brothers. If anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. Another witch within the body of Christ were caring for one another when when someone falls into sin is caught in any transgression, you are spiritual restore such a one in the spirit of gentleness part of the way we bear each other's burdens, for if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. But let each one test his own work and then his reason to boast will be in himself alone and not in his neighbor. That is before God, you know, having a clear conscience before the Lord in our service to the Lord not having to lofty or high overview of ourselves. Let each one test his own work. All said and then his reason to boast will be in himself alone and not initially received. Talking really about two different things and that's why there's no contradiction there. And of course ignores on the say in verse five. For each will have to bear his own load in and fill in what context right. So in one sense within the body of Christ were bearing and sharing one another's burdens, but before the Lord in terms of our own, of our own standing pulses you know you you you look to yourself and once as let each one test his own work I'm in again. Remember, Paul is is dealing with this heresy.

This this group that was saying you're justified by the works of the law and that's that's central policy is combating here and so it's really important that we understand the context and I think is best. In the context we realize it is really no contradiction here as the apostle Paul is impacting this Duncan thanks for your question. Thanks much. Duncan appreciate that call. This is core Christianity with pastor Israel Sanchez. Our phone lines are open for the next 15 minutes or so.

If you have a question about the Bible or the Christian life.

Give us a call at 833. The core that's 1-833-843-2673 let's go to Shareen in Snellville, Georgia, assuring welcome to the program and how are you I'm doing well how are you doing Shareen I think you because she is an island and we had a debate over the phone the other day about Jesus being Michael the angel and what happened is she used to be with the Christian church she's now in the 70 Adventist and she believed that in the book of Daniel and speaks about Michael the Archangel, saying that Jesus Christ is and I believe that I tell her but she said no, they believe, and I wanted to ask you wrong assuring.

Thank you for your question yes I would say that that belief is wrong in one place where you can you can show your sister thing is if you go to the book of Hebrews in Hebrews chapter 1 in particular in the first chapter in the entire book of Hebrews is about how Jesus is greater. Jesus is better. He's been in the Old Testament sacrifices is better than than Moses is better than the old covenant right focusing on Jesus and the superiority of Christ than you And you test new covenant that's that's what he was all about in chapter 1, you have the supremacy of Jesus, even over the Angels if he and in verse five the author the Hebrew says support to which of the angels did God ever say you are my son, today I have begotten you are. Again, I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son, and again when he brings the firstborn in the world.

He says let all God's angels worship him. The angels of God bow down before Jesus in worship because Jesus is the second person of the holy Trinity, the eternal son of God and then and then the other. The recess of the Angels. He says he makes his angels wings and his ministers a flame of fire, but of the son he says. And so now again speaking to Jesus your throne. Oh God is forever and ever, the scepter of uprightness is the scepter of your kingdom.

You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness.

Therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness beyond your companions and I love this is a quotation from Psalm 102. You Lord laid the foundation of the earth in the beginning heavens are the work of your hands. They will perish, but you remain, they will wear out like a garment like a rope you will roll them up like a garment. They will be changed, but you are the same in your years will have no and and so what was the author the Hebrews doing here inspired by the Holy Spirit. He sang look Jesus is far superior to the Angels he's not an angel. He's not a created being actually he's the one created all things, even the Angels. They bow down to him in worship and so I would talk your sister and and and take her here to Hebrews chapter 1 remember also Colossians chapter 1 it talks about all things even even the Angels having been created by Jesus for him and through him for his glory, and so we can get this confused. Here is the most important question for you for any of us is who I say Jesus is getting the answer to that question wrong has eternal consequences. The Bible makes it very clear to us. Jesus is the eternal son of God, equal with the father, the second person of the holy Trinity, who for us and for our salvation came down from heaven, so that we might be redeemed in our sins, might be forgiven. Don't get don't get this wrong, so important. Thank you Shareen for your question there listening to core Christianity with pastor Israel Sanchez today would like to offer you a wonderful new book that we believe will help you grow in your faith and really get a grasp of God's tender heart towards everyone of us Dane or Lynn's book gentle and lowly, and of course that language comes from Matthew chapter 11. Towards the end of the chapter were Jesus has come to me all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Are you tired are you exhausted right now just hear the words of our Lord Jesus. He says I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for my yoke is easy and my burden is light.

You will find rest for your souls. Is that deep rest that each of us needs that soul rest. Jesus offers to us in him and in it that's what this book is about the, the, the gentle and lowly heart of Christ who gives rest to his people get a hold of this resource. I want to get in your hands, you can get a copy of gentle and lowly for a donation of any amount@corechristianity.com/offers that's core Christianity.com/offers.

You can also call us for this offer or any one of our offers at 833-843-2673. Again, that number is 833 the court. One of the things you can also do is leave a voicemail at that number. If you have a question and can't call during the live program. Let's go to voicemail. We received earlier this week, we all know that real have a couple right now because they have God in so much Jesus coming if they were to build the temple would net be against the worship of God.

Could you please explain it because God, believe it. There's so much confusion at this time. You very much later I brother there is a lot of confusion at this time even on this very very topic on this idea of rebuilding the temple and should the Temple be rebuilt. As you know the place for Jews and Christians did maybe come together and worship what we have to understand what the temple was under the old covenant the Old Testament version of the tabernacle right which God gave instructions for in places like the book of Exodus and it was it was a meeting place for God and his people having the people of God right that they they had been through so much start even back and in the book of Genesis with Adam and Eve cast out of the garden.

The big question is how we get back into fellowship with God and what you have in books like the book of Exodus and in the book of Leviticus is God's plan for bringing his people back to the garden quote unquote back to his house and it was going to be to his worship the tabernacle. The temple exit a lot of the imagery and the tabernacle was very much garden like within that the tabernacle of the temple. He had this great big menorah that looked like a tree that was on fire.

Almost like this tree of life, we might say it was it a lot of this Edenic imagery and God was bringing his people back to dwell in his presence.

How through sacrifices of atonement dealing with sin. The very thing that separates us from God is over. Time you had this this temple with these sacrifices that were accomplished. The sacrifices of atonement and then Jesus came and Jesus identified his own body as the temple of God, and it was Jesus says, one with God. I am the meeting place between God and humanity. And, quite literally, PP was because the eternal son of God assumed humanity and made his own united the divine with human if you will, and so is it really is this beautiful picture Jesus is if you want to know God is one of a relationship with God.

I'm were you need to come.

Jesus is the temple of the living God, and in him the church today is a holy temple. The apostle Paul says this tip to the Corinthians. We are the body of Christ, the holy temple of the living God, Peter says the very same thing and so no, the answer is no, we don't quote rebuild the temple as it was described in the Old Testament and the reason is because Jesus Christ fulfilled those sacrifices of atonement there. There are no more more you know sacrificial offerings that need to be made appropriate you Tory sacrificial blood offerings that need to be made. Jesus Christ, John the Baptist, that is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world and I was just reading from the book of Hebrews Hebrews chapter 1 earlier. The book of Hebrews makes this point so clearly the author of the Hebrews as is writing to a group of Christians who are being tempted to go back to the sacrifices of the Old Testament system going back under the law back under the old covenant and the author of the Hebrew says don't do that if you do that what you're doing is you're minimizing the once for all sacrifice of Jesus Christ or put your confidence in something besides his atoning work and that's a terrifying thing to do because there's nothing that we can do that can save us. There's nothing that we can put our confidence in. Apart from the work of Christ that will give us assurance that we are right in the sight of a holy God. And so we don't, they would. It would be taking a step backwards in in in the flow of redemptive history to say we need to rebuild the temple, and so no Israel does not need to rebuild the temple. Right now the temple on earth that God is building notes made out of living stones were told in the New Testament. Those living stones are the people of God, you are a part of the temple of the living God that he is building here on earth through his word and spirit, and it's a temple that covers the face of the whole world got nice for that!

The drill that is so true and so comforting. Your core Christianity. We are not supported by a particular church or denomination. We rely on people just like you to make donations to keep us on the air and if you find this program helpful. We would ask you to prayerfully consider making a gift of any amount you can do that on our website at core, Christianity.com just click donate at the top of the page.

Let's go to another email that we received the question about heaven and my mother-in-law you are a but yet you're not really following the Lord, and you'll be outside the gate. If you've accepted Christ.

I don't think that biblical could you confirm that I don't know of any Scripture that talks about being outside the gate. I think you're either in heaven or hell he reject Christ your in hell if you have a false conversion. You're also in health, though, if you could please clarify that thinking LII agree with that. That last statement he made is not like that. This sort of purgatory kind of place where you have people in between. Maybe they weren't that bad, and so they went to this place and they didn't totally believe like they should. And so they they didn't make it in but they're not in hell or in perdition. It sounds to me like that the language may be that your mother-in-law is using is coming from the book of Revelation the very end of the Bible, Revelation chapter 22. This is what it says in beginning in verse 12. Behold I am coming soon bring my recompense with me to repay each one for what he is done.

I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end. This is Jesus speaking. Blessed are those who wash their robes so that they may have the right to the tree of life, and that they may enter the city by the gates outside are the dogs, the sorceress and the sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood. Now these same people. The people who earlier in the book of Revelation are cast into the lake of fire. So it's not like you have to remember, John is using. As I've mentioned earlier in the same broadcast assertive prophetic imagery apocalyptic imagery of painting a vivid picture versus a look those immoral, the murderers, the idolaters, they are not within their on the outside there cut off from the community of faith from the kingdom of God. And so, yes, they are in the lake of fire. There they are condemned.

There is a broader question here though as well sister related to you know what about those people who say I believe in Jesus but them.

They live however they want like I'm sensitive to this because think that there are a lot of people out there who maybe said a prayer. Years ago, have zero relationship to a church have zero interest in the things of the Lord and following the Lord, they want to do their own thing.

They were just looking for some sort of fire insurance you know so that I what ritual do I need to go to to make sure I'm in a, and end up in heaven. I was in the live however I will. That's not genuine faith. I would say genuine faith is laying hold of the promise of the gospel for you recognizing I am a sinner. I need the grace of God and I embrace the gospel and the forgiveness of Jesus Christ. I lay hold of it and we lay hold of the gospel by faith were saved were justified, not half saved or are poor who were group were not have to justify what works were fully justified. A part of God's kingdom a part of God's family, but then he begins by the grace of his spirit day by day to work in us putting to death are our sinful deeds and desires in the fact of the matter is that that that that that the lifelong work process were always get a struggle within you know here on earth, battling with the lust of the flesh were called to follow the Lord and to love the Lord and by the grace of the Spirit, God gives us even that he works.

He works those graces in us and in our heart and that's not what saves us is not what justifies us is just what what God does for his children because he is good and kind and so maybe your mother-in-law's concerned with with that very thing that I think should concern you know people who just say oh yeah, I believe in Jesus in prayer many years ago and I have been a church in 10 years and could care less about the family of God. That kind of thing we should we should ask ourselves to. I love the Lord do I know the Lord, do I really have faith in him or am I looking for God to be the sort of quickfix to to my life to whatever problems I have and I and even to the problem of eternity. Maybe one day you know I'll need to get right with God. That kind of thing. No friends. God is so good he so gracious. He's made a way for you to have communion with him through his son Jesus Christ. Don't neglect that don't set that aside today. The author, the Hebrew says is the day of salvation. Go to the Lord and receive the grace and the kindness, the forgiveness and the love he has for you a man what an incredible promise that everyone of us can take advantage of and should take advantage of. If we haven't already. And of course as you mentioned, we still fail. We still fall, but the sanctification process goes on right absolutely and the good news is, even when we fall. Know the Lord picks us up.

He will never leave you or forsake you. It's a promise that we have in Scripture. And so we can rest in it and in God's faithfulness to his sinful people.

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