I wanted to come back to the topic of the 9th of Av to make one
correction and also give some new information: (Tweet that!)
NEW: Another exciting announcement from The Temple Institute.
First the correction: I posted previously that the 9th of Av would correspond to the 25th of
July on our calendar. So I was surprised when I received a newsletter from The
Temple Institute on Sunday, July 26th, with the date at the top as
the 9th of Av. Here's how the date read:
Av 9, 5775/July 26, 2015
I'm not completely sure, but
perhaps my mistake came in seeing the 9th of Av on my Biblical
calendar on July 25th when the 9th of Av really started
at sundown on July 25th. Does that make sense? Then the 9th
of Av would have run through sundown on July 26th. That's my best
guess at what happened at this point.
Secondly, that newsletter I
received from The Temple Institute which came on Sunday held some amazing news.
You can sign up for the Temple Institute's newsletter on their site, but for those who haven't seen it I'll pass on their incredible message.
The subject line read:
"The Third Holy Temple Plans have Begun"
I've followed the work of The
Temple Institute for many years. I've written about their work to prepare the
various items, such as the Lampstand and the Table of Shewbread, needed for the
Temple to function. I've watched from afar the preparation for the Temple to be
rebuilt. I’ve also watched in amazement as it appears Bible prophecies to rebuild
the Temple seem to be setting up to be fulfilled.
And yet…
…to see that announcement put in
concrete terms in the subject line of a Jewish organization located in
Jerusalem felt stunning. (Tweet that!)
The opening of their message
contains familiar information if you've been reading my posts about the 9th of Av. See how much you've learned? (If you've missed those posts, see
Related Articles below). Here's how the Temple Institute opened their announcement: (Tweet that!)
Today, the Ninth of Av, the solemn day of mourning which commemorates the destruction of the First and Second Temples, the Temple Institute has released a modern three-dimensional architectural rendition of the future Third Holy Temple utilizing the latest building material and techniques. The three-minute video walks viewers through the main sanctuary, showcasing decades of research and tens of innovative Halachic solutions to various perplexing issues that were resolved to create fully functional, ready-to-use plans. As the visual tour sweeps through the sanctuary, one can see the menorah, incense altar and showbread table, all of which have already been prepared by the Institute, among 70 other sacred vessels.
I'm including the three-minute
video the message references below. (Tweet that!)
But first let me say that you
should treasure this experience of being taken inside the Temple. If the
Temple were standing in real life, neither you nor I would be allowed to take
this tour. Many Christians may think of the Temple much like our churches,
where we welcome visitors to come inside and worship. (Tweet that!)
However the Temple in Jerusalem is
different! No one is allowed inside except the Jewish priests sent in to
tend to the Temple items inside. Furthermore, even they are not allowed in the
back 1/3 of the Temple, which is the Holy of Holies. The only person allowed to
enter there is the High Priest, and then he may only enter once per year on the
Day of Atonement (an annual observance which is coming up this fall).
I want to watch this video over
and over again! I want to pause it, study it. There's so much to learn here.
But I want to mention one thing: A
couple of times you will see the big, reddish "wall" with the two golden winged
beings facing each other. This the Curtain that separates the front 2/3s of the
Temple, the Holy Place, from the back 1/3, the Most Holy Place of the Holy of
Holies. In this video we stop at the Curtain and do not enter the Holy of
Holies. This video is called "Stage One: The Sanctuary" which refers to the
front 2/3s of the Temple.
The inside of the Temple represents that holy place where the Living God resides. What I mean by that is, like the Temple, no one may enter His presence except by the blood of the Lamb, the Sacrifice. (Tweet that!)
Anyone who enters in any other way is to receive the death penalty.
Anyone who enters in any other way is to receive the death penalty.
Ponder that as you enter the
Sanctuary via watching this video…
The LORD Jesus Christ actually personifies the Holy Temple in the Bible which is to stand in Jerusalem. Another way to say that is the Temple pictures the ministry of the LORD Jesus. We'll have to discuss that another time soon.
Related Articles:
- Saturday, April 11, 2015: Will the "Framework Agreement" with Iran be the False Peace Treaty in Bible Prophecy?
- Thursday, July 16, 2015: What might happen on the "9th of Av" = July 25, 2015 - Part 1
- Saturday, July 18, 2015: What might happen on the "9th of Av" = July 25, 2015 - Part 2
- Tuesday, July 21, 2015: What might happen on the "9th of Av" = July 25, 2015 - Part 3
Don't forget to order your copy of The Shemitah ebook now:
What it is, When it is, and Why it's Important in Light of Bible Prophecy
The Best of the Bible Prophecies Fulfilled Blog Series
The Best of the Bible Prophecies Fulfilled Blog Series