Rebuilding the Jewish Temple

Seven ways it could happen, despite the clash of beliefs at the Temple Mount

The world’s most disputed, divisive piece of real estate is back in the headlines—with a vengeance. As we’ve noted recently here at Tipping Point, the thirty-six-acre Temple Mount in Jerusalem has once again been the focus of tense fighting between Jews and Arabs/Palestinians in Israel. This recent turmoil on the Temple Mount spurred an article in The Jerusalem Post about the Christian perspective on building the Third Temple. This is a huge topic in Bible prophecy.

Here’s what the article says:

One of the hottest end-time prophecies at the moment is the building of a Third Temple. This is a big topic in New Testament Bible prophecy. The very real possibility of a Third Temple is a sign that no other generation has seen. All the implements of Temple worship have already been created by industrious and devoted visionaries. Right now we're living in the time period between the Second Temple that was destroyed in 70 B.C. and the Third Temple. Hardly a week goes by without some Temple Mount controversy for fear that the Jews will build their house of worship.

It then speaks about some of the preparations that have been taking place in anticipation for a rebuilt Temple:

The future Temple’s ritual garments and vessels have already been designed and created. The Golden Menorah—the seven-branched candelabra—is on display in the Old City’s Jewish Quarter. Also ready are many Levitical musical instruments, silver trumpets and harps for worship, just as King David organized 3,000 years ago. The Temple Institute’s School is training certified, DNA-tested priests to perform Temple services and many of these services have been rehearsed. A final element, a red heifer, is being bred to be sacrificed in a Torah-prescribed ritual purification ceremony.

Behind this excitement, though, lies an extremely important, nagging question: How will the Jews ever be able to construct their Temple with the Dome of the Rock and the Al-Aqsa Mosque already situated there? The Temple Mount already is the third holiest site in Islam.

Several solutions to this problem have been offered. Let’s explore them.