Rebuilding the Temple
Its Preparation
Dr. John Hoole – April 7, 2013
When we studied the Rapture of the Church, you heard me say, “the Rapture is a sign-less event.” The Rapture is imminent, that is, it could happen at any moment. Nothing needs fulfilling prior to it happening. All the “signs of the times” have the Second Coming in mind. There is nothing but the mercy of God that keeps the Rapture from happening right now.
However, though there are no signs for the Rapture, there are several events that have occurred in my lifetime that indicate its closeness. The first and probably the greatest eschatological event of the 20th century occurred on May 14, 1948, when Israel became a nation after almost 1900 years.
Another indicator of the closeness of the Rapture and the Second Coming is taking place as we sit here today. That sign is the status of preparations of the next Jewish Temple to be built on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem.
Rabbi Nachman Kahane (also spelled Kahana), 75, a leading rabbi in Jerusalem believes a Temple will be built on the Temple Mount in his lifetime. He says everything is ready to build that Temple today.
The world thus far in its history has known only two Jewish Temples: The first, built on the Temple Mount by King Solomon, son of King David. The Temple stood for 373 years before the Babylonians destroyed it in 586 B.C. The Second Temple, built after the Babylonian Captivity on the same site (Ezra 2:68; 6:7). The Second Temple stood for 586 years – From 516 B.C. to 70 A.D.
Over the past couple of lessons, we have looked at what the Bible says about rebuilding the Temple. The Scriptures emphatically instruct us there will be a Third Temple which will be constructed no later than early in the 7-year Tribulation. When we look into the eschatological passages of Scripture, we find it calls for a Jewish Temple to be standing when the Antichrist rules the world.
A number of Jewish groups have already begun preparation for the new temple: Groups like: The Temple Mount Faithful, Temple Institute, Society for the Preparation of the Temple. Earlier I mentioned rabbi Nachman Kahana. All who started each of these organizations were trained by him.
Since 1987, a group of rabbinical researchers, designers and craftsmen have been creating what they call a “Temple in waiting.”
According the Rabbi Chaim Richman, Director of the Temple Insititute, detailed computerized blueprints for the Third Temple have existed for more than 20 years (since 1992). They have taken their specifications from the Bible, Archeological findings, Josephus and the Jewish Middot (measurements). Their specifications have also included the use of electricity and other modern improvements, as long as they don’t violate the “Halaka” (Jewish Law)
Other Structures
Other structures, pertaining to the Temple’s future functions, have also been planned and built. Under the auspices of Rabbi Shlomo Goren, first Rabbi of the Israeli Defense Forces the 70-seat building that housed the Sanhedrin in Temple times has again been constructed. Its present location is adjacent to the Temple Mount.
The legal stipulation which the Sanhedrin will use to govern the people of Israel’s relationship to their Temple have been researched and documented.
Vessels used in the Temple
103 different vessels and utensils were used in the operation of the Temple have been constructed. Things like:
• The eleven sacrificial incense spices
• Urns
• Ewers
• Three-pronged fork
• Silver shovels – used to remove ashes from the altar – 1st thing a priest does each morning.
• Carts for the burnt offerings
• The gold and silver mizrak – two vessels (large and small) used to dispense sacrificial blood on the altar.
• The copper (bronze) laver
• Golden flasks
• Silver measuring cups (used in the libation offerings) Wine is poured on the altar twice daily.
• Copper vessels for the meal offering
• The Lottery Box – for the Day of Atonement – to choose which goat is sacrificed and which becomes the “scape goat” and set free in the wilderness.
• The mortar and pestle and the stone vessel (kelal) for grinding and holding the purifying ashes of the red heifer
• Golden Menorah (lampstand)
• Oil pitchers for replenishing the oil for its light
• Silver trumpets (for assembling Israel at the Temple)
• The Barley Altar
• Incense shovel
• Bronze Altar of Sacrifice
The 3 furniture pieces in the Holy Place
The Temple Institute has trained men for Temple service, and have accumulated all the implements needed for a Temple, including:
• Table of Showbread – made of wood, overlaid with gold. On it are placed twelve loaves of showbread. Each Sabbath, the loaves are removed and replaced by fresh loaves.
• Menorah – a single piece of solid gold. Each morning a priest will prepare and rekindle the wicks and replenish the oil. The reconstructed Menorah is covered with 95 pounds of pure gold.
• Incense Altar – made of wood, covered with gold.
Articles needed but not used inside the Temple
• Silver Trumpets – used during the service, as well as for announcing the arrival of Shabbat. Also used to announce the arrival of the New Moon, the three primary annual festivals.
• Gold-plated Shofar (ram’s horn) Blown at the Temple on Rosh Hashanah – the Jewish New Year.
• Silver-plated Shofar – blown at the Temple on fast days.
Ark of the Covenant
This is the one piece of furniture not replicated. This could signal they know where it is or believe they will find it for placement in the Temple. We will have an entire lesson on the Ark of the Covenant and will not say more here.
Musical Instruments
1 Chronicles 23:3-5 NKJV
3 Now the Levites were numbered from the age of thirty years and above; and the number of individual males was thirty-eight thousand.
4 Of these, twenty-four thousand were to look after the work of the house of the Lord, six thousand were officers and judges,
5 four thousand were gatekeepers, and four thousand praised the Lord with musical instruments, "which I made," said David, "for giving praise."
The phrase, “four thousand praised the Lord with musical instruments.” 4,000 harps are under construction by the craftsmen at the House of Harrari. Micah Harrari is a Jewish Levite and a master craftsman. He made the first harp in Israel in 2,000 years for his wife Shoshanna as a birthday gift.
Priestly Apparel
Most, if not all, priestly garments are prepared and in storage. Apparel for the high priest.
• His eight-layered woven linen robe
• The golden crown worn on his head
• His jeweled breastplate bearing the names of the tribes of Israel
Nachman Kahane, who received the first set of priestly garments, has his hanging in his closet, ready to be put on in a moment’s notice.
It took years of research to make these garments. Special flaxen thread was imported from India. Overseas travel was necessary to obtain the correct colors for the robes, including to Istanbul, to purchase mountain worms from which the correct shade of crimson is derived.
The Temple Institute has announced that 120 sets of linen garments for Lay Priests have been prepared. For the first time in 1,943 years the garments of lay priests are ready in preparation for the rebuilding of the Holy Temple and renewal of service. The last priestly garments to have been worn were those worn by the priests who were martyred by the Roman legions who destroyed the Temple in 70 A.D.
In Exodus 28:40, God instructs Moses to make these garments “for glory and for beauty.” The Temple Institute has spared no effort in procuring the necessary materials for the performing of the Torah commandments.
There is one barrier to having a functioning Temple. If this barrier is not addressed, they won’t be able to use the Temple, even if it is built.
There needs to be a group of priests who have been purified of all uncleanness.
One of the most interesting and challenging issues in the rebuilding of the Temple is the problem of ritual defilement. Today, it is assume every Jew has incurred defilement because their land has been dominated by Gentiles. They are also unclean because for the last 2000 years, none can say they or their ancestors have had no contact with death, or in contact with those who have been in such contact.
THE FUTURE PRIESTHOOD
God, through His prophets, prophesied the conditions of the priesthood that exists today.
Hosea 3:4-5 NKJV
4 For the children of Israel shall abide many days without king or prince, without sacrifice or sacred pillar, without ephod or teraphim.
5 Afterward the children of Israel shall return and seek the Lord their God and David their king. They shall fear the Lord and His goodness in the latter days.
The Bible prophesied that there would be an extended period of time where Israel would be without a king and would make no sacrifices. But it continues to say it would end when they seek the Lord their God.
When the temple was destroyed in AD 70, the genealogical records, which had been kept in the temple were also destroyed. And at that time, those of the tribe of Levi were instructed to never change their names. Therefore, to this day there remains those with the names of Levi, Cohen, and derivatives of these names.
Some may wonder how they can accurately determine who is in the priestly lineage or not. In 1997, a scientific test was devised that could actually verify those of priestly lineage. They studied several hundred males claiming Levitical descent.
Since each person’s DNA is as individual as a fingerprint, they could, by studying the Y-chromosome, determine if they had a common ancestor. The Y-chromosome passes unchanged from father to son. As a group they would carry a DNA separate from all other Jews.
There are also organizations in Israel that are attempting to train young Levites for the priesthood. A Yeshiva (Jewish seminary) has been founded by Motti Dan Hacohen. The yeshiva (seminary) is called Ateret Cohanim. Cohanim is plural for Cohayn. The title of Cohayn has been passed down orally from one generation to another. There are many yeshivas (yeshivot) in Israel today.
Let’s go back to the beginning of the Jewish priesthood.
FROM WHAT ISRAELI TRIBE CAME THE PRIESTS OF ISRAEL?
The Tribe of Levi.
WOULD THAT MAKE ALL LEVITES PRIESTS AND PART OF THE COHANIM?
No.
FROM WHAT TRIBE WERE MOSES AND AARON?
They were both Levites.
God chose Aaron to perform special duties as the nation of Israel’s first high priest. Only his descendants are called Cohanim.
Special Blue Dye
Numbers 15:38-39 NKJV
38 "Speak to the children of Israel: Tell them to make tassels on the corners of their garments throughout their generations, and to put a blue thread in the tassels of the corners.
39 And you shall have the tassel, that you may look upon it and remember all the commandments of the Lord and do them, and that you may not follow the harlotry to which your own heart and your own eyes are inclined,
The Hebrew word translated “tassel” is “TSITSIT.” The tsitsit is the name for specially knotted ritual fringes worn by observant Jews. A tsitsit is attached to each of the four corners of the tallit (prayer shawl) as well as a cape, tunic or toga. Not all garments are four-cornered. Today, with clothing that is tailored, there are not many four-cornered garments. So, to keep the commandment, a garment called a TALLIT KATAN is used. It is a rectangular measure of cloth with a hole in the middle to place over one’s head. It is worn between an undershirt and a normal outer shirt.
In the passage we just read, they were instructed to include in the Tzitzit at least one string of a special blue color. The Hebrew translated “blue” in the verses above is TEKHELET. The tekhelet is mentioned in the Hebrew Bible 50 times, with 44 of them in regard to the priesthood or temple.
The Talmud teaches that the source of the special blue dye is the KHILLAZON. Translated into English, the word becomes SNAIL. The Talmud also forbids the use of any other source for this blue dye.
The correct shade of blue was feared lost and had not been seen since A.D. 70. Throughout history Rabbis have discussed and wondered what shade of blue is required. For many centuries, it was feared the snail from which to extract the Tekhelet was extinct. Because of this, down through the years, many rabbis wore only white Tzitzits. But, the snail from which the dye was extracted began all of a sudden showing up in the same place along the eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea. primarily the coastal region from Haifa, Israel to Tyre, Lebanon. And currently, they showing up in great numbers. God’s timing is impeccable.
Garments for other priests with the special blue-purple dye (tekhelet),used in the priestly Tsitsit (fringes on the prayer shawl), have been prepared and readied for use.