The Antichrist and the Temple of God - Part 2

Today’s Topic: The Antichrist and the Temple of God – Part 2
Scripture: Isaiah 14:12-15; Daniel 9:24:27; 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12; Matthew 24:15-16

Greetings Kingdom Citizens
In the last message we left off with the question, what is the Temple of God that the Antichrist will sit in and commit these abominations and desolations. The Temple of God that the scripture is referring to is the Temple in Jerusalem. Now you may say but the Temple is destroyed just like Jesus said in Matthew 24:1,2 and this is true. But to find out how this will happen, let’s look at the scriptures for confirmation. The temple in Jerusalem is called the Temple of God because in a wing of the temple was a place called the Holy of Holies. Only the Levitical priests could go behind the veil in the Temple. To the Jews, the Temple at Jerusalem was where God resided. The Temple housed the Holy of Holies. This is why Jesus was so upset when He entered the Temple and saw all of the ungodly things going on and said that they have turned His Father’s house into a house of thieves.

Now just as Jesus prophesied in Matthew 24:1,2 that the Temple would be destroyed to a point of one stone upon another. It happened in 70 A.D. when the Romans toppled the Temple and when they found gold between the mortar o the building, they took every stone off of the other thinking that the Jews used gold as mortar to build the Temple. But actually when the Romans set the Temple on fire the heat melted the Gold at the top of the Temple and it ran down in between the stones of the building and that is what lead the Romans to think that the Jews used gold to construct the Temple. Now up to this day the temple is still in ruin. But let’s look at the words of Jesus because if we read it carefully something profound is going to happen. Matthew 24:15: “When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoke by Daniel the prophet, STAND IN THE HOLY PLACE…” These are the words of our Lord Jesus. Where is the Holy Place on Earth that Jesus could be referring to? He was referring to the Temple at Jerusalem. Well if this is a sign of the end of the age and the Temple has been destroyed then how can this be a sign? Well first we must know that the one Antichrist has not come, nor has the Global Kingdom yet. Paul is clear in 2 Thessalonians 2:3 that the Antichrist will sit in the Temple of God like God and declare himself to be God.

Now what this means is, the Temple at Jerusalem will be rebuilt. Now you may say well would it not be obvious that he is not God. To someone that is not spiritually discerned absolutely. This devious and blasphemous deed is intended for Satan to get worship. This is why Jesus continues in Matthew 24:16 for the children of Israel to flee to the mountains and leave all that they have and run away from this sign because there will be great tribulation like never before in the world. Now God gives a specific reference to the Jews in particular in what is recorded to be the 70 sevens of Daniel in Daniel 9 and I want to cover this so that we know that the Jews have also been warned of the abomination that is coming.

In Daniel 9 starting at verse 24 we see what is called the “70 sevens of Daniel”. Now the word “week” here in the Hebrew is used to describe a period of time. It can be used to describe a unit of 7 days or 7 years. So for this set of scriptures we are dealing with 70 periods of 7 years. Now this time was ordained by God to finish the transgression of Israel and make reconciliation for iniquity and we know the person who came to do that, Jesus! Now, verse 25 begins to explain this specific time period for the Jews. This period starts when the commandment was given to rebuild Jerusalem which includes the wall and streets. Now many theologians have pondered when this command was given. In my study I have found that this is referring to the command in Nehemiah 2:1 when Nehemiah petitioned king Artaxerxes to go and rebuild Jerusalem. King Artaxerxes reign began in 465 BC and this command was given in the 20th year of His reign so the starting point is 445 BC. Now in Daniel 9:25 it says that it will take 7 weeks (7x7=49 years) to build the temple. Then 62 (434 years) consecutive weeks will go on until the Messiah is cut off. Now when we see the term cut off, this is talking about when Jesus is crucified. Now what that tells me is that 483 years will run consecutive until the Messiah is cut off. Jesus was crucified around 32 A.D. Now you may say then where is the other 7 years to make up the total 490 years (70x7). Well there is a gap in time and this pause will continue until the Antichrist hits the Earth. Now back in Daniel 9:26 we see the prophecy of the destruction of the Temple that eventually happens in 70 AD by the Romans. Now when the Antichrist hits the scene in Daniel 9:27 the time period resumes, so we only have 7 years left. He makes a covenant with Israel, which is ultimately a deception to get them to worship him in the Temple. Now the scriptures go on to say that in the midst of the week (3 and ½ years) he will break this covenant, stop the sacrifices and offerings and setup in the Temple of God horrific idolatry. This is the abominations that Daniel speaks of in verse 27. Before the last week (7 years) is up the result will be everlasting righteousness.

This set of scriptures is referring strictly to the Jews and it is their warning and sign that they may know that the Messiah has come and the false Messiah will sit in the most Holy place (The Temple) and cause horrific idolatry to exist. Now this all happens under the permission of God because the Antichrist in time will be revealed and the scriptures prophesy this. But let us who are not of that fold be warned that when this happens this is also a sign to us.

We will pick up this in the next message.

At the Father’s Service,
Elder Calvin Calhoun Jr.