Breaking Israel News recently reported on a letter written by Israel’s nascent Sanhedrin asking the Arab world to join in building the third Jewish temple in Jerusalem. The court sent its request in English, Hebrew and Arabic.

The nascent Sanhedrin is a Jewish court made up of 71 elders. A similar court has historically provided spiritual and sometimes political guidance to Israel through out its history. It was the Sanhedrin that asked the Romans to crucify Christ.

So why did they ask the Muslims for help?

Certainly expediency is one of the reasons. Orthodox Jews believe that God wants them to rebuild the Temple. However, the Temple Mount is now controlled by the Jordanian government and under the current political arrangement, Orthodox Jews would probably need Jordan’s permission to build.

It is traditionally believed that the Muslims built the Dome of the Rock on the location of the second Jewish Temple the Romans destroyed in 70 AD. I don’t think the Jews believe Muslims would be willing to destroy the Dome of the Rock, Islam’s third most holy site,  to allow the Jews to build their Temple.

But there is room for a Jewish Temple on the Temple Mount so either the Jews are not stuck on rebuilding at the Temple’s traditional location or it is possible the Dome of the Rock was not actually built on the original site of the second Temple.

It may also be a public relations maneuver to gain public support for the rebuilding. The Jews probably know that the Muslims will not support such a move, but by asking the Jews look like the reasonable ones in the process.

Though that may partly be true, the nascent Sanhedrin letter goes on to say that the Old Testament prophesied that the gentiles would be sending their resources to Israel:

“We, the Jews who advocate building of the Temple, are applying to your Honorable ones, who were nominated by their peoples to give oath, raise vows and gifts to the Temple as prophesied by prophet Isaiah concerning your essential role and honorable position in keeping the Temple and supporting it with lamb sacrifices and incense in order to receive God’s Blessings.

“‘Raise your eyes and look about: They have all gathered and come to you. Your sons shall be brought from afar, Your daughters like babes on shoulders. As you behold, you will glow; Your heart will throb and thrill— For the wealth of the sea shall pass on to you, The riches of nations shall flow to you. Dust clouds of camels shall cover you, Dromedaries of Midian and Ephah. They all shall come from Sheba; They shall bear gold and frankincense, And shall herald the glories of Hashem.’ Isaiah 60:4-6“

This is an interesting statement because in some ways it mirrors the very problem that faced the early church in the Book of Acts when the Holy Spirit fell upon the gentiles:

⁴⁴ While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who were listening to the message. ⁴⁵ All the circumcised believers who came with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also. ⁴⁶ For they were hearing them speaking with tongues and exalting God. (Acts 10: 44-46 NASV)

The church that was made up solely of Jews had no idea what to do with these gentiles. Some believed they needed to become Jews (get circumcised) before becoming Christians, others disagreed.

They finally called a church meeting in Jerusalem to discuss the growing controversy where they acknowledged that the gentiles were filled with the Holy Spirit and speaking in tongues without being circumcised, so obviously God did not require it.

In the process, they realized the prophetic significance of what was happening, because the Old Testament prophets spoke of the day when the Gentiles would embrace Jehovah as their God.

James quoted from the book of Amos that told of God restoring David’s Tabernacle that would lead to a “remnant of the gentiles” seeking God (Acts 15:13-21).

In other words, these Old Testament prophecies were being fulfilled in the church. The church was Israel (Galatians 6:16), and Israel was the church (Acts 7:38). They were the same.

As for the Temple, it existed to house the Ark of the Covenant on which God’s presence rested. However, it was lost centuries earlier and even the Temple in Jesus’s day sat empty as would any third temple.

But because of Christ’s perfect sacrifice, the Holy Spirit now lived inside people instead of a building made of stone. Each person was looked upon as a temple of God (1 Corinthians 6:19-20) and the church, Christ’s body, was also considered the Temple of which Christ was the key cornerstone (1 Peter 2:4-6, John 2:19-21).

Sources:

• Sanhedrin calls on Arabs to take role in third Temple as prophesied by Isaiah: Breaking Israel News