Orthodox Jews were excited about the arrival of five red heifers in Israel last fall as they are a necessary step in preparing for the construction of a third temple in Jerusalem.

CBN reports, that the excitement is mounting as the red heifers have still not developed off-color hairs, white or black, that would disqualify them for the ritual sacrifice.

The ashes from the red heifer are used to purify the priests and since a sacrifice produces such a huge reservoir, there have only been 9 red heifer sacrifices in Israel’s history.

The red heifers are being kept at a secured location in Israel and are between 1.5 and 2 years of age. They will not be sacrificed until they are three years old and will not be used if they become ritually impure by growing a single black or white hair. They will be inspected with a magnifying glass to ensure their purity.

According to Rabbi Mamo, the Temple Institute already has what he described as “nine pure priests” who are ready to perform sacrifices but can only do so until they have been purified with the red heifer sacrifice.

They received this purified status by avoiding contact with dead people. This means they were born at home and not in a hospital. They also had not visited a cemetery and will not in the future visit a cemetery or any other event that could potentially have them come in contact with the dead.

Since the second Jerusalem temple, built by Ezra and Nehemiah, was destroyed by the Romans in 70 AD, there has been a desire among Orthodox Jews for a third temple rebuilt in Jerusalem.

Though Jerusalem is controlled by Israel, the situation is politically complicated as at this point a Jordanian Waqf remains in control of the Temple Mount.

Many evangelical Christians believe a third temple has prophetic significance in the end times and in fact played a key role in the arrival of the five red heifers in Israel from Texas.

They point to passages in the Book of Revelation (Revelation 11:1-7), the Apostle John’s vision of the events that would take place in the end times and statements by the Apostle Paul (2 Thessalonians 2:3-7) that suggest a third temple is in the offing.

Others do not believe these are references to an actual physical temple, but rather a spiritual one, perhaps the church.

There is evidence from the Bible, that Jesus cursed the temple bringing about its destruction by the Romans and then actually put a nail in the temple’s coffin by adding it would never be rebuilt:

I am not going to be dogmatic and claim there will not be a third temple in Jerusalem. I am just proposing it may not be a critical piece in God’s end-times plan and don’t get hung up if it doesn’t happen.

READ: Prophetic Anticipation Builds: Unblemished Red Heifers for Temple Ceremony Soon Come of Age