An article on Israel365 News provides a surprising confirmation that the church is the Temple of God.

Israel365 News is operated by Orthodox Jews based in Israel. Although, they don’t believe Jesus is the Jewish Messiah, they still believe their Messiah is coming soon. As part of His arrival there will be a third Jewish Temple.

In the article, Israel365 reported on the remarks made by Moshe Feiglin, an Orthodox Jew and Israeli politician who believes that there will be a third Jewish temple.

Feiglin used to be part of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud Party. However, in 2015, after being hindered from advancing in Likud, Feiglin formed his own orthodox political party, Zehut. It has since grown into one of the more prominent orthodox political parties in Israel.

In a statement to members of Zehut, Feiglin spoke of the building of a third Jewish Temple.

The Temple Mount currently has two Islamic buildings on the site, the Al Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock. Many scholars and Jewish traditions hold that the Mosque is built over the site of the original Jewish Temple, that was destroyed in 70 AD by the Romans.

Feiglin believes that at some point in the future, the Muslims will simply abandon the Mosque, preparing the way for the Temple.

The Gentiles Will Help Build the Third Jewish Temple

But this is where it gets interesting because Feiglin added that Biblical prophecy indicates that the gentiles will play a major role in the construction of the third Jewish Temple.

He cited Isaiah 56:7 that speaks of how the Temple will be a house of prayer for everyone including the gentiles:

“Even them will I bring to My holy mountain, and make them joyful in My house of prayer… for My house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples” (Isaiah 56:7)

The prophet Zechariah goes one step further adding that the gentiles will be involved in the actual construction of the third temple:

“And those who are far off shall come and build the Temple of the LORD, and you shall know that the LORD of Hosts has sent me to you” (Zechariah 6:15)

The verse indicates this will occur at the Messiah’s arrival, as it states: “you shall know that the LORD of Hosts has sent me to you.”

Jewish tradition holds that this verse was partially fulfilled in the construction of the Second Temple, which is the one that Jesus visited. Not only did a Persian king provide initial support in its construction, but a major renovation was paid for by King Herod.

Because of these verses Feiglin believes that gentiles will also play a significant role in the construction of a third Jewish Temple. However, a physical Third Temple alone would not fully satisfy these prophecies.

It does not fulfill Isaiah’s prediction that the Temple would become a House of Prayer for the gentiles. Nor does it fulfill the promise made by Zechariah, that God would dwell among the nations.

“And many nations will join themselves to the Lordon that day and will become My people. Then I will dwell in your midst, and you will know that the Lord of armies has sent Me to you. (Zechariah 2:11)

If we look at the Temple as a physical building, for God to dwell among the nations there would need to be a Temple constructed in every country.

But as we look at the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the gentiles in Acts 10, we witness a significant expansion of God’s Kingdom to include the Gentiles.

And because of the perfect sacrifice of Jesus, those who believed in His death and resurrection were filled with the Holy Spirit.

The primary purpose of the Temple was to house the Ark of the Covenant on which the very presence of God dwelt.

With the Holy Spirit now dwelling within people, Paul states that believers and the church became the Temple of God (1 Corinthians 3:16-17; Ephesians 2:20-22).

The Temple moved from a physical building to a spiritual one. So as churches were constructed in nations around the world, this fulfilled Zechariah’s prophecy of God dwelling in the nations.

This is why the Israel365 article, though written from a different theological perspective, unwittingly points to a truth Christians have long affirmed.