Tribulation Temple Talk :: By Terry James

It is significant, I think, that there is suddenly increased talk among the Jewish religious hierarchy about building a temple in Jerusalem.

We learn of this in the following:

Sanhedrin rules it will formally petition Heaven to reveal Mashiach and rebuild the Temple

The nascent Sanhedrin issued a formal ruling this week, asking the Holy One, Blessed be He, to remove hostile forces from the Jewish people and the Land of Israel, reveal the Mashiach (Messiah), rebuild the Beit HaMikdash (Holy Temple), and restore prophecy to Israel. The written ruling, dated 6 Menachem Av, 5786, follows a session the court’s members described as several hours long, during which two of the judges argued against moving forward before ultimately joining the majority. (“Sanhedrin rules it will formally petition Heaven to reveal Mashiach and rebuild the Temple,” Israel365 News, July 30, 2026)

The observation of this development by those who are truly watchers on the wall is far different from most who view this.

The Jewish people who observe Judaism generally believe this is an answer to the long-echoed call, “Next year in Jerusalem!” By this, it’s meant that there is great hope that the construction of a third temple will begin as soon as possible. This is the genuine longing by all who believe their Messiah must soon come to enter that future temple and bring peace and prosperity to all of Israel.

Of course, secular Jews have several thoughts about this. The primary thinking is that it really makes no difference one way or the other. A second thought is that a temple would be nice as a tourist attraction. A third thought is wrapped in tremendous fear that building such an edifice would bring an even greater hatred, and possibly war, from all of Israel’s surrounding enemies–and increased hatred by the rest of the world.

Many Jewish people fear that the title “God’s chosen people” is a primary reason for the world’s long history of anti-Semitism. And they’re probably right.

Satan has no doubt used this to induce hatred in the minds of those who harbor some sort of inferiority complex. From these types come much of the Islamist terrorism, I believe.

There is another thought by we who are watchers on the wall.

The third temple will undoubtedly be built—no question about it. But it will not be cherished by Jewish people in Israel or around the world.

It won’t benefit any people anywhere in the world because it will not be the Jewish Messiah who enters and occupies this Temple on Moriah. Instead, it will be the one God’s Word calls “the man of sin” and “the son of perdition.”

This, of course, will be Antichrist, a false messiah who will promise a false peace. He will instead bring the most terrible time of all history to the world (Matthew 24:21).

A third temple will be built at a future time, Bible prophecy says. Solomon built the first one, which Nebuchadnezzar destroyed in 587 BC.

The second temple was built following Israel’s Babylonian captivity. It lasted from 516 BC to AD 70. It became known as Herod’s Temple when the king commissioned it to be greatly expanded and beautified to the extent that it was considered magnificent by those who looked upon it.

This temple was destroyed by the Roman military in AD 70, when Roman Emperor Vespasian sent his son, General Titus, to put down insurrection in Jerusalem. This was a fulfillment of Daniel’s prophecy in Daniel 9:26–27 and of Jesus’ words in Matthew 24:1-2.

The third temple is said to be in place during the last seven years of human history prior to Christ’s return. Daniel prophesied about Antichrist: “In the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease” (Daniel 9:27b). This last, most vicious tyrant will enter the third temple and desecrate it.

Paul the apostle says of that future temple and Antichrist:

“Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God” (2 Thessalonians 2:4).

So, all the information coming from the Jewish hierarchy is Tribulation temple talk; there’s no other way to describe this news from the Israeli Sanhedrin.

All this means that Israel’s real Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ, is poised to call God’s family—all born-again believers—into the clouds of Glory.

Following the Rapture of the Church, the Tribulation will begin with Israel signing the covenant of false peace offered by the one who will become Antichrist (Daniel 9:27).

Seven years later, Israel’s True Messiah, Jesus Himself, will enter a supernaturally created Temple atop Mount Zion in Jerusalem, from which He will rule and reign for one thousand years. This will be the Millennium, during which supernatural saints—those who return with Jesus—will be given assignments within the governance of King Jesus!

Believe in Christ today—for today, at this moment, is the only time promised. Tomorrow it might be too late.

“For the scripture saith, whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Romans 10:11–13).

Wtjames1@swbell.net

Without Excuse :: By Terry James

We think of the heathen of the world in terms of their knowing little to nothing about God’s truth regarding the only way to salvation. This brings to the lips of some the accusatory rant that God is unfair. They say He sends people who have never heard the gospel to eternal punishment.

But God’s Word says the following about those in even the darkest regions throughout human history:

“For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath showed it unto them. For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: 

“Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and four-footed beasts, and creeping things” (Romans 1:18-23). 

In other words, people have no excuse because God reveals to all, even if they live in uncivilized regions of the world and/or have a lack of information. God will never be unfair. All have enough inward information to know they need Him. When people instead carve out idols for themselves, they’re deliberately rejecting the God who plants in the people’s hearts the innate ability to know Him for their personal redemption.

The same is true of “civilized” heathen. I think of the Hollywood cabal who push God aside. They know Him, yet don’t know Him—that is, they don’t know Him as their Heavenly Father. They deliberately ignore and even, in some cases, cast Him and those who are Christians in derogatory roles.

Proof that they are made aware, however, comes through in the films they produce. We remember the Cecil B. DeMille movie, The Ten Commandments. It was quite accurate in its depiction of the Exodus account.

In Herman Wouk’s The Winds of War, the scriptwriters had American naval officer Victor “Pug” Henry say something like, “Mankind is destined to kill each other in war until the Second Coming of Christ.”

The Hollywood people are aware that this fictional statement has played out in fact since World War II, as murderous conflicts continue to this day. Killing in war is prophetically scheduled to become even more prolific as time moves forward toward Christ’s Second Advent. All of humanity’s interaction points starkly at Heaven’s foretold intervention into the affairs of humankind.

Hollywood was and is thoroughly aware of Jesus Christ and His coming again. They are without excuse.

No people on Earth are more under God’s assessment of being “without excuse” than the people of the United States.

There are churches on many corners of most cities. There are means of communication that pour out the gospel message every hour of every day. There are so many Bibles that it is the most published and sold volume ever in America and the world. Yet, it is probably one of the fewest read and studied.

But it isn’t only America that comes under God’s condemnation of being “without excuse.” Europe long ago shut down most of its churches. Many are merely now museums for tourists to photograph.

The results of this dismissal of Heaven’s authority are blatant in all the world, not just in our country. As pointed out in recent commentaries, Paul’s words tell of the foolhardiness and its results regarding people who turn their backs on the God who created them:

“And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient” (Romans 1:28).  

Can there be any argument of substance against the proof that the Creator has turned this generation of God-deniers over to a “reprobate mind”?

The things we have witnessed in recent years offer evidence that would convict in any sane court of justice.

Government and the ideological left claim everything we do must be to protect the most innocent—the children. Regulations of every sort—in food production, medicine, and other such things—are in large part for children. Proposed gun control is so that the children can live happily and, above all, live safe lives.

Yet that same government and leftist, hypocritical ideology declares it’s their right to slaughter babies by the millions while still in their mothers’ wombs.

This, folks, is what qualifies as a prime example of what the God of Heaven calls the “reprobate mind.”

And we could go on and on telling things like teaching kindergartners about adult sexual activity, about letting porn-star transvestites who commit the most disgusting acts in film come before children as young as five to teach them about their abominable lifestyles.

So, humankind is without excuseAnd all who do not know the Lord Jesus as Savior will suffer eternal condemnation because of their unbelief. Thus, “Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful.”

You, I—we all are without excuse. We all must come to Christ, for He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No person comes to the Heavenly Father but by Him (John 14:6).

Here is how you can make sure you are not under the condemnation “without excuse”:

“That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation” (Romans 10:9-10).

Wtjames1@swbell.net