This is a very important message for those who would be deceived about the events in Jerusalem today. It has special regard as to the building of the third Temple in the land of Israel. This message will not be received by those pushing for the building of a third Temple by man’s hands. Nor will it be received, or understood by those who look at the building of this third Temple as signs of their immanent ‘rapture’ or “secret rapture”. But it will, and should be understood by those who know from God’s Word, the meaning of 2 Thess.2:1-4, and that a pre-tribulation “secret rapture” is false.
     Even so, whether the pre-tribulational rapturist agrees with my coverage of God’s Word or not, this message is an appeal to all Christians everywhere, regardless of their denomination, or present Church system traditional beliefs. It is to those who accept Jesus Christ as Savior, as The Only Begotten Son of God, Who died on the cross for us, who also believe on Him, and claim His Promise of Salvation.

     It has come to my attention that a plea to many Christians for aid in the building of the third Temple has been, and is being proposed. Donations of funds are mostly involved, but red heifers for animal sacrifices have been supplied from the United States also. The importance I draw in this matter, is not about donations or funds. It is about the deception behind these events.
     Statements from Scripture, declare this ‘flesh’ third Temple will be built for false messiah, a false king, i.e. the Antichrist, to sit in:

II Th 2:1   Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto Him,
2    That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.
3    Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
4    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.

    The subject is when Christ returns, and when those in Christ are gathered to Him.
    Some say this ‘son of perdition’ refers to John 17:12 as Judas Iscariot, and has already come to pass. Judas who was one of the twelve Apostles, and who betrayed our Lord, never sat in the “Temple of God, shewing himself that he is God”. Nor had the ‘falling away’ (apostasy away from Christ) started during Judas’ time, as the first Church founded at Antioch was not yet during Judas’ time. That ‘falling away’ includes deceived Christians also, not just the Jews who stumble at The Cornerstone. No, this ‘son of perdition’ here in 2 Thess.2 is Satan as false messiah “so that he as God sitteth in the Temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.” The Chapter of Isaiah 14, which I covered, pulls this verse with Old Testament Scripture, in that Lucifer always has wanted to be God. So Paul’s teaching here in II Thess.2 of Satan as false messiah is obviously a latter day event which is still future to us.

     The majority of the Jewish people have not accepted Jesus of Nazareth as Christ Messiah. They still await Christ’s first coming to earth as ‘Mashiach ben David’ (Messiah, son of David). Those in Christ today await His Second coming to earth as Messiah, son of David, and KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS (Rev.19:16).
     The events happening in Jerusalem today, revolve around Christ’s first coming to the disobedient Jew who stumbles at The Cornerstone, i.e. Jesus Christ (1 Cor.1:23; Isaiah 8:14-15; 1 Peter 2). The consequences for being deceived along with those who await Christ’s first coming, is spiritual death for the Christian. That simply means, that to believe their view of Messiah, Who they still await for His first coming, also means to accept the future coming false messiah (antichrist) as the first coming of Savior.
     Naturally then, to be in that group means you would believe that Christ’s crucifixion on the cross hadn’t happened yet, and that is where they stand. To agree with those deceived Jews is to accept the false messiah specifically sent for them and the non-believer, as ‘strong delusion’, because they have not received the Truth that Jesus Christ is God, and that He already came and paid the price on the cross for our Salvation. That is the ‘hinge’ of the door which is swinging before you with the Jerusalem events today.
     And this is why all living today through this last flesh generation, Jew and Gentile, Christian and non-Christian, must pass through this first tribulation by Satan as false messiah. 2 Thessalonians 2 is clear. Three major conditions, not two, must take place before Christ returns.

1). A ‘falling away’ from GOD and Christ to false worship.
2.) The third Temple must be built for the ‘son of perdition’ to sit in.
3.) The ‘man of sin’, ‘son of perdition’ must ‘sit’ in this Temple, proclaiming himself ‘as God’, and “shewing himself that he is God”, by performing ‘wonders’ and ‘miracles’ in the sight of men (2 Thess.2; Rev.13:13).

     So which group will you take part in? Those who await Christ’s first coming, or His second coming? How will we know the difference between a false messiah, and The True Messiah Jesus Christ?
     As Paul taught in I Corinthians 15, ‘all’ are changed from the flesh into spirit in a twinkling of an eye, on the ‘last trump’. That ‘last trump’ is the Seventh Trumpet of Revelation, and is when The True Messiah Jesus Christ returns, ushering in His spiritual Millennium reign, claiming all kingdoms of the earth, beginning rule as KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS (Rev.10:7; Rev.11:15; Rev.16:17; Matt.24:31).
     Simply then, if we are still in the flesh age, not having been changed to our spiritual body of I Cor.15, then one who sits in the Temple of God in Jerusalem without that ‘change’, will be false. And those deceived will help proclaim him to you, as God! Knowing this Truth from God’s Word concerning the consuming fire event which ends this flesh age, is also how we know this third Temple is built with flesh hands, and not during the Millennium spiritual body reign of Christ on earth (Rev.20-22). Still need more evidence?

Matt 24:1   And Jesus went out, and departed from the temple: and His disciples came to Him for to shew Him the buildings of the temple.

     The main subject here is of course, the temple building in Jerusalem during Christ’s first Advent to earth.

Matt 24:2    And Jesus said unto them, “See ye not all these things? verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.”

     Jesus was referring directly to the Temple buildings when he spoke this to His disciples. So what time and event was our Savior talking about which would tear down these stones of this Temple of His day? The Temple building complex of Christ’s day was eventually destroyed in 70 A.D. by the Romans. But wait a minute. Could Jesus be referring to a time even future to us today?

Matt 24:3    And as He sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto Him privately, saying, “Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of Thy coming, and of the end of the world?”

    Christ’s disciples knew our Lord was talking about His second Advent to earth, when all the ‘elements’ are melted by GOD, for He is a ‘consuming fire’ (2 Peter 3, Zech.14:12, Amos 9, and Nahum 1, and Micah 1; Heb.12). When ‘all’ are changed into their spiritual body and this earth age of flesh ends at the brightness of Christ’s coming, is when “…There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.” (Matt.24:2).
     If you put the next step together in your mind, then common sense says there must be a Temple in Jerusalem standing for Christ’s coming to destroy. So have no doubts that this ‘flesh’ Temple will be built before Jesus Christ returns.

The Deception: ‘abomination of desolation’ in The Temple

     Some Christians await the building of this ‘flesh’ third Temple today, and associate prophecy with it as a sign of Jesus Christ’s return. Thus these same Christians have little problem with helping it along, even though it means supporting the reinstitution of animal sacrifice, and Temple ritual worship. That is to deny the price Christ paid on the cross for our Salvation. Jesus Christ became our Passover sacrificed for us, as written in 1 Cor.5:7. To reinstitute the blood ordinances of animal sacrifice in God’s Law is to deny Christ’s death upon the cross, simple as that.
     Much Scripture from the prophets is being used by these deceived Jews to help create this greater deception on many Christians who accept Jesus Christ as Savior. Jerusalem is where our Heavenly Father chose to dwell and put His Name. For the Jewish People, and to those who accept Christ as Savior, Jerusalem has equal importance as God’s future Seat of His Kingdom. The rebuilding of God’s Temple on Mount Zion no doubt, is a historical event never before realized possible in today’s generation, nor any generation since the last Temple was destroyed in 70 A.D. And because of the near rebuilding of a Temple is one of today’s events happening in Jerusalem, it is of extreme importance to all of us.
     But we as belonging to Christ, must not allow this possible ‘flesh’ event to cloud our minds in ‘awe’ away from God’s Word. Our Father left us His Timetable of events as ‘signs’ from His Word. And that’s how it all will happen, according to His Word. The thought of the building of this third Temple is working many Christian’s emotions into a frenzy. When false messiah comes, which in my opinion is actually when this false Temple will be built for him to sit in, who will they say is come? Who will they proclaim he is, sitting in their Temple, “shewing himself that he is God”?
     This ‘son of perdition‘, who is yet to come, ‘so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God”, is a false Christ (Matt.24:24; Mark 13:22). He is the ‘abomination of desolation’ which our Lord and Daniel spoke of (Matt.24:15). He, i.e. Satan as a ‘false Christ’, is the one who makes God’s Sanctuary (Temple) desolate, physically and spiritually, by the overspreading of abominations (Dan.9:27).
    

The True Millennium ‘Sanctuary’

     When all these references from our Father’s Holy Word are properly understood about a fake king, who claims to be God, then the temple he sits in will also be false. This is the next ‘hingepoint’ swinging before you.
     The True Sanctuary of GOD, i.e. the Millennium Sanctuary of Ezek.45:1-4, where our True Savior Jesus Christ reigns from, will not match the future false temple for Satan to sit in. Nor will the area of “all the oblation” partitioned to God’s People match either (Ezek.48:20). The land meted out around God’s future Millennium Sanctuary of Ezekiel 40-48 will be much larger than the near future flesh temple area.
     If you have a copy of The Companion Bible, you are fortunate, as Appendix 88 outlines the dimensions of the future Millennium Temple of Christ, and even has a diagram to see it in perspective. And the diagram in Appendix 88 is according to the dimensions given in Ezekiel Chapters 40 through 48. Just the portion of the land for God’s Sanctuary and for the priests will cover an area equal to 60 miles by 24 miles. The whole square of ‘all the oblation’ (Ezek.48:20) will cover an area 60 miles by 60 miles (25,000 reeds x 25,000 reeds, as written in Ezek.40:5 and Ezek.45:1-4).¹  If the west border of ‘all the oblation’ begins at the ‘Great Sea’ (Mediterranean Sea), then 60 miles eastward would go past the Dead Sea into the nation of Jordan.
     There will also be a ‘great valley’ formed running east and west from where Christ’s feet touch down on the Mount of Olives (Zech.14:4). The Living Waters pouring out from the Throne of God and The Lamb will flow eastward into the desert. The following verses are all Millennium age events, when Christ shall reign on the whole earth as KING:

Ezek 47:1   Afterward he brought me again unto the door of the house; and, behold, waters issued out from under the threshold of the house eastward: for the forefront of the house stood toward the east, and the waters came down from under from the right side of the house, at the south side of the altar.
2    Then brought he me out of the way of the gate northward, and led me about the way without unto the utter gate by the way that looketh eastward; and, behold, there ran out waters on the right side.
3    And when the man that had the line in his hand went forth eastward, he measured a thousand cubits, and he brought me through the waters; the waters were to the ancles.
4    Again he measured a thousand, and brought me through the waters; the waters were to the knees. Again he measured a thousand, and brought me through; the waters were to the loins.
5    Afterward he measured a thousand; and it was a river that I could not pass over: for the waters were risen, waters to swim in, a river that could not be passed over.
6    And he said unto me, “Son of man, hast thou seen this?” Then he brought me, and caused me to return to the brink of the river.
7    Now when I had returned, behold, at the bank of the river were very many trees on the one side and on the other.

     Revelation 22:1-2 speaks of this River which runs eastward from the Throne of God and The Lamb (Christ). It also makes mention of these ‘trees on the one side and on the other’.

Ezek 47:8   Then said he unto me, “These waters issue out toward the east country, and go down into the desert, and go into the sea: which being brought forth into the sea, the waters shall be healed.
9    And it shall come to pass, that every thing that liveth, which moveth, whithersoever the rivers shall come, shall live: and there shall be a very great multitude of fish, because these waters shall come thither: for they shall be healed; and every thing shall live whither the river cometh.

     These Living Waters from God’s Throne will heal the waters of the sea (Dead Sea) and all life near It. If you’ve heard of the Fountain of Youth, this is as close as it gets. Only our Father can do this.

Ezek 47:10    And it shall come to pass, that the fishers shall stand upon it from Engedi even unto Eneglaim; they shall be a place to spread forth nets; their fish shall be according to their kinds, as the fish of the great sea, exceeding many.
11    But the miry places thereof and the marishes thereof shall not be healed; they shall be given to salt.
12    And by the river upon the bank thereof, on this side and on that side, shall grow all trees for meat, whose leaf shall not fade, neither shall the fruit thereof be consumed: it shall bring forth new fruit according to his months, because their waters they issued out of the sanctuary: and the fruit thereof shall be for meat, and the leaf thereof for medicine.”

     This last verse is a direct reference to Rev.22:2 and the ‘twelve manner of fruits’, and the ‘leaves’ for the healing of the nations.

Ezek 47:13   Thus saith the Lord GOD; “This shall be the border, whereby ye shall inherit the land according to the twelve tribes of Israel: Joseph shall have two portions.

     That Great River border is not there yet, east of Jerusalem.

Ezek 47:14    And ye shall inherit it, one as well as another: concerning the which I lifted up Mine hand to give it unto your fathers: and this land shall fall unto you for inheritance.

     This vision Ezekiel was shown beginning with the 40th Chapter reveals more detail about Revelation 20-22 and Christ’s reign as KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS, on earth, not somewhere up in the clouds (also see Zech.14; Acts 1; How does Jesus return?). These Chapters of Ezekiel also reveal what we will be doing during that thousand year reign by Messiah Jesus Christ, on earth. It will be a time of great teaching of His Word. And there will be discipline and Great Authority exercised by Christ and His elect. Satan will not be there to spoil any of it.
     I only covered a very small bit here from Ezekiel. So do you think the false messiah (antichrist, i.e. Satan) will be able to pull all of this off? Will he try?  No doubt he will. But can he actually accomplish these events of Ezekiel which God will do when He begins His Millennium reign? If we keep aware of God’s Promises to His People we will know when false messiah messes up. That is one of the ways our Heavenly Father has assured us in recognizing an ‘imposter’, as differeing from The True Son Christ Jesus.
     You’ll discover God’s Promises to His People which accept His Salvation through His Son, of both believing Jew and Gentile alike, written in-depth and detailed in the Books of The Old Testament. So if any one coming claiming to teach God’s Truth tries to steer you away from discovering those Promises our Father gave His, your suspicions should be heavily stirred! What will you think when you hear a teacher say, “You don’t need to study; just believe. All the Old Testament was done away with. It’s history”? Are you hearing that lie today?

     Is it no wonder then, that such false doctrines as a “secret rapture” out up in the clouds must be used to deceive with? Lucifer cannot create all these events of Ezekiel, especially the River of Living Waters which comes from God’s Throne in His Sanctuary on Mount Zion. Say you’ve never been taught this from Ezekiel and its relation to Revelation 22 and Genesis 2:9-14? It’s time to quit listening to all the ‘sweet’ preachers and get down to study in our Father’s Word for yourself. Our Father has no intentions of destroying this ancient earth He created. So of course our Salvation in Christ has physical meaning to it also. Why else would our Father make ‘new heavens and a new earth’? Our flesh bodies will be gone, but we will still dwell on this once pure, unpolluted, and beautiful earth God created. It will be cleansed for the Eternity (Isaiah 65:17; 66:22; 2 Peter 3:13). False messiah will not be able to accomplish this future cleansed state.

Peace be to you in Christ,
Dave Ramey.

Footnotes:

¹ The Companion Bible, (Kregel Publishing, Grand Rapids, MI., 1990), Appendix 88, pp.125-127.