Waiting for the Third Temple

Good Shepherd Community Church

A certain class of prophecy watchers are looking to developments in Israel to detect any sign of a rebuilding of the Temple in Jerusalem. To them this would be the signal of the end of the world. Perhaps in light of the New Testament we might need to listen closely to Jesus' teaching about the temple and the proper worship of God. Ezekiel's vision of a future Temple is recorded in chapters 40-47. The key to the meaning of this extended description of the Temple perhaps is found in the depiction of the flowing water from the Temple that becomes life giving water, a river of life. Jesus' words about himself in John 4 and 7 and the picture of the New Jerusalem in Revelation 21-22-5 should help us see that the ultimate Temple is Jesus dwelling with his people.