NO STONE UNTURNED

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We have a saying here in America about what we should do when trying to accomplish something.

We say that we should leave no stone unturned, which basically means to try every possible course of action in order to achieve something.

Our so-called prophets and those who seem to know what God is about to do, claim that after the temple was destroyed, it will be rebuilt sometime in the future and the daily sacrifice will be happening once again.

Many are saying it could be any day now.

Let’s consider first what Jesus said.

And while some were speaking of the temple, how it was adorned with noble stones and offerings, he said,
“As for these things that you see, the days will come
when there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down.”
Luk 21:5-6

Historically, we know this was a fact in 70AD when the Roman army besieged Jerusalem for almost 5 months.

Historians say that the famine caused by the siege caused murder and cannibalism to become common among the people trapped inside the city.

When Jesus said this to the disciples, they were eager to know what He meant.

And they asked him,
“Teacher, when will these things be,
and what will be the sign when these things are about to take place?”
Luk 21:7

They wanted to know when this would occur and what signs they should look for to let them know it was almost upon them.

That desire to know the future has not changed for most people.

New believers almost always want to learn the Book of Revelation as soon as they can.

Palm readers and fortune tellers are still making a good living off those who want to know what the future holds for them.

Every time there is a major traumatic event in our country, the stores are filled with books explaining how this event is proof that the end is almost here.

Many of those books become million sellers almost overnight.

For instance, Jonathan Cahn’s book, The Harbinger, which purported to show how 9/11 was a warning from God, has sold more than 2 million copies since its release in 2011.

He has since written six other books about the end times, each hitting New York Times and Amazon’s bestseller lists.

Edgar C. Whisenant wrote “88 Reasons Why the Rapture Will Occur In 1988.”

That book sold more than 4 million copies before 1988 passed us by with no rapture.

After two revised dates for the rapture, he gave up, but the revisions still sold millions of copies.

And so it goes with so many refusing to take Jesus’ warning to heart.

And he said,
“See that you are not led astray.
For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he!’ and,
‘The time is at hand!’
Do not go after them.
Luk 21:8

Before He said to not follow those who say the time is now, He said, “Don’t be deceived!”

A simple reading of this verse should show us that following after these prognosticators of the end time is the easiest way to be deceived.

Deception does not come as a blatant lie, but an almost truth.

It is that element of truth in something which deceives us into believing the lie buried within.

Look at the statement in that verse which says, “I am he!”

That can be taken two ways.

The way it is most often understood is that it is someone else claiming to be Christ.

I see this on an almost daily basis in one of the groups I follow.

People claiming that since they are one in Christ, and He is in them, then they should say they are Christ.

Utter foolishness, I know; but it happens nonetheless.

However, the other way the saying of “I am he” can be taken is that of those who claim that Jesus Himself is the Christ, which is true.

Yet, Jesus said these people could also be deceiving you.

That is a much more subtle form of deception.

Therefore, when Jesus answered the apostles’ question about the destruction of the temple by saying deception was possible, we should take note of that first.

Folks seem to go right past this and want to know about all the other things mentioned later on in His answer.

Jesus said the temple will be destroyed.

Was that to be a permanent destruction?

Obviously, it certainly was for that particular building.

But, was it to be a destruction of the temple way of life?

There are many who say NO, the temple way of life is destined to begin again.

The magazine known as The Jewish Voice continually brings updates on the progress towards the building of the Third Temple.

The magazine and the people attempting the temple revival are all Orthodox Jews—the ones who are most staunchly opposed to anything that has to do with Jesus.

And yet, much of the Christian world repeats and reprints whatever is said by this group as if it is something God is doing and of which we should all be aware.

For instance, we hear on a regular basis how they are working to produce a red heifer without spot or any kind of imperfection.

Let’s consider something from the Book of Hebrews.

The Book of Hebrews is an attempt by the author to prove to the Jews that Jesus is the messiah they have been looking for.

The writer takes them all the way back to the beginning of recorded time in the Bible and shows how Jesus is better than anything or anyone in their ancestral past.

Jesus is better than Moses, and better than anything Moses required of the people.

In recent weeks we have looked at various aspects of the New Covenant that Jesus established.

The Book of Hebrews goes into some depth on the Old Covenant and how the New Covenant is so much better than the old.

Let’s read with our thoughts on the temple.

We will begin with Heb. 8:1

1 Now the point in what we are saying is this: we have such a high priest, one who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven,

2 a minister in the holy places, in the true tent that the Lord set up, not man.

5 They serve a copy and shadow of the heavenly things. For when Moses was about to erect the tent, he was instructed by God, saying, “See that you make everything according to the pattern that was shown you on the mountain.”

6 But as it is, Christ has obtained a ministry that is as much more excellent than the old as the covenant he mediates is better, since it is enacted on better promises.

7 For if that first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no occasion to look for a second.

13 In speaking of a new covenant, he makes the first one obsolete. And what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away. Heb 8:1-2, 5-7, 13

Then continuing on into chapter 9

1 Now even the first covenant had regulations for worship and an earthly place of holiness.

8 By this the Holy Spirit indicates that the way into the holy places is not yet opened as long as the first section is still standing (which is symbolic for the present age).

9 According to this arrangement, gifts and sacrifices are offered that cannot perfect the conscience of the worshiper,

10 but deal only with food and drink and various washings, regulations for the body imposed until the time of reformation.

16 For where a will is involved, the death of the one who made it must be established.

17 For a will takes effect only at death, since it is not in force as long as the one who made it is alive. Heb 9:1, 8-10, 16-17

The word “will” in those last two verses is ordinarily translated as “covenant.”

We will continue with chapter 10.

1 For since the law has but a shadow of the good things to come instead of the true form of these realities, it can never, by the same sacrifices that are continually offered every year, make perfect those who draw near.

4 For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.

12 But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God,

18 Where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer any offering for sin. Heb 10:1, 4, 12, 18

The Old Covenant required a temple and sacrifices for sin.

It required the ashes of a red heifer without spot or blemish.

None of these things cleansed the people from the guilt of their sin, but only served to remind them that they had failed to obey the law again.

Jesus completed the full plan of God for man’s redemption, salvation and being righteous.

There is nothing more that can be done or will be done.

Will there be a new temple built in Jerusalem?

Maybe.

Who knows to what lengths a person will go to prove something?

I am sure they will leave no stone unturned in trying to rebuild that which is no longer valuable.

If the temple is built, how does that affect us?

It will cause great excitement among people when the cornerstone is laid, and there will be all manner of celebration.

See that you be not deceived.

As the Book of Revelation comes to its conclusion, we read

And I saw no temple in the city,
for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb.
Rev 21:22

Jesus paid it all, and there is nothing else for us to do but to believe Him.