Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Restored Temple in America

Many Christians and Jews believe that the Bible teaches that the temple in Jerusalem will be built again. This temple is referred to as the 3rd Temple after the Temple of Solomon and the Temple of Zarubabel which was built after the return of the Jews to the Land of Israel after the Babylonian captivity.

Zech. 6: 12-13, 15 And speak unto him, saying, Thus speaketh the Lord of hosts, saying, Behold the man whose name is The BRANCH; and he shall grow up out of his place, and he shall build the temple of the Lord: Even he shall build the temple of the Lord; and he shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon his throne; and he shall be a priest upon his throne: and the counsel of peace shall be between them both. . . And they that are far off shall come and build in the temple of the Lord, and ye shall know that the Lord of hosts hath sent me unto you. And this shall come to pass, if ye will diligently obey the voice of the Lord your God.

Hag. 1: 8 Go up to the mountain, and bring wood, and build the house; and I will take pleasure in it, and I will be glorified, saith the Lord.

However, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints claims that God has restored the 3rd Temple to the Gentiles already and after the temple is established and restored to the Gentiles and all nations, kindreds, tongues and people, that the temple will then go again to the Jews; "And the last shall be first and the first shall be last."

Luke 13:28-30 There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out. And they shall come from the east, and from the west, and from the north, and from the south, and shall sit down in the kingdom of God. And, behold, there are last which shall be first, and there are first which shall be last.

Many claim that no where in Bible does it say that a temple would be built in America but that the temple is only given to one nation, one kindred, one tongue, and one people. But John in Revelations says that the everlasting gospel and covenant would be extended to all nations, kindreds, tongues, and peoples and not just Israel. And that includes the temple.

Isaiah prophesies about Egypt in the last days in Chapter 19. But as one reads over all of Isaiah's prophesies about Egypt and how Isaiah warns Israel not to trust in the chariots of Egypt and then compares Isaiah's Egypt to modern geo-politics, the Egypt of the Last Days becomes a symbolic term referring to the United States of America. So, knowing that the modern USA fulfills the prophecies of Isaiah's Egypt, those following prophesy really stands out.

Isa 19:19-21, 24-25 In that day shall there be an altar to the LORD in the midst of the land of Egypt, and a pillar at the border thereof to the LORD. And it shall be for a sign and for a witness unto the Lord of hosts in the land of Egypt: for they shall cry unto the Lord because of the oppressors, and he shall send them a saviour, and a great one, and he shall deliver them. And the Lord shall be known to Egypt, and the Egyptians shall know the Lord in that day, and shall do sacrifice and oblation; yea, they shall vow a vow unto the Lord, and perform it. . . In that day shall Israel be the third with Egypt and with Assyria, even a blessing in the midst of the land: Whom the Lord of hosts shall bless, saying, Blessed be Egypt my people, and Assyria the work of my hands, and Israel mine inheritance.

According to Isaiah, God promises that an alter to the Lord or temple will be established in Egypt in the Last Days and that Egyptians or Americans will know the Lord in that day be a blessed people with Israel.

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