On Tuesday the 20th of August, the Temple Institute, along with various other organizations tasked with the rebuilding the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem, held a special practice drill in preparation for the reinstitution of the 'daily perpetual offering' recorded in the book of Leviticus. This is the first time such an event has taken place in over 1900 years, since the destruction of the Second Temple by the hands of the Romans in 70AD. The Mishmeret Kehunah, the Organization for the Renewal of the Priestly Shifts, have inaugurated a new school to help train the kohanim, Jewish people belonging to the priestly tribe of Israel, on the intricacies of their role in the administration of a rebuilt Temple. Kohanim gathered in Jerusalem last week to be shown how to wear their special garments, created by the Temple Institute a few years ago according to the Biblical requirements, and how to perform the 'perpetual offering' as the Levitical priesthood did so many years ago...

Quote: “On the evening of Tuesday, August 20th, 2013, the 14th day of Elul, 5773, the Temple Institute, in cooperation with Mishmeret Kehunah (the Organization for the Renewal of the Priestly Shifts) and other Temple organizations inaugurated a new school dedicated to teaching kohanim the 'lost' art of performing the daily Tamid service in the Holy Temple. That evening, for the first time since the destruction of the Holy Temple, a historic practice drill of the daily Tamid offering was reenacted by a group of contemporary kohanim-in-training.

The Temple Institute have made many preparations for the rebuilding of the Jewish Temple on Mount Moriah over the past number of years. Last year the organization performed an 'educational' passover sacrifice of a live goat in a basketball court near to the Temple Mount. Israeli police have routinely forbidden the Temple Mount Faithful from performing the sacrifice on the mount itself for fear of inciting a Muslim backlash. A few years ago the group began construction of the foundation of the altar, they have completed the manufacture of the golden censers, the laver, the golden crown, and have drawn up blueprints for a chamber for the Sanhedrin in the rebuilt Temple. The kohanim have also been actively preparing for the rebuilding of the Temple, reciting a priestly blessing on the Temple Mount in 2007 for the first time in 1900 years.

Of course the only thing that is missing in all of this is the Messiah Himself. Some Ultra-Orthodox Jewish people believe that according to the Old Testament, the Messiah will be the one to rebuild the Temple, and that this is not something that we have a right to take on ourselves. Scriptures like Amos 9:11 speak of the Lord raising up the tabernacle of David which is fallen down. On the other hand there are those who believe that the Jewish people must somehow merit the Messiah's coming by actively preparing for it. And so groups like the Temple Institute and Temple Mount Faithful urge both the Jewish people and the nations of the world to pray and contribute towards the rebuilding of the Temple.

But what do the Scriptures say? The Bible teaches us that Jerusalem is the city where God has chosen to place His name (2nd Kings 11:36). The Lord also said in Isaiah 56:7 that His house, the Jewish Temple, would be called a house of prayer for all nations. So there is no doubt that this is indeed a special place in the eyes of the Lord. Following the construction of Solomon's Temple and his prayer to God, the Lord's presence filled that place (2nd Chronicles 7:2-1). The prophet Malachi also foretold of a day when the Lord Himself, the “Messenger of the Covenant”, would suddenly come to His Temple. The New Testament records His arrival. The Gospels tell how that the Lord “taught daily in the temple”, but adds that “the chief priests and the scribes and the chief of the people sought to destroy him”, Luke 19:47. Twice during His three and a half year ministry the Lord would 'cleanse' His house, driving away the money changers from the courts, and those that made profit of the people's sacrifices to the Lord. In Matthew 21:13 the Lord states, “My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves”. On His last visit to the Temple, before going to the cross, the Lord Jesus said to them, “Behold, your house is left unto you desolate: and verily I say unto you, Ye shall not see me, until the time come when ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord”, Luke 13:35.

Jesus Christ, Yeshua HaMashiach, is the Messenger of the New Covenant of Jeremiah 31:31. It is through His sacrifice on the cross of Calvary that we can have the forgiveness of sins and peace with God. Isaiah 53:10 says “Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand”. One day Israel's Messiah will return to His Temple, and will defeat Israel's enemies, and will reign as King of Kings and Lord of Lords from Jerusalem (Zechariah 12). But as the Lord said, that day will not come until the nation of Israel is willing to recognize their rejected King and accept Him as Lord. The prophet Zechariah foresees that coming day...

Zechariah 12:10
And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.

Have you recognized Him as your Lord and Saviour? Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved (Acts 16:31).

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