When G-d revealed to Moses the blueprint for the tabernacle which He desired to have erected so that He might dwell in the midst of His people, He commanded Moses four times to make everything exactly as it had been shown to him (Exodus 25:9, 40; 26:30; 27:8). Why is our G-d such a stickler for detail? I believe that the answer to this question can be found in the spiritual principle which was revealed to the Apostle Paul:
"However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural, and afterward the spiritual." (1 Corinthians 15:46)
Evangelist Morris Cerullo once said that all truth is parallel. The natural and spiritual realms parallel one another. According to the above passage of Scripture, therefore, we can expect natural manifestations to precede supernatural manifestations.
This spiritual principal can be seen at work in the history of the restoration of the natural nation, Israel, and the restoration of the supernatural nation (1 Peter 2:9), the Church of the L-rd Jesus Christ. This supernatural or spiritual nation is sometimes referred to as spiritual Israel and is made up of Jews and Gentiles born of the Spirit of G-d and called out from every tribe, tongue, people and nation (Revelation 5:9).
It is clear from the following chart [a brief historical overview] that both the nation of Israel and the Church of the L-rd (Jesus) Christ are in the process of restoration. Each move toward the restoration of natural Israel has foreshadowed a wave of revival and restoration in the Church.
It is truly wondrous to consider, for instance, how the establishment of a home for the scattered and broken nation of Israel in 1948 was reflected in a great wave of evangelism and healing in the Body of Christ. We can also see how the removal of the dividing wall between east and west Jerusalem and its reunification under Israeli rule in 1967 was mirrored in the Charismatic Outpouring in the Church. During this Outpouring, members of diverse Christian denominations were transcending doctrinal walls to gather in large Charismatic conferences under the wings of the Holy Spirit.
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1840-1850 Turning point in history. Jerusalem becomes the focus of worldwide attention. 1850 Jews become majority population in Jerusalem |
1857 Holy Spirit Outpouring prior to the Civil War The Third Great Awakening in the Church |
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1897 Theodore Herzl holds First Zionist Congress to discuss homeland for Jews in former Israel. |
1903-1907 Holy Spirit Outpouring |
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1948 Israel becomes a nation again |
1950's
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1967 Jerusalem reunited and Temple Mount in Israel's hands |
1970's
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"Surely the L-rd G-d does nothing, unless He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets." (Amos 3:7)
G-d reveals to the prophets what He is going to do so that they can tell the rest of us. He desires for us to know these things SO THAT WE CAN PRAY! Jesus said: ....whatsoever ye shall ask in My Name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son (John 14:13). And the apostle Paul said: ....we are laborers together with G-d.... (1 Corinthians 3:9). G-d has a blueprint of restoration for Israel, for the Church and ultimately for all the world. He will bring His sovereign plans to fulfillment through the instrumentality of a praying and obedient people.
The Scripture states that the spiritual temple, the dwelling place of G-d in the Spirit (Ephesians 2:22), is the Church. Paul reveals that the Church is built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets with Christ Jesus Himself being the Chief Cornerstone (Ephesians 2:20-21). If that which is natural must precede that which is spiritual, we cannot expect the restoration of the spiritual foundation of the apostles and prophets nor its Chief Cornerstone (Jesus Christ) to be unveiled before the foundation has been laid for the restored natural Temple in Israel and its cornerstone set in place.
For a number of years now, we have been hearing prophetic words heralding a new move of the Holy Spiritthe purifying Latter Rain that will 'cleanse' the Body of Christ in preparation for the end-time harvest of souls:
"Be glad then, you children of Zion....He will cause the rain to come down for youthe former rain, and the latter rain [as at] the first. The threshing floors shall be full of wheat, and the vats shall overflow with new wine and oil" (Joel 2:23, 24)
This move of the Holy Spirit will give birth to true prophetic and apostolic ministries that will prepare the Body for the glorious unveiling of the L-rd Jesus Christ in His spiritual temple, the Church. Many of G-d's people have heard and believed these words, laboring in prayer to see their fulfillment.
In light of the historical parallels above noted, it is very likely that the next step in the restoration of Israel is the cleansing of the Temple Mount in preparation for the foundation to be laid for the Third Temple. Then G-d will continue the restoration of the Church by cleansing the Body of Christ in preparation for the foundation of the true apostles and prophets to be laid.
G-d declares through Malachi that the L-rd whom we seek will come suddenly to His temple (Malachi 3:1). Is it reasonable to expect the full restoration of G-d's spiritual temple without the rebuilding of His natural parallel structure? We believe it is time to invest prayer towards the restoration of the Temple in Israel, so that we may experience that which is sure to follow: the unveiling of the Glory of the L-rd Jesus Christ in the midst of His spiritual temple, the Church.
The book of Haggai was a prophetic exhortation to the Jews who had returned to Israel from Babylonian captivity eighteen years earlier with a commission to rebuild the Temple. G-d revealed through Haggai that the impoverished condition of the Jews was directly related to their neglect in the rebuilding project, and that their recovery was dependent on their obedience to commence it. The L-rd said through Haggai:
"Consider now from this day forward, from the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, from the day that the foundation of the L-rd's Temple was laidconsider it.from this day I will bless you." (Haggai 2:18, 19b)
A minority of Orthodox Jews believe that the Third Temple will be built by the Messiah in the Age of Redemption after a religious government is established. The majority, however, believe that the Torah directs the nation to build the Temple (Exodus 25:8) as soon as possible. They proclaim that ever since the day the Temple Mount was liberated in 1967, the nation has sinned in not obeying this divine mandate.
They believe that Israel's continued national and civil problems exist because of their failure to rebuild. The rabbinical authorities contend that in order to rectify the situation in Israel, there must be a national repentance and a unified desire to begin the task of rebuilding the Third Temple. Gershon Salomon, the leader of the Temple Mount Faithful in Jerusalem, is one of those who believe that the Temple must be built before the Messiah will come. We believe that the Scriptures agree with his assessment.
While every major move of G-d on behalf of Israel was followed by a major move of G-d on behalf of the Church, all were preceded by the fervent intercession of faithful believers. These intercessors caught the vision of what G-d was about to do in His ongoing plan to restore mankind to Himself. Daniel was one of those visionaries. Let his prayer (Daniel 9:4-19) also be ours for the restoration of G-d's people Israel, for the rebuilding of the Temple and ultimately for the Messiah's return: (all emphasis author's)
"...I, Daniel, understood...by the word of the L-rd through Jeremiah the prophet...Then I set my face toward the L-rd G-d to make my request by prayer and supplications, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes......O L-rd, according to all Your righteousness, I pray, let Your anger and Your fury be turned away from Your city Jerusalem, Your holy mountain...cause Your face to shine on Your sanctuary, which is desolate...Do not delay for Your own sake...for Your city and Your people are called by Your name. (excerpts from Dan. 9:4-19)