In the books of Daniel and Revelation, four world-ruling empires are described, which have been identified as Babylon (compare Daniel 2:38; 7:17), Medo-Persia (compare Daniel 2:39; 7:17; 8:20), Greece (compare Daniel 2:39; 7:17; 8:21) and Rome (compare Daniel 2:40-43; 7:17). The Roman Empire was to be divided into Eastern and Western Rome, and the Western part would fall (compare Revelation 13:3), but it was to be revived ten times and would endure until the time of Jesus Christ’s return. Proof for these statements can be found in our literature, including our booklet, “Europe in Prophecy.” In that booklet, we also state the following:

“The Roman Empire fell and the world believed it would never rise again (symbolized by the deadly wound). But God revealed through Daniel and through the Apostle John that there would actually be ten revivals of the Roman Empire, nine of which have already occurred.

“After the destruction of Rome, three so-called ‘barbarian’ powers, who were all followers of an unorthodox nominally Christian faction called Arianism, revived the Roman Empire. This happened under King Gaiseric of the Vandals, under King Odoacer of the Heruli, and under King Theodoric of the Ostrogoths. These are the first three horns of the fourth beast that Daniel saw—the first three resurrections of the Roman Empire.

“The fourth resurrection then occurred under Justinian in A.D. 554. At that time, lands of the old West Roman Empire were taken back from the Arian ‘barbarians’ by the Romans of the Eastern Empire under its emperor, Justinian. He also restored the rule of ‘orthodox’ Roman Catholicism to the West. Known in history as the Imperial Restoration, this is understood by many to be the biblical ‘healing of the deadly wound’ the Roman Empire had received from the barbarian powers.

“The fifth resurrection occurred under Charlemagne (Charles the Great) in A.D. 800. The sixth occurred under Otto the Great in A.D. 962. The seventh occurred under Charles V of Hapsburg in 1530, the eighth under Napoleon Bonaparte ruling from 1804 until 1814, and yes, the ninth has also already occurred, under Mussolini and Hitler. Thus, what is happening right now in Europe is the tenth and final resurrection of that same Roman Empire…”

Regarding the ten revivals of the Roman Empire, we stated in “Is That In the Bible? The Mysteries of the Book of Revelation”:

“According to Daniel 7:24, ten kings were to arise out of the Roman Empire. This could either describe a simultaneous or co-existing one-time revival under the leadership of ten kings, or it could refer to ten successive revivals—one revival following the next over time. Comparing the passage in Daniel 7 with the beast in Revelation 13, and based on what actually occurred historically, we conclude that successive revivals are intended here—the beast or the Roman Empire would have ten successive resurrections or revivals. Revelation 17:8 confirms this—the beast described there, which is similar to the beast of Revelation 13, is described as one that ‘was, and is not, and will ascend…,’ showing the successive nature of the revivals.”

In this new series, we will shed additional light on the ten revivals of the Roman Empire.

The First Revival under King Gaiseric of the Vandals:

What does history tell us about Rome’s first revival under King Gaiseric of the Vandals?

The website of historymedren.about.com states that “Gaiseric was known for: Sacking the city of Rome in 455. As King of the Vandals and the Alans (Alani), Gaiseric [or Genseric] was a significant figure in the final decades of the Western Roman empire, leading his peoples to victory after victory and establishing a reputation as a feared warrior.”

The website of britannica.com adds that “Gaiseric[‘s] most famous exploit… was the capture and plundering of Rome, June 455.”

Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia, informs us as follows:

“Genseric, whose name means ‘spear-king’, was an illegitimate son of King Godigisel… After his father’s death, Genseric was the second most powerful man among the Vandals, after the new king, his half-brother Gunderic. After Gunderic’s death in 428, Genseric was elected king…

“Taking advantage of a dispute between Boniface, Roman governor of North Africa, and the Roman government, Genseric ferried all 80,000 of his people across to Africa in 429. Once there, he won many battles over the weak and divided Roman defenders and quickly overran the territory now comprising modern Morocco and northern Algeria… The next year, Roman Emperor Valentinian III recognized Genseric as king of the lands he and his men had conquered.

“In 439, after casting a covetous eye on the great city of Carthage for a decade, he took the city, apparently without any fighting. The Romans were caught unaware, and Genseric captured a large part of the western Roman navy docked in the port of Carthage. The Catholic bishop of the city, Quodvultdeus, was exiled to Naples, since Genseric demanded that all his close advisors follow the Arian form of Christianity. Nevertheless, Genseric gave freedom of religion to the Catholics, while insisting that the regime’s elite follow Arianism. The common folk had low taxes under his reign, as most of the tax pressure was on the rich Roman families and the Catholic clergy.

“Added to his own burgeoning fleet, the Kingdom of the Vandals now threatened the Empire for mastery of the western Mediterranean Sea. Carthage, meanwhile, became the new Vandal capital and an enemy of Rome for the first time since the Punic Wars. With the help of their fleet, the Vandals soon subdued Sicily, Sardinia, Corsica and the Balearic Islands. Genseric strengthened the Vandal defenses and fleet and regulated the positions of Arians and Catholics. In 442, the Romans acknowledged the Carthaginian conquests, and recognised the Vandal kingdom as an independent country rather than subsidiary to Roman rule. The area in Algeria that had remained for the larger part independent of the Vandals turned from a Roman province into an ally.

“For the next 30 years, Genseric and his soldiers sailed up and down the Mediterranean, living as pirates and raiders. In 455, Roman emperor Valentinian III was murdered on orders of Petronius Maximus, who usurped the throne. Genseric was of the opinion that these acts voided his 442 peace treaty with Valentinian, and on May 31, he and his men landed on Italian soil and marched on Rome, where Pope Leo I implored him not to destroy the ancient city or murder its inhabitants. Genseric agreed and the gates of Rome were thrown open to him and his men…

“In 468, Genseric’s kingdom was the target of the last concerted effort by the two halves of the Roman Empire. They wished to subdue the Vandals and end their pirate raids. Genseric, against long odds, defeated the eastern Roman fleet… The Romans abandoned the campaign and Genseric remained master of the western Mediterranean until his death, ruling from the Strait of Gibraltar all the way to Tripolitania…”

We should take note from the foregoing that for all practical purposes, the Roman Empire had fallen to Genseric who revived it. Genseric was of the Arian faith which was different from the Roman Catholic faith. For instance, the Arians rejected correctly the concept of the Trinity, but they incorrectly rejected the truth of Christ’s divinity. As we saw, Genseric taxed the Roman clergy heavily, and insisted that the elite convert to Arianism. It is obvious that this conflict would have to be resolved somehow. In analyzing the events pertaining to the second revival of the Roman Empire, when the rule was given to King Odoacer of the Heruli, we will see how it was resolved.

The Second Revival under King Odoacer of Heruli

The Wikipedia Encyclopedia writes about King Odoacer:

“Romulus Augustus… was the last Western Roman Emperor, reigning from 31 October 475 until 4 September 476. His deposition by Odoacer traditionally marks the end of the Western Roman Empire, the fall of ancient Rome, and the beginning of the Middle Ages in Western Europe.”

But as we saw, the fall of Rome had occurred much earlier. This conclusion is also supported by the following sources:

The website of reference.com writes:

“Odoacer… deposed Romulus Augustulus, last Roman emperor of the West (until the coronation in 800 of Charlemagne). The date 476 is often accepted as the end of the West Roman Empire. However, Odoacer’s action made little difference in the status of Western Rome, which had long been prey to the barbarian armies; the emperors had been mere puppets.”

The fact that even before the “official” date of Rome’s fall in 476, Rome, for all practical purposes, had already “fallen”, is also stated in “The History of Europe and the Church,” where we read: “In June, 455, Geiseric (Genseric)—the Vandal king of North Africa—occupies Rome… the city of Rome is fast dying… The Empire lives only in a ceremonial sense. The Western emperors are merely puppets of the various Germanic generals…” (Worldwide Church of God, p. 12, copyright 1983).

Regarding Odoacer, the Columbia Encyclopedia states:

“Odoacer… or Odovacar… and his troops were mercenaries in the service of Rome, but in 476 the Heruli revolted and proclaimed Odoacer their king. Odoacer defeated the Roman general Orestes at Piacenza, took Ravenna (the West Roman capital), and deposed Romulus Augustulus … The Roman administration of Italy continued to function under Odoacer, who retained the chief officers of state. In 488, Zeno sent Theodoric the Great, king of the Ostrogoths, into Italy to expel Odoacer. Several times defeated, Odoacer consented (493) to a treaty by which he was to share his authority with Theodoric. Invited to a banquet by Theodoric, Odoacer and his son and chief officers were treacherously assassinated; thus Theodoric made himself master of Italy.”

As we will see, Odoacer was also an Arian, and as such, the conflict between Arianism and Roman Catholicism continued. The Catholic Church waited for the time of Odoacer’s replacement, and Emperor Zeno’s actions and “accomplishments” in this regard found the praise of the papacy. Here is what happened:

The website of nndb.com states:

“Odoacer was forty-two years of age when he… became chief ruler of Italy, and he reigned thirteen years with undisputed sway… In the history of the papacy Odoacer figures as the author of a decree promulgated at the election of Felix II in 483, forbidding the pope to alienate any of the lands or ornaments of the Roman Church, and threatening any pope who should infringe this edict with anathema. This decree was loudly condemned in a synod held by Pope Symmachus (502) as an unwarrantable interference of the civil power with the concerns of the church.”

The website of newadvent.org wrote:

“Following other German tribes the Heruli entered Italy, and their ruler Odoacer… assum[ed] himself the title of King of Italy… When the Emperor Zeno in 477 drove away the usurper and again gained the supremacy, he sent the pope a completely Catholic confession of faith, whereupon Simplicius (9 Oct., 477) congratulated him on his restoration to power and exhorted him to ascribe the victory to God, who wished in this way to restore liberty to the Church.”

The New International Encyclopedia, Vol. XVII writes about Odoacer:

“In matters of religion, though Arian himself, he acted with great impartiality; nevertheless he was intensely hated by the native Italians. The success of Odoacer excited the jealousy and alarm of Zero, the emperor of the East, who encouraged the Ostrogoth King Theodoric… to undertake an expedition against Italy, hoping at the same time to get rid of the Goths, who were a menace to Constantinople.”

With the assassination of Odoacer, the second (Arian) revival of Rome ended, giving way to the third revival under King Theodoric of the Ostrogoths.

(To Be Continued)

Lead Writer: Norbert Link

This question has been a highly political issue which has been much debated in the UK, the US and other Western nations, but since we are not getting involved in politics and the affairs of this world, we want to look only at the biblical instruction regarding work for individual Christians, without taking political sides on this issue. Neither are we to “recommend” to a government as to what to do in such a case, except for pointing out the clear biblical principles as revealed in the Bible.

It is obvious that no government on earth rules according to the biblical principles that God reveals in His Word. In fact, man as a whole is cut off from God, and our governments and societies are the products of Satan-influenced and -inspired human reasoning and rationale. We have to accept that in this age of man. As Church members, we are instructed that “Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established [better: permitted]. The authorities that exist have been established [permitted] by God” (Romans 13:1 New International Version (1984). (See Q&A #570, 28th December 2012). We are subject to the laws of the land and those in governance as long as there is no conflict with obeying God and His Word. If there is any conflict, we are to follow God’s way and be prepared to take the consequences from the secular authorities.

Without going through all the tithing principles which the Church of God has thoroughly propounded over the years, it is worth quoting the following about 3rd tithe from our booklet “Tithing Today?” (page 24):

“It should also be mentioned that ‘third tithe’ is FOR the poor and needy, not BY the poor and needy. It is, therefore, not necessary for a ‘poor’ person to pay third tithe. Someone who receives assistance from the government does not have to pay third tithe. It would also be following a wrong principle to take out a loan in order to be able to pay third tithe. Based on this principle, God’s Church made the administrative decision in the late 70’s and early 80’s to excuse Church members in certain countries, such as the United Kingdom, from paying third tithe because of the high rate of taxation and mandatory social security payments in those countries. In addition, much of social security benefits constitutes, to an extent, the equivalent of third tithe payments in those countries. The Church of the Eternal God and its corporate international affiliates are following this teaching and practice. However, each individual is responsible before God to determine whether he or she is ‘poor’ or ‘needy’ and therefore excused from paying third tithe.”

The Church of God teaches and practices the Third Tithing system to help needy Church members. However, when focusing on human affairs in this world, there has been fraudulent abuse of the social, welfare and housing benefits system by some over a long period of time, with many claiming benefits to which they have been not entitled. Anyone who claims any governmental benefits fraudulently is guilty of breaking God’s law; stealing, bearing false witness and coveting (the last 3 of the 10 Commandments). Members of the Church of God should never try and take false advantage of the system, as this would be dishonest. We have to trust God through our trials and He will look after us and never allows to be tested more than we are able to bear (1 Corinthians 10:13).

It must be added that there are many countries around the world which don’t have any such benefits system and so we should be grateful for living in countries which do provide help for those in difficulties.

Let us look at what the Bible has to say about what our attitude should be to work and finance.

Let us first of all quickly review “work”. The first mention of this in the Bible is right at the beginning in Genesis chapter 1 where God “saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good” (Genesis 1:31). In Genesis chapter 2, God is shown as working for six days and then resting on the Sabbath (Genesis 2:2). In Genesis 2:15 “the LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it.”   That would have needed work or labor.

In Genesis 3:19 Adam was told that “in the sweat of your face you shall eat bread” indicating that work or labor would be necessary to eat.  

We read in Leviticus 19:10: “And you shall not glean your vineyard, nor shall you gather every grape of your vineyard; you shall leave them for the poor and the stranger: I am the Lord your God.” This same principle is repeated in Leviticus 23:22: “When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not wholly reap the corners of your field when you reap, nor shall you gather any gleaning from your harvest.  You shall leave them for the poor and for the stranger: I am the Lord your God.” So some work and effort was required of the poor in order to obtain their “benefits”.  

In Proverbs 18:9, laziness is shown as an attitude that we should not have. It reads: “He who is slothful in his work Is a brother to him who is a great destroyer. “This is confirmed in 1 Timothy 5:8 which states: “If anyone does not provide for his own, and especially those of his own household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.” Further evidence is found in 2 Thessalonians 3:10-12: “For even when we were with you, we commanded you this: If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat.  For we hear that there are some who walk among you in a disorderly manner, not working at all, but are busybodies. Now those who are such we command and exhort through our Lord Jesus Christ that they work in quietness and eat their own bread.”

Clarke’s Commentary makes these observations: “If man will work, he may eat; if he does not work, he neither can eat, nor should he eat. The maxim is founded on these words of the Lord: In the sweat of thy brow thou shall eat bread. Industry is crowned with God’s blessing; idleness is loaded with his curse. This maxim was a proverb among the Jews. Men who can work, and will rather support themselves by begging, should not get one morsel of bread. It is a sin to minister to necessities that are merely artificial.”

Another reference to work can be found in Ephesians 4:28: “Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labour, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need.”

In Ecclesiastes 9:10 we read: “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might.”

There are also a number of Biblical references to sowing and reaping which is a work-related activity.

We can deduce from these Scriptures that we should work whenever possible to provide for ourselves and our families. For far too long, as mentioned above, too many in the Western nations have relied on welfare benefits without trying to get a job, or they have used the system for applying for and getting benefits to which they have not been entitled. This has of course contributed to and, in certain cases, even encouraged idleness, dependency and even dishonesty.

On the other hand, as a society and individually, as much as it is within our power, we do have the moral and godly responsibility to look after the needy, including the chronically sick, the disabled and those who simply cannot (find) work.  

To clarify, we do not even address here “entitlements,” which have been earned through prior work, such as pensions, Medicare, social security or unemployment benefits, nor are we addressing disability payments for those who are partially or permanently unable to work. This would of course also include maternity leave, vacation time, etc.. We are strictly talking about discretionary welfare programs. But even then, we must understand that especially in our Western societies, far too many are simply unable to find work or get a job with sufficient pay to make a decent living. What an indictment against our societies it is that it has become the norm for both husband and wife to be forced to work, so that they can survive financially. Of course, there have been fraud and excesses, but this does not justify throwing out the baby with the bathwater.

In addition, as Christians, we must never harden our hearts towards the poor and needy (Deuteronomy 15:7-11), even if the poor might have brought poverty upon themselves—perhaps through unwise decisions. The Bible commands us to help the poor, when it is possible for us (Proverbs 19:17; Galatians 2:10). We are not to withhold blessings from them, and we are told to do good to all, “especially to those who are of the household of faith” (Galatians 6:10).

What about our attitude to financial matters? In Proverbs 22:7 we read a gem of wisdom that has generally been ignored: “The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.

Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible makes these comments:

“The rich ruleth over the poor,… Usurps a dominion over them, and exercises it in a rigorous, oppressive, and tyrannical manner; otherwise they are generally the rich that rule, and if they rule well, in a lawful, gentle, and righteous manner, it is commendable; and the borrower is servant to the lender; being under obligation to him, he is forced to be subject to him, and comply with his humours, and do and say as he would have him; it was a happiness promised to the Israelites, that they should lend to many nations, but not borrow, Deuteronomy 15:6; compare with this Nehemiah 5:4.”

So many ignore this wonderful admonition, advice and warning that “the borrower is servant to the lender.”    Mr Micawber, a character in Charles Dickens novel, David Copperfield said “Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure nineteen pounds nineteen and six, result happiness. Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure twenty pounds ought and six, result misery.” 

We can learn from Joseph’s example in Genesis 41:33-36:  “Now therefore, let Pharaoh select a discerning and wise man, and set him over the land of Egypt.  Let Pharaoh do this, and let him appoint officers over the land, to collect one-fifth of the produce of the land of Egypt in the seven plentiful years. And let them gather all the food of those good years that are coming, and store up grain under the authority of Pharaoh, and let them keep food in the cities. Then that food shall be as a reserve for the land for the seven years of famine which shall be in the land of Egypt, that the land may not perish during the famine.”

Unfortunately, this was not done in the UK, the USA or many other Western nations, when the economy was good and the government just kept spending instead of taking the advice of Joseph.   Had this been done, the countries would have had reserves to weather, to a great extent, the national and global financial difficulties that are now being experienced. But the governments weren’t the only ones to blame. So many ordinary citizens, ignoring the fact that, historically, famine follows feast economically, spent as if there was no tomorrow, racking up huge debts.The effect of such reckless financial behaviour is now being felt by so many. Those who saved for a future “rainy day” are somewhat “cushioned” from these devastating effects.

It should be clear that true Christians should heed God’s advice about sound financial principles which, of course, includes tithing. If a government or nation would rule and live righteously, then it would not face any financial crisis, and nobody would be poor. In the Millennium, when Christ rules this earth, welfare systems will be unheard of, because there won’t be any need for them. Our individual Christian attitude today should be to work hard for our family (unless, of course, there is no work available or a person is unable or prevented from working for legitimate biblical reasons) and to be financially sensible with the money that we earn and that we have, while not forsaking the poor and needy. God will bless those who are obedient to His Will and to the principles that He has given us in His Word.

Lead Writers: Brian Gale (Great Britain) and Norbert Link

Jerusalem is designated to be the royal city of Jesus Christ’s reign on the earth. Ezekiel’s presentation of the Temple he saw has its setting in the future—and in the City of Jerusalem: “In the visions of God He took me into the land of Israel and set me on a very high mountain; on it toward the south was something like the structure of a city” (Ezekiel 40:2).

Other prophecies also speak of Jesus Christ establishing Jerusalem as the place of His future rule:

“Now it shall come to pass in the latter days That the mountain of the LORD’S house Shall be established on the top of the mountains, And shall be exalted above the hills; And all nations shall flow to it. Many people shall come and say, ‘Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, To the house of the God of Jacob; He will teach us His ways, And we shall walk in His paths.’ For out of Zion shall go forth the law, And the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. He shall judge between the nations, And rebuke many people; They shall beat their swords into plowshares, And their spears into pruning hooks; Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, Neither shall they learn war anymore” (Isaiah 2:2-4; compare Psalms 45 through 48; Micah 4:1-3; Isaiah 56:7;  Zechariah 14:16).

In these and additional writings about the Messianic age, we are able to view the future as though it has already happened! Remarkable revelations found in the Book of Zechariah give us great insight into Jerusalem’s future—and facts that support the building of a physical House of God just before the return of Jesus Christ:

“Then the Angel of the LORD answered and said, ‘O LORD of hosts, how long will You not have mercy on Jerusalem and on the cities of Judah, against which You were angry these seventy years?’ And the LORD answered the angel who talked to me, with good and comforting words. So the angel who spoke with me said to me, ‘Proclaim, saying, “Thus says the LORD of hosts: ‘I am zealous for Jerusalem And for Zion with great zeal. I am exceedingly angry with the nations at ease; For I was a little angry, And they helped–but with evil intent.’ “Therefore thus says the LORD: ‘I am returning to Jerusalem with mercy; My house shall be built in it,’ says the LORD of hosts, ‘And a surveyor’s line shall be stretched out over Jerusalem.’”  ‘Again proclaim, saying, “Thus says the LORD of hosts: ‘My cities shall again spread out through prosperity; The LORD will again comfort Zion, And will again choose Jerusalem’”’” (Zechariah 1:12-17).

The LORD’s return to Jerusalem is described further:

“’Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion! For behold, I am coming and I will dwell in your midst,’ says the LORD. ‘Many nations shall be joined to the LORD in that day, and they shall become My people. And I will dwell in your midst. Then you will know that the LORD of hosts has sent Me to you. And the LORD will take possession of Judah as His inheritance in the Holy Land, and will again choose Jerusalem’” (Zechariah 2:10-12).

The time settings throughout the chapters of Zechariah have events occurring immediately before, during and following the return of Jesus Christ. Joshua and Zerubbabel led the rebuilding of the Temple of God following the return of the Jews from Babylonian captivity after the “seventy years”; however, they also serve as prophetic types—representative of individuals who will live and accomplish God’s will in the future.

In chapter 3 of Zechariah, “Joshua” is cleansed and restored, and note that this has to do with his priestly role in the “house” or Temple of God:

“Then the Angel of the LORD admonished Joshua, saying,  ‘Thus says the LORD of hosts: “If you will walk in My ways, And if you will keep My command, Then you shall also judge My house, And likewise have charge of My courts; I will give you places to walk Among these who stand here. Hear, O Joshua, the high priest, You and your companions who sit before you, For they are a wondrous sign; For behold, I am bringing forth My Servant the BRANCH”’” (Zechariah 3:6-8). 

As we point out in our free booklet, “The Book of Zechariah—Prophecies for Today,” pages 31 to 37, the references to the Temple of God in the context of Joshua refer primarily to the spiritual Temple—the Church of God (compare 1 Corinthians 3:16-17 and many additional references, proving that God’s Church is called the Temple or the House of God). However, they may also refer to the building of a physical Temple just prior to Christ’s return.

In chapter 4 of Zechariah, “Zerubbabel” is promised that he will both start and finish the building of the Temple:

“So he answered and said to me: ‘This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: “Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,” Says the LORD of hosts. “Who are you, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you shall become a plain! And he shall bring forth the capstone With shouts of ‘Grace, grace to it!’” ‘ Moreover the word of the LORD came to me, saying: ‘The hands of Zerubbabel Have laid the foundation of this temple; His hands shall also finish it. Then you will know That the Lord of hosts has sent Me to you’” (Zechariah 4:6-9).

However, let us also consider what is said about the “BRANCH” regarding the Temple, in Zechariah 6:12-13:

“Then speak to him, saying, ‘Thus says the LORD of hosts, saying: “Behold, the Man whose name is the BRANCH! From His place He shall branch out, And He shall build the temple of the LORD; Yes, He shall build the temple of the LORD. He shall bear the glory, And shall sit and rule on His throne; So He shall be a priest on His throne, And the counsel of peace shall be between them both [margin: both offices].”’”

The One called the “BRANCH” is the Messiah—the One who will return to occupy the Temple of God (as we will see in Ezekiel). From other references in this series of Q&A’s, we noted that God gave the plans for the Tabernacle’s construction and of the Temple built by Solomon—which served to also guide those in Zerubbabel’s time. The future Temple will be built according to the plans given in Ezekiel’s description along with what is recorded about the previous houses of God.

In “The Book of Zechariah—Prophecies for Today,” page 42, we state:

“Even though the vision is talking about the construction of a physical temple at the time of Zerubbabel, it also applies to the end time. As explained above, one application must be seen in the reference to the spiritual temple—the Church. But it is also possible that another physical temple will be built prior to Christ’s return—and that a modern ‘Zerubbabel’ will be used in some way for the accomplishment of that task.”

In this context, we find an additional striking proclamation:

“’Even those from afar shall come and build the temple of the LORD. Then you shall know that the LORD of hosts has sent Me to you. And this shall come to pass if you diligently obey the voice of the LORD your God’” (Zechariah 6:15).

Also:

“’Thus says the LORD of hosts: “Let your hands be strong, You who have been hearing in these days These words by the mouth of the prophets, Who spoke in the day the foundation was laid For the house of the LORD of hosts, That the temple might be built”’” (Zechariah 8:9).

Again, we point out in “The Book of Zechariah—Prophecies for Today,” pages 62-63, that the building of the Temple could refer to the spiritual Temple of the Church or the physical Temple in the Millennium. However, we continue to state on page 64:

“It is also possible that the reference to a future temple, which will be built by the BRANCH, could relate to a physical temple still to be built in Jerusalem—just prior to the return of Christ. We know from Scripture that the Jews will bring sacrifices to Jerusalem. If there is a physical temple, then these sacrifices would be brought to that temple, until they are—temporarily—abolished by a European power.

“As we discussed in our free booklet, ‘Is That in the Bible?—The Mysteries of the Book of Revelation?,’ … strong biblical evidence exists for the rebuilding of a temple in the modern Jewish nation of Israel.

“It would also be possible that it is THAT temple which will survive the partial end-time destruction of the city of Jerusalem, which is described as the millennial temple in the book of Ezekiel.”

In the Book of Haggai, a prophecy is given which still has to find its fulfillment, and it may be in a physical Temple of God which must yet materialize:

“‘For thus says the LORD of hosts: “Once more (it is a little while) I will shake heaven and earth, the sea and dry land; and I will shake all nations, and they shall come to the Desire of All Nations, and I will fill this temple with glory,” says the LORD of hosts. “The silver is Mine, and the gold is Mine,” says the LORD of hosts. “The glory of this latter temple shall be greater than the former,” says the LORD of hosts. “And in this place I will give peace,” says the LORD of hosts”’” (Haggai 2:6-9).

In what way will “the glory of this latter temple… be greater than the former”? It will be because the glorified LORD, Jesus Christ, will come to this Temple:

“’Behold, I send My messenger, And he will prepare the way before Me. And the LORD, whom you seek, Will suddenly come to His temple, Even the Messenger of the covenant, In whom you delight. Behold, He is coming,’ Says the LORD of hosts. ‘But who can endure the day of His coming? And who can stand when He appears? For He is like a refiner’s fire And like launderer’s soap. He will sit as a refiner and a purifier of silver; He will purify the sons of Levi, And purge them as gold and silver, That they may offer to the LORD An offering in righteousness’” (Malachi 3:1-3).

As we have understood for a long time, the above-quoted references in the books of Haggai and Malachi refer foremost to Christ’s Second Coming to His spiritual Temple—the Church. However, purifying the sons of Levi will go hand-in-hand with a ceremonial cleansing of the altar in the Temple of God, which is prophesied to take place AFTER Jesus Christ has returned to the earth (compare Ezekiel 43:18-27)! In fact, in the vision given to Ezekiel, it is the LORD who delegates the purging of the Temple and who rebukes those who have defiled His House:

“And He said to me, ‘Son of man, this is the place of My throne and the place of the soles of My feet, where I will dwell in the midst of the children of Israel forever. No more shall the house of Israel defile My holy name, they nor their kings, by their harlotry or with the carcasses of their kings on their high places. When they set their threshold by My threshold, and their doorpost by My doorpost, with a wall between them and Me, they defiled My holy name by the abominations which they committed; therefore I have consumed them in My anger. Now let them put their harlotry and the carcasses of their kings far away from Me, and I will dwell in their midst forever’” (Ezekiel 43:7-9).

Now carefully note what the LORD says about what has been allowed to take place in the Temple of God:

“Now say to the rebellious, to the house of Israel, ‘Thus says the LORD God: “O house of Israel, let us have no more of all your abominations. When you brought in foreigners, uncircumcised in heart and uncircumcised in flesh, to be in My sanctuary to defile it–My house–and when you offered My food, the fat and the blood, then they broke My covenant because of all your abominations. And you have not kept charge of My holy things, but you have set others to keep charge of My sanctuary for you.” Thus says the LORD God: “No foreigner, uncircumcised in heart or uncircumcised in flesh, shall enter My sanctuary, including any foreigner who is among the children of Israel”’” (Ezekiel 44:6-9).

This recounting of the detestable shame which will have happened to the Temple finds its parallel in the prophecies of Jesus from Matthew 24 and that of Paul in 2 Thessalonians 2—as we have already shown. It appears that some influential Jews will allow the man of sin to occupy the Temple of God. The purging of the Temple at the time of the Millennium proves that prior desecration must have occurred in an existing physical Temple, prior to Christ’s Second Coming. These Scriptures—along with the many others we have cited—point to the fact that a Temple of God will be built BEFORE and NOT AFTER Christ’s appearance!

There is no clear implication that the modern Church of God will have a direct involvement in this endeavor. However, every indication—both by precedence and by the reality of having a restored Jewish nation in the State of Israel—is that the Jews and the Levites with them will find a way to once again erect the Temple of God—the very one that is so meticulously revealed in the Book of Ezekiel!

Considering the precarious situation of the State of Israel, we can understand that there will be violent resistance to any effort to build a Temple to God—especially, on the biblically revealed area now known as the Temple Mount and occupied by the Dome of the Rock along with the Al-Aqsa Mosque.

Exactly how circumstances may play out, we don’t precisely know! What we do know and believe is that this will unquestionably take place—and that through the providence of God!

Lead Writer: Dave Harris