Because of all the speculation and controversy regarding the topic of the “third temple,” I want to respond to three common questions about it.
Temple Question #1: Does Ezekiel 40–47 prophesy that a third temple will one day be built for Jews?
Biblical commentators differ as to which temple Ezekiel is referring to in chapters 40–47. Since Ezekiel uttered the prophecy around the time the first temple was destroyed in 586 BC–yet before the second temple was built/dedicated in 516 BC–some commentators suggest Ezekiel is referring to the second temple, which was standing in Jesus’s day and destroyed in AD 70. While this may, at first glance, seem to be the logical answer, there is an insurmountable problem with that view: the descriptions of the two temples do not match! For instance, Ezekiel describes this temple as a source of blessing and eternal life. It would have a river flowing from it that brings healing and life wherever it goes (Ez. 47:9) and trees along the river banks which have leaves for healing (Ez. 47:12). On the other hand, Jesus called the temple of his day (the second temple) “a den of thieves” (Matt. 21:13) and “desolate” (Matt. 23:38). By this point in time, God had left the building; it was but an empty shell. Jesus went on to pronounce judgment on it, saying “not one stone would be left upon another” (Matt. 24:2). This hardly fits Ezekiel’s description (above)! Therefore, the second temple cannot possibly be the temple Ezekiel is describing.
Another possibility is that Ezekiel is describing “the temple that never was.” Proponents of this view argue that the construction of this temple was conditional upon Israel’s repentance, which never happened. Therefore, Ezekiel’s temple was never built. Those who hold this view point to Ezekiel 43:10–11, which says: “Son of man, describe the temple to the house of Israel, that they may be ashamed of their iniquities; and let them measure the pattern. And if they are ashamed of all that they have done, make known to them the design of the temple and its arrangement” (italics mine). The last part of this verse–”and if they are ashamed”–suggests this temple would only be built if Israel repented of her sins, which never happened. We know this for various reasons. First, after the seventy-year Babylonian captivity ended and the Israelites were free to return home, very few did. Most stayed in Babylon. Keep in mind, Babylon was a pagan land filled with pagan practices, so their choosing to stay in Babylon may attest to their “non repentance.” Second, the books of Ezra and Nehemiah, which were written around this same time period, describe various sins that the Israelites were entangled in, such as intermarrying with pagans. This, too, shows they had not repented. Because of such sins, Ezekiel’s temple was never built.
While this view may seem to have some merit, there are serious flaws with it. First, it is unlikely that Ezekiel would have devoted so much Scripture–seven chapters!–to something that never came to pass. As Steve Gregg of the Narrow Path once commented, “Surely God would have put the brakes on Ezekiel’s rambling long before that.” Second, Ezekiel does not actually say “this temple is conditional upon repentance”; that’s read into the text. Third, and most importantly, there is another view that fits much better, which will be discussed below.
Before I get to that better view, however, there is one other possibility that needs to be considered, and it is that Ezekiel is referring to a still-future millennial temple. This view is very popular in evangelical circles, particularly dispensationalists[1] such as Calvary Chapel. Proponents of the millennial temple view say that Ezekiel’s temple will one day be built–literally as described in chapters 40–47–after Jesus returns and sets up his thousand-year millennial kingdom.
As with the other views mentioned above, there are insurmountable problems with this view too. To begin with, the kingdom of God came in the first century, which means the temple must have been built then too. Both John the Baptist and Jesus explicitly said, “The kingdom of God is at hand” (Matt. 3:2; 4:17)–and “at hand” does not mean two thousand plus years! In fact, Jesus said the kingdom of God had already broken in by this time: “But if I [Jesus] cast out demons with the finger of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you” (Luke 11:20; see also Col. 1:13). Furthermore, Jesus said that the kingdom of God would come with power (in fullness) before his audience passed away: “Assuredly, I say to you that there are some standing here who will not taste death till they see the kingdom of God present with power” (Mark 8:39–9:1; see also Luke 21:31–32; Matt. 16:27–28). There is no getting around these passages. The kingdom of God came in the first century–which means the (kingdom) temple must have been built then too!
Proponents of the millennium temple view would likely counter by arguing that the kingdom of God was postponed because the Jews rejected Jesus. However, there is not a single verse in the Bible that says anything about such a postponement. In fact, Paul said Jesus came exactly when he was supposed to “in the fullness of time” (Gal. 4:4; see also Hab. 2:3). Likewise, Peter said “all the prophets, from Samuel and those who follow, as many as have spoken, have also foretold these days [in the first century]” (Acts 3:24). It’s true that many Jews rejected Jesus; however, the faithful remnant of Jews did not. Soon, Gentiles began joining the Christian church/God’s kingdom too, in droves, just as the Old Testament had said would happen (Isa. 11:12, 55:5, 65:1). The kingdom of God was certainly not postponed!
The reason why many people–Jews and (some) Christians alike–believe the kingdom has not come yet is because they cannot see it. However, Jesus said the kingdom of God is spiritual, not physical; so we should not expect to see it with our physical eyes:
“The kingdom of God does not come with observation [it does not come physically]; nor will they say, ‘See here!’ or ‘See there!’ For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you [it is spiritual]” (Luke 17:20–22).
“My kingdom is not of this world [it is not physical]. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here [it is spiritual]” (John 18:36).
“For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking [physical], but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit [spiritual]” (Rom. 14:17).
“Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again [spiritually]” (John 3:5).
As these passages show, the kingdom of God is spiritual, not physical…and it came in the first century. Therefore, the kingdom temple must have come then too–and it did! Consider the following passages showing this:
“For you (Christians) are the temple of the living God” (2 Cor. 6:16).
“You [Christians] also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house [temple], a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God” (1 Pet. 2:5, italics mine).
“Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down from heaven from God, prepared as a bride for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying “Behold, the tabernacle [temple] of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be his people…Do not seal the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is at hand” (Rev. 21:2–3, 22:10, italics mine).
The kingdom temple arrived in the first century!
Those who say Ezekiel 40–47 is describing a future (to us) millennial temple base that view on a literal interpretation of Ezekiel’s prophecy. They read all the details–seven chapters worth–and conclude that Ezekiel must have meant it literally. Why else would Ezekiel have included all those details?
While it’s understandable how one could think that, it is nonetheless incorrect. Ezekiel not only describes what the temple would look like, but he also describes what will happen there. For example, Ezekiel says there will be sacrifices for sin: “You shall give a young bull for a sin offering to the priests…then you shall also take the bull of the sin offering, and burn it in the appointed place…” (Ez. 43:19, 23, italics mine).
However, doing this today would be blasphemous, after what Jesus did on the cross. The writer of Hebrews says: “We have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all…For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified” (Heb. 10:10, 14, italics mine). Therefore, returning to animal sacrifices to atone for sin would be like denying what Jesus did on the cross.
Proponents of the millennial temple view try to get around this problem by arguing that the animal sacrifices will be only for commemorative purposes, to remind people that a sacrifice was needed for sin. However, that will not work because Ezekiel specifically says these sacrifices will be for sin (above)–not for commemorative purposes. Moreover, we already have a commemorative ritual; it’s called communion. Jesus said, “Do this [communion] in remembrance of me” (1 Cor. 11:24–25). Jesus never said anything about returning to bloody animal sacrifices, even if only for commemorative purposes. Besides, the New Testament teaches that Christians offer spiritual sacrifices (Heb. 13:15; 1 Pet. 2:5, 9), not animal sacrifices. Nowhere does the New Testament say anything about returning to bloody animal sacrifices; in fact, it says the exact opposite!
Keep in mind, also, that God never took pleasure in animal sacrifices (Heb. 10:5–7). They were always just a type/shadow of better things to come (Heb. 10:1), namely, Christ’s once-for-all sacrifice on the cross (10:10). Now that the better (New Covenant) things have come, returning to animal sacrifices would be like reverting back to types/shadows.
Another problem with interpreting Ezekiel’s prophecy literally is that it describes physical circumcision (Ezek. 44:9) and Levitical priests (44:15), both of which were part of the Old Covenant system, which vanished away in the first century (Heb. 8:13). Just like animal sacrifices–which were types/shadows of Jesus’s sacrifice on the cross–Levitical priests and physical circumcision were types/shadows of better (New Covenant) things to come. Under the New Covenant, Jesus is our High Priest under the order of the Melchizedek Priesthood (Heb. 7:11–17) and circumcision is of the heart (Col. 2:11–12, Gal. 5:5–12).
Those who say Ezekiel’s temple will be built “literally as described” oppose the clear teachings of Jesus and the apostles. For these reasons, the millennial temple view cannot be right.
This brings us to the correct interpretation of Ezekiel’s temple, and it is this: Ezekiel is describing the spiritual temple that was built in the first century. This is the temple that Jesus “went away to prepare”/build at his ascension in AD 33 (John 14:2–3). This is the temple that Peter, in AD 62, said was still being built up (1 Pet. 2:4–9). And this is the “tabernacle” that John, in AD 65, saw coming down from heaven (Rev. 21:2–3), which would happen soon (Rev. 1:1–3, 22:6–10). This is the spiritual New Covenant temple that came in AD 70!
This spiritual temple replaced the physical temple that was destroyed in AD 70. Jesus is the Cornerstone of this new spiritual temple (1 Pet. 2:7; Eph. 2:20); the apostles are the foundation (Eph. 2:20); and Christians are the living stones (1 Pet. 2:5; 1 Cor. 3:16–17). Moreover, Christians are all priests in this New Covenant temple, offering spiritual sacrifices (Heb. 13:15; 1 Pet. 2:5, 9).
What about Ezekiel’s descriptions of animal sacrifices in this temple, you may be wondering? How is this happening today? Answer: It is happening spiritually (see previous paragraph).
There can never be another God-approved temple besides this one because to replace this temple–of which Jesus is the Cornerstone–would be to replace Jesus himself. And that’s not going to happen. This temple, the church, is here to stay (Matt. 16:18).
Wasn’t Ezekiel’s temple supposed to be built for Jews, you may be wondering? Yes, for true Jews. And who are true Jews? Hint: it has nothing to do with one’s bloodline or place of residence. Paul said, “For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly…but he is a Jew who is one inwardly” (Rom. 2:28–29). True Jews follow Christ. “If you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise” (Gal. 3:29). The terms “Abraham’s seed” and “heirs according to the promise” are synonyms for true Jews.
True Jews follow Jesus. As Jesus told the Scribes and Pharisees of his day: “If you were Abraham’s children [true Jews], you would do the works of Abraham. But now you seek to kill Me, a Man who has told you the truth which I heard from God. Abraham did not do this. You do the deeds of your father…You are of your father the devil” (John 8:39–44). True Jews follow Jesus!
Today, both Jews and Gentiles can be true Jews. Jesus broke down the middle wall of separation between Jews and Gentiles, creating “one new man from the two” (Eph. 2:14–15). There are no more distinctions (spiritually speaking) between Jews and Gentiles. We are all one in Christ. “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise” (Gal. 3:28).
It is for these true Jews–Christians–that Ezekiel’s temple was built.
Despite all the physical-sounding descriptions that Ezekiel used to describe this temple, he dropped many hints that point to a spiritual fulfillment, which Jesus and the apostles picked up on and echoed all throughout the New Testament. For example, Ezekiel said: “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…Now there was a wall all around the outside of the temple” (Ez. 40:2–5, italics mine). Notice the three things mentioned in this passage: a mountain, a city, and a temple.
Now compare this to what the writer of Hebrews said was happening in his day (around AD 62/63): “For you [Christians] have not come to the mountain that may be touched…but you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn” (Heb. 12:18, 2, italics mine). Same mountain. Same city. Same temple/church. Notice also how the writer of Hebrews describes the fulfillment in spiritual terms, calling it “a mountain that cannot be touched…the heavenly Jerusalem.” Moreover, the writer of Hebrews said it had already begun happening: “You have come to Mt. Zion.”
The writer of Hebrews was clearly referring to Ezekiel’s prophecy, and it was being fulfilled when Hebrews was being written!
Revelation, too, talks about this same city, temple, and New Jerusalem: “Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, ‘Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men‘” (Rev. 21:2–3, italics mine). Just like in Hebrews and Ezekiel, the book of Revelation describes the temple/city/New Jerusalem coming down from heaven. And when did Revelation say this would happen? “Do not seal the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is at hand” (Rev. 22:10, italics mine). This was about to be fulfilled when John wrote Revelation in approximately AD 65.
Consider another striking similarity between Ezekiel’s prophecy and Revelation’s prophecy. In Revelation 11, an angel tells John to measure the temple:
“Then I was given a reed like a measuring rod. And the angel stood, saying, “Rise and measure the temple of God, the altar, and those who worship there. But leave out the court which is outside the temple, and do not measure it, for it has been given to the Gentiles. And they will tread the holy city underfoot for forty-two months” (Rev. 11:1-2).
The reason why the angel told John to measure the temple was because it was going to be renovated. In this case, it was going to be completely destroyed and replaced with the new spiritual temple (coming down from heaven).
Now compare this to what Ezekiel had said would happen. Note the references to “an angel” and “measuring” (just like in Revelation):
“In the visions of God He took me [Ezekiel] 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. He took me there, and behold, there was a man whose appearance was like the appearance of bronze [an angel]. He had a line of flax and a measuring rod in his hand, and he stood in the gateway. And the man said to me, ‘Son of man, look with your eyes and hear with your ears, and fix your mind on everything I show you; for you were brought here so that I might show them to you. Declare to the house of Israel everything you see.’ Now there was a wall all around the outside of the temple. In the man’s hand was a measuring rod six cubits long, each being a cubit and a handbreadth; and he measured the width of the wall structure, one rod; and the height, one rod” (Ez. 40:2–6, italics mine).
Just like in Revelation, the angel told Ezekiel to measure the temple. This is not a coincidence. Both are referring to the same temple renovation, and by the time Revelation was written in AD 65, it was “at hand” (Rev. 22:10).
There are additional clues within Ezekiel’s prophecy of the temple that indicate he was describing much more than a physical edifice. For example, the angel told Ezekiel: “Son of man, describe the temple to the house of Israel, that they may be ashamed of their iniquities; and let them measure the pattern. And if they are ashamed of all that they have done, make known to them the design of the temple and its arrangement” (Ezek. 43:10–11, italics mine).
Now ask yourself a question: How could a physical temple/edifice cause someone to become ashamed of his iniquities? However, if Ezekiel was describing a spiritual temple, of which Jesus is the Cornerstone, then it makes perfect sense. After all, when we compare ourselves to Jesus’s sinless perfection, it leaves us feeling ashamed. This is what happened to Peter when he first began to understand who Jesus was: “Depart from me [Jesus], for I am a sinful man” (Luke 5:8). The reason Peter wanted Jesus to depart from him was because Peter had suddenly realized he was in the presence of sinless perfection, which caused him to become deeply aware of all his shortcomings and sins. The crookedness of a line may not be apparent until it is placed next to a perfectly straight line–like a measuring rod–then it becomes glaringly apparent. This is what happened when Peter stood next to Jesus, and this is what Ezekiel said the temple he was describing would do (William Bell, AllThingsFulfilled.com).
Another giveaway that Ezekiel is describing much more than a physical edifice is his description of a river of life flowing from the temple (Ez. 47:1, 9) and trees of life with leaves for healing (Ez. 47:12). Sound familiar? This is spiritual imagery that refers to Jesus and the church! Jesus gives living water (John 4:10); Jesus heals the spiritually sick (1 Pet. 2:24); and Jesus is the tree of life. As Jesus said, “I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever…Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life” (John 6:51–55).
Compare, also, Ezekiel’s imagery of the river of life, the tree of life, and the leaves for healing…to Revelation 22:1–2: “And he [the angel] showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the middle of its street, and on either side of the river, was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, each tree yielding its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.”
Once again, we have the exact same imagery. Revelation and Ezekiel are clearly describing the same thing: salvation, eternal life, and a restored relationship with God. That which was lost in the Garden of Eden because of the fall (the first sin)–namely, mankind’s face to face relationship with God and eternal life–was restored in Christ. This is what Ezekiel’s temple is all about!
Temple Question #2: Does Daniel’s “seventy-weeks prophecy” foretell a yet-future Jewish temple (a.k.a. the third temple or rebuilt temple)?
Most Christians throughout history have believed that the temple described in Daniel’s “seventy-weeks prophecy” is the second temple, the temple of Jesus’s day, which was built/dedicated in 516 BC and destroyed in AD 70. However, some Christians of late (in the last two hundred years or so)–namely, dispensationalists–argue that Daniel is predicting a still-future third temple. Are dispensationalists right?
Here is what Daniel’s prophecy actually says:
“24 Seventy weeks have been decreed for your people and your holy city, to finish the wrongdoing, to make an end of sin, to make atonement for guilt, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy, and to anoint the Most Holy Place. 25 So you are to know and understand that from the issuing of a decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem, until Messiah the Prince, there will be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks; it will be built again, with streets and moat, even in times of distress. 26 Then after the sixty-two weeks, the Messiah will be cut off and have nothing, and the people of the prince who is to come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. And its end will come with a flood; even to the end there will be war; desolations are determined. 27 And he will confirm a covenant with the many for one week, but in the middle of the week he will put a stop to sacrifice and grain offering; and on the wing of abominations will come the one who makes desolate, until a complete destruction, one that is decreed, gushes forth on the one who makes desolate” (Dan. 9:24–27, NASB).
Daniel likely uttered this prophecy around the time the Babylonians destroyed the first temple (Solomon’s Temple) in 586 BC, yet before the second temple was built/dedicated in 516 BC. And Daniel said six specific events would happen within a “seventy-week” period (v. 24), which would begin at “the decree to rebuild Jerusalem” (v. 25) and “end with a flood” at the destruction of the Jerusalem and the temple (v. 26). Most conservative scholars–including dispensationalists–agree that this decree to rebuild Jerusalem was given somewhere around 500 to 400 BC,[2] which means this is when the seventy-week period began. Moreover, most scholars–including dispensationalists–also agree that “seventy weeks” refers to a period of 490 years (70 “weeks” of years × 7 = 490 years).[3] Therefore, logically, the seventy-week period must have ended in the first century. This timing fits perfectly with Daniel’s reference to Messiah’s arrival in the first century (v. 25), Messiah being “cut off”/killed in around AD 33 (v. 26), and the destruction of the city of Jerusalem and the temple in AD 70 (vv. 26–27).
Incredibly, though, dispensationalists assert the seventy-week period still has not ended after 2,500 years–even though they admit it began around 500 to 400 BC, and that it refers to a period of around 490 years! How do they justify this math? They argue there is an unstated two-thousand-plus-year gap between the sixty-ninth and seventieth weeks. Imagine an Uber driver saying your destination is 490 miles away, yet failing to mention an additional two thousand-plus miles between mile 420 and 421. I think we’d all agree something fishy was going on. Yet this is essentially what dispensationalists want us to believe regarding Daniel’s seventy-weeks prophecy. This is a great example of eisegesis, reading one’s preconceived views and biases into a passage in order to make it fit one’s doctrine–as opposed to exegesis, letting the text speak for itself. Daniel says nothing about such a gap!
Another insurmountable problem for dispensationalists who say the seventy-week period has still not ended is that Jesus and the apostles specifically said that the various elements mentioned in Daniel’s prophecy were/would be fulfilled in the first century! Compare the various elements of Daniel’s seventy-weeks prophecy to statements Jesus and the apostles made in the New Testament:
Daniel’s Prophecy:
“Seventy weeks have been decreed for your people and your holy city, to finish the wrongdoing [finish the transgressions, NKJV], to make an end of sin, to make atonement for guilt, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy, and to anoint the Most Holy Place” (Dan. 9:24).
First-Century Fulfillment:
Finishing the Wrongdoing/Transgressions: By killing Jesus and persecuting his apostles, Israel “filled up [finished] the measure of their sins [their wrongdoing]” before their judgment hit in AD 70 (1 Thess. 2:14–16). In AD 30, Jesus had said the Jews of his day were “filling up the measure of their father’s guilt” and their judgment would happen within a generation (Matt. 23:32, 36).[4] As judgment day approached, Paul said in AD 62/63 that he was “filling up what was lacking in the afflictions of Christ” (Col. 1:24). That is, God had determined to allow a certain amount of suffering to happen to Jesus and his apostles before God judged those responsible. By AD 65, John described Israel as having a cup full of abominations…drunk with the blood of the saints/Christians (Rev. 17:4; see also Matt. 23:35), and Israel was about to be repayed double for her sins (Rev. 18:6). By this time, in AD 65, Israel had just about finished her wrongdoing/transgressions, and her judgment was at hand (Rev. 22:10).
Making an End of Sin: Jesus made an end of sin (for God’s people) in the first century. “But now, once at the end of the ages, He has appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself” (Heb. 9:26, italics mine).
Atoning for Guilt: Jesus atoned for guilt in the first century. “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9; see also Rom. 5:8–11).
Bringing in Everlasting Righteousness: Jesus brought in everlasting righteousness in the first century. “For He [God] made Him who knew no sin [Jesus] to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Cor. 5:21; see also 1 Pet. 2:24 and Rom. 3:21, 25–26).
Sealing Up Vision and Prophecy: Vision and prophecy were sealed up in the first century. According to a broad spectrum of commentators–premillennial, amillennial and postmillennial alike–the term “to seal up vision and prophecy” means that miraculous signs and wonders, which God used to confirm his prophets, would one day end because the Bible’s prophecies will have finally been fulfilled.[5] And when would this happen? Jesus said in AD 30 that all prophecy would be fulfilled within a generation: “For these are the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled…Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all things take place” (Luke 21:22, 32).[6] In fact, Jesus specifically linked the fulfillment to the destruction of the temple (v. 5), which happened in AD 70. Since all prophecy must have been fulfilled by the time the temple fell (in AD 70), then this is when vision and prophecy must have been sealed up (ended) too.
Paul affirms this, too, in saying: Signs and wonders (a.k.a. vision and prophecy) would confirm the disciples until the end / second coming (1 Cor. 1:4–9). And when did Jesus say the end / second coming would happen? Within a generation (Matt. 24:3, 30, 34). Therefore, this is when “vision and prophecy” must have ended too. In other words, this is when “vision and prophecy were sealed up.”
Anointing the Most Holy Place: Jesus anointed the Most Holy Place in the first century when he entered the Most Holy Place, heaven, at his ascension (Heb. 9:12). Note: Some translations of Daniel 9:24 say: “Seventy weeks are decreed to anoint the Most Holy One [instead of Most Holy Place],” but this too was fulfilled in the first century. Jesus said, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He [God] has anointed Me” (Luke 4:18).
Daniel’s Prophecy:
“So you are to know and understand that from the issuing of a decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem, until Messiah the Prince, there will be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks; it will be built again, with streets and moat, even in times of distress” (Dan. 9:25, bolding mine).
First-Century Fulfillment:
No matter when the decree to rebuild Jerusalem was given, all Christians agree that Messiah the Prince came in the first century. “For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (Isa. 9:6, italics mine). Therefore, everything else in Daniel’s “seventy-weeks prophecy” must have been fulfilled within 490 years.
Daniel’s Prophecy:
“Then after the sixty-two weeks, the Messiah will be cut off and have nothing, and the people of the prince who is to come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. And its end will come with a flood; even to the end there will be war; desolations are determined” (Dan. 9:26, bolding mine).
First-Century Fulfillment:
Messiah Will be Cut Off: Messiah was cut off (crucified) in approximately AD 33.
The City and Sanctuary Will Be Destroyed: The city (Jerusalem) and sanctuary (the temple) were destroyed in AD 70, per historians.
The End Will Come with a Flood: In the Olivet Discourse in AD 33, Jesus compared his second coming to the flood: “But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man” (Matt. 24:37). Jesus and the disciples also spoke about the end (vv. 3, 13–14). And Jesus said it would all happen within generation (v. 34). In fact, Jesus even specifically said he was referring to Daniel’s prophecy (v. 15), which means Daniel’s prophecy must have been fulfilled in the first century.
War and Desolation: In the Olivet Discourse, Jesus predicted that war and desolation would happen within a generation: “But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is near…Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all things take place” (Luke 21:20, 32, italics mine). War and desolation happened during the Jewish/Roman War of AD 67–70.
Daniel’s Prophecy:
“And he will confirm a covenant with the many for one week, but in the middle of the week he will put a stop to sacrifice and grain offering; and on the wing of abominations will come the one who makes desolate, until a complete destruction, one that is decreed, gushes forth on the one who makes desolate” (Dan. 9:27, bolding mine).
First-Century Fulfillment:
Note: Daniel is circling back to the time period leading up destruction of the city/temple.
Abominations/Desolations: Abominations and desolations happened in the first century. In the Olivet Discourse (in AD 33), Jesus had said, “Therefore when you [disciples] see the ‘abomination of desolation,’ spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (whoever reads, let him understand), then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains…Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place” (Matt. 24:15–16, 34).
The evidence is overwhelming! Daniel’s seventy-weeks prophecy was fulfilled in AD 70, at the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple.
Temple Question #3: What about the infamous “man of sin” temple? Is this temple still in our future?
“Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day [second coming] will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God” (2 Thess. 2:3–4).
Response: This was the temple standing when Paul wrote Thessalonians in AD 51–52. This was the temple that Jesus called a den of thieves (Matt. 21:13). This was the temple Jesus called “desolate” because God had departed it (Matt. 23:38). And this was the temple that Jesus said (in AD 33) would be destroyed within a generation (Matt. 24:2, 34). There is no biblical reason to conclude Paul is referring to any other temple besides this one, the one standing in his day, the one that was destroyed in AD 70!
Who, then, was the man of sin/man of lawlessness (depending on which Bible version you read), “the son of perdition who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God” (Thess. 2:3)?
This man–and Paul does call him a man–was alive in Paul’s day. We know this because Paul said the man of sin was “already at work” and “being restrained” (vv. 6–7). Moreover, Paul said that his audience, the Thessalonians, knew who/what was restraining him. “And now you [Thessalonians] know what is restraining [him], that he may be revealed in his own time” (v. 6). The man of sin was likely a high-ranking Jewish leader, such as the high priest, whom Paul did not want to mention by name for fear of reprisals from the Jewish establishment.
As to the identity of the restrainer…The restrainer likely refers to the Roman government (or someone within the Roman government) who for a time restrained the Jews from killing Christians. For example, the Romans prevented the Jews from killing Paul when he was being transported to his trial (Acts 23:12–22). The Jews were not permitted to put anyone to death without permission from the Romans (John 18:31), and that was not always easy to get, especially against Christians, whom the Romans viewed as just another Jewish sect (at least at first). The Romans, therefore, restrained the man of sin from harming Christians–that is, until the time of Nero in the mid-60s, which is when the Romans unleashed their official, systematic persecution of Christians (see my book, The End Is Here, available summer 2024).
Another reason we know the man of sin was alive in Paul’s day is that Paul described him in the present tense. Paul said the man of sin “opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God” (2 Thess. 2:4). The man of sin was alive in Paul’s day! So unless there is a two-thousand-year-old man of sin still walking around somewhere, he must have died long ago.
Paul also said the Lord would kill this man of sin at his second coming (v. 8), which means the second coming must have happened within the lifetime of this first-century man. This timing matches perfectly with all those other time statements in which Jesus said he would come again within the lifetimes of his audiences (Matt. 10:23, 16:28, 24:30–34, 26:64; Rev. 22:12).
Compare, also, Paul’s description of the man of sin and the manner in which he would be killed to the description of another corrupt Jewish leader, Herod Agrippa, and the manner in which he was killed:
Man of Sin: “[He] opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God…The Lord will consume [him] with the breath of His mouth and destroy [him] with the brightness of His coming” (2 Thess. 2:4, 8)
Herod Agrippa: “So on a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat on his throne [in the temple] and gave an oration to them. And the people kept shouting, ‘The voice of a god and not of a man!’ Then immediately an angel of the Lord struck him, because he did not give glory to God. And he was eaten by worms and died” (Acts 12:21).
Both men would die claiming to be God, and both men would be killed by the Lord. The point of this comparison is simply to point out that the manner in which the man of sin would be killed–by the Lord–is not all that unusual. It had happened before!
Possible objection: Paul said the man of sin would have supernatural powers: “The coming of the lawless one [man of sin] is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish” (2 Thess. 2:9–10, italics mine). Yet, such a man of wonders had not come in Paul’s day.
Response: First off, notice that Paul describes this as “deception” and “lying wonders.” These were false miracles, not real ones. They were cheap parlor tricks, similar to what a talented magician can do at Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas. Only God and his representatives can do real miracles. If Satan and his minions could do real miracles, than all of the “signs and wonders” throughout the Bible would be nothing more than interesting sideshows; they would prove nothing. God parted the Red Sea? Big deal. So could Satan. Jesus healed people? Big deal. So could Satan’s disciples. Jesus rose from the dead? Big deal. So could Satan’s minions.
Yet the biblical prophets and apostles clearly believed that supernatural signs and wonders proved that God was on their side–precisely because Satan cannot do real miracles. When Elijah had challenged the 450 false prophets of Baal, he proved God was on his side by calling down supernatural fire from heaven, which the false prophets could not do (1 Kings 18). Jesus and the apostles, too, said supernatural signs and wonders confirm God’s real prophets (Heb. 2:4, John 10:38, Mark 2:10, Matt. 11:3–6.).
Jesus repeatedly used supernatural signs and wonders to prove he was who he claimed to be. For example, Jesus proved he could forgive sins by healing a paralytic (Mark 2:5–11). Likewise, Jesus proved he was the light of the world by healing a blind man (John 9:5–7). And Jesus proved he was “the resurrection and the life” by raising Lazarus from the dead (John 11:25, 42) and later raising himself from the dead (John 20:30–31, Matt. 12:38–40). If Satan could do such things, then these signs and wonders prove nothing. Yet Jesus clearly believed these miracles proved he was sent by God. “Believe the works [miracles], that you may know and believe that the Father is in Me” (John 10:38)…”Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the sake of the works [miracles] themselves” (John 14:11, italics mine).
Secondly, men of sin (false prophets) were not all that uncommon in Paul’s day. There was Simon the sorcerer, who “astonished the people of Samaria” with his trickery (Acts 8:9–10). There was also the Egyptian who led four thousand men into the wilderness (Acts 21:38). And there was Theudas, who led about four hundred men after himself; and Judas of Galilee, who drew away many people after himself (Acts 5:33–39). The New Testament mentions many such men of sin.
The first-century historian Josephus, too, confirms there were many false messiahs in Paul’s day who “deceived and deluded the people under pretense of Divine inspiration, but were for procuring innovations and changes of the government; and these prevailed with the multitude to act like madmen, and went before them into the wilderness, as pretending that God would show them signals of liberty.”[7]
While there were many men of sin in the first century, none of them could do real signs and wonders like Jesus and the apostles. Only God’s true representatives can do real miracles.
Conclusion: Although the three aforementioned temple passages (Ezekiel 40–47, Dan. 9:24–27, 2 Thess. 2:1–10) are often cited to “prove” that another (third) temple will one day be built, the passages themselves teach no such thing. Daniel 9:24–27 and 2 Thessalonians 2:1–10 refer to the temple that was standing in Jesus’s day, which was destroyed in AD 70; and Ezekiel 40–47 refers to the spiritual New Covenant temple that replaced the physical temple that was destroyed in AD 70. Jesus is the Cornerstone of the new temple, and it will never be replaced!
Keep in mind, this doesnotnecessarily mean the Jews will not build another temple. Who knows? Maybe the Jews will someday expel the Muslims from the Temple Mount area and build another temple. But even if that happens, it will not be because of any Bible prophecy…because the Bible does not prophesy about a third physical temple. Moreover, even if it happens, it will not be God approved. God has already built the third temple, of which Christ is the Cornerstone. Anything else would be a rejection of God and his Christ and would be a stench rising up to the nostrils of God.
[1] Dispensationalism is the theological view founded in the 1800s by John Nelson Darby. It holds that God has two distinct people, Israel (the physical descendants of Abraham) and Christians (primarily Gentiles). Because Israel had rejected her Messiah two thousand years ago, God postponed the arrival of the kingdom of God. Since that time, God has been drawing people–primarily Gentiles–to himself through the church. But one day God will “rapture” (remove) the church from planet earth and get back to dealing with Israel. Despite its popularity among evangelicals, dispensationalism opposes the clear teachings of Scripture in many ways. For example, the Bible says nothing about a postponement of the kingdom. In fact, it says the exact opposite, that the kingdom came in the first century (Matt. 3:2, 4:17, 16:28). Furthermore, Jesus broke down the middle wall of partition between Jews and Gentiles, creating one new man (Eph. 2:11–16, Gal. 3:28). As the olive tree illustration clearly shows, today God has only one people, consisting of Jews and Gentiles (Rom. 11:11–25). The dispensational view of the rapture is, likewise, unbiblical .
[2]There are different views as to which decree Daniel is referring to. Some say it refers to Cyrus’s decree in 538 BC that allowed the Jews to go back to Jerusalem (2 Chron. 36:23, Ezra 1:1–4). Others say it refers to Artaxerxes’s decree in 458 BC to rebuild Jerusalem (Ezra 7:11–28). Still others say it refers to Artaxerxes’s decree in 444 BC (Nehemiah 1).
[3]Some commentators argue that the term “seventy weeks” is more symbolic, rather than referring to exactly 490 years. They base this conclusion on Matthew 18:22, in which Jesus said to forgive your brother “not seven times, but seven times seventy.” Jesus obviously meant this figuratively, so maybe Daniel did too?
[4] A biblical generation equals about forty years (Heb. 3:8–10, Num. 14:30–34, and Neh. 9:21).
[5]Don Preston, 70 Weeks are Determined for…the Resurrection, (JaDon Productions, 2007), 97.
[6]Two possible objections: 1. Commentators sometimes argue that “all things written” refers only to the prophecies in the Old Testament. However, this would not matter because the Old Testament prophesies about all the same things as the New Testament, including the second coming (Zech. 14:1-2), the resurrection (Dan. 12:2), the judgment (Mal. 4:1-5), the new heaven and earth (Isaiah 65-66), and everything else. 2. Commentators sometimes argue that “all things written” refers only to the things related to the destruction of Jerusalem. But this would not matter either because the second coming and resurrection happen at the destruction of Jerusalem (Isa. 25:1–8; see my book The End Is Here, available summer 2024).