In Judaism it is expected that the third temple will soon be built. There are several organizations that are involved in this, the best known of which is probably “The Temple Institute”. They indicate on their website that the ultimate goal of the institute is that Israel will rebuild the holy temple on Mount Moriah in Jerusalem. All this in accordance with the biblical commandments.
There are also various groups among Christians who expect a future temple. After all, the antichrist will sit in the temple of God and demonstrate himself as God (2 Thess. 2:4). And Ezekiel 40-48 also describes a future temple. There is much difference of opinion as to whether these two temples are the same temple. Some say the future temple is the continuation of this “third temple,” some expect a “fourth temple.” I would like to draw attention to another count of the number of temples.
what is a temple?
To define the number of temples, we first need to know what a temple is. For this we must use definitions from Scripture and not what people think what a temple is. The Biblical definition is a simple one. The temple is the place where God lives (Ex.25:8, Ezek.43:7, 1 Cor.3:16, 2 Cor.6:16).
first
The first temple we encounter in Scripture is the tabernacle. The tabernacle was the place where God dwelt (Num.25:8). Although this was not a building made of stones, there were practical reasons for that. The people of Israel took this tabernacle with them on their desert journey from station to station. There are entire chapters, such as Numbers 4, that describe how the tearing down and building up should be done. The tabernacle is the first and is therefore the basis for all subsequent temples, both in terms of layout and the attributes that were in the sanctuaries.
second
Because the tabernacle is usually not included, Solomon’s temple is seen as the first, but it is the second in the series. King Solomon spent seven years building this temple (1 Kings 6:38). This temple was plundered and destroyed by the armies of King Nebuchadnezzar and the people were taken into captivity to Babylon (2 Kings 24). In the book of Daniel, the temple utensils still play a role in the story of Belshazzar with the writing on the wall (5:3).
third
After seventy years the exile of the Jewish people would come to an end (Dan.9:2). It is Cyrus the Persian who gave permission for the Jewish people to return to the land of Judah and to the city of Jerusalem to rebuild the temple (2 Chron. 36:22-23). This temple is sometimes referred to as Zerubbabel’s temple, because he was the one who started the construction (Ezra 3:8). People also speak of the temple of Ezra, because the book of Ezra gives the account of the construction of this temple. Many who had seen Solomon’s temple wept at the sight of this temple because of its difference in glory from that of Solomon (Ezra 3:12).
fourth
After the Romans established the Roman Empire several hundred years later, Herod the Great completely rebuilt the now dilapidated temple of Zerubbabel by not only restoring it, but also expanding and beautifying it. There are historians who say that every stone of the old temple was replaced. This was an extensive project that had taken forty-six years in the time of Jesus (John 2:20) and, according to history, was only completed years later (64 AD). This temple is sometimes called Herod’s temple. In the year 70 AD. the temple was destroyed under the leadership of the Roman emperor Titus, just like the rest of Jerusalem.
fifth
Since the destruction of the last temple, there is no visible temple. Yet there is indeed “a place” where God lives, a spiritual temple. Paul calls the ecclesia, the body of Christ, in several places the temple of God, or: a holy temple (1 Cor. 3:16-17, 6:19, 2 Cor. 6:16, Eph. 2:21). That is a spiritual, and therefore invisible, truth, but Scripture is clear about it and counts the ecclesia as a temple.
sixth
Jesus refers to Daniel when He says that in the future there will again be a holy place (Matt.24:15, Dan.12:11), where an idol of an abomination will be placed. Apparently there is a temple in which a future ruler will commit idolatry. Paul calls him: the man of lawlessness, the adversary, who exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped as God, so that he sits in the temple of God, demonstrating that he is God (2 Thess.2 :4).
At the end of this aeon (Matt.24:3) this temple will be destroyed. Then armies of all nations (Zech.14:2) will go up to Jerusalem and take, plunder and destroy the city (Matt. 24:2, Luke 21:20).
seventh
When Messiah establishes His Kingdom, a final, final temple will be built. This is the temple described in Ezekiel 40-48.
Isaiah 2
2 And it shall come to pass in the latter part of the days, that the mountain of the house of YAHWEH shall be established as the highest of the mountains, and that it shall be exalted above the hills, and that all nations shall flow unto it.
3 Many nations will go and say, Come, let us go up to the mountain of YAHWEH, to the house of the God of Jacob; and He will teach us concerning His ways, and we will walk in His paths. For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of YAHWEH from Jerusalem.
This temple has the same purpose as all previous temples, it is to teach concerning His ways and to bring forth the law (Hebrew: torah = instruction), namely the word of YAHWEH! In words, but certainly also in all the symbolism that is hidden in all the characteristics, attributes, rituals and customs. With this count the picture is complete, which is exactly what the number seven stands for: fullness. In the seventh day of a thousand years, the great Sabbath, a final temple will arise there.