We must recall that Jesus called first century Israel under its unbelieving authorities an “adulterous generation” (Mt 12:39//; 16:4//). That charge harkens back to OT Israel’s unfaithfulness through idolatry. Thus, the first century temple system about which John is writing, is controlled by a corrupt, Messiah-denying high priesthood and has now become an idol linked [...]
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In yesterday’s blog I noted how the Jewish temple became an idol for Israel. I will continue that theme today as we look at Stephen’s denunciation of it. This becomes all the more suggestive when we realize that two references in Acts move along these lines, Ac 7:48 and 17:24. Both of these verses to be [...]
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I have been surveying the biblical evidence for the corruption of the Jewish temple and system of worship for several blogs. In this one I will being to show how it can appear as an idol in the Book of Revelation. The Temple system has become for Israel an idol substituting for a right relationship [...]
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In this blog I am continuing my analysis of the corruption of Jewish worship which was a large issue leading up to the destruction of the temple in AD 70. We see Christ standing against the Temple and its rulers in the Gospel record. On several occasions before Christ’s coming, the temple undergoes cleansings because [...]
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To understand God’s judgment on Israel in the first century, you must recognize that it comes as the end result of a long rebellion against God. Even Israel’s central Temple is repeatedly corrupted so that it eventually becomes the object of God’s wrath in AD 70. This blog article will focus on the lamentable situation [...]
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Paul’s Man of Lawlessness prophecy speaks of this dreaded character setting himself up for worship. This is not referring to some future Antichrist. Gorbachev has nothing to do with this prophecy. Rather this speaks of emperor worship during Nero’s reign. Let’s see how this is so. Paul writes: He opposes and exalts himself above every [...]
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The Roman emperor, according to Paul, “exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped” (2 Thess. 2:4a). Just a few years before Paul writes, the public receives warning of the evil potential of emperor worship, when the emperor Caligula (a.k.a. Gaius) attempts to place his image in the Temple in Jerusalem [...]
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The second question that I often pose to dispensationalists after challenging them to give me a verse that teaches a pre-tribulational rapture relates to the rebuilding of the temple. Tommy Ice references it in his article “Answers and Clarifications for Gary DeMar.” 2. Can you point out one verse from the New Testament that teaches [...]
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One of the most remarkable and disturbing aspects of dispensationalism is its inherent redemptive retrogression. Dispensationalism necessarily requires a future re-institution of blood sacrifices to be conducted in a rebuilt temple under the direction of a new, formal line of priests. It rejects the biblical view that Christ is the final redemptive blood-letting in that [...]
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Many commentators note John’s demonstrating Jesus’ fulfillment of the temple (John 2) as one of the purposes of his Gospel, as well as his fulfilling the Sabbath (John 5), the Passover (John 6), and the Feast of Tabernacles (John 7).(1) His people in mystical union with him are called his “body” (Rom 12:5; 1 Cor [...]
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KINGDOM LEAVENThe Parable of the Leaven reads: "The kingdom of heaven is like leaven, which a woman took and hid i...
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