When will the Third Temple be built?

When and how will the Third Temple be rebuilt? Susie, Texas

I am actually glad that you wrote this question because I just finished a paper on Daniel 9:24-27 which answers some of these questions. If anyone would like to receive a copy of the paper, please email me at info@tzedakahministries.org and I will "snail" mail it to you.

Now back to the question - In order to understand why the 3rd Temple must be built, a little background must be given on the first two Temples. Solomon's Temple (the first one) was destroyed in 586 BC by the Babylonians and Nebuchadnezzar but as a result of Judah's sin and arrogance (read Jeremiah, Ezekiel, any of the Old Testament prophets). The second Temple was built by Herod (and it was probably something of a remodeling job of Zerubbabel's [read Haggai] because the Temple built after the return from exile was not magnificent in the least) but only completed in AD 64. Six years later the Temple was destroyed by General Titus and all attempts to rebuild it (such as during the Bar Kokhba rebellion) failed because of political and social reasons but above all because it not the right time as set by God.

I am not sure as to the exact timing of the rebuilding of the Third Temple but I personally believe that it will be rebuilt during the Tribulation period and then desecrated by the Antichrist at the mid-point of the tribulation (see Daniel 9:27). This 3rd Temple that is to be rebuilt is not the final Temple because it will not be built in honor of God or Messiah Jesus. The final Temple is described in Revelation 20-21 and it is something that is so far beyond our imagination that even John's words cannot describe it adequately.

However, if you are interested in the current plans by various strands of Orthodox Judaism to rebuild the Temple, go check out www.templemountfaithful.org and www.templemount.org/tempprep.html. It is interesting and heartbreaking all at the same time because these groups are desperate to rebuild a place of sacrifice little realizing that the final sacrifice for humanity's redemption occurred on a hill called Golgotha in AD 29/30.