Some Things to Watch.

There is something potentially happening in the not too distant future that will be a notable signpost of the days that we live in.

The Temple Institute in Israel has recently announced that they have several red heifers pure enough for sacrifice. (See Numbers 19:1-22)

This might not be something most Christians are looking for, or even aware of, but it is an important link in the events leading up to the final days, and the return of Christ.

Something the Jews have not had since 70 AD. is a temple or the sacrifices associated with temple worship. This is something many of them deeply desire, as they desire to adhere to the Mosaic system of worship, but have been unable to do so for nearly 2,000 years now.

They are training men to be priests, and have plans for a temple already to go. However there are a couple of things that need to happen first, before a temple can be built and sacrifices resume.

The purpose of the red heifer sacrifice was to make the water of cleansing. This was sprinkled on anyone who became defiled by contact with a dead body. According to the Temple Institute website there have been 9 red heifers sacrificed from the time of Moses up until the second temple period. This sacrifice would be the first one since then. The purpose of the water of cleansing would be to purify the site where the temple would be built. So it is a necessary thing that would have to be done before a temple would be built and the sacrificial system reinstated.

They are tentatively planning to sacrifice one of these heifers sometime between Passover and the Feast of weeks (Pentecost). That's coming up quickly here in the next couple months.

People have asked me why God would want a temple in the last days. After all, Jesus is our sacrifice. The point is however, the Bible predicts it. Remember, the Jews want their temple and sacrifices to resume. They don't follow Jesus as Messiah at this  point.

The Bible predicts a seven year period prior to the return of Christ where a treaty is made with many nations. This treaty is confirmed by a man who will ultimately be revealed as the Antichrist. There are not a lot of details about this covenant in the Bible, but one can assume that is made with the surrounding Muslim nations and perhaps contains some kind of "two state solution" that would allow the building of a temple on the temple mount, perhaps next to the dome of the rock. This would fit with what it states in Revelation 11:1-2. If the temple was next to the  mosque there would be room for it without a courtyard, the area the mosque sits on would be "given to the gentiles who will trample the city for forty two months."

This would be the next necessary step in building the temple and reinstating the sacrifices. At the mid point of this seven year period the Antichrist will stop the sacrifices, place the abomination of desolation, and sit in the temple declaring that he is god. 

All of this is prophecied beforehand.

This is the point that the time of Jacobs trouble begins, finally ending three and one half years later at Christ's return.

This will be interesting to keep an eye on. These heifers must be spotless. If there is one discolored hair, that animal is rejected. As I stated, I believe they have three at this point that they can use. Time will tell, keep an eye on this, and be ready for what is yet to come.

(See Daniel 8:9-12, 9:24-27, Matt 24:15-22, 2Thess 2:3-4)