Jerusalem Temple


annewandering
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Our relief society lesson was on the last days. I got to thinking about the temple being built in Jerusalem. Now the Jews have a website dedicated to it. They even have temple instruments, like goblets, and temple clothing ready to use. 
So I was wondering. Who is going to build the temple? I  have heard some speculation that the BYU education center might be converted to a temple. True its not where people expect but there have been some questions as to where the original temple was built anyway. 

What do you think? 

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Who is going to build the temple?

 

Joseph Fielding Smith:

 

"Neither will the Lord call upon those who are cut off from his people to accomplish his holy work. The temple will not be built by those who say that Joseph Smith was a fallen prophet, and who have failed to accept the fullness of the word of the Lord as it came through him. No people will be commanded and directed by revelation from the Lord to build his temple, when they know nothing of temple building and the ordinances performed in temples. The Latter-day Saints may be assured that when the time comes for the building of the house of the Lord, he will call upon his people who have remained true and have been faithful in the purposes of the Lord in bringing to pass the salvation of the living and of the dead. We may be doubly sure that the Lord did not send Elijah the prophet with the keys of the sealing ordinances which are performed, in the temple, so that the earth will not be smitten with a curse when the Redeemer shall come, and then call into favor a people who rejected the coming of Elijah and all the authority and keys he was sent to bestow, and ask them to build the temple of the Lord."

 

and Bruce R. McConkie -

 

"By what power and under whose authorization shall the work be done? There is only one place under the whole heavens where the keys of temple building are found. There is only one people who know how to build temples and what to do in them when they are completed. That people is the Latter-day Saints. The temple in Jerusalem will not be built by Jews who have assembled there for political purposes as at present. It will not be built by a people who know nothing whatever about the sealing ordinances and their application to the living and the dead. It will not be built by those who know nothing about Christ and his laws and the mysteries reserved for the saints. But it will be built by Jews who have come unto Christ, who once again are in the true fold of their ancient Shepherd, and who have learned anew about temples because they know that Elijah did come, not to sit in a vacant chair at some Jewish feast of the Passover, but to the Kirkland Temple on April 3, 1836, to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery. The temple in Jerusalem will be built by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. “They that are far off,” [Zech. 6:12-15.] they that come from an American Zion, they who have a temple in Salt Lake City will come to Jerusalem to build there another holy house in the Jerusalem portion of “the mountains of the Lord’s house."
 
He also said:
 
"A house of the Lord—the Lord Jesus Christ, the Messiah of the Jews—shall rise again in Jerusalem, . . . because the remnants of Judah shall accept their King, believe his gospel, and walk in his paths. A holy temple, the house of the Lord—a sacred sanctuary with its Holy of Holies where the Divine Presence, the Shekinah of old, shall once more be manifest to Israel—shall be built in Old Jerusalem. It shall be built by the Jews: Jews who believe in Christ; Jews who are converted to the truth; Jews who are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints: Jews who hold again the powers and
priesthoods possessed by their ancestors. The keys and powers whereby temples are built vest in the President of the Church, the presiding high priest among the Lord’s latter-day people. These keys first conferred by angelic ministrants—Moses, Elijah, Elias, and others—upon Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery have come down in direct succession and rest upon and are exercised by the prophet of God on earth, the one who, as it were, wears the mantle of Joseph Smith. And so it is that the Jews shall build their temple, and the Jews who do it will be Mormons; they will be Jews who are the converted and baptized saints of the latter days."
 
As to where, it can only really be speculated, as the traditional location of the temple is simple that -- tradition -- and we don't know for sure. But it can be reasonably expected that "the" temple in Jerusalem will be on the same holy site as the original temple was (presuming that the traditional location of The Dome of the Rock is where that is). However, I see no reason why that limits the potential for other temples in Jerusalem as well. Just as we now have a temple in Kansas City, it doesn't mean the New Jerusalem temple no longer needs to be built on the dedicated site.
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My theory:  There is in history two important city states with temples as the center of the religious and political centers.  The first is called "the City of Enoch" that was presided over by an ecclesiastical and political leader know to us as Enoch.  I am inclined to speculate that this city was translated (taken into heaven) and will return with its temple for use during the millennium and will result in the temple that will be the center of what is known as the New Jerusalem or also as Jackson County Missouri. 

 

According to my theory the second city state was anciently known as Salem and was presided over by an ecclesiastical and political leader know to us as Melchizedek.  I speculate that this city was also translated and taken into heaven and will return with its temple for use during the millennium and will result in the temple that will be the center of what is known as Jerusalem.

 

In short the temples are already built – but not in place yet.

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I am inclined to believe Joseph Fielding Smith and Bruce R. McConkie on who is going to build it. It is interesting how the Jews are preparing though. They are doing the best they can to make the original clothing and 'tools' used in the temple. Of course one of the issues is that they are wanting to use the sacrificial instruments which are now obsolete since Christ has already been born.  At least they are trying!
I am curious about the converted Jews building the temple. There are some fairly famous LDS pioneer lines that have Jewish backgrounds. Neibaur and Rosenbaum come to mind since they are my husband's family. Do you think it means that these people will literally build it? 

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You guys are reading to much into the speculations of the GA's, why can't the Jews build a temple? They know how to do it and how it operates. Let us remember that they were once the "true" faith. their records I am sure are complete. Why do we think we are the only ones who can build a temple?

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You guys are reading to much into the speculations of the GA's

 

Strangely argumentative.

 

why can't the Jews build a temple?

 

They can.

 

Let us remember that they were once the "true" faith.

 

Everyone was once the "true" faith, as the true faith came through Adam and Noah...so...how is this meaningful?

 

I am sure are complete.

 

Well...if you're sure then...it's settled.

 

Why do we think we are the only ones who can build a temple?

 

I think we are the only ones who can build a temple under proper authority, just as we are the only ones who can baptize under proper authority, and preach the word under proper authority, and do all else pertaining to God's work under proper authority.

 

Anyone that wants to can build a temple though.

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Any one can build a temple like building but without authority its just a building. https://www.templeinstitute.org/ has information on what some Jewish people believe is how it is to be done. Compare it to an LDS temple and you can see issues immediately. One major issue is that they are preparing the temple as if it were to do sacrifices like before Jesus was born. This cannot be right. Of course they could build it then later it could be dedicated to the proper usage. 

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In further reading I am seeing that the temple is apparently going to be built by the antichrist or at least 'completed' by him at which point he declares himself to be God. And that is when the real trouble sets in. Or is this all wrong?  ^^

 

You're going to have to provide a source for further discussion on that (at least further discussion from me -- as I don't know what you mean).

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This is from http://christianity.about.com/od/endtimestopicalstudy/a/antichrist.htm  Man of Sin

In 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4, the antichrist is described as the "man of sin," or "son of perdition." Here Paul, like John, is also warning believers about the antichrist's ability to deceive:

"Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day 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." (NKJV)

The NIV makes it clearer that a time of rebellion will come prior to Christ's return and then the "man of lawlessness, the man doomed to destruction" will be revealed. The antichrist eventually will exalt himself above God to be worshiped in the Lord's Temple, proclaiming himself to be God. Verses 9 and 10 say that the antichrist will do counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders, to gain a following and deceive many.

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I was reading on this topic in 2 Nephi. Repeatedly it states that the Jews must accept the savior and be converted before this can all happen. Chapter 6:11, "...nevertheless, the Lord will be merciful unto them, that when they (Isreal, not just the jews) shall come to the knowledge of their Redeemer, they shall be gathered together again to the lands of their inheritance." And in chapter 9:2, "...until the time comes that they (the jews) shall be restored to the true church and fold of God; when they shall be gathered home to the lands of their inheritance..." To me this clearly states that no matter how much political and financial help and power they receive from other nations in everyone trying to force the prophecy to happen, they will not build the temple and truly gather in all the tribes of Isreal, and Isreal become a beautiful sanctuary (other scriptures), until they come unto Christ.They need to "be restored to the true church and fold of God" and "come to the knowledge of their Redeemer". Some say this is happening quickly with the growth of the Messianic Jewish religion, but only about half of those members are of Jewish decent, but we must also remember that the one verse says "Isreal" and are not the patriarchal blessings unfolding all the tribes true identities throughout the world and gathering them into the church/fold, albeit they are of the other tribes?

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This is from http://christianity.about.com/od/endtimestopicalstudy/a/antichrist.htm  Man of Sin

In 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4, the antichrist is described as the "man of sin," or "son of perdition." Here Paul, like John, is also warning believers about the antichrist's ability to deceive:

"Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day 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." (NKJV)

The NIV makes it clearer that a time of rebellion will come prior to Christ's return and then the "man of lawlessness, the man doomed to destruction" will be revealed. The antichrist eventually will exalt himself above God to be worshiped in the Lord's Temple, proclaiming himself to be God. Verses 9 and 10 say that the antichrist will do counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders, to gain a following and deceive many.

 

 

Of course, 2 Thes 2-3 is classically used by the LDS church to speak of the Great Apostasy, and the "man of sin" referred to is Satan. It has nothing to do with the temple in Jerusalem.

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