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A TEMPLATE FOR “THE TEMPLE”
“It’s Judgment day” screamed a headline of a popular National Indian daily on Nov 9th, 2019. The Judgment? On a sensitive,
disputed Ayodhya site which had been a bone of contention for 70 years. The parties involved? The two communities who together constitute
the majority of the Indian population. The Court on which rested virtually the Nation’s peace and tranquility? The Supreme Court of India
(the Highest Judicial Body of the Country). Likely outcome of Judgment, if perceived as twisted by either of the “warring parties? Violence,
bloodshed borne out of religious fanaticism…the kind India was a sad witness to after Babri Masjid demolition in Dec, 1992. People who watched and
awaited the verdict with a creased forehead? Virtually every citizen of India and the World who wanted nothing but a Dove with olive leaf in it’s
beak to fly in the Indian skies. What a matter of relief, that the eventual “Balanced” verdict of our Supreme Court has appeased sizeable, responsible,
sensible population of our Nation!
In this message, Yours Truly endeavours to lay the template as it were for some “Temple-related truths” and expound them…
Indestructible…
It is indeed mind-boggling how strong an influence a religion can exert on anyone’s actions. So how do we react if somebody demolishes our Churches
or burns them, like they did in the State of Orissa, not so long ago? Cheer up, the Good News with a capital G is that The Church is indestructible!
Leave alone petty, tangible human forces, even the formidable, unseen, intangible powers of darkness cannot prevail against it. Who said?
Its Founder whose other Name is Truth
(John 14:6)!
Mark His words “…I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it.
(Matt 16:18)”
What is that about the Church which makes it indestructible? It’s Collection Of “Temples”!!! Confused? Let me lay the template clearly for you to
understand the contextual meaning of the word "Temple" here. Every born-again, believing Christian, saved by the atoning work of Christ
(I Cor 15:1-4/
Romans 10:8-10),
in whom the Spirit of God now dwells is a Temple
(I Cor 3:16/11:19-20)!
Period! In the Old Testament times, God lived with His people, now He lives
within them. Now let’s get it straight! A Church is not a building per se but a body of born-again believers meeting and worshipping together. A recent,
creative insightful Church ad makes this amply clear…
The enemies of Christianity would have to kill, every one of these devout ones’ who have trusted Christ for salvation, to liquidate the Church.
Is it possible? Would the Omnipotent One, allow it? The answer is clear, isn’t it (ask someone like notorious Nero to reconfirm, if necessary)?
The believers may meet in a public building…the traditional Church building as we see it or even in a privacy of a home
(Romans 16:23).
As long as the Spirit of Christ pervades and overshadows even a meeting of two or three believers, hey there is a serious Church meeting going on
(Matt 18:20)!
Influence…
While on the subject of Temples around the World and all the associated disputes, let’s come to the “Mother Of All Temple Disputes” in the
ever-simmering West Asia, which is going to influence the World’s events in the imminent future. Take my word; it is going to be ground zero
of all global tension. Oh yes, I am referring to the site of Solomon’s temple, where stands a Mosque now. Ah…I am laying the Template for yet
another significant subject…the imminence of the Church Rapture!!!
To trace the history of this disputed site of Jerusalem or to judge, as to what actually should be standing on the disputed site-a Jewish temple
or Mosque-is beyond the scope of this essay. What I want to focus upon precisely is the veracity of Biblical prophecies, even as this age
(Post Flood after Noah) in human history is reaching its climactic end. Right on dot, as per the Biblical prophecies
(Isaiah 11:11)
the Jews have arrived “in their Promised Land”
(Genesis 15:13-16).
Now for Jews’ given all their Temple-associated pageantry (read
Leviticus 16/ 23)
which goes with Judaism, a Temple is a place to celebrate
with all their heart, body and soul. In its absence, worse with a Mosque proving to be a deterrent, are they not bound to feel deprived?
How would anyone with no prejudice view this situation? Would anyone blame the stubborn (?) Jews, if they want to reconstruct their temple
at its original site? Going by our own Supreme Court verdict which gave due importance to “what originally stood principle” in its balanced Judgment,
an impartial observer may even sympathetically identify himself with the Jewish sentiments. I reiterate here that to give my judgment on this
tricky matter is not the purpose of my Essay, everyone reading this article is quite justifiably entitled to take his/her own ideological stance on
this contentious issue.
With patience of the Jews wearing thin, now how long can the World with US playing the dutiful Globo- cop delay the reconstruction of Jewish temple?
Will it be at the cost of the Mosque or will it be constructed beside the Mosque are the tough, prickly questions facing the World leaders?
Will they be able to solve amicably this thorny issue with its potential to trigger a World-wide conflagration? Enter Anti-Christ!
In the not-so distant future, after the Rapture of the Church he is going to come into the picture as World’s problem-solver and forge a
peace pact between the perpetual enemies- Jews and the Arabs
(Daniel 9:27).
While on the subject, if at all publishers of Guinness Book of World records (to put it in a lighter vein) are planning to introduce an entry on
“Longest standing enmity”, they do not have to look beyond the one of Jews and Arabs…Boy, they have been fighting since David versus Goliath days!
Coming back to Anti-Christ, by accomplishing MISSION IMPOSSIBLE (make Jews and Arabs arrive at a compromise formula regarding the temple),
undoubtedly this man of deceit (with a secret agenda-
Daniel 8:25)
would capture the heart of the World initially without any bloodshed. No wonder, he is picturized in the Bible as a “Leader carrying a bow but no arrows”
(Rev 6:1-3),
…(Note again, he is carrying only a bow but no arrows to underscore the point that initially without any bloodshed, he would conquer)
That subsequently Anti-Christ would go on to rule the World, pose as God Himself and even dare to take on the Creator
(Daniel 8:25/
Rev 13:4-6)
before being eventually destroyed at Christ’s II Coming has all been prophesied
(Rev 19:19-20).
NO, NO, the purpose of my essay is to not issue a clarion call for coming of the Anti-Christ but to herald the truth about the
imminent rapture of the Church (oh, the indestructible bride of Christ-
Rev 19:7-8)
which would precede the coming of the Anti-Christ.
Consider these verses’…
“For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work; but the one who now holds it back will continue to do so till "he"
is taken out of the way. And then the lawless one will be revealed whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his
mouth and destroy by the splendor of his coming.” –
2 Thess 2:7-9
The “He” is the indwelling Holy Spirit in every Christian. As Christians leave the World transfigured at Rapture the Holy Spirit would in
a way leave too, signaling the end of Grace Age and the onset of seven years of horrible tribulation. This tribulation period would end
only with the Second Advent of Christ, when He would destroy the Anti-Christ and establish a Millennial reign
(Rev 20:4).
Jews too would accept Christ as the Messiah towards the fag end of Tribulation period
(Romans 11:26).
The purpose of this article would be achieved if the ones’ reading it can see very clearly for themselves, how the the return of the
Jews to their “Promised Land” is influencing the World events. If the Jews had not returned to their “Promised land”,
there would be no friction at all now in West Asia and hence no scope for Anti-Christ for solving a knotty issue of Jewish Temple
re- construction (if Ayodhya issue became a cause for Global focus, would not this issue also corner World attention?)
and emerge as a hero in the sight of the World. So if Anti-Christ coming appears imminent, more imminent is the Church rapture,
for that villain can come only when the Church leaves the scene. Hey, would you be in the “Rapture party”
(Isa 26:20-21)?
Incumbent…
Finally with the Rapture imminent, Yours Truly wants to lay the “template” towards each “Temple’s” (read Christian’s) responsibility
at this crucial hour.
We the Redeemed Ones’ housing the Spirit of the Lord would do well to conduct a serious introspection on these two paramount matters
related to the subject of the Church Rapture? Am I alert and am I alerting others?
It is incumbent on every Child of God to examine every hour if he/she is “walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the
Holy Spirit” (
Acts 9:31
-which alone would be a proof of a perfect ongoing relationship with the Father) even whilst wisely heralding the imminent
fulfillment of the “Blessed hope”
(Titus 2:13)
of every Christian to each and every acquaintance with love and concern at every given opportunity
(Col 4:5/
1 Peter 3:15-TLB)!!!
Come Lord Jesus to reign!!! Hallelujah!!!
Yours in His service,
(Suresh Manoharan)
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