One of the signs of the Second Coming is a temple built in Jerusalem. Is this New Jerusalem or Old Jerusalem?

Question

 

Gramps,

I seem to recall that one of the signs of the Second Coming would be to see the Temple built in Jerusalem.   Is this the temple in the “New Jerusalem?” Or is it going to be in the “old” Jerusalem in the Middle East?

If it is the Middle East one; then is it an LDS Temple? Or a Jewish built temple for Jews only?  Are there talks, scriptures/references that give light onto which Jerusalem is receiving a temple?   Thank you.

Confused

 

Answer

 

Dear Confused,

I understand your confusion.  The easiest way to clarify things is to recognize that it is not an either/or.  It is both.

 

The Short Answer

 

Yes, a special temple will be built in both locations by Jews and the Latter-Day Saints.  What makes them special is that they will both be The Seat of Power for Jesus Christ Himself to rule and reign complete with a throne that will be His alone.

 

The Long Answer

 

Both Judaism and many Christian sects look forward to the building of the “Third Temple” in Jerusalem, Israel.  The first was Solomon’s temple, which was destroyed by the Babylonians in 586 BC.

The second was commissioned under Cyrus the Great and completed under Darius the Great.  That temple had a rich history and was re-dubbed “Herod’s Temple” during the Roman occupation that encompassed Christ’s mortal ministry (destroyed in 70 AD).

The Third Temple will be built before “The great and dreadful day of the coming of the Lord.”  This refers to twin temples which shall be built — one at Jerusalem, Israel — the other (prophesied only to Latter-Day Saints) at the “New Jerusalem” in Independence, Missouri.

Elder Spencer W. Kimball gave us a vision of the construction and beauty of the Independence, Missouri Temple when he said:

“Together you (the Lamanites) and we shall build in the spectacular city of New Jerusalem the temple to which our Redeemer will come.  Your hands with ours, also those of Jacob, will place the foundation stones, raise the walls, and roof the magnificent structure.  Perhaps your artistic hands will paint the temple and decorate it with a master’s touch, and together we shall dedicate to our Creator Lord the most beautiful of all temples ever built in his name”

–Spencer W. Kimball, Improvement Era, Dec 1959, pp 938-39

Elder Kimball’s statement indicates that while Ephraim will hold the keys, all of Israel’s children shall take part in building the temple in the New Jerusalem.

The temple in Jerusalem, Israel has been prophesied by many.  The prophet Ezekiel described the construction of the temple (Ezek Ch 40 – Ch 48).

In 1843 Brother Joseph reminded us that this was one of the signs of the times when he said that before Christ comes again:

Judah must return, Jerusalem must be rebuilt, and the temple, and water come out from under the temple, and the waters of the Dead Sea be healed.  It will take some time to rebuild the walls of the city and the temple etc.; and all this must be done before the Son of Man will make His appearance.

—Joseph Smith, DHC, Vol 5, p. 337, Apr 6, 1843

This was not just a random statement at the last minute.  In 1841 LDS apostle, Elder Orson Hyde, was sent to the Holy Land to dedicate the land for the return of the Jewish people. Part of this dedicatory prayer is as follows:

“[I] dedicate and consecrate this land unto Thee, for the gathering together of Judah’s scattered remnants, according to the predictions of the holy Prophets… Let them come like clouds and like doves to their windows. Let the large ships of the nations bring them from the distant isles…”

—(DHC, vol. 4, pp. 456–57.)

At the time fewer than 5,000 Jews lived in all of Palestine; today, over 6,000,000.  They have literally come from the four corners of the earth—from over 100 separate nations.  It truly is wonderful to live in a time when such prophecies are being fulfilled before our eyes.

Now, your second question was about who would build them and for what purpose.   The temple in Missouri has already been addressed.  But the temple in Jerusalem will be built by Jews who have accepted the fullness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  More recent apostles have addressed the return of the Jews as well.

“When the Jews receive the fulness of the everlasting gospel…they will return to Jerusalem as the Lord’s true legal administrators to build up Jerusalem as a Zion and to place again on the ancient site the temple of the new kingdom.”

— Bruce R. McConkie, The Millennial Messiah, p. 300;

—John Taylor, The Gospel Kingdom, p. 293

 

” The temple in Jerusalem will not be built by Jews who have assembled there for political purposes as at present… 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…

—Bruce R. McConkie, The Millennial Messiah, pp. 279-280.

“The building of the temple in Jerusalem …will be directly related to the Gospel as restored through the Prophet Joseph Smith and to the glorious Second Coming of the Lord. It will not be part of any form of sectarianism… and will never be clouded by any uncertainties as to its purpose.

 

Any temple of the Lord…will be His abiding place, His sanctuary, His designated dwelling wherein ordinances of salvation will be performed. All of this requires His revealed direction and the services of His…authorized priesthood.”

—Church News, August 7, 1971, p. 16

How is this to be fulfilled?   Pres. Wilford Woodruff (then pres. of the quorum of the 12) said:

“… the time is not far distant when the rich men among the Jews may be called upon to use their abundant wealth to gather the dispersed of Judah, and purchase the ancient dwelling places of their fathers in and about Jerusalem, and rebuild the holy city and temple.”

—Millennial Star, vol. 41, p. 244

Part of this prophecy has already been fulfilled with the creation of the modern State of Israel which raised over $1Billion from Jews across the globe to the building up of Israel.  Jerusalem was rebuilt to allow the unfettered worship by millions of Jews today.  Today we all await the temple construction as one of the most significant signs of the last days.

 

Gramps