Who will be Worhiping at the Coming Temple?

By Bill Salus

Then I was given a reed like a measuring rod. And the angel stood, saying, “Rise and measure the temple of God, the altar, and those who worship there. But leave out the court which is outside the temple, and do not measure it, for it has been given to the Gentiles. And they will tread the holy city underfoot for forty-two months. And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy one thousand two hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth.” (Revelations 11:1-3; NKJV)

Many believe that the reference above to "those who worship there" alludes to Jews, Christians, and Muslims, all with their differing forms of worship (Judaism, Christianity, and Islam). Most commentators agree that Revelation 11:1-3 alludes to the future existence of a Third Jewish Temple and its compound.

Furthermore, it is commonly suggested that this coming Temple will be ecumenically embraced by the Jews (the altar and those who worship there), the Muslim’s (the court which is outside the temple), and the Christian’s perhaps fitting into either designated area, because they are presently comprised of both Jews and Gentiles. However, today’s Christian Church, (Messianic Jews and Gentiles) will most likely be Raptured and not present among the Revelations 11:1-3 Jew or Gentile populations. (1)

These passages inform us that the Gentiles will tread the holy city underfoot for forty-two months (three and one-half years). This is generally believed to correspond with the first half of the seven year Tribulation period. That final seven year period described in Daniel 9:27, 7:25, 12:7, Revelations 12:14 and elsewhere concludes this present earth’s timeline. According to the Pre-Trib Rapture hypothesis the Church is removed from the earth in the Rapture event prior.

This Tribulation period is primarily characterized by the outpouring of the seal, trumpet, and bowl judgments described in Revelation 6-16. (2) These judgments are unleashed by divine prescription upon Christ- rejecting, sinful humanity. If the Pre-Trib Rapture theory is correct, this means the Church of today is not likely identified in this future Revelation 11 prophecy.

Additionally it could be erroneous to think that the Gentiles referred to here are predominately Muslim’s, since Islam will probably be a severely diminished religion by the time this Temple is completed. Presently, adherence to Islam is a primary obstacle to the rebuilding of this Temple. The decline of Islam will be the likely result of the war described in Psalm 83 and subsequently, Ezekiel 38. As an additional outcome of the Psalm 83 conflict, the Dome of the Rock and Al Aqsa Mosque will probably be destroyed before the Temple is even constructed.

Along these lines, world respected eschatologist Jimmy DeYoung told me recently that priestly garments are presently being prepared for 28,000 Jews from the tribe of Levi. He informed me that the word in Israel is that “when the Dome (of the Rock) comes down, the garments come out”. This encourages the possibility that the Jewish people generally realize that the Islamic Dome of the Rock must come down before they can construct their Temple.

Many pulpits teach that the Antichrist's false covenant will be a peace pact between the Arabs, (including the Palestinians), and the Jews and that will be how Mideast peace is finally achieved. (3) However, this peace will probably come militarily rather than politically as a result of the Israeli Defense Forces (I.D.F.) conquest over the Psalm 83 confederates. This I.D.F. victory is the central theme of my book Isralestine, the Ancient Blueprints of the Future Middle East.

What is really going on at the time of Revelation 11?

There will be Jews worshipping there, but they will be primarily non-messianic Jews who have reinstated the sacrificial Mosaic Law system. Messianic Jews are those who believe that Jesus Christ is the promised Jewish Messiah and Savior of the world. National Jews will respond to the overwhelming victories of Psalm 83 militarily, and Ezekiel 38 divinely, by gravitating toward the rebuilding of the Temple and reinstatement of their archaic sacrificial system defined in the ancient Mosaic Law. The commencement of Temple construction could occur before, during, or in the aftermath of either event, but must be in full existence by the midpoint of the Tribulation period. (4)

There will also be Gentiles but they will probably be devotees of the Revelation 17 Harlot system, which will be a world religion, comprised primarily of the world’s Gentile populations. It does not appear that many Jews will be involved in the practices and beliefs of this end time’s religious system.

Certainly there will be post Rapture Christians, both Jews and Gentiles co-existing against the backdrop of the Orthodox Jews and the Harlot Gentiles systems. However, believers in Christ will mostly be martyred according to Revelation 6:9-11 and 7:9-17, 17:6 and not likely allowed or appreciated around the Temple compound. Even the two Hebrew witnesses are slain by the Antichrist in the vicinity of the Temple evidencing the world aversion to the Christian gospel they will be preaching. (5)

These post-Rapture Christians, Jew and Gentiles; will be the products of the 144,000 Hebrew witnesses of Revelation 7:1-8 and the two Revelation 11 witnesses. In addition there will be other means of post-Rapture gospelizing, like the angel of Rev. 14:6-7, and priceless works left behind by believer’s today, like books, DVD’s, and CD messages etc.

In conclusion, I see Revelation 11 alluding to non-messianic orthodox Jewish and Harlot Gentile populations, rather than today’s Jews, Christians, and Muslims. Some Islamic practitioners could still be around, but they will worship under the canopy of the Harlot system. This system will either be an ecumenical embrace of all world religions mothered by the Vatican, or more likely, a universal religion that overpowers all world religions through forthcoming powerful Mary Apparitions and a belief in a Eucharistic Christ, like Jim Tetlow, Roger Oakland, and Brad Myers hypothesize in their excellent book called “Queen of All.” Of course post-Rapture Christian believers and orthodox Jews will not be part of this divine feminine Harlot system.

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(1) The Rapture passages are contained in 1st Corinthians 15:51-52 and 1st Thessalonians 4:15-18. For more information on the Pre-Trib Rapture hypothesis visit: http://www.pre-trib.org/
(2) Many scholars believe that the seven seal judgments of Revelation 6 are unleashed along with the seven trumpet and seven bowl judgments also contained in the book of Revelation in the seven year Tribulation period. I believe for sound reasons that only the trumpet and bowl judgments occur during the Tribulation and the seal judgments occur prior.
(3) The false covenant is contained in Daniel 9:27 and Isaiah 28:15,18
(4) Daniel 9:27 and Matthew 24:15
(5) Revelation 11:7-8