QUEST FOR THE MESSIAH - CHAPTER IV

by Charles J. Voss
As the troubles in the Middle East mount there has been much speculation in all walks of religious activity concerning the reconstruction of the Jewish Temple on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. The Hebrew Scriptures speak plainly of the restoration of all thirteen tribes of Israel in the Davidic monarchy and the construction of the Third Temple in Jerusalem.

This series of prophecies concerning end-time Israel and the restored Temple are in the book of Ezekiel. The theme of the book of Ezekiel is "Judgment and Glory for All of Israel." The date of the writing is approximately the sixth century BCE, after the ten tribes of Israel had gone into captivity and during the time of Judah's captivity. Keep in mind whenever you read the prophecies in Ezekiel they are about Israel but Israel has never heard these prophecies. Why? Because by Ezekiel's time Israel was already in captivity and had already been moved out of the area. Babylon had begun to push against Assyria and Assyria pushed the ten tribes towards Europe, so they were no longer there to hear Ezekiel's word. This is shown in Scofield's Notes:

Ezekiel, a priest whose name means CREATOR will strengthen, was among the Jewish exiles carried away to Babylon between the first and final deportation of Judah (2 Kings 24:l1-16).
His book shows him as a man of stern integrity and strong purpose, completely devoted to the practices of his priestly duties. ... Unlike the pre-exilic prophets, whose ministry was primarily either to Judah or to the ten-tribe kingdom, or to both, Ezekiel was the voice of ETERNAL to "the whole house of Israel." 1

The purpose of Ezekiel's ministry was to:
Warn ALL Israel of an end-time future captivity and exile. In addition, he warned of the national sins that had brought Israel so low and how the exact same sins of B-al worship will do it again in the end-time.
To sustain the faith of the Jewish exiles by prediction of national restoration and of the execution of justice upon the oppressors.
To proclaim the end-time glory of the Davidic monarchy; consisting of all 13 Israelite tribes:
Observe that the Glory of ETERNAL departed from the city of Jerusalem just before its destruction. The Glory will return to Jerusalem in the millennia period. No temple in Jerusalem has known the presence of the Glory of the ETERNAL in this manner since 586 BC" 2 (the date of the destruction of Solomon's Temple).

The trail of our CREATOR's Shekinah 3 Glory is the key to understanding the Third Temple. We will follow the trail.

Step 1 Ezekiel 9:3 "Now the glory of the CREATOR of Israel had gone up from the cherub, where it had been, to the threshold of the temple.

"It is noteworthy that to Ezekiel, the priest, was given the vision of the glory of ETERNAL departing:
1) From the cherubim to the threshold of the Temple (Ezekiel 9:3 and 10:4).
2) From the threshold (Ezekiel 10:18).
3) From Temple and city to the mountain on the east of Jerusalem, Olivet (Ezekiel 11:23).
4) Returning to the millennia Temple to abide (Ezekiel 43:2 - 5)." 4

Step 2 Ezekiel 10:18 "Then the glory of ETERNAL departed from the threshold of the temple and stood over the cherubim."
Step 3 Ezekiel 11:23 "And the glory of ETERNAL went up from the midst of the city and stood on the mountain, which is on the east side of the city."
"The departure of the divine glory (the visible symbol of CREATOR's presence) from the Temple marks the end of the Theocratic Kingdom in OT history. ...The visible glory will return when the Kingdom is restored to Israel (Ezekiel 43:1 - 7)." 5

Step 4 Ezekiel 43:2-5 "And behold, the glory of the CREATOR of Israel came from the way of the east. His voice was like the sound of many waters; and the earth shone with His glory. It was like the appearance of the vision, which I saw like the vision, which I saw when I 6 came to destroy the city. The visions were like the vision, which I saw by the River Chebar; and I fell on my face. And the Glory of ETERNAL came into the temple by way of the gate, which faces toward the east. The Spirit lifted me up and brought me into the inner court; and behold, the Glory of ETERNAL filled the temple."


Much is being said about the restoration of the Temple, who will build it, and when will it be built. The first Temple was Solomon's; the second Temple was Hezekiah's which was extensively remodeled by Herod. The Mashiach, King David will build the Third Temple in Jerusalem and it WILL NOT be built before that time:
Zechariah 6:12-13 "Then speak to him [Joshua], saying, 'Thus says ETERNAL of hosts, saying: Behold, the man [King David] whose name is the BRANCH! From his place [in the grave], he shall branch out, and he shall build the Temple of ETERNAL. Yes, he shall build the Temple of ETERNAL. He shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule on his throne. So he [Elijah] shall be a priest on His throne, and the counsel of peace shall be between them both [King David and Elijah]."'

The Third Temple will be a physical Temple, and then after it is built ETERNAL states He will dwell there:
Ezekiel 43:7 "And He said to me, `Son of man, this is the place of My throne and the place of the soles of My feet, where I will dwell in the midst of the Children of Israel forever. No more shall the House of Israel defile My righteous Name, they nor their kings, by their harlotry or with the carcasses of their kings on their high places.'"

The English word "dwell" in verse seven is from the Hebrew word 7 "shakan" and means to reside or permanently stay. Note the resemblance to the word "Shekinah."

Thus, ETERNAL will put His Shekinah Glory into this Third Temple and He will dwell there among His people forever. Another scripture that states the same is: Haggai 2:1-5 "In the seventh month, on the twenty-first of the month, the word of ETERNAL came by Haggai the prophet, saying: 'Speak now to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah and to Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and to the remnant of the people, saying: Who is left among you who saw this temple in its former glory? And how do you see it now? In comparison with it, is this not in your eyes as nothing? Yet now be strong, Zerubbabel,' says ETERNAL; 'and be strong, Joshua, son of Jehozadak, the high priest; and be strong, all you people of the land,' says ETERNAL, 'and work; for I am with you,' says ETERNAL of hosts. 'According to the word that I covenanted with you when you came out of Egypt, so My Spirit remains among you; do not fear!'"

That verse is saying that although the Shekinah Glory of the ETERNAL left the first physical Temple and it will not be back until the Third-the final Temple is built. He states My Spirit remains among you fear not! Therefore, we do have access to ETERNAL and His Righteous Spirit now, today. Then again, our CREATOR promises peace:
Haggai 2:6-9 "For thus says ETERNAL of hosts: 'Once more (it is a little while) I will shake heaven and earth, the sea and dry land. And I will shake all nations, and they shall come to the Desire of All Nations, and I will fill this Temple with Glory,' says ETERNAL of Hosts. The silver is Mine, and the gold is Mine,' says ETERNAL of Hosts. 'The Glory of this latter temple shall be greater than the former,' says ETERNAL of Hosts. 'And in this place I will give peace,' says ETERNAL of Hosts."

There will come a day when both Houses of Israel will be at peace, when the ETERNAL will again dwell among His people. However, that is yet a ways off because before the destruction and regathering of Israel, a work is being done in the end-time: A work that is dedicated to working for the reuniting of Israel. A work that will tell Israel who they are and what their sins are; in hope they will repent. For ETERNAL in speaking to Solomon about the first Temple has stated:
2 Chronicles 7:12-14 (TLB) "One night ETERNAL appeared to Solomon and told him, 'I have heard your prayer and have chosen this Temple as the place where I want you to sacrifice to me. If I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or if I command the locust swarms to eat up all of your crops, or if I send an epidemic among you. 14 Then if My people will humble themselves and pray, and search for Me, and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear them from heaven and forgive their sins and heal their land. I will listen, wide awake, to every prayer made in this place. For I have chosen this Temple and sanctified it to be My home forever; My eyes and My heart shall always be here."

Conclusion
The world should be on notice if the State of Israel falls; that would accelerate the "Time of Jacob's Trouble." What would soon happen afterwards would be catastrophic for the Commonwealth of Greater Israel with 2/3 dying in war and pestilence and 1/3 being taken into captivity.
Then ETERNAL would come down to earth and stand on the Mount of Olives. He would raise the Mashiach (Messiah), King David, and the Prophet Elijah from their graves. While King David gathered the remnant of Israel out of concentration camps, the Prophet would turn the hearts of the children [the captives] to the fathers [Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob] and the fathers to the children.

Regardless who you may think the Jews and Jewish people are does not affect how this is played out. The reason is, regardless of what your thoughts may be on who the thirteen tribes of Greater Israel are today, captivity and deliverance will still happen! Why? Even if you discount the people, The Mighty One of Israel is concerned over Jerusalem and its falling will trigger the end-time scenario with all of its prophesied death and destruction.

However, if you are serving our loving SOVEREIGN with all of your heart and might, you will be there for the restoration of all things and the Kingdom of ETERNAL on earth. It will begin with all of those living the Hebrew Faith of Abraham and those Questing for the Ancient of Days standing from their graves. Both groups will then have spirit bodies. 8 Oh, what a glorious time that will be.

Since the one SOVEREIGN has only one set of Scripture, the Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament, Tanakh), He has only one Way for us to live. We must trust His promised protection and live His Way. Compare your daily activities against what the Commandments, Statutes, and Judgments state. Are they the same? If not, then "right now" is the time to change.

If you do compare and change and obey ETERNAL's words, then He will bring you and the rest of the Righteous Remnant safely through the time of Jacob's Trouble. Then you will experience The Wonderful World of Tomorrow that follows the upcoming holocaust during the time of Jacob's Trouble.

In addition, we must tell our friends, family, and those we know that we are part of the Lost Ten Tribes of Israel. We must also warn them of the coming danger of the Time of Jacob's Trouble and give them the good news of The Wonderful World Of Tomorrow. Oh Israel, we must turn from worshiping the B-als on Sunday morning and search for the heart of our loving CREATOR we will find it.

How can you know what we have said in our literature and tapes is true? To prove it one way or the other, you must study to find the answers in the Hebrew Scriptures. Wake Up America! Wake Up Britain! Wake Up Judah! The Tribes of Israel, both Houses of MUST Wake Up! It is much later than you think! Even now the ancient land of Judea is flirting with total disaster.

Begin now to obey our SOVEREIGN and His written word -- not the word of some man no matter how much you esteem him. This is for both you and your family. In addition, no man dead or alive can save us. However, repentance to the Great Mighty One, the ETERNAL SOVEREIGN, is the only action that will save us (Isaiah 43:25-26; Psalm 51:4). We must study to know our SOVEREIGN and His Way; we must "Quest for the Ancient of Days." Let us help you with your Quest. Write us or stop by our website at and see for yourself. We will leave the light on for you. Write for our magazine "The Hope of Israel."

You have been exposed to this work. The question of what you will do about it has already been asked. The answer is already in your heart known only to you and the Mighty One of Israel. He alone is your judge.




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Footnotes
1. Notes from New Scofield Reference Edition, introduction notes for Ezekiel
2. Ibid.

3. "A word not in the Scriptures but use by later Jews and 'Christians' to express the visible Divine Presence, especially when resting between the Cherubim over the mercy seat. Aramaic and Late Hebrew "Shekiniah" or residence of 'God'. Unger's Dictionary, p 1008.

4. Scofield's note for verse (9:3)

5. Scofield's note for verse (11:23)

6. Scofield's note for verse 3:


"Obviously it was not Ezekiel who came to destroy the city of Jerusalem for her sins, but ETERNAL Himself. On the basis of the requirements of the context, the reading in some six manuscripts, the version of Theodotion and that of the Vulgate, the best reading is "when I came to destroy the city." A possible rendering, and perhaps preferable, would be to read the final letter of the disputed word as a well-known abbreviation for "LORD," thus giving us the reading "when ETERNAL came to destroy the city."
This is an example of Midnight Monk activity, see our article, "Why Satan Not Win?"
7. Strong's H7931 "shakan" (shaw-kan') a prim. root through the idea of lodging; to reside or permanently stay.

8. See our article "When a Man Dies, Will He Live Again?"