I mentioned in an earlier article that minus Israel living in the land, they are an incomplete people.
But you wanna know something that’s really ironic?
The people of Israel today finally do possess the land again…
…yet they are still incomplete.
Why?
Because they don’t have a temple.
I have heard many Rabbis say that in our generation the Torah is inoperative.
They are correct.
What they mean when they say that is not that the Law has been done away or that the Torah is dead.
What they simply mean is that there is much of the Law that cannot be obeyed.
And this was also the same situation with the Exodus Hebrews who had the incredible privilege of experiencing the presence of the Tabernacle and the Ark of the Covenant.
In contrast, the Jews of today while possessing the Land do NOT possess the Lord’s holy dwelling place among them.
Let’s get this straight for all time and forever.
The Temple is a non-negotiable and very vital part of Torah obedience.
Furthermore, the prophet Ezekiel prophesies that not only will the Temple be rebuilt but all of the sacrifices and other observances linked to the Temple shall once again begin in full force!
If you’ve been following my studies from the very beginning, it should be pretty clear by now that a good majority of the laws concerning ritual purity and atonement for transgressions require the existence of a Temple.
Minus the Temple and the priests to perform the required rituals, we are deprived of a most critical link in the chain of Torah observance.
Heck, even the Shabbat cannot be properly observed because the Torah requires that certain sacrifices be done on this day and they have to take place at the Temple.
But that’s just the tip of the iceberg.
The all-important Firstfruits ceremonies cannot be performed minus a temple and priesthood to whom the firstfruits are to be presented.
Yom Kippur also can’t be properly observed because we need a High Priest to go into the Holy of Holies and sprinkle blood onto the Ark of the Covenant (an object which has gone missing for a good 2500 years now).
I could go on and on but I think you get the point.
In fact, many of the Torah commands that don’t seem to be connected to the Temple actually are…if even in only an indirect manner.
Understand that the Torah and Temple have always been and will always inextricably linked to each other.
Now don’t misunderstand me and think I’m saying it’s wrong to observe the feasts or wrong to follow the Torah instructions as much as possible as a demonstration of our love and faith to the God of Israel.
It is perfectly fine to obey the commands of Torah in spirit as far as you are capable of doing.
However, I do think it’s wrong and quite a laughable matter to uphold Torah obedience to arrogantly justify oneself or as an attempt to achieve some sort of self-righteousness.
Why?
Because again, there is no Temple man!
In our day and age, for someone to say he or she is completely keeping Torah would be a big time hypocrite…
…simply because too many of the required procedural elements are not available to us which are…
…the Temple and the Priesthood.
Just as the Roman Church has their blasphemous and pagan trinity of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, so too do the children of Israel have their HASHEM-ordained HOLY trinity consisting of…
…the people, the land, and the Temple with its Priesthood.
And unfortunately, it appears as if Israel has been without at least one of these elements for a good portion of their history.
Can you see now why the most religious and zealous Jews have a burning desire to get their Temple rebuilt and the Levitical priesthood re-established?
It’s because they are quite acutely aware of their current predicament.
Well, I’ve got some great news for them…and for all true believers everywhere.
The Holy Scriptures make it clear that in the very near future ALL 3 elements of “people”, “land” and “Temple & Priesthood” will once again be established…
…and true temple-based Torah observance will begin once again per the instructions of this book we have been studying for a good five years now.
CONNECTING THIS TEACHING TO THE NEW TESTAMENT
“Don’t think that I have come to abolish
the Torah or the Prophets.
I have come not to abolish but to complete.
Yes indeed!
I tell you that until heaven and earth pass away,
not so much as a yud or a stroke
will pass from the Torah —
not until everything that must happen has happened.
So whoever disobeys the least of these mitzvot and
teaches others to do so will be called the least
in the Kingdom of Heaven.
But whoever obeys them and so teaches
will be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven.”
-Matthew 5:17-19
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