For us who are watching prophetic
developments in the earth, there is something very exciting about
monitoring the historic preparations taking place for the rebuilding of
Israel's Temple.
In the last few weeks, two big stories have hit the headlines that are worth noting.
The
first news item concerns the resurfacing of a report of a mysterious
gemstone that could belong to the original breastplate of the High
Priest.
The second news headline is that Israel's reconvened
Sanhedrin has taken the momentous step to nominate a High Priest - for
the first time since the Temple's destruction in AD 70!
In
this article we will look more at these intriguing developments and
will then look at the prophetic implications for us as believers as we
draw closer to the time of the Lord's coming.
Mysterious Gem Discovered
Detailed
reports of a mysterious gem re-surfaced this week and have also made
headlines in the secular media. There is strong speculation that the gem
could be from the breast plate of the High Priest.
Others
suggest that it may be one of the two stones worn on the High Priest's
shoulders or even be part of the legendary Urim & Thummim. While
these speculations may seem far-fetched at first glance, a detailed and
scientific analysis of the gem has highlighted its stunningly unique and
mysterious features.
The precious stone -
which has been carefully passed down the documented line of a Crusader's
family tree - is a semi-precious sardonyx with little intrinsic value
in and of itself. It has been cut into a hemisphere, and researchers are
baffled as to how the ancients could possibly have cut the stone in
this way.
Even more astounding than the cut of
the stone, is an inscription in ancient Hebrew inside the stone,
visible through its clear surface. Professor Moshe Sharon - who is an
expert on ancient Hebrew Script at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem -
describes the Hebrew inscription as being in a style of Script from
approximately 1000 BC.
This Hebrew inscription
leads to speculation that the gem could belong to the legendary Urim
and Thummim which were used in Bible times to determine God's will (Ex.
28:30, 1 Sam 28:16).
It is interesting to note
that the Jewish Talmud describes the Urim and Thummim as being stones
that would light up to spell an answer in Hebrew in response to
petitions to God. Could this stone be one of the mysterious Urim and
Thummim?
Another mystery is how this ancient
Hebrew script was inscribed inside the gem - without any visible signs
of engraving or cutting of the stone.
Noted
professor of archaeology and religious studies Dr. James Strange
comments that, 'there is no modern or ancient technology known to me by
which an artisan could produce the inscription (inside the stone), as it
is not cut into the surface of the stone".
Upon
examination, Dr. Strange also noted that the stone has no external
markings, ruling out that it had been part of a ring or necklace. His
conclusion was that the stone must have been set in a large plate or
breastplate.
Ian Campbell, a leading South
African gemologist, priced this unique gem at $200 million as a starting
point, but acknowledged the difficulty of pricing a one-off unique gem
with such tremendous religious significance.
While
the owners have expressed interest in the gem being restored to Jewish
hands, the cost is prohibitive and its authenticity must be proven.
Dr.
Strange is today issuing a call for a fresh scientific examination of
the stone to determine whether it is an elaborate hoax or a genuine
artifact belonging to the Jewish people. At this stage it is too early
to tell, but perhaps this stone will be restored to Israel and play a
role in the rebuilt temple?
The Sanhedrin Nominates a High Priest
Just
prior to the reports about this mysterious gem, another prophetic
headline ricocheted across the world as the Israeli Sanhedrin announced
that it had taken the ground breaking step to nominate a High Priest.
The
Sanhedrin at the time of Jesus served as a kind of Supreme Court for
the Jewish nation. It was disbanded in 425 AD, and was only reconvened
in 2004. At the time, leading prophecy teachers hailed it's reconvening
as an important step in preparing for the rebuilding of the Temple.
The
modern reconvened Sanhedrin consists of 71 distinguished rabbis (after
the pattern of Moses + 70 elders), and it meets monthly to rule on key
spiritual issues.
Rabbinical teaching holds
that the High Priest for the Third Temple would either be appointed by
the Sanhedrin or by the King (the Messiah Himself). In the absence of
the Messiah, and in the lead up to the all important Yom Kippur (Day of
Atonement) sacrifice for the nation, the Sanhedrin has agreed on the
need to nominate a High Priest who can perform this vitally important
sacrifice if permission is granted.
Permission to
sacrifice on the Temple Mount could come sooner than many expect. With
the unexpected and dramatic rise of Temple Mount activist Rabbi Yehudah
Glick into Netanyahu's coalition government, and the increasing support
for a rebuilt Temple among both Government ministers and a small but
growing segment of the population, the Sanhedrin can sense a change in
the air.
This sense of change also carries
with it great responsibility as it would be a disaster if permission was
granted and no High Priest was ready to perform the crucial Day of
Atonement sacrifice for the nation.
It is against this backdrop that the momentous decision
was taken by the Sanhedrin to appoint a High Priest - for the first time
since the temple was destroyed in AD 70! The nominated candidate for
High Priest was Rabbi Baruch Kahane, an expert on the complicated laws
pertaining to the Temple Service.
In a
surprising twist, Rabbi Baruch declined the role at this time, but
accepted a similar role with the title of 'Rosh Kohanim' (Head of the
Priests). This role is often but not always synonymous with being High
Priest. In other words, Rabbi Baruch will be available to be called on
to be High Priest if and when the situation should arise.
It
is important to note that sacrificing on the Temple Mount does not
require the prior existence of a rebuilt Temple and can be restarted
before the construction has even begun.
If
granted permission by the Israeli authorities - which would still be a
major miracle in itself - the Sanhedrin's goal is to be ready to conduct
sacrifices with only a week's notice.
The
appointing of a High Priest is therefore a crucial step in preparation
for the resumption of sacrifices on the Temple Mount.
The Temple and End Times
Believers
in Jesus rightly point to Him as the ultimate sacrifice for mankind and
that we as believers no longer require animal sacrifices for sins.
However, restoring the sacrificial system could be an important step in
preparing the Jewish people for their Messiah and certainly plays a key
role in the End Times.
Modern rabbinical
Judaism has moved away from sacrifices to good works as a means of
salvation, and it is therefore hard for many Jewish people to understand
the significance of the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross.
But
as sacrifices are restored to the Jewish nation, it will shift modern
Judaism back closer to Biblical Judaism. This would open the eyes of
many to the importance of the sacrifice in dealing with sins, and
perhaps even help prepare the way for the nation to understand fully the
sacrifice of Jesus and what was accomplished at the cross.
In
regards to End Time Prophecy, many believe that the Scriptures warn of
Temple Sacrifices being stopped for a period of time by the Anti-Christ
(Dan 9:27).
If this is correct, then a rebuilt
Temple is an essential piece of the prophetic puzzle. The rebuilding of
the Temple and the re-institution of a High Priest (with or without the
mysterious gem!) are therefore all significant steps bringing us that
much closer to the day when the Lord Himself will return!
Read more at http://www.prophecynewswatch.com/article.cfm?recent_news_id=735#jg1lixx2yWv83zR5.99
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