Theology of the Temple

Solomon’s Colonnade serves as both a literal and symbolic axis connecting Israel’s wisest king, the incarnate Word, and the Spirit-empowered church. Archaeological evidence affirms its Solomonic origins, while Scripture honors it as the backdrop for significant moments of Messianic revelation and apostolic ministry. Its enduring stonework stands as a testament to God’s redemptive design—conceived from creation, centered on the Resurrection, and fulfilled in glory—unchanging and steadfast.

The Church is the Third Temple, founded on Yeshua (Jesus) as the cornerstone. We neither formally endorse nor oppose the concept of a future third temple building. If such a structure were to be built, it would not replace the Church as the true Third Temple, where the Twelve Tribes of Israel and all nations gather together under the God of Israel (Rev. 7).

Yeshua will return with the clouds to the Mount of Olives, visible for all to witness, and will reign from Jerusalem. The two witnesses who prepare His way are identified as the Spirit of Elijah (Luke 1:17) and Miriam, the mother of Yeshua (Revelation 12), mirroring His first coming. In contemporary times, phenomena such as spiritual revivals in both Protestant and Catholic traditions, along with reports of Marian apparitions in Catholic and Orthodox traditions, are seen as evidence supporting the presence of the two witnesses described in Revelation.

A new Temple priesthood has emerged, surpassing the Aaronic priesthood of the Kohanim. Through baptism, all believers partake in the new order of Melchizedek. However, to exercise this priesthood officially, formal ordination as a priest or pastor within any expression of the Church is required. Despite the many who claim authority over the Church, we acknowledge only Yeshua as our High Priest, who has been reigning from the right hand of Adonai since His Ascension on the fortieth day of the Omer.

The second coming of Yeshua will be preceded by an illumination of consciences, a great global miracle, and a period of great tribulation, after which the end of the ages will arrive (Revelation 8).

We take no official position on pre- or post-millennialism. The Millennial Kingdom refers to the era in which the Church serves as the primary means of building the Messianic kingdom, whether this occurs before or after the Second Coming. The ecumenical movement, together with the restoration of a New Jerusalem as the Church’s headquarters, represents the rebuilding of the Temple following a period of desecration—namely, the dismantling of Christendom beginning with the French Revolution and the extermination of the Jews (Matthew 24:15-31). The “rapture” has been ongoing since the bodily assumption of Enoch and Elijah into heaven, a phenomenon extended to other participants in the first resurrection across both biblical and dispensational eras (Revelation 20:5-6). This may include numerous biblical figures who were close to Yeshua (Matthew 27:52). A more specific Messianic interpretation of the Millennial Kingdom emerges from a traditional Jewish perspective. The Midrash Pirkei De Rabbi Eliezer affirms a universally accepted belief in Judaism that the Messiah must come by the seventh millennium, though possibly earlier, never later. Each day of creation is seen as prophetically representing one millennium, based on Psalm 90:4. The Messianic kingdom is described as “the time that is all Shabbat,” when the world will enter an era of peace. Now past the Hebrew year 5780, that time draws near.

The four senses of Scripture constitute a four-level method of interpreting the Bible. In Christianity, these are the literal, allegorical, tropological (moral), and anagogical senses. In Kabbalah, the four meanings of biblical texts are literal, allusive, allegorical, and mystical. A literal interpretation of the Millennial Kingdom prophecy does not preclude the other three senses. Additionally, Hebrew is a numeric language. The Tanakh refers to two distinct comings of the Messiah: one as the Son of Joseph (the Suffering Servant of Isaiah 53) and one as the Son of David (the Shiloh prophecy). The numeric value of “Messiah, Son of Joseph” is 566, while that of “Messiah, Son of David” is 434. The sum of these values, equaling 1000 years (566 + 434), symbolizes the presence of Yeshua himself.

We are currently living in a time of conflict with the great dragon, his beast, and his false prophet—a period often called the “age of Anti-Christ,” a brief era in which Satan is unleashed to once again attempt to deceive the nations. Consequently, the mark of the beast, with which many are being sealed, manifests as the manipulation of minds through aggressive secularism, atheism, certain ideological movements, and direct assaults on human sexuality as a primary means to undermine society. As humanity was created on the sixth day, the number 666 symbolizes a trinity of men, representing the ultimate and systematic rejection of God (Revelation 13:18).

Israel’s national repentance and acknowledgment of Yeshua as the Messiah is intrinsically linked to His second coming, much like the Great Commission emphasizes the extension of salvation through the God of Israel to all Gentiles. According to Psalm 118:26, Yeshua will not return until the leaders in Jerusalem recognize Him as the Messiah and the Gospel has been proclaimed worldwide.

Lastly, we firmly reject Replacement Theology and affirm our belief that Adonai is faithfully fulfilling all promises made to the chosen people, as evidenced by the establishment of the State of Israel.

The False Prophet and the Beast

In TOBChurch theology, Islam and Freemasonry are regarded as the false prophet and the beast described in Revelation 13:1-18, with the “666” mark symbolizing the formal repression of God and the mockery of Judeo-Christianity. Both are seen as striving for complete global and political dominance—the former emerging during the first millennium of Christendom, and the latter giving rise to aggressive secular ideologies in the second millennium. Both are considered to have roots in paganism and occult revelations, with relativism serving as a common Western influence, and modern-day heretical movements often tracing their origins to Freemasonry. Reported supernatural manifestations of Isa (Jesus) and his mother in predominantly Islamic nations are interpreted as divine witnesses calling the children of Islam back to the free gift of salvation.

* LGBT persons have all our respect and pastoral support.

^ Check Theology of the Body for a better understanding of the divine plan for human sexuality.