Knowing the signs of the times leading to the return of Christ

Are you are aware that we are now living in the times leading to the Great Tribulation and the coming of Christ?

I will be looking at Matthew 24 mostly but will refer to other passages in the scriptures as well to emphasize how close we are to these two things the Great Tribulation and the return of Christ.  I will also be referring to this time as the 70th week of Daniel or the last week of years.

I will be looking at Matthew 24 & 25 giving a few verses then adding links that I feel are relevant from the verses given to show how late the hour is and where I feel we are now up to.

When I started to write this blog post and I am new to this so please bear with me for I may make spelling mistakes and I have my L's on in this.  As I said as I was starting to write this blog post I was going to just focus on the signs and just give a cursory look at what led to Jesus sharing with His disciples the signs of His coming.

I felt the Lord impress upon my spirit to write about the temple and why the disciples were drawing the attention of Jesus to it and His response to them. 

 To write about the importance of the temple to Jerusalem and Israel and how the religious leaders and elders of the people reacted to Jesus His popularity and His saying He was going to destroy the temple and raise it up in three days.  This was used against Him in His trial before the Sanhedrin before He went to the cross.

I will not be giving a in depth view of the temple just an over view.  I have written a more in depth article on the importance of the Temple which I may add to this blog at a later date.

What I will be doing is giving a brief overview of the temple as a backdrop to the rest of what Jesus was telling His disciples  about the signs of the times leading up to His coming.

So I will break it down into segments or parts if you wish.  This will not be done at one sitting but over a period of a few days.  

So please be patient with me and allow me time to get this written as I do have a family life as well and this must take my first priority to tend to my family as well as writing the blog.

So here goes, I will break this post down into the following segments / parts.

1 Overview the Temple 

• Why were the disciples drawing Jesus's attention to it. 
•  Jesus response to His disciples about the temple.  
• Why was the temple important to the Jewish people especially the priests, scribes and Pharisees and why were they upset with Jesus in regards to His comments about the temple.  
• Why is the temple important in the times leading up to the return of Jesus.

2 The beginning of birth pangs this is covered in the next few verses and I will be adding relevant web links / You Tube links as well if I am able to do so.

3 The birth pangs increase in strength.

4 The times of the Great Tribulation and the importance of Jerusalem during these times.

5 The Coming of the Son of Man after the Great Tribulation.

6 What will the days be like leading to the coming of the Son of Man.

7 What should we be doing to be prepared for His coming.

Part One Overview The Temple

Matthew 24:1

And Jesus went out, and departed from the temple: and his disciples came to him for to shew him the buildings of the temple.

Why were the disciples drawing Jesus's attention to it?

Let's look at some background,  In Matthew 23 Jesus had just been dressing down the scribes and pharisees for the way they treated the people making it hard for them to enter into the kingdom of heaven.  How they loved the praises of men and yet disobeyed God making null and void His commandments that on the outward they appear righteous but were full of wickedness and were the descendants of those who killed the prophets.  Jesus really rebuked them to their face.

He then left them and went to the Mt of Olives His favorite place and on the way His disciples were pointing out to Him the marvelous buildings.

Luke 21:5

And as some spake of the temple, how it was adorned with goodly stones and gifts, he said,

Mark 13:1

And as he went out of the temple, one of his disciples saith unto him, Master, see what manner of stones and what buildings are here!

I don't know why the disciples wanted to draw the attention of Jesus to the temple maybe to impress Him or to say look how great this building is nothing will destroy it.  Maybe they were reacting to what Jesus said about the Temple as He left after dressing down the Pharisees.  That Jerusalem's house the temple will be left desolate.  Maybe they were saying in effect that is impossible it won't happen it is God's building nothing can happen to it.

Yet they were forgetting that they were speaking to God Himself in His Son and what Jesus spoke concerning the temple and what will happen to it is the truth.

To remind you this is what Jesus said at the end of Matthew 23.37-39

Matthew 23:37-39

O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!

38 Behold, your house is left unto you desolate.

39 For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.

Jesus said that their house will be left to them desolate and that Jerusalem will not see Him again until they call for Him and say blessed is He that comes in the name of the Lord and this is true. 

When the Jews or the bible speaks of the House or the place they are meaning the temple, the place where God is worshiped.  The place where God chose to place His name to be worshiped in all of Israel.   

This is God's House where His presence dwelt among the people of Israel.  So it was a serious thing when Jesus said in the verses above that Jerusalem's house will be left to her desolate.  Meaning God will destroy the temple and it will be left abandoned God's presence will no longer be there.  He will no longer be there in their midst.

So we will not Jesus again until His people call for Him those people being the Jews but more on this another time.

In regards to the Temple King Herod was a prolific builder he did this to make himself look great.  He did beautify and enlarge the temple by adding to it and adorning it in the hope I guess of making him look good in the Jewish people's eyes especially the religious leaders. 

For King Herod was from the tribe of Edom he was not a Jew nor was he from the line of the tribe of Judah the true line of Kings over Israel.  Of which lineage Jesus was and is for He is the Lion of the Tribe of Judah.

So never let us forget this that Jesus is a Jew, an Israelite, He was born into the House of Israel, He was a Jew being from the tribe of Judah and He is still very much an Israelite of the tribe of Judah of the House of David a Jew.  That at His return He will sit on the throne of David in Jerusalem ruling both the House of Jacob (Israel) and the nations.  

You can see his lineage in the genealogies of Matthew 1 and Luke 3.  Also Gabriel told Mary that her son will rule on the throne of David over the House of Jacob.

Luke 1:26-38

And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth,

27 To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary.

28 And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.

29 And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be.

30 And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God.

31 And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus.

32 He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:

33 And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.

34 Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?

35 And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.

36 And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren.

37 For with God nothing shall be impossible.

38 And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.

Revelation 5:5-14

And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.

6 And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.

7 And he came and took the book out of the right hand of him that sat upon the throne.

8 And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints.

9 And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;

10 And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.

11 And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands;

12 Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.

13 And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.

14 And the four beasts said, Amen. And the four and twenty elders fell down and worshipped him that liveth for ever and ever.

Revelation 22:16

 I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star.

Herod was a puppet king of the Romans he was their man.

It took him quite a number of years to get the temple finished oddly enough it was just finished when the Romans destroyed it.  

Here is a link to do with King Herod and the temple.

This is taken from a Jewish web site but very informative re the history of the Jewish people and King Herod.

http://www.aish.com/jl/h/cc/48942446.html

Here is a You tube link re King Herod and His temple.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QFV0jLM1ugI

I have jumped ahead of myself here so will go more into detail of what the religious leaders said to Jesus about His remark that He will destroy the temple and in three days will raise it up.  This will be dealt with further down.

Jesus response to His disciples about the temple.  

This is what Jesus said will happen to the temple.

Matthew 24:2

And Jesus said unto them, See ye not all these things? verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.

Mark 13:2

And Jesus answering said unto him, Seest thou these great buildings? there shall not be left one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.

Luke 21:6

 As for these things which ye behold, the days will come, in the which there shall not be left one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.

Jesus was showing them that God has no regard for what man considers to be great or important, that these things will be torn down or overthrown and will not remain.  Only God's kingdom is eternal and will remain.  They were not to put their trust in what their eyes can see or marvel at what men can do.

Maybe Jesus said this to get them thinking and questioning what is important and what will happen before He comes to take up His kingdom.  So of course they did ask the question about what are the signs of His coming when will these things take place.  

Which is the reason of my writing this blog post.  That 2000 years later we should be looking at what is happening today and asking ourselves how close is the time of our King's coming?  Is it at the door and are we the last generation or our children that will not see death until He comes?  More on this as this blog post progresses through the other parts.

Why was the temple important to the Jewish people? Especially the priests, scribes and Pharisees and why were they upset with Jesus in regards to His comments about the temple?

Please take time to look at the web link to the Jewish web site and the You tube clip on why the temple was important to the Jewish people.

From a biblical perspective, Jerusalem was the place where God was to place His name to have the people of Israel to come up to worship Him in a central place to offer up their offerings and to celebrate the three key festivals on the Jewish calendar.  Those festivals being Passover, Pentecost and Tabernacles.

Scriptures to do with God choosing Zion/ Jerusalem.

God has founded Zion and He will rule from Zion again

Isaiah 14:32

 What shall one then answer the messengers of the nation? That the Lord hath founded Zion, and the poor of his people shall trust in it.

Isaiah 18:7

 In that time shall the present be brought unto the Lord of hosts of a people scattered and peeled, and from a people terrible from their beginning hitherto; a nation meted out and trodden under foot, whose land the rivers have spoiled, to the place of the name of the Lord of hosts, the mount Zion.

Isaiah 24:23

 Then the moon shall be confounded, and the sun ashamed, when the Lord of hosts shall reign in mount Zion, and in Jerusalem, and before his ancients gloriously.

Isaiah 31:9

And he shall pass over to his strong hold for fear, and his princes shall be afraid of the ensign, saith the Lord, whose fire is in Zion, and his furnace in Jerusalem.

God will choose Zion again to dwell in the midst of her and He is jealous for her.

Jeremiah 3:15-18

And I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding.

16 And it shall come to pass, when ye be multiplied and increased in the land, in those days, saith the Lord, they shall say no more, The ark of the covenant of the Lord: neither shall it come to mind: neither shall they remember it; neither shall they visit it; neither shall that be done any more.

17 At that time they shall call Jerusalem the throne of the Lord; and all the nations shall be gathered unto it, to the name of the Lord, to Jerusalem: neither shall they walk any more after the imagination of their evil heart.

18 In those days the house of Judah shall walk with the house of Israel, and they shall come together out of the land of the north to the land that I have given for an inheritance unto your fathers.

Zechariah 2:10-13

Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion: for, lo, I come, and I will dwell in the midst of thee, saith the Lord.

11 And many nations shall be joined to the Lord in that day, and shall be my people: and I will dwell in the midst of thee, and thou shalt know that the Lord of hosts hath sent me unto thee.

12 And the Lord shall inherit Judah his portion in the holy land, and shall choose Jerusalem again.

13 Be silent, O all flesh, before the Lord: for he is raised up out of his holy habitation.

Zechariah 8:1-3

Again the word of the Lord of hosts came to me, saying,

2 Thus saith the Lord of hosts; I was jealous for Zion with great jealousy, and I was jealous for her with great fury.

3 Thus saith the Lord; I am returned unto Zion, and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and Jerusalem shall be called a city of truth; and the mountain of the Lord of hosts the holy mountain.

Zechariah 12:2-3

Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling unto all the people round about, when they shall be in the siege both against Judah and against Jerusalem.

3 And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it.

Jesus is the cornerstone of Zion

Psalm 2:6-9

Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion.

7 I will declare the decree: the Lord hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee.

8 Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession.

9 Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel.

1 Peter 2:4-10

To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious,

5 Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.

6 Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded.

7 Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner,

8 And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.

9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light;

10 Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.

Jerusalem is the city of the Great King God and it is His throne where one day all nations those that enter into the kingdom with Jesus will come up to worship Jesus at the Feast of Tabernacles.  

Of course Jesus will have a new name in His millennial kingdom that depicts His role as priest and King,  All nations will worship Him and will know Him by one name.

Revelation 3:12

Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name.

Zechariah 6:11-15

Then take silver and gold, and make crowns, and set them upon the head of Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest;

12 And speak unto him, saying, Thus speaketh the Lord of hosts, saying, Behold the man whose name is The Branch; and he shall grow up out of his place, and he shall build the temple of the Lord:

13 Even he shall build the temple of the Lord; and he shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon his throne; and he shall be a priest upon his throne: and the counsel of peace shall be between them both.

14 And the crowns shall be to Helem, and to Tobijah, and to Jedaiah, and to Hen the son of Zephaniah, for a memorial in the temple of the Lord.

15 And they that are far off shall come and build in the temple of the Lord, and ye shall know that the Lord of hosts hath sent me unto you. And this shall come to pass, if ye will diligently obey the voice of the Lord your God.

Zechariah 14:9

 And the Lord shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one Lord, and his name one.

The temple was the heart of Israel it was the House of God and they didn't want anything to happen to it.  It was a status symbol of their power and authority their control over the people.  This is how they regarded it.

That was why the corrupt priests and elders and ascribes and Pharisees saw Jesus being a threat to their cozy relationship with Rome and they wanted to destroy Jesus who was upsetting their status quo.  The people were leaving their control in droves and were following Jesus.

That is why Caiaphas prophesied that Jesus must die to save the nation and their house.

John 11:45-54

Then many of the Jews which came to Mary, and had seen the things which Jesus did, believed on him.

46 But some of them went their ways to the Pharisees, and told them what things Jesus had done.

47 Then gathered the chief priests and the Pharisees a council, and said, What do we? for this man doeth many miracles.

48 If we let him thus alone, all men will believe on him: and the Romans shall come and take away both our place and nation.

49 And one of them, named Caiaphas, being the high priest that same year, said unto them, Ye know nothing at all,

50 Nor consider that it is expedient for us, that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not.

51 And this spake he not of himself: but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus should die for that nation;

52 And not for that nation only, but that also he should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad.

53 Then from that day forth they took counsel together for to put him to death.

54 Jesus therefore walked no more openly among the Jews; but went thence unto a country near to the wilderness, into a city called Ephraim, and there continued with his disciples.

That is why they had false witnesses testify or try to testify against Jesus when He was brought before the Kangaroo court of the Sanhedrin before they handed Him over to Pilate.  They were saying that He said He was going to destroy the temple and raise it up after three days.  Even in their testimony they couldn't agree.

Jesus did say that but He wasn't speaking about the physical temple of rocks and costly stones.  He was talking about His body that was the temple of the Holy Spirit and He was going to be raised up after three days in the grave. 

John 2:13-22

And the Jews' passover was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.

14 And found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting:

15 And when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers' money, and overthrew the tables;

16 And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father's house an house of merchandise.

17 And his disciples remembered that it was written, The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up.

18 Then answered the Jews and said unto him, What sign shewest thou unto us, seeing that thou doest these things?

19 Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.

20 Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days?

21 But he spake of the temple of his body.

22 When therefore he was risen from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this unto them; and they believed the scripture, and the word which Jesus had said.

Matthew 26:58-66

Now the chief priests, and elders, and all the council, sought false witness against Jesus, to put him to death;

60 But found none: yea, though many false witnesses came, yet found they none. At the last came two false witnesses,

61 And said, This fellow said, I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to build it in three days.

62 And the high priest arose, and said unto him, Answerest thou nothing? what is it which these witness against thee?

63 But Jesus held his peace, And the high priest answered and said unto him, I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God.

64 Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.

65 Then the high priest rent his clothes, saying, He hath spoken blasphemy; what further need have we of witnesses? behold, now ye have heard his blasphemy.

66 What think ye? They answered and said, He is guilty of death.

Even when He was on the cross they taunted him with what He said about if they destroy this temple He will raise it up after three days.  He was referring to His body not the temple itself.

Even when He was dying they mocked Him and had no respect for Him.  They had no idea what He was doing when he went to the cross, He was taking all of mankind's sins upon Himself as the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.  He was atoning for us all including those who mocked Him from both the Israeli and Gentile peoples.

Yet He hung there on that cross and allowed them to mock Him, He bore it all silently like a lamb going to the slaughter other than the seven times He spoke while hanging on the cross, He remained silent.  Until at the end He cried triumphantly it is Finished He had accomplished the work of atonement that His Father sent Him to the world to do to take away the sins of the world by becoming a sacrifice for sin. 

In a scripture further down the page I give the verses from Hebrews that He came in the body prepared for Him in accordance to what was written in the volume of the book that He will do.  This body His human body is the temple He was referring to that it will be destroyed through crucifixion and it will be raised up a glorified body after three days.  This is to show that He indeed is God and death cannot keep the Lord of Life in its grip.  He is the way the truth and the life the only way to Father and He has the keys of death and hell in His hands.

It is this same Jesus who is coming back as a triumphant king on a great white horse to take up His kingdom on the earth.  This is the Lord whose glorious visible coming is our blessed hope.  This is the One whom we should be alert, awake and watching for and knowing what are the signs of His coming so that we won't be caught out when He does appear.

This is why I am writing this web blog to alert people to the signs of the times we are now living in and to point out that these signs are the signs of His coming.  This theme will be developed over the next few weeks as I write up each part that I have listed above at the beginning of this post that we will see how these signs will unfold and progress in intensity and yes they are God's judgments which will end in the visible coming of Christ more on this when I come to that part.

So back to what I was saying Jesus was mocked by not only the Roman guards, but those who passed Him by on the way into Jerusalem to the temple to offer the Passover sacrifice.  Yet they were passing the Ultimate Passover sacrifice God's lamb who is the true Passover sacrifice.  He was mocked by the thieves as well as the religious leaders and elders of the people.  Not one of them understood what He was doing for them they were blinded, by hate and by satan who was behind their murderous intent to destroy Him.  Not realizing that Jesus had to come to die on the cross as a human / divine sacrifice was God's plan all along.

As Paul writes in one of His epistles if they knew what God had in mind the evil spiritual principalities and powers they would not have allowed the Prince of Peace to be crucified on the cross.  

This is what they said to Jesus in mockery as He hung on the cross.
Matthew 27:39-43

 And they that passed by reviled him, wagging their heads,

40 And saying, Thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, save thyself. If thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross.

41 Likewise also the chief priests mocking him, with the scribes and elders, said,

42 He saved others; himself he cannot save. If he be the King of Israel, let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe him.

43 He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him: for he said, I am the Son of God.

In essence they destroyed His temple body and God destroyed the House they put so much faith, trust in and worshiped falsely.  

That they didn't value the One who sat in the Temple they worshiped the gold on the temple and the gift on the altar but they didn't value the temple itself or the altar or the one who sat in the temple.  Yet One even greater than the temple dwelt among them but they didn't recognize Him.

Matthew 12:6

But I say unto you, That in this place is one greater than the temple.

Matthew 23:19-22

Woe unto you, ye blind guides, which say, Whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the temple, he is a debtor!

17 Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifieth the gold?

18 And, Whosoever shall swear by the altar, it is nothing; but whosoever sweareth by the gift that is upon it, he is guilty.

19 Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifieth the gift?

20 Whoso therefore shall swear by the altar, sweareth by it, and by all things thereon.

21 And whoso shall swear by the temple, sweareth by it, and by him that dwelleth therein.

22 And he that shall swear by heaven, sweareth by the throne of God, and by him that sitteth thereon.

God wanted the people to value His House and treat it with respect He wanted it to be a House of Prayer for all nations and it will be that again when Jesus sets up His Father's kingdom on earth at His return.

Isaiah 56:7

 Even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer: their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon mine altar; for mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people.

However Jesus did say that a time will come when true worshipers will worship God in spirit and in truth and not just in Jerusalem.  This was to be the case after His death and resurrection and going back to heaven.  This is how we can worship Him today in spirit and in truth anytime and in any place through the Holy Spirit who helps us to pray.  

John 4:21-24

Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father.

22 Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews.

23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.

24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

The veil has been opened torn between the Holy place and the Holy of Holies we all can enter into the throne room of grace those who believe in Jesus.  We can come boldly to the throne of grace in Heaven the Ark of the Covenant in heaven through the blood of our risen Savior who is also our High Priest ever living to intercede for us.

Matthew 27:46-59

And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?

47 Some of them that stood there, when they heard that, said, This man calleth for Elias.

48 And straightway one of them ran, and took a spunge, and filled it with vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave him to drink.

49 The rest said, Let be, let us see whether Elias will come to save him.

50 Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost.

51 And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;

Hebrews 4:14-16

Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.

15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.

16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

Hebrews 10:2-25

For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins.

3 But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year.

4 For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.

5 Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me:

6 In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure.

7 Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God.

8 Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law;

9 Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second.

10 By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

11 And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins:

12 But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God;

13 From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool.

14 For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.

15 Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that he had said before,

16 This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them;

17 And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.

18 Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin.

19 Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus,

20 By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;

21 And having an high priest over the house of God;

22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.

23 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)

24 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:

25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

Hebrews 7:25

Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them

Romans 8:26-28

 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.

27 And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.

28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

Romans 8:34

Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.

This is how we can worship the Son now but a time is coming when the temple will become important again.  Which leads onto my next point to do with the temple.

Why is the temple important in the times leading up to the return of Jesus?

There has to be a temple in Jerusalem for Jesus to come back to cleanse.  He as the true King of Glory needs a temple to be worshiped as God in and all the nations of the earth need to come up to this temple once a year to worship God and to bring their wealth and offerings to God in this temple on Mt Zion.

Isaiah 2:2-4

And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it.

3 And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.

4 And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.

Isaiah 60:1-22

Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee.

2 For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the Lord shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee.

3 And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising.

4 Lift up thine eyes round about, and see: all they gather themselves together, they come to thee: thy sons shall come from far, and thy daughters shall be nursed at thy side.

5 Then thou shalt see, and flow together, and thine heart shall fear, and be enlarged; because the abundance of the sea shall be converted unto thee, the forces of the Gentiles shall come unto thee.

6 The multitude of camels shall cover thee, the dromedaries of Midian and Ephah; all they from Sheba shall come: they shall bring gold and incense; and they shall shew forth the praises of the Lord.

7 All the flocks of Kedar shall be gathered together unto thee, the rams of Nebaioth shall minister unto thee: they shall come up with acceptance on mine altar, and I will glorify the house of my glory.

8 Who are these that fly as a cloud, and as the doves to their windows?

9 Surely the isles shall wait for me, and the ships of Tarshish first, to bring thy sons from far, their silver and their gold with them, unto the name of the Lord thy God, and to the Holy One of Israel, because he hath glorified thee.

10 And the sons of strangers shall build up thy walls, and their kings shall minister unto thee: for in my wrath I smote thee, but in my favour have I had mercy on thee.

11 Therefore thy gates shall be open continually; they shall not be shut day nor night; that men may bring unto thee the forces of the Gentiles, and that their kings may be brought.

12 For the nation and kingdom that will not serve thee shall perish; yea, those nations shall be utterly wasted.

13 The glory of Lebanon shall come unto thee, the fir tree, the pine tree, and the box together, to beautify the place of my sanctuary; and I will make the place of my feet glorious.

14 The sons also of them that afflicted thee shall come bending unto thee; and all they that despised thee shall bow themselves down at the soles of thy feet; and they shall call thee; The city of the Lord, The Zion of the Holy One of Israel.

15 Whereas thou has been forsaken and hated, so that no man went through thee, I will make thee an eternal excellency, a joy of many generations.

16 Thou shalt also suck the milk of the Gentiles, and shalt suck the breast of kings: and thou shalt know that I the Lord am thy Saviour and thy Redeemer, the mighty One of Jacob.

17 For brass I will bring gold, and for iron I will bring silver, and for wood brass, and for stones iron: I will also make thy officers peace, and thine exactors righteousness.

18 Violence shall no more be heard in thy land, wasting nor destruction within thy borders; but thou shalt call thy walls Salvation, and thy gates Praise.

19 The sun shall be no more thy light by day; neither for brightness shall the moon give light unto thee: but the Lord shall be unto thee an everlasting light, and thy God thy glory.

20 Thy sun shall no more go down; neither shall thy moon withdraw itself: for the Lord shall be thine everlasting light, and the days of thy mourning shall be ended.

21 Thy people also shall be all righteous: they shall inherit the land for ever, the branch of my planting, the work of my hands, that I may be glorified.

22 A little one shall become a thousand, and a small one a strong nation: I the Lord will hasten it in his time.

Zechariah 14:16-21

And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles.

17 And it shall be, that whoso will not come up of all the families of the earth unto Jerusalem to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, even upon them shall be no rain.

18 And if the family of Egypt go not up, and come not, that have no rain; there shall be the plague, wherewith the Lord will smite the heathen that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles.

19 This shall be the punishment of Egypt, and the punishment of all nations that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles.

20 In that day shall there be upon the bells of the horses, Holiness Unto The Lord; and the pots in the Lord's house shall be like the bowls before the altar.

21 Yea, every pot in Jerusalem and in Judah shall be holiness unto the Lord of hosts: and all they that sacrifice shall come and take of them, and seethe therein: and in that day there shall be no more the Canaanite in the house of the Lord of hosts.

It is a place where satan will enter into a man and will cause this man to force all the people on the earth to worship him as God and to take his mark as a sign of allegiance.

2 Thessalonians 2:3-4

 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;

4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.

Revelation 13:11-18

And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon.

12 And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.

13 And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men,

14 And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.

15 And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.

16 And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:

17 And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.

18 Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.

This temple and the temple mount is going to be the key piece of real estate that is going to be fought over very soon and it is beginning to happen now.  For tensions are rising very much around this piece of ground in Jerusalem.  

God is going to recompense his enemy by throwing him out of the temple and having him cast into the bottomless pit for a thousand years.  Jesus is going to rule from this temple after it has been cleansed of course.

Isaiah 66:6

A voice of noise from the city, a voice from the temple, a voice of the Lord that rendereth recompence to his enemies.

Revelation 20:1-3

And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.

2 And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,

3 And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.

The abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel will stand in the holy place ie the place where they offer the sacrifices to God, before Jesus returns more on this latter on. 

Daniel 9:24-27

Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.

25 Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times.

26 And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.

27 And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.

All I can say it is not allegory when the scripture speaks of this temple being in existence when Jesus returns.  It will be built and it will have a role to play leading up to the return of Christ to the Mt of Olives and Jerusalem from heaven.

I will put down some web links for you to look up concerning the Jews wanting to rebuild the temple on the temple Mount. They have prepared the things to be used in the temple and the training of priests for temple service.

These web links are not all Christian web sites but they show what people are wanting and desiring in regards to building another temple on the Temple Mount.  These are just a few links to get you thinking and hopefully to whet your appetite to know more.

http://www.godsholymountain.org/English/index.aspx

http://www.prophecynewswatch.com/article.cfm?recent_news_id=1438

http://www.israeltoday.co.il/NewsItem/tabid/178/nid/30506/Default.aspx

https://www.templeinstitute.org/

http://free.messianicbible.com/feature/israels-priests-prepare-third-temple/

https://www.breakingisraelnews.com/74772/sanhedrin-appoints-high-priest-preparation-third-temple/#zXUkexV5hrOpUXzb.97

Stay turned for the next part in the series knowing the signs of the times leading to the return of Christ.  This being Part Two The beginning of birth pangs