[Darris McNeely] Our recent Beyond Today program, Will a Temple Be Built In Jerusalem, has generated quite a bit of response and also a number of questions about whether or not a temple will be built. One reader wrote to us and thought that we had downplayed the fact that prophecy states a temple will be built in the last days in Jerusalem on the Temple Mount. And in response to that, plus the other questions that have come in, it's important to understand what we were trying to do with that program and also it's important to understand what the Bible says.

There is no clear scripture when it comes to a temple being built in Jerusalem. One of the prime scriptures that people turn to is in Matthew 24:15 where Jesus Christ quoted from the prophet Daniel, the type of the abomination of desolation that had taken place historically. And He said in verse 15, "When you see the abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel the prophet standing in the holy place." People take that verse, and that's certainly an important marker of prophecy, but to say that that is telling us explicitly that there is going to be a temple in Jerusalem before Christ's second coming I think is to read into that particular verse or any other verses that may touch on this subject because what Christ is talking about there is a sacrifice in a holy place.

Now, a holy place does not have to be a temple. Technically it should be a place or an altar that has been designated for animal sacrifice such as what you have where other places were made so in the Old Testament, but it doesn't say specifically that a temple has to be rebuilt. Of course people look for that. The Jews look for that. We covered that in the program. We chose to use the controversy and the speculation over whether a temple will be built in Jerusalem before Christ's coming to draw people to the most important fact, and that is Jesus Christ Himself.

The real reason that a temple ever was a part of God's plan in the Bible and sacrifices for that matter all of which pointed to something that was eternal in the heavens and specifically the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. God does not dwell in temples made with hands. And the most important thing for us to understand when it comes to the fulfillment of this verse in Matthew 24:15 in prophecy is the fact that Jesus Christ is the most important matter for us to have our lives, our minds, and our heart focused upon not specifically the temple or anything else. Those are only markers and stepping stones to the larger event of Christ's second coming, the time of tribulation that all of that points to really for any disciple of Christ to have their heart and mind upon Jesus Christ is going to be the key to get through all of this and to deal with it and to discern the times and all that Christ tells us to do.

We were not downplaying prophecy in that particular program. What we were doing is, well, we were up-playing the greatest Prophet of them all Jesus Christ, and that's what we focused on. And that's what's important for all of us to focus on when it comes to the question of a temple being built in Jerusalem. It's a fascinating subject. But the most important part of it is to keep our eyes upon Christ, the greatest Prophet of them all.

That's BT Daily. Join us next time.