by Pastor Patrick D. Garlock

Within the evangelical church, there is much discussion about a need to build a third temple in Jerusalem. So much discussion, in fact, we find many Christians are clamoring for it, praying for it and even financially supporting the effort. It is a topic that seems to be engrained in the hearts and minds of Christians all over, but especially in America.

In an effort to comprehend this phenomenon, it is my duty to investigate how we got to this point and, ultimately, answer this question: Is a third temple biblical?

Let’s Begin at Ground Zero

We must first begin by realizing the religion at the forefront of wanting a third temple built in Jerusalem is not Christianity, but Orthodox Judaism. Judaism, in its root theology, does not believe Jesus Christ was the Savior promised to them in the Tanakh, or what Christians know as the Old Testament. Judaism denies Christ’s claims that He was the Messianic promise from the line of David. Those who follow this religion, therefore, feel the need to build this temple so their savior will finally come and reign from Jerusalem, over all the world. In principle, we can cognitively understand this desire. However, if a Christian proclaims to follow their belief system’s naming right, then the proposition of building it should create concern for the follower of Christ. Christianity, after all, is built on the fact that Jesus is the fulfillment of the Messianic promise.

So, to gain more insight into this strong desire from evangelical Christians to assist the Jews in building a third temple, we must dig deeper. We will begin by looking at the “proof texts” that call for the construction, then will look into the interpretation that introduced the church to it in the first place.

First, it’s a Matter of Approach

When we study the Bible, there are three rules we can follow to help us understand what we are reading. This application is called Hermeneutics (the branch of knowledge that deals with interpretation) and the three rules are as follows:
- Easy before difficult
- Let scripture interpret scripture
- Context, context, context

All three apply ALL the time. The last one is often challenged by those who do not read a passage within its original purpose and meaning. This is called presuppositional reading, or eisegesis in theological terms, which is when a reader views the text through a lens of what they want it to mean so that it benefits them, rather than discerning through it by way of the Holy Spirit (who guides our efforts and understanding) and corroborating the interpretation with proper theology, which is called exegesis.

Let me give you an example of how this is commonly done. It occurs more than you realize.

Example: Many folks who support a secret rapture of the church, for instance, use Matthew 24:40-41 as proof text. It states, “40 Then two men will be in the field; one will be taken and one left. 41 Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one left.”

Per what I just explained, one cannot read these verses without examining those preceding to properly understand what Jesus is referring to in verses 40 and 41. Jesus was asked about His eventual return and his response includes those two versus, but to get the full meaning, it’s important to begin at verse 36. Matthew 24:36-39 states, 36 “But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only. 37 For as were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 38 For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, 39 and they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.”

Noah was given instruction by God to build the ark, then told there was an impending flood on the horizon. Jesus, while comparing His return with this event in history, gives us the context to compare how the world will be before His return. During Noah’s time, the world was doing whatever it wanted with no consciousness or awareness of sin. Those who got on the Ark were going to be saved, as they were left behind to repopulate the earth. Those swept away all reached their demise. If Jesus is using the implication of Noah as the benchmark, then the two men in the field and the two women at the mill have a completely different meaning. Those who are left will be the saved because Jesus is returning to destroy the earth and recreate a new one, while those who are swept away, as in the days of Noah, will meet their eternal punishment.

This is why it is always important to read Scripture in context before we form a presupposition. It is also why making a concerted effort to read the Word is vital.

Harkening Back to the Old Testament

I shared the above insight because the call for a third temple uses two books in the Old Testament for support: Ezekiel and Daniel. Let’s give these a brief look.

Ezekiel 33 through 39 deals thematically with the end of the age before moving on to the call to restore the temple in chapters 40 through 48. This major prophet firmly focused on prophecy and providing warnings to the Israelites. The Book of Ezekiel was written while he was in Babylon during the 70-year period when the people were exiled from their land, after the Babylonians raided and destroyed Solomon’s temple.

Let’s put ourselves in the shoes of the exiles. At this time, the nation of Israel, now in dispersion, knew their ancestral history. They were aware of how God had saved them from Egypt and that He dwelt with them in a beautiful tabernacle. Moreover, they remembered Solomon’s glorious temple in Jerusalem, a structure so impressive and important the Bible devotes 18 chapters to its layout, construction, dedication and appointment of its workers. This temple was built at the height of Israel's prosperity and power under King Solomon.

Now, let’s examine this from God’s perspective. He was seeking to communicate with those exiled, a disheartened people who had been told the Lord had left the temple and, thus, the Promised Land, enabling the Babylonians to capture Judah. They also had been told their exile manifested God's wrath. We read this in Ezekiel 16:1-58. So, because of this great loss, they believed restoration would never come - that their suffering meant the Lord's promises were hollow. If you were God, how would you communicate the glory of the restoration in terms this audience could understand?

The nation of Israel was, after all, promised a messiah that would rule and reign at the throne of King David. This could not happen unless they were restored. Theological study helps us understand the end of the age will not begin until the Advent of the Messiah, which Christians know and understand as the ministry of the person and work of Jesus Christ. Therefore, the importance of rebuilding the temple during the exilic period was very important for God to communicate with the Israelites.

So, when King Cyrus of Persia signed a decree allowing them to move back into their land a generation after Ezekiel wrote his prophecy, the purpose of his prophetic utterance was brought to a sudden realization and they were allowed to rebuild their temple. To be clear, since we are reading the Book of Ezekiel in its context, this has nothing to do with a third temple, only the second temple. The second temple was built upon their return, eventually improved under the direction of King Herod then, ultimately, destroyed in 70 A.D., just as Jesus had predicted.

Next, we move to Daniel. The Prophet Daniel writes his amazing book after Jerusalem is restored and the temple has been rebuilt. He too, was in Babylon. Interestingly, many of the Israelites still were in dispersion at the time as many had not been willing to return to their homeland yet because they were (at this point) two generations removed from the exilic period. They were settled in other places and living life. Many Jews would remain this way, only traveling back to Jerusalem during Passover and other holy celebrations.

Daniel’s Apocalyptic visions enable his writings in chapters 7 through 12 to convince the Jews still in exile that their God is sovereign and will provide them with a vision of their future redemption. Daniel 2:44 prefaces with a key verse stating, “In the time of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed, nor will it be left to another people. It will crush all those kingdoms and bring them to an end, but it will itself endure forever.”

Followers of Christ will clearly understand that Daniel is referring to Jesus Christ. Those who practice Judaism still hold to their traditions and deny Jesus as their messianic fulfillment, which still occurs today.

So, if the Old Testament prophets were not prophesying for a third temple, where on earth are we getting such information that it must be built? Honestly, it all stems from the study of end times.

Matters of Eschatology

Eschatology is the theological study of all things regarding end times. Matters such as death and the afterlife, heaven and hell, the return of Christ, the resurrection of the dead, the rapture, the tribulation, millennialism, the end of the world, the Last Judgment, and the New Heaven and New Earth in the world to come - are all points of what theologian’s call “The Eschaton,” or the end of the world. So, right away, we see this is an important topic to study.

Among the most important doctrines of Christ’s church, eschatology is not considered an “essential” doctrine. In other words, it’s not essential nor necessary for salvation in Christ. Christians are to understand and hold to the essentials, such as, but not limited to, the virgin birth, the atonement for sin at the cross and the resurrection, in order to understand their salvation. These essential pillars translate to pillars of the faith in Jesus as the Messianic fulfillment that was promised to us in the first, or old covenant.

As it stands, eschatology falls in the “non-essential” category because we don’t have to align ourselves with one particular view of end times to be a regenerate Christian. Among many non-essential doctrines, there is room for debate. This certainly includes all things regarding the eschaton. However, it is vitally important to note that although we use the term “non-essential,” it does not render it “not important.” In fact, the more we study the doctrines of Christendom, the more we realize our desire should be to constantly seek to get the entire gospel correct. Although eschatology isn’t essential, if we don’t keep an open mind to what the Word of God says, we run the risk of bad eschatology creeping in and then we find ourselves very confused by topics such as the one we’re addressing today.

I will not give you a full understanding of all things related to eschatology in this article, but I will provide a few important notes as part of our investigation. There have always been three distinct views to understanding how the end of times would occur. All three of these views are centered on one passage of Scripture, Revelation 20:1-3, which reads, “Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding in his hand the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain. 2 And he seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years, 3 and threw him into the pit, and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he might not deceive the nations any longer, until the thousand years were ended. After that he must be released for a little while.”

The timing, or actual placement of this 1,000-year period, is where differing views first occur. The Premillennialist believes that Jesus will return and reign in Jerusalem for a literal 1,000 years. The Postmillennialist believes the 1,000 years are more symbolic, with the world’s population becoming more Christianized during this time, then the return of Christ will occur. The Amillennialist also believes the 1,000 years is symbolic, but they believe it’s happening now, beginning when Christ ascended, and will conclude upon the return of our Lord when He sets up His eternal new Heaven and Earth. For further understanding of the Amillennial view, please read my article that is posted on the Got Questions website: [What is amillennialism? | GotQuestions.org.][1]

[1]: https://www.gotquestions.org/amillennialism.html

Premillennialism has been around for a long time and sees Revelation 19 through 20 as happening chronologically. That’s an interpretive distinction. Although I personally do not hold to this interpretation, I can live with the idea that it’s just a differing viewpoint other believers hold. The Lord returns at the end of chapter 19. Much like the rest of the Book of Revelation, chapter 20 is like a recapitulation of 19. It’s basically like another camera angle. That changes the interpretation of chronological.

No matter if someone believes the millennium is literal or symbolic, here is where it became difficult. Less than 200 years ago, this classic Premillennialist view, now referred to as Historic Premillennialism, took a backseat in the popularity contest. A new kid on the block emerged and designed a new way to interpret this view. His name was Charles Darby, and he called the new interpretation Dispensationalism. It was based on seeing the overview of redemptive history in seven “dispensations,” or periods of time. As part of Darby’s new interpretation of Scripture, he saw the people of God, Israel, never lost their promise from God and that He would still save them. He felt the Abrahamic Covenant still was important enough that God couldn’t have forgotten about His people. Well, of course God didn’t forget. He just expanded the Kingdom to include Gentiles among His elect people. This is a clear narrative in the New Testament. Jesus taught it, and so did His disciples.

I must take a brief exit off the turnpike, to share with you why God’s promise to save His people would never go away. Think of this as a rest stop to make sure we’re on the right highway before we get back on and proceed toward the third temple understanding…

Promise is a Promise

The Old Covenant and its sacrificial system that was given to Moses for the people of Israel was intentional to set the people of God apart from the rest of the world. It also was a punishment due to the Israelites disobedience to God at the base of Mount Sinai, where they made a golden calf to worship in place of Jehovah God because they were tired of waiting for Moses to come back down the mountain.

The sacrificial system was tedious and difficult, performed only by appointed Levitical Priests, and only in the Tabernacle, which was at first mobile. Tabernacle found a permanent home in Solomon’s Temple, then later in Herod’s Temple. It is where the people met God, but only through a very specific ritual designed by God so atonement could be made for their sin as part of the Old Covenant.

Although mankind has failed Him, beginning with our first earthly daddy, Adam, and continuing through the generations that follow, God maintains His promise to save some of those out of the human race as part of His wonderful, merciful grace. Therefore, Jesus, as part of this original promise (called the Covenant of Grace, or Redemption), came to earth as God incarnate to make one final atonement for our sin. He came to not be served, but to serve. And, His service to us is to impute His righteousness onto us, as we impute our sin onto Him.

This work of Christ is not only mind-boggling, but it is the most beautiful gift that we, as humans, can receive. Due to our sinful nature, which we are born into, we deserve the punishment that is befalling all mankind due to the original sin of Adam. This is why we refer to the person and work of Jesus Christ as “The Good News of the Gospel.” So now, let’s look at what we are taught in the New Testament about this very important truth.

Hebrews 8:6-7 - 6 But as it is, Christ has obtained a ministry that is as much more excellent than the old as the covenant he mediates is better, since it is enacted on better promises. 7 For if that first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no occasion to look for a second.

If the original promises made to the fathers in the Old Testament were good and still to be held to today, the author of Hebrews would not be telling us they were faulty and that the second one is enacted on better promises. His better promises were fulfilled with the birth, life, death resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ. Jesus, being one with God the Father and the Holy Spirit, was, is and always will be part of the Triune Godhead. So, Jesus becoming incarnate is what the entire Old Testament was pointing us to; planned even before the world was created. Concerted study of the Book of Hebrews shows us the sacrificial system was put in place only to serve as a type and shadow in our effort to get to Jesus Christ, who would come to be the sacrifice for mankind, “once and for all.” While the promise of redemption remained intact, the methodology for us to attain salvation changed.

When Jesus Christ died on the cross, the temple curtain was torn from top to bottom, signifying the division between God and His people was removed and we can now approach Him in reverence by surrendering to Christ as our Savior. He became the once-for-all atoning sacrifice on our behalf. You see, Christianity believes that Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of all the Old Testament law and prophets and that He broke down the walls of hostility. We are one people – the church. The term “temple” now refers to the people of God, not a physical building.

There is no longer a division between the people of God.

Okay, glad we made sure we were on the correct road. Now, let’s continue to investigate why Darby’s road made our path to salvation so much more difficult.

When Darby introduced Dispensationalism and contended that Israel and the church were two distinctly different people groups, he wasn’t exactly met with open arms by his peers. No one had ever taught this, so it created a lot of friction. In fact, one of his colleagues stated, “Distinctions have been drawn by certain exceedingly wise men (measured by their own estimate of themselves), between the people of God who lived before the coming of Christ and those who lived afterward. We have even heard it asserted that those who lived before the coming of Christ do not belong to the church of God! We never know what we shall hear next, and perhaps it is a mercy that these absurdities are revealed at one time, in order that we may be able to endure their stupidity without dying of amazement. Why, every child of God in every place stands on the same footing; the Lord has not some children best beloved, some second-rate offspring, and others whom he hardly cares about.” – Charles Haddon Spurgeon.

Spurgeon, who is often referred to as the prince of preacher’s, held to a premillennial view, but even he could see that Darby’s method of interpretation was horribly problematic. To keep Jews, separate from everyone else even goes directly against the words of Paul the Apostle.

Romans 9:1-8 - I am speaking the truth in Christ—I am not lying; my conscience bears me witness in the Holy Spirit— 2 that I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. 3 For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my kinsmen according to the flesh. 4 They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises. 5 To them belong the patriarchs, and from their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ, who is God over all, blessed forever. Amen. 6 But it is not as though the word of God has failed. For not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel, 7 and not all are children of Abraham because they are his offspring, but “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.” 8 This means that it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God, but the children of the promise are counted as offspring.

Paul would not be in “great sorrow and unceasing anguish” in his heart if the Jewish people were simply saved because of their ethnicity. Paul, being Jewish himself, was a man of great pride. He had a love for his roots and his countrymen. But, this passage clearly shows the despair he is struggling with when he is willing to be “accursed” and “cut off from Christ” if it meant his fellow race would be saved. This plea by Paul flies directly in the face of Darby’s weak attempt to separate the “Jews” from the “Jews and Gentiles.”

This is where eschatology matters. Darby took the biblical understanding of the rapture, which means to be caught up (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18), and turned it into a moment in time when the church (collection of Messianic Jews and Gentiles) would be secretly whisked away to heaven solely for the purpose of God dealing with the “stiff-necked” Jews that were left to suffer along with the unsaved. This would happen all so they would come to faithful repentance in Christ as a means of fulfilling God’s original covenant with “His people.”

Now, upon first glance, this can almost resonate with Christians because we read about the importance of God’s people throughout the Old Testament. But, I’ve already shared with you that our God never forgot about His people, He just expanded the kingdom to include gentiles and Jews. Again, Jesus made us one people, removing the “wall of hostility.” Darby’s eschatology is severely flawed if you look at it. I will show you some of the ever-growing inner-interpretations of Dispensationalism and additions that have crept into the church through this complicated secret rapture, or removal.

First, many who hold to Dispensational theology believe that the Holy Spirit is removed from the earth after their version of the rapture. This is blatant heresy. Jesus promised His Spirit to us as a “helper” until His return. Why would the Spirit of God vacate His own creation for a period of 3 ½ to 7 Years? Furthermore, if we understand the Scripture, we know that the Spirit of the Living God in whom we serve, moves upon the unrepentant believer, causing them to repent and believe in Christ. How will this happen if His Spirit is gone? It cannot. That’s severe flaw number one.

Second, if the Spirit is gone and Jewish men, women and children are running around with no cause for salvation, then all they are doing is being slaughtered at the hands of a sudden surge of people who are anti-Semitic. What does hatred of Judaism have to do with hatred of Christ? What I mean is, while people hate God, they hate His son much more. Jesus Christ is the name above all names because the Father has given His son ALL authority over all things. The outpouring of hatred in the last days will come upon Christ’s church. Just keep this in mind.

We must be careful not to impose ideologies onto the text that we cannot find a clear understanding of. Because this idea dismisses and minimizes the need for the gospel to go forward to Orthodox Jews and presupposes they are already saved through their ethnicity. Again, see Paul’s struggle in Romans 9. It doesn’t get any clearer. There aren’t enough pages for me to uncover the 500 problems created by Dispensationalism here, but I promise I’ll write about that in the future. In the meantime, for sake of getting to the temple, you just need to understand this secret rapture occurs in the Dispensational model to get back to a focus on Jews. This is literally the only reason it was ever created and continues to be taught today. Most people have no idea.

The Temple

Building a third temple, if in fact one is built, is more complicated than we realize. To be clear, not all Jews agree it should be built. Judaism has flourished for thousands of years without a Temple. Since the rabbis say Torah study and prayer can replace Temple service, there is less urgency to bring one back. Additionally, many Jews agree with Maimonides that sacrifices are no longer the best way to worship God. Early leaders in the Reform movement even named their houses of worship temples to signify they had abandoned the traditional Jewish longing to rebuild the Temple.

There are, however, a minority of Jews who are preparing to build a Third Temple by studying Temple worship practices and constructing implements to be used in the Temple when it is rebuilt. So, what are the roadblocks?

1) The main impediment to the rebuilding of the third Temple in Jerusalem is the presence of the Muslim Dome of the Rock on the place where the Temples once stood. The Temple Mount also is home to the Al-Aqsa Mosque, which was built in A.D. 715, and is regarded as the third holiest place in Islam, after Mecca and Medina.

2) The exact location of the original temples still is a debatable topic among Jewish scholars, although there remains a wall on the western side of the site that wasn’t completely destroyed. This also is referred to as the “wailing wall” or often just the “western wall.”

3) Artifacts from the original Temple now are housed in the Vatican and they are not relinquishing these over to Orthodox Jews anytime soon. Catholics love artifacts. These are considered national treasures.

This then leads us to a question. If Orthodox Judaism is somehow able to pull off construction of a new, third Temple, do we need one?

If we find ourselves agreeing that the church is a separate entity from those who are Jewish, then the clamor for a third Temple seems to be in order. But, if we agree that Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of all Old Testament theology, then we are in no way needing a third Temple to welcome our Savior. Nowhere in the New Testament is a third Temple called for. In fact, the only temple mentioned in the NT is the one in Revelation, which gives measurements that are nothing like that of Solomon’s Temple. Instead, it’s a cube. This, theologians say, is because the cube is a symbol for the permanent Temple Christ will bring when He returns to set up His forever throne on the new Earth.

If a Temple is built and any form of animal sacrifices are reinstituted, this this is a very scary proposition for any Christian that supports it. No single point of emphasis in the life of Christ could be more important than the resurrection, which only occurred after He paid the ultimate penalty for our sins – to be a “once-for-all sacrifice.”

Based on what I’ve shown you in this study, it just doesn’t make sense to desire a third Temple. Can one be built? Absolutely. However, I once heard a famous theologian state that if we were to build a third Temple, then all it would do was raise a stench of smoke up to the nostrils of our God. I couldn’t agree more.

2 Corinthians 6:16 – “What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God said, “I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.”

By Pastor Patrick D. Garlock

A little over a year ago, I wrote four articles that can be found under this tab, “What’s the Deal with the Mark of the Beast?” In this series, I broke down the four main “approaches” to reading the Book of Revelation, and focused on Revelation 13:16-18.

The reason why? Because it is a difficult book to read. And so, if we do not have a grasp as to the “how” … we will just avoid it altogether. And avoiding it can be dastardly, because we could potentially wind up listening to someone who has a very erroneous way of looking at it.

Throughout history, many people have tried to adapt to an “understanding” as to how to interpret and understand the Book of Revelation. If you have read my previous articles or not, I will save you some time and tell you that the approach to Revelation that I agree with, is the most agreed view held by some of the most learned men in Biblical Academia. It is called the Idealist View, and it is primarily an allegorical understanding of the ongoing battle between God and the devil, between good and evil. This view is truly a practical approach to the book of Revelation. But it is only one of four… so perhaps you should read those previous articles.

So, as I begin to share with you more about one of the most sadistic rulers in human history, the Roman ruler named Nero, allow me to begin by reiterating the Scriptural passage to lead into this.

Revelation 13:16-18 - Also it causes all, both small and great, both rich and poor, both free and slave, to be marked on the right hand or the forehead, so that no one can buy or sell unless he has the mark, that is, the name of the beast or the number of its name. This calls for wisdom: let the one who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man, and his number is 666.”

Revelation was written by John the Apostle, from the confines of a jail cell on the Island of Patmos. And although there is speculation on when the exact date was that the letter was written, there is no doubt that John was sharing, in part, his experience with Nero.

From the perspective of the practical, Idealist point of view, the “beast” isn’t referring to one, futuristic individual. Instead, it is alluding to anyone who opposes God, and is raised up to wreak havoc on the people of God. And the number 666 is representative of insufficiency. God is perfect and the number that represents perfection is 777. 666 attempts to “usurp” or “mimic” the number of perfection, but always comes up short.

In a book of hope in Christ, as Revelation is, the allegory and symbolism of the numbers is quite fascinating when studied. But in recent times, we have shied away from it because we have this strange, “jinx-like” view of the number of incompletion. As if, when you go to check out at a store and the total has all sixes in it, I’ve seen people take something off or add something. I sit back and scratch my head at this. It makes no sense. Because when we study the passage, the text says, “This calls for wisdom: let the one who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man, and his number is 666.”

A man. Not the price of your lunch combo.

Nero was the Roman ruler who was, at best description, a freak. I have shared this before in different public forums. And something was brought to my attention, when many people have asked me, “Patrick, who is Nero?” So, this is an article explaining who he was and why he was part of the whole sum when John wrote about the “beast.”

Nero was the great, great grandson of Caesar Augustus. He was born in 37AD. For those who do not know, AD stands for Anno Domine, or “Year of our Lord.” It was always shortened to “after death,” in recent years, meaning after the death of Christ. And in our amazing, secular, God-hating culture, they have renamed it CE, for “Common Era.”

I digress.

Following the death of Nero’s father, his mother, Agrippina, married her paternal uncle, Claudius. Agrippina persuaded him to adopt Nero as his son. It was then - with Nero next in line for the throne - that Nero’s mother Agrippina supposedly poisoned Claudius and pinned the deed on another woman. The death, however, lead to Nero’s accession to the throne at the young age of 17. And right after, in 53AD, he married Octavia, daughter of the emperor Claudius.

The first few years of Nero’s reign were remarkably good and productive. Things began to change when in 62AD, he divorced Octavia (who had failed to bear him a child) and married Poppaea Sabina. In the early hours of June 19, 64 a.d., a devastating fire broke out around the Circus Maximus (which was an ancient chariot-racing stadium and mass entertainment venue in Rome), and spread north through the valley. Unable to silence rumors that he himself had set the fire, Nero found a scapegoat in the emerging Christian community, which he persecuted with intense cruelty. Both the Apostles Peter and Paul were martyred as a result of Nero’s rage against the church.

But suspicion as to whom set the fire was only intensified by Nero’s love for the east and its cultural expressions. He toured Greece in 66-67 and was especially popular in Parthia. The Jewish War broke out during Nero’s reign, and he sent Vespasian to quell it (the latter’s son, Titus, was responsible for the final destruction of both city and temple).

In addition to the numerous political murders for which he was responsible, Nero poisoned his stepbrother Britannicus and then. Then, fearing his own mother’s wrath, he had her taken out a few years after taking the throne. Yes, he killed his own mother.

But what adds an even stranger exclamation point to his tenure as ruler, was his sick, and sadistic sexual peculiarities. Though he was content to simply hit up some brothels in his youth, as he got older, his tastes got a little more violent. According to Roman historian Cassius Dion, “Nero would fasten naked boys and girls to stakes, and then putting on the hide of a wild beast would attack them and satisfy his brutal lust under the appearance of devouring parts of their bodies.”

His dictatorial style of leadership, combined with his self-indulgent personality, provoked the opposition of the Roman senate and aristocracy, although he remained popular with the general population of Rome. Eventually, Nero was declared a public enemy by the Senate in mid-68 a.d. and troops were sent to arrest him. On hearing this, he fled to the villa of his ex-slave where he committed suicide by thrusting a dagger into his throat.

As mentioned before, the name “Nero” nowhere appears in Revelation. More than likely, John would have seen in this historical figure the perfect prototypical embodiment of that anti-Christ, anti-Christian spirit which is characteristic of the entire church age. Bauckham said it best when he implied, “the impending confrontation between the beast and the followers of the Lamb would appear to John as an apocalyptic extension and intensification of the Neronian persecution.” Couldn’t agree with him more. But there is an interesting twist.

There is an issue that needs to be addressed as a conclusion to this study. Once Nero killed himself, there was a rumor he would return. It was considered a scary thought, but that Nero would be raised from the dead to wreak havoc on everyone again, especially Christians. Because to begin with, it was the mysterious circumstances surrounding Nero’s death gave rise to these rumors in the first place. Many claimed, just like with Elvis Pressley, that he faked his death and was actually still alive and would soon return to seek revenge on his enemies.

Several Nero impostors emerged. The first appeared one year after his death in July, 69AD. This one not only physically resembled Nero but was also, like the emperor, an accomplished musician. “He appeared in Greece, where he mustered some support, set sail for Syria, but was forced by a storm to put in at the island of Cythnos in the Cyclades, where he was captured and killed. His dead body was taken to Rome via Asia. A second impostor by the name of Terentius Maximus, who also resembled Nero, appeared in 80 a.d. It is not known how he came to an end. At least one more pretender appeared during the reign of Domitian in 88-89 a.d. and must have been fresh in John’s mind as he wrote Revelation.

The legend of Nero’s return is first found in the Jewish Sibylline Oracles. One of the more important features is how Nero is portrayed as identified with the Parthians whose armies he will lead in an invasion of the Roman west. He is also portrayed as the eschatological adversary of the people of God who will destroy both them and the holy city.

As I wrote earlier, in conjunction with our study of Revelation 13:3, John has adapted the legend of Nero’s return to paint his portrait of the oppressive career of the Beast. Nero constituted the most obvious and ready-at-hand embodiment of that antichristian power which opposes and oppresses the people of God. Against the backdrop of Nero’s “death, alleged resurrection, the Apostle John used the Nero legend to paint his portrait of the Beast to indicate anyone who is the truest display of evil in the world. It is also evident from the reference in Revelation 13:16-18 to the “mark” of the Beast or the “number” of his name: 666.

For the people of God in the first century, that “Beast” was the Roman imperial power. In subsequent centuries and in our own day as well it is seen in any and all attempts, whether by individuals, institutions, or movements, to thwart God’s kingdom in Christ. Whether or not this “Beast” is also to manifest itself at the end of the age in a single individual, popularly known as the Antichrist, is yet to be determined. But I do believe that the Idealist’s approach to understanding the Book of Revelation, is by far and away the most practical and the one that allows me to sleep more at night.

But as always… pray and ask for the Holy Spirit to lead your understanding. And always… read the Word of God without goggles of presupposition.

Word of Faith:

The Word of Faith movement is a loose collection of people who put great emphasis on worldly success and the power of a Christian to control their own future through positive acts, including spoken words. This mindset has led to the Prosperity movement. In short, the Word of Faith movement is not only unbiblical, it is completely heretical. This doctrine stands opposed to concepts Christianity has taught throughout its history.

The core claims of this movement are that God's desire is for all Christians to live happy, healthy, and wealthy lives. Those who teach this often claim that God allows a person to "speak" their desires into existence, as though they had a creative power similar to that of God. Sickness, poverty, and other struggles are seen as evidence of a lack of faith, or at least a poor application of it.

In my time as a pastor, there are no other movements or cults that have created more “atheists” than the Word of Faith movement and Catholicism. These two avenues have led many people to discount God’s Holiness and righteousness because their experiences with either of these, have led to disappointment and subsequently a turning away from the true God of the Bible.

I was raised Catholic, and I came to faith in Christ in a Word of Faith church. So, I have some positive memories of both. I know that despite my apprehensions and issues with the entire Catholic church, my mother taught me much about Christ and His covenant, the Triunity of God and many other truths. And so my understanding of faith was birthed in the Catholic faith. I also know that Jesus Christ became my savior on that mid-summer day in 1988. If it wasn’t for that experience in that Word of Faith church, I would never have fallen in love initially with Jesus. So, my criticism of both comes from experience, not learning from others who are critical of it.

In this article, I will explain some things about the Word of Faith movement - both where it came from, and when it grew in popularity. Before we get going, allow me to tell you something that would seem to be obvious. To many, this doctrine has much fallacy. Though, before you think you have already understood this to be false and that people don’t actually believe this stuff, I will use this opportunity to remind you that billions of dollars were given to these wolves just last year alone.

Simple logic goes a long way to disproving the claims of Word of Faith / Prosperity teachers. The apostle Paul was one of Christianity's most devout, loyal, wise, and committed adherents, and yet he suffered poverty, persecution, and imprisonment (read 2 Corinthians 11:16–33). Paul actually asked God—more than once—to remove some affliction he was suffering, and God's response was "no" (2 Corinthians 12:7–9).

If there was any truth to the teachings of the Word of Faith movement, Paul would have been healthy and rich, not oppressed. He would have "spoken" his afflictions away. Clearly, this is not what happened. Likewise, there are other instances where Paul was unable to "speak" healing into others, despite his sincere desire (Philippians 2:25¬–30; 2 Timothy 4:20). Paul described those who think of God as a way to get rich as "depraved" and lacking in truth (1 Timothy 6:5). The verses following this condemnation are the antithesis to the entire Prosperity teaching: that we are to be content with what we have, and a desire for wealth is a dangerous temptation (1 Timothy 6:6–10).

Job, as well, shows how bankrupt Word of Faith / Prosperity teachings are. The Bible is explicitly clear that Job's calamities were not because of his own sin.

Job 1:8 – “And the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil?”

This is a teaching echoed by Jesus in John chapter 9, where He specifically says that the man born blind was not suffering because of his sin or that of his parents.

John 9:1–3 – “As he passed by, he saw a man blind from birth. 2 And his disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” 3 Jesus answered, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him.”

Another key event is Jesus' temptation in the wilderness (Matthew 4:1–11). This is the one and only place in the Bible where material wealth and prosperity is offered in return for worship (Matthew 4:8–10). However, this offer is not made by God. It's made by the Devil. In other words, it's perfectly accurate to say that the claim, "worship and you'll be wealthy" is literally a message from Satan. Said another way, there would be no reason for Satan to tempt Jesus with wealth and success, if those are the natural and expected results of faith in God. Jesus was the most perfect person who ever lived—there was no reason for Satan to tempt Him with something if He was guaranteed to get it already! Wealth and privilege are not, in any sense, guaranteed for the believer.

God does not equip Christians with the power to have anything we want, whenever we want it. God does grant requests which align with His Will when we pray. But our prayers still have to be offered in petition to Him. Biblically, we see clear evidence of this. Historically, we see this in the lives of the apostles, who clearly didn’t feel God was obligated to give them every whim they asked for. Logically, we see this in the hypocrisy and greed of those who promote the Word of Faith / Prosperity message.

Over the years, there are many well-meaning people who have been confused by words from the teachers of this movement. The most loving thing we can do for such people is to show those who believe it to be true, the overarching truth that is found in the biblical record, so they don't waste their efforts, lives, or resources on spiritual con artists.

Prosperity Gospel:

Also known as the “health and wealth gospel,” the Prosperity Gospel is a perversion of the true gospel as it claims that God rewards increases in faith with increases in health and/or wealth. Nothing Jesus ever taught is corroborated with this and it has led many people to mock the true gospel because of it.

As Stephen Hunt explains, “*In the forefront is the doctrine of the assurance of “divine” physical health and prosperity through faith. In short, this means that “health and wealth” are the automatic divine right of all Bible-believing Christians and may be procreated by faith as part of the package of salvation, since the Atonement of Christ includes not just the removal of sin, but also the removal of sickness and poverty.*”

At one point in my life, I believed that I could add money to my bank account by simply “commanding” it to be there, and doing this in Jesus’ name. Now, I want to remind everyone, that God DOES INDEED ANSWER prayer. And this is where the rubber meets the road: We are to pray about our needs (not wants nor desires), and as Him to help provide a way through it. He will answer you, but not as simply as “poof” there it is, like a Jeanie in a bottle, granting a wish.

Additionally, I would lay hands on people and pray that they would be healed. And then when they weren’t, I would chalk it up to me not having enough faith in the words that I prayed, or the person just having too much sin in their life.

The fact that I look back at some of what I was taught, believed and even practiced, makes me shake my head now in disgrace. At the same time, the experience taught me to trust in the Sovereign God of the universe, read His Scripture and pray to Him… rendering myself fully reliant upon God the Father, Jesus Christ the Son and the Holy Spirit - and not the “power” of myself. This is where my turning point occurred. And this is where I began to see the fallacy of the heretical teachings as being discussed in the article.

Now, what makes the prosperity gospel a heretical gospel? Here is an outline of five errors of prosperity gospel teaching:
1. The Abrahamic covenant is a means to material entitlement.
2. Jesus’s atonement extends to the “sin” of material poverty.
3. Christians give in order to gain material compensation from God.
4. Faith is a self-generated spiritual force that leads to prosperity.
5. Prayer is a tool to force God to grant prosperity.

David W. Jones said, “*In light of Scripture, the prosperity gospel is fundamentally flawed. At bottom, it is a false gospel because of its faulty view of the relationship between God and man. You see, if the prosperity gospel is true, grace is obsolete, God is irrelevant, and man is the measure of all things. Whether they’re talking about the Abrahamic covenant, the atonement, giving, faith, or prayer, prosperity teachers turn the relationship between God and man into a quid pro quo transaction.*”

Origins…

The prosperity gospel originated as an offshoot of Pentecostalism in post-World War II America. While it started in local congregations and tent revivals, the movement gained a larger following through the use of radio and television, and became firmly entrenched in the 1980s with the rise of “televangelism.”

While not all prosperity gospel preachers are Pentecostal or charismatic (and most charismatic and Pentecostal Christians are not associated with the prosperity gospel), the movement is still largely connected to revivalist and charismatic churches. This has made it easier for the movement to gain traction in Africa, South America, and other areas of the world where Pentecostalism is rapidly expanding.

At the root of the Word of Faith movement was E.W. Kenyon. He developed his doctrine after learning the tricks of the trade within the movement of Mysticism of the late 19th century. After this, the man who could be considered the father of modern prosperity gospel teaching is Oral Roberts. The faith-healing evangelist became so influential that he started his own school, Oral Roberts University (ORU). At the height of his influence, Roberts oversaw a ministry that brought in $110 million in annual revenue.

Kenneth Copeland, a student at ORU who served as a pilot and chauffeur for Oral Roberts, also became one of the most notorious (and wealthiest) of prosperity preachers. These men paved the way for the televangelists who became famous in the 1980s, including Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker, Benny Hinn, Pat Robertson, and Robert Tilton.
Today, some of the best-known prosperity teachers are Creflo Dollar, T. D. Jakes, Guillermo Maldonado, Joel Osteen, and Paula White.

How can we identify a prosperity gospel preacher?

In a 2014 sermon, John Piper outlined six keys to detecting the prosperity gospel:

1. The absence of a serious doctrine of the biblical necessity and normalcy of suffering, the absence of a doctrine of suffering.
2. The absence of a clear and prominent doctrine of self-denial is a tip off that something is amiss.
3. The absence of serious exposition of Scripture.
4. The absence of dealing with tensions in Scripture.
5. Church leaders who have exorbitant lifestyles.
6. A prominence of self and a marginalization of the greatness of God.

Who in America is attracted to the prosperity gospel?

In 2015, YouGov surveyed 1,000 American adults who describe themselves as either “born again” or as an evangelical Christian, and asked their views about particular preachers and whether wealth is a sign of God’s favor. On the question, “Do you believe that prayer can make you wealthier?” 15 percent of whites, 42 percent of blacks, and 25 percent of Hispanics answered “yes.” On the question, “Is wealth a sign of God’s favor?” 9 percent of white, 34 percent of blacks, and 24 percent of Hispanics said “definitely” or “probably.”

Additionally, one in four black and Hispanic evangelicals believe it is acceptable for religious leaders to become wealthy through their religious work compared to one in seven white evangelicals.
And this is where I want to pray that this article finds anyone and everyone who is either accepting of this dangerous doctrine, or fully repulsed by it. Because, after all, if you have prayed for something to come to fruition that did not, and you think – in any way, shape or form – that either your giving was “off”, or your faith was not “strong enough,” I want to tell you that you do not find this in the gospel… anywhere!

God is Sovereign and He will do whatever He pleases, whenever He desires to. He is God and we are not. However, we are urged to pray to Him and allow His Will to be done. And this dependence upon our Triune God (Father, Son and Spirit), allows Him to do what He has already planned to do, but His response is waiting on us to seek Him. Because without Him, we will never see just what He will do.

Mark 11:24 – “Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.”

Philippians 4:6 – “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.”

Praise be to God!

As always, we want to make sure to approach those who are suckered into such dangerous doctrines like this one, with love (as commanded by loving our neighbor.) Additionally, the rule of Apologetics (giving a reason for the hope that is in us), comes with great charge from the Apostle Peter, when he tells us to defend our faith with great, “Gentleness and Respect.”

God wants us to be good to others. But we also much be forthright in our stance that something as ridiculous as the Word of Faith movement is, we have brothers and sisters involved in it that need to hear the truth of the gospel of Jesus.

Proceed with diligence… and caution.

Pastor Patrick D. Garlock

Contributions from Joe Carter, Stephen Hunt, John Piper and David W. Jones