The Temple Institute in Jerusalem stirred global attention this week with a striking Facebook post featuring a wristwatch with an image of the rebuilt Jewish Temple. The post read: “SYNCHRONIZE YOUR WATCHES! IT’S TIME TO BUILD!”
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The announcement was made during Tisha B’Av, the annual Jewish fast day commemorating the destruction of both the First and Second Temples. This solemn day is marked by mourning, prayer and reflection on the loss of the Temple as the center of worship. For the Temple Institute, however, the fast is also seen as a call to action, transforming grief over past destruction into preparation for rebuilding.
As outlined in the Institute’s Statement of Principles, the organization is dedicated to restoring “Temple consciousness” and preparing for the construction of the Third Temple on Mount Moriah. They argue that one-third of the commandments in the Torah revolve around the Temple and that Judaism without it is incomplete. The Temple, in their view, is not just a relic of the past but a divine mandate awaiting fulfillment in the present.
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From a Christian perspective, however, the significance of this post points in a different direction. Pre-tribulation believers understand that while the Jewish world anticipates a physical Temple, Scripture makes clear that Jesus Himself is now the final sacrifice and the true Temple (Heb. 9:11–12; John 2:19–21). The rebuilding of a Third Temple is not necessary for salvation, but prophecy indicates it will play a central role in the unfolding of the last days.
The apostle Paul warns that the “man of sin,” the Antichrist, will one day seat himself in the Temple of God and proclaim himself to be God (2 Thess. 2:3–4). Daniel likewise foretold that sacrifices would be reinstated and then cut off by the abomination of desolation (Dan. 9:27). For those watching the signs of the times, the growing movement to rebuild the Temple is a vivid reminder that prophetic events are aligning rapidly.
That this call to “build” was issued on Tisha B’Av carries particular weight. For centuries, Jewish mourning on this day has looked back to the destruction of the Temple. The Temple Institute’s post flips that perspective forward, casting the fast not only as a memorial but as a countdown toward the future. From the lens of biblical prophecy, it signals the approach of the tribulation period when Israel will again have a Temple, though one defiled by the Antichrist before Christ’s return to establish His millennial kingdom.
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The renewed urgency to rebuild the Temple serves as a reminder that the prophecies of Scripture are unfolding exactly as God declared they would. Comfort is found in knowing that every promise in His Word is true, and as history moves toward its climax, God’s plan is firmly in place. These signs assure that Jesus is coming soon, and there is confidence in the unshakable hope of His return.
James Lasher is staff writer for Charisma Media.
