WHAT ABOUT THE TEMPLE IN 2 TH. 2:4?

Responding to my post earlier today, my Pastor wrote:  "I think the verse you're looking for is Second Thessalonians 2:4:  "who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshipped, so that he sits as God IN THE TEMPLE OF GOD, showing himself that he is God."

My response was as follows:

It is quite possible that Paul's letter, written c. A.D. 51, might have used "Temple" as the Temple was not destroyed for 19 more years. Paul wrote that the Lord's return was nigh, so that if Jesus did return at any moment, of course the abomination would take place there. It has been my understanding that when two passages "appear" to contradict each other, we must seek a logical explanation for the difference. Example: Jesus said He would be in the grave/tomb for the same amount of time Jonah was in the "fish"; three days and three nights. And yet, other passages say He rose the third day. I don't know if that one has ever really been explained to everyone's satisfaction; at least I don't recall a good one. LOL

John, however, wrote after the Temple was destroyed, and he had no problem describing the abomination as taking place in the Tabernacle,  John wrote:  "And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months.  And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His name, and His TABERNACLE, and them that dwell in heaven" (Rev. 13:5-6). 

I realize I am a lone voice on this, but based upon modern engineering, if it takes a year or two to build a church, can you imagine how long it would take for Israel to build a new Temple?  It may be that the Jews used a Tabernacle while a Temple is being built. I know that when converted Jews are caught during the first half of the Tribulation, they are not taken to the Temple, but to synagogues (Mk. 13:9; Lk. 21:12).  The references to a Temple in Revelation are as follows:  Rev. 3:12 (in the New Jerusalem); Rev. 7:15;  11:1-2, 19; 14:15, 17; 15:5-6, 8; 16:1, 17 (in heaven); and finally, 21:22 (states that after the Millennium, there will be no Temple; God and the Lamb will be the Temple).

Since the Church will be gone before it all happens, I don't think I will lose sleep over whether or not the Antichrist defiles whichever it is! God bless.

IT MAY TAKE ETERNITY FOR BELIEVERS TO UNDERSTAND THE WHOLE BIBLE!