Psalms 79:1-13 “O God, the nations have come into Your inheritance; Your holy temple they have defiled; They have laid Jerusalem in heaps. (2) The dead bodies of Your servants-- They have given as food for the birds of the heavens, The flesh of Your saints to the beasts of the earth. (3) Their blood they have shed like water all around Jerusalem, and there was no one to bury them. (4) We have become a reproach to our neighbors, a scorn and derision to those who are around us. (5) How long, Lord? Will You be angry forever? Will Your jealousy burn like fire? (6) Pour out Your wrath on the nations that do not know You, and on the kingdoms, that do not call on Your name. (7) For they have devoured Jacob, and laid waste his dwelling place. (8) Oh, do not remember former iniquities against us! Let Your tender mercies come speedily to meet us, for we have been brought very low. (9) Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of Your name; And deliver us, and provide atonement for our sins, For Your name's sake! (10) Why should the nations say, "Where is their God?" Let there be known among the nations in our sight the avenging of the blood of Your servants which has been shed. (11) Let the groaning of the prisoner come before You; According to the greatness of Your power preserve those who are appointed to die; (12) And return to our neighbors sevenfold into their bosom Their reproach with which they have reproached You, O Lord. (13) So, we, Your people and sheep of Your pasture, will give You thanks forever; We will show forth Your praise to all generations.”
Many have thought that the above quoted passage of scripture refers to the destruction of the first temple that took place when the Jews were taken captive to Babylon, in the year 587 BC. And some have thought that this passage refers to the destruction of the second temple that took place when the Jews were taken captive by Rome, in the year 70 AD. But neither of those assumptions are correct, for this passage actually refers to the defiling of the third temple that will take place when the Anti-Christ invades Israel. There are two main keys in this passage that reveal to us that this event is still to take place. Firstly, although the scripture says that these invading armies will lay Jerusalem in heaps, it does not say that the temple is destroyed; only defiled. On both occasions however, in 587 BC and 70 AD, those temples were completely destroyed. Secondly, this passage refers to the Lord returning to Israel’s neighbors, sevenfold into their bosom their reproach with which they have reproached the Lord. On both occasions, in 587 BC and 70 AD, Israel was not invaded by her neighbors, but rather by foreign powers from distant lands. It is only when the Anti-Christ invades the nation of Israel that she will be invaded by her Muslim neighbors.
Michael E.B. Maher
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