3rd Jewish Temple planned - furnishings, clothing, sacrificial lambs in place

A group of well-funded orthodox rabbis of The Temple Institute are already making plans to rebuild a third temple in Jerusalem right now. Many of the furnishings, the priestly garments, and sacrificial lambs are already in place – recreated to exact biblical specifications. For the first time in almost 2000 years, in 2008 they actually practiced slaughtering a lamb exactly as they planned to do once the temple is rebuilt. The Temple Institute says this about their purpose and the current Temple furnishings:

“The Institute is dedicated to every aspect of the Biblical commandment to build the Holy Temple of G-d on Mount Moriah in Jerusalem…. Our long-term goal is to do all in our limited power to bring about the building of the Holy Temple in our time…. The major focus of the Institute is its efforts towards the beginning of the actual rebuilding of the Holy Temple. Towards this end, the Institute has begun to restore and construct the sacred vessels for the service of the Holy Temple. These vessels, which G-d commanded Israel to create, can be seen today at our headquarters in Jerusalem. They are made according to the exact specifications of the Bible, and have been constructed from the original source materials, such as gold, copper, silver and wood. These are authentic, accurate vessels, not merely replicas or models. All of these items are fit and ready for use in the service of the Holy Temple.”

The Temple Institute has posted in its website gallery of pictures of many of the furnishings including:

• the Ark of the Covenant
• the copper laver
• the Golden Crown of the High Priest

Israel National News reported on April 6, 2008

“The Jerusalem Magistrate's court ruled Friday that the Jewish Temple movement may, under state law, slaughter a sheep on Sunday as a “general rehearsal” for the renewal of the Pesach (Passover) sacrifice. The judge even called the effort "proper," but organizers have been summoned to appear at 1 PM in the District Court after an animal rights groups filed another last-minute suit.”

The Temple Institute says this of the sacrifice rehearsal:

“(2008) This year, for the first time in nearly two thousand years, the Temple Institute [reports that]... a one year old, flawless lamb was ritually prepared, slaughtered and tended to according to halachah (Jewish law), and the specific instructions concerning how such an offering would be made at the Holy Temple.”

As you can imagine, the Temple Institute is considered very controversial and their plans are upsetting to many Muslims who fear that the mosque at the Dome of the Rock is in danger. And news of the third Temple is very exciting to Jews and to Evangelicals!