The Restored Sanhedrin and Temple Worship

          The Sanhedrin was the Jewish Supreme Court. Traditionally it was comprised of 71 of the nation’s most revered Torah scholars. The Sanhedrin decided the most critical cases for the Jewish people. For there to be a majority there had to be at least two votes over half of the 71. The trial of Jesus Christ was conducted before the Sanhedrin in Jerusalem at night, though not all were present. After the Temple was destroyed the Sanhedrin moved from place to place in Israel. It finally was dissolved while quartered in Tiberius during the reign of the emperor Constantine.

Every member of the Sanhedrin must be ordained following a tradition from Moses. A court of three containing at least one ordained member must confer ordination. Ordination can only be conferred in the land of Israel. In order to qualify for ordination one must be an expert in all areas of Torah law. Jewish tradition holds it will be from Tiberius that the Sanhedrin will be restored since it was Tiberius that hosted the last meeting of the Sanhedrin 1600 years ago. Therefore religious Jews believe that the restoration of the Sanhedrin will precede the coming of the Messiah. They point to Isaiah.1:27-28 “Zion shall be redeemed with judgment, and her converts with righteousness. And the destruction of the transgressors and of the sinners shall be together, and they that forsake the LORD shall be consumed.”

There is also a tradition that Elijah will present himself before the duly ordained Sanhedrin when he announces the coming of the Messiah. But only the Sanhedrin has the authority to crown the Messiah as the Jewish king according to Jewish tradition. In October 2004, 71 Jewish sages were ordained to restore the Jewish Sanhedrin in Tiberius. The Rabbi Chaim Richman explained, “We don’t have a choice. It is a religious mandate for us to establish a Sanhedrin.”

Richman is head of the Temple mound institute and a member of the new Jewish Sanhedrin. There the Jewish priests are faithfully recreating the tools needed to restore Jewish worship where animal sacrifices will once again be offered. Most are already been created.

The first and most important sacrifice is a pure and unblemished Red Heifer as specified in Numbers chapter 19. It is only the ashes of a pure Red Heifer certified by Israeli Rabbinical authorities that can purify the Temple so that Jews can worship there. Jewish scholars noted that a total of 9 satisfactory Red Heifers were born during the entire time from the Tabernacle through the first and second temples. Since the destruction of the second Temple, no Red Heifers have been born until this generation. It has been 2000 years since a Red Heifer has been born that met the stringent requirements set forth in Numbers 19:2-10 was born. But in the late 1990’s two perfect Red Heifers were born in Israel and a third on a ranch in Texas. Since then a rancher in Mississippi has begun breading perfect Red Heifers for use by Temple priests. The Red Heifers born in Israel have already been dedicated by the Temple Mount Institute.

The Red Heifers, the Temple Instruments and the first legal Sanhedrin in 1600 years are now in place in Israel. They await the day when Temple worship can be resumed on the Temple Mount. Of course the major obstacle to this is Muslim occupation of the Temple Mount. I personally believe the perfect place for the Temple Mount can be found to the north of the Dome of the Rock Mosque. However, the Muslims still claim exclusive possession of the entire Temple Mount platform.

Somehow, in some miraculous way, I believe God will make a way for the Temple to be rebuilt on its original site. There is concern among some Arabs about this very issue because they know Israel wants and desires a place on the Temple Mount and we know from scripture it has to happen before the antichrist can do the things spoken of him, as desecrating the Temple in the middle of the Tribulation in Daniel 12:11-12. “And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days. Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days.”

In fact, Revelation 11:1-2 possily indicates that both the Muslim Mosque and the Temple will stand together side by side. “And there was given me a reed like unto a rod: and the angel stood, saying, Rise, and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein. But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months.”

The messiah figure for whom all these preparations are being made in Israel is not the real Messiah Jesus. But in terms of Bible prophecy that is not as relevant as the fact that all the preparations are already being made for the Temple, for restoration of animal sacrifices and for crowing their messiah. Although the first messiah figure that comes is not the real Messiah King, the arrival of this imposter comes only seven years before the real Messiah comes at the conclusion of the Tribulation period. What all this means is that Israel is looking for a messiah in earnest so much so that the Sanhedrin has been restored after 1600 years of waiting for the express purpose of crowing the Messiah King when he comes. The Bible teaches that when Israel crowns the false messiah as King of Israel, it signals the final seven years of Jacob’s troubles that culminates with Israel’s national redemption at the second coming of the real Messiah. This is all an indication that Jesus’ coming will be very soon. We are approaching fast the time of Jacobs’s troubles which will surely begin within a few years.