Temple at the Center of Time: Fact or Fiction?

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Temple at the Center of Time

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An article on WorldNetDaily.com concerning author David Flynn's latest book begins with the question: "Was the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem more than a place of worship?" Expanding upon this thought-provoking question, the August 14, 2008 article continues, "Was it, indeed, a roadmap to future events—a kind of prophetic landmark whose significance is only now revealed through the development of satellite imagery?

"That is the contention of an explosive new book 'Temple at the Center of Time: Newton's Codex Deciphered and the Year 2012,' by David Flynn, a book that has risen dramatically to No. 1 among unexplained mysteries, No. 1 in world history and 73 overall on Amazon.com. The book asserts it has 'deciphered Isaac Newton's greatest paradox: None other than "the unified field theory" of Bible prophecy.'"

Flynn claims that distances from the Jewish Temple Mount in Jerusalem to specific international destinations serve as prophetic time codes, all predicting the dates of actual historical events. But do they really represent critical historical dates that connect sites of known historical events to the land of Israel?

Sadly, his prophetic time-distance codes are inconsistent. The three examples from his book cited in the WorldNetDaily article include one measured in statute miles, one in nautical miles and another in feet. To be consistent he would have needed to use the same standard of measurement for each distance from Jerusalem.

His arbitrary standards of measurement for his chosen locations—each selected to fit his desired outcome—manipulate distances to make them appear to support his theory. This is the flaw that is most easily recognized in Flynn's theory. But besides his measurement manipulations, there are no biblical prophecies that justify his conclusions.

The end of the world?

Prophetic hobbyists, survivalists and such seem preoccupied with the end of the world. Temple at the Center of Time is only the latest in the genre of secret-code catastrophe, joining the company of Apocalypto, The Da Vinci Code, The Bible Code and such.

There's a better book that has the real prophetic scoop, with considerably greater historical authenticity. And it has, with all due respects, a much better Author. It's called the Bible. Let's take a look at the key issues.

Some think that the end of the world will come in 2012 because the ancient Mayan cyclical calendar comes to an end that year. Likewise, some Christians are obsessed with trying to calculate the second coming of Christ. Apparently, they have failed to notice that Jesus Himself said: "But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only" (Matthew 24:36, emphasis added).

The Bible supports watching for the fulfillment of events clearly mentioned in the Scriptures, but not personal prophetic calculations and speculations.

The temple in perspective

God considers Jerusalem "the apple of His eye" (Zechariah 2:8) and though the temple was His sacred dwelling while standing, ultimately it was expendable. God allowed it to be destroyed twice, first by Babylon in the 500s B.C.

A century later a new temple was built by Zerubbabel under permission granted by the Persian Empire. That temple was later remodeled in the first century BC by King Herod the Great. Herod's Temple was the one in which Christ preached—the one which He prophesied would be torn down. That second temple destruction occurred in A.D. 70, near the conclusion of the Jews' first war with Rome.

There is the desire on the part of some Jews and Christians to see the temple rebuilt to fulfill a prophecy by Daniel about the resumption of sacrificial offerings. That prophecy, however, could be fulfilled simply with the construction of an altar for burnt offerings, without a full temple being erected. But, following His second coming, Jesus Christ will rule all nations from Jerusalem for 1000 years. At that time the temple described in Ezekiel 40-48 will be a reality.  

The downside of secret codes

The transitory nature of the temple raises a critical issue. Obsession with mesmerizing magical mathematical calculations and their secret knowledge can derail you from what God wants you to know and do. "He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God" (Micah 6:8).