It has frequently been called the most volatile 35 acres on the planet. I speak, of course, of that area in Jerusalem we refer to as the Temple Mount. Before we get to the focus of this article, which examines an unusual proposal from a Jewish rabbi concerning a new Temple, let’s take a moment to briefly examine the history of this sacred area.
Temple Mount History
Described in detail in 1 Kings chapters 7 and 8, it was under Solomon’s direction that the first Temple was constructed. It is believed that construction commenced in 966BC, with completion occurring seven years later.
Sadly, as we know from the Scriptures, this Temple was destroyed by the Babylonians in 586BC. However, when a remnant of Jews returned to the land under the leadership of Zerubbabel, a new Temple was constructed. Because of the detail given in the Scriptures, we can even pinpoint the date of completion—March 12, 516BC (Ezra 6:15).
Reactions to the Temple’s completion were mixed. In Ezra 3:12-13 we read: “But many of the priests and Levites and heads of the fathers’ houses, old men who had seen the first temple, wept with a loud voice when the foundation of this temple was laid before their eyes. Yet many shouted aloud for joy, so that the people could not discern the noise of the shout of joy from the noise of the weeping of the people, for the people shouted with a loud shout, and the sound was heard afar off.”
Why were the old men weeping on such a joyful occasion? By comparison to the first Temple the new edifice, in their eyes, was inferior. Consequently, the older men were looking back with longing whereas the younger men were looking around with joy. To establish unity and go forward as a remnant, both of them should have been looking up, praising God for what He had accomplished. This is a great lesson when it comes to disputes in churches where generations differ on their approach to worship!
This second Temple continued to stand throughout the centuries until renovation work commenced around 20BC at the behest of Herod. This is why the second Temple is often called “Herod’s Temple”. When he became King of Judea in 37BC, he desired to win the people’s affection by renovating the Temple.
Herod had envisioned a greatly enlarged Temple area containing an enormous courtyard. However, if you are familiar with the ancient topography of the Temple Mount this was a very difficult undertaking since the Temple sat atop the pinnacle of Mount Moriah. To accommodate these ambitious plans, he had huge retaining walls built in order to bring in tons of backfill material, the results of which are clearly seen today. Also seen today is evidence of the destruction of this Temple at the hands of the Romans in AD70.
Not only do the Scriptures reveal the history of the former Temples, but the Scriptures also tell us that there will be a third Temple. This is the Temple which will ultimately be occupied by the Antichrist (Matthew 24:15). Therefore, notwithstanding the flashpoint that the Temple Mount is, we know for certain that a third Temple will indeed be built.
Given the existence of the Dome of the Rock (which some believe occupies the site of the former Temples), it will be extremely interesting to see how God will arrange for the construction of this Temple in order to advance His prophetic program. However, there are some who do not believe a literal Temple will, or even must, be built.
A Digital Temple?
On March 19, 2026, the Times of Israel published an article by Rabbi Allen S. Maller. Although the article cited many of the promises which will be fulfilled in the Millennial Kingdom, Rabbi Maller applies them to the current dispensation. For example, the article opens with the following paragraph: “Although it might seem impossible now, I do believe that within a decade or two Muslims will visit Jerusalem and pray together with Jews as Prophet Zechariah predicts: ‘Then everyone who survives from all the nations that came against Jerusalem; shall go up year after year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to celebrate the Feast of Booths.’ (Zechariah 14:16).”
However, that passage applies to the Millennial Kingdom age because of the reference to worshipping the King, which we know is the King of kings and Lord of lords, Jesus Christ, who will rule and reign when He inaugurates the Kingdom at His Second Advent.
The author then goes on to adopt another Millennial Kingdom passage in the form of Isaiah 2:3, which reads: “Many people shall come and say, ‘Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; He will teach us His ways, and we shall walk in His paths.’ For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.” Which house are the nations drawn to? It is the Millennial Temple (the fourth Temple).
Since the Rabbi does not currently believe in a Millennial Kingdom age as we do, he focuses on the present age and advocates leaving the Muslim worship buildings in place and relying on a digital version of the Temple!
He writes: “There is open space on the Temple Mount where a 3D digital broadcast Jewish house of worship could be rebuilt as a virtual replica like those made by the Factum Foundation, a Madrid-based nonprofit that creates high-resolution digital replicas of the world’s cultural heritage; could be built about 600 feet north of the Al-Aqsa Mosque next to the Dome of the Rock, provided Muslims would cooperate. This would fulfil Prophet Isaiah’s statement that in the early part of the Messianic Age: ‘Torah will be broadcast from Zion, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.’ (Isaiah 2:3).”
This isn’t the first time Rabbi Maller has suggested this course of action. In 2022, he claimed that Israel should move ahead and “build a Virtual Reality Inner Sanctuary on the Temple Mount next to the Dome of the Rock.”
He also went on to write: “Just as millions of Muslims can daily join tens of thousands of Muslims of pilgrims praying and circling around the cube-shaped Kaaba at Islam’s most sacred site; Jews would be able to strap on a headset and enter the holy city of Jerusalem, and hear the sounds of Jewish prayers at the Western Wall, and someday as broadcast from the virtual Jerusalem Temple without ever leaving their own homes.” This is why he refers to the work of the Factum Foundation—they specialise in augmented reality, virtual reality, and mixed reality.
As we are all too familiar with, the politics governing the Temple Mount have prevented Israel’s orthodox community from pursuing concrete plans for the actual construction of a new Temple. While most, including myself, believe there will be a literal third Temple, the proposal for a largely digital Temple which only requires a small building from which to broadcast from adds an interesting dimension to the conversation. However God chooses to bring this about, the fact that we are continuing to have this conversation proves the truth of the Scriptures when it speaks about a third, albeit short-lived, Temple.
