Israel’s responsibility to resume national public worship immediately

While the world awaits Israel’s rebuilding of the third temple, I believe that Israel has a divinely mandated obligation to take the immediate, public, national and intermediate action to seek and worship HaShem through a tabernacle at the City of David.

In this regard, I note that Israel has been divinely appointed to explain HaShem to the world. As the prophet Isaiah declared to the nation of Israel, “Thus says G-d, the Lord, who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and what comes from it, who gives breath to the people on it and spirit to those who walk in it: ‘I am the Lord; I have called you in righteousness; I will take you by the hand and keep you; I will give you as a covenant for the people, a light for the nations, to open the eyes that are blind, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, from the prison those who sit in darkness.’” Isaiah‬ ‭42‬:‭5-7‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Despite the nation’s divinely appointed obligation to be a light to the nations, Israel has suspended its mandated worship for reasons that appear to be man-made and based on fear. The reasons certainly do not appear to be based on a declaration from HaShem. The nation waits for the Messiah, but it has been slow and quiet to publicly and collectively worship HaShem. I believe that the power of Israel and the key to its fulfilling its mandate from HaShem and bringing light into the dark world is to allow the Kohanim to reinstitute the sacrifices mandated by HaShem at a tabernacle in the area of Mount Zion and the City of David.

With regard to the sacrifices, Moses recorded the following declaration from HaShem: “‘An altar of earth you shall make for Me and sacrifice on it your burnt offerings and your peace offerings, your sheep and your oxen. In every place where I cause My Name to be remembered, I will come to you and bless you.’” Exodus‬ ‭20‬:‭24‬ ‭ESV‬‬. The commandment of HaShem, here, to conduct sacrifices is unconditional and makes no mention of a temple.

With regard to the location of such worship, Moses records the following declaration from HaShem: “‘But you shall seek the place that the Lord your G-d will choose out of all your tribes to put His Name and make His habitation there. There you shall go, and there you shall bring your burnt offerings and your sacrifices, your tithes and the contribution that you present, your vow offerings, your freewill offerings, and the firstborn of your herd and of your flock. And there you shall eat before the Lord your G-d, and you shall rejoice, you and your households, in all that you undertake, in which the Lord your G-d has blessed you.“ Deuteronomy‬ ‭12‬:‭5‬-‭7‬ ‭ESV‬‬. Thus, the place of sacrifices is where HaShem chooses for His Name to dwell.

King Solomon in a public national ceremony declared, ”… Blessed be the Lord, the G-d of Israel, who with His hand has fulfilled what He promised with His mouth to David my father, saying, ‘Since the day that I brought my people out of the land of Egypt, I chose no city out of all the tribes of Israel in which to build a house, that My Name might be there, and I chose no man as prince over My people Israel; but I have chosen Jerusalem that My Name may be there, and I have chosen David to be over My people Israel.’“ 2 Chronicles‬ ‭6‬:‭4‬-‭6‬ ‭ESV‬‬. Thus, it is clear that HaShem has chosen for His Name to dwell in Jerusalem.

Further, the first nationally official location in Israel where the Ark of the Covenant was placed was in the Tabernacle of David: “David built houses for himself in the city of David. And he prepared a place for the ark of G-d and pitched a tent for it.“ 1 Chronicles‬ ‭15‬:‭1‬ ‭ESV‬. “And they brought in the ark of G-d and set it inside the tent that David had pitched for it, and they offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before G-d. And when David had finished offering the burnt offerings and the peace offerings, he blessed the people in the Name of the Lord.” 1 Chronicles‬ ‭16‬:‭1‬-‭2‬ ‭ESV‬‬. And we know that King David, who made this decision on behalf of the nation, was filled with the Spirit of G-d (1 Samuel 16:13), and David’s decision was not questioned or repudiated by HaShem.

Remember, too, that it was King David’s idea to build a temple (2 Chronicles 6:7); the temple was not requested or required by HaShem. In fact, speaking through the prophet Nathan, HaShem said to King David about the temple: “‘In all places where I have moved with all the people of Israel, did I speak a word with any of the judges of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd my people Israel, saying, ‘Why have you not built Me a house of cedar?’” 2 Samuel‬ ‭7‬:‭7‬ ‭ESV‬‬

And we know that G-d will come to Zion: “Go on up to a high mountain, O Zion, herald of good news; lift up your voice with strength, O Jerusalem, herald of good news; lift it up, fear not; say to the cities of Judah, ‘Behold your G-d!’” Isaiah‬ ‭40‬:‭9‬ ‭ESV. Mount Zion, of course, is or has been the City of David. 2 Samuel 5:7, 1 Chronicles 11:5, 1 Kings 8:1, 2 Chronicles 5:2.

Although we know that the Messiah will rebuild the fallen Tabernacle of David (Amos 9:11-12), evidence of the wonders of this location, there is no divine prohibition to getting started on this immensely important project of restoring the tabernacle now and resuming the public, national worship of HaShem. Moreover, there is no international prohibition to such an action—nor could there be. There is no claim by any other religious group to the City of David. Further, taking such action may indeed prompt the consequence of divine intervention in the conflicts facing the nation and also enable the rebuilding of the third temple on the Temple Mount.

Therefore, because (a) G-d's mandate for sacrifices is unconditional, (b) the place ordered by G-d for His Name to dwell in Jerusalem, (c) God appears to have accepted King David’s decision to place the Ark of the Covenant and conduct sacrifices at the area of Mount Zion and the City of David, (d) this location is foretold as special to G-d by the prophets Isaiah and Amos, and (e) Israel has significant control over this area, action should be taken by the nation of Israel immediately to authorize and enable the Kohanim to install a tabernacle and reinstitute the sacrifice system in the area of Mount Zion and the City of David.