Our Heavenly Father, whose thoughts and ways are so much higher than our own (Isaiah 55:9), has placed acrostics, patterns and designs in His Word. These are His “mark” that He left to show us the divine nature of the Bible. Further these designs, when recognized, clarify the subject contained within the pattern or design.

Dr. J. R. Church, a Baptist minister from Texas, noticed a pattern overlooked by the great scholars of schools of higher learning and “higher criticism.” It is the Torah Pattern, based on the first five books of the Bible; Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy. The themes of these books form the Torah Pattern. They are as follows:

• Genesis – The Beginning or the Sin of Man
• Exodus – Deliverance
• Leviticus – Sanctified or Set Apart
• Numbers – Sin and Testing in Wilderness
• Deuteronomy – Summation or the Kingdom

As an example, let us look at a few chapters in Exodus. The 11th chapter describes the plague on the firstborn of Egypt – the Beginning of freedom for the Children of Israel. Chapter 12 is the Passover of the Lord – Deliverance of Israel. Chapter 13 is the consecration of the firstborn – Sanctification or setting apart. Chapter 14 describes how Pharoah's heart was hardened and he sinned by going back on his agreement to free the Children of Israel – the Focus on sin. Chapter 15 is a poetic work summarizing the great works of the Lord – Summation.

A few months ago I wrote of my opinion that the final Temple, the Millennial Temple, would be the fifth Temple, and not the third. Please click HERE for the article.

Flavius Josephus, who was alive at the time of Jesus, reports that Herod completely rebuilt the Temple, making this the third Temple. We know that there will be a fourth temple during the Tribulation, because the “man of sin” will desecrate it. (Second Thessalonians 2:4). This temple may be built on the traditional Temple Mount because Ezekiel describes a future temple with a wall around it to separate it from the profane place. (Ezekiel 42:20) It is possible that it, too, will be destroyed in the final battle over Jerusalem. (Zechariah 14:2)

Finally, the fifth Temple will be constructed for the Millennial reign of the Lord Jesus as Prince of Peace on earth.

The Torah Pattern confirms my opinion. Here is why:

• Solomon’s Temple (1st) – the Beginning of God’s House of Worship.
• Zerubabbel’s Temple (2nd) – the Jews were Delivered and returned to build the Temple.
  They were not scattered as the northern kingdom was.
• Herod’s Temple (3rd) – Set apart for destruction by the Romans.
• The Tribulation Temple (4th) – The Temple of Sin and Testing.
• The Millennial Temple (5th) – the Temple of the Kingdom!