Jerusalem - The future of a city with history - Jerusalem is holy to Jews for over 3,000 years - First Jewish Temple - Draiman

Jerusalem - The future of a city with history - Jerusalem is holy to Jews for over 3,000 years - First Jewish Temple

By DON MORRIS and NATALIE WATSON of the Times Staff Jerusalem is holy to Jews, Muslims and Christians and has been under each of their control at points in its  long history.  Settling the "Jerusalem question" is at the core of any possible peace deal between Israelis and Palestinians.  Here is a look at the city at the center of it all.

A high and holy place This 35-acre plateau that towered over ancient Jerusalem is important to Jews as Temple Mount, site of the first and second temples, to Muslims as the dream of Noble Sanctuary, and to Christians. First Jewish Temple Jewish tradition holds that 3,000 years ago Solomon, son of King David, built the first Temple on the site of a threshing floor, the place where David originally erected the Tabernacle, a huge tent that housed the Ten Commandments. The Babylonians destroyed it 400 years later. Second Jewish Temple A few generations after the First Temple's destruction, Jews returned from exile and built the Second Temple on Temple Mount, which became the site of holy places for all three religions. The Romans destroyed the Second Temple in 70 A.D. Dome of the Rock Muslims call the site Haram al-Sharif (the Noble Sanctuary). They believe Mohammed was transported from Mecca to Jerusalem, where he was lifted to heaven and received instructions on how to pray. The Dome of the Rock was built over the spot. With Al-Aqsa Mosque, the site is Islam's third holiest after Mecca and Medina

TIMELINE: Jerusalem

3000 B.C. A settlement dates from this era, near Gihon Spring.
2000 - 1500 B.C. Abraham settles in Canaan digs numerous wells. Christians and Jews believe Jerusalem is where God orders Abraham to sacrifice Abraham's son Isaac to him.
Around 1200 B.C.: Under Joshua's leadership the Jewish Nation enters the promised land and the walls of Jericho tumble.
Around 1000 B.C.: King David, founder of the joint kingdom of Israel and Judah, captures Jerusalem from the Jebusites pays them a sum of money and makes it his capital. King David's son, King Solomon, builds the First Temple.
586 B.C. The Babylonians conquer Jerusalem, destroy the Temple and exile some of the Jews.
516 B.C. Jews return from Babylonia under Persian rule and rebuild the second Jewish Temple in Jerusalem
64 B.C. Pompey conquers Jerusalem for Rome. Herod, made king in 40 B.C., begins a building program, including refurbishing the Second Temple.
Around 28 A.D. Jesus of Nazareth arrives in Jerusalem, where he will be crucified. He foretells the destruction of the Temple.
70 A.D. Romans destroy the Temple following a Jewish revolt. In 135, they put down another revolt and rename the city of Jerusalem as Aelia Capitolina.
313 The city of Jerusalem comes under the control of Constantine I, who restores its name as Jerusalem and with his mother, Helena, builds the Church of the Holy Sepulcher.
638 Muslims capture Jerusalem; the Dome of the Rock is built by 691 and various Muslim rulers occupied Jerusalem Umayyad dynasty.
750-974 Abbasid dynasty controls Jerusalem
1099 European Christians Crusaders capture Jerusalem during the First Crusade and evict all Muslims.
1187 Ayyubid Period. Muslim leader Saladin recaptures Jerusalem. Jews return and the layout of the Old City into quarters is fixed. Jewish quarter, Christian quarter, Armenian quarter and the Muslim quarter.
1229-1244 Christian Crusaders recapture Jerusalem
1250-1516 Mamlukes take over Jerusalem 
1517 The Muslim Ottoman Turks capture the city of Jerusalem and the rest of Palestine.
1917 The British conquer Jerusalem and the rest of Palestine during World War I and make it the administrative seat of Palestine as trustee for the Jewish people.
1947 The British abandon the implementation of the Mandate for Palestine to become the reconstituted Jewish National Home and turn over the implementation of the Mandate for Palestine's future to the new United Nations, which partitions it into Arab and Jewish states. Jerusalem would be an international city, which the Arabs rejected.
1948 Rejecting the U.N. plan, Arab forces of 7 nations attack the newly proclaimed sovereign state of Israel. By war's end, Israel controls West Jerusalem, which it makes its capital. Jordan controls East Jerusalem and the Old City and Annex it and the West Bank also known as Judea and Samaria.
1949 - 1967 Jews are barred from from praying at the Western Wall and 49 Jewish houses of worship are destroyed and other Jewish areas vandalized, while Jewish owned homes and land is occupied by Arabs.
1967 During a second Arab-Israeli war, Israel liberates and recaptures East Jerusalem, reclaiming Jewish Temple Mount and the Western Wall. It annexes East Jerusalem and some 17,500 acres.
TODAY The future of East Jerusalem, legally Jewish territory, annexed by Israel but deceptively regarded by Arab-Palestinians as the eventual capital of their own delusional state, and is falsely depicted as the remains of one of the most sensitive hurdles in deceptive Arab peace talks.

Sources: World Book, Encyclopedia Britannica, BBC News, USA Today, Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Peace Now, B'Tselem, Info Please Almanac, U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

Jerusalem During the Second Temple Period

	Jerusalem in the year 66 CE: Four years later, on Tisha B'Av, the Roman Emperor Titus destroyed the city during the period of the Great Revolt against Rome.
	Herod's palace: Herod was responsible for building ambitious structures such as Herodion, Massada, and the reconstruction of the Temple in Jerusalem. Both sides of the palace were symmetrical. In between are pools and fountains. Many of the rich in Jerusalem lived a comfortable life with their own pools.
	The Upper City, or Western District: This area was reserved for the rich (the Sadducees, Jewish aristocracy of that period) who lived in multi-storey mansions with wooden roofs. This area was situated on a hill across from the Temple mount, which can be seen in the backround.
	The Holy Temple and its large courtyard, and rear view of the Temple Mount: Herod began rebuilding the Temple in the year 19 BCE. The construction took seven years. Some say that it did not rain during the day throughout those seven years so as not to disturb the construction. Notice the Antonia fortress (named after Herod's Roman ally Mark Antony) overlooking the Temple.
	The Antonia fortress: The structure was built originally during the period of Ezra and was strengthened by the Hasmoneans. Herod rebuilt it completely on top of a rock 82 feet high.
	A close up look at the Temple: The Temple was built on Mount Moriah and Herod built the Temple floor 100 feet above street level. The Temple complex was very large with Herod building new walls on the outside, supported by rooms , buildings and tunnels on three levels. Isaiah said the Temple Mount is built like a lion, narrow in front, broad behind. For him, Jerusalem was the Lion of G-d, or "Ariel."
	The Phasael Tower, Hippicus Tower and Miriamne Tower: These three towers are situated close to where Jaffa gate is today. These towers protected the main entrance to the city. Phasael tower was named after Herod's brother, Hippicus was named after Herod's friend who fell in battle, while Mariamne tower was named after Herod's wife. The only remains of these towers today is the base of Phasael's, found in the Tower of David.
	During Herodion times: There were social tensions during Herod's time with the upper class Sadducees living in luxurious accommodation while the lower class Pharisees lived at the bottom of the city having to climb up to reach the Temple.
	A Saducee bathroom in the year 66 CE, Jerusalem.
	A Saducee living room in the year 66 CE, Jerusalem.

The  Temple  of  God

In earliest times there were no permanent buildings such as temples where people could worship the One True God.  The heavenly Father just needed a sanctuary, which is a dedicated place where He could dwell with His children. “And let them make Me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them.”  (Ex. 25:8)  When the children of Israel were wandering in the wilderness they could not build a permanent place of worship.  God would reveal Himself to them and let them know where they could erect a sacrificial altar (Deut. 112:11-14).  The Tabernacle In The Wilderness was a Tent of Meeting for the people.  The Tabernacle became the pattern for the first Temple of God to be built in Jerusalem.  King David had the desire to build the temple, but he was occupied fighting the enemies of Israel. Therefore God chose his son King Solomon who completed it in about 960 B.C. (2 Sam. 7:1-17; 1 Kn, 6:1-38).  It was a magnificent temple.

The Old Testament Temple

The Temple of God was used primarily for worship on the Sabbath day and Jewish holidays.  God had warned Israel that if it violated the Sabbath commandment He would destroy the gates and palaces of Jerusalem (Jer. 17:27).  Israel did not heed God’s warning so He allowed the Babylonians under King Nebuchadnezzar to burn “the house of God, broke down the wall of Jerusalem, burned all its palaces with fire, and destroyed all its precious possessions.” (2 Chron. 36:18-19).  Those that survived became slaves in Babylon “until the land had enjoyed her Sabbaths.  As long as she lay desolate she kept Sabbath, to fulfill seventy years.” (2 Chron. 36:20-21). 

At God’s appointed time the Persians permitted the Jews’ return from the Babylonian captivity about 538 B.C., they began to rebuild the Temple, which was completed about 15 years later. While almost certainly not as grand as the original Temple of Solomon, it survived over 450 years. It was this Temple that the Syrian king Antiochus IV desecrated in 168 B.C., triggering the revolt by The Maccabees. This Temple was largely destroyed by the conquering Romans under Pompey in 63 B.C. (see Ancient Empires - Rome)

The Herodian Temple, a rebuilding of the earlier Temple by Herod The Great, was the magnificent structure that existed at the time of Jesus Christ. It was there that The Lord drove out the money changers and had numerous confrontations with the Pharisees and Sadducees. This Temple was completely destroyed by the Roman Legions in 70 A.D., exactly as Jesus Christ prophesied, nearly 40 years earlier, that it would be (Matthew 24:1-2) (see Fall of Jerusalem In 70 A.D.). Since then, there has been no Temple in Jerusalem.

Will the Physical Jewish Temple in Jerusalem be Rebuilt?

There are a number of Jewish groups working toward the rebuilding of a physical Jewish Temple in Jerusalem. Their preparations are genuine, professional, and well financed. They would begin building today if the political situation permitted it. But will it happen? Many Christians reject the thought of any such possibility, because their Christian perspective of "Temple" is now somewhat spiritual, and so they disregard the minds and actions of the Jewish people. But Jews aren't Christians. Jews have a religious perspective of their own, and since 1948, the sovereign Jewish state of Israel has been a reality. It was first reconstituted in 1920 when under international law and treaty the 1917 Balfour Declaration was made into international law by the Supreme Allied powers. 

Whether or not the physical temple will be rebuilt depends on the Jewish resolve to overcome obstacles that relate to the Israeli-Arab/Palestinian conflict.  Consider the incident on September 28, 2000 when the Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon visited the Jewish Temple Mount (Haram al-Sharif in Arabic) falsely regarded as Islam’s third holiest place.  He made this statement which is considered highly provocative to the Arabs::'The Jewish Temple Mount is in our hands and will remain in our hands. It is the holiest site in Judaism and it is the right of every Jew to visit and pray at the Temple Mount.'.  Since that time, Arab/Palestinians have engaged in a violent insurrection that has been dubbed the "al-Aksa intifada” which continues to this day. 

It is beyond the time limitation and scope of this sermon to deal with this issue how we know the physical Jewish Temple in Jerusalem will be rebuilt.  

May God bless you

After the 70 babylonian captivity God allowed the Jews to return toJerusalem to rebuild the temple that must be built over the original foundation. (Ezra 2:68; 4:12; Amos 9:11)

Here is a super-colossal problem.  There is only one genuine and valid site for the temple - on Mount Moriah where Abraham had offered Isaac as an offering to God.  In the Seventh Century when the Islamic forces occupied the land, Caliph Omar built the Dome of the Rock over the same site of Solomon's temple.  This building is still standing there and has become one of the chief tourist attractions in Jerusalem.  In order to rebuild the temple in its proper place the Dome of the Rock must be demolished.  The temple site in Jerusalem is considered a holy place for the Islamic religion, second only to Mecca.  How can the Dome of the Rock be removed without provoking all the Islamic nations of the world to anger and start a "Jihad - holy war?"  Several suggestions have been made to choose an alternate site that is close to the Temple Mount, but so far none have been acceptable to the religious Jews.

6.    In the fourth year of Solomon's reign (c. 960 B.C.) the temple began construction.  It was completed in the eleventh year of Solomon's reign. It took seven and a half years to complete the construction of the First Temple.  The Second Temple that was reconstructed by King Herod took much longer.  Herod began his work in his eighteenth year (20-19 B.C.) When the Jews said to our Lord Jesus Christ that the temple had been under construction forty six years (Jn. 2:20); it was not until A.D.64 - more than thirty more years before it was finally completed.   Why did it take so long?  Those were large hewn stones and fine construction. How long do you think it will take modern technology to complete the temple if it were to be rebuilt today?  It depends on the materials and the construction system.  So, how long do you think it will take to rebuild and reconstruct the original temple that was destroyed in A.D.70?   The length of construction time is not important!

We shall come back to this question - "Will the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem be Rebuilt?"  All I can say is this - "God has not given us a clear and positive answer".  Up till the present time I am convinced the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem will be rebuilt.

The Struggle for the Temple Mount

A briefing by Gershom Gorenberg
May 2, 2001

Gershom Gorenberg, author of The End of Days: Fundamentalism and the Struggle for the Temple Mount (Free Press), is senior editor and columnist for The Jerusalem Report. In addition, he is a regular contributor to The New Republic and an associate of the Center for Millennial Studies at Boston University. He was a co-author of Shalom, Friend: The Life and Legacy of Yitzhak Rabin, which won the National Jewish Book Award. American-born, Mr. Gorenberg has degrees from the University of California and the Hebrew University. He spoke to the Middle East Forum on May 2, 2001.

The Jewish Temple Mount in Context

The Jewish Temple Mount is an area of only thirty-five acres in the southwest corner in the old City of Jerusalem, but it is the most contested real estate on earth by the Muslims.

By calling it the Temple Mount, I am already standing in one political corner. Muslims call it al-Haram ash-Sharif, which includes the Dome of the Rock and al-Masjid al-Aqsa, or "the furthest mosque." Which the Muslim delusion defined it as Temple Mount. People ask me if there is a neutral term for the Temple Mount. The answer is no. There is no neutral term or neutral story, except the historical fact, that the two Jewish Temple were there for over 1000 years prior to the invention of the Muslim religion.

As a journalist, I have a standard paragraph to describe the Jewish Temple Mount: It is the site of the first and second Jewish temple in ancient Jewish times as archaeological facts substantiate. It is also believed to be the place that the prophet Muhammad, according to the Qur'an, was said to have stepped before taking his dream of "night journey" to heaven, where he met Allah, and received the Islamic commandment to pray five times a day. Again only a dream with no facts.

A Nationalist Symbol

Israelis justly and Arab-Palestinians deceptively have both constructed their national narratives around the Jewish Temple Mount. In each narrative, an ideal past is seen as a time when the Temple Mount was under their sovereignty. In both cases, the present is seen as a disruptive time when the site is disputed. The ideal future is then seen as a time when the Jewish Temple Mount will be theirs again. The Jewish Temple Mount is now an emblem of the hopes and aspirations for both peoples. The Jews are in possession and possession is nine tenths of the law; and the archaeological and historical facts prove that it is the Jewish Temple site. The Muslim dream is a dream which they decide it relates to the site of the Jewish Temple with no facts, just pure fiction and delusion.

In early Arab-Palestinian nationalist history, the Temple Mount was used as a rally cry: to protect the al-Aqsa mosque from the dangerous presence of Zionists in Palestine-Israel. That cry for liberation intensified after 1967 when Israel liberated and reconquered the Jewish Temple Mount.

During the 1967 Six Day war, an Israeli colonel proudly announced "the Jewish Temple Mount is in our hands." For Israeli nationalists, this was seen as the ultimate achievement; the Jewish people had reclaimed their homeland and the site of the Jewish holy temple .

Interestingly, Jewish homes have traditionally been adorned with a landscape of the Temple Mount, as a symbol of national yearning. Since the Arab/Palestinian-Israeli conflict has intensified, the same landscape has deceptively become a symbol among Arab-Palestinians.

Recent Events

Last July at the Camp David peace talks, Arab-Palestinian and Israeli negotiators came together and attempted to discuss the final status of the Jewish Temple Mount. They couldn’t do it because the issue is too loaded with symbolism for either side to negotiate.

Prime Minister Ehud Barak suggested that the mount come under de jure Arab-Palestinian administration but under the roof of Israeli sovereignty. For him, this was a concession. For Arab-Palestinians, it was a demand and a threat.

After the summit, the Arab-Palestinians deceptively stated publicly that the historic Jewish temple never stood on the Jewish Temple Mount; that there was no Jewish historical link to that area. Interestingly enough a 1925 guide to Temple Mount issued by the Muslim Waqf admits that the Jewish Temple of King Solomon is on Temple Mount and it depicts the location of King Solomon's stables. This Arab-Palestinian provocation served as an engraved invitation to a nationalist Israeli leader who wanted to assert the rightful Jewish control of the Temple Mount.

This is exactly what Ariel Sharon did on September 28, 2000, when he toured the compound, accompanied by hundreds of policemen. Arab-Palestinians claimed Sharon's visit was proof that Israel never intended to give up sovereignty over the al-Aqsa mosque. Sharon, however, says that the uprising that followed had nothing to do with his visit to the Temple Mount. Rather, it resulted from a decision by the Arab-Palestinians to gain concessions.

Violence and the Temple Mount

There is a precedent of violence around the Temple Mount. In 1929, the first major outbreak of violence in the Arab-Israeli conflict spawned from conflict over the site, as Jews attempted to assert control over the Western Wall. In hindsight, the Temple Mount was somewhat incidental to this struggle, which was mostly an expression of the nationalist struggle between Arabs and Jews.

In the 1980's, Israeli authorities uncovered a Jewish extremist plot to destroy the Dome of the Rock. In the end, it was discovered that the Dome of the Rock was ancillary to the plot. The conspirators were really protesting Israel’s withdrawal from the Sinai Peninsula. Still, the symbolism of the Temple Mount was there and significant.

In early 1996, the Arab-Palestinian "Tunnel Riots" took place, when Israeli antiquity authorities began excavating beneath the Temple Mount. While there was little to no chance of damaging the structure of the Temple Mount, the riots were really symbolic of the breakdown of the delusional peace process.

Similarly, the current al-Aqsa intifada is less about the al-Aqsa mosque and more about a crisis in the delusion of peacemaking.

Symbolism and the Temple Mount

To exclude religious symbolism surrounding the Temple Mount, however, is a mistake. That would be equivalent to saying that the conflict is only about practical issues like control, power, and territory. Indeed, the Temple Mount is a symbol of the hopes, fears, and aspirations on both sides.

It matters little whether the Prophet Muhammad actually ascended to heaven from the Temple Mount on his "night journey." The important thing is that millions of Muslims are educated to believe it. This is the imagined past of Islam. Historians ponder at what time Muslims agreed that the "furthest mosque" mentioned in the Qur'an became the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. It’s an interesting question, but today it is politically irrelevant. What’s relevant is that millions of people believe it, even if it is not true.

Today, there are Arab-Palestinians who deceptively argue that the Jewish temple never stood on the Temple Mount. From an archaeological and historical perspective, I would say they are completely wrong. But this is also irrelevant, because the Jewish people believe it is the holiest spot in Jerusalem.

According to Jewish tradition, the Temple Mount is also where Abraham was said to have bound Isaac in the story of Genesis. It is the place where the ultimate religious individual underwent the ultimate religious test and founded the faith. Similarly in Islam, al-Haram ash-Sharif is where the ultimate religious individual underwent the ultimate religious experience, ascended to heaven, and founded the ultimate religious faith.

The Site of the End of Days

While the Temple Mount is seen as the site where two faiths began, it is also seen as the place, according to all three monotheistic religions, where the world will end.

In Jewish tradition, since the destruction of the temple in 70 CE, saying that the Temple will be rebuilt is tantamount to saying that the messiah will come and that God's kingdom on earth will be established.

In Islam, it is also the place of the end. According to one oral tradition, or hadith, final judgment will take place at al-Haram ash-Sharif when a thread will be stretched from the Mount of Olives to the Temple Mount. Thereafter, the souls of all who have ever lived must walk it. Those who were good will make it across and go to heaven. Those who were evil will fall off and be damned for eternity.

There is also an interpretation embraced by millions of evangelical Christians in which the Temple Mount is central to the scenario of the end of days. According to this theology, the temple of the Jews must be rebuilt in order for Jesus Christ to return and bring an end to the world as we know it.

Fundamentalism

All traditions around the Temple Mount can be interpreted metaphorically and allegorically and have been throughout history. Today, however, we live in an age of fundamentalism.

"Fundamentalism" is originally a Christian term for those who believe that the bible is completely accurate in its literal interpretation. Fundamentalists, then, are those who assert that they do not make moral judgments because the text makes those judgments for them.

Christian fundamentalist theology sees the creation of Israel and the subsequent history as heralding the end of days. There are also those who call themselves "fundamentalists" in Islam. They, too, take a literal interpretation of the sacred texts.

Today, Christian fundamentalists support radical Jewish fringe groups who seek to destroy the al-Aqsa mosque so that the third temple can be built and herald the messiah. While they are a minority, this is enough to keep Muslims paranoid. That is to say, the assertion that all Jews want to rebuild the temple is wrong, but there are some out there that provide proof to the contrary.

Fundamentalists today are encouraged by the current mini-war. They believe that this so-called battle for Jerusalem is the battle that will lead to the end of days.

What if the mount were destroyed?

This question was widely discussed by Israeli experts after the plot to destroy the Temple Mount was uncovered in the 1980's. Some assert that this could prompt the entire Muslim world to attack Israel. Others say it could bring a second holocaust. Those interpretations are too radical, however.

The implications of damage to the site depends on the political context. If this happened during a period of dialogue, it is possible that leaders could maintain control. The effect could be far worse during times of tension. In any case, Israeli security forces are very careful to ensure the safety of the entire compound.

Conclusion

The struggle for the Temple Mount is a complicated one. If Arab-Palestinians and Israelis are to make progress towards peace, each side must begin to understand the narratives of the other as a point of departure for mutual understanding.

Summary account by Jonathan Schanzer, research associate at the Middle East Forum

The Struggle for the Temple Mount

A briefing by Gershom Gorenberg
May 2, 2001

The Temple Mount in Context

The Temple Mount is an area of only thirty-five acres in the southwest corner in the old City of Jerusalem, but it is the most contested real estate on earth. 

By calling it the Temple Mount, I am already standing in one political corner. Muslims call it al-Haram ash-Sharif, which includes the Dome of the Rock and al-Masjid al-Aqsa, or "the furthest mosque." People ask me if there is a neutral term for the Temple Mount. The answer is no. There is no neutral term or neutral story.

As a journalist, I have a standard paragraph to describe the Temple Mount: It is the site of the first and second temple in ancient Jewish times. It is also the place that the dream of prophet Muhammad, according to the Qur'an, was said to have stepped before taking his "night journey" to heaven, where he met Allah, and received the Islamic commandment to pray five times a day (At that time there was no Mosque in Jerusalem Temple Mount. 

A Nationalist Symbol

Israelis and Palestinians have both constructed their national narratives around the Temple Mount. In each narrative, an ideal past is seen as a time when the Temple Mount was under their sovereignty. In both cases, the present is seen as a disruptive time when the site is disputed. The ideal future is then seen as a time when the Temple Mount will be theirs again. The Temple Mount is now an emblem of the hopes and aspirations for both peoples.

In early Palestinian nationalist history, the Temple Mount was used as a rally cry: to protect the al-Aqsa mosque from the dangerous presence of Zionists in Palestine. That cry for liberation intensified after 1967 when Israel conquered the Temple Mount.

During the 1967 Six Day war, an Israeli colonel proudly announced "the Temple Mount is in our hands." For Israeli nationalists, this was seen as the ultimate achievement; the Jewish people had reclaimed their homeland. 

Interestingly, Jewish homes have traditionally been adorned with a landscape of the Temple Mount, as a symbol of national yearning. Since the Palestinian-Israeli conflict has intensified, the same landscape has become a symbol among Palestinians. 

Recent Events

Last July at the Camp David peace talks, Palestinian and Israeli negotiators came together and attempted to discuss the final status of the Temple Mount. They couldn’t do it because the issue is too loaded with symbolism for either side to negotiate.

Prime Minister Ehud Barak suggested that the mount come under de jure Palestinian administration but under the roof of Israeli sovereignty. For him, this was a concession. For Palestinians, it was a demand and a threat. 

After the summit, the Palestinians stated publicly that the historic Jewish temple never stood on the Temple Mount; that there was no Jewish historical link to that area. This Palestinian provocation served as an engraved invitation to a nationalist Israeli leader who wanted to assert Jewish control of the Temple Mount.

This is exactly what Ariel Sharon did on September 28, 2000, when he toured the compound, accompanied by hundreds of policemen. Palestinians claimed Sharon's visit was proof that Israel never intended to give up sovereignty over the al-Aqsa mosque. Sharon, however, says that the uprising that followed had nothing to do with his visit to the Temple Mount. Rather, it resulted from a decision by the Palestinians to gain concessions.

Violence and the Temple Mount

There is a precedent of violence around the Temple Mount. In 1929, the first major outbreak of violence in the Arab-Israeli conflict spawned from conflict over the site, as Jews attempted to assert control over the Western Wall. In hindsight, the Temple Mount was somewhat incidental to this struggle, which was mostly an expression of the nationalist struggle between Arabs and Jews. 

In the 1980s, Israeli authorities uncovered a Jewish extremist plot to destroy the Dome of the Rock. In the end, it was discovered that the Dome of the Rock was ancillary to the plot. The conspirators were really protesting Israel’s withdrawal from the Sinai Peninsula. Still, the symbolism of the Temple Mount was there and significant.

In early 1996, the Palestinian "Tunnel Riots" took place, when Israeli antiquity authorities began excavating beneath the Temple Mount. While there was little to no chance of damaging the structure of the Temple Mount, the riots were really symbolic of the breakdown of the peace process. 

Similarly, the current al-Aqsa intifada is less about the al-Aqsa mosque and more about a crisis in peacemaking.

Symbolism and the Temple Mount

To exclude religious symbolism surrounding the Temple Mount, however, is a mistake. That would be equivalent to saying that the conflict is only about practical issues like control, power, and territory. Indeed, the Temple Mount is a symbol of the hopes, fears, and aspirations on both sides. 

It matters little whether the Prophet Muhammad actually ascended to heaven from the Temple Mount on his "night journey." The important thing is that millions of Muslims believe it. This is the imagined past of Islam. Historians ponder at what time Muslims agreed that the "furthest mosque" mentioned in the Qur'an became the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. It’s an interesting question, but today it is politically irrelevant. What’s relevant is that millions of people believe it. 

Today, there are Palestinians who argue that the Jewish temple never stood on the Temple Mount. From an archaeological and historical perspective, I would say they are completely wrong. But this is also irrelevant, because the Jewish people believe it is the holiest spot in Jerusalem. 

According to Jewish tradition, the Temple Mount is also where Abraham was said to have bound Isaac in the story of Genesis. It is the place where the ultimate religious individual underwent the ultimate religious test and founded the faith. Similarly in Islam, al-Haram ash-Sharif is where the ultimate religious individual underwent the ultimate religious experience, ascended to heaven, and founded the ultimate religious faith. 

The Site of the End of Days

While the Temple Mount is seen as the site where two faiths began, it is also seen as the place, according to all three monotheistic religions, where the world will end. 

In Jewish tradition, since the destruction of the temple in 70 CE, saying that the Temple will be rebuilt is tantamount to saying that the messiah will come and that God's kingdom on earth will be established.

In Islam, it is also the place of the end. According to one oral tradition, or hadith, final judgement will take place at al-Haram ash-Sharif when a thread will be stretched from the Mount of Olives to the Temple Mount. Thereafter, the souls of all who have ever lived must walk it. Those who were good will make it across and go to heaven. Those who were evil will fall off and be damned for eternity. 

There is also an interpretation embraced by millions of evangelical Christians in which the Temple Mount is central to the scenario of the end of days. According to this theology, the temple of the Jews must be rebuilt in order for Jesus Christ to return and bring an end to the world as we know it. 

Fundamentalism

All traditions around the Temple Mount can be interpreted metaphorically and allegorically and have been throughout history. Today, however, we live in an age of fundamentalism. 

"Fundamentalism" is originally a Christian term for those who believe that the bible is completely accurate in its literal interpretation. Fundamentalists, then, are those who assert that they do not make moral judgements because the text makes those judgements for them.

Christian fundamentalist theology sees the creation of Israel and the subsequent history as heralding the end of days. There are also those who call themselves "fundamentalists" in Islam. They, too, take a literal interpretation of the sacred texts. 

Today, Christian fundamentalists support radical Jewish fringe groups who seek to destroy the al-Aqsa mosque so that the third temple can be built and herald the messiah. While they are a minority, this is enough to keep Muslims paranoid. That is to say, the assertion that all Jews want to rebuild the temple is wrong, but there are some out there that provide proof to the contrary.

Fundamentalists today are encouraged by the current mini-war. They believe that this so-called battle for Jerusalem is the battle that will lead to the end of days.

What if the mount were destroyed?

This question was widely discussed by Israeli experts after the plot to destroy the Temple Mount was uncovered in the 1980s. Some assert that this could prompt the entire Muslim world to attack Israel. Others say it could bring a second holocaust. Those interpretations are too radical, however. 

The implications of damage to the site depends on the political context. If this happened during a period of dialogue, it is possible that leaders could maintain control. The effect could be far worse during times of tension. In any case, Israeli security forces are very careful to ensure the safety of the entire compound.

Conclusion

The struggle for the Temple Mount is a complicated one. If Palestinians and Israelis are to make progress towards peace, each side must begin to understand the narratives of the other as a point of departure for mutual understanding. 

WILL  THERE  BE  A  
PHYSICAL 

TEMPLE  REBUILT  IN  
JERUSALEM ?

Paul  Wong

The rebuilding of the Temple in Jerusalem is one of the most enigmatic controversies of our time.  Those who are from Israel that favor its rebuilding present from the view of Judaism.  They need the temple for worship and animal sacrifice.  On the other hand some Christian writers from America present from the view of Bible prophecy.  They think that the rebuilding of the temple would fulfill the prophecy of the Antichrist who will "sit as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God." (2 Thes. 2:4)  They rationalize: "Surely the temple must be rebuilt so that the Antichrist can sit in it as God."  This is circular reasoning and not a direct Bible prophecy.

The destruction of Herod's temple is a direct prophecy from our Lord Jesus Christ.  "And Jesus said to them, 'Do you not see all these things? Assuredly, I say to you, not one stone shall be left here upon another, that shall not be thrown down." (Mt. 24:2)  He was talking about total destruction of the temple.  Why is it important for us to read what the Lord said?  Here is the reason.  "God, who at sundry times and in different ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds." (Heb. 1:1-2)  God had spoken through the prophets concerning the destruction and rebuilding of the First Temple. (Jer. 17:27; 2 Kn. 25:Zec. 4:6-8)  Our Lord had prophesied the destruction of Herod's temple, but He had said nothing about its rebuilding.  Don't you think that such an important matter deserves at least one sentence from the Lord? There is total silence from Jesus regarding the rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem.  However, our Lord did mention about His body being the temple.  "Jesus answered and said to them, 'Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.'  Then the Jews said, 'It has taken forty six years to build this temple, and will You raise it up in three days?'  But He was speaking of the temple of His body." (Jn. 2:19-21)  If the Lord knew that the temple in Jerusalem would be destroyed He would definitely know whether or not it would be rebuilt.  He had said nothing about its rebuilding.  He was certain that "the temple of His body" would be raised up in three days, but there is no basis for the theory on the rebuilding of the physical temple.  

The apostle Paul also taught the believer's body is the temple of God.  He wrote: "Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?  If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him.  For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are." (1 Cor. 3:16-17) "Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you whom you have form God, and you are not your own?" (1 Cor. 6:19) This is the same Paul who preached to the Greeks on Mars Hill, Athens:"God, who made the world and everything in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands.  Nor is He worshiped with men's hands, as though He needed anything, since He gives to all life, breath, and all things." (Acts 17:24-25)  From the teachings of Paul we can see his concept of the "temple of God" is not a physical building.  The literal interpretation of the "temple of God" in 2 Thessalonians 2:4 as a physical edifice is inconsistent with Paul's theology.  Can we interpret the "temple of God" in this context of 2 Thess. 2:4 that is consistent with Paul's concept? Certainly we can, if we apply his allegory of the body as the temple. 

According to the apostle Paul the believer's body is the temple of God since the Holy Spirit dwells in it.  Whether it is a single body or multiple bodies it is still the temple of God.  The Church that is derived from the Greek "ekklesia"- God's called-out assembly, in a collecctive sense it is also the temple of God.  Figuratively if the temple of God is the Church then we have to interpret 2 Thess. 2:4 accordingly.  We have to interpret the Antichrist sitting in the Church showing himself that he is God.  Is it too hard to accept the fact that the Antichrist can take control of the Church?  Can it happen? There are two congregations in the Book of Revelation that can help us to understand this danger.  The church in Smyrna has members "who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan."  (Rev. 2:9)  Then Jesus spoke to the church at Pergamos: "I know your works, and where you dwell, where Satan's throne is." (Rev. 2:13) The Antichrist "sitting in the temple of God" does not mean sitting in the physical temple in Jerusalem.  It means the anti-christ has total control of the church. The synagogue of Satan means that the devil owns and controls that congregation. The church that has Satan sitting on the throne means that it is under Satan's control, power and authority.

The book of Daniel will help us to further understand how Satan can control the church:  "Thus he said: The fourth beast shall be a fourth kingdom on earth, which shall be different for all other kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth. . . . He shall speak pompous words against the Most High, shall persecute the saints of the Most High, and shall intend to change times and law.  Then the saints shall be given into his hand for a time and times and half a time." (Dan. 7:23-25)   Now let us read Revelation and make some comparisons.  "And he was given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies, and he was given authority to continue for forty two months. Then he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His name, His tabernacle, and those who dwell in heaven.  And it was granted to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them.  And authority was given him over every tribe, tongue and nation.  And all who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.  If anyone has an ear, let him hear. " (Rev. 13:5-10)   Daniel wrote: "Then the saints shall be given into his hand."  And John wrote: "And it was granted to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them."  John continued: "And all who dwell on the earth will worship him."  The inhabitants of the earth will worship the Antichrist as their god.  This would definitely fulfill the prophecy of 2 Thess. 2:4 without having to rebuild the physical temple in Jerusalem. Praise and thank our Lord Jesus Christ there will be Christians whose names are written in the Lamb's Book of Life and these saints can overcome Satan "by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death." (Rev. 12:11)

If it is the physical temple in Jerusalem that Paul was writing about in 2 Thess. 2:4 then it will only effect the people in Jerusalem and Israel.  The rest of the world can go on living without having to worship the Antichrist in the physical temple in Jerusalem.  Daniel and John's prophecies concern the whole world, not just the geographical location of Jerusalem.  It is only through the church that the Antichrist infiltrates that he can make war and overcome the saints.  He has done that in the past.  He is doing it now and he will do it in the future.  The devil is the great deceiver.  Christians fall into his trap when they focus on rebuilding the physical temple in Jerusalem, but fail to recognize they are the spiritual temple of God that really matters to Him. (Eph. 2:18-22)

Let us look at some of the facts concerning the temple in Jerusalem. 

1.              The plans of the temple were first given to King David through the Holy Spirit. (1 Chron. 28:12, 19)

2.              It was given after David had secured peace by conquest of his enemies. (2 Sam. 7:1-12)

3.              God would not allow King David to build the temple because he had shed too much blood.  God had appointed his son Solomon to build the temple. (1 Chron. 22:6-11)

4.              Solomon was a man of peace and his reign a period of prosperity and peace. (2 Sam. 7:9-13)  The temple can only be built at a time of peace. (1 Kn. 5:2-5) 

       Now consider this about the rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem.  Is this a time of peace?  Is there no bloodshed in Israel at this time?   Can Israel make peace with the new Palestinian government that is controlled by the terrorist organization Hamas?  What about the Islamic nations and Iran that wants to destroy Israel?  The present peaceful condition in Israel is really an illusion.

5.              The temple can only be built on the site that God showed.  God commanded Abraham to "go to the land of Moriah, and offer him (Isaac) there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you." (Gen. 22:2-3)  "And Abraham called the name of the place Yahweh Yireh - The LORD Will Provide; as it is said to this day, 'In the Mount of the LORD it shall be provided." (Gen. 22:14)  "Now Solomon began to build the house of the LORD at Jerusalem on Mount Moriah, where the LORD had appeared to his father David, at the place that David had prepared on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite." (2 Chron. 3:1) After the 70 Babylonian captivity God allowed the Jews to return to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple that must be built over the original foundation. (Ezra 2:68; 4:12; Amos 9:11)

Here is a super-colossal problem.  There is only one genuine and valid site for the temple - on Mount Moriah where Abraham had offered Isaac as an offering to God.  In the Seventh Century when the Islamic forces occupied the land, Caliph Omar built the Dome of the Rock over the same site of Solomon's temple.  This building is still standing there and has become one of the chief tourist attractions in Jerusalem.  In order to rebuild the temple in its proper place the Dome of the Rock must be demolished.  The temple site in Jerusalem is considered a holy place for the Islamic religion, second only to Mecca.  How can the Dome of the Rock be removed without provoking all the Islamic nations of the world to anger and start a "Jihad - holy war?"  Several suggestions have been made to choose an alternate site that is close to the Temple Mount, but so far none have been acceptable to the religious Jews.

6.    In the fourth year of Solomon's reign (c. 960 B.C.) the temple began construction.  It was completed in the eleventh year of Solomon's reign. It took seven and a half years to complete the construction of the First Temple.  The Second Temple that was reconstructed by King Herod took much longer.  Herod began his work in his eighteenth year (20-19 B.C.) When the Jews said to our Lord Jesus Christ that the temple had been under construction forty six years (Jn. 2:20); it was not until A.D.64 - more than thirty more years before it was finally completed.   Why did it take so long?  Those were large hewn stones and fine construction. How long do you think it will take modern technology to complete the temple if it were to be rebuilt today?  It depends on the materials and the construction system.  So, how long do you think it will take to rebuild and reconstruct the original temple that was destroyed in A.D.70?   The length of construction time is not important!

We shall come back to this question - "Will the Temple in Jerusalem be Rebuilt?"  All I can say is this - "God has not given us a clear and positive answer".  Up till the present time I am not convinced the Temple in Jerusalem will ever be rebuilt.

May God bless you

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The Temple of God

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It is a fact that several Jewish organizations in Jerusalem are now preparing for the rebuilding of a third Jewish temple on the Temple Mount. A popular Christian book called The Edge of Time, by Peter and Patti Lalonde, gives the following report: "A model of the Third Temple has been constructed and sits on exhibit in old Jerusalem. Even a computerized list of candidates who fulfill the requirements of a Temple priest has been drawn up, and rabbinical students have been training for ancient Jewish temple rites and sacrifice." Many religious Jews want another Temple. Millions of Christians now believe the Bible definitely predicts on will be built. But does it really? Is it possible that the "third temple" theory is yet another grand delusion of the last days?

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