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http://michnews.com/artman/publish/article_5096.shtml
TEMPLE MOUNT STILL TEMPTS WARRING FACTIONS
By J. Grant Swank, Jr.
Sep 14, 2004
Jerusalem's Dome of the Rock is constructed over the very geography where Abraham was willing to offer Isaac as a sacrifice to Jehovah. Jehovah did not want human sacrifice for that was abhorrent to Him; therefore, He sent an angel to stay the father's sword thrust into his son's body. Isaac lived; that left Abraham all the wiser concerning faith and God's high regard for human life.
The Old Testament account is precious to both Jews and Christians. The biblically mentioned site is a holy place to these two religious. Therefore, when Muslims constructed their edifice over the rock it became a crisis potential for warring factions.
When my wife and I visited Jerusalem's Dome of the Rock, we left our shoes outside -- along with all others who entered the Muslim worship center -- in order to join our tour group inside. The building itself is massive, most impressive.
Since that day in the mid-60s when we traipsed about the Holy Land, I have kept close watch on the events surrounding the Dome of the Rock. Being a Christian, I am grieved by the fact that Jews cannot get to their holy site. Muslims keep them at the Islamic prescribed distance.
The rock holds a most complicated history; but the future annals will prove even more gripping as related to the rock's presence. There are some Jews who are already planning for the next temple to be constructed in Jerusalem -- on the land that is now occupied by the Dome of the Rock. That could spark a world war. Jews, with building materials in hand, then would walk upon turf declared by Muslims as belonging only to them. Thus would begin the fray maximum.
I recall one of my religion professors pointing out to us students that if Jews built the next temple in Jerusalem, it could very well be positioned alongside the Dome of the Rock for the latter is in the courtyard of Solomon's ancient temple and not on Solomon's temple site itself. Naturally there arose the question as to how Jewish builders could get even that close to the Muslim's Dome of the Rock without fiery altercations.
The rock is where Abraham placed Isaac upon an altar, willing to give his only begotten in obedience to Jehovah's command. The rock is also where Solomon's original temple was built. Therefore, the rock is of no slight significance to both Jews and Christians. Then come the Muslims to spike into the skies their place of worship -- directly over the Jewish and Christian holy place. Three religions have been left in contest for the geography.
There are some evangelical Protestant groups supporting the construction of the next temple, even providing funds to Jews for its presence there upon the rock. Those who are asked how they can expect to see through the project with such dire consequences confronting them usually answer that God will make a way. In other words, devotees act out today's vision and leave the future's closing chapter with God.
The Book of Revelation does speak of the AntiChrist going into the next temple's holy of holies by which to desecrate it. Then the AntiChrist will declare to the world that he alone is god. With that, he will level the temple and then sack the holy city of Jerusalem, thus initiating the "age of vengeance" -- the last 3 l/2 years of the about-seven year Tribulation Period.
When the AntiChrist desecrates Jerusalem's future temple, he will have shown to the Earth that he is diabolical, indeed not the man of peace he had pretended at the Tribulation's start. He will then follow through with extreme persecutions particularly against Christians, such persecutions today being the forerunners of that which is yet to come.
The eyes of biblical Christians are then focused intently on Jerusalem's rock. It holds much import regarding future happenings, not only in Jerusalem but worldwide.
TEMPLE MOUNT STILL TEMPTS WARRING FACTIONS
By J. Grant Swank, Jr.
Sep 14, 2004
Jerusalem's Dome of the Rock is constructed over the very geography where Abraham was willing to offer Isaac as a sacrifice to Jehovah. Jehovah did not want human sacrifice for that was abhorrent to Him; therefore, He sent an angel to stay the father's sword thrust into his son's body. Isaac lived; that left Abraham all the wiser concerning faith and God's high regard for human life.
The Old Testament account is precious to both Jews and Christians. The biblically mentioned site is a holy place to these two religious. Therefore, when Muslims constructed their edifice over the rock it became a crisis potential for warring factions.
When my wife and I visited Jerusalem's Dome of the Rock, we left our shoes outside -- along with all others who entered the Muslim worship center -- in order to join our tour group inside. The building itself is massive, most impressive.
Since that day in the mid-60s when we traipsed about the Holy Land, I have kept close watch on the events surrounding the Dome of the Rock. Being a Christian, I am grieved by the fact that Jews cannot get to their holy site. Muslims keep them at the Islamic prescribed distance.
The rock holds a most complicated history; but the future annals will prove even more gripping as related to the rock's presence. There are some Jews who are already planning for the next temple to be constructed in Jerusalem -- on the land that is now occupied by the Dome of the Rock. That could spark a world war. Jews, with building materials in hand, then would walk upon turf declared by Muslims as belonging only to them. Thus would begin the fray maximum.
I recall one of my religion professors pointing out to us students that if Jews built the next temple in Jerusalem, it could very well be positioned alongside the Dome of the Rock for the latter is in the courtyard of Solomon's ancient temple and not on Solomon's temple site itself. Naturally there arose the question as to how Jewish builders could get even that close to the Muslim's Dome of the Rock without fiery altercations.
The rock is where Abraham placed Isaac upon an altar, willing to give his only begotten in obedience to Jehovah's command. The rock is also where Solomon's original temple was built. Therefore, the rock is of no slight significance to both Jews and Christians. Then come the Muslims to spike into the skies their place of worship -- directly over the Jewish and Christian holy place. Three religions have been left in contest for the geography.
There are some evangelical Protestant groups supporting the construction of the next temple, even providing funds to Jews for its presence there upon the rock. Those who are asked how they can expect to see through the project with such dire consequences confronting them usually answer that God will make a way. In other words, devotees act out today's vision and leave the future's closing chapter with God.
The Book of Revelation does speak of the AntiChrist going into the next temple's holy of holies by which to desecrate it. Then the AntiChrist will declare to the world that he alone is god. With that, he will level the temple and then sack the holy city of Jerusalem, thus initiating the "age of vengeance" -- the last 3 l/2 years of the about-seven year Tribulation Period.
When the AntiChrist desecrates Jerusalem's future temple, he will have shown to the Earth that he is diabolical, indeed not the man of peace he had pretended at the Tribulation's start. He will then follow through with extreme persecutions particularly against Christians, such persecutions today being the forerunners of that which is yet to come.
The eyes of biblical Christians are then focused intently on Jerusalem's rock. It holds much import regarding future happenings, not only in Jerusalem but worldwide.