THE BATTLE FOR THE TEMPLE MOUNT

It is Thursday evening and I am sitting on the patio of my new home in the Judean hills, some 10km from Jerusalem. I am looking out onto a lovely green forested hillside and the gentle breeze is making that special susurration that only Jerusalem pines seem to make. The tensions and troubles of Jerusalem over the past weeks seem worlds away, but that is merely an illusion. 

The view from my home looking towards Jerusalem

Life in Jerusalem is returning to normal (whatever that is around here) after two weeks of tension and rioting, mainly around the Temple Mount area. It all began when three terrorists, who had brought guns onto the Temple Mount compound, opened fire and killed two Israeli policemen (see my previous blog). To prevent any further such attacks Israel imposed a temporary closure for Muslims wanting to pray at the Al Aksa Mosque, and set up metal detectors and security cameras at the entrance. This seemed like a reasonable response but the Muslim authorities did not see it that way, and once again accused Israel of changing the 'status quo'. The Waqf, the Muslim authority that controls the Temple Mount, forbade Muslims to pray at the Al Aksa Mosque and as a result, thousands gathered on the streets around the Old City to pray. This lead to a number of skirmishes and riots, and at least a thousand people were injured as a result. To me, it all seemed rather petty and childish to say the least.  After all metal detectors and surveillance cameras are a normal part of everyday life in Israel. To enter bus stations, train stations, supermarkets, shopping malls and many other places, including the Western Wall compound, one must pass through a metal detector and have one's bags searched. So why did the Muslim Waqf react so strongly to the installation of metal detectors there? All I can say is that there are elements who are just looking for any excuse to accuse Israel of 'changing the status quo' and threatening the Al Aksa Mosque. Actually, it was Muslims who changed the 'status quo' by bringing in arms and carrying out a terror attack at their own so-called 'holy site'. 

After two weeks of tensions and rioting, Israel finally removed the metal detectors and other security measures. The Waqf has allowed Muslims to once more at the Al Aksa Mosque and has declared victory.  In the Arab mind, Israel's removal of the metal detectors is not seen as a conciliatory move but rather one of weakness in the face of Islamic superiority. For this reason there has been much criticism here in Israel of the Government's handling of this affair. In this part of the world it is very dangerous to appear weak.

We should not be surprised by these events of the past few weeks. This is just one more skirmish in the ongoing battle for the Temple Mount.  Many Christians are uncomfortable with the idea of religious wars or 'holy' wars, but like it or not, we are all engaged in a serious spiritual war. 

For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.

Ephesians 6:12

The Temple Mount is the place that God chose to be His special point of communication with mankind on Earth, and the place where his Name dwells. When Solomon dedicated the first Temple, God spoke to him saying, 

 For now I have chosen and consecrated this house that My name may be there forever, and My eyes and My heart will be there perpetually.

2 Chronicles 7: 16 (my emphasis)

Solomon's Temple was eventually destroyed and later the Second Temple, which was constructed after the return from Babylon and restored in the time of Herod the Great, was destroyed by the Romans in 70 AD. The buildings may not currently exist but the site is still the place in which the Name of the LORD rests forever, perpetually.  You could say it is the center of God's kingdom here on Earth, the center of the spiritual world, and therefore the focus of the great battle for power between the LORD and Satan. 

It is therefore no wonder that the Enemy, Satan, is doing everything he can to destroy the connection of God with this place. Those of us who live here can certainly testify to the viciousness and the intensity of the spiritual war for Jerusalem, and especially for the Temple Mount. One of Satan's tactics was to engineer the rise of Islam, the Islamic conquest of the Holy Land, and the consequent building of the Dome of the Rock (pictured below) and the El Aksa Mosque on the Temple Mount Site. This is a direct challenge and affront to the LORD God of Israel. I think the photo below tells it all. It shows Muslim men praying in the direction of Mecca. Note the direction of the 'rear ends' - they are pointing directly at the Dome of the Rock, which is believed to be the site where the Temples and the Holy of Holies once stood. In Arab culture it is also considered extremely disrespectful and insulting to point the sole of your foot towards another person. Not only are the 'rear ends' pointing towards the dwelling place of God's presence but so are the soles of their feet. Could they dishonor the LORD God more?

Muslims praying on the Temple Mount
http://www.camera.org/images_user/afp%20prayer%2008.jpg

 Islam is not the only weapon that Satan is using these days. Summer is in full swing here in Jerusalem, and it has been especially hot this year, with July temperatures reaching the mid to high 30s most days. The children are on vacation from school and there are many festivals and events taking place here in Jerusalem. This week the annual Gay Pride Parade took place in Jerusalem with record breaking numbers of at least 20,000 people taking part. 

In the Church and amongst believers today there is much confusion about homosexuality. We are living in a world in which there are strong pressures to accept homosexuality as being something normal and acceptable.  It is a very divisive issue and one which splits believers into opposing camps. We do not want to appear narrow-minded or judgemental, and as a consequence we are more and more falling into compromise on this issue. However what the Bible has to say about homosexuality is, in my opinion, quite clear: 

You shall not lie with a male as with a woman. It is an abomination.

Leviticus 18:22

The Hebrew word here translated as 'abomination' is תועבה (to'eva), which literally means 'something morally disgusting or abhorrent'. This word is used many times in Scripture and mostly to describe idol worship, the eating of unclean foods, intermarriage with idol worshippers, child sacrifice and witchcraft.  In Leviticus 20:13 it says " If a man lies with a male as he lies with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination. They shall surely be put to death. Their blood shall be upon them."  That is pretty clear! 

In the New Testament book of Romans homosexuality is described as the result of idolatry in which God gives people over to the degrading and unnatural act of homosexual sex, 

 Professing to be wise, they became fools,  and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man—and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things.

Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves,  who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.

 For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due.

 Romans 1:22-27

I believe we who profess Yeshua as Lord need to receive and love all men and women, regardless of their sins, homosexuals included, but we need to be clear that in the community of believers there can be no compromise with sin, in whatever form it takes. For this reason, although I support the rights of the gay community to live in safety and without persecution, I find the prideful flaunting of this sin in the streets of the Holy City an abomination, and yet another demonstration of the lostness of the people of Israel in our generation. Many have turned away from the God of Israel and have turned to the modern forms of idolatry, including the worship of foreign gods of Hinduism and other religions, witchcraft and occult practices, materialistic and hedonistic humanism, and the worship of ourselves.  Consequently God has given many over to the 'lusts of the flesh' and 'vile passions' including homosexuality among other sinful sexual acts.  The people of Israel, like people everywhere, have a desperate need to hear the pure gospel of truth in Yeshua. 

My new home is in the town of Mevasseret Zion, which name translates to 'the preaching of the good news of Zion' or 'the herald of the good news of Zion'. My neighborhood, although known colloquially as the Castel, is officially called Maoz Tsur, the stronghold of rock, or as it is often translated into English 'the Rock of Ages' understood by Christians to be a reference to the Messiah, Yeshua.  We are located at the western entrance to Jerusalem in the hills of Judea, the inheritance of the Tribe of Judah.  I think these place names have deep spiritual significance and I pray that from here the gospel will go up to Jerusalem and from Jerusalem to all the world. Our congregation has already established a thriving cell group here in Mevasseret and this week we will be starting another, which will, initially anyway, be meeting in my home.  Please pray for us as we work to establish a 'stronghold of rock' and proclaim the good news of Yeshua here at the entrance to Jerusalem.