Temple Mount

The Temple Mount throughout history

King David bought this land which was a threshing floor and put an alter here. His son, Solomon, built the first temple on this rise in the 10th century B.C. The Babylonians destroyed the first temple in 597 B.C. some 70 years later, after the Jewish people returned from exile in Babylon, the temple was rebuilt. This temple was standing during Jesus' time, and was destoryed by the Romans in 70 A.D. to obliterate any Jewish presence on the Temple Mount the Romans built a temple to Jupiter on this site. Later this temple was transformed into a Christian Church. With the Muslim conquest, evidence of Christianity was wiped from the Mount and the Dome of the Rock was erected in 691 A.D. In 1948, Israel once again became a nation, yet it wasn't until the Six Day War in 1967 that Israeil gained control of Jerusalem. On the thrid day (June 7) of the Six Day War, the nation of Israel won control of the Temple Mount. However, 10 days later, the administrative control of the Temple Mount was made the sole responsibility of the Supreme Muslim Coucil (the Waqf).

Focus: Temple Mount

The Temple Mount is identified in both Jewish and Islamic tradition as the area of Mount Moriah where Abraham offered up his son in sacrifice (Gen. 22:1-18; the Koran, Sura Al-Saffat 37:102-110). Muslims claim this son was Ishamael, not Issac.

It is the site of Solomon's Temple and the temple which stood during Jesus' time. It was here that the Jewish people gathered together three times each year to fulfill the commandment to observe the Lord's feasts (Deut. 16:16).

The Temple Mount is the most controversial and contested piece of real estaste on earth.

• The antichrist will sit in the third temple built on this sire, proclaim himself God and demand to be worshipped (2Thes. 2:4).
• Jesus will enter the East gate on the Temple Mount upon His return (Ezek. 43:1-4; 44:1-3).
• Jesus will judge the nations at this site as God's appointed King (Ps. 2:6-9; Is. 2:34).
• This is the exact place where the soles of Jesus' feet will stand, where He will rule and reign, and be the eternal God to His chosen people-Israel (Ezek. 43:7a; see also Joel 3:17).

Temple Mount Prophetic Promises

In the last days the mountain of the Lord's house will be established as the most important mountain...and all the nations will stream there. Many peoples will go and say, "Come let's go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob!"....For out of Zion will go forth the law, the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. He will judge between the nations and arbitrate for many peoples (Is. 2:2,4).

"I will bring them to My holy mountain and make them joyful in the house of prayer......for My house will be called a house of prayer for all peoples." (Is. 56:7)

"The Lord says, 'I am returing to Zion and I will live in Jersusalem. Then Jerusalem will be called Truth City, the Lord's Mountain, the Mountain of the Holy One.'" (Zech 8:3)

The Temple Mount Today

• Today, two building stand on the Temply Mount; the Dome of the Rock which stands on or near the approximate site of Solomon's temple, and the al-Aqsa Mosque which is at the south end of the Temple Mount platform.
• The entire platform is 37.5 acres and considered a huge outdoor mosque, sacred to Islam and on Friday mornings thousands of Muslim men gather to pray.
• The Dome of the Rock is a shrine and not a mosque, and is the third holiest place in Islam.
• One of the inscriptions inside the Dome of the Rock affirms that God is One and not three; and that Jesus was an apostle of God and His Word, but not His son.
• The Muslims (Waqf) in control of the Temple Mount allow neither Jewish people not Christians to carry their holy books or pray on the Mount.
• The Western Wall was part of a retaining wall that surrounded the temple in Jesus' day. This wall is the closest spot the Jewish people can freely approach the original position of the destroyed temples. It has become the most important place of worship for the Jewish people. Prayer occurs 24/7 at the wall.
• To this day, traditional Jews pray three times a day for the Temple's restoration.

Scriptures to Pray

• 2 Chronicles 7
• Psalms 2, 122, 132
• Isaiah 66
• Daniel 9
• Revelation 14