Daily devotion – Friday 25th June 2021
We finally arrive in Jerusalem, where we will spend the next four days of our tour through Israel.
Our first stop in our first morning in Jerusalem – is the Temple Mount.
According to scripture, the First Temple was built by King Solomon, the son of King David, in 957 BCE, and was destroyed by the Neo-Babylonian Empire in 586 BCE.
The Second Temple was constructed under the auspices of Zerubbabel in 516 BCE, and was destroyed by the Roman Empire in 70 CE.
Orthodox Jewish tradition maintains that the third and final Temple will be built when the Messiah comes at this spot. The location is the holiest site in Judaism and is the place Jews turn towards during prayer. Due to its extreme sanctity, many Jews will not walk on the Mount itself to avoid unintentionally entering the area where the Holy of Holies stood, since according to rabbinical law, there is still some aspect of the divine presence at the site.
The Temple Mount tour is an obvious highlight, for it is on this location that Abraham offered up his son Isaac. Also, as stated previously, here, according to the prophet Daniel, the new Temple will be built as part of an agreement between Israel and the coming world leader.
Each time Helen and I walk on this unique piece of rock, I always head towards a smaller structure on the Mount. A structure called the ‘Dome of Tablets.’
Doctor Asher S. Kaufman (Jewish Scholar) believes that the original temple was located over the Dome of the Tablets, also known as the Dome of the Spirits.
Each time we visit the temple mount, we head over to the Dome of the Spirits. I always bend down to touch the bare stone visible under this small structure. It’s the only place on the Temple Mount where the bare rock of Mount Moriah is visible.
Today it is a constant place of conflict between the Muslims and the Jewish people.
But my final take on this historic biblical location is that the Jews, after signing an agreement with the coming world dictator. Who will be heralded as the greatest peacemaker of all time (See Revelation 6 – the first horseman of the Apocalypses), but in fact, he will bring the greatest deception.
Three and a half years after the Temple is built and the old testament sacrificial system has been underway, the world leader will defile this holy place and breach his agreement with Israel.
Mark 13:14 But when ye shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not, (let him that readeth understand,) then let them that be in Judaea flee to the mountains:
From the Temple Mount, once this insidious act has been done, Jesus says that Great Tribulation will truly commence in detail and that the people of Israel will face horrific persecution under this coming world leader.
The Bible commands us to pray for the peace of Israel, and one cannot help but be brought to prayer knowing the future events for God’s chosen people.
Today let us pray for Israel for the families of this blessed nation. We are in outstanding debt to them, as Paul revealed to us in our study through Romans.
And a dangerous and challenging future along with great deception awaits them.