How The 6 Day War Birthed The Temple Mount Movement
http://www.prophecynewswatch.com/article.cfm?recent_news_id=1319
- By Enoch Lavender -
Looking back at the 6 day war of 1967, many remember the emotional pictures of Israeli troops in awe as they arrived
at the Western Wall.
On top of the wall, and mostly out of sight of the cameras, dramatic scenes were also taking place on the Temple Mount itself - scenes which would lay
the foundation for the modern day movement to rebuild the Temple.
Looking Back at '67
On June 6th 1967, the now famous words of Paratroop Brigade Commander Motti Gur resounded across the nation of Israel: 'The Temple Mount is in our hands'.
Rugged and war-weary Israeli soldiers who had been engaged in a battle for the very survival of the Jewish state, found themselves unexpectedly conquering
the Old City of Jerusalem.
The soldiers streamed to the Western Wall towards which the Jewish people had prayed ever since the destruction of the Temple in 70 A.D. Even secular
Israeli soldiers who had never prayed a prayer were seen openly weeping and asking their fellow soldiers how to pray.
Meanwhile, other Israeli soldiers roamed freely on the Temple Mount itself. With permission from his commander, Paratrooper Ezra Orni dramatically hoisted
the Israeli flag over the famed Dome of the Rock. Ezra's commander Motti Gur meanwhile held a brigade roll call for his paratroopers on the Temple Mount Plaza itself.
Addressing his men on the Temple Mount with the backdrop of the Israeli flag adorning the Islamic Shrine, Motti spoke of the heroes of Israel's past including
the Maccabees who liberated Jerusalem and rededicated the Temple in 164BC.
Motti's men had a lot in common with the Maccabees and had overcome similar overwhelming odds to return to Israel's holiest sites. The paratroopers must
have felt a sense of destiny about returning to Judaism's most sacred ground, and Motti's words about the ancient battles for the Temple would have resonated deeply.
Was Motti's brigade destined to be part of a new generation of heroic Maccabees - returning the Jewish people to the Temple Mount?
Separately a group of Israeli soldiers entered the Dome of the Rock itself, quickly forming a 'minyan' (group of ten men required for Jewish worship)
and spent time in prayer on this uniquely holy site.
IDF chief chaplain, Rabbi Shlomo Goren did not exactly attempt to restrain the troops' religious excitement.
Having sounded the shofar and prayed at the Western Wall, Goren excitedly ascended the Temple Mount and entered into the Dome of the Rock.
There Rabbi Goren - armed with a Torah Scroll - proceeded to encircle the Foundation Stone. This is the very stone upon which the Ark of the Covenant
is believed to have rested in the Holy of Holies.
Upon exiting, Rabbi Goren excitedly approached IDF commander Uzi Narkiss. "In preparation for the imminent Messianic era", he suggested, "the IDF should
utilize its explosives on hand to demolish the mosques on the Temple Mount".
A Stunning Disappointment
Rabbi Goren was in for a stunning disappointment - IDF commander Narkiss not only ignored Goren's request - but according to some reports even threatened
Goren with prison if he kept on with this idea.
Meanwhile, Israel Defence Minister Moshe Dayan spotted the Israeli flag adorning the Dome of the Rock and immediately ordered its removal.
The Israeli government had long been concerned that capturing Jerusalem might spark an international backlash from the powerful Christian, Catholic and
Islamic communities.
The deeply secular Moshe Dayan therefore acted quickly to return control of all religious sites in Jerusalem to their respective religious leaders - and
proceeded to also hand control of the Temple Mount back to the Islamic world represented by the Islamic Waqf.
It all happened so quickly - and the golden moment of opportunity to begin rebuilding the Temple was gone as suddenly as it had appeared.
The Birthing of the Temple Movement
Although Rabbi Goren's dreams were dashed, the seeds of Israel's Temple Mount Movement were sown deeply into the lives of two young men that very day.
Born into a family with a heritage of longing for the rebuilding of the Temple, Gershon Salomon was grievously wounded in battle against the Syrians in
the lead up to the six day war.
He experienced a miraculous deliverance from his would-be Syrian executors and felt God calling him to dedicate his life to the rebuilding of the Temple.
As Israel conquered the Temple Mount in 67, Gershon - still on crutches - joined his fellow Israeli soldiers on the sacred grounds. What he witnessed
that day would change his life forever.
As Gerson and his fellow soldiers toured the Temple Mount, they encountered a neatly dressed Jordanian guide. Addressing them in English, the guide proceeded
to give the Israelis a tour of the site, explaining where the Temple, the menorah and the altar originally stood.
When asked by the group of soldiers why he was showing them all this, the Jordanian guide reportedly answered "we have a tradition from our fathers [and]
they from their fathers that one day the Jews would wage a war and conquer this mountain and rebuild the Holy Temple".
Addressing the incredulous Israelis, the guide went even further saying, "I assume that you're starting tomorrow".
Gershon further relates that the tour guide seemed to suddenly disappear, and the whole experience appeared so miraculous that he and other soldiers assumed
the guide must have been an Angel. Facing towards the Holy of Holies, Gershon solemnly pledged that day to work ceaselessly for the re-building of the Temple.
While Gershon was bitterly disappointed with Dayan's decision to hand back the Temple Mount to Islamic control, Gershon remained faithful to his word
and established the 'Temple Mount Faithful' organisation.
Gershon has since that time advocated tirelessly for the rebuilding of the Temple - admonishing the Israeli nation with words from Haggai the prophet
"Is it time for you, yourselves, to dwell in your well-timbered houses, while this house lies in ruins?" (Hag. 1:2)
Another young man whose life was changed that day was Yisrael Ariel. Yisrael also witnessed the episode with the Jordanian tour guide and was that night
given the duty of watching over the Dome of the Rock.
At the time Yisrael wondered to himself, "We have arrived at the threshold of the Holy Temple: we are standing at the Western Wall - where is the Messiah?"
Yisrael Ariel later became a rabbi and became convinced that Israel was not called to simply wait passively for the Messiah - but should have proceeded
to do everything they could to rebuild the Temple. His answer to the question of why the Messiah did not come in '67 was simply that Israel had not taken the steps to prepare for the Messiah's arrival.
It was this conviction that led Rabbi Yisrael to form what is today the most prominent movement to rebuild the Temple - the Temple Institute.
Now 50 years later, the Temple Institute has made extensive preparations for the rebuilding of the Temple and its centre in Jerusalem is filled with vessels
prepared for use in the Holy Temple.
Today, Rabbi Yisrael Ariel's Temple Institute, and Gershon Salomon's Temple Mount Faithful are both part of the nascent Israeli Sanhedrin working for
the rebuilding of the Temple.
Their shared experience on the Temple Mount and their shared disappointments led to the birth of the Modern Temple Movement.
Getting Closer
While the idea of rebuilding the Temple was a fringe idea in 1967, prominent temple activist Yehudah Glick explains that it is now becoming mainstream.
"Ten years ago, there was not a single member of Knesset who ascended the Temple Mount," Glick told CBN News. "Today we have 20 Knesset members who are
interested in ascending Temple Mount... and bringing the Temple Mount back into the center of the next step in the redemption process."
Although Rabbi Goren's dream of rebuilding the temple was ultimately dashed in 1967, the seeds sown in those momentous moments on the Temple Mount are
today bringing Israel closer than ever to the rebuilding of her temple.
Orthodox Jews pray daily for the Third Temple saying 'May it be thy will Lord God, God of our fathers, that the temple be rebuilt speedily in our days'.
It would seem that we may well be part of the generation that sees this prayer fulfilled as we edge ever closer on the prophetic clock to the Lord's Return.
at the Western Wall.
On top of the wall, and mostly out of sight of the cameras, dramatic scenes were also taking place on the Temple Mount itself - scenes which would lay
the foundation for the modern day movement to rebuild the Temple.
Looking Back at '67
On June 6th 1967, the now famous words of Paratroop Brigade Commander Motti Gur resounded across the nation of Israel: 'The Temple Mount is in our hands'.
Rugged and war-weary Israeli soldiers who had been engaged in a battle for the very survival of the Jewish state, found themselves unexpectedly conquering
the Old City of Jerusalem.
The soldiers streamed to the Western Wall towards which the Jewish people had prayed ever since the destruction of the Temple in 70 A.D. Even secular
Israeli soldiers who had never prayed a prayer were seen openly weeping and asking their fellow soldiers how to pray.
Meanwhile, other Israeli soldiers roamed freely on the Temple Mount itself. With permission from his commander, Paratrooper Ezra Orni dramatically hoisted
the Israeli flag over the famed Dome of the Rock. Ezra's commander Motti Gur meanwhile held a brigade roll call for his paratroopers on the Temple Mount Plaza itself.
Addressing his men on the Temple Mount with the backdrop of the Israeli flag adorning the Islamic Shrine, Motti spoke of the heroes of Israel's past including
the Maccabees who liberated Jerusalem and rededicated the Temple in 164BC.
Motti's men had a lot in common with the Maccabees and had overcome similar overwhelming odds to return to Israel's holiest sites. The paratroopers must
have felt a sense of destiny about returning to Judaism's most sacred ground, and Motti's words about the ancient battles for the Temple would have resonated deeply.
Was Motti's brigade destined to be part of a new generation of heroic Maccabees - returning the Jewish people to the Temple Mount?
Separately a group of Israeli soldiers entered the Dome of the Rock itself, quickly forming a 'minyan' (group of ten men required for Jewish worship)
and spent time in prayer on this uniquely holy site.
IDF chief chaplain, Rabbi Shlomo Goren did not exactly attempt to restrain the troops' religious excitement.
Having sounded the shofar and prayed at the Western Wall, Goren excitedly ascended the Temple Mount and entered into the Dome of the Rock.
There Rabbi Goren - armed with a Torah Scroll - proceeded to encircle the Foundation Stone. This is the very stone upon which the Ark of the Covenant
is believed to have rested in the Holy of Holies.
Upon exiting, Rabbi Goren excitedly approached IDF commander Uzi Narkiss. "In preparation for the imminent Messianic era", he suggested, "the IDF should
utilize its explosives on hand to demolish the mosques on the Temple Mount".
A Stunning Disappointment
Rabbi Goren was in for a stunning disappointment - IDF commander Narkiss not only ignored Goren's request - but according to some reports even threatened
Goren with prison if he kept on with this idea.
Meanwhile, Israel Defence Minister Moshe Dayan spotted the Israeli flag adorning the Dome of the Rock and immediately ordered its removal.
The Israeli government had long been concerned that capturing Jerusalem might spark an international backlash from the powerful Christian, Catholic and
Islamic communities.
The deeply secular Moshe Dayan therefore acted quickly to return control of all religious sites in Jerusalem to their respective religious leaders - and
proceeded to also hand control of the Temple Mount back to the Islamic world represented by the Islamic Waqf.
It all happened so quickly - and the golden moment of opportunity to begin rebuilding the Temple was gone as suddenly as it had appeared.
The Birthing of the Temple Movement
Although Rabbi Goren's dreams were dashed, the seeds of Israel's Temple Mount Movement were sown deeply into the lives of two young men that very day.
Born into a family with a heritage of longing for the rebuilding of the Temple, Gershon Salomon was grievously wounded in battle against the Syrians in
the lead up to the six day war.
He experienced a miraculous deliverance from his would-be Syrian executors and felt God calling him to dedicate his life to the rebuilding of the Temple.
As Israel conquered the Temple Mount in 67, Gershon - still on crutches - joined his fellow Israeli soldiers on the sacred grounds. What he witnessed
that day would change his life forever.
As Gerson and his fellow soldiers toured the Temple Mount, they encountered a neatly dressed Jordanian guide. Addressing them in English, the guide proceeded
to give the Israelis a tour of the site, explaining where the Temple, the menorah and the altar originally stood.
When asked by the group of soldiers why he was showing them all this, the Jordanian guide reportedly answered "we have a tradition from our fathers [and]
they from their fathers that one day the Jews would wage a war and conquer this mountain and rebuild the Holy Temple".
Addressing the incredulous Israelis, the guide went even further saying, "I assume that you're starting tomorrow".
Gershon further relates that the tour guide seemed to suddenly disappear, and the whole experience appeared so miraculous that he and other soldiers assumed
the guide must have been an Angel. Facing towards the Holy of Holies, Gershon solemnly pledged that day to work ceaselessly for the re-building of the Temple.
While Gershon was bitterly disappointed with Dayan's decision to hand back the Temple Mount to Islamic control, Gershon remained faithful to his word
and established the 'Temple Mount Faithful' organisation.
Gershon has since that time advocated tirelessly for the rebuilding of the Temple - admonishing the Israeli nation with words from Haggai the prophet
"Is it time for you, yourselves, to dwell in your well-timbered houses, while this house lies in ruins?" (Hag. 1:2)
Another young man whose life was changed that day was Yisrael Ariel. Yisrael also witnessed the episode with the Jordanian tour guide and was that night
given the duty of watching over the Dome of the Rock.
At the time Yisrael wondered to himself, "We have arrived at the threshold of the Holy Temple: we are standing at the Western Wall - where is the Messiah?"
Yisrael Ariel later became a rabbi and became convinced that Israel was not called to simply wait passively for the Messiah - but should have proceeded
to do everything they could to rebuild the Temple. His answer to the question of why the Messiah did not come in '67 was simply that Israel had not taken the steps to prepare for the Messiah's arrival.
It was this conviction that led Rabbi Yisrael to form what is today the most prominent movement to rebuild the Temple - the Temple Institute.
Now 50 years later, the Temple Institute has made extensive preparations for the rebuilding of the Temple and its centre in Jerusalem is filled with vessels
prepared for use in the Holy Temple.
Today, Rabbi Yisrael Ariel's Temple Institute, and Gershon Salomon's Temple Mount Faithful are both part of the nascent Israeli Sanhedrin working for
the rebuilding of the Temple.
Their shared experience on the Temple Mount and their shared disappointments led to the birth of the Modern Temple Movement.
Getting Closer
While the idea of rebuilding the Temple was a fringe idea in 1967, prominent temple activist Yehudah Glick explains that it is now becoming mainstream.
"Ten years ago, there was not a single member of Knesset who ascended the Temple Mount," Glick told CBN News. "Today we have 20 Knesset members who are
interested in ascending Temple Mount... and bringing the Temple Mount back into the center of the next step in the redemption process."
Although Rabbi Goren's dream of rebuilding the temple was ultimately dashed in 1967, the seeds sown in those momentous moments on the Temple Mount are
today bringing Israel closer than ever to the rebuilding of her temple.
Orthodox Jews pray daily for the Third Temple saying 'May it be thy will Lord God, God of our fathers, that the temple be rebuilt speedily in our days'.
It would seem that we may well be part of the generation that sees this prayer fulfilled as we edge ever closer on the prophetic clock to the Lord's Return.
Christian "Awakening" to Holiness of Temple Mount Draws Islamic Fury
- By Adam Eliyahu Berkowitz -
https://www.breakingisraelnews.com/89959/christian-awakening-temple-mounts-holiness-brings-prophesied-house-prayer-nations-closer/#WUeO3h2iHfbyP4C6.99
"Even them will I bring to My holy mountain, and make them joyful in My house of prayer; their burnt-offerings and
their sacrifices shall be acceptable upon Mine altar; for My house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples." Isaiah 56:7 (The Israel Bible�)
their sacrifices shall be acceptable upon Mine altar; for My house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples." Isaiah 56:7 (The Israel Bible�)
Until now, the bloody battle for the Temple Mount has been fought between Muslims and Jews, but a new awakening among
some Christians to its significance is creating a shifting pre-Messianic reality at the already volatile site. The developing status of Christians on the Temple Mount played out a few weeks ago in a Muslim-Christian confrontation that nearly ended in violence.
some Christians to its significance is creating a shifting pre-Messianic reality at the already volatile site. The developing status of Christians on the Temple Mount played out a few weeks ago in a Muslim-Christian confrontation that nearly ended in violence.
The Temple Mount showdown involved Nate Waller, Director of Operations at Hayovel, an organization which brings Christian volunteers to Israel to fulfill
Biblical prophecy by working on vineyards in Samaria. As a frequent visitor to the Temple Mount, Waller's connection to the site is an increasingly important part of his belief - and he thinks other Christians should see it that way, too.
"When I first started visiting the Temple Mount, I didn't understand the holiness of the place," Waller told Breaking Israel News. "I used to walk all
around the site, like all the other Christian tourists. I would go to the site of the actual Temple, something that is forbidden for Jews to do."
Through his close work with religious Jews, Waller began to understand the significance of the site.
"Christians generally believe that God's presence has left the Temple Mount since the destruction of the Temple," Waller explained. "From the Jews, I
am just now beginning to understand that this is still the place of God's name, and His name has not been removed."
This theological development had practical implications for Waller. During his visit earlier in the month, Waller purposefully avoided the site of the
actual Temple, which is forbidden to Jews because of its holiness. Christian tourists are generally permitted to tour the Temple Mount compound unattended and need not follow a set path, unlike Jews, who are closely monitored by Jordanian Islamic Waqf guards
and restricted to a specific route which detours around holy areas prohibited by Jewish law.
"I wanted to follow the Jews so that I wouldn't stray into the holy areas, but the Waqf guards got angry at this," Waller explained. "It didn't bother
them when I just went up like every other Christian tourist and disregarded the place as anything special. But when I recognized the holiness of the site, they began to treat me like a Jew and an enemy."
A confrontation developed between the Waqf guards and Waller's group. The Islamic Authority alerted the Israeli police, who forced Waller and his group
to take the route through the area Jews consider holy and off-limits.
Waller understands that his spiritual connection to the Temple Mount is exceptional and not shared by most Christians.
"One of the things Christianity rejected from Judaism was the Temple. When we lost that, we lost a powerful connecting point with God. Christianity teaches
that the Temple is in us, and that is true. But that inner Temple is what draws us to the Temple in Jerusalem.
"Christianity needs to reconnect to that. The Temple is necessary for God to dwell among us."
The Christian Zionist believes that this developing relationship with the Temple Mount is an essential aspect of Christianity.
"From a Biblical perspective, the Temple Mount is the center of everything," Waller expressed. "As a Christian, a house of prayer for all nations is an
important teaching, especially among the first Christians."
My house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples. Isaiah 56:7
Though referred to in the New Testament, the Temple Mount does not play an integral role in Christianity, as it does in Judaism. Nonetheless, the number
of Christians visiting the site has risen to over 200,000 annually.
"I believe this is a reawakening of the House of Prayer for all nations," Waller speculated. "I think one of the reasons the Temple is not being built
is because the nations are not ready. The House of Prayer for all nations can't come if the nations aren't there to receive it."
A parallel process is happening among Jews. Despite police restrictions, the number of Jews visiting the site has more than doubled in the last five years.
On Jerusalem Day last month, more than 1,000 Jews ascended to Judaism's holiest site.
Yaakov Hayman, Chairman of the United Temple Movements, encourages this awakening and sees it as having a significant place in the Third Temple.
"All prayer that is not idolatrous is welcome on the Temple Mount," Hayman said, adding one common-sense stipulation: "Anyone who is not against someone
else going up to the Temple Mount should go up to the Temple Mount."
Currently, Muslims are the only people permitted to pray at the site that is holy to all three Abrahamic religions. Jews and Christians are forbidden
from bringing any religious items to the Mount, and are watched by security forces lest they make signs indicating a word or moment of prayer.
Hayman's organization has brought a suit in the Israeli High Court to bring this vision of a House of Prayer for all nations to reality.
"It is frightening that in this day and age that people are prevented from praying anywhere, especially on the Temple Mount," Hayman lamented.
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