Many times the emphasis of bible prophecy tends to point to signs that have a negative connotation. Even the signs that Jesus mentioned in Scripture “wars, pestilence, famine” lend us to believe that everything is pessimistic. However, there are other happenings that tend to look in a positive light.
A recent report told how the Jews in the town of Mitzpe Yericho are taking practical steps to prepare for the rebuilding of the Temple in Jerusalem. They are preparing descendents of Cohanim (priests) and Levites for service at the Mitzpe Yericho School. There Temple priest hopefuls learn exactly how to conduct the daily Temple service and offer the required sacrifices.
They are building an exact replica of the Temple at the school. The latest addition to the replica was the area in which priests offered wine and water libations. The water offering was traditionally given on the Sukkot holiday, which was celebrated last week.
“Today is really a historical event for the Jewish people,” organizer Levi Chazan said as another part of the school was completed. “It is the beginning of the work for the Third Temple.”
The Temple Mount is recognized by the Jews as the site of the old Temple and the site where the new Temple is to one day be rebuilt. It is also the third most holy site of Muslims, where the Dome of the Rock now stands.
Recently, the holy site was shut down following calls by Muslim clerics in east Jerusalem to “come protect the Mount.” Shortly after the Mount was closed, some 150 Arabs began hurling empty bottles at police forces in the Old City. Some French tourist were injured when mistaken for Jews trying to go up to the mount to pray.
This summer, the Palestinian Authority’s chief Islamic judge, Sheikh Tayseer Rajab Tamimi, declared that there was no evidence that a Jewish Temple had ever existed in Jerusalem. Two years earlier, Jerusalem’s former mufti, Ikrema Sabri, had insisted that “there was never a Jewish temple on Al-Aqsa” and said of the Western Wall: “There is not a single stone with any relation at all to the history of the Hebrews.”
Interestingly, the prophet Daniel records for us that a political agreement by the Antichrist that will allow a place for Jewish worship on the Temple Mount, but its location will be shared. This is confirmed by the Apostle John in the Book of Revelations.
So the tensions continue to escalate and the school in Mitzpe Yericho continues to train for future service. The only part of the puzzle missing is the one that will bring about the peace (for a time) between the warring factions.
The stage is set and the players are in place…and it’s almost curtain time!
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