Mount Moriah

Going up to Zion....Mount Moriah.....The Temple Mount

In July we decided to visit the Temple Mount.  Ramadan (Islam's time of prayer and fasting) is the entire month of August, and the Palestinian Authority will be asking the UN on September 20th to acknowledge Palestine as its own new nation with Eastern Jerusalem as its capital.  Knowing things are heating up about this specific plot of Land we wanted to take the opportunity to walk there and pray (privately, open prayer is prohibited).  The Temple Mount is only open to visitors (non-Muslims) a few hours each day:  Sunday through Thursday from 7:30 - 11:30 am & 1:30 - 2:30 pm.

(reminder: click on each picture to view it larger,
then click the back button to return to the post)

The Temple Mount is much larger than one might imagine - 35 acres.

There are several organizations in Israel preparing for a third temple to someday be built on Mount Moriah where the first two Houses of God resided.  This is a golden menorah that has been made for the third temple.  It has been said that they have recreated all the items needed to function a third temple.  Many of these items can be viewed at the Temple Institute in the Old City.

As we ascend the wooden ramp leading to the entrance allowed to the public (all other entrances are for Muslims only) we view the Western Wall plaza below.  

The City has tried to replace this wooden ramp recently which has been temporary since the permanent structure seen below collapsed.  There has been much dispute (enough to postpone construction) on building a permanent ramp to the Temple Mount from the Western Wall Plaza due to the Palestinian's plans to build an Arab residential area here if they were to gain statehood.

Looking down to the HaKotel (Western Wall).

IDF soldiers always have a presence on the Mount if needed as there are sometimes riots.  There were Arab men near the entrance calling to people as they entered, you must have pants that go below the knee and shoulders covered.  It's good we knew this before we came and were prepared.  There was  another couple with us.  The wife was wearing a small star of David necklace, which one of the men was yelling at her that she needed to take off - no religious symbols other than Islam are allowed either.  

Al-Aqsa Mosque.

Women outside Al-Aqsa Mosque.

This woman approached Jim to ask for money.  

The only thing showing on her whole body was her eyes.

There is much debate as to where exactly the Holy Temple of the God of Israel once stood.  Some say that inside this building is the rock on which Abraham was going to sacrifice Isaac.  The Dome of the Rock used to be open to tourists many years ago, but today you need to be Muslim to enter both the Dome of the Rock and Al-Aqsa Mosque. 

Here's a short video of the Temple Mount Plaza.

View of the Old City from Mount Moriah.

There have been several excavations on the Temple Mount.  

One can only imagine the treasures of history in this pile.

One of the most important reasons for this trip was going to the Eastern Gate (Golden Gate).  You can see it here in the center with the Mount of Olives in the background.

This view is from standing on the Old City wall next to the Eastern Gate.  Notice the abundance of olive trees.  We kept a small branch with olives growing on it - there are many things that the olive tree represents, and one from this Holy site has such a special significance.  

We'd been to the Temple Mount before, but didn't realize you could walk on the walls at this section of the City!  That is until a man yelling in Arabic at us made us get down....But we were able to first take this picture looking out at the Mount of Olives where Messiah will return and then enter through this Gate where we are now standing.

Looking at the Eastern Gate from the Mount of Olives.  

The picture above was taken just to the left of the Gate looking out.

Looking at the Gate from the inside.

Two doves on the Eastern Gate.

Next on our itinerary that day for the four of us was to search out to see if a sign we were told about really existed.  This would take us into the Muslem Quarter of the Old City where we have visited many times.  We were told it was on what is known as the Via Delarosa near one of the "Stations of the Cross".  As we began walking in that direction, we continued to see and hear the firecrackers that were going off all over the Arab neighborhoods that day.  The smoke in the picture below next the Minaret is from firecrackers.  We later found out it was celebrations of the last day of school for the Arab children.

Well, I can honestly say we were all shocked to find the sign we were told about.  

We saw it now with our own eyes (and took this picture).  

It is hanging next to the public bathrooms.

Across from the 3rd Station of the Cross. 

This sign was inside the Armenian Catholic Patriarchate building.  

 If you haven't heard of Chrislam, keep your eyes and ears open.  Around the world a tolerance is being formulated to incorporate Christianity and Islam.  In Australia the buses have posters saying that Jesus is a prophet of Islam.  Just this past June, the Quran was read in several Church pulpits all over America.

It is very important in these days to know Who exactly our God is.  

He is the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.  

The God of Israel.  

"I am the LORD, and there is no other;
      There is no God besides Me." Isaiah 45:5