The Temple Mount: trigger for Redemption?

Is it possible you can watch the Jewish Redemption unfold before your eyes? Some say yes, you can do that. They say, watch the Temple Mount.

Is that true?

You might want to keep your eyes open. Our prophet Zechariah says that, before our Jewish Redemption blossoms,  the nations of the world will gather against Jerusalem (Zechariah, 12: 3, JPS translation).  Since the heart of Jerusalem is the Temple Mount, does Zachariah suggest the nations will create a way to attack it?

The Pope might actually advocate for that (Giulio Meotti, “The Vatican Wants the Temple Mount Taken From the Jews” Arutz Sheva, June 30, 2015). France certainly wants ‘international boots’ on the Temple Mount (Barak Ravid, “Netanyahu: Israel Rejects French Draft on Temple Mount”, Haaretz, October 18, 2015).

Perhaps this is why some suggest that the Temple Mount is an international flash-point (“Temple Mount: a Detonator for World War III”, ein newsdesk, October 21, 2015). Could the entire world become enflamed by a ‘flash’ upon the Temple Mount?

Arab Muslims think so (“Fatah warns that Netanyahu's 'policy' on Jerusalem sets the entire area on fire and ignites religious conflicts that will have impact on the entire world",  Official PA daily, Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, Sept. 18, 2015).

Could that happen?

For almost a hundred years, Arab Muslims have been using the Temple Mount as a flashpoint. Their cry is, Jews are trying to destroy the Temple Mount. It’s a war-cry.

Fatah, the ruling political Party of the Palestinian Authority (PA) has been particularly aggressive with this tactic. For example, we have seen these headlines from the PA: “Fatah official cites 2nd Intifada as model to confront Israel against recurring invasions at Al-Aqsa Mosque [The Muslim name for The Temple Mount]”, Dunya Al-Watan (independent Palestinian news agency), Sept. 28, 2015; “PA officials, including Ramallah Governor, call for intifada to support prisoners and defend Al-Aqsa Mosque [The Temple Mount]”, Official PA daily, Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, Sept. 23, 2015; “PA teachers’ union calls for Palestinian Martyrdom: “We will redeem Al-Aqsa [The Temple Mount] with our souls… and sacrifice our soul and blood””, Official Palestinian Authority TV, Sept. 21, 2015;  “Abbas: We won’t allow Jews with their “filthy feet” to “defile our Al-Aqsa Mosque” “We bless every drop of blood... that has been spilled for Allah””, Official Palestinian Authority TV, Sept. 16, 2015). 

The PA wants to own the Temple Mount. It wants Jews banned forever from the Mount (“Fatah: Kick the Jews off the Temple Mount”, Cartoon on the official Fatah Facebook page, pmw, October 18, 2015). It calls for murder to ‘protect’ the Temple Mount (“Abbas justifies violence and murder as protection of holy sites", pmw, October 11, 2015 [This Abbas speech is specifically about ‘protecting’ the Temple Mount’]).

Muslims will do anything to secure their hold over the Temple Mount. For example, the PA attacks by asking a UN agency (UNESCO) to declare parts of the Mount area to be designated as ‘Islamic’.

The United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) didn’t give the PA what it wanted—this time. But it did approved an Arab recommendation to call the Jewish ‘cave of the Patriarchs’ in Hevron and the Jewish Rachel’s Tomb in Bethlehem as ‘Islamic’ (Ari Soffer, “UNESCO Passes Arab Resolution: Cave of Patriarchs 'Islamic'”, Arutz Sheva, October 21, 2015).

Will the Temple Mount be next?

The PA won’t give up. It wants the nations of the world at the UN to approve an Islamic take-over of the Mount. In fact, the PA already claims The Temple Mount is ‘ours’ (Itamar Marcus and Nan Jacques Zilberdik, “Abbas: We won't allow Jews' filthy feet”, Palestinian Media Watch (pmw), September 17, 2015). They already call to their youth to die to protect the Temple Mount for Islam (Marcus and Zilberdik, “Official PA daily promotes rock throwing and sacrificing oneself for the Al-Aqsa Mosque [Temple Mount], pmw, September 16, 2015).

It wants the nations to rubber-stamp these declarations.

Our prophet Zechariah may have it right. At the UN, the nations gather against Jerusalem. They’re doing exactly what our Tanach hints at: they’re turning the screws against our Jerusalem.  

They’re plotting against the Temple Mount. Voices grow louder to rip away the Temple Mount from Jews (“Scream Unto the L-rd! A Prelude: The Temple Mount Trigger will Soon be in Place”, endofdays, October 20, 2015).

There’s just one problem. The Temple Mount isn’t Muslim. It doesn’t belong to the UN. It’s the dwelling place for our G-d (D’varim 12:11). It’s His Property. It’s the Place where He has said His House is to sit.

What will HaShem do when the nations turn against His Jerusalem and go after His Property? According to at least one opinion (ibid), when the nations do that, HaShem will trigger the Redemption.

He’ll not do it because of our merit. He’ll do it for the sake of His House on the Temple Mount (ibid).

The moment the nations of the world try to take away the real estate for His House, HaShem will act. He’ll rise and have Mercy on Zion (ibid).

Is this true?

Stay tuned.