June 26, 2005
06/24 Jerusalem - Day Three
We have a Jewish tour guide who has been most helpful in clearing up several misconceptions.
First, the Wailing Wall is called the Western Wall in Jerusalem. It is a sacred place of prayer, and more than "wailing" goes on there. Many prayers of thanksgiving are offered as well.
Second, the Western Wall is not the western wall for the old temple that was present at the time of Jesus. The Western Wall is the closest point to where the old temple once stood. The temple that was destroyed by the Romans in 70 AD. The Western Wall is the closest point to the old temple mount that everyone is allowed to get. Israel's temple mount is being occupied by the Dome of the Rock, the third most sacred place for Moslems.
Third, not all Israel expects to see a third temple being built in the future. Some are quite content to let the Moslems control that part of the city while others are quite passionate about the temple being rebuilt for the third time. I had a conversation with one very lively vendor in the Jewish Quarter who feels that Haggai 2:9, Isaiah 11, and Ezekiel, Chapters 40 to 48 all refer to prophecies about the building of a third temple.
It has been obvious from our experience that passions run high for all three major faiths - Jewish, Moslem and Christian - about preserving this space (Old City) for all three world religions. Our obvious plea is to pray for peace. The tensions are real and passion for each faith run high. Pray for peace in Jerusalem, or as we prayed at the Western Wall - "Come, Lord Jesus!"
Posted by roger at June 26, 2005 06:54 AM