A Household of Prayer for All Peoples?
On Simchat Torah (Festival of the Rejoicing of the Legislation/Very last Great Day) I went up to the Temple Mount with my Bible to pray. Even though I do not usually put on a kippa (skull cap), I took a person with me.
My first obstacle was to move the guards close to the Temple Mount entrance if they observed me with my Bible they would not permit me enter. I silently prayed all the way up to the internet site where by God’s Temple stood 2 times, and will be rebuilt for a third and final time, that I would be equipped to go in. I bought previous the guards.
You say Jewish guards prevent Christians and Jews from performing exercises their spiritual ideal to pray on the Temple Mount? That’s proper! Only Muslims have limitless entry to Judaism’s most holy web site. Only the Koran is permitted in. The Tanach (Jewish Scripture, known to much of the earth as the “Previous Testomony”) and Christian Scriptures (the New Testomony) are forbidden. Yet Israel claims to regard the religious legal rights of all men and women.
Israel has no regulation towards Christians and Jews praying or examining scriptures on the Temple Mount. However, it does have an unwritten agreement with the Wakf (Muslim religious authorities) prohibiting this. No sign is posted, stating: “Warning! Christian and Jewish prayers are forbidden! Bibles not authorized within by Muslim spiritual authorities. Carry on with caution!”
I do not settle for that Moslems have the authority to forbid me from looking through proper Psalms or the New Testomony account of Jesus celebrating the Drinking water Libation Ceremony (Psalms 120-134, John 7:37). My query was, exactly where must I examine these passages? I ended up among the Dome of the Rock and the Al Aksa mosque, just to the ideal of the put in which Moslems clean their arms and toes. I was on the other facet of the elevated system there, if you deal with the Mosque of Omar.
Very first, I nervously sat and study. Then I place on my black kippa, stood up and started off to browse for a several minutes right until I turned distracted by fears of currently being attacked by the Moslem guards. I sat down, took off my kippa, and ongoing to read. Then one particular of the Wakf guards noticed me and questioned what I was reading. I replied, “Sure, it is really my guide.” He took it from me and saw that it was a Bible. He demanded to know if I was a Christian or a Jew. When I told him I was a Christian, he requested me why I was carrying a magen David (Star of David).
I did not really feel obligated to explain that it was a present from my mom and youngest sister, and told him, “Give back my Bible.” He ordered, “You have to leave now!” All over again I mentioned, “Give back again my Bible.” When he refused, I demanded its return a lot more loudly. He elevated his fist as if to hit me and warned me not to raise my voice. This captivated the focus of some passing travelers, who gathered all-around us. I explained to them, “This thief has stolen my Bible!”
The Wakf guard informed me to depart again and threatened to hit me. He mentioned he would give me back my Bible outside the house. Due to the fact there was no explanation for him to confiscate it in the very first put, I instructed him to return it to me then and there and I would go. At this issue he radioed an Israeli policeman, who arrived managing. The Israeli handcuffed my proper hand, which I elevated and showed to the assembled vacationers, expressing, “This is Israeli democracy!” I requested the Israeli frequently, “What legislation have I damaged?” being aware of that I had not damaged any regulation, nevertheless was getting dealt with like a widespread felony.
I am stunned that Jewish police in the Jewish State enable preserve Moslem domination of the Temple Mount by suppressing Christian and Jewish spiritual legal rights there. Is it the Temple Mount or the Mosque Mount?
An Israeli policeman led me away. I informed the bewildered travellers, “This is what takes place to a Christian or Jew who desires to go through the Bible exactly where the holy Temple stood. This is what occurs to Christians and Jews who want to pray where our prophets and patriarchs prayed, and where by Jesus and his disciples taught.”
Why the unique religious rights for Moslems? And Israel would like to hand more than management of Rachel’s Tomb, Bethlehem and Joseph’s Tomb to Moslem religious authorities?! Are they crazy or what?
In the police station at the Western Wall Plaza, the officers wished to know who else was with me. They were being relieved to uncover that I was by yourself. (They should have recognized I was executing a mitzva [religious commandment]). The police mentioned they arrested me for my personal safety. I advised them they should have arrested the Wakf guard who threatened me! Why not take out, as soon as and for all, the menace of Moslem violence? Why reward Moslem extremists?
The police laughed in disbelief when I explained to them I am a Christian and that my Bible contains the New Testomony, which they returned to me. A Druze officer said, “But you have to respect other religions.” He remained silent when I questioned, “In which was their respect for mine?” I discussed that our Biblical purpose is to empower every person to come and pray on the mountain the place God’s Temple stood, and in the Temple when it will be rebuilt. It is prophesied to turn out to be a “Residence of Prayer” for all nations.
The police explained to me I could return to the Temple Mount as a vacationer – without the need of my Bible. I reported that I do not want to go up there only as a “vacationer” I want to pray there. When they requested me how many moments I had been up there, I claimed “a thousand.” They wrote that down in their report. They said I could make a quick assertion for the report. I claimed some thing to this influence: “Is it far too considerably to talk to throughout this 3,000th anniversary of King David’s Jerusalem to peacefully study his encouraged phrases on the Temple Mount?”
When I still left the police compound, one particular of the policemen informed me I did a great matter. When outside, I was achieved by some Jews who saw the incident and congratulated me.
I pray that this unfortunate experience will raise awareness of Israel’s religious discrimination versus Christians and Jews. The condition ought to transform. It will when adequate people cry “Basta!” (Italian for “enough!”).
May well the day before long come when Christians, Jews and Moslems can say: “My Home shall be referred to as a home of prayer for all Peoples.” (Isaiah 56:7). The Bible claims
“Furthermore, concerning the stranger, who (is) not of Your folks Israel, but arrives out of a much state for Your Name’s sake. For they shall listen to of Your wonderful Title, and of your mighty hand, and of Your outstretched arm, and will appear and pray toward this home. Hear you in heaven Your dwelling spot, and do according to all that the stranger phone calls to You for, that all peoples of the earth could know Your Identify, to worry you, as (do) Your folks Israel, that they may know that Your Name is known as upon this dwelling that I have crafted.” (I Kings 8:41-43)
“And the foreigners who be part of them selves to the Lord to serve Him and to appreciate the title of the Lord, to be His servants – all people who observes the Sabbath – I will carry them to My holy mountain, and make them joyful in My dwelling of prayer Their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall be approved upon My altar, for My household shall be known as a property of prayer for all peoples.” (Isaiah 56:6-7)
“And it shall appear to pass at the conclusion of times, that the mountain of the Lord’s home shall be established at the best of the mountains, and shall be exalted higher than the hills, and peoples shall move to it. And several nations shall go, and say, ‘Come, enable us go up to the mountain of the Lord…and He will instruct us of His ways, and we will walk in His paths,’ for out of Zion shall go forth the Torah, and the phrase of the Lord from Jerusalem.” (Micah 4:1-2)
(This posting was originally released in the Jerusalem-based mostly, Root and Department Affiliation e-newsletter, January 1996.)
See Israel’s 1967 Protection of Holy Locations Law they have failed to implement and refused to uphold.
