At stage center in the book of Revelation is the "Old City" of Jerusalem, and the brand new city of "New Jerusalem". In the center stage of Jerusalem, is a mountain where a Temple shall be built.

      Ever since 1948, and especially since 1967, there has been a growing interest among Orthodox Jewry for rebuilding a Temple in Jerusalem. The actual site of the former temples is the only acceptable site for a new Jewish Temple, because of the Jewish concept of zones of holiness on the sacred mountain of Jehovah; Moriah.

      The Jewish Prayer Book exults: Because of our sin we were banished from our land. We cannot go up as pilgrims to worship thee, to perform our duties in thy chosen house, the great and Holy Temple which was called by thy name, on account of the hand let loose on thy sanctuary. May it be thy will, Lord our God and God of our Fathers, merciful King, in thy abundant love again to have mercy on us and thy sanctuary; rebuild it speedily and magnify its glory!

      Jesus spoke of a third temple of Israel that would be utilized by the Antichrist in order to be accepted by Israel as their Messiah. It is in this newly built Temple on Mount Moriah that the Antichrist will in fact enter into, taking himself a seat upon the mercy seat of God, and proclaiming to Israel that he is indeed God!

      Possibly, it will be the Antichrist who will arrange the opportunity for Israel to begin the construction of a third temple.

      The twentieth commandment of the Jewish Torah (613 total commandments) requires Israel to build a Temple to reflect the rebirth of the nation of Israel, which will also serve to reinstill in the children of Israel their old religious practices and customs.

      An old Jewish poem relates the idea that whoever controls the Mount, controls the land of Israel. Most of the Jewish population of the post World War II era scoffed at any notion of rebuilding a temple on Mount Moriah, simply because they were steadfastly convinced that there simply is no God at all. Experiences of Jews during the Holocaust left many questioning how any God could permit his people to endure such catastrophic times.

      But today, there is a renewed spirit of Judaism in Israel, stimulated by a national Zionist fervor. There is a renewed sense that a new Temple would solidify Israel's position as a permanent fixture in the world.

      There is also embedded within the Jewish belief that Israel will find peace with their neighbors only when the Messiah comes and rebuilds their Temple once again on Mount Moriah.

      This is gleamed from the teaching of Zechariah in chapter 6, and Amos 9:11.

      Zechariah 6:13 Even he shall build the Temple of the Lord; and He shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon His throne; and He shall be a priest upon his throne: and the counsel of peace shall be between them both.

      Amos 9:11 In that day will I raise up the tabernacle of David which is fallen, and close up the breaches thereof; and I will raise up his ruins, and I will build it as in the days of old.

      The Temple Mount today acts as something of a testing ground for tensions between Jews and Arabs. Periodically the Temple Mount Faithful attempt to garner public support for building a Jewish Temple by accessing the mountain to lay a cornerstone. The Muslim authorities on the mountain staunchly oppose any Jewish presence on, or beneath the mount.

      A principle of sensitivity has existed since 1967 on the plaza mount. Israeli law dispenses that it is in Israel's interest to placate the Muslims until a final solution can be found regarding ownership of Mount Moriah.

      The gold-plated dome of the Dome of the Rock glistens mockingly in the bright Middle East sunshine declaring to Israel, that the Holy mountain is in the possession of another God. Israel doggedly guards its claim to Jerusalem as totally and forever the Jewish capitol of the Jewish nation.

      Its almost obvious to me that another power, from elsewhere in the world is denying sovereignty of the Temple Mount to Israel, while at the very same time manipulating the Palestinian problem to extract the Old City's Temple Mount for another dominion.

      As the Middle East Peace Process now returns to full paced negotiations, with the recent signing of the Sharm-el-Sheik signing between Yasser Arafat and the new Israeli leader Ehud Barak, attention shall shift to the controversial Temple Mount.

      The dilemma for Israel is how to hang on to their beloved Jerusalem, and still have a hope of accessing the Temple Mount someday.

      While Israel contemplates diplomatic stategic moves for its position among the world bullies, Christians around the world should carefully take note of every discussion about the Permanent Status Talks which are commencing as of September 13, 1999.

      Permanent Status Talks may be a prelude to the imminent opportunity for the Antichrist to play his logistical card for influence; in the long complex dilemma of religious claims to the Temple Mount.

      I repeat one of my favorite verses at this point in this article, because it highlights the present attempts for peace in the Middle East.

      And in that day I will make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered all together against it.

      Indeed the entire world today says in unison, that Israel has no right to Jerusalem; and in particular, it specifically cannot have the Temple Mount.

      For two thousand years now the cry of Psalm 79 verse one has rang in the ears of the God of Israel. O God, the heathen are come into thine inheritance; thy Holy Temple have they defiled; they have laid Jerusalem on heaps.

      And God responds in Isaiah 62:1 that, "For Zion's sake he will not hold his peace, and for Jerusalem's sake he will not rest until the salvation of the Lord shall go forth from Moriah

      While Christians need not look to the eastern sky for their deliverer, as we shall be caught away prior to the time when Israel will be surrounded by the armies under the Antichrist; Israel shall shout for joy when the Redeemer shall indeed appear in the eastern sky!

      Micah 4:1 But, in the last days it shall come to pass, that the Mountain of the house of the Lord shall be established in the top of the mountains, and it shall be exalted above the hills; and people shall flow unto it.

      Psalms 87:1 His foundation is in the Holy mountains. The Lord loveth the gate of Zion:

      To Israel; let me quote Psalms 121:1; I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills from whence cometh my help!

      To all Christians, let us lift up our eyes to the Lord and to his soon appearing, as He is preparing the nation of Israel for his return back to his Holy Mountain.

      Matthew 25:31 When the son of man shall come in his glory, and all his holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory!

      It is for this reason alone that the nations and powers of this world have joined in unison to deny the Temple Mount to Israel!