The Jewish Temple and Its Significance
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The Jewish Temple and Its Significance living there ever since. They have reaffirmed time and again in Holy been the largest single group of Scripture. There has been a continuous The Jewish Temple inhabitants there since the mid-1800s. Jewish presence in Jerusalem for Jews face Jerusalem when they pray thousands of years, and the city has and Its Significance and mention it constantly in their prayers. never been claimed by any other nation Still, Palestinians hold or people. These to their radical claim—a facts expose the claim echoed even by denial of the Jewish the so-called “moderate” connection to Palestinian leaders. In Jerusalem for what it the past, Palestinian really is—an attempt leaders have claimed that to rewrite history. Jerusalem is Muslim. Perhaps the most And yet, despite these eloquent words claims, Jerusalem is not IFCJ written about the IFCJ mentioned in the Muslim Praying at the Western Wall at the Jewish connection to holy book, the Koran. It base of the holy Temple Mount Jerusalem are those The city of Jerusalem is the center of the Jewish people’s dreams, never served as a capital under Muslim of the psalmist: “Pray for the peace of longings, and aspirations. And according to Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein, rule, nor was it a Muslim cultural center. Jerusalem: ‘May those who love you be founder and president of the International Fellowship of Christians and In fact, in any discussion of cities holy secure. May there be peace within your to Muslims, Jerusalem places a distant walls and security within your citadels’” Jews, there is a higher level of devotion and holiness in Jerusalem. third to Mecca and Medina, both in (Psalm 122:6–7). he Temple Mount in Jerusalem, site for the First Temple, and when it Saudi Arabia. The terrible events we remember where the holy Temple once was built by his son Solomon, it was Here are the inescapable facts: on Tisha B’Av remind us of the need to stood, is the very essence of the unrivaled in its magnificence. Jerusalem has been the spiritual center always pray for the peace of Jerusalem “T Jewish faith and our longings for Zion,” It was constructed in the tenth of Jewish life since the time of King and the safety of the Jewish people. states Rabbi Eckstein. “God’s shechina, century B.C.E. (Before the Common David. The ancient, eternal connection Today, let us indeed say a prayer for this or divine presence, rests there more than Era), and destroyed by the Babylonians of the Jewish people to Jerusalem is city, holy to Jews and Christians alike. any other place on earth. Jews around the when the people of Judea were world face toward Jerusalem when they 30 North LaSalle Street, Suite 4300 pray, and in Jerusalem we face toward the Chicago, IL 60602-3356 Temple when we pray.” [email protected] • ifcj.org • 800-486-8844 First Temple Public Domain Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein, President The holiness of this site, known as Mount Moriah, can be traced back to the earliest history of the Jewish people. It is believed to be the place where Abraham went to sacrifice his son Isaac in obedience to God (Genesis 22). King David chose this sacred ground as the Solomon’s Temple IFCJ The Jewish Temple and Its Significance conquered and sent away into exile in Temple Mount Nations to Participate the invaders and cleansed the Temple. 586 B.C.E. Although the Jerusalem Temple stood The Bible says in Zechariah 6:15, “Those However, the Jews only had enough Nearly 70 years after the first Temple long before Islam was even founded, who are far away will come and help oil to light the menorah in the Temple was destroyed, King Cyrus of Persia Jews’ very presence on the Temple Mount to build the temple of the LORD.” This for one day. But the oil burned for seven conquered Babylon and allowed the Jews is viewed as a threat and incitement to prophecy that people from other nations days until more oil could be found—a to return to Jerusalem the world. As an act besides Israel will participate in the miracle celebrated each year during and build the Second of deference to the future rebuilding of the Temple reveals Hanukkah. If the Maccabees had not Temple, which was Arab world, Israel the central place that it will have, not won a great victory and reclaimed the constructed under the handed authority over only for Jews, but for Gentiles as well. Temple, Jewish life might have ended leadership of Ezra and the Temple area to Miracle of Light and Jesus would not have been able to Nehemiah. Muslims after the “The Temple had a special court to which even visit the Temple 150 years later. This Temple stood 1967 war. non-Jews could come,” Rabbi Eckstein “Today, as we await Messiah, the until it was destroyed by But in the past, points out. “The Feast of rebuilding of the Temple is not the Romans in 70 C.E. Jews and Christians Tabernacles, one of the just a Jewish desire,” said Rabbi (Common Era). have been banned three pilgrim feasts during Eckstein. “Christians are also For hundreds of years from visiting the site. which people came to eagerly awaiting this pivotal since, Jews have prayed Rabbi Eckstein Jerusalem on pilgrimage to event—and meanwhile seek at the Western Wall Jenkins © Ferrell says that Orthodox worship at the Temple, was to bless Israel and the Jewish in Jerusalem, the only The Second Temple during Jesus’ time Jews will not go into considered to be a holiday people.” remaining portion of the Second Temple. the central area of the Temple. “We may for all people. Seventy Pray for Peace Many risked their lives to pray go to the side areas where the courtyard sacrifices were offered for The fate of the city of IFCJ there as Jerusalem fell under the was, but we cannot enter the area that all the nations.” The Temple Menorah is the Jerusalem—and therefore the control of the Crusaders and Muslims was sanctified, and certainly not the The Temple also plays miraculous focus of Hanukkah fate of the Temple—remains over the centuries. ‘Holy of Holies,’ until Messiah comes a significant role in one of the best a controversial issue among the Arab That control ended in 1967 when to rebuild the Temple, and the red heifer known Jewish holidays, Hanukkah. world and Israel. The Palestinian Israel recaptured the Western Wall and sacrifice is made to remove the impurity, “The Syrian Greeks tried to destroy viewpoint says that Israel’s claims the Temple Mount in the Six Day War. as described in Numbers 19:1–10. the Jewish people in the second century to Jerusalem are illegitimate. But Jews Today Jews, and even Christians, “This is what Jews pray for. We B.C.E. They brought a statue of Zeus made Jerusalem their Holy City three come from around the world to offer pray, ‘May Messiah come speedily one and swine into the Temple to defile it.” thousand years ago and have been their prayers at this ancient reminder of day, and may we see the rebuilding of The sacredness of the Temple, and God’s faithfulness to Israel. the Temple.’” indeed Jewish life itself, was threatened. (Continued on back) But the Macabees were victorious over IFCJ.