The Sacred Family on the Temple Mount

This Sunday the Catholic Church celebrates the Feast of the Holy Family.  The Gospel reading is Luke 2:22-40, where the sacred family (Mary, Joseph, and Jesus) are up in Jerusalem at the temple when they are met by Simeon and Anna.  Simeon takes the child Jesus in his arms and praised God saying,

      “Master, now you are dismissing your servant in peace,

according to your word;

      for my eyes have seen your salvation,

         which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples,

      a light for revelation to the Gentiles

and for glory to your people Israel….”

 

Simeon also says to Mary, “this child is destined for the falling and rising of many in Israel.”  There was also a prophetess named Anna who praised God and spoke about Jesus for all those looking for “the redemption of Jerusalem” (vv. 36-38).

 

Israel, Gentiles, and Jerusalem! 

Merry Christmas O Bethlehem

 

Bethlehem, O Bethlehem, you have seen and heard so much!  O House of Bread, Merry Christmas!  I visited Bethlehem in 2018 to spend some time in the West Bank, visit its people, and become acquainted with its surroundings.  Within walking distance from the Church of the Nativity is the Holy Family Hospital of Bethlehem that is a “state-of-the-art maternity and neonatal critical care center.”  Even amidst the COVID-19 crisis, the hospital, doctors, nurses, and staff continue to provide care to mothers and their babies.  I wanted to honor that portion of the Holy Land with a few pictures of my own and a picture of a nurse with a newborn baby at the Hospital of the Holy Family in Bethlehem.      

United Arab Emirates and Bahraini delegates harassed on Temple Mount.

I came across an opinion piece entitled, “The Temple Mount should be defended for all Jews and Muslims.”  The article is a couple of weeks old but is worth mentioning.  It paints an interesting, but complex picture of the dynamics that exist in the Muslim world in the Middle East surrounding the Temple Mount.  Following the normalization of relations between Israel with Abu Dhabi and Bahrain, one would think Muslims from the latter countries would be able to visit and pray at the mount.  They are Muslim.  However, the Mufti of Jerusalem, Sheikh Mohammed Hussein's approach is “I don’t think so!”  He issued a fatwa (ruling) that banned any Arab who normalized relations with Israel from praying at Al-Aqsa.  When delegates from the United Arab Emirates and Bahraini recently visited the Temple Mount to pray they were denounced and harassed by the Waqf guards. 

When Sheikh Khalid bin Ahmed Al-Khalifa, a representative of the monarchy of Bahraini, visited the Temple Mount he concealed his nationality for fear he would be thrown off the site.  Al-Khalifa stated, “Al-Aqsa is not just for the Palestinians.  It belongs to the entire Muslim world.  It is inconceivable that they tell someone, ‘You normalized with Israel, you won’t pray in Jerusalem.’” Please forgive my humor, but this reminds me of a Seinfeld episode: No Soup for You where an angry store owner tells his customers who infuriate him, “No soup for you!”  Those who prevent Israelis from praying on the Temple Mount also forbid other Muslims from doing so too.    

Dome of the Rock where some argue the Jewish Temple once stood.

Let Them Pray

Well, fancy that!  A day after yesterday’s post I came across an article in which the Mufti of Jerusalem, Sheikh Mohammed Hussein, is to have said “there is no place for non-Muslims” on the Al-Aqsa Mosque.  He said,

“We affirm, time and again, that the blessed al-Aqsa Mosque, with its entire area of 144 dunams [144,000 sq.m.], is Islamic and only for Muslims,” he said. “There is no place for non-Muslims in any way in this mosque, whether through schools, churches or other places of worship.” 

Of course, in the back of my mind is the sayings in the Hebrew Scriptures and the New Testament that God’s house is to be called a house of prayer for all peoples (Isa 56:7; Mk 11:17).  In a twist of irony, the mention of the Al-Aqsa Mosque, which here is the entire Temple Mount, does indeed measure 144,000 square meters from other accounts.  It reminded me of the Lamb and the 144,000 standing on Mount Zion from the twelve tribes of Israel (Rev 14:1-5; 7:1-8), who are joined by a great multitude from every nation, tribe, peoples, and languages (v. 9).

I was recently subbing at a school where students were playing games.  At one point they lost control and began throwing Crayola markers around.  After being told to stop and clean up, they asked an adult if they could go play in the gym.  She told them that because of their bad choices their request was denied.  In time, though, they would be able to return to the gym.

So, which is it?  Is it time to "comfort my people" and say to the nations let them pray or is time to say wait, just wait?  What seems more certain is there is a longing in the hearts of some Jews and Christians that there might be again on the Temple Mount a house of prayer for all nations.

Eastern Gate to the Temple Mount

Tribes Gate to the Temple Mount

Olive Trees on Temple Mount with Al-Aqsa Mosque in the background.

Menorah on the Temple Mount?

A group of Jewish activists attempted to reenact the lighting of the menorah on the Temple Mount earlier this week during Hanukkah as in the days of the Maccabees.  However, they were not successful.  The group has tried to place the menorah on the mount for the last several years.  This year's attempt is the closest they got, but they were stopped just outside the Tribes Gate on the northeast corner of the mount.  

In the 2nd century BCE, Antiochus Epiphanies desecrated the Second Jewish Temple and set up a sacrifice to Zeus on the altar of burnt offering.  This gave rise to the Maccabean Revolt, which fought back and captured Jerusalem and the Temple.  After their enemies were crushed, the Maccabees cleansed the temple and rededicated it.  They built a new altar of burnt offering, rebuilt the sanctuary and interior of the temple, and made new holy vessels—bringing in the lampstand, the altar of incense, and the table for the bread of presence.  They offered incense on the altar, lighted the lamps on the lampstand, placed the bread of the presence on the table, and hung up the curtains (1 Macc 4:36-51).  This was followed by a joyful celebration that lasted eight days and marked the beginning of Hanukkah, which was to be celebrated every year beginning on the twenty-fifth day of Chislev (vv 56-59).

One can only imagine, what might have happened if the group was successful this week.  Would there have been rejoicing, rejection, or rebellion?

Return to Temple Mount activists at the gate to Temple Mount (Jewish Press) 

Coronavirus and the Temple Mount

Nachman Ash, an Israeli expert on the coronavirus, says Israel has no solution for large groups of Palestinians who gather on the Temple Mount to pray.  This past Friday around 18,000 Palestinians assembled at the location.  It appears the Muslim worshipers gathered at the site without masks and reportedly as the number of Palestinians affected by the coronavirus has risen in East Jerusalem and the West Bank. 

Nachman Ash (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

Menorah placed at Western Wall in Jerusalem

"As the Jewish world prepares for Hanukkah, a massive menorah was placed by the Western Wall in Jerusalem this week to celebrate the Festival of Lights" (StandWithUs).

Nine Year Old Discovers 3000 Year Old Golden Bead from Temple Mount

 

This story is a little dated, but still newsworthy!  While sifting for the Temple Mount Sifting Project, a 9-year-old discovered a unique golden bead.  It was hand made with four layers of gold balls made into a cylinder looking bead.  Binyamin Milt found the golden object while screening through earth and debris from the Temple Mount, which was removed from that location over twenty years ago and then dumped in the Kedron valley nearby.  For the past sixteen years, volunteers have been sifting through the earth and the remains removed from the mount.  Although thought to be a more modern object that was simply found during the sifting process, it is now considered much older.  Upon closer examination, consideration, and comparison with other finds has led Professor Gabriel Barkay to argue that the bead is from the First Temple Period dating back 3000 years. 

Update on the Temple Mount

 

In a recent resolution concerning Israel, the United Nations (UN)[i] referred to the Temple Mount simply as Haram al-Sharif.  In doing so, some see this as denying the Jewish identity and history with that location.  A majority of the UN panel approved the resolution on November 4, whose document was dated October 28, 2020, and which addressed “Israeli practices affecting the human rights of the Palestinian people….” See the following link to the UN draft resolution.  The resolution was approved by 138 member states.  The following nine countries voted against the resolution.

·        Australia

·        Canada

·        Guatemala

·        Hungary

·        Israel

·        Marshall Islands

·        Micronesia

·        Nauru

·        The United States

Sixteen countries abstained from voting.  In comparison with last year, the total number of countries that supported dropped 19 votes. *

The section of the UN document in question is short.  It expresses grave concern at “the tensions and violence in the recent period throughout the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem and including with regard to the holy places of Jerusalem, including the Haram al-Sharif, and deploring the loss of innocent civilian life….”

According to Tovah Lazaroff, Israel’s ambassador to the UN Gilad Erdan called the text “a disgrace” and that “no resolution passed here will change the eternal connection between the Jewish people and the holiest site of our faith – Har HaBayit, the Temple Mount.”  Lazaroff also pointed out that a German representative of the European Union (EU) stated that the EU rejects the sole use of Haram al-Sharif to describe the Temple Mount and that the language used for the holy sites in Jerusalem needs to reflect the identity and history of the three monotheistic religions.

With the growing archaeological evidence for the presence of the Semitic/Hebrew/Jewish people in, on, and around the Temple Mount—that is, the first and second Jewish temples—it is time for the UN to affirm the existence of the Har HaBayit.    

---

[i] The Special Political and Decolonization Committee on “Israeli practices affecting the human rights of the Palestinian people in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem.” 

Jerusalem Trip (Summer 2017) 

More on Joe Biden's View of Israel

 

Here is more information on some of Biden’s experiences and views on Israel taken from the JVL (Jewish Virtual Library) which is a project of the American-Israeli Cooperative Enterprise.  I must first admit that I did not vote for Joe Biden because of my conscience.  I need not explain why, but if you are interested please email or message me.  That being said, I share this information more out of scholarly interest and a willingness to share with others. 

BIDEN’S VIEW OF ISRAEL

·        Joe Biden first visited Israel as a senator on the eve of the 1973 Yom Kippur War where he met Golda Meir.  In 1982, Biden warned Prime Minister Menachem Begin not to expand settlements into the West Bank though Begin simply shrugged it off.  In 2012, Biden claimed to be a friend with Benjamin Netanyahu for more than 30 years.  Biden’s son Beau married a Jew and his daughter Ashley also married a Jew.  Biden has often expressed his affection for Israel.  He is a strong voice against anti-Semitism, and even willing to stand against the United Nations’ attempts to delegitimize Israel.  Although Biden spoke out against Israel’s policy that prevented American lawmakers from entering Israel (because they favored BDS), Biden himself condemned calls in the United States to enact BDS (boycott, divest, and sanction Israel).

BIDEN’S VIEW OF A TWO STATE SOLUTION

·        Biden supports a two-state solution for the Israel-Palestinian conflict.  He holds the view that Israel needs to stop annexation.  Yet he also argues that the Palestinian Authority needs to stop inciting and supporting terrorism and that Palestinians need to stop the hate, which includes teaching hate in their schools.  Although Biden opposes Israeli settlements in the West Bank, he would not withdraw Military support.  He appreciates the agreement and normalization between the UAE and Israel and is willing to build on this progress.

BIDEN’S VIEW OF IRAN

·        Biden says he is unwavering in his backing of Israel.  However, he wants to reestablish diplomacy with Iran to prevent them from achieving nuclear weapons.  He recognizes Iran’s destabilizing influence in the Middle East through proxy activities.  In other words, he acknowledges that Iran is a sponsor of terrorism.  Biden would push back against Iran’s destabilizing activity and work with Israel to protect Israeli national interest.  He supports returning to the JCPOA (Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action) if Iran agrees to live up to its obligations.  Biden argues that Trump’s abandonment of the JCPOA increased Iran’s activity toward obtaining nuclear weapons.  He holds the view that Trump’s strong hand tactics with Iran have also forced the Iranian government to align itself with China and Russia.  

    

Biden and Harris claim to be friends of Israel

 

I was surprised to learn that Joe Biden and Kamala Harris both purport to be friends of Israel.   Biden holds the view that the American Embassy must remain in Jerusalem.  He is to have said, “I’ve been a proud supporter of a secure, democratic Jewish state of Israel my entire life,” and added, “My administration will urge both sides to take steps to keep the prospect of a two-state solution alive.”  Harris, whose husband is Jewish, has stated, “I stand with Israel both because of our shared values, which are so fundamental to the founding of both our nations and I believe the bonds between the people of the United States and the people of Israel are unbreakable….” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, President Reuven Rivlin, and Rabbi Yehudah Glick acknowledged the elected US president and vice-president.  Glick prayed for Biden and Harris on the Temple Mount on Sunday.   

Tempus omnia revelat

The Catholic Church’s View on the State of Israel

 

A friend recently asked me about the Catholic Church’s view of Israel.  The response of the Catholic Church to the establishment of Israel in 1948 was rather slow, yet hopeful.  In 1993, the Catholic Church recognized the State of Israel and established diplomatic relations with Israel.  In 2003, Pope John Paul II argued that God’s covenant with Israel has never been revoked, thus echoing the words of Saint Paul (Rom 11:29).  In 2013, Pope Frances reiterated the sentiment that the covenant with Israel is irrevocable.  Gavin D’Costa, who is a Professor of Catholic Theology at the University of Bristol, argues that Catholics need to take the biblical promises to Israel seriously.  He is researching a “Minimal Catholic Zionism” where Jerusalem could be seen as the capital of Israel as part of God’s providence as long as it does not deny the rights of Palestinians.

Climate Change on and around the Temple Mount

 

Some people say climate change is having an effect on the extent of sea ice caps at the north and south poles and uncovering land and sea.  Climate changes and their causes are studied and debated.  Although I hold the view that the sun is the most dominant cause for changes in the earth’s climate, humans have a part to play.  Be that as it may, I see the changes at the poles as an analogy or sign of the times.  There is another pole that is changing.  It is the center pole.  In the heart of the cradle of civilization of the Middle East, another change and uncovering is coming to light.  Jerusalem and the Temple Mount—held by some to be the Axis Mundi or omphalos (navel of the world)—are also seeing something like climate change.  More and more evidence is being uncovered that demonstrates the existence of the Semitic civilization centered on and around the Temple Mount in Jerusalem over 2000 years ago.  Most recently, a two-shekel weight, which is thought to be more than 2600 years old (that is, First Temple Period) was uncovered under Wilson’s Arch, which once stood by the Western Wall of the Temple Mount.  Things that have been hidden are coming to light under the Sun. 

Edited 10/15/2020

Photo Credit: Shai Halevi and the Israel Antiquities Authority 

Jared Kushner on the Normalization of Relationships between Israel and Saudi Arabia

 

I came across a video of an interview with Jared Kushner, dated August 14, 2020, in which he discusses the possibility of normalization of relationships between Saudi Arabia and Israel.  Kushner argues that “it's an inevitability that Saudi Arabia and Israel will have fully normalized relations and they will be able to do a lot of great things together.”  How is it possible among the Saudis?  Although the older generation is impeded with memories and conflicts from the past, the younger generation is more open to relationships and partnerships with Israel with the hope of a brighter future.  

 

The Saudis may be preparing for “an eventual deal with Israel” following the normalization of the UAE and Bahraini with Israel.  As early as March 2002, the “Crown Prince Abdullah Peace Plan” held out an olive branch to Israel, which was endorsed by the Arab League.  The plan was reaffirmed in 2007 and 2017.  More recently Saudi Prince Bandar bin Sultan Al-Saud, who has been a longtime critic of the Palestinian Authorities’ failure to reconcile with Israel, has again been critical of the Palestinian leadership for its rejection of the UAE-Israel peace agreement.  There is a longing among many for Israelis and Palestinians to live peaceful and godly lives.  However, for various reasons, the Palestinian Authority (PA) has not been able to move forward and the situation is complicated because Hamas has become separated and at odds with the PA.  Can the Saudis help?        

A Recent Call for Prayer and Shofar on the Temple Mount

Yehudah Glick, who is an American born Israeli and heads the Shalom Jerusalem Foundation, is another voice that has been calling for prayer on the Temple Mount.  Glick is a controversial figure who is loved by some and despised by others.  He is a strong advocate for building the Third Temple on the Temple Mount.  He survived an assassination attempt in 2014 and later became a member of the Israeli Knesset.  This year he approached the Jerusalem police to allow the Shofar (trumpet) to be blown on Zion.  His argument for the redemption of Mount Zion was based on the Prophet Joel (2:1-32).  However, his request was denied because the Israeli political body was not agreeable to such actions.  Glick also provides an account of a person who attempted to blow the trumpet on the Temple Mount this week but was arrested by police.

 

Gesture of Good Faith on the Temple Mount?

Josiah Rotenberg, who is on the Board of Governors of the Middle East Forum, argues that Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and the United Arab Emirates Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed should meet on the Temple Mount and pray, each according to their own faith, for reconciliation and peace in the region.  It appears bin Zayed would like to visit Jerusalem to seek peace and fulfill the recent agreements between the two countries.  Rotenberg also suggests that they could make a gesture of good faith and invite Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas to join in the prayer for a period of peace.  In doing so they would extend an olive branch in hand to Abbas and see if he is “really ready for true peace.”  Rotenberg’s call for reconciliation now joins others such as Nave Dromi who advocated normalizing Jewish prayer on the Temple Mount.    

TEMPLE MOUNT CLOSES FOR THREE WEEKS

The Temple Mount/Haram al-Sharif will be closed for three weeks because of the soaring number of the coronavirus.  The decision was made by the Islamic Waqf earlier this week and will go into effect this Friday.  The closure will coincide with Israel’s three-week national lockdown.  The Israeli quarantine will go into effect on the eve of the Feast of Rosh Hashanah (Jewish New Year).  Rumor has it that if Israelis are allowed up to tour the site during this time the Waqf will reopen the mount. 

  

Normalizing the Temple Mount

 As the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and now Bahrain, has decided to normalize relationships with Israel, other Gulf countries could follow suit such as Qatar and perhaps Saudi Arabia.  I came across a remarkable opinion piece by Nave Dromi who argues it is time to “normalize” the Temple Mount.  Based on Isaiah the prophet who called for a house of prayer for all nations, she argued,   

Perhaps it would be prudent to finally realize this prophecy by allowing Jews and Muslims to pray on the Temple Mount in harmony and accord, without one trampling on the rights and liberties of the other.

After discussing some of the current difficulties and history following the Israeli capture of the Temple Mount in 1967, she then finishes saying,

It is time to return Jewish prayer to the Temple Mount.

It is time to normalize the Temple Mount.

Nave Dromi 

The Abrahamic Accord 30 Days Later: Reflections on the Temple Mount/Haram al-Sharif

 

On August 13, 2020, US President Donald Trump, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed mutually signed a peace agreement (The Abraham Accord) for full normalization of relationships between Israel and the UAE (United Arab Emirates).  This is a significant historical development.  The UAE now joins Egypt and Jordan who previously made peace with Israel in 1979 and 1994 respectively.  This will open a bundle of opportunities for Israel and the UAE such as “diplomatic engagement, increased economic integration,” “security coordination,” and other cooperation.  The parties involved will also work for a just, comprehensive, and lasting resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.  Following President Trump’s Vision for Peace, all Muslims who come in peace may visit and pray at the Al-Aqsa Mosque, and Jerusalem’s other holy sites are to remain open for peaceful worshippers of all faiths.    

The agreement gets its name from Abraham who some consider the father of the three great faiths: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.  There is an apparent omission in the Abraham Accord from the earlier Peace to Prosperity document that was released in January of this year by the United States.  The document stated that “people of every faith should be permitted to pray on the Temple Mount/Haram al-Sharif, in a manner that is fully respectful to their religion.”  The Abraham Accord makes no mention of this argument, yet, it does not revoke the concept either.  Perhaps, time will reveal if there is a consensus on allowing people of faith to pray on the Temple Mount/Haram al-Sharif.  Certainly, there have been Christians and Jews who have prayed at the location in the quietness of their own heart.  Could there be more public prayer and worship allowed?

Update on the Temple Mount

The Temple Mount/Al Aqsa Mosque has reopened, but not without its controversy.  The latest news out of Turkey is that President Erdogan has converted the Church of Hagia Sophia (Holy Wisdom) from a museum into a mosque.  He did so in order to free Turkey from its growing secularism and to foster a call to prayer and an Islamic awakening.  Erdogan has proclaimed that the conversion of Hagia Sophia church into a mosque was the “harbinger of the liberation” for the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem.  Hagia Sophia was built by the Byzantine Emperor Justinian in the 6^th century.  In 1453 the church was converted into a mosque following the Ottoman invasion that same year.  After the fall of the Ottoman Empire in the 1920’s the church was turned into a museum.  Erdogon has been planning to turn it into a mosque since about 2013. 

Ascension Sunday and Ut Unam Sint

In 1995, I had finished my graduate studies at Franciscan University and was teaching at a renovated Cistercian monastery in Gaming, Austria. That same year on May 25, Pope John Paul II issued the encyclical Ut Unum Sint (That they may be one). Today marks the 25th anniversary of the encyclical. Pope Francis calls for a renewed interest in the Church’s commitment to unity among Christians. Ut Unum Sint was issued on the Solemnity of the Ascension under the “sign of the Holy Spirit, the creator of unity in diversity.” In 1996, I began working and teaching at North Central University, a small Christian College in downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota. During the twenty years I spent there, I discovered that what unites Christians is stronger than what divides us and that there already exists a certain yet imperfect unity among us.

https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2020-05/pope-renews-ecumenical-commitment-on-anniversary-of-ut-unum-sint.html?fbclid=IwAR1ksGQL8vu8Ytns9fLxxnidPtaYC2bryyVOR8qQlduPZsY_so5RP4gEXm4

Temple Mount Remains Shutdown

As Ramadan 2020 continues until May 23, the Temple Mount remains closed, though workers are still allowed at the location.  However, the WAQF warned that they would reopen the location if the Israeli government moved to allow Jews to the site. 

Second Attempt of Sanhedrin to Observe Passover a No-Go

Last month a small group of Jewish believers, led by Rabbi Hillel Weiss who is the spokesperson for the newly formed Sanhedrin, had hoped to offer the Passover lamb on the Temple Mount.  However, they were denied in large part because of the coronavirus.  This month they were afforded the opportunity to celebrate the rite based on the possibility of a second Passover (Num 9:10-11).  Nonetheless, their plans did not materialize.  The first attempt would have taken place on the 14^th of Nisan (April 8, 2020).  The second would have happened on the 14^th of Iyar (May 8, 2020).   

Update from Old City of Jerusalem

Ariel Schalit/AP

NPR: The coronavirus did not stop the tradition of the Holy Fire on Saturday, the centuries-old ceremony held annually at the tomb of Jesus in Jerusalem the day before Easter on the Eastern Orthodox Christian calendar. But some adjustments were made.

Usually tens of thousands of pilgrims pack the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and surround the Edicule, the inner sanctum that houses the spot where tradition says Jesus was entombed and resurrected.

This year, no pilgrims attended. The church has been closed to visitors since last month, as all houses of worship in the Holy Land have shuttered their doors.

The ceremony was broadcast live to tens of thousands of Orthodox Christian believers around the world. Clergy from Greek Orthodox, Armenian, Coptic and Syriac churches were represented at the ceremony, with a few Israeli policemen standing guard.

Update from the Temple Mount

The Temple Mount/Al-Aqsa will continue to be closed during the month of Ramadan because of the coronavirus.  The mount has been closed since March 23.  Ramadan begins this year (2020) on Thursday April 23 and ends May 23.  The New Moon marks the beginning of the month in which Muslims are called to fast, pray, and faith.  Although the call to prayer will still be heard five times a day from the location, and workers will be allowed to undertake tasks, Muslim prayer will be prohibited, which sometimes draws 10,000s each day during Ramadan.  Muslims are encouraged to observe Ramadan in their homes.   

When I visited Jerusalem in May 2018, the Old City was often crowded with people.

There especially were a lot of young people.  I love taking pictures of faces.  I am not sure the person in the middle saw me taking this one, but she certainly looks a little surprised.  

Update on the Temple Mount

Although large groups of worshipers have not been allowed to gather at various holy sites in Jerusalem, because of the coronavirus, a few smaller events did take place: 1) a small gathering of Christians met at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher on Easter Day to pray; 2) another small group of Jewish worshippers prayed the Priestly Blessing at the Western Wall during the Passover; and 3) another group of Jewish worshipers performed the Omer wave offering from the barley harvest; they had hoped to celebrate the rite on the Temple Mount which was empty, but were prevented to do so; nonetheless, they are preparing and hoping to be able to perform an alternative Passover offering next month on the Temple Mount, and hope to offer two loaves of bread for the offering of firstfruits along with two lambs during Shavuot (Feast of Weeks/Pentecost). 

_________________________________________________________________________________

A small number of Jewish worshipers pray during the priestly blessing, a traditional prayer which usually attracts thousands of worshipers at the Western Wall on the holiday of Passover, amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Jerusalem’s Old City, April 12, 2020. Photo: REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun.

Easter Reflection 2020

Fifty Days Forward (Easter to Pentecost)

“He rose again on the third day according to the Scriptures and ascended into heaven.”  This saying from the Nicene Creed reflects 1 Corinthians 15:4.  In Genesis, God brought forth vegetation from the earth on day three (Gen 1:11-13).  Christ himself is the firstfruits that arose from the earth on the third day (1 Cor 15:20), yet this hope is also for a restored Israel who turns to God in the last days (Hos 6:2).  In Second Temple Judaism, the fifty days between the Jewish Feast of Passover and the Feast of Shavuot (Weeks) came to be known as Feast of Pentecost.  In Early Christianity, the time between Easter and Pentecost Sunday was also fifty days.  Pentecost was not an isolated feast day.  The fifty days from the resurrection of Christ, the firstfruits, to the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, the firstfruits (Rom 8:23) is Pentecost. 

On the 16th of Nisan, a lamb was offered along with the sheaf of the firstfruits of the harvest, which was taken from the land of Israel (Lev 23:9-14).  After counting 50 days, an offering of firstfruits (two loaves) was presented to the Lord on the Feast of Shavuot, Weeks, Pentecost (vv. 15-22).  

Update on the Temple Mount

Earlier this month, a group of Jewish Temple Mount activists sent a letter to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu asking him to allow them to offer the ritual Passover on the Temple Mount to end the coronavirus pandemic.  I have not seen any reports that the rite took place on the location.  However, more information is available concerning those individuals who were behind the request.  Several leaders, including Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky, Rabbi Shmuel Eliyahu, and Rabbi Menachem Makover all supported the endeavor.  Last year the Jewish Passover was celebrated in a variety of ways in Jerusalem, which included priests from the Jewish Temple Institute enacting a sacrifice of a lamb from an area overlooking the mount.  Those calling for the offering of the Passover lamb this year had argued that an altar could be placed on the mount and the Passover offering carried out.            

Saturday Lenten Reflection 2020

Today is Jesus’ Sabbath

Although in the ground His body lay,

Forever remember it will not stay,

Soon to arise like firstfruits,

We cherish this everlasting truth.

Friday Lenten Reflection 2020

On this day in the Gospel of Mark, Jesus is handed over by Jewish priests and Pilate to be crucified.  He is mocked by soldiers and those who passed by: “Aha! You who would destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself, and come down from the cross.”  However, when Jesus cried aloud and breathed his last, the curtain of the temple was torn (σχίζω) in two from top to bottom.  There is a parallel with the Baptism of Jesus in the Jordan by John the Baptist, where the heavens are torn apart (σχίζω) and a voice from heaven says, “This is my beloved Son.”  The irony, though, is at the cross the Roman centurion—and not the priests —confesses, “Truly this man was God’s Son.”  Jesus, bread and wine, the Eucharist, and the significance of the temple are moving westward.

Stone of Anointing in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher located west of the Temple Mount.  

This woman was doing something and walking right towards me.  She also walked right up to me.  

Faces in the Holy Sepulcher. 

More faces in the Holy Sepulcher. 

      

Here is a side chapel within the Church of Holy Sepulcher where I participated in the Eucharist.  Although I enjoyed my visit to the Old City and the Temple Mount, this chapel holds a special and unique sense of God's presence.