A House of Prayer for All Peoples?

On Simchat Torah (Pageant of the Rejoicing of the Law/Final Great Working day) I went up to the Temple Mount with my Bible to pray. Although I do not commonly put on a kippa (skull cap), I took one with me.

My initial challenge was to go the guards in close proximity to the Temple Mount entrance if they observed me with my Bible they would not enable me enter. I silently prayed all the way up to the website where by God’s Temple stood 2 times, and will be rebuilt for a 3rd and final time, that I would be equipped to go in. I obtained past the guards.

You say Jewish guards protect against Christians and Jews from training their spiritual right to pray on the Temple Mount? That’s right! Only Muslims have unrestricted obtain to Judaism’s most holy internet site. Only the Koran is permitted inside. The Tanach (Jewish Scripture, recognized to considerably of the world as the “Old Testament”) and Christian Scriptures (the New Testomony) are forbidden. Nonetheless Israel promises to regard the spiritual legal rights of all people.

Israel has no legislation from Christians and Jews praying or looking at scriptures on the Temple Mount. Even so, it does have an unwritten arrangement with the Wakf (Muslim religious authorities) prohibiting this. No signal is posted, stating: “Warning! Christian and Jewish prayers are forbidden! Bibles not permitted inside of by Muslim religious authorities. Move forward with warning!”

I do not take that Moslems have the authority to forbid me from looking through suitable Psalms or the New Testament account of Jesus celebrating the H2o Libation Ceremony (Psalms 120-134, John 7:37). My query was, where by should really I read all those passages? I finished up involving the Dome of the Rock and the Al Aksa mosque, just to the right of the put where by Moslems clean their arms and toes. I was on the other side of the elevated system there, if you deal with the Mosque of Omar.

To start with, I nervously sat and read through. Then I place on my black kippa, stood up and started out to study for a couple minutes right until I turned distracted by fears of getting attacked by the Moslem guards. I sat down, took off my kippa, and continued to read through. Then a single of the Wakf guards noticed me and asked what I was reading through. I replied, “Sure, it truly is my book.” 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 advised him I was a Christian, he questioned me why I was carrying a magen David (Star of David).

I did not experience obligated to clarify that it was a reward from my mom and youngest sister, and told him, “Give back my Bible.” He purchased, “You have to depart now!” Once again I stated, “Give back my Bible.” When he refused, I demanded its return much more loudly. He elevated his fist as if to hit me and warned me not to raise my voice. This attracted the awareness of some passing vacationers, who collected all-around us. I instructed them, “This thief has stolen my Bible!”

The Wakf guard informed me to leave once more and threatened to hit me. He claimed he would give me back again my Bible outside the house. Considering the fact that there was no motive for him to confiscate it in the 1st put, I told him to return it to me then and there and I would go. At this position he radioed an Israeli policeman, who arrived working. The Israeli handcuffed my suitable hand, which I elevated and showed to the assembled vacationers, indicating, “This is Israeli democracy!” I requested the Israeli continuously, “What law have I broken?” figuring out that I experienced not broken any law, but was remaining dealt with like a prevalent felony.

I am stunned that Jewish police in the Jewish State aid retain Moslem domination of the Temple Mount by suppressing Christian and Jewish religious legal rights there. Is it the Temple Mount or the Mosque Mount?

An Israeli policeman led me absent. I advised the bewildered vacationers, “This is what occurs to a Christian or Jew who needs to browse the Bible exactly where the holy Temple stood. This is what transpires to Christians and Jews who want to pray the place our prophets and patriarchs prayed, and where by Jesus and his disciples taught.”

Why the unique religious rights for Moslems? And Israel desires to hand above manage of Rachel’s Tomb, Bethlehem and Joseph’s Tomb to Moslem religious authorities?! Are they insane or what?

In the police station at the Western Wall Plaza, the officers wished to know who else was with me. They were relieved to discover that I was alone. (They need to have acknowledged I was performing a mitzva [religious commandment]). The police reported they arrested me for my possess security. I told them they must have arrested the Wakf guard who threatened me! Why not clear away, after and for all, the danger of Moslem violence? Why reward Moslem extremists?

The law enforcement laughed in disbelief when I advised them I am a Christian and that my Bible features the New Testomony, which they returned to me. A Druze officer stated, “But you have to regard other religions.” He remained silent when I requested, “The place was their regard for mine?” I described that our Biblical aim is to enable anyone to occur and pray on the mountain where God’s Temple stood, and in the Temple when it will be rebuilt. It is prophesied to turn out to be a “Household of Prayer” for all nations.

The police told me I could return to the Temple Mount as a tourist – without the need of my Bible. I mentioned that I do not want to go up there only as a “tourist” I want to pray there. When they questioned me how several times I experienced been up there, I reported “a thousand.” They wrote that down in their report. They said I could make a short assertion for the file. I stated something to this outcome: “Is it also a great deal to ask through this 3,000th anniversary of King David’s Jerusalem to peacefully read through his encouraged terms on the Temple Mount?”

When I still left the police compound, 1 of the policemen explained to me I did a excellent thing. The moment outside, I was satisfied by some Jews who saw the incident and congratulated me.

I pray that this unfortunate face will raise awareness of Israel’s religious discrimination towards Christians and Jews. The condition need to modify. It will when adequate persons cry “Basta!” (Italian for “more than enough!”).

May the working day soon arrive when Christians, Jews and Moslems can say: “My Residence shall be named a property of prayer for all Peoples.” (Isaiah 56:7). The Bible states

“Also, relating to the stranger, who (is) not of Your individuals Israel, but will come out of a far country for Your Name’s sake. For they shall hear of Your great Identify, and of your mighty hand, and of Your outstretched arm, and will arrive and pray towards this dwelling. Hear you in heaven Your dwelling place, and do according to all that the stranger calls to You for, that all peoples of the earth may well know Your Name, to panic you, as (do) Your people Israel, that they may well know that Your Name is identified as upon this residence that I have crafted.” (I Kings 8:41-43)

“And the foreigners who join themselves to the Lord to provide Him and to enjoy the identify of the Lord, to be His servants – anyone who observes the Sabbath – I will deliver them to My holy mountain, and make them joyful in My dwelling of prayer Their burnt choices and their sacrifices shall be approved on My altar, for My property shall be called a property of prayer for all peoples.” (Isaiah 56:6-7)

“And it shall occur to go at the close of days, that the mountain of the Lord’s dwelling shall be proven at the prime of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills, and peoples shall flow to it. And several nations shall go, and say, ‘Come, permit us go up to the mountain of the Lord…and He will instruct us of His techniques, and we will wander 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 write-up was originally published in the Jerusalem-based mostly, Root and Branch Affiliation publication, January 1996.)

See Israel’s 1967 Security of Holy Areas Legislation they have failed to implement and refused to uphold.