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Click here for more pictures from the event!On 17 Tishrei 5764 (Monday, October 13, 2003), during the Festival of Succoth (the Feast of Tabernacles), the Temple Mount Faithful Movement held one of her most exciting events in her campaign to build the Third Temple in our lifetime. It was an important step in her activities to accomplish G–d's prophetic endtime mission to rebuild His holy house.
We planned three parts for this event. The first part, which started in the early morning of the day, was to lay a cornerstone for the Third Temple on the Temple Mount on the same location as those of the First and Second Temples exactly as G–d commanded us. It was no accident that this was the time when King Solomon completed the building of the First Temple. During the holiday of Succoth, he brought the Ark of the Covenant from the City of David to the Holy of Holies in the Temple and celebrated the completion of the Temple. He blessed and prayed to G–d publically asking Him to bless the house that he had built to His glory. During the holiday he also brought the Tabernacle and all its holy vessels to the Temple for use in the worship there.
"And so was ended all the work that king Solomon made for the house of the L-rd. And Solomon brought in the things which David his father had consecrated; the silver, and the gold, and the utensils, did he put among the treasures of the house of the L-rd. Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel, and all the heads of the tribes, the chief of the fathers of the people of Israel, before king Solomon in Jerusalem, that they might bring up the ark of the covenant of the L-rd from the city of David, which is Zion. And all the men of Israel assembled themselves to king Solomon at the feast in the month Ethanim, which is the seventh month. And all the elders of Israel came, and the priests took up the ark. And they brought up the ark of the L-rd, and the tabernacle of the congregation, and all the holy utensils that were in the tabernacle, those did the priests and the Levites bring up. And king Solomon, and all the congregation of Israel, who were assembled before him, were with him before the ark, sacrificing sheep and oxen, that could not be told nor numbered for multitude. And the priests brought in the ark of the covenant of the L-rd to his place, to the sanctuary of the house, to the most holy place, under the wings of the kerubim. For the kerubim spread out their two wings over the place of the ark, and the kerubim covered the ark and its poles above. And they drew out the poles, so that the ends of the poles were seen out in the holy place before the sanctuary, and they were not seen outside; and there they are to this day. There was nothing in the ark save the two tablets of stone, which Moses put there at Horeb, when the L-rd made a covenant with the people of Israel, when they came out of the land of Egypt. And it came to pass, when the priests came out of the holy place, that the cloud filled the house of the L-rd, And that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud; for the glory of the L-rd had filled the house of the L-rd. Then spoke Solomon, The L-rd said that he would dwell in the thick darkness." (1 Kings 7:51-8:12) In the early morning of the day, we loaded the two large cornerstones (6 1/2 tons each) onto a large truck at the location where they now lay in Jerusalem, not far from the Temple Mount. The truck was decked with Israeli and Temple Mount Faithful flags and long banners on which were written "Cornerstones for the Third Temple". The truck, followed by a line of cars with flags of the Temple, drove along the western wall of the Old City and through the main streets of the Jerusalem city center. As on Tisha b'Av, police escorted the convoy opening the way for a free procession of the cornerstones and giving an official level to this exciting historical event. Unfortunately, the Israeli authorities were again not bold enough to open the gates of the Temple Mount for the two cornerstone for the Third Temple. They were conscious of the possible Arab/Islamic reaction in Israel and throughout the world and also the reaction of the UN and the gentile nations of the world. The Israeli government was, unfortunately, unable to understand the significance of the prophetic time in which we are now living. They did not understand the promises of G–d that only the building of the endtime Temple will bring peace to Israel and all the world. They feared physical powers but not the Almighty G–d of Israel. Originally, a few months ago, they were not even ready to allow us to move the cornerstones from the place where they are now temporarily located. Only a resolution of the Supreme Court, issued prior to Tisha B'Av, forced them to allow us to hold a procession with the cornerstones in the streets of Jerusalem. However, it did not stop or weaken our motivation to continue our historical campaign. We knew that this is another important step in this campaign which will soon come to pass. This is what the G–d of Israel wants and nobody can stop it, not even all the human powers in the world. We knew that "The stone which the builders rejected has become the head stone of the corner. This is the L-rd's doing; it is marvellous in our eyes." (Psalm 118:22,23). We knew that "It is better to take refuge in the L-rd than to put confidence in man. It is better to take refuge in the L-rd than to put confidence in princes. All nations surround me; but in the name of the L-rd I will cut them off. They surround me; indeed, they surround me; but in the name of the L-rd I will cut them down. They surround me like bees; they are quenched like a fire of thorns; for in the name of the L-rd I will cut them off. You pushed me hard that I might fall; but the L-rd helped me." (Psalm 118:8-13) Indeed, despite the fact that the cornerstones have still not been laid on the Temple Mount, it was an historical, prophetic, and godly event which again opened a new phase in the struggle of the Faithful Movement for the rebuilding of the Temple. No power in the world can prevent this, time is short and it will soon come about. The cornerstones will soon be layed and the Third Temple will be built!
Later in the morning the Faithful Movement — together with Israelis who joined them — marched to the Temple Mount preceded by the Temple model, the reconstructed Temple vessels, and the flags of the Temple and Israel. Groups of friends from abroad also joined us. Not only did they come to participate in the pilgrimage with us but also to bless and encourage us in our holy campaign to rebuild the Temple. The Temple Mount was closed on this day for, as the Israeli authorities stated, security reasons. The large model of the Temple was again displayed before the many thousands of Israelis and guests from abroad who came for the traditional priestly blessing exactly as it was at the time when the Temple existed. Also, vessels reconstructed for use in the Temple were on display as was a priest with a full set of priestly garments. All the crowd marched to the western gate of the Temple Mount and in front of the gate we prayed the Hallel Psalms of the Succoth Feast.
Here, Gershon Salomon called on the Israeli government to remove the Arab Islamic enemy from the Temple Mount together with their pagan shrines, to purify it, and to immediately rebuild the Temple to be a house of prayer, worship, love, and morality for Israel and all the nations. He called on the Israeli worshippers at the Western Wall to no longer pray and worship in front of the Western Wall but to walk up to the Temple Mount and pray and worship in the real place, the location of the First, Second, and soon-coming Third Temples. He said that the Western Wall represents a time of destruction and exile. This time is over and Israel should be worshiping on the holy hill of G–d and not next to the hill. He called on them to trust in the G–d of Israel alone, on His Word, and His promises to Israel to redeem them and to build the Temple for them as the climax of the prophetic times in which we are now living. This will open the door to the coming of Mashiach ben David. He called on them to perform the traditional priestly blessing on the Temple Mount in the place where the G–d of Israel will accept and answer them. He stated that the building of the Temple will bring about the love of all the nations for the people of Israel and they will respect the godly task of Israel to be a holy nation, a kingdom of priests, and a treasure among the nations (Isaiah 19:5,6). Only the rebuilding of the Temple will allow the Israeli nation to fulfil their mission among the nations. He stated that at a time when almost all the world wants to take Jerusalem and the holy land away from Israel, Israel should remember what G–d taught them thousands of years ago:
"Thrice in the year shall all your males appear before the L-rd G-d, the G-d of Israel. For I will cast out the nations before you, and enlarge your borders; nor shall any man desire your land, when you shall go up to appear before the L-rd your G-d thrice in the year." (Exodus 34:23,24) He called on the Israeli leadership to immediately cancel the false and anti-godly covenants made with the most cruel enemies of the G–d and people of Israel, the so-called "Palestinians", and the "Road Map" according to which Israel should give away parts of the land which were given to Israel alone. This is a terrible revolt against the G–d of Israel and a desecration of the holy land. He called on the Israeli Government to obey the eternal commandment to Israel:
"Take heed to yourself, lest you make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land where you go, lest it be for a snare in the midst of you" (Exodus 34:12) He called on them to remember and immediately fulfil the eternal commandment to the people of Israel:
"And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them. According to all that I show you, after the pattern of the tabernacle, and the pattern of all its utensils, so shall you make it." (Exodus 25:8,9) This is the most important call of the G–d of Israel to His people at this prophetic time. Only its fulfilment will bring about all G–d's other exciting prophetic endtime plans and His exciting promise to Israel will immediately be fulfilled:
"And he said, Behold, I make a covenant; before all your people I will do marvels, such as have not been done in all the earth, nor in any nation; and all the people among you shall see the work of the L-rd; for it is an awesome thing that I will do with you." (Exodus 34:10) One of the great friends of Israel, the leader of a group made up of people from various countries which participated in the event, spoke of the need of Israel to end the Arab occupation, remove them from the Temple Mount, and build the Temple. He also stated that the Western Wall had ended its task and Jews should now go up to the Temple Mount to pray in the right place. He called on the Israeli government to complete what they started in 1967 when they renewed the Israeli sovereignty on the Temple Mount and to rebuild the Temple. He expressed the support and love of so many nations all over the world for Israel at this critical time of redemption and that they unconditionally stand with Israel. The participation of so many people from so many different countries in this exciting event was the start of an exciting fulfilment of the prophetic endtime promise of the G–d of Israel thousands of years ago:
"And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the L-rd's house shall be established on the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow to it. And many people shall go and say, Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the L-rd, to the house of the G-d of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths; for from Zion shall go forth Torah, and the word of the L-rd from Jerusalem." (Isaiah 2:2,3; see also Micah 4:1,2) After this part of the pilgrimage event, the marchers marched from the Temple Mount to the Pool of Siloam in the City of David. We marched — with the priests and Levites in front reciting traditional prayers and songs — to the same place where Kings David and Solomon marched when they brought the ark of the Covenant to the Temple Mount and the Temple and the same place where our forefathers marched during the Feast of Succoth in the First and Second Temple times to fulfil another exciting traditional event when the many thousands of pilgrims marched from the Temple to the Pool of Siloam to draw the holy water with exciting prayers and then to march back to the Temple Mount to pour out the water on the altar, dedicating it to G–d and praying to Him for much rain on the land of Israel. They also prayed in front of the altar to the G–d of Israel to bless all the world. This exciting march and ceremony is described in the historical sources as a most exciting and joyful event which was held in the evening. All the streets of Jerusalem were lit up with many lights. The High Priest and the other priests, dressed in their beautiful garments, walked in front of the pilgrims together with the king of Israel. The priests were followed by the Levites playing on their musical instrument and praying and singing songs. Jerusalem was full of people who joined the marchers and they danced all the way from the Temple to the pool. The tradition, passed from generation to generation, states that all who had never seen this event had never seen a joyful celebration.
The Temple Mount and Land of Israel Faithful Movement re-enacted this exciting event as with other events which were held in the Temple and in the Land in Biblical times. The City of David, which again is being settled by Israelis, the descendants of King David, saw this joyful and exciting event again after 2,000 years. At the Pool of Siloam the water was drawn by the priest in vessels reconstructed for use in the Third Temple with joy, prayers, and thanks to the G–d of Israel that He gave us the privilege of living in this exciting generation of the rebuilding of the Temple and the renewal of this exciting event. In front of the beautiful mountains of Jerusalem which surrounded us the exciting prayers to the G–d of Israel were heard again as in the time of King David. The psalms from the Temple were heard by G–d and the mountains were the holy witnesses to a great prophetic endtime event in the life of the people of Israel.
Psalm 125
Psalm 126
Psalm 121
Psalm 122 The water drawn from the pool was taken by the marchers to the Temple Mount and symbolically poured out in front of the western gate. This will be done until the Temple is rebuilt. Then it will be poured on the altar as our forefathers did. We pray and will do everything to bring it to pass during the Feast next year and G–d will be with us. This godly event on this exciting day of the feast brought hope, encouragement and strength to all of us. The presence of the G–d of Israel among us was so strong and was felt deeply in their hearts and spirits by everyone. He blessed it and He marched with us on the way to the soon rebuilding of His house on His holy hill. The Temple Mount and Land of Israel Faithful Movement will continue her great godly campaign and activities for the rebuilding of the Temple. This is the wish of the G–d of Israel and His Word to His people. "Build my house and I will dwell among you." This is the call of G–d to His prophetic endtime Movement, the Temple Mount Faithful Movement, and we have the privilege of having answered it. We shall continue to answer it with all our dedication and devotion. Our lives will be completely dedicated to it. The G–d of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob Who was with them, is, and will be, with us. Everyone in Israel and in the world is called on to join, help, and support the Temple Mount Faithful Movement at this critical time. This exciting call of G–d is to everyone in Israel and all over the world and not only to the Faithful Movement. What a great privilege G–d has given to us and to everyone in Israel and all over the world. A great rabbi, author and poet said to all of us that the Third Temple will be built when Israel has a complete desire to build it. Let us have this complete desire. Let everyone in the world encourage, support, and be a part of this complete desire and bring it to pass in our lifetime exactly as the G–d of Israel expects of all of us. In G–d we trust.
Click here for more pictures from the event![ Published: 28 October 2003 ]
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