Why Do Muslims Want the Temple Mount?

Why Do Muslims Want the Temple Mount?

by Shira Sorko-Ram

With television and the media controlling almost all of our information intake concerning the Middle East, it is of paramount importance that we who are followers of the only True God review from time to time the root reasons for the struggle over Jerusalem. It is a cosmic war, the epicenter of the spiritual struggle over the destiny of the human race. Here is what we must remember:

The God who revealed his Name as Jehovah, chose to be known as the God of Israel. He chose to make His dwelling place in the Temple of God in Jerusalem. He chose to send
Yeshua the Messiah to preach in this Temple, the Temple that Yeshua called “My Father’s House.”

It was here that Satan tempted Yeshua to jump off the pinnacle of the Temple. Satan was obsessed with the House that contained the Shekinah glory in the Holy of Holies.

If only Satan could have convinced Yeshua to jump off the Temple and kill Himself in opposition to God’s will and purpose, Satan would have defeated God’s plan of redemption through His Son.

Another try. If only Satan could have persuaded Yeshua to worship him for one small minute… But Yeshua triumphed for us over sin, evil, death and eternal separation from God.

Nevertheless, Satan is still obsessed with the Temple Mount. His emissary, the god Allah, as revealed through his servant Mohammed, devised a plan to take possession of the
place where the Shekinah once dwelt, and where once again, the King of Israel will reign.

Because of their obsession to forever possess the Temple Mount, Muslims have refused Israel’s many offers to give the Palestinians “half the kingdom” and even the area where the Temple once was, as long as Israel could retain the Western Wall where thousands of Jews pray continually. But to no avail. Allah wants it all. It is extremely doubtful that a Palestinian state will rise up out of Israel’s God-given land just because of the Temple Mount – not to speak of the Palestinian demand to bring millions of Muslim “refugees” into Israel proper and other impossible issues.

Thus the battle continues as Israel struggles to defend herself against the billion-plus Muslims who spend their lives and their nations’ wealth scheming to destroy Israel and take over the Temple Mount once and for all. Islamic historians have rewritten history for this part of the world and the Muslims believe it:

1. The Jews never had a temple in Jerusalem – ever.
2. Indeed, Muslims declare that the site was built as a mosque since Adam and Eve. (The Mosque of Omer was built at the end of the Seventh Century 16 centuries after Solomon’s Temple was built.)

Mohammed had his first “revelation” in A.D. 610 at the age of 40 when he was asleep in a cave. His fellow citizens in Mecca did not receive his revelations and he was forced to flee in 622. He entered Medina where he was met with a more friendly reception, and founded his new nation there. Ten years later, he returned to Mecca with an army and conquered the city, forcing Islam upon its citizens. He died that same year. Mohammed never visited Jerusalem, and never wrote a single word in his Koran about it.

The Muslims did conquer Jerusalem four years after Mohammed’s death, but they did not make the city any sort of political center. However, because of a revolt of the people of Iraq, the citizens of Mecca and Medina found themselves under temporary siege and as a result devout Syrian Muslims could not visit those cities.

The Caliph from Syria decided to solve the problem by making Jerusalem a substitute place of pilgrimage. He built the Mosque of Omar in 691. Then in 715, the Caliphs built another mosque on the Temple Mount and called this one “the furthest or most remote mosque.” By giving the mosque this name, the rulers connected the place to a passage in the Koran which says that Mohammed was flown “from the sacred temple to the temple that is most remote,” that is, they claimed, from Mecca to Jerusalem.

They explained (though again not written in the Koran) that “Gabriel” had led Mohammed to the pinnacle of the rock (which was all that was left since the Temple had been destroyed some 600 years before). At the Temple Mount Mohammed encountered Abraham, Moses, Jesus and other prophets, whom he led in prayers.

There, the Islamic spiritual leaders revealed, a ladder of golden light materialized. On this glittering shaft, Mohammed ascended through the seven heavens into the presence of Allah, from whom he received instructions for himself and his followers. Allah had succeeded to create for himself a people who were willing to fall down and worship him on the Temple Mount.

In return, Mohammed and his followers have received from the hand of Allah a kingdom of over a sixth of the world’s population which at the beginning of 2007 registers about 6.6 billion people. (Wikipedia Encyclopedia) Thus Islamic rulers chose Zion as the place where they claim Mohammed ascended to heaven on his white horse.

ZION IS GOD’S RESTING PLACE

God clearly stated that He had chosen Jerusalem for His own house.

     For the Lord has chosen Zion;
     He has desired it for His habitation.
     This is My resting place forever;
     Here I will dwell, for I have desired it. Psalm 132:13-14

But the sins of Judah and its rulers increased until God turned His back on Jerusalem and His House:

Then he [King Mannaseh] put the carved image of the idol which he had made in the house of God, of which God had said to David and to Solomon his son, “In this house and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen from all the tribes of Israel, I will put My name forever… 2 Chronicles 33:7

And the LORD said, “I will remove Judah also from my sight, as I have removed Israel. And I will cast off Jerusalem, this city which I have chosen, and the temple of which I said, ‘My name shall be there.’” 2 Kings 23:27

But the saga has yet another chapter! Through His prophets God reveals that He will return to Jerusalem and His House will be built again.

Thus says the Lord of hosts, “I am exceedingly jealous for Jerusalem and Zion.
“But I am very angry with the nations who are at ease; for while I was only a little angry, they furthered the disaster.

Therefore, thus says the Lord, “I will return to Jerusalem with compassion; My house will be built in it,” declares the Lord of hosts… Zechariah 1:14-16

Although there may have been a preliminary fulfillment of this prophecy with the building of the Nehemiah temple (later improved by King Herod), if we continue into chapter two of Zechariah, we can see there are many parts of the prophecy that have yet to be fulfilled, thus setting the stage for a “last days” fulfillment such as when many nations will join themselves to the Lord when the glory of God once again dwells in Israel. (Zechariah 2:11)

In fact, in Zechariah six, one of the Bible’s clearest passages of the coming of the Messiah appears: Behold, a man whose name is Branch…Yes, it is He who will build the temple of the Lord…and sit and rule on His throne… Zechariah 6:12-13

Scholars attempt to analyze why “all the nations of the earth” will gather against Jerusalem. Perhaps oil would be found in Israel? Perhaps the riches of the world would be brought to Israel? While not discounting any possibility, it is now clear that the first and foremost cause of the Middle East crisis is that the demon god Allah simply wants to sit on the throne that God chose for His Son, in the city that God chose for Himself. Ultimately, the struggle will again bring war to Jerusalem.

But the outcome is known, as Zechariah gives us the answer: “I will set about to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem.” (Zechariah 12:9) In the midst of the battle over this city, “His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives…Then the Lord my God, will come, and all the holy ones with Him! (Zechariah.14:4,5)

Scripture quotations are from the New American Standard Bible Copyright ©1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundationk, La Habra, Calif.  All rights reserved. Used by permission.

Ari and Shira Sorko-Ram are the founders of Maoz Israel Ministries. The mission of MAOZ is: 1) To declare the Message of Messiah and make disciples in the city of Tel Aviv and throughout Israel. 2) To raise up Israeli leaders to prepare for the coming spiritual awakening among the people of Israel. 3) To educate and inform Christians world-wide of the strategic importance of Israel and the Jewish people in God’s plan for world revival. The MAOZ web site is https://www.maozisrael.org/.