by Michael G. Mickey
(9-19-07)

As many of you may recall, as documented in an AFP article that I commented on recently, possible remains of a wall of the Second Temple were uncovered on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem during excavation for pipes to be installed at the Al-Aqsa mosque compound. There was potential, in my mind, that the Israeli government would step in to prevent what observers said was destruction of the historical wall. Many, including myself, even thought that the discovery of potential Second Temple walls might spark a change in attitude on the part of the Jewish people where the Temple Mount's future was concerned.

To date it seems that this potentially ground-breaking discovery has had little impact on the plans of those who intend to divide Israel's covenant lands in the interest of peace. Nonetheless, as we look at Bible prophecy, we know that, sooner or later, the Jewish people are going to erect another Temple - one I can't help but believe is going to be on the Temple Mount.

Regardless of location, prophecy tells us that a fully operational Temple will exist at the midpoint of the prophesied Tribulation Period to come - one the prophesied Antichrist will enter and cause "the sacrifice and the oblation to cease" as prophesied in both Daniel 9:27 and Matthew 24:15.

Correspondence between me and the Israeli Prime Minister

Because of my personal concerns and outrage that the Waqf was potentially destroying evidence of the Second Temple's existence, I wrote to Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert pleading for the Israeli government to step in and stop the digging. Remarkably, I received an e-mail reply from the Prime Minister's office yesterday. It read as follows:

We acknowledge receipt of your recent e-mail to the Prime Minister’s Office regarding excavations on the Temple Mount.

Please be assured that the Israeli Antiquities Authority is closely following the work being carried out on the Temple Mount, and is ensuring that there is no damage to any antiquities unearthed.

Thank you for writing to express your concern.

Sincerely,
Prime Minister’s Office – E-Correspondence

While I genuinely pray that the Israeli Antiquities Authority is doing this, there are those who are suggesting it definitely isn't.

Regardless of what the Israeli Antiquities Authority is doing (or not doing as the case may be), we know that this piece of property - the Temple Mount in Jerusalem - is going to play a prominent role in the fulfillment of end times Bible prophecy as shown in the Word of God.

For now it seems the Israeli government and Israel's population at large isn't overly concerned about what's going on underneath their noses, but I believe that something is going to happen to change all that. The question that remains is what, exactly, will that event be?

Will it be the destruction of Damascus prophesied in Isaiah 17:1? Will it be Israel's remarkable survival against all odds in the battle of Gog-Magog described in Ezekiel 38-39? I don't know but the evidence that something big is on the prophetic horizon continues to pile up, even as events we feel should be bringing dramatic change now don't appear to be.

Patience, Christians. Patience!

Everything will sort itself out according to God's perfect plan, precisely as recorded in the Word of God.

This and much, much more will make perfect sense to us by and by.