Spent a few hours walking around the Temple Mount (Haram-es-Sharif to the Islamic world) this afternoon. I could write volumes. But, will keep it short and simple.
The Golden Dome sits prominently on top of the Temple Mount plaza, middle-left. It is not the Temple Mount itself (that refers to the entire rectangular elevated plaza), but is the most prominent and focal structure on the large plaza. It is not actually a mosque, but an Islamic memorial structure. There is a mosque at the far south end of the Temple Mount plaza, and a few trees here and there, a few series of steps, but otherwise……………a broad stone block promenade made from centuries of landfill.
The tile is pretty on the upper panels, and has been there for centuries.
The Dome has not always been there. In fact, it is relatively “modern”, being built after 638 A.D. by the Muslim conquerors.
For centuries before that, this was the site where the Jewish Temple stood. THE one temple. In fact, when Solomon built the first temple (the Babylonians destroyed the first one in 586 B.C., and it had to be rebuilt later, only to be subsequently destroyed by the Romans in 70 A.D.), it was almost twice as tall as the current Dome, and supposedly even more breath-taking. Incredible to imagine. One of the Ancient Wonders of the World and the focal point of all Jewish worship.
You might remember that it originally housed the Ark of the Covenant (remember, Harrison Ford, the movie “Raiders….", and what were they looking for….?)
Babyloinans were here. The earlest Jewish people saw this as the center of their world. Jesus came here as an infant, then preached here as a young boy and as a man. He was confronted by the Jewish authorites here. There are scriptural references aplenty referring to issues and events at the Temple. And it was right here.
For centuries before that, this was the site where the Jewish Temple stood. THE one temple. In fact, when Solomon built the first temple (the Babylonians destroyed the first one in 586 B.C., and it had to be rebuilt later, only to be subsequently destroyed by the Romans in 70 A.D.), it was almost twice as tall as the current Dome, and supposedly even more breath-taking. Incredible to imagine. One of the Ancient Wonders of the World and the focal point of all Jewish worship.
You might remember that it originally housed the Ark of the Covenant (remember, Harrison Ford, the movie “Raiders….", and what were they looking for….?)
Babyloinans were here. The earlest Jewish people saw this as the center of their world. Jesus came here as an infant, then preached here as a young boy and as a man. He was confronted by the Jewish authorites here. There are scriptural references aplenty referring to issues and events at the Temple. And it was right here.
So on a Tuesday afternoon, I found history to be powerfully overwhelming as I walked and looked and thought about where it was I was standing.
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