"The Cornerstone of Biblical Prophecy:

Coming Soon to a Mountain In Israel" by David Haggith

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An essay by David Haggith: ₁

Think of the following event, reported a year ago on the web site of Jerusalem's Temple Mount Faithful in light of biblical prophecy:

The cornerstone for the Third Temple which The Temple Mount and Land of Israel Faithful Movement brought to the southern wall and gates of the Temple Mount ... on Tisha B'Av (29 July 2001) aroused great fear in the enemies of Israel, shocked them and caused an "earthquake" in the Middle East and all over the world. At the same time it excited everyone in the world, especially those whose eyes are lifted in love to the G–d, the people and the land of Israel, Zion and Jerusalem. Each day people lay cornerstones all over the world. Who cares about this and who pays attention to this? But one cornerstone for the Third Temple, the house of G–d in Jerusalem, moved the hearts of all the world and caused an "earthquake" in the media and governments of all the nations. All of this again showed that the destiny of the people and land of Israel and all the world will be decided in one place which is the heart, soul and focus of Israel and the most holy place in the world — the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, the eternal capital of the G–d and people of Israel.

This was a key event in the history of Israel and all mankind. However the cornerstone could not be laid on the Temple Mount because of the threats and violent demonstrations of the Arab enemies of Israel on the Temple Mount and in Biblical Jerusalem. This was also due to the weakness of the Israeli authorities under pressure from nations and powers all over the world. Despite this fact, the cornerstone caused a revolution in the middle East and all over the world.

Consider that event in light of the following prophecies, which were quoted by early Church fathers as a prophecies concerning Jesus Christ:


So this is what the Sovereign LORD says: "See, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone for a sure foundation; the one who trusts will never be dismayed." (Isaiah 28:16)

"The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone; the LORD has done this, and it is marvellous in our eyes." (Psalm 118:22,23)

"My anger burns against the shepherds [of Israel], and I will punish the leaders; for the LORD Almighty will care for his flock, the house of Judah, and make them like a proud horse in battle. From Judah will come the cornerstone ... from him the battle-bow, from him every ruler." (Zechariah 10:3,4)

[Jesus, born to the tribe of Judah, once told a story that represented God sending his son to the Jews:] "But when the tenants [representing the Jews, who were God's tenants in the land of Israel] saw the son, they said to themselves, 'This is the heir; come, let us kill him and have his inheritance.' And they took him and cast him out of the vineyard, and killed him. When therefore the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?" They [the Jewish crowd] said to him, "He will put those wretches to a miserable death, and let out the vineyard to other tenants who will give him the fruits in their seasons." Jesus said to them, "Have you never read in the scriptures: 'The very stone which the builders rejected has become the head of the corner; this was the Lord’s doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes'? Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a nation producing the fruits of it." When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables, they perceived that he was speaking about them. (Matt. 21:38-45)

[Speaking of Jesus by the power of the Holy Spirit, Peter said,] "This is the stone which was rejected by you builders, but which has become the head of the corner." (Acts 4:11)

Jesus claimed he was the cornerstone that was rejected by the builders of Israel. Certainly those who built the temple in Jesus' day rejected him and were taken out of the land, but might he not have had in mind a future generation of temple builders as well -- those who would bring on the events of the end time? The Temple Mount Faithful continue to reject Jesus Christ, and prefer, instead, a cornerstone fashioned by their own hands. They made the following claim on their web site:

"All of the enemies of Israel and the world powers understood the historical significance of the laying of the cornerstone for the Third Temple [attempted in 2001]. They understood very well that the rebuilding of the Temple will change the history, life and face of all the world. They understood that the materialistic and evil leadership of this time ... will forever pass away and mankind will no longer be led by politicians.... This is the reason that they fought against the determined decision of the Temple Mount Faithful Movement to lay the cornerstone for the Third Temple. In this way they believed that they could prevent G-d's prophetic end-time plans to redeem Israel and all mankind and establish His kingdom and values." ₂

And, so, the stone was not laid, but another attempt is planned for this December, and such attempts will continue to be planned until they are successful. That is how determined they are to resurrect the old sacrificial religion, instead of accepting the sacrifice that was to end all sacrifices, the death of Jesus Christ:

"[God] expects Israel to immediately purify the Temple Mount, lay the cornerstone and start with the rebuilding of His house. It is so exciting to see in the marvelous ways G–d is acting in these end-times and how His presence appears in the activities of The Temple Mount and Land of Israel Faithful Movement in such a unique and godly way. "

If they are successful this December (or at any other future time) in actually raising the cornerstones they prefer over the one they reject, will that event be the great end-times sign Jesus predicted:

"And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come. So when you see standing in the holy place "the abomination that causes desolation", spoken of through the prophet Daniel -- let the reader understand -- then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains." (Matt 24:14-16)

The "holy place" is the Temple Mount, or more specifically the site on the Temple Mount where the old temple stood -- the one that was destroyed when Jesus rejected the Jewish leadership because they rejected him. Certainly the erection of these cornerstones for a replacement temple would be the ultimate abomination against Christianity. It would show resolutely that, after 2,000 years, the religious leaders in Jerusalem still prefer a temple of stone to accepting Jesus as Messiah. The move to a temple built for animal sacrifices would even be seen as an abomination by a great many Jews, who believe it would carry their religion backward 2,000 years. And it would certainly cause desolation in the land of Israel. Even the Temple Mount Faithful acknowledge that the raising of their preferred cornerstone will cause war, for it will be seen by all Arabs as a threat to the Al Aqsa Mosque that now stands on that site:

"On the day after the event [when the cornerstone was brought to the Temple Mount] a large bulge was noticed on the southern wall of the Temple Mount. The media reported that there is a danger that the El Aqsa mosque, which is on the southern wall of the Temple Mount, could collapse as a result of this bulge. The bulge was not caused by the hands of any man. Everyone understands that it was caused by G–d Himself. [Because the mosque must go in order for the temple to be built.] He did it on the same wall in front of and not far from where the cornerstone was brought even though it was not off-loaded from the truck.... The voice of G–d is being very clearly heard in this critical and exciting times. We are living very close to the climax of these times. The historical battle of The Temple Mount and Land of Israel Faithful Movement to rebuild the Third Temple cannot be stopped. The G–d of Israel is leading this holy Movement and her godly, historical campaign. This battle and campaign will continue with the presence and help of G–d even more intensively until the army of G–d is victorious, the end-time Temple is built."

Some think that the "holy place" Jesus referred to, where the abomination would occur, has to be the temple. Therefore, the temple has to be rebuilt. But the holy place can also mean the holy site on the Temple Mount. Jesus had already predicted that the temple that stood in his day would be destroyed. So, he knew that temple would not be standing in the end times. The end-time temple referred to the Temple Mount Faithful, never has to be built in order for "the abomination that causes desolation" to occur. The temple, itself, is the abomination. It's mere cornerstones are an affront to Jesus Christ, who said he was the cornerstone that was rejected because the religious leaders preferred a temple of stone to him. Merely raising its cornerstone is an abomination that will be sufficient to cause great desolation.

"The LORD Almighty is the one you are to regard as holy, he is the one you are to fear, he is the one you are to dread, and he will be a sanctuary; but for both houses of Israel he will be a stone that causes men to stumble and a rock that makes them fall. And for the people of Jerusalem he will be a trap and a snare. Many of them will stumble; they will fall and be broken, they will be snared and captured." (Isaiah 8:13-15)

You see, Jesus was to be the only sanctuary the people needed; but he is a stone that has caused them to stumble because they did not recognize the truth embedded in prophecies like the one quoted above. As a result, their very acts to bring messianic prophecies about will cause them to fall. The entire Middle East will join in all-out war against Israel if cornerstones are brought successfully to the holy site of the old temple on Jerusalem's Temple Mount. The Daniel prophecy that Jesus alludes to, by the way, says the abomination will stand on a corner of the temple -- perhaps another direct reference to the cornerstones of a new temple being the abomination that is the final end-time sign. So, watch the Temple Mount Faithful in December and each and every time they try to raise their rocks to the holy site on Jerusalem's Temple Mount. God predicted in the Old Testament that the events of the end times would center on Jerusalem:

"I am going to make Jerusalem a cup that sends all the surrounding peoples reeling. Judah [the West Bank] will be besieged as well as Jerusalem. On that day, when all the nations of the earth are gathered against her, I will make Jerusalem an immovable rock for all the nations. All who try to move it will injure themselves." (Zech. 12:2,3)

According to the Temple Mount Faithful:

"This great moment, the greatest in the life of Israel and all mankind, is soon to come."

References:

1. David Haggith is the author of End-Time Prophecies of the Bible, Putnam, (1999). Read reviews or order this book safely from Amazon.com online book store
2. "A Cornerstone for the Third Temple Causes an 'Earthquake' in the Middle East and all over the World on Tisha B’Av 2001," The Temple Mount & Eretz Yisrael Faithful Movement- Jerusalem, at: http://www.templemountfaithful.org/Events/

Originally posted: 2002-NOV-12
Latest update: 2002-NOV-12