Prophe-Zine # 27 Oct. 1, 1996 Chris Jewett . . . . . . . . . .Welcome and Other Interesting Stuff Gary Stearman . . . . . . . . .Back to the Tower of Babel? Chuck Missler . . . . . . . . . The Fall Feasts Patti LaLonde . . . . . . . . . .A Profile of the Antichrist Gordie Tong . . . . . . . . . . . .Premises of the New Age World View Lambert Dolphin . . . . . . . .Moving Towards a Third Temple Nancy Missler . . . . . . . . . . Ye Are the Temple of God Prophe-Zine News Bites Rob Smith....Fall Prophecy Conference Lee Underwood....F.Y.I. - Israel in the News Lori Eldridge....Hal Lindsey Prophecy Conference Chris Jewett.... Lexis-Nexis Data Base Chris Jewett ....Smart Card and Smart Crooks Grover B. Proctor, Jr....WATCH: JERUSALEM SCIENTOLOGIST STREET TALK Chris Jewett.... Zyuganov Calls For Yeltsin's Resignation PZ Site wins award ********************* Hey Gang! Here it is ... Prophe-zine 27! Assembled in Florida, routed to California and zorched out into the Net. This is my first shot at this, so have mercy, ok?.... Wow! What a coupla weeks, huh? Lotsa interesting stuff in the news. We came through the Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur days in Israel, then saw riots break out as the Israelis opened a small tunnel from the Via Delarosa to an already existing tunnel near the Western Wall. This is the Herodian Western Wall and was used as retaining wall to support Herod's building efforts to extend the Temple Mount. The tunnels under the Temple Mount have long been a bone of contention to the Muslims in Jerusalem. These ones were opened for small tourist groups. The tunnels traverse the area of the Western Wall and onto the area of the Antonio Fortress. The interesting thing is that the Muslims say that it violates one of their ancient holy places. They must be referring to the Dome and its surrounding buildings on the surface, because I think it's been fairly well proven through historical documents that there is nothing held holy in Jerusalem by the Muslims until they decided to make it an issue a thousand years ago. An object of prophecy past and future, I have included an couple of interesting Temple articles in this issue. Also, you'll find an article concerning the Fall Feasts. Welcome to Prophe-Zine first time contributors Lambert Dolphin and Chuck and Nancy Missler. And, how 'bout Yeltsin? Looks like, as Hal Lindsey reported on his 24 September TV show, that "there is a virtual death watch for Boris Yeltsin." Yeltsin's health is so poor that his major heart surgery will have to wait. The Presidential prospects of Russia now have time to jockey for positions. "The war in Chechnya will be a major issue....and will require Muslim support to end the war...a Russian/Muslim alliance is an almost certainty in the days ahead," Hal stated. To the prophecy student this is validation of what we already know. I liked Hal's closing statement..."Stay tuned for this one!" We most certainly will! When I first started to get interested in prophecy, I really went into overdrive. I mean everything was prophecy, prophecy, prophecy. There is nothing wrong with being a student of Prophecy. We need to know what the Bible says about Future Events and what the Lord says we should do in those days. As Jesus said (Mt 24:36-38) - "But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone. For the coming of the Son of Man will be like the days of Noah. For in those days which were before the flood they were eating and drinking, they were marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark." We need to be well rounded in our teaching. Prophecy is part of our Christian make up and spiritual diet. We shouldn't disregard it, but like the best part of a well balanced meal (dessert, yes!), we need to have some meat, veggies and starch too, so that as we see the day drawing near, our own witness and testimony will stand strong and be used of God to lead others to Him. As you look forward to the day of our departure from this place, do you look forward to departingwith (or without) your best friend?...spouse, parents or children? That's what it is all about! It is said that there is a lake of tears in heaven. Where did the tears come from? Chuck Missler makes the conjecture, and who am I to disagree...it makes sense..., that those tears may just be a result of lost opportunities. Lost opportunities... I know I lost a lot of opportunities when I concentrated on only one aspect of scripture. A subordinate of mine was preparing to leave on vacation with her husband and daughter to Disney World. As they announced this to me, I sensed they were waiting for me to react in some way. The inquisitive look was enough to get them to explain. It seems that when some folks at church had heard they were going to Disney World, their reaction was "Oooo don't you know? Disney supports the gays and their films have subliminal messages. Christians are boycotting the place!" I didn't advise them to go or not go, I didn't believe that my place, but I did ask them if they were surprised at this new revelation of America's family fun place...the Magic Kingdom? Yes, in a way they were surprised. They thought Disney Land...oops Disney World...that's my California roots coming through (we live in Florida now)...that Disney would be, well, ok. I gave them the advice one of my pastor's once gave me..."they shouldn't be." They shouldn't be surprised at what goes on in this world. The world thinks differently than the Christian. Sure, they were marrying and giving in marriage in the days of Noah, but there was a lot of other weird, bizarre and spooky stuff going on then too...and it's gonna be just like THAT! So, don't be surprised. ENJOY! Maranatha and Agape, Chris Jewett Asst Editor dsyple@ix.netcom.com *********************** BACK TO THE TOWER OF BABEL? Another - Perhaps Surprising - Sign That We're Nearing the End of This Age. by Gary Stearman A June 3 AP report, datelined Ukrumpa, Papua New Guinea, states that most of New Guinea's 1,300 languages are in danger of disappearing. The article quoted linguists at the missionary outpost of Ukrumpa in Papua, New Guinea's central highlands. One missoinary linguist, Bill Staley, said, "To some extent, almost every language in the country is endangered." A co-worker, Daryl Pfantz, added, "You'll find people living on hills in grassy swamp areas and each hill has a different language, maybe 200 people each." Staley and Pfantz work under the Christian outreach of the Linguistics. These missionaries usually spend 15 to 20 years in a village. As they learn an obscure language, they develop an alphabet and use it to translate the New Testament. If time and funds permit, they translate the Old Testament as well. Their work has resulted in untold numbers of new believers in the Lord Jesus Christ. In their recent observations, we see perhaps the ultimate expression of the human tendency to partition itself into tight cultural groups, each with their own unique mode of communication. Linguists, like the two quoted above, tell us that the myriad of languages will soon disappear, to be replaced by perhaps two or three "world languages." Among these, English would certainly be the top contender for prominence. It has become the international language of law, finance and commerce. Through the sheer weight of numbers in the Orient, Chinese in several dialects would come second. These would perhaps be followed by French or German. Perhaps this new development is an important sign of our time. To begin with, we would note that the long human history of language groups has a discrete starting point. The biblical account of the Tower of Babel is certainly one of the most amazing. Its account comes in Genesis 11, immediately following the Noahic Covenant and the genealogies of Noah's descendants. It seems logical that if the earth's population all came from the household of Noah, then of course, they would speak the same language. And that's just what the Bible says: "And the whole earth was of one language, and of one speech. And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar; and they dwelt there. And they said one to another, Go to, let us make brick, and burn them thoroughly. And they had brick for stone, and slime had they for mortar. And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth." (Genesis 11:1-4). A short time before, the family of Noah had become the world's foremost family. They had banded together, no doubt for safety and security. However, the first official recorded act of Noah's descendants was quite telling. Collectively garnering all their resources and strength, they engaged in the very religious activity of reaching heaven. But they didn't do it in accordance with God's will, through the system of obedience and animal sacrifice first seen in the story of Cain and Abel. The Lord immediately descended in a curious fashion: "And the Lord came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of men builded. And the Lord said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do; and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do. Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another's speech. So the Lord scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth: and they left off to build the city. Therefore is the name of it called Babel; because the Lord did there confound the language of all the earth: and from thence did the Lord scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth." (Genesis 11:5-9). There is much unsaid in this passage. Apparently, these travelers from across the flood were in possession of certain knowledge that the Lord didn't want to be proliferated. Apparently, it was so profound and of such an esoteric nature that it contained real power. There is the indication that God deduced their ability to make contact with some sort of concealed heavenly knowledge. So He "confounded" their efforts, apparently by spreading conflicting linguistic tendencies among them. As a result, humanity was compelled to flee to the uttermost parts of the earth. Their migrations established a myriad of communities, ranging from tiny and primitive, to large and well organized, each with its own language or dialect. At the ancient tower of Babel, God confounded man's ability to communicate. The multitude of languages developed out of Babel are presently narrowing down to two or three major languages. Mankind appears to be trying to reverse Babel. Babel became Babylon, the model of the world system. The human traits found there continued unabated across the centuries, until the closing years of this century. Now, the multi-cultural division of the earth seems to be entering into a mode of rapid reversal. A "one-world" spirit is spreading like wildfire across the planet. When did the event at Babel take place? To answer this question, we looked at the dating scheme adopted by E. W. Bullinger in his Companion Bible. He dates the flood at 2347 B.C., and the call of Abraham 400 years later, at 1947 B.C. Furthermore, he dates the birth of Peleg at 2247 B.C., a hundred years post-flood. Counting backward from A.D. 1996, this would perhaps place the event at the Tower of Babel approximately in the interval between 4,243 and 3,943 years ago, So, around 4,000 years ago, the great outward migrations from Babel began. Thus, the millennium initiated by God's promise to Abraham began shortly after the dispersion of humanity from the evil tower. If this is true, we find a perfect symmetry of timing. Two thousand years before Christ, man's religious efforts were denied, and under God's direct intervention, his language was multiplied into a babble of contradictory tongues. In an outward rush toward diversity, mankind degenerated into a powerless conglomeration of cultures. For centuries, there was a minimum of communication between divergent societies. Only within the last century, they have begun to communicate in more and more effective ways. Nearly two thousand years after Christ, the innumerable proliferation of languages has rapidly begun to shrink toward two, perhaps three "world languages." At long last, the unified global society prophesied for the latter days has begun to unfold. Thus, the four thousand years between Abraham's call and the millennial reign of Christ are years in which the promise of redemption given to the seed of Abraham will be allowed to come to a complete conclusion. Within this period, we find the Egyptian bondage and Exodus, the giving of the Law to Moses, the rise and fall of Israel and Judah and the coming of the Messiah. But it was God's covenant with Abraham that marked the real beginning of the process. That promise set the course: "Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all." (Romans 4:16). To the Romans, Paul wrote that the promised seed of redemption is fundamental, not to the Hebrews only, but to the Gentiles as well. Furthermore, the seed speaks of redemption through Christ: "Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ" (Galatians 3:16). About four thousand years ago, the event at Babel prevented man's conspiracy to reach heaven in his own strength. However, over the centuries, mystery Babylon has continued to grow. Because of the failure of the many human cultures to cooperate, it has never been able to reach its full, depraved potential for action. Now, in the latter days, linguistic barriers are dropping. Instant satellite communication, computer-driven instant translation and common marketing language has enabled men to conspire more effectively than at any time since Babel. One-world government is distinctly possible. Slumbering Mystery Babylon is going public at a phenomenal rate. Once again, men will try to build that tower. At the United Nations, the language spoken on the speaker's platform is translated into the languages of all nations. Any representative can put on a set of earphones and dial up the speech translation live in his own language. August, 1996 Questions or Comments: e-mailto: jerryc@icon.net Visit the Prophecy in the News Website...http://www.upbeat.com/prophecy ****************** THE FALL FEASTS by Chuck Missler (From the the September 1994 Personal Update, the Newsletter of Koinonia House) The Fall Feasts of Israel take place during the first 15 days of Tishri on the Jewish calendar. This year, they all occur in the month of September. Everything in the Torah (or the Pentateuch--the Five Books of Moses) has a prophetic as well as historical significance and merits our careful attention. Jesus indicated this in Matthew 5:17 - "Think not that I am come to destroy the law (the Torah), or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. Paul also emphasized it in Romans 15:4, "For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning..." The prophetic role of the feasts is also highlighted in Colossians 2:16-17 - "Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of a holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days which are a shadow of things to come. The New Testament is in the Old Testament concealed; the Old Testament is in the New Testament revealed. The 1st of Tishri: Sept. 14 The first of Tishri is Rosh Hashana ("The Head of the Year" or the Jewish New Year). This day begins Israel's "civil" year (celebrated for two days; the second day was added by the rabbis around 500 BC). However, when God instructed Moses to institute Passover, He also instructed him to make Nisan, the seventh month, "the beginning of months."' Thus, the Jews also celebrate their religious new year, beginning at Nisan, in the spring. It's interesting to notice that God established His "new beginning" of Planet Earth after the flood of Noah on the 17th day of the seventh month 3 which was Nisan. Jesus was crucified on Passover (the 14th of Nisan) and then spent three days in the grave, to be resurrected on the 17th. Thus, God began our "new beginning" in Christ on the anniversary of the "new beginning" under Noah--some "coincidence!" The first of Tishri is also known as Yom Teruah, the Feast of Trumpets. After a series of trumpet blasts, the climax of the celebration is the Teki'ah Gedolah, "the Great Blowing," which some associate with Paul's "last trump." If, indeed, Jesus was born on the 29th of September, 2 BC, as some reckon, He would have been born on the Feast of trumpets of that year. (For further insights, see our briefing package, The Christmas Story--What Really Happened) Yomim Noraim, the seven "Days of Affliction" begin here and continue to Yom Yippur (see below). The 3rd of Tishri: Sept. 16 The Fast of Gedaliah occurs on the third of Tishri. While this is not a "Feast of Moses," it is observed by many Jews in memory of the slaying of Gedaliah, appointed by the Babylonians as governor of Judah after the capture of Jerusalem in 586 BC. The 10th of Tishri: Sept. 23 The tenth of Tishri is Yom Kippur, The Day of Atonement, the most solemn of all of the observances in Israel. This is the only occasion in which the High Priest--he alone, and then after elaborate ceremonial preparations--entered the Holy of Holies to sprinkle the blood of the sacrifices on the "Mercy Seat" of the Ark of the Covenant. The offering of the Sin-bearer also took place on Yom Kippur. This was the day that two goats were selected, one for an offering and one as the "scapegoat." As many aspects of the feasts were prophetic, the scapegoat (as a symbol of grace) is also Messianic. (The lottery box, used to select which goat was to serve in which capacity, has been already been fashioned for service in the forthcoming Temple, and may be seen during a visit to the Temple Institute in Jerusalem today.) This was also when the Water of Purification was prepared, using the Ashes of the Red Heifer. This background is essential if one is to really understand the significance of the water that Jesus turned into wine at Cana. Since the loss of the Temple in 70 AD, the God-centered observances of the Torah have been tragically replaced by a man-centered, "good works" system of appeasement through prayer, charity, and penitence. But it appears that a return to the traditional ways is on the horizon with the preparations to rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem. The 15th of Tishri: Sept. 28 Succoth, The Feast of Tabernacles (or Booths), begins on the 15th of Tishri. This lasts for eight days and is one of the three feasts which were compulsory for all Jewish males. It's fascinating to visit Israel at this time and observe them as they build their temporary "booths" in the traditional way, leaving deliberate gaps in the branches to view the stars at night and for the wind to blow through during the day. This is intended to remind them of the wilderness wanderings. After living in temporary "booths" for a week, they leave their temporary dwellings and return to their permanent homes. (This is one of the reasons some suspect that this feast, rather than the Feast of Trumpets, is suggestive of the Rapture of the Church. There also appears to be a hint of this by Peter, desiring to build "succoths" at the transfiguration.) This day, traditionally, is also the day on which Solomon dedicated the first Temple. This feast also involved a daily processional to the Pool of Siloam to fetch water for the Temple. This ceremonial procession is the setting for the events of John 7, where Jesus offers them "living water." This Procession involved four types of branches: the willow, the myrtle, the palm, and a citrus. The willow has no smell and no fruit; the myrtle has smell, but no fruit; the palm has no smell, but bears fruit; and, the citrus has both smell and bears fruit. Sounds reminiscent of the four soils in the first "kingdom parable" of Mattfiew 13, doesn't it? The prophetic implications of this climactic feast are many. Most scholars associate it with the establishment of the Millennial Kingdom in Israel. While the first three feasts -- Passover, Feast of Unleavened Bread, and Feast of First Fruits -- seem to clearly be prophetic of our Lord's First Coming, it seems that the last three feasts of the year are prophetic of His Second Coming. (For more information, review our briefing package, The Feast of Israel)You may contact Koinonia House by e-mail: update@khouse.org Snail mail: Koinonia House, P.O. Box D, Coeur d'Alene, ID 83816-0347 Phone: 1-800-K-HOUSE1 (Credit Card Orders) 208-773-6310 M-F 9a.m.-5p.m (General Inquiries) 208-773-6312 (Fax) Visit the K-House website at http://www.khouse.org **************** A PROFILE OF THE ANTICHRIST by Patti Lalonde The Bible tells us of a character who will rule the new world order during the time known as the Tribulation. He is referred to as the antichrist in only one biblical passage. In I John 2:18 we are warned, "Little children it is at the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come." Although he is only referred to as the "antichrist" once in the Bible, he is also referred to by other names, like the "lawless one," "the son of perdition," and "the prince that shall come." It is from these passages that we are able to know some things about what he will do and what he will be like. We know that he will be very cunning. He will seem to have the solutions to the world's problems and he will promise peace. Dave Breese of Christian Destiny Inc., notes, "The Bible promises that there will arise a figure who ostensibly has the answer to everything. He steps on the scene and in the midst of the prsent and ever-growing disaster he professes to have the answer. You can be very sure that he is going to say, 'Trust me. Believe in me. Accept my plan. I will be your leader.' Who is this person? The Bible teaches that as we move to the consummation of history, the antichrist will appear on the scene. He is so clever. He is so attractive, even so lovable. He will turn out to be the most vicious monster in the form of a ruler that the world has ever seen. This person is the fulfillment of the promise of the rise of the antichrist." We cannot be certain what event it will be that propels the antichrist to center-stage. But we believe his revelation will probably coincide closely with the Rapture of Christians. This would appear to be a likely time for his rise to the scene because it would be a time of confusion and chaos. Charismatic leaders are not prone to rise on a sea of calm, but instead during a time of turmoil and uncertainty. The antichrist will promise better times ahead for the people of the world. In Daniel 7:25 we are told that he will "think to change times and laws." But whatever event it is that will propel him to the forefront of global politics, the people of the world at first will love the antichrist. They will worship him because of his great promises. In one of the descriptions of his character in the Bible we are told he will have "a mouth speaking great things" (Daniel 7:8, Revelation 13:5). Indeed, at the beginning of his rule on the earth, he will not appear to be the vicious monster that he truly is. We cannot name the antichrist at our present time in history because God has not yet revealed who he is. When God had finished revealing what things would be like in the end times through the angel Gabriel, Daniel said in chapter 12, verse 8, "And I heard, but I understood not; then said I, O my Lord, what shall be the end of the these things?" God responded (verse 9), "Go thy way Daniel for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end." We believe that the antichrist will probably not be revealed until the Rapture has taken place. In II Thessalonians, chapter 2, starting at verse 1, the apostle Paul writes to the Thessalonicans, "Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by the spirit, nor by the word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. Let no man deceive you by any means, for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time. For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming" (II Thess. 2:1-3, 7-8). "He who now letteth" (verse 7) is the Holy Spirit, as it indwells Christians, which will leave the earth with the body of Christians caught up in the Rapture. Then, we are told in verse 8, after this event occurs, the "Wicked", the antichrist, will be revealed to those left behind. He Will Promise Peace When the Jews rejected Jesus Christ as their Messiah, He uttered an incredible pronouncement against them. "I have come in my Father's name and ye receive me not; if another shall come in his own name him ye will receive" (John 5:43). Jesus was warning the spiritually blind Jews that one day a counterfeit messiah would come and the children of Israel would receive this person coming in his own name with open arms. Many Jews in the world today are not religious. But if you were to ask the average Jew why he thinks his forefathers rejected Jesus as the Messiah, he would say it was because He did not bring peace. Likewise, if you were to ask the average Jew how he would recognize the Messiah if He were to come, he would say the rabbis have said the Messiah will bring peace. And a platform of peace is one on which the antichrist will ride. Not only will he think to change times and laws, he will, according to Daniel 8:25, "cause craft to prosper in his hand; and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and by peace shall destroy many." Interestingly, when one thinks of the term "anti," it is often assumed that it only means "against." But another literal translation for "anti" is "instead of." So, in essence, the antichrist is coming in place of the true Christ. So, it could very well be that Jews in the Tribulation will refer to him as their messiah. But even if this is not the case, Israel will trust him enough to sign a covenant with him that is to last for seven years. In Daniel 9:27 we read: "And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week [seven years]..." In keeping with the concept that "anti" means "instead of," the antichrist could very well here be producing his imitation of the covenant made by God, referred to in Ezekiel 37:26-28: "Moreover I will make a covenant of peace with them; it shall be an everlasting covenant with them: and I will place them, and multiply them, and will set my sanctuary in the midst of them for evermore. My tabernacle also shall be with them: yea, I will be their God, and they shall be my people. And the heathen shall know that I the Lord doth sanctify Israel, when my sanctuary shall be in the midst of them for evermore." Although we don't know the details of the antichrist's covenant, it could very well be an imitation of this covenant. We do know the antichrist will promise peace and we do know that he will allow temple sacrifice to take place. But we will discuss this a little later. Some people believe that "the many" that the antichrist signs the covenant with (Daniel 9:27) refers only to the nation of Israel. But it could also mean other nations. The Hebrew word for "many" in this passage of scripture means "abundant, in quantity, size, age, number and rank." Also, if the antichrist's covenant is in part a promise of peace, it would seem logical that other nations of the world, whose people will adore the antichrist, would also take part in signing a document that promises peace to Israel. It would be difficult to imagine that Israelis would want to be the only party to a peace covenant guaranteeing her own peace. That is unless, in viewing the antichrist as the messiah, they may take him solely upon his own word that there would indeed be peace without other parties putting their signature on the document. But, if "the many" refers to other nations as well, the covenant could end up being a peace treaty for planet earth, or a constitution for a new world order of sorts. Preparation for Peace One of the most obvious pre-conditions for Israel signing a peace covenant would be that she were in need of peace. Anyone living in our present world today could not deny that this is indeed the case. Since she became a nation on May 14, 1948, Israel has been surrounded by neighboring Arab enemies wishing to push her into the sea. In fact, on the very day that she became a nation, Israel was attacked by several neighboring Arab ations. Since then, she has been in a constant state of war with virtually all of the Middle Eastern nations. At the present time, only two Arab nations, Jordan and Egypt, are formally at peace with Israel. And, of course, Israel has a partial peace agreement with the PLO. But there are still many more Arab enemies for her to contend with. The Division of Land Something else we know that the antichrist will do during his reign in the Tribulation period is "divide the land for gain" (Daniel 11:39). Interestingly, the "land for peace" issue is very big between Israel and her Arab neighbors. In its declaration with the PLO, Israel has allowed the Palestinians limited self-rule in Gaza and Jericho, with the intentions of this leading to full autonomy in these areas as well as other areas in the West Bank. Negotiations have also been going on with Syria, but basically these are at somewhat of a standstill. Why? Because, virtually what the peace talks amount to with Syria is US Secretary of State Warren Christopher shuttling back and forth between Jerusalem and Damascus relaying what seem to be dead-end messages. Syrian President Hafez Assad, coined by one Israeli journalist as the Frank Sinatra of the Middle East because he wants it his way, will not budge unless Israel meets his full demands. Interestingly, these demands center around Israel giving up land in exchange for peace. Syria has said it will not guarantee peace until Israel fully withdraws from the Golan Heights and southern Lebanon. Another piece of real estate that Arabs are interested in, of course, is Jerusalem. Anyhow, in essence, what the Palestinians and Syrians are demanding is that Israel return to its pre-1967 border. During the Six Day War, lasting from June 5 to 10, 1967, Israel defeated the combined forces of Egypt, Syria, Iraq, and Jordan. In its victory winnings Israel took control of the Sinai, Gaza, Judea and Samaria, the Golan Heights and East Jerusalem.

In its peace treaty with Egypt, Israel agreed to return the Sinai, which it did. However, returning to its original 1967 borders in full would be a military risk for Israel. The land that she took control of in the Six Day War has been significant in her strategic defense since. In speaking of the 1973 Yom Kippur War, Israeli politician Benjamin Netanyahu wrote in his book "A Place Among Nations," "On both the Egyptian and Syrian fronts, the Arabs had managed to penetrate as much as twenty miles before Israeli forces finally checked them. If the war had begun not on the post-1967 lines but on the pre-1967 lines, and if the Arab armies had advanced the same distances, Israel would have ceased to exist." Editor Joseph de Courcy of the UK's Islamic Affairs Analyst [The Stoneyhill Centre, Brimpsfield, Gloucester, GL48LF, UK] also recognizes the strategic importance of the pre-1967 borders for Israel: "Israel will be more vulnerable than at any time in its history following a land-for-peace settlement with its Arab neighbors for the following reasons: "Any conceivable peace settlement between Israel and the Arabs must include territorial concessions leading to an eventual return to the pre-1967 borders. This will be a majorstrategic setback for Israel as the importance of the territorial factor in modern warfare has increased in direct proportion to the lethality (and speed) of modern weaponry. "As weapons have increased their destructive power, so it has become necessary to disperse military assets, such as airfields, over wider and wider areas. "The speed of modern aircraft and missiles has also given added importance to strategic depth. A country that is just 9 miles wide (as is pre-1967 Israel) has not strategic depth and cannot resist a surprise attack." While Israel would obviously be reluctant to give up land that is strategically necessary to her existence, it may just be the antichrist that can convince Israel she will be secure, even if she does give up these important pieces of real estate. The Bible does say that in the last days Israel will become a "land of unwalled villages" (Ezekiel 38). Now, what about a land agreement with Jordan? As far as the July 25, 1994 Washington Declaration signed by Israel and Jordan goes, there are not significant land concessions involved. Interestingly, however, the Bible does promise that at some point in history, Israel will be given land that now belongs to Jordan. Betty Lynn writes in "Pathways to Armageddon and Beyond" [available through This Week in Bible Prophecy], "The nation of Jordan is comprised of three ancient tribes: Moab, Ammon, and Edom. Moabites and Ammonites are the descendants of Lot by his incestuous daughters, and Edomites are the descendants of Esau, Jacob's twin brother. "These nations have always been at odds with the children of Israel. God will ultimately punish Jordan for its treatment of Israel. In fact, numerous prophecies tell us that Israel will ultimately possess Jordan. Today, just the opposite is true. Jordan occupies the East Bank of the Jordan River, which is the inheritance of Israel's son Gad.This is a fulfillment of prophecy: "Concerning the sons of Ammon. Thus says the Lord: 'Does Israel have no sons? Or has he no heirs? Why then has Malcam [the national god of the Ammonites] taken possession of Gad and his people settled in its cities? Therefore, behold, the days are coming,' declares the Lord, 'that I shall cause a trumpet blast of war to be heard against Rabbah of the sons of Ammon; and it will become a desolate heap, and her towns will be set on fire. Then Israel will take possession of his possessors,' says the Lord. (Jeremiah 49:1,2). "This Israeli territorial expansion is echoed in the prophecies of Obadiah. In fact the main theme of Obadiah is the destruction of Edom, which lies in southern Jordan: "'Then the house of Jacob will be a fire and the house of Joseph a flame; but the house of Esau [Edom] will be as stubble. And they will set them on fire and consume them, so that there will be no survivor of the house of Esau,' for the Lord has spoken. Then those of the Negev [southern Israel] will possess the mountain of Esau, and those of the Shephelah [Judean hills near Gaza] the Philistine plain [Gaza]; also they will possess the territory of Ephraim and the territory of Samaria [West Bank], and Benjamin will possess Gilead [East Bank] (Obadiah 1:18,19)." The Bible is not clear about when it is that Israel will take possession of these territories. It could be during the millennium. Or it could coincide with the beginning of the Tribulation period. If this were the case, it could be one explanation why Israel will sign the covenant with the antichrist who will divide the land for gain. If Israel were in control of these territories now belonging to Jordan, this would vastly increase her land area, giving her more of a buffer zone for security. Israel may then be willing to give up other territories in exchange. Temple Sacrifice If you will remember, in God's covenant referred to in Ezekiel, chapter 37, He promised that His sanctuary, or tabernacle, would be in the midst of Israel. In his imitation of this covenant, the antichrist will also allow the Jews to have a sanctuary in which they will practice temple sacrifice once again. And half-way through the Tribulation period, the antichrist will break his covenant and he will "cause the sacrifice and oblation to cease" (Daniel 9:27). Many Jews today, of course, believe that there will be a Third Temple. At the Old Jerusalem Exhibition a model of the Third Temple can be found. The Temple Institute located in the Jewish Quarter of Jerusalem has on display instruments that were fashioned for the re-establishment of temple sacrifice. And on May 19, 1993, Israeli officials and Jewish leaders worldwide signed a document called The Jerusalem Covenant. The document reaffirms the unity of Jerusalem, which occurred with the takeover of East Jerusalem during the 1967 Six Day War. It also recognizes the prophetic passages of the Old Testament declaring a rebuilding of the Temple. It is obvious that any Jews in our world today are anticipating the re-institution of Temple sacrifice and worship. The first two Jewish Temples were located on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. It would follow that the Jewish people will want to establish a Third Temple on the same land area. The focal point of the Temple is the Holy of Holies, built on the spot where Abraham was to sacrifice his son Isaac to God. God, who was testing Abraham's faith and obedience, instead provided a lamb to be sacrificed, thus sparing Isaac's life. This land is extremely important to the Jews and their Temple. But today the Temple Mount is one of the most controversial pieces of property in the world. Right now it would seem highly unlikely that Arabs who control the Temple Mount, backed by the United Nations, would even dream of allowing the Jews to build a Third Temple beside or in place of their sacred Dome of the Rock. The Dome is built theoretically on the spot where Muslims believe the Prophet Mohammed ascended into the sky on his horse and headed to Mecca. There is, however, an interesting segment of the Washington Declaration signed by Israel and Jordan. In the text of the declaration we read: "Israel respects the present special role of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan in Moslem holy shrines in Jerusalem. When negotiations on the permanent status will take place, Israel will give high priorty to the Jordanian historic role in these shrines. In addition, the two sides have agreed to act together to promote interfaith relations among the three monotheistic religions." It is claimed that Jordan's King Hussein is a descendant of the Prophet Mohammed. Furthermore, in an interview with the Jerusalem Post (July 23, 1994), Foreign Minister Shimon Peres said that the Israelis conceded on this issue of giving King Hussein a role in Jerusalem's Moslem holy shrines because the Israeli government wanted Jerusalem to open up religiously. "If we reached an agreement with the Vatican on conducting their religious affairs, I am sure we can reach an agreement with other religions," he said. Peres was referring to a January 6, 1994 historical fundamental agreement reached by the Vatican and Israel which have a long history of animosity between them. The agreement was aimed at paving the way for improved relations. The basis of the agreement was to open diplomatic ties as well as to ensure that other religions have free access to the holy sites, important to their specific faith, located in Israel. In a Jerusalem Post report (Jan. 8, 1994) we read: "Uri Mori, head of the department of Christian communities of the Religious Affairs Ministry, says that during the negotiations his ministry took special care in wording the final agreement so that it would not infringe on the other churches. In fact, he says, the document enshrines in international agreement what until now has been only custom. "Until now, Mori explains, Israel was not legally committed to respect the status quo agreement on the holy places, although it has done so in practice. In the fundamental agreement to be signed last week, Israel made such a commitment, he says." It could well be possible, as a symbolic gesture of peace in the new world order, one could see the building of the Third Temple on the Temple Mount, and maybe even a "Christian" church, right alongside the Moslem Dome of the Rock. The Abomination of Desolation We have already mentioned that the antichrist causes the Temple sacrifice to cease half-way through his covenant with Israel. But he does more than just that. He desecrates the Jewish Temple. In Daniel 9:27 we are told: "And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week [seven years]: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate." In the past there have been historical figures who have in some way desecrated the historical Jewish Temples. Some believe that these figures in some way have fulfilled the prophecy given in Daniel, chapter 9. Dr. Randall Price writes in his book "In Search of Temple Treasures," "As we survey the Old Testament, we can see Satan preparing for the advent of the Antichrist during the Tribulation through a series of 'antichrists' who appear as opponents of the Jewish people and as desecraters of the holy Temple that housed the Ark..."Prominent examples of such antichrists are the unnamed pharaoh who oppressed the Israelites in Egypt (Exodus 1:11, 22; 5:2) and the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar, who destroyed the Temple in Jerusalem (2 Kings 24:13- 14)... "Later figures develop the typological connection with the Temple by the Syrian king Antiochus IV Epiphanes (Daniel 8:11-14; 11:31)... "[T]he development toward the antitype (Antichrist) reveals that the movement of the type's (antichrist's) actions toward Temple desecration. Notice that the development begins with both opposition to the divine program and the oppression of God's people. Pharaoh sets the basic plot that will progressively enlarge by a desecration against the Temple. Nebuchadnezzar cast the third element; his desecration was that of removing the Temple from Israel and the Israelites from the Land. This act was more severe than Pharaoh's persecution of Israel in his land. But it was not as severe as what Antiochus did--persecute Israel and desecrate her Temple within her own Land." While these historical figures did indeed desecrate the Jewish Temples and in some way and oppressed God's chosen people, they did not fulfill all that the Bible has prophesied about the antichrist. Therefore, it obviously follows that they were not the antichrist, and this "abomination of desolation" is still to take place at a time in the future. What is the abomination of desolation that the antichrist will perform? The apostle Paul tells us in II Thessalonians 2:4 what the son of perdition (verse 3) will do. We are told he "opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God." So this is the abomination. The antichrist will enter the Temple, probably the most sacred area of the Temple which is the Holy of Holies, and proclaim to be God. The Antichrist Rises From Europe We can expect that the antichrist who arises on the world scene comes from European descent. How do we know this? Well, first of all, in the book of Daniel we are told that the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar had a dream about a great image. God gave Daniel the ability to interpret this dream. The image in Nebuchadnezzar's dream had a head of gold, a breast and arms of silver, a belly and thighs made of brass and legs of iron. These legs then moved on to feet which were partly made of iron and partly of clay (Daniel 2:31-45). Daniel explained that the image made up of different metals and the clay were representative of four major kingdoms in history that would control the earth. The first was Babylon represented by the head of gold. The breast and arms of silver were representative of the Medo-Persian armies that conquered Babylon. The third kingdom represented by brass was the Greek Empire. And finally, the fourth empirre was the Roman Empire. Interestingly, the Roman Empire was represented by iron legs in. So the kingdom made up of iron and clay is an extension of the iron empire, or the Roman Empire. We of course know from history books that the Roman Empire fell. But since the kingdom of iron and clay is an extension of the Roman Empire, it follows that it will be resurrected in a new format so to speak. It is referred to by prophecy students as the Revived Roman Empire. The Roman Empire was in control during Christ's time on earth before His crucifixion. And it was by the Roman crucifixion that Jesus was put to death on the cross. It will be during the existence of this Revived Roman Empire that Christ will again come to earth at His second coming. We also know from history books that it was the Roman Empire which was responsible for the destruction of the Second Temple in 70 AD. In Daniel, chapter 9, we are told that after the Messiah was cut off, the sanctuary would be destroyed. And we are told in this chapter that the prince that would come in the future [the antichrist] would be from the people who destroyed the sanctuary. In verse 26 we read, "And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself; and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary..." >From this, the majority of students of Bible prophecy today have concluded >that the antichrist will arise from the Revived Roman Empire which has its >core in what is known today as the European Union. Making War With the Saints The antichrist we are told holds a hatred towards God, and his children. We are told that he will come against those who are saved during the Tribulation period. In Revelation 13:7 we are told that "it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them." Even today we see this spirit developing in the world. In the past we have documented examples of a distaste for Christianity that can be sensed in many movies and TV programs. But the enemy is no longer the animated Mr. Flanders living next door to the Simpson's, or the fictional Christian zealots who ruled with an iron fist in the movie "The Handmaid's Tale." Now the characters are real. Those identified as Christian zealots, accurate or not, are members of the patriot/militia movement, abortion protesters, those who speak out against homosexuality, or the Religious Right running for office in the US political arena. But this sentiment will reach its ultimate venomous state when the antichrist sheds the blood of saints in the Tribulation period. The reason behind this hatred for the saints, of course, grows from a hatred of God and Jesus Christ. The antichrist, along with his followers in the world, will ultimately turn their weapons against Christ at the battle of Armageddon, only to learn the lesson of Who is truly Lord. Visit This Week in Bible Prophecy Website: http://www.niagara.com/~twibp Check your local TV listings for TWIBP...new stuff, new format ***************** PREMISES OF THE NEW AGE WORLD VIEW by Gordie Tong The New Age World view is Syncretistic. In other words it blends elements of other world views. Russell Chandler, author of "Understanding the New Age", suggests the following beliefs make up some but not all of the components of this movement: - All is One (monism). The Cosmos is pure, undifferentiated, universal energy - a consiousness or "life force". Everything is one vast, interconnected process. All life is of equal value. - All is God (pantheism). God is an impersonal principal, a conciousness, lifeforce, Energy. Everything that is, is God. - Humans, nature, spirits, ET's, the earth, etc. are infused with or of the same essence as God. (polytheism). Humans have unlimited potentials being one with the One." We are God, "affirms many within this movement. Other enlighten beings, entities, etc. which share this divinity can also guide, instruct and empower those who opened the door to other side. Paranormal experiences are often sought and experienced when encountering these guides, assorted spirits, ET's and unknown entities. - All religions are essentially One. Jesus, Krishna, Buddaha, Lao- tsu, and all the mystics old and new, realized and taught this Oneness. All spiritual paths are equally valid. Dogmas and doctrines which cause separation should be de-empasized in favour of personal or communal unitive experiences of at-one-ness. There is a need, say some, for a New Age which will bannish intolerance and promote harmony and unity. Reincarnation is believed to explain suffering and karma. - Humanity's problem is not sin but ignorance. We have forgotten we are one with God and we...have infinite potential at our fingertips if we allow it to flow. Therefore we need to reject the self limitations and beliefs of the old ways of perception and embrace a "paradigm shift': a distinct new way of thinking. - How does humanity embark upon a paradigm shift? Through an "awakening experience" each individual may "actualize" his or her divine nature and achieve union with his or her divine nature with the Ultimate Unifying Principle by applying a plethoria of consciousness-changing techniques, or "psychotechnologies', to body mind and spirit. - Some examples of what Ferguson calls "intentional triggers of transformative experiences" are: meditation, Yoga,chanting, mood-altering music, mind expanding drugs, esoteric systems of religious mysticism and knowledge, guided imagery, balancing and aligning"energies," hypnosis, body discipines...radical seminars designed to obliterate former values, etc...The pathway to godhood lies not in left-hemisphere logic but in right hemisphere's intuitive 'knowing' and creativeness.' - The sequel to expanded personal awareness is planetary tranformation, charaterized by mass enlightment and social evolution.... Many of the world's problems: overpopulation, the envoirmental crisis, war, economic problems etc. may be solved by realizing our Oneness and untapped potentials. A New Planetary Order or New World Order which calls for an emerging global civilizaton and one world government is in the agenda. When a "critical mass" is achieved through world wide New Age events like the Harmonic Convergence, or the World Peace Meditations, or Mind Body Conferences, Earth Day, etc...then we will arrive at the New Age. Millions have already participated in these events and some of them are annual and ongoing..there are countless new age communities, conferences, peoples, and publications in many countries "networking" to achieve critical mass or the "Hundreth Monkey Effect" as it often called. Although at this present time there is no one leading group or indivdual guiding this movement...it, never-the-less through networking... is becoming a powerful force in society and the world. CRACKS IN THE NEW AGE WORLD VIEW - The assumption that all is One and it's implications are not true. If God is impersonal or all is One, there is no basis for absolutes in terms of truth, ethics or understanding reality. Reality, truth or right or wrong becomes whatever a New Age person perceives it to be. A Oneness which encompasses all and is all must also embrace evil. Ethical relativsm is illogical and unworkable. Try it sometime in a relationship or in society and see the fruit of anarchy and chaos...Nor do we need abitrary absolutes given to us by an authoritarian elite...If there is no higher law than the state or an New Age elite then democracy is obsolete...we must return to the concept of Lex Rex which states that those that govern are also subject to revealed moral laws...If All is One, then there is no difference between cruety and non cruelty...Charles Manson said "if all is One then nothing is wrong"...he was more consistant with his pantheistic beliefs than most new age people you meet. - Man is not God. Human imperfection, finitude, falliblity, and fallenness are the observable human condition. Humanity may with God's grace may become more saintly..ie. God's Spirit may enable men and women to bear the fruits of peace, love, goodness and experience God'smiracles of healing etc... but man will not attain Godhood. The finite will not become the infinite. We have potential not unlimited potential. Where is evidence of human perfection or compassion in Roman Ceasars or others who also claimed to be God? ...all you see is human folly and the corruption of power. - There are distintions within the created order. Not all life is of equal value as taught by new age Deep Ecologists or sometime by reincarnation believers. Relativism-plugged into reincarnation theory-denigrates the value of human life by reducing all life to the lowest level. . Although all life is to valued as part of nature, nature is not perfect and can produce pestilance and harmful mutations..perhaps we are reaping the fruit of this as man tries to play God tinkering with genetic engineering...or planting new species in the wrong eco-systems. Panthesism says all life is equal...so man becomes no more valuable than the grass we trample on or burn... - Jesus did not teach that all paths lead to a pantheistic Oneness or that man will achieve Godhood. (see John 14, Matt 7:14,) His teaching has to be distored to suggest that Christ taught New Age philosophy as many within New Age circles try to imply...by taking his teaching out of context. Not all religions promote panthesitic monistic beliefs...as suggested by uninformed teachers within the movement... -The Altered State of conciousness reached through meditation and other psychotechnologies often negates critical thinking and reason, often dulling the individual's ability to discern between truth and deception. It also allows for the possiblitiy to contact deceptive or masquarading spirits (many within the movement acknowledge the existence of negative or evil entities) or be possessed by them as may happen in the channeling phenomena. A old proverb states "a man without self-control is like a town without defences." A person in ASC who is passive is more vulnarable to suggestiblity and outside control by whatever controllers human or non human that might happen to be around. Real spirituallity involves the mind, intellect and heart...critical thinking, not scepticism or mind-less-ness is - necessary for spiritual discernment. - Utopian notions of man and utopian New Age political goals may lead to totalitarian systems that would grow increasingly intolerant of those who would critize it. It was the belief in the fallenness and falliblity of human leadership in Europe during the Reformation and afterwards that led to ideas of democracy and freedom, as well as the need for checks and balances in government This may be lost as New Age ideas are more and more embraced in society. Some kind of hierarchy of so called "enlighted" beings are trying to guide us into the NEW AGE claim many within this movement. The question is how do we know that the spirit guides, ET's or whatever, are what they appear to be...there is growing evidence that they are not so enlightened after all, and may have some other more sinister motives in mind when providing guidance and so called "transformative" experiences. - Reincarnation and evolutionary beliefs instead of bringing real love and unity to mankind may create elitist feelings and a callowness to human suffering. Karma supposedly determines a persons caste or position in life. To try to help those who are suffering, is to interfere with their karma. Unenlightened people are already called "cancer cells". In body of Gaia by some within the movement...with the implication that a "cleansing" is coming or needed..we heard that before from Adolf Hitler...who in his time wanted to usher in a New Age..(Hitler also claimed he was guided by voices from the other side) ..There are presently some prominant leaders guided by powerful entities in this movement who are presently taking on or promoting Messianic leadership...as well as the "cleansing concept"...their spirit guides are saying this is necessary...John Randolph Price, the primary moving force behind the "World Instant of Cooperation," was told by his favorite spirit guide, "Asher," that "nature will soon enter her cleansing cycle...." These individuals [the two billion human beings who do not have the 'ring of protection' around them] with their lower vibratory rates will be removed during the next two decades.... " Please read some of the references listed below ...there are many people already who are unknowingly caught up in this spiritual pandora's box...wake up don't be one of them. Many persons exploring New Age beliefs are sincere and pleasant people...and are not throwing their lot in with the more dangerous elements of the New Age...there are people being hurt by these beliefs and by cultic leaders...as well as seductive entites...I've dialoged with many of them in several countries...so I encourage compassion for victims...we may disagree and be discerning and helpful but not be arrogant, for in the eyes of God we all fall short of perfection...for it's only by God's grace that we are able to see the many of the pitfals of a fallen world..If you are following New Age beliefs ask God's Spirit to guide you in your quest for truth and reality... Also do your own research as others have below...some listed below were formally in the New Age Movement and in leadership positions...some experiencing powerful paranormal experiences until they woke up to the deception. References below: 1. The Beautiful Side of Evil - Johanna Michaelson..former assistant to psychic healer...and Sylva Mind disciple. 2. Like Lambs to the Slaughter - Johanna Michaelson. * pp 307-310 3. Understanding the New Age - Russell Chandler , Journalist and religion writer For Los Angeles Times. 4. Inside the New Age Nightmare - Randall N. Baer -former "crystal power" practioner and teacher. Huntington House, 1989. 5. When the World Will Be As One -The Coming NEW WORLD ORDER in the NEW AGE by Tal Brooke - former follower of Sai Baba, presently with The Spiritual Counterfeits Research Group - Berkeley, Calif. 6. Out on a Broken Limb - Dr. F. LaGard Smith ..Professor of Law at Pepperdine University. Harvest House 1986. 7."How Should We Then Live' - The Rise and Fall of Western Civilization, by Dr. Francis Shaeffer. Fleming H Revell Co. NJ. 1976. ***************** MOVING TOWARDS A THIRD TEMPLE by Lambert Dolphin By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept when we remembered Zion. We hung out harps upon the willows in the midst of it. For there those who carried us away captive required of us a song. And those who plundered us required of us mirth, saying, Sing us one of the songs of Zion! How shall we sing the Lord's song in a foreign land? If I forget you, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her skill! If I do not remember you, let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth - if I do not exalt Jerusalem above my chief joy. (Psalm 137:1-6) Yearnings for a Third Temple The 137th Psalm, a hymn of the exiles of Jerusalem during the Babylonian captivity, eloquently expresses the yearnings of the Jewish people for their homeland, their City and their Temple - then and now. Jerusalem, "City of Peace" has known nearly two dozen wars and destructions since its existence was first known to us from the Biblical record. Abraham's meeting with Melchizedek about 1450 BC reveals that there was in the city (known then as "Salem"), even at that early date. A righteous Gentile king, Melchizedek, ruled there as "priest of God Most High" (El Elyon). During the time period after 70 A.D. Jerusalem should have long since fallen into oblivion. This city with no natural wealth, no oil reserves, and no great strategic military value. Ancient trade routes passed up and down the coastline of the Mediterranean Sea or along the Jordan Valley. The King's Highway ran North and South on the plateau of Jordan - Jerusalem was out of the way. Why should anyone pass by there? Today, centers of modern commerce and trade are in Tel Aviv or Haifa. Jerusalem is more of a city of religion, art, culture and museums than an economically viable regional marketplace or a center of business activity. Yet Jerusalem thrives in our time as a city full of mystical attractiveness and endless fascination. As never before in history, Jerusalem is at the center of today's headlines. The city which grew up around the small walled-village captured by King David from the Jebusites 3000 years ago is the focal point of never-ending debate among the great superpowers. No other city has been desired and fought over as Jerusalem. In its history Jerusalem has been fought over by armies of the Assyrians, Babylonians, Egyptians, Greeks, Ptolemies, Seleucids, Romans, Byzantines, Persians, Arabs, Seljuks, Crusaders, Mongols, Mamelukes, by the Turks, the British, and the Jordanians. Today the nations of all the world consider it their responsibility and obligation to meddle in her politics and destiny. As a religious center Jerusalem remains sacred to (and fought over by) all three monotheistic religions: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. It is an open secret that the Pope aspires to set up his world headquarters there, having claimed for many years that the Holy Land has really been, all along, under Roman Catholic stewardship. UN debates, Arab neighbors, and the PLO urge the "internationalization" of this modest city. All the while pilgrims continue to flock there in droves numbering millions per year. All the eyes of the world are upon Jerusalem, City of Peace, today as never before. This is a city that has been besieged about forty different times and destroyed (at least partially) on thirty-two different occasions. The rulership of Jerusalem has changed hands some twenty-six times. Since 1948 Jerusalem has experienced four wars. >From the time of the establishment of the State of Israel in May of 1948 >until 1967, the City was divided. Walls, barbed-wire fences and a >desolated strip of non-man's land cut through the very heart of the city, >especially excluding the Jews from the Old City and the Temple Mount. The Old City Liberated In June of 1967 the Jews were involved in a war that resulted in the liberation of the Old City of Jerusalem. On the third day of the Six Day War, Israeli paratrooper Motta Gur, mounted on a half-track, announced that the Temple Mount has been regained. On June 7 of that year the Israeli troops moved into the Old City and stood at the Western Wall (Wailing Wall) for prayer. Rabbi Shlomo Goren declared: "We have taken the city of God. We are entering the Messianic era for the Jewish people, and I promise to the Christian world that what we are responsible for we will take care of." The city of Jerusalem was reunified and the Star of David flew again from its ramparts. The Temple Mount Restored to Moslem Control. On Saturday June 17, 1967, shortly after the end of the Six Day War, Defense minister Moshe Dayan entered the Al-Aksa Mosque for a historic meeting. In a gesture of good will, Dayan sat down on the prayer carpet with five leaders of the Supreme Moslem Council (the Waqf) of what had been Jordanian-controlled Jerusalem. That discussion fixed Israel's policy regarding the Temple Mount, a policy that remains unchanged to this day. Dayan had ordered the Israeli flag removed from on top of the Dome of the Rock on the afternoon of the Old City's liberation. His discussion with the Moslems led to further concessions. The administrative control over the Temple Mount was to be the sole responsibility of the Supreme Moslem Council - the (Jordanian) Waqf. Though the Jews would be permitted free access to the Mount, prayer by Jews was prohibited. Dayan refused to permit any Jewish identification with Judaism's holiest site. To him, the Temple Mount held only historic interest. He said: "I have no doubt that because the power is in our hands we must take a stand based on yielding. We must view the Temple Mount as a historic site relating to past memory." The government of Israel then allocated responsibility of the Temple Mount area to different groups. Israel's Department of Antiquities were given the south, southeast, and southwest area of the Temple Mount to explore archaeologically. The top of the Temple Mount, however, site of the First and Second Temples, was given over to the Moslems to administrate. To the present day, the Moslem Waqf allows tourists to visit the Mount a few hours per day - but they do not allow any freedom of worship or any non-Moslem archeological activity there. The entire area is treated as if it were a gigantic outdoor mosque. Visitors who stroll out of very limited areas - to view over the wall at the Pinnacle of the Temple, or to see the interior of the Golden Gate, for example - will be quickly restrained by an Arab guard. Shortly after the Temple Mount was recaptured, Rabbi Shlomo Goren, then chief chaplain of the Israeli army, and one of the leading advocates for the rebuilding of the Temple, attempted to establish a Jewish identity on the Mount. The Western Wall below the Mount was all Israel actually possessed and to Goren that was not enough. He believed regaining Jewish presence on the Mount would be a major step towards Israel's long-awaited redemption. On August 15, 1967, Goren led demonstrative Jewish prayers on the Temple Mount Compound. His actions caused shockwaves and much apprehension among Moslems as to the fate of their sacred sites. Goren prayed within the Temple Mount courtyard, but this was contrary to the newly agreed arrangement with the Israeli government. The Waqf responded by locking the entrance gate above the Western Wall that leads to the Temple Mount. The keys to that gate were confiscated soon thereafter by the government of Israel and Jewish military police have been on duty at the entrance gate ever since. The two chief Rabbis of Israel (Sephardic and Askenazi) then compiled a joint statement forbidding Jews to visit the Temple Mount. There position was that the Jewish people were ceremonially unclean and might accidentally tread on the place where the holy of holies stood in the Temple. Now a Political Issue The Temple Mount had become a political issue as far back as 1930 when Mufti Haj Arain El-Husseini turned Solomon's Stables into a shooting range and whipped up a frenzy over Jewish prayer at the Western Wall. The current Supreme Moslem Council looks to a 1931 decision that the Temple Mount is exclusive Waqf property. The Waqf - who owe their allegiance to Jordan - do not accept the reunification of Jerusalem. Islamic preachers during the regular Friday day of prayer on the Mount regularly and routinely denounce Israel the right of the Jews to exist, frequently delivering inflammatory polemics designed to foster Arab hatred towards the Jews. Prior to 1967 the central structure on the Mount for the Moslems was the Al-Aksa Mosque. After the city was recaptured in 1967, the Waqf began to term the entire Temple Mount as Al-Aksa. In effect, they annexed the entire Mount. No Exploration or Excavation The rabbinical prohibition against Jews walking around on the Temple Mount has now been extended. The rabbis next declared that there was to be no exploration, excavation, or even prayer on the Temple Mount. Yet they continued to acknowledge that the Temple Mount is the center of Jerusalem: "The Temple Mount is the red-hot heart of the city. This doesn't mean that everyone who lives here turns up there in the course of a day, a week, a month or a year, or even turns his mind to it. He may go through years without giving it a thought, just as a Roman might not think of St. Peter's. Some young Jerusalemites, who can't remember a time when Jews couldn't freely and safely go to the Wall, do take it for granted. Yet even they know that Jerusalem, unlike Rome, is contested. They believe too that whoever holds the Holy Places, and especially the Temple Mount, possesses the upper hand in city, and therefore the country." Orthodox Jews and the Temple Mount In their attempts to minimize tensions between Jew and Arab concerning the Temple Mount a ban on Jewish entry was formally posted at the entrance gate by the Chief Rabbinate of Israel. "Entrance to the area of the Temple Mount is forbidden to everyone by Jewish Law owing to the sacredness of the place. ---The Chief Rabbinate of Israel." Jews were thus officially banned from setting foot on the Temple platform. In practice many Orthodox Jews observe the ban while other Jews do not. The stated reason for the ban is that gentiles, as well as Jews, are regarded as "unclean" today and are thus unfit to walk on the sacred mount. The Mount is considered so sacred that one is forbidden even to fly over it because the holiness of the site extends into the heavens. Therefore the Orthodox Jew is allowed only to admire the mount from a distance. This ban will stay in effect, many believe, until the Messiah comes. Because of the ban the Jews pray and celebrate at the Western wall, an area in earlier times known as the "Wailing" wall. Other devout Jews have disputed the reasons for the Rabbinical ban claiming that the Temple Mount foundations are indeed defiled and must be ceremonially cleansed. Until the new temple is completed and ready to be placed into service it is permissible for unclean persons to visit there and even to work on the building of the Third Temple. First the temple must be cleansed - then the people - is their argument. We know from history that when the Herodian Temple stood, stone plaques, some in Latin, others in Greek, were placed in the Court of the Gentiles warning any Gentile not to enter the precincts of the Temple at the risk of losing his life. "No Gentile is to be approach within the balustrade round the Temple and the peribolos. Whosoever is caught will be guilty of his own death which will follow" While there were no such signs in later times, for example when the enclosure became a sacred place for Islam, Moslems were no less jealous to guard the area from the steps of non-Moslems and threats to kill people trying to enter are recorded in the reports of travelers who came to Jerusalem in the past. The restrictions were partially lifted in the middle of the nineteenth century but were clamped down again when Arab nationalism rose to a peak under the then Jerusalem Mufti, Haj Amin el Husseini, during the thirties of the twentieth century. The Waqf these days only permits very limited access to the Temple Mount as we have noted. Sometimes for only a few hours a day and at other times no access whatsoever. Any attempts by Jews or Christians to pray, read from the Bible, sing or speak openly about their faith are immediately squelched by the ever-zealous and ever-present Arab guards, most of whom are ill-tempered, rude, and disrespectful to tourists. In all fairness, it should be added that those visitors who treat the Moslem guides, guards, and care-takers with courtesy and respect will often receive a warm response. As the Bible says, "Love covers a multitude of sins." Role of the Jewish Ministry of Religious Affairs The ministry of religious affairs have not been sympathetic to those who wish freedom of access on the Temple Mount. On June 27, 1967, the day the law regarding the Holy Places was adopted, the Israel Minister of Religious Affairs said "it is our standing afar and our disinclination to enter that illustrate our awe and reverence over the site of our former Temples." After the city of Jerusalem was reunified in 1967 the Knesset passed a law which guaranteed freedom of access and worship in all the holy sites. This law is enforced with sensitivity and diligence all over Israel---with one notable exception, and that is the Temple Mount. Though freedom of worship is said to be guaranteed, any open display of worship is not allowed. The carrying of a Jewish prayer book or the attempt to pray on the Mount is strictly taboo. The police believe that such an act is a threat to the peace because of Moslem reaction, and indeed the Moslems regard such actions by non-Moslems are acts of disrespect for Allah. Hence the Temple Mount is treated differently by the government from all the rest of the holy sites in Israel. On at least four different occasions the High Court of Justice has heard pleas from Jews to permit freedom of worship on the Temple Mount. Each time they have been denied. One of the reasons that this has not caused more of a furor is a ban on the entrance to the Temple Compound that has been published by the chief Rabbinate of Israel. The holy site is off limits to those who may transgress its sacred ground. Former chief Rabbi Shlomo Goren believed otherwise. It was his opinion that only a small part of the Temple Mount area, some 15%, is off limits to the people. Goren attempted to measure the area to pinpoint where a worshipper can or cannot stand. It was his contention that worshippers should be allowed in the large area of the Temple Compound that is not the sacred portions. The problem is that there is no consensus of opinion as to where to measure to indicate what parts are sacred and what parts are not. Chief Rabbi Mordechai Eliahu suggested that if a synagogue were to be built, it should be done on the eastern wall of the Temple Mount. Such a synagogue stood there until the 16th century. The entrance to the synagogue could be from outside the wall preventing people from walking upon the prohibited areas of the Mount. "Assaulting" the Mount Since 1967 there have been various attempts by individuals and by groups to assault the Temple Mount in order to perform Jewish blood sacrifices, to destroy a Moslem building, or to upset the balance of power and to alter the status quo. On August 21, 1969 Michael Rohan a non-Jewish tourist from Australia set fire to the Al Aksa Mosque. Firefighters fought the blaze for four hours as an angry Moslem crowd shouted "Down with Israel." The president of the Moslem Council accused the fire brigades of a deliberately slow response. The Arab states blamed Israel for the incident even though Rohan identified himself as a "Church of God" member. The fire destroyed a priceless on thousand year old wood and ivory pulpit (minbar) that had been sent from Aleppo by Saladin. At his trial Rohan told the court that he believe himself to be "the Lord's emissary" in accordance with a prophecy in the Book of Zechariah. The court convicted Rohan but then declared him criminally insane. He was placed in an Israeli mental hospital. The Temple Mount remained closed to non-Moslems for two months after the incident. For the next three years, all non-Moslems were barred from El Aksa Mosque. After the ban was lifted the Moslem guards were still very nervous. The mere opening of a purse for a handkerchief would cause the guards to come running and search for a bomb. The Case of Yoel Lerner In October 1982 Yoel Lerner, a member of Meir Kahane Kach movement, was arrested for planning to sabotage one of the mosques on the Temple Mount. Lerner was convicted of planning to blow up the Dome of the Rock. Previously he had served a three year sentence for heading a group that plotted to overthrow the government and establish a state based upon religious law. He was sentenced to two and one half years in prison. ...And of Allen Harry Goodman In April 11,1982 Allen Harry Goodman, an Israeli soldier, went on a shooting rampage on the Temple Mount. Storming into the Al Aksa Mosque with an M-16 rifle Goodman killed a Moslem guard and wounded other Arabs. This incident set off a week of rioting and strikes in Jerusalem, the West Bank, and the Gaza Strip. At his trial Goodman told the court that he had expected to become "King of the Jews by liberating this holy spot." He was convicted a year later and sentenced to life plus two terms of twenty years. Jerusalem's psychiatrists and mental institutions have learned to expect, and to professionally render aid to a growing number of insane or marginally unstable individuals who flock to Jerusalem every year. Some pilgrims claim to be the True Messiah, or the Virgin Bride of Jesus, or the Two Witnesses of the Apocalypse. Moses, Elijah and Nehemiah, usually in costume, announce their return from the dead fairly often in the public square. Quickly these problem children are whisked off to wards now accustomed to the bizarre and the unexpected as regular parts of living in "the City of a Great King." The problem is so significant it has been labeled "the Jerusalem Syndrome." "The City of Peace" preserves its tranquillity and peace one day at a time, sometimes by a slim margin indeed. Another Foiled Raid on the Mount On March 10, 1983 the police quickly stopped an attempted raid on the Mount: "JERUSALEM --Israeli security forces arrested about 45 Jewish extremists, including supporters of radical Rabbi Meir Kahane, foiling an armed raid on the Temple Mount to seize Muslim and Jewish holy places, police said Friday. Security forces, working on a tip, Thursday night captured 10 of the extremists carrying army rifles, hoes and crowbars near an ancient passageway to the area in East Jerusalem, Israel radio said. Thirty-five other Israelis were subsequently arrested, but four were later released after proving they had nothing to do with the incident. An undisclosed number of those detained were Israeli soldiers but were not in uniform, police spokesman Meir Gilboa said. The religious militants . . . wanted to occupy the area to be able to pray on the site, where Muslims worship, Israeli radio said. . . Interior Minister Yosef Burg, the nation's internal security chief, assured leaders of the Supreme Muslim Council that authorities will stop any possible attacks of worshipers or attempts to curtail freedom of worship. Jerusalem Police Chief Yehoshua Caspi said a takeover 'could have caused a most serious conflagration' between Arabs and Jews. Twenty-nine people were eventually charged for the intrusion but were acquitted of all charges." Jerusalem Day 1983 On May 11, 1983 the Israeli high court of Justice ordered a very limited lifting of the ban of worship on the Temple Mount Compound. The court ordered the Jerusalem police to permit members of the "Faithful of the Temple Mount," to enter a small corner of the Temple precincts to worship for an hour and a half. The service commemorated Jerusalem Day, the anniversary of the reunification of the Holy City. Hundreds of worshippers crowded into the tiny area, defined by a rim of police barricades stretching but 15 feet from the Mograbi Gate. The entire space allowed for Jewish worship was approximately 700 square feet, between 3:30 p.m. and 5:00 p.m., on Jerusalem Day. The court order was controversial. Many Muslims saw it an infringement on their religious sovereignty over the Temple Mount. More secular Jews feared that the court's decision would simply complicate the already delicate relationships with the Arabs. Many religious Jews celebrated the decision, declaring that Jerusalem cannot truly be considered liberated until a Jew has a right to share the Temple Mount equally with other religions who wish to worship the true and living God. Some Rabbis called for more severe restrictions to the point of allowing the Mount to be in permanent Moslem control so as to prevent Jews from entering altogether. As usual, paradoxes, extreme pluralism, diversity of opinion, and multiple contradictions (common to daily life in Jerusalem) prevailed. An Underground Riot In the summer of 1983 Rabbi Yehuda Getz, the former Rabbi of the Western Wall, (he died in 1995) broke through the Western Wall deliberately excavating to the East ("Cistern 30") in their newly excavated underground tunnel which runs under the old city. This tunnel extends from the prayer area, Ha Kotel, North towards the Fortress Antonia. Getz hoped to eventually reach the foundation of the Second Temple. During this tunnelling, Rabbis Getz and Goren claim to have seen the Ark of the Covenant according to statements they later made to the press. However the Waqf guards on the Temple Mount discovered the underground activity and soon sent down some young men through cistern entrances above to "discourage" the work. A fist fight ensued and the episode concluded with the sealing of the wall with six feet of reinforced cement. The incident was especially tense as it was not certain at the time whether or nor the Jerusalem police had jurisdiction to intervene in the undergound excavation since the area was under the jurisdiction of Rabbi Getz. The so-called "Rabbinical Tunnel" was opened to the public in 1996 as an outstanding new archaeological attraction. The Lifta Band Incident In January 27, 1984 the most ambitious plan to assault the Temple Mount occurred. The Lifta band, evidently wanting to bring the return of the Messiah, attempted to blow up the Moslem Holy sites on the Temple Mount. The plan drew international attention. The headlines read "Israel Investigates Jewish Extremists in Mosque Plot:" Israeli police established a special task force Sunday to investigate suspected Jewish terrorism after an attempt to destroy one of Islam's holiest sites was thwarted at the last minute. Police reportedly believe that Jewish zealots, perhaps including some with Israeli army training, organized the plot to blow up the Dome of the Rock shrine and Al Aqsa mosque in the walled Old City of Jerusalem. Security forces, notified by an Arab watchman, prevented the assault early Friday. The attackers fled, leaving behind them explosives, including hand grenades of a type issued by the Israeli army. Information about the thwarted attack was withheld for about 36 hours, apparently to allow emotions to cool. News of an attempt against the Islamic shrines could have touched off riots among the Arabs of Israel and the Israeli-occupied West Bank of the Jordan River and Gaza Strip, who are overwhelmingly Muslim. Israeli military censors prohibited publication of the news in Arabic-language newspapers published Saturday. Israeli police revealed the attempted attack late Saturday. The mass-circulation Tel Aviv newspaper Yediot Aharnot said police recovered almost 250 pounds of explosives, including dozens of grenades, boxes of dynamite and about 12 mortar rounds. . Jerusalem Mayor Teddy Kollek expressed shock over the incident. He assured the cities top Muslim official, Mufti Saadedin Alami, that the authorities will do everything possible to apprehend the criminals. Kollek also urged Alami to permit installation of an electronic fence to increase security around the site. . . The Supreme Moslem Council, which supervises the shrine, warned, "If the attempted explosions had succeeded all Arab countries would have immediately launched a holy war against Israel." Based on the aftermath of far less serious incidents on Temple Mount - which have triggered rioting among the Arabs of Israel and the territories - the prediction seems to have been a reasonable one. This latest plot caused all of Jerusalem to shudder:"JERUSALEM --The attempted terrorist bombing of Islam's third-holiest sight has created aftershocks in Jewish and Arab sectors of this city, releasing a collective shudder at the thought of what might have happened if the golden-topped Dome of the Rock or the silver-domed Al-Aksa mosque had been destroyed by dynamite. . . A week ago Friday, six to eight intruders armed with at least 30 pounds of explosives and 22 Israeli army-issue hand grenades scaled the outer wall before dawn and sipped under the cover of a cloud sky onto the compound that contains the mosques. They headed toward the Dome of the Rock. An unarmed Moslem guard noticed them and alerted Israeli police, who chased them off. The intruders left behind explosives, ropes, ladders and knapsacks. Palestinian sources claim that the amount of dynamite left was nearly 10 times what police have reported. No suspects have been arrested, but police commander Yehoshua Caspi told a parliamentary committee Tuesday that he is convinced Jewish extremists had plotted the attack. . . 'There would have been riots and mass murder,' said a dental technician in Jewish West Jerusalem, reflecting the concern that has spread throughout the city. 'And you know, I wouldn't have blamed the Arabs. What would we do if Arab fanatics blew up the Western (Wailing) Wall?' The aborted attack, media reports of which were censored for nearly two days, sparked isolated riots in Nablus and a nearby refugee camp on the West Bank. Arab commentators elsewhere in the Middle East claimedthat if the bombing had been successful, it would have started a new jihad, or holy war, against Israel. 'It would have been the disaster of the decade,' said Bishara Bahbah, the new editor in chief of East Jerusalem's Al-Fajr newspaper. The incident has renewed a call for more protection for Jerusalem's religious sites. Police have not arrested anyone in those attacks, during which a Moslem clergyman and a Christian nun were injured. Anonymous callers have claimed responsibility on behalf of a group calling itself Terror Against Terror. 'Sometimes I can accept these things as isolated acts for extremist purposes,' said Nazmi Ju'beh, curator of the Islamic Museum near the Dome of the Rock, 'but this is happening in an organized way, and the government isn't doing anything.' Police patrols have been stepped up since the foiled attack, and officials said they are planning new electronic surveillance around the 30-acre plateau that occupies the entire southeast corner of the walled Old City of Jerusalem. Many Jerusalem residents believe that the attempted bombing is connected with increasing pressure from Jewish nationalist extremists to be allowed to pray on the compound , where the ancient Temple stood" This threat to the peace of the city and the security of the Temple Mount was further complicated by claims in the press that money for the assault on the Mount was provided by Christian sources. Not the Last Attempt After the foiled attempt the Jerusalem Temple Foundation issued the following statement: "The latest attempted assault on the Temple Mount will not be the last as long as the present injustice prevails. Police and soldiers and violence and barbed wire could be dispensed with, and peace reign if one simple basic condition were fulfilled - namely freedom of worship for all faiths on the Temple Mount as provided by Israeli law and as confirmed by the high court of Israel. The rule of Israeli law must be observed and upheld." Arrests and Convictions Yehuda Cohen, one of the members of the assault group was sentenced to one and one half years of prison for his part in the conspiracy. Cohen confessed to scouting the security arrangement of the Temple Mount as his part in blowing up the Dome of the Rock. He later expressed remorse over his actions. The judge, Ezra Hedaya, stressed the gravity of the crime. I won't exaggerate if I say that the aim of the conspiracy - to blow up the Dome of the Rock, holy to many millions of Moslems around the world is shocking, and constitutes a threat to public order and endangers the public. Who knows what would have been the consequences of the conspiracy." Claims by the Islamic Council "Jerusalem (UPI) --The Islamic Council in occupied East Jerusalem Wednesday said Israel is resuming controversial Temple Mount archeological excavations and charged the digging is destroying foundations of Moslem structures. A spokesman for the Council, who asked not to be identified, said foreign diplomatic missions were asked to intervene to stop the digging at Judaism's holies site, where the Islamic shrines of Al-Aksa and Dome of the Rock also stand. .. Sheik Saad-Eddin Alami, head of the Supreme Islamic Council, the highest religious body for east Jerusalem and the occupied West Bank, charged Tuesday that excavations continued despite Islamic objections. . . Israeli officials denied they have renewed excavation work, and said people seen at the site are merely stationed as observers. They said the actual digging, undertaken by the Ministry for Religious Affairs in a tunnel along the northern section of the Temple Mount's Western Wall, was stopped in early April following appeals by Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir and Jerusalem Mayor Teddy Kollek. The excavations have been in dispute since October 1981, when Old City Arabs clashed with authorities as diggers veered eastward toward the Dome of the Rock Mosque, the legendary site of the prophet Mohammed's ascent to heaven. The eastward dig was sealed off at the time, but continued in other directions. A leader of the Islamic Council, Adnan Husseini, told United Press International 'something is going on again down there in the tunnel.' He said he and his fellow engineers have been barred from approaching the excavation site. Husseini said he was 'very concerned over the ongoing underground activity.' He said he could hardly cope with the damage already caused to five Islamic structures straddling the dig." Sheikh Sa'ad Din Alami, the head of the Islamic Supreme Council for the Waqf and Islamic Holy places, reacted in the following manner to various journalists concerning Jewish attempts to regain the Temple Mount: "The Temple Mount belongs to Moslems. Moslems only hate the Jew as a ruler. The Jews are free to believe that the Temple Mount is sacred to them, but I think that it is holy to met. To permit them a corner for prayer is against the Koran." "There are no Jewish remains on the Mount. There never were Jewish antiquities here." "They must know that this is a mosque and they cannot pray in a mosque with a Sefer Torah." >From these responses it is clear that the Moslems officially disdain any >attempts by the Jews (or Christians) to have a presence on the Mount. A Secret Weapons Cache Members of the Knesset, the Israeli government, have from time to time accused the Arabs of stashing arms on Temple Mount. Access to the entire area of the Southeastern corner of the Mount is strictly forbidden to all but the Moslem guards. This area below which are vaulted rooms known as Solomon's stables, are reportedly an arms dump for Arab terrorist groups. There have been outcries from many Jews that the government investigate this allegation and take action. On January 8, 1986 a group of Israel Parliament (Knesset) members including those who believe that the Jews have a right to pray upon the Temple Mount gathered to investigate charges that arms were being stored beneath the Dome of the Rock and that archaeological sites were being destroyed. Because of the growing number of Jews who wish to rebuilt the Temple, it is believed that Moslems were systematically destroying any evidence of the previous Temples. When the group of Knesset members reached Solomon's stables on their official tour they were informed that no cameras were allowed below the ground. Assuming the Moslems had something to hide, the Israeli officials then demanded to be allowed to take their cameras with them. The Moslem authorities confronted the delegation and an altercation broke out. Atop a Moslem minaret, a loudspeaker announced that the Jews were attempting to commandeer the Temple Mount. A near riot occurred and the legislators decided to leave. They returned six days later with one member reading aloud from Psalm 123 and others praying aloud. This caused another disturbance of the peace. An Arab delegate in Morocco responded to this event by calling for Islamic countries to "wage a jihad (holy war) in all its forms until Jerusalem is liberated." More Flag Waving at Gate Following the visit of the Knesset member to the Mount, three young people hoisted an Israeli flag over the Mograbi Gate of the Temple Mount. The flag was flying for about three minutes before they were arrested by police officers who removed the flag. The demonstrators were arrested for civil disturbance. A local Sheik reacted to the visits of the Knesset members: "I condemn these actions in the strongest possible terms and demand that the keys be returned to the Waqf immediately, that the police be reminded that the Mosque is an Islamic holy shrine, whose gates only Moslems are entitled to open or seal off, and that the army and border police be forbidden to enter the Mosque area. Thousands of years ago, the Jews built a temple which was subsequently destroyed. During the period of the second Caliph, Omar Ben Khatab, a mosque was built on the southern part of the yard of Al-Aksa Mosque. At that time, there were neither temples for the Jews, nor churches for the Christians on the site and no building was destroyed. Historically, there is no proof that Al-Aksa or the Dome of the Rock were built on the grounds of Solomon's Temple, although the Jews claim that the Temple originally stood on this site. The Moslems have been in charge of this piece of land for 14 centuries now and the Jews have no right to advocate the destruction of our mosques because they want to rebuild Solomon's Temple. It is impossible for any Jew to be allowed to pray in the grounds of the Al-Aksa Mosque. They will have to kill all the Moslems before they can pray there unhindered." Originally the Ottoman government designated a specific place on the Mount from which police could ensure the security of the Mosque. The British and later the Jordanians and the Israelis later used the same place as a police center. Then, the Israeli police were joined by border police. Following our protests, it was decided that the border police should merely man the doors of the Mosque area and would not actually wander in the grounds themselves, but this decision has subsequently been ignored, unfortunately. The Islamic Council asked the Waqf to form a guard unit to protect the Mosque area day and night and survey all those entering. These guards have the authority to prohibit any non-Moslem from praying in the Mosque, and if necessary to use force in order to ensure that these rules are adhered to. Yet Another Riot In October 1990, when the Crisis in the Persian Gulf between the Allied Forces and Iraq was heating up an incident took place on the Temple Mount that caught the attention of the world. The Temple Mount Faithful marched on the Mount and unfurled a banner denouncing the Moslem presence. New reports erroneously said that the were Jews attempting to lay a foundation stone for the Third Temple on the Temple Mount. They marched from toward the Temple but were stopped by the Israeli authorities. In the wake of the riot 22 Palestinians were killed. The United Nations censured Israel for overreacting to the incident. The United States, wishing to keep together the fragile coalition with Arab states against Iraq, voted against Israel. There was no censure of the Palestinians who started the riot. Newsweek reported on the bloody clash that left over twenty Palestinians dead: "Last weeks clash was only the most bloody of several incidents in recent years in which young Arabs, rocks in hand, have rushed to ward off Jewish 'attack.' Their religious leaders teach that those who die defending the Noble Sanctuary go immediately to heaven. 'If we give up one centimeter, if we let them place even one toe [on the mount] it will be the end of our holy places,' said Muhammad Watani, a resident of the Old City. 'It will be easier for us to die first.' To Muslims, the deaths last week only deepened the sanctity of a place both faiths have long associated with glorious redemption and epic destruction." Newsweek also said it was: "...a cycle of misunderstanding: following rumors of a Jewish "invasion," Palestinian youth rushed Israeli police on Al Aqsa plaza. When the police killed an Arab, the Palestinians replied with rocks, scattering worshipers at the Western Wall below. Enraged Israeli's fought back with live ammunition killing 21." This is what was commonly reported. But is that what really occurred? Mortimer Zuckerman, Editor-in-Chief of U.S. News and World Report, tells a different story: "The impression given to the world is that the Palestinians assembled at the Al Aksa Mosque in order to confront a small band of Jewish Zealots, the Temple Mount Faithful, who have been intent on establishing a third Jewish temple on the Temple Mount. It is true the group planned a march---marches in previous years have been non-violent---but there was no march of the Faithful on the fateful Sunday. The Supreme Court of Israel had banned the demonstration. The Muslim Council, Wakf, a kind of mini-Vatican organization that the Israelis permit to rule the Muslim holy places on the Temple Mount, was informed of the Supreme Court ruling. All the Arab language newspapers in Jerusalem had published news stories about the Court's ban several days earlier, at the request of Israeli authorities. These efforts to keep the peace were frustrated because on the night before this holy day of Judaism, Palestinian-Arab activists recruited thousands of Arabs to come to this holy place where some 20,000 Jewish pilgrims - not the faithful zealots - would be praying on the adjacent plaza some 40 feet below the Western Wall. Present on that day, in the mosque, was Faisal Husseini, a key Palestine Liberation Organization intifada leader, who is normally not seen at the mosque on a day that is not a special day of prayer for the Muslims. But not present on that day were the Wakf security personnel who had been surreptitiously withdrawn from the area between the gates, at the Western edge of the Mount that overlooked the Western Wall and the Jewish pilgrims gathering before it. Forty feet above them, the Arab youths assembled and did what they had been gathered to do. They rioted." Summary: The Temple Mount Remains a Volatile Issue Even though the Temple Mount has been regained and is officially part of the State of Israel, it is still being profaned as far as the God of Israel is concerned. When the Mount fell into Jewish hands after the Six Day War, Israel took the Western Wall Area but left administration of the Mount to the Muslim Council of Elders. Israel also banned Jewish worship. The secular Jews did not care and many of the Orthodox Jews believe that the Third Temple would have to await the arrival of the Messiah. These issues remain stalemated to the present day. Visit Lambert's Website: http://www.best.com/~dolphin...tons of great links, apologetics and general resources for the battle. ************** "YE ARE THE TEMPLE OF GOD" by Nancy Missler (From the a series of articles appearing in Personal Update, the Newsletter of Koinonia House. This particular article appeared in November 1993) The greatest and most important commandment in the whole Bible is Matthew 22:37, "Thou shalt love (agapao) the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind." Jesus goes on to say in Luke 10:28, that if we love God this way we shall "live" and have that "abundant life" He promises. In our previous newsletter articles on "Loving God," we have shared that to love (agapao) God means to totally give ourselves over to Him. It means not only to obey Him and trust Him, but also to follow Him. God wants us to follow Him so closely that we become "one" with Him -- having one will and one life. Over the next several months [possibly reprints are available from K-House], we will explore exactly what it means to love God with all our heart, with all our mind and with all our soul. In other words, we'll learn how to become "one" with Him in each of these areas. (Note: the Greek word for "mind" in the Great Commandment is dianoya. Properly translated, dianoya means "will power" (or volition) and not mind at all. The proper Greek word for mind is nous. Nous refers to our "whole process of thinking," something totally different than will or willpower. From now on, whenever I refer to this Commandment, I will always call dianoya "will or willpower" (rather than mind) in order to avoid further confusion. I believe, then, this Commandment should read: Love God with all our heart (kardia), with all our soul (psyche), and with all our willpower (dianoya). When I began exploring the concepts Spirit, Heart, Will and Soul, I was told, "Don't bother to study and research these things because the words mean the same thing." That response bothered me because I believe God is very specific in His instructions to us. I believe every word, every sentence, and even every period in the Bible means something very precise. If God says, "Love Me with all your heart" (kardia), He means something very specific; and if He says "Love Me with all your willpower" (dianoya), He means something else very specific; and if He says, "Love Me with all your soul" I believe Paul is making an analogy, a comparison, a sirrilitude here in these two Scriptures by saying, "Our body (itself) is a temple" and that temple (our body) is now the dwelling place of the Holy Spirit (Jesus even refers to His own Body as a temple in Mark 14:58). The Temple of Solomon In the Old Testament, the Shekinah Glory (which was God's Spirit) used to dwell in the physical Temple of Solomon in Jerusalem. Now, however, Scripture tells us that God's Spirit dwells in "temples made without hands." Namely, us! I believe Paul is saying that there is a correlation between Solomon's Temple in Jerusalem, that used to be the dwelling place of God's Spirit, and our bodies that now the dwelling place of God. I believe he is saying that in some mystical way, Solomon's Temple in Jerusalem is a model (or a blueprint, or a type, or an example) of a "believer indwelt by the Holy Spirit." The reason I refer to Solomon's Temple is because it was special. Solomon's Temple was the only Temple of the three (Herod's Nehemiah's and Ezekiel's) where all the detailed plans -- not only of the construction of the Temple, but also of all the furniture of the Temple -- were given to David by the Spirit of God (see 1 Chronicles 28:12,19). No other Temple could boast of this! It was also the only Temple in which God's Spirit dwelt permanently until the Temple was actually destroyed. Lastly, the reason Solomon's Temple was so special is that it was the only Temple in which the Ark of the Covenant rested. None of the other Temples had the Ark. Thus, in order for us to understand ourselves better, we are going to compare our bodies (as the Temple of God now), to the actual layout and stucture of Solomon's Temple way back in Jerusalem. And by doing so, we are going to gain a better understanding of exactly what our spirit is, what our heart is, what our willpower is, what our soul is, and what our body is. The Temple as a model of man is not a new idea; Charles Scofield (of Scofield Bible fame) wrote a book way back in 1915 called New Life in Christ, in which the same ideas are expressed. The "Blueprint" of Man (the Misslers put a real neat chart together for this, sorry it can't be included here) I believe the Holy of Holies is analogus to a believer's new spirit (pneuma); the Holy Place represents his new heart (kardia); the Porch (including the Pillars), is analogus to his new supernatural willpower or volition (dianoya). The secret, hidden, wooden chambers around the main santuary, I believe, represent a believer's subconscious -- the unconscious part of his soul (heder); the Inner Court, representing the conscious part of his soul (psyche); and the Outer Court, representing his body (soma). In the next few Newsletters, we will go over each of these terms: spirit, heart, willpower, soul and body. First, we will get the "overall picture" as to what each of these areas are. Then, we will explore in detail what it means to love God with each. Our New Spirit (pneuma) In a born-again believer (one who has asked Jesus to take con trol of his life), the Spirit that now dwells at the core of our being is not our "old" human spirit, it's a totally new spirit given to us at our new birth. That's exactly what being "born again" actually means.John 3:3 says "... unless a man be born again, he cannot see (know intimately) the Mngdom of God." "That which is born of the flesh, is flesh; that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit." (John 3:6) Being "born-again" means receiving a totally new life source or power source. It is now God Himself (the Father, Son and Holy Spirit) dwelling in us. God has united our spirit with His and we have become one spirit with Him. 1 Corinthians 6:17 says, "...he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit (with Him)." God's Spirit is now the new energy source (or the new power source) that is going to create new life within us. Our New Heart (kardia) Our heart, then, is the actual place where this "new life" is created, started or brought into new existence by God's Spirit. The Hebrew Word for create is bara. Bara means to create something out of nothing, to make alive or to bring into new existence something that wasn't there before (something brand new). In Psalms 51:10 it says, "Create in me a clean heart, 0 God" (i.e. make something brandnew, something that wasn't there before). God says in Ezekiel 36:26-27, "A new heart also will I give (create in) you, and a new spirit will I put within you; and I will take away the stony heart (old heart) out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh (a new living heart)." This new heart, then, is not the old one simply changed or renewed, but it is a totally "new" heart (something that wasn't there before)! When we are born spin, we not only get a "new" spirit, but we also receive a brand new heart. In other words, God replaces our "old" human heart life (our human love and our human thoughts) with His brand-new heart life: God's supernatural Love (Agape) and His supernatural Thoughts (sophia). Romans 5:5 says, "...the Love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us." And "I will write them (my laws, my thoughts) in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to Me a people." (Hebrews 8:10) Our "new" heart is God's supernatural Life in us. It is Christ in us, our hope of glory (Colossians 1:27). Our new heart is the very "nature" of God Himself. This is why we speak of our heart as being the center core or the foundation of our whole person. Thus, this is why it is such a critical area for us to understand. In many commentaries and books about the makeup of man, the "heart" seems to be an area that is very confusing and often overlooked. And yet, there are more Scriptures about our hearts than any other part of our body. Because of the number of ScriptureE; about our hearts, I believe God has validated this as a desperately important area, and one we must not overlook. Scripture tells us that only God can "see" our hearts. Thus, He is the only one who really knows "who belongs to Him," and "who does not." Our "Old" Human Heart I see our "old heart" as the old man that Paul says in Romans 6:6 "is crucified" when we become born again. "Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be destroyed..." Once we are born again however, that "old man" is positionally dead. He no longer has any power over us. In his place is a new heart, "Christ in us." Scripture tells us that our old, human heart (the "old man") before being born again (before receiving God's Spirit) is evil and corrupt from birth. This old heart will always be self centered, proud and going it's own way. It will never, on it's own, seek God. Genesis 8:21 tells us why, "...for the imagination (purposes) of man's (old) heart is evil from birth." Even in the New Testament, wherever the evilness of the heart is mentioned, it is always "before" the Spirit of God comes to dwell within the person permanently. Mark 7:21 says, "...out of the (old, human) heart of men proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, etc." Jeremiah 17:9 goes on to tell us that not only is our old, human heart (old man) "deceitful above all things and desperately (incurably) wicked," but "no one can even understand it!" This means that without God's Spirit interceding (without being bom again), we ourselves will not be able to understand our hearts. We won't be able to understand the things we naturally think, feel and choose to do. This explains why so many people, after spending thousands upon thousands of dollars in psychiatric sessions, are not finding the answers they so desperately want. The reason is right here in Jeremiah 17:9, "No one can understand the wickedness of our (old, human) hearts." Even if we could understand the corruptness of our old hearts, this Scripture goes on to tell us the worst part of all -- no one knows how to cure it. In other words, without God's intervention in our hearts, there's no hope for any change! There is no remedy! God is telling us that our nature, before His Spirit intervenes, is basically corrupt and evil. We are not bae;ically good, as so many want to think and believe. This is why we are in such desperate need to be "born again:" not only to receive a "new" Spirit, but also a "new" heart, so new life itself can come forth through us. 2 Corinthians 5:17 validates this. "If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." We now have a brand new energy source (our spirit) and a brand-new heart (filled now with God's supernatual Love and Wisdom). An Example There is a wonderful story I love to share about the "new nature" God gives us when we are born-again. Several years ago, as I was ministering in Australia, a lady came up and told me a true story about some friends of hers. The husband had always been very jealous of his wife. Over some incident (which I can't recall exactly), he exploded and literally tried to kill his wife. He was put in jail. But he escaped, and while his wife was recouperating in the hospital, he once again tried to kill her. In a fit of rage, he repeatedly tried to rip her large wedding ring off her finger. In the process, he bent the ring completely out of shape. God's Life in our Hearts Again, he was caught. Only this time, he was put in a maximum security prison. During the years he was there, someone shared Christ with him. He accepted God into his heart, became bom-again and received God's new life within him. At that particular time, someone sent him the Agape tapes. (Can you imagine? From a Newport Beach, California housewife to a prisoner in Sidney, Australia! God's Ways certainly are not our ways!) Through the tapes, God revealed to this man that he was a "new creation" in Christ, and that he now had God's supernatural Love within him to give out. The man's life began to be transformed, and he became devoted to the Word and to showing forth Christ's life. Some months later, he was released from jail and he looked up his ex-wife. After a period of time (I'm sure she was very leary of him), he lead her to Christ. They were eventually remarried and now she wears that old, broken, bent-out-of-shape wcdding ring around her neck as a symbol of their new life in Christ. "If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature, old things are passed away; behold ALL things have become new (brand-new Love, brand-new Thoughts, and brand-new Power)." The "old" heart, then, which Scripture tells us is evil from birth, is totally replaced by a brand-new heart when we are born again by God's Spirit. The Life that is now in our hearts (if we are bom again) is totally pure, totally incorruptible and completely holy because it is now God's Life in our hearts and not our own. This again is "Christ in us, the hope of glory." (Colossians 1:27) When I first taught the Way of Agape years ago, I thought our hearts were still basically evil (even after we were born again) and that our hearts were transformed only by our making the right choices. I was wrong! It's not our hearts that need to be transformed anymore, that was done at our new birth. It's our lives, our souls, that are in such desperate need of transformation. The only life that now exists in our hearts, if we are born again, is God's incorruptible Life. We just need to learn how to let it out! 1 Peter 3:4 says, "But let it be the hidden man of the heart (God's Life in us), in that which is not corruptible..." The new heart is now the center core, the essential incorruptible nature and true essence of our being. Upon this foundation everything else is going to be built and all continuing activity will depend. ************** Prophe-Zine News Bytes I'm not a golfer, in fact I was just surfin' the Net when I caught this site...I guess it just comes under the heading of ... different! http://www.ecs.net/golf/England/Cambridgeshire/ukgchbe.html Chris (aka the new guy on the block) ++++++++++++++ Fall Prophecy Conference From: RSmith1996@aol.com 1st Annual DETROIT, MICHIGAN FALL PROPHECY CONFERENCE Friday And Saturday Evening--October 18 & 19 ALLEN PARK MUNICIPAL AUDITORIUM 16850 SouthField Road, Allen Park, Michigan Featured speakers---both nights: Terry L. Cook - 666 Mark of the Beast Technology Author and Ex-LA Deputy Sheriff reveals the latest developments on the Mark of the Beast--Lucifer's coming Identification system--and how the Internet will be used to electronically enslave the population of the earth. Gary H. Kah - The Coming Global Government Former high-level government official and best-selling author of two books "En Route to Global Occupation" and "The Demonic Roots of Globalism will discuss the plan to create a one world global government by the year 2000. Joyce Riley - Biological Warfare and the Gulf War US Air Force Reserve captain and registered nurse uncovers the plot to reduce the population and weaken United States military capabilities through laboratory created biruses and bacteria which were tested during the Persian Gulf War. Steven C. Wright - Weather Weapons of the New World Order Ex-Bible college professor, researcher and conference speaker shows evidence that the ecological disasters, (floods, drought, hailstorms, hurricanes, tornadoes etc.) We are now witnessing could be created by weather warfare technology to force us into accepting a New World Order. DOORS OPEN AT 5 PM Advanced tickets 2 nights-only $20 each $35 per couple (Children 16 & under w/parent-free!) Tickets at the door........... $25 each..$40 per couple Send check, cash, or MO and a self addressed stamped envelope to: LIGHT WARRIOR PRESS LTD P.O. Box 7017 Sterling Heights, MI 48311-7017 Visa/MC/Amex/Discover payment possible by phone. For More Information call---1-810-566-7799 Sponsored by The Light Warrior Broadcast (Sat. @ 4-5:30PM 1500am) And Christian Radio 1500 WLQV +++++++++++++++ Editor Note: Our friend Lee Underwood really does a great job of gathering news about Israel and has agreed to contribute regular news feeds. We want to let him know how much we appreciate this so we are going to treat him as a regular staff member, writer, contributor, whatever and give him his own by-line. Be sure to visit his Website and email him questions or a note of encouragement/thanks. ISREAL IN THE NEWS F.Y.I. - Week Ending: September 28, 1996/Tishri 15, 5757 By: Lee Underwood email: mbi@digital.net website: http://www.inet-images/fellowship/fyi.htm "Thus says the Lord, 'Behold, I will restore the fortunes of the tents of Jacob and have compassion on his dwelling places; and the city will be rebuilt on its ruin, and the palace shall stand on its rightful place.'" Jeremiah 30.18 VIOLENCE ERUPTS IN ISRAEL: Hundreds of Arabs on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem's Old City began attacking Jewish worshipers on Tuesday. The Arabs threw stones down at the Jews who were praying at the Western Wall below. The attack was blamed on the opening of a new entrance to a tunnel next to the Western Wall. This touched-off fighting all across the land for several days. As of Saturday, 14 Israelis, 56 Palestinians and two Egyptians have been killed. In addition, hundreds of Israelis and Palestinians were injured. There were riots, roadblocks, disturbances, and attacks against civilian Jewish vehicles throughout Judea, Samaria and Gaza. A "State of Emergency" has been declared throughout the area by Defense Minister Yitzchak Mordechai. Galei Tzahal reports Saturday that the Israel Defense Force (IDF) has positioned tanks in "sensitive" places throughout Judea, Samaria and Gaza. This includes Ram'Allah, Shechem, and Gaza. The IDF Spokesman also stated that "open fire" orders for the tanks were given, should the situation demand such action. OC Central Command, Maj.-Gen. Uzi Dayan also explained that although the situation now is one of relative quiet, this can change in an instant requiring swift decisive action. "What happened prior to Yom Kippur (1973 War) will not happen again." Dayan was referring to Israel being caught off guard prior to the war. The Holy Site of Joseph's Tomb in Shechem was badly damaged by rioting Arabs on Thursday. IDF troops managed to rescue the Torah Scrolls from the burning site, but the Holy Books and many other religious articles were destroyed in the blaze set by the rioters. The damage to the religious site is said to be extensive. Six IDF soldiers died in the defense of the Holy Site. The site is now again under Jewish control. Meanwhile, two noted Jewish philanthropists have announced that they will be donating $100,000 towards the refurbishment of the Od Yosef Chai study hall and synagogue located at the Tomb that was destroyed in the Palestinian attack. The two are dedicating the funds for rebuilding, acquisition of new furnishings, and towards the repair of the Torah scrolls and holy books that were damaged. Extensive damages estimated at hundreds of thousands of dollars, were caused in the battle. The Security Cabinet met Thursday night for six hours. Prime Minister Netanyahu stated there will be absolutely no compromise regarding the Hasmonean Tunnel or Joseph's Tomb. The Government Ministers blamed the Palestinian Authority (PA) and its military forces for gross violations of the Interim Agreements and for acting in an irresponsible fashion. Danny Nave added the government stated the actions of the PA forces jeopardize the future of the piece talks between Israel and the PA. Israel calls the PA back to the negotiating table without any preconditions. Following the lengthy government meeting, the Spokesman for PM Netanyahu, Government Secretary Danny Nave, stated the Tunnel will not be closed by the government. Minister of Internal Security Kahalani explained the tunnel was closed Friday as it will be the policy to close it on every Friday, in a move to accommodate Moslem worshipers. (SNS, IMRA, Jerusalem Post, AP, Channel 2 TV News, Arutz Sheva, ZINC, VOA) BACKGROUND OF THE TUNNEL: The Hasmonean Tunnel near the Temple Mount area was originally dug out some 2,200 years ago. It brought water from the area near the Damascus Gate to the Temple Mount. It was first rediscovered in 1870 by Charles Warren but its entrance was refilled. The Israel Ministry of Religious Affairs reopened it in 1987-88. At that time, there were reports of the Wakf offices being threatened (at the point where the Kotel [Western Wall] Tunnel links up with the Hasmonean Tunnel) but after intense engineering efforts, no further problems have been heard. The 534-yard tunnel runs along the Western Wall. It has been excavated over the last 12 years and has had only one entrance, near the Western Wall plaza. The new exit opens onto the Via Dolorosa in the Old City's Moslem Quarter. Very little work was necessary to open the exit, as the excavations have been complete for some time. The path it traces was at ground level when King Herod's rebuilt Second Temple was razed by theRomans in the first century but was covered by successive layers of construction and debris in the nearly two millennia since. The tunnel has been nearly finished for years and already was open to tourists by appointment with a guide. Contrary to Muslim claims, the tunnel does not run under the Temple Mount but rather alongside it. It also poses no danger to the foundations of the Al-Aqsa mosque and Dome of the Rock shrine on the Temple Mount, as it is no more than a re-excavation of ancient halls and tunnels dating from the Maccabean and Roman eras. According to Amnon Lorch of the East Jerusalem Development Corporation, the decision to use the Via Dolorosa end as an exit was due to Palestinian interests that more tourists would be directed from the Western Wall and the Jewish Quarter into the Moslem Quarter where many Arab-owned shops are located. Lorch said that among the first people allowed into the tunnel through the new opening were officials from the Wakf, the Moslem authority which maintains Islamic holy sites including those on the Temple Mount. The Jerusalem Post reports that, according to an official in the Israeli Prime Minister's Office, the opening of the exit was agreed to in January in a deal between Israel's then-Labor government and the Palestinian Authority. According to the agreement, Moslems would be allowed to pray at the area known as Solomon's Stables on the Temple Mount, in exchange for Israel's opening the tunnel exit. Israel has kept its side of the deal, but has only now opened the tunnel's new exit. The Wakf reneged on their agreement and worse, began construction in the area of Solomon's Stables [see F.Y.I. 9-21-96 and story below-ed.], thereby threatening ancient Jewish remnants with destruction or being covered over. (SNS, IRIS) PA POLICE IN THE MIDDLE OF ACTION: In Ramallah, PLO police did nothing to stop the violence aimed at IDF troops on Wednesday. Later on in the day, they participated in attacks against IDF troops with live automatic weapons fire. The Ministerial Committee on National Security Affairs held a special emergency meeting Thursday night which lasted six hours, Kol Yisrael reported. A communique released at the conclusion of the meeting stated, "The shooting on the part of the Palestinian Police and the incitement to violence constitutes a severe violation of the Interim Agreements, and their continuation will place the continuation of the piece process at risk." The government called for the renewal of the political piece negotiations without preconditions. At the conclusion of the meeting, PM Netanyahu spoke with PA Chairman Arafat and told him that Palestinian Police gunfire is intolerable and must be stopped immediately. (SNS, Israel Line) WARNINGS OF IMPENDING VIOLENCE: According to IDF Chief of Staff, Lt.-Gen. Amnon Lipkin Shachak, the violence in Ram'Allah was not spontaneous in nature. Shachak stated it was definitely a planned operation that did not "just happen." In fact, Galei Tzahal reports that, in an interview with the German Der Spiegal magazine, Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak warned of a renewal of the Arab Intifada and increased violence against Israeli targets, due to the policies of the Netanyahu government. According to a Channel 2 TV News report, the Hamas and Islamic Jihad organizations have called for additional bloodshed. The Islamic Jihad stated that following the recent Israeli actions, it feels justified in carrying out terrorist attacks against Israeli targets. A Hamas Spokesman warned of plans to carry out another bombing attack in Israel. Security officials are taking both threats in a most serious fashion. (SNS) ISRAELI CLARIFICATION: The Israel Foreign Ministry released a statement clarifying the following issues concerning the newly re-opened Hasmonean Tunnel: * No archeological or religious sites, nor any other buildings, were damaged or endangered in its construction. * No private property was expropriated, condemned or otherwise confiscated in order to accomplish this project. * The restoration of the tunnel does not violate the Interim Agreement between Israel and the Palestinians, as archeological restorations in Jerusalem are not covered by the document. * The tunnel runs the length of the Western Wall and allows pedestrians to enter one of the oldest subterranean paths in Jerusalem from the Western Wall plaza and exit onto the Via Dolorosa. No part of the tunnel runs underneath the Temple Mount. * The opening of the tunnel will increase the access by tourists to the Via Dolorosa from the Western Wall plaza - thereby benefiting Arab merchants in the Moslem Quarter. (Arutz Sheva) COURT RULES IN FAVOR OF TEMPLE MOUNT FAITHFUL: A Supreme Court decision Tuesday instructed representatives of the State and of the Jerusalem Municipality to report the extent of the construction works being carried out by the Waqf on the Temple Mount. The report must be submitted within a week. The judges accepted the petition of Temple Mount Faithful members, ruling that the announcement of the Municipality that "it is dealing with the matter" is not sufficient. The construction is being carried out in Urvot Shlomo (King Solomon's Stables), beneath the southern part of the Temple Mount, in violation of the law and of the Oslo accords. The Jerusalem Municipality representative expressed objections to the Temple Mount Faithful petition. (Arutz Sheva) SPEAKING OF JERUSALEM . . .: A senior member of the General Security Service reported to the Ministerial Committee on Jerusalem, that there is a movement by the PA to expand their institutional activities in the city. The PA recently declared Jerusalem and the Area "B" surrounding it to be a Palestinian development area "A". There are Palestinian plans for massive construction in East Jerusalem but financial problems are hurting the program. Another senior security official noted the following developments: * PA security authorities threaten East Jerusalem residents. * The preparation of the street - in particular the youth - for a renewal of the intifada in Jerusalem. * Conflict with Jordan over the control of the Islamic institutions and holy properties in the city. * Illegal activity by PA legislators in the city. (IMRA) ISRAELI-SYRIAN UPDATE: IDF Chief of Staff, Lt.-Gen.Amnon Lipkin Shachak reported that Israel is ready on its Northern border. The IDF Chief stated that if Syria was going to attack Israel, it would attempt to carry out a surprise attack. The IDF Chief stated, "We are very well prepared regarding our intelligence and it would be extremely difficult for Syria to carry out any surprises against us." Meanwhile, Galei Tzahal reports Syrian President el-Assad stated that Israel must comply with agreements signed by the previous Labor government under the auspices of the United States. Assad stated that PM Netanyahu is not honoring the rights of the PA and Syria and is putting an end to the piece process. In a CNN interview, Assad stated that it appears that PM Netanyahu is attempting to block the path to piece. In another story, in a translation of an article which appeared in the September 26th issue of the Amman newspaper Sot Elmaraa, an informed Palestinian sources revealed that a military agreement was signed these days between the PA and the Syrian government. The agreement calls for the two sides to act together in the case of a threat, in particular on the Lebanese front, the area of conflict which includes a number of Arab states and international elements. The sources emphasized, that it was reached under Egyptian support. Teheran was kept abreast of developments in order to avoid a Syrian-Iranian conflict in south Lebanon. It is expected that Iran will join the agreement after the completion of talks with the Palestinian leadership, which has not had relations with the Iranian government for years. The sources advised the newspaper's editors, that among the principle points of the agreement the Syrians proposed to the Palestinians via the Egyptians, that Palestinian units be reactivated on the Lebanese front, in particular those stationed in South Lebanon. The intention here is especially for camps under Fatah leadership. The sources emphasized, that the Syrian document was incredibly balanced, as it emphasized that "the State of Syria will relate to the State of Palestine on equal terms." According to the agreement, the two states will increase their influence on Lebanon. There is also the need for the intervention of forces from Arab states, who are already located there in order to thwart the aggressive plans beyond the border, with the intention being Israel, and a allusion to Iran, which controls the Hizb'Allah as it wishes in order to enflame the Israel-Lebanon front. (Channel 1 TV News/SNS, IMRA) IRANIAN MILITARY BUILDUP: Iran expects delivery of its third Russian-made Kilo-class submarine within the six months, part of an ongoing naval buildup in the key oil lanes of the Gulf, an Iranian newspaper reported Monday. Iranian Rear Adm. Mohammad Hossein Shafii, Head of navy coordination, was quoted in Jomhuri Islami Daily as saying that Iran was building its own destroyer and conducting research on land, sea and air missiles. Iran is believed to have acquired its first Kilo-class submarines in 1992, and its second in 1993. These announcements, along with other recent indicators, are seen by ERRI military analysts as evidence of a further arms build-up in the Gulf region and a possible threat to Gulf oil shipping lanes by Iranian forces. Experts say that Iranian acquisitions would appear to exceed any that they would need for self-defense. (SNS) HEVRON DISPATCH: Hundreds of Arab rioters engaged IDF troops Tuesday in the marketplace of Hevron, near the Jewish Quarter of the city. The Arabs have been rioting over the past week, demanding the reopening of the marketplace which borders the Jewish Quarter. The Hevron Jewish Community continues to insist that opening the market would invite disaster. The IDF closed the marketplace to ensure safe passage for Jewish residents in the area. Two acid bottles were thrown at soldiers near Jewish houses adjacent to Beit Hadassah in Hevron Wednesday morning. The bottles landed near a Succa. No one was hurt. It should be noted that the Norwegian "Peace-keeping Force" TIPH totally ignored this attack, but studiously covered the arrest of an Arab demonstrator near the Avraham Avinu neighborhood. In the evening Hevron Arabs threw stone blocks at Israeli soldiers near Ma'arat HaMachpela. Israeli soldiers identified the house from which the attack took place, but the perpetrators, residents of the Abu-Snenah hillsoverlooking the Jewish neighborhoods, escaped. (SNS, Hevron Press Office) ON THE NORTHERN FRONT: Four IDF soldiers were injured moderately-seriously in Tuesday's fighting in the Eastern Sector of the Security Zone of suthern Lebanon. Two Hizb'Allah terrorists were killed in the fighting. On Wednesday, a day of heavy fighting was reported between Israeli troops and Hizb'Allah terrorists in southern Lebanon. IDF warplanes attacked Hizb'Allah targets in southern Lebanon and reported good hits. The Commission reviewing the Grapes of Wrath agreement met today and has called on Israel and Hizb'Allah to reach a cease-fire and to keep to the agreement which ensures that civilians will not be used as a shield for offensive and defensive actions. IDF soldiers and Hizb'Allah exchanged machine gun, artillery and grenade fire Thursday in the southern Lebanon border zone, Lebanese security sources said. (Galei Tzahal/SNS) Note: The word "peace" is not misspelled in this document. When used in conjunction with the Middle East process, it is correctly spelled "piece"-ed. +++++++++++++++++++++ Hal Lindsey Prophecy Conference From: Lori Eldridge lorel@on-ramp.ior.com Hi All, The following are quotes from the Hal Lindsey Prophecy Conference, in Irvine Calif., (that is going on this weekend -- 9-28-96) regarding the fighting in Israel this week over the Tunnel. (Please excuse any misspelled names as I'm transcribing this from an audio tape.) Hal Lindsey: "One of the most important things going on in the world today is the outbreak of violence again in Israel. . . But what's the meaning of it. Very quickly. I believe that Benjamin Netanyahu, the prime minister of Israel, for the first time said it like it really is. And it has upset the United States greatly, it has upset the West, it has upset the Palestinians and the Muslim world. Now why is this? He called a spade a spade. What he did was show that the tunnel that provoked is something that has been under construction for years. Everyone knew about it. It was not secret. The Muslims watched them everyday do it. So there was no danger to any Muslim holy site. It was carefully constructed. They did not go over any buried archaeological sites. They did not weaken the foundation of the Mosque Al Aqsa. None of this was the cause of the problem." " What really happened, and Netanyahu pointed to it, is that the citation was fanned into flames deliberately by the Muslim leaders in order to provoke an incident so that through a rising level of tensions the media would jump on it, began to, as they usually do, slant everything in favor of the Palestinians, and then the world will demand for Israel to make concessions which will put their whole survival in question and in grave jeopardy. What Netanyahu said is that he's been willing to negotiate on what they had agreed to in the Oslo accord. But what the Palestinians want is not that. They're holding outfor the things they have mouthed abroad through the media and said it was part of the Oslo agreement when it wasn't. For instance, they have said that the agreement was to give them a Palestinian state and control of Jerusalem. As a matter of fact the Oslo agreement, not only doesn't say that, but it gives arguments against that being the goal. But what they want to take their case, create their own idea of what must be done -- the media says it so much that people begin to believe that is what it must have been so that then they can force their own version of the agreement to be concluded as the United States leads the charge to force them into agreeing to this." " Now, right now, I want to say that the United States better learn a little about the history over there. The issue with Israel is not a timetable we have set up by which they must give away territory that jeopardizes their very existence. The issue with Isreal is survival. If they give away what the Palestinians are saying they agreed to then they will have a very short-lived existence, and as the pre-eminent intelligence analysist of New England, Decoursey says, there will be a nuclear holocaust in the Middle East within 5 years." Grant Jefferey: "I spent a lot of time in the tunnels, over the last 8 years. I've been privileged to get into areas where no one, at that point, other than the archaeologists, had been. And I can tell you, as someone who has been there, that absolutely no Muslim sacred sight is endangered by this tunnel whatsoever. The truth of the matter is that this tunnel comes out at a place that would lead right into the Muslim quarter, right into the Suke, the bazaar, where the Muslim shops are and it would greatly facilitate the Palestinian economic renewal within the old city of Jerusalem. It was thought by the Israeleis that this would be a wonderful thing to help out the Palestinians who have suffered greatly over the last 10 years from various general strikes, etc. This particular tunnel runs parallel to the Western Wall where the Muslim sites, that are sacred to them, are down on the South end of the Alaxa Mosque and of course the golden dome, the Dome of the Rock, and it came not within even 500 yards of where they could even possibly have undermined any of the foundations. You'd have to be underneath the temple mount to see that it would take a nuclear bomb to undermine those foundations." "It is a false crisis created to focus the eyes of the world on Israel and to make claims that would arouse the Palestinians. They believe that they are facing now a hard bargainer in Benjamin Netanyahu and his government who said we will give you "Peace for Peace." Not "Land for Peace" but "Peace for Peace." If you want peace we'll give you peace and all that goes with it. We will facilitate the economic infrastructure of the Palestinians. We'll give you all the autonomy that is consistent with the security of those peoples. And they realize that for the first time they are faced with someone who would not continue to give up land while succumbing to terrorist explosions week after week when the only penalty of the Peres government was they said: "Well, we'll hold negotiations for another 48 hours. That'll really teach you!" They've recognized they have a new situation. But I believe that this approach, thought there is going to be some rough times ahead, is the most secure approach for Israel and is the only hope for a real temporary peace until Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace, comes and establishes Peace in the hearts of the Jews and the Arabs." God Bless, Lori ++++++++++++++++ Big Brother Update Lexis-Nexis Data Base By: Chris Jewett In case you've missed this one. We've been hearing a lot about the Lexis-Nexis Data Base which allegedly gives out SSN's, mother's maiden names, addresses and, in general, a whole lot of personal information on anyone who is queried by the legal types who use it. In short, you are probably in there. Many are outraged. Lexis-Nexis people say in ain't so. It isn't so full of individual privacy information as has been reported. Blah blah blah. But, they will remove anyone from the database who asks. Our friend John (email: straffin@best.com) contributed this website url -- http://138.12.4.44/lncc/p-trak/index.html/ -- and the caption "Go here, to remove your name from Lexis-Nexis database." Thanks for the info, John. The technology is in place, folks, only one thing remains before it can really be effective! ***** Smart Card Update Smart Card and Smart Crooks By Chris Jewett I read an article dated 27 September 1996, forwarded to us from one of our fans which stated that if you get a smart card in the hands of a smart crook, the rascal could tamper with it. Seems the scientists at Bell Communications Research have decided all any clever individual need do is employ the likes of modern technology, i.e. a microwave oven and a hand calculator, and he could load Ye Olde Smart Card full of counterfeit money or other false info. We know what kind of minds have developed the Smart Cards and it appears great minds think alike. The developers stated that while the study may have indicated that a security breach is possible -- remotely possible, was the term they admitted it would not be easy or cheap. "The attack is highly theoretical," said Charles Watt, chief scientist at SecureWare Inc., a developer of computer security systems. "It is also highly unlikely to succeed." John Beric, head of security for Mondex International Ltd., a British company that makes smart cards, said Mondex cards are immune from the type of attack envisioned by the Bell study., but welcomes all attack research. The Smart Card Forum, representatives from 225 technology and financial companies promoting Smart Card usage in North America, said it "does not believe that this theoretical attack presents a real-world risk. Even if a single card could be compromised, though (that is) unlikely, it would not compromise an entire system or allow the production of counterfeit cards." For those of you who don't know, smart cards are simply, plastic cards embedded with silicon chips that have a memory, can communicate with computers and can perform simple mathematical functions. They were first developed in France and the cards are widely used in Europe on telephone calling cards, electronic tokens for subways and buses, and on credit and debit cards. +++++++++++++++ WATCH: JERUSALEM by Grover B. Proctor, Jr. gproctor@cris.com ________________________________________________________________ What I say to you, I say to everyone: Watch! (Mark 13:37) ________________________________________________________________ PALESTINIAN OFFICES SAID TO STILL BE OPERATING ILLEGALLY IN JERUSALEM Earlier in the summer, Israel's Likud government ordered the Palestinian Authority (PA) to shut down four affiliated institutions that are operating in PA-controlled East Jerusalem which are in violation of the peace accords, and said that the progress of any future negotiations would depend on these offices being closed. In the weeks and months since then, something like a choreographed diplomatic dance has been played out while each side seemingly is trying to wait out the other. In its order, the Israelis stated that they have sufficient proof to show that these offices (the Orient House, the Office of the Palestinian Mufti on Temple Mount, the Ministry of Education, and the Bureau of Statistics) are in "constant violation of the peace accords with Israel." PLO Minister of Jerusalem Affairs Feisal Husseini countered that "Israel is starting the battle of Jerusalem" and denied that the PA was doing wrong. "We are not doing anything in violation of the accords but if there is something, we can sit and talk. The Israelis have many violations of the peace accords. They can say Jerusalem is ours, non-negotiable and not be spoken about and then they can say goodbye to the peace. There will be no peace with the Palestinians, the neighbors, and we can return to the days of war." Later in the summer, after the PA had given assurances to the Israeli govern ment that the offices in question had been closed, constant reports out of East Jerusalem showed that most if not all of them were still operational. Even Prime Minister Netanyahu, who had initially reported that the Palestinians had complied with his demand, later had to partially back down in an interview with Israeli television. "It could be that I was given incorrect information on this matter. The matter is being looked into again." Another issue of concern to the possibility of peace and stability in Jerusalem was reported this month in the newspaper "Ha'aretz," when it reported that approximately 100 apartments around Jerusalem have been rented by Jabril Rajoub's Palestinian Authority security forces. According to the newspaper's report, the apartments are being used as offices for interrogations and other activities which are prohibited by the Oslo Peace Agreements. Israeli security sources say that it has been difficult to get hard information on Rajoub's activities, given the level of fear that his organization has instilled in Jerusalem residents. CALLS FOR ESTABLISHMENT OF PALESTINIAN STATE CONTINUE, DESPITE OPPOSITION Palestinian leader Yassir Arafat continues to rouse audiences with speeches indicating his intention in the near future to create an autonomous state of Palestine, with Jerusalem as its capital. According to the published text of one of his most recent speeches, Arafat declared, "We will soon declare the lands of the Palestinian State. I say to Israel that if they do not carry out the agreement, we will have no other choice." Where will the borders be if such a Palestinian state is declared? Feisal Husseini, the senior Palestinian Authority (PA) official in Jerusalem, told Syrian television that the "just boundaries" of a future Palestinian state should be "the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea." In making the provocative statement, which if fulfilled literally would mean the destruction of the state of Israel, Husseini added that the PA would take whatever could be gained through the current negotiations, but he predicted that events in the next fifteen to twenty years would present the opportunity to realize the full boundaries of Palestine. Only days after these declarations, Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu reiterated his position that there will not be establishment of a Palestinian state, but an American poll of 1,260 Israeli homes, published in the newspaper "Ma'ariv," noted that two-thirds of them supported the formation of such a nation. NEW THEORY SAYS SOLOMON'S TEMPLE WAS NOT ON TEMPLE MOUNT A radical new theory on the location of the Solomonic Temple, sure to spark controversy once it is subjected to scrutiny by historians and archaeologists, has been proposed by Dr. Ernest L. Martin in a series of reports published by his organization, the Associates for Scriptural Knowledge. For over a thousand years, Martins admits, "there has not been any serious scholar who has not accepted with unquestioned confidence that the general area of the Dome of the Rock [on Temple Mount] is where Solomon built his Temple and where those after the Babylonian Captivity built their Temple that Herod later enlarged." Nevertheless, Martin claims to have found evidence in the writings of the 4th century B.C. Greek philosopher Hecataeus of Abdera, whose writings about Jerusalem were prized by Jewish historian Josephus, and other ancient authorities (including the Dead Sea Scrolls), that the Temple of Solomon and the post-exile second Temple of Zerubbabel were located approximately one third of a mile south of the current Dome of the Rock, on a mountain summit called the Ophel (adjacent to another mountain called the City of David), directly above the Gihon Spring. In the time of Simon the Hasmonean (2nd century B.C.), according to Martin, both the Second Temple and the Ophel summit were razed to the ground and the Temple moved north to what is now known as Temple Mount. Martin's theory identifies the "Wicked Priest" mentioned in the Dead Sea Scrolls as Simon, so called by the "Teacher of Righteousness" and his Essene community because of his actions to move the Temple. Martin finds justification for his interpretation of Hecataeus' descriptions in the writings of a 3rd century B.C. Egyptian Gentile named Aristeas, whose eye witness account of the pre-Hasmonean Temple included description of "an inexhaustible reservoir of water, as would be expected from an abundant spring gushing up naturally from within." As there is no geological evidence of there ever having been a natural spring below the current Temple Mount, historians have assumed that Aristeas was mistaken, but Martin believes that this account confirms that what Aristeas saw was a Temple built over the "gushing" waters of Gihon Spring, located south of the current Temple Mount. It should be noted, as Martin does, that no scientific or archaeological evidence has ever been uncovered to substantiate his theory, and that there has never been a major scientist, historian, or archaeologist in Western history who believed the Temple of Solomon was anywhere other than on the promontory now called Temple Mount. In past research reports, Martin has claimed to have discovered several Biblical answers that were heretofore lost or unknown, including the exact location of Golgotha, the correct order of the books of the Bible, and the explanation for the "Star in the East" at the time of the Nativity. (Editor's Note: I like the original idea better!) ++++++++++++++++++++++ And here's an interesting tidbit from one of the newsgroups I stumbled across --Chris-- SCIENTOLOGIST STREET TALK There may be an answer to the success of this one by the time you get this issue, but on Tuesday, 1 October 1996, at 10:00 A.M. the full City Council of Los Angeles considered members John Ferraro and Richard Alatorre's proposal to change the name of Berendo Street to L. Ron Hubbard Way. Berendo Street runs near the Scientology complex in Hollywood. Scientology lobbyists have been pressuring each council member to vote for the proposed name change daily. They have been approaching them at public functions, conducting major letter writing campaigns, and plan on having a large contingent of Scientologists at the council meeting. Each member will have a chance to speak for 2 minutes. Of course, there are a number of folks in the area who do not want the name of the road changed. They have been encouraged to show up for the Council meeting as well. John Ferraro, in whose district Berendo Street lies, supports the measure because no significant opposition has been received. He says the Scientology organization is "good citizen" and surrounding businesses seem to support the idea. The writer of the article I read was not real crazy about the idea of changing the street name. He stated that his reasons for this appeared in the May 6, 1991, Time Magazine cover story, "Scientology: Thriving Cult of Greed and Power." The writer also wanted to have Scientology investigated for "certain of its practices" and "into the whole issue of the appropriateness of Ö tax exempt status." Additionally, "we have a separation of church and state" and therefore it "is inappropriate and perhaps unconstitutional for governmental agencies to change the name of a street to that of the founder of any religion whether it be L. Ron Hubbard, Moses, Jesus Christ, Buddha, Mohammed; or the Reverend Moon, the Reverend Jim Jones or the Reverend David Koresh." Personally, I don't know about what most of the individuals listed above think, but I feel fairly confident in stating that two of them (Moses and Jesus) wouldn't want to have anything to do with such silliness. "Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in Heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through and steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." Mt 6:19-21 If anyone out there hear's how this one turned out let us know. ++++++++++++++++ ZYUGANOV CALLS FOR YELTSIN'S RESIGNATION based on an article from an International News Bureau By Chris Jewett The Head of the Communist Party Gennady Zyuganov, has asked ailing President Boris Yeltsin to resign for the sake of Russia, stating that the Russian Republic was mired in crisis and risked chaos or dictatorship. During his recent visit to France, Zyuganov said he would have a "good chance" of winning any new presidential election, noting Yeltsin's re-election in July was a result of misleading promises and hidden heart problems. Yeltsin beat Zyuganov by 54 to 40 percent in the July 3 run-off. Mr. Zyuganov, speaking before the French Institute for International Relations, reiterated his appeals for Yeltsin to step down. "There are forces which are pushing our country either towards chaos or towards dictatorship,'' he said after attending a session of the 39-nation Council of Europe in Strasbourg, eastern France, adding that either was unacceptable. There is great danger in Russia...there is a crisis of the non-payment of salaries, for teachers, for judges, for military officers. There is huge discontent," he said. When it comes to another election, Zyuganov "Electors understand that we didn't lie," as he accused Yeltsin of misleading voters about the state of his health and of breaking a promise that a backlog of salaries would be paid. He thinks he could win. On Wednesday, doctors claimed that it was ok for Yeltsin to have heart surgery but then delayed the planned bypass operation for at least six weeks to improve the chances of success. Others jockeying for position for Yeltsin's job include Prime Minister Viktor Chernomyrdin, security Supremo Alexander Lebed and Moscow mayor Yuri Luzhkov. Lebed made similar claims of instability, and sounded the warning that Russia was on the brink of chaos and the army could mutiny. "We are at a dangerous limit, a very dangerous limit," he told a news conference. Zyuganov on Lebed: "a good general but the army and the art of politics are not the same thing." He stated that General Lebed sided with Yeltsin after he had learned that the president was sick and would be incapacitated in office. He also claimed Lebed's peace efforts for the region of Chechnya did not go far enough, and that the region should not be granted full independence. Zyuganov also opposes NATO expansion and that the world today is unpredictable, unlike the days of the Cold War when Moscow and Washington could get together and resolve the 1962 Cuban missile crisis. The situation today is much more dangerous because in a uni-polar world, the United States can take decisions almost alone to bombard foreign capitals,'' he said. Zyuganov opposes the enlargement of NATO and said Communists might not ratify treaties limiting nuclear weapons. "If NATO is enlarged, arms accords will be threatened,'' he said. ***** Hey Everyone! Look at what the PZ Website received.... "Dear Webmaster, I write to tell you that Prophe-Zine was made Pneumatic Site of the Day for 21 September 1996. I have enjoyed your site. http://www.pneuma.org/ In Christ, Chris Erickson" Good Job, Ray. And, thanks to the guys at Pneumatic for the recognition. Click on over to http://www.best.com/~ray673/pzhome.html and take alook at that neat icon they have.. --Chris--