Mass March in Jerusalem, Holy Temple Laver to be Unveiled

IsraelNN.com) Despite the intermittently heavy rains, close to 10,000 people have showed up for the traditional Sukkot holiday march in Jerusalem.

They set out from two different points outside the capital - the Kastel near Mevaseret Zion, and the Sataf brook not far from Hadassah Ein Karem Hospital - as well as from the Armon HaNetziv neighborhood in southern Jerusalem.

All three spears will meet in Sacher Park near the Knesset, from where they will set out in the afternoon towards Liberty Bell Park.

The laver is thus all about looking forward. We ourselves must also cleanse ourselves of mistaken conceptions regarding the Temple.

Among the marchers are or will be some 3,000 tourists from abroad who have arrived to show solidarity with Israel. Labor unions will also take part, including from Israel Aircraft Industries, government offices, banks, Israel Electric Company, the Postal Authority, and more.

A relatively new arrangement is being instituted in Jerusalem, whereby motorists can park their cars for the day and receive bus tickets for travel around the city for only 15 shekels. The parking lots are located at or near the Supreme Court and downtown Safra Square. Free parking and bus rides begin at the Teddy Stadium and Ammunition Hill parking lots.

Thousands more people are expected to descend on the capital for the various holiday activities, including the Hak'hel reenactment in the Old City at 4:30 PM. The event is sponsored by the Temple Institute and the Jewish Quarter Reconstruction and Development Company.

It will feature public Torah readings by leading rabbis, the sounding of Holy Temple-type silver trumpets, a short film describing the Sukkkot water pouring festival, and the unveiling of the just-completed Kiyor HaNechoshet (brass laver), which the Temple Institute hopes will be used in the Holy Temple when it is rebuilt.

Hundreds Visit Temple Mount An unprecedented 400 people were allowed onto the Temple Mount this morning, though only in separate groups, and the police allowed them - for the first time in memory - to read Biblical verses aloud. Another group is scheduled to visit Judaism's holiest site for 12:30 PM. All the visitors followed the precautions prescribed by those rabbis who allow ascent to the Temple Mount, including immersing in a mikveh (ritual bath), prior to and during their visit.

Two of the most important subjects in regard to Bible prophecy have to do with the reestablishment of Israel as a nation and the rebuilding of the Temple in Jerusalem. It is interesting that the Israeli government, as well as the orthodox Jews, believe that there are two things that are necessary in order to bring about the complete restoration of Israel, one being that the nations of the world recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital city, and the other, the rebuilding of the Temple.

According to God’s Word, as well as secular history, we know that the First Temple, built by King Solomon, was destroyed by the Babylonians in 586 B.C., and the Second Temple was destroyed by the Romans in 70 A.D. But the Bible speaks of two other Temples that will be built in Jerusalem, one before the Tribulation Period, and the other during the millennial reign of Jesus Christ.

The millennial Temple is spoken of in Ezekiel, chapters 40 through 48, Zechariah 6:12-15, Isaiah 2 and Micah 4. In this teaching I will deal primarily with the soon coming Tribulation Temple.

35,000 take part in Jerusalem March.
More than 35,000 people took part in the annual Jerusalem March on Wednesday, thronging the streets of the capital in celebration of Succot.

Christians from all over the world that have responded to the biblical invitation to join the Jewish people during this festival of joy,” said David Parsons, media director for the International Christian Embassy in Jerusalem, which holds week-long Feast of Tabernacles events during Succot.

Citing different verses of scripture shared by Jews and Christians alike, organizers pointed out that Succot is the time when the nations of the world are supposed to come to Jerusalem and celebrate with the Jewish people.

In that vein, biblical prophecy came alive on Wednesday, as the flags of countries from Norway to Kenya were seen blowing in the wind above the marchers.

While the prophecy is supposed to be fulfilled in the Messianic era when the various nations will bring sacrifices to a rebuilt Temple, many of the participants said they felt blessed to be in Jerusalem in any case, and to have the ability to take part in such a powerful showing of camaraderie.

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This is also a solidarity march to show that we stand with Israel, through thick and thin, against the Iranian Nuclear Threat,” Parsons said.

The marchers voiced similar sentiments.

“We’re here to encourage the people of Israel and to let them know that God has written his name on this land, and that politics cannot legislate God’s word,” said Knoxville, Tennessee resident Donna Strand, who had come to Israel with her group, Banot Tzion, to show their support.

“We’re the best friends of Israel,” said another woman, who was part of a contingent from Norway. “Christian Zionists are the best friends of Israel, and we’re here today to show that we’re proud of that.”

A group of Chinese marchers, clamoring to talk to the press, told The Jerusalem Post that they were in fact Jews, and had come from various lost tribes that reside all over China.

“We are from the tribes of Judah, Binyamin, and Rueven,” they said, through a translator. “And we have received a revelation from God to come to Israel. This is the land that God gave to Israel,” they said, “And we pray for it every day.”

Others said they had been coming to Israel for years, and that through their prayers, they knew it was the holiest place on earth.

“At a previous march, God told me that the shekel would become the most valuable currency in the world,” another Norwegian woman said. “So I asked for a sign, because I wanted to open a bank account here, but I don’t speak Hebrew, and I don’t understand how the bank system works. A few minutes later, someone came up to me and put a Bank Leumi hat on my head, so I opened an account with Bank Leumi.”

As they made their way from the park, a large crowd of Israelis lined the street to greet the marchers, cheering and waving as the various nationalities made their way past.

“Hello Germany!” One woman yelled with her kids. “Welcome to Israel, Canada!”

Ariel Leshem, an attorney whose family has lived in Jerusalem for seven generations, echoed many of the marchers’ feelings.

“It’s a fulfillment of the prophecy of Zachariah, chapter 14,” he said. “It’s amazing - you come to Israel and you can see the Bible unfolding before your very eyes. It’s also the fulfillment of another prophecy,” he continued. “Yehezkel, chapter 37 - ‘Dry bones will come alive,’ 70 years ago, we were at the gas chambers, 60 years ago we came alive, with the creation of the state, and now, we’re waiting for the rest of the prophecy to be fulfilled, and we have to be patient. But the sooner we fulfill it, the sooner the rest of the world can enjoy.”

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