According to this bulletin from the Temple Institute, work has just been completed on the manufacture of the Golden Crown of the High Priest. One of the first objects to be constructed by the Temple Institute was the Golden Crown, but this later version is much more accurate in its design, according to an historical account by the Jewish historian Josephus. The new crown took over a year to construct and cost around $30,000 to make. The Temple Institute is an organization that is working towards the rebuilding of the Temple, and has already made many of the objects that were once used in its service. All the implements are constructed according to methods described in the Torah. The last ceremonial artefact to be completed was the blue Ephod of the High Priest. The Temple Institute noted that work on the Golden Crown of the High Priest was completed just as the Israeli Prime Minister was in attendance at the Annapolis peace conference, offering to divide Jerusalem and hand the Temple Mount over to their enemies. 

Quote: "Jewish history, however, does not dance to Ehud Olmert's treacherous tune, and neither does the Temple Institute. The Tzitz, the Golden Crown of the High Priest, fashioned by the craftsmen of the Temple Institute, and ready to be worn by the High Priest in the Holy Temple, has just been completed:
"And make a plate of pure gold, and engrave upon it, like the engravings of a signet: Holy to HaShem... And it will go upon Aaron's forehead..."  (Exodus 28:36-37)
With gratitude to HaShem, and with thanks to all whose generous support has made this possible, in these dark days of the Annapolis "Peace" Conference, and the cynical disdain being shown by the world's leaders for all that is holy, the Temple Institute is proud to unveil the Golden Crown of the High Priest. May the completion of the Tzitz be seen a sign of the commitment of the Jewish nation and of all those who devote their lives to the G-d of Israel, to the honour of HaShem, and to His holy house, "... a house of prayer for all nations." (Isaiah 57:6)
To watch a five-minute video presentation of the Tzitz, please click here.

The above video is presented by Rabbi Chaim Richman, head of the Temple Institute in Jerusalem. I wrote an email to him once about the significance of the Red Heifer in relation to the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, but unfortunately I got no response. As we can see from today's news, the very fact that preparation is being made for the rebuilding of the Temple shows us just how close we may be to end time events. For the Scriptures state that in the first half of Daniel's 70th week, the Jewish sacrificial system will recommence (Daniel 9:27), and in order for this to happen the Temple must be rebuilt. Daniel mentions that the sacrificial system will be stopped in the middle of the week, and the book of Thessalonians states that the Antichrist will enter the Temple and proclaim himself to be God (2nd Thessalonians 2:4). Rabbi Chaim Richman states that only when the Temple is rebuilt, will there be true peace on earth, when the Shekinah glory rests upon it. Unfortunately there will be no Shekinah glory in this Temple, and the latter half of the week will commence a time of unparalleled suffering for the nation of Israel (Matthew 24:21). Only then will they recognize their Messiah Yeshua, and call upon Him for salvation.

Zechariah 12:10
And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.

Have you called upon Him for salvation? The Bible says now is the accepted time, now is the day of salvation (2nd Corinthians 6:2).

Source Temple Institute, Universal Torah

A chief Palestinian negotiator speaking on the condition of anonymity has claimed that Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert is willing to give up sovereignty over the Temple Mount if it would help bring peace to the Middle East. Olmert stated last night that sovereignty over the Temple Mount was not up for negotiation. According to the Palestinian official, the Israeli and Palestinian negotiating teams may have many sticking points but the issue of the Temple Mount is not one of them. In fact, this Palestinian official said they were surprised at Olmert's willingness to hand over the sacred site.

Quote: ""What Olmert said (regarding the Mount) is absolutely false. I think he's not yet ready to tell the Israeli public and is waiting for the right time and he fears his coalition with religious extremists will fall apart if he announces it now," said a senior Palestinian negotiator Thursady on condition his name be withheld. The chief Palestinian negotiator said in months leading up to Annapolis the Palestinian team was "surprised" by Olmert's willingness to give up the Mount. "We had intense debates on many topics, which remain open and unsettled, but the Harem Al-Sharif (Temple Mount) is not a sticking point. The Israelis didn't argue with us. We were pleasantly surprised Olmert didn't debate about giving the lower section of the Mount either, which was a sticking point in the past." 

The Palestinian official pointed out that previous Israeli Prime Ministers, such as Ariel Sharon, were elected on the promise they would not hand over territory to the Palestinians, but they later reneged on those promises. Olmert claims the Temple Mount is not up for negotiation, but he is willing to hand over sovereignty of the site to an international body comprising of representatives from Israel, Jordan, Egypt, the Palestinian Authority and the United Nations. The Chief Rabbinate was invited to the United States ahead of the Annapolis peace conference just to gauge Israeli opinion on this issue... Following on from last night's comments on the demographic threat to Israel, the Israeli Prime Minister himself stated today that the existence of Israel is dependant on a two-state solution being implemented. On the closing day of the Annapolis conference, Olmert warned that if a two-state solution is not forth-coming, and if Israel is forced to annex Judea and Samaria, Israel could find itself in a South African-style struggle for its Jewish existence, which it would surely lose. 

Quote: "WASHINGTON - "If the day comes when the two-state solution collapses, and we face a South African-style struggle for equal voting rights (also for the Palestinians in the territories), then, as soon as that happens, the State of Israel is finished," Prime Minister Ehud Olmert told Haaretz Wednesday, the day the Annapolis conference ended in an agreement to try to reach a Mideast peace settlement by the end of 2008. "The Jewish organizations, which were our power base in America, will be the first to come out against us," Olmert said, "because they will say they cannot support a state that does not support democracy and equal voting rights for all its residents." 

It's a grim situation for Israel. Especially with a man like Olmert at the helm. Praise God that Israel's existence is not dependant on demographics. If it were Israel would have been wiped out in 1948. Israel exists because God cannot lie (Titus 1:2). The Lord promised in the Old Testament that He would regather His chosen people from the four corners of earth, and bring them back to their own land in the mountains of Israel (Ezekiel 34:13). Many of you may have seen these Scriptures being fulfilled before your very eyes. I can only read about it. But I do know that Israel's existence today is a modern miracle, and Israel will not cease to exist, because the Lord has said so.

Jeremiah 31:35-37
Thus saith the LORD, which giveth the sun for a light by day, and the ordinances of the moon and of the stars for a light by night, which divideth the sea when the waves thereof roar; The LORD of hosts is his name: If those ordinances depart from before me, saith the LORD, then the seed of Israel also shall cease from being a nation before me for ever. Thus saith the LORD; If heaven above can be measured, and the foundations of the earth searched out beneath, I will also cast off all the seed of Israel for all that they have done, saith the LORD.

Despite man's ingenious inventions, we have still not managed to number the stars nor measure the expanse of the heavens. And we know more about the surface of the moon than we do about the ocean depths and the foundations of the earth. God's promise to Israel remains. He has made many more precious promises, not only for Israel, but for us too. He has promised to come again to take all those who have trusted in Him for salvation, to be with Him in Heaven (John 14:3). He has also promised that all those who come to Him for salvation, He will in no wise turn away (John 6:37). Trust in Him for salvation today.

Source YNet News, Haaretz

This link from my friend Kevvie. Israel's Chief Rabbis Yonah Metzger and Shlomo Amar and Chief Rabbi of Haifa She'ar-Yashuv Cohen have been invited to the White House to discuss Judaism's connection to the Temple Mount. It is believed that the US administration is trying to gauge what Israel's "red lines" are ahead of the upcoming international peace conference in Annapolis. The Chief Rabbinate left for the White House yesterday, as US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice was arriving in the region for a last-ditch attempt at building consensus between the two sides. According to Arutz 7, this latest invitation for talks on the Temple Mount follows a similar meeting, which took place two weeks ago in Jerusalem. At that meeting, Rabbi Cohen told Rice he was completely opposed to any Israeli withdrawal from the Temple Mount. 

Quote: "Rice said, at the conclusion of the meeting, that she understood that religious matters were at the root of the disagreements ahead of the conference. “If this matter is not solved, then nothing will be solved,” she said. Those at the meeting reported her demeanour as tense. As a follow-up, the invitations to the Chief Rabbis to the White House for three days of meetings were issued. The meetings, which will be attended by members of the Islamic Wakf and Christian leaders, will reportedly deal with a proposal similar to that floated by Vice Premier Chaim Ramon (Kadima). According to the proposal, the Jerusalem “Holy Basin” – meaning the Old City and surrounding areas – would be administered by a joint committee and not remain under Israeli sovereignty. According to Ramon’s plan, the Western Wall and Temple Mount would remain under Israeli control, but the Americans are reportedly pushing to see the Temple Mount relinquished as well.

The Temple Mount is central to Judaism, but it is not central to Islam or Christianity. For in Judaism, without the Temple Mount there is no sacrificial system, and without a sacrificial system there is no forgiveness of sins. Some Jewish people do practice the bloody sacrifice of "kaparot", in which a chicken is killed to atone for their sin on Yom Kippur - the Day of Atonement. But this sacrifice is not condoned by many Jewish leaders, and it is not found in Scripture. The Bible makes it clear, a lamb was to be brought for a sin offering, a picture of the coming Lamb of God who would bear away the sin of the world (John 1:36). The Scriptures do indicate that the status of the Temple Mount will play a major part in the establishment of a peace agreement between Israel and the nations in the last days. The book of Daniel states that half way through the seventieth week - the final seven year period before the Second Coming of Christ, the Antichrist will stop the Jewish sacrifice and oblations (Daniel 11:31). In order for the sacrificial system to recommence the Jewish Temple must be rebuilt, for this is the only place in Scripture where God commanded the Jews to offer sacrifice to God. Following this act, the Antichrist then defiles the Temple by placing his image in it and claiming to be God.

2nd Thessalonians 2:3-4
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; Who 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.

Some Christians believe the Dome of the Rock must be destroyed in order to make room for the Jewish Temple to be rebuilt. Others think that the place where the Dome of the Rock presently stands may not be the actual site of the original Temples, but that it may be located to the north side of the Mosque. The Messiah was prophesied to enter through the Eastern or Golden Gate (Ezekiel 44:1-2), and it is believed this gate would have been directly facing the original Temple. This is not the case when it comes to the Muslim Mosque. It is also thought that the Dome of the Spirits may be the place where the Holy of Holies was once located, and this lines up with the Eastern Gate. It is interesting to note that in the book of Revelation, John is told not to measure the outer court of the future Temple, for it was given to the Gentiles for a 3.5 year period.

Revelation 11:1-2
And there was given me a reed like unto a rod: and the angel stood, saying, Rise, and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein. But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months.

Why no outer court, and why the mention of the division of Jerusalem as prophesied in Zechariah 14:2? Perhaps the reason is because the area where the outer court should be constructed may be already occupied by the Islamic Dome of the Rock, the custodians of which will also occupy the eastern half of the city. As we can see, the Temple Mount is at the very centre of end time prophecy, and we can only expect that as Christ's coming for His Church draws near, this issue will continue to become more and more prominent in the news in the days ahead.

Source Arutz 7, Jewish Virtual Library

For what may be the first time in 1900 years, a group of Rabbis have ascended the Temple Mount and recited the priestly blessing. The group consisted of around 25 Jewish people, including one Rabbi who took part in the capturing of the Temple Mount during the Six Day War. The tour was conducted by Rabbi Chaim Richman, head of the Temple Institute in Jerusalem. The Temple Institute is presently manufacturing many of the implements which will be used in the event of the rebuilding of the Temple, including the priestly garments, the laver, menorah, among other things.

Quote: "Rabbi Chaim Richman, one of the organizers of the trip, said, "This was probably the first time since the destruction of the Temple [1,928 years ago] that the Priestly Blessing was delivered on our holiest site. At times like these, when there is talk of giving away our precious places, and when despair is sometimes in the air, events of this nature serve to remind us that G-d has not forgotten about us, and that He still has big plans for both us and the Holy Temple - and that the Temple will yet become the focal point of the world once again."

Just a couple of months ago, the first public gathering of the tribe of Levi in over 1900 years took place. Genetic research carried out over the last few decades has shown that all members of the tribe of Levi share a common DNA signature. Because of this fact, in the event that the Temple is rebuilt, it will be relatively simple to prove who is a true Levite through DNA analysis rather than having to rely on questionable genealogies. And in May of this year, the recently established Sanhedrin sent a letter to the governments of every nation on earth, calling on them to work towards the rebuilding of the Temple in Jerusalem and warning of terrible calamities mankind would face if this did not happen. 

Quote: "In the letter, the rabbis of the self-proclaimed Sanhedrin warn that the world is nearing a catastrophe, and write that the only way to bring peace among nations, states, and religions is by building a house for God, where Jews will worship, pray and offer up sacrifice, according to the vision of the prophets. The rabbis also call on the non-Jews to help the people of Israel fulfil their destiny and build the Temple, in order to prevent bloodshed across the globe. The letter will initially be translated into English, Spanish, Arabic, French and Farsi, and later also into Russian, Chinese and Japanese, and will include an invitation to world leaders to attend a conference dedicated to the Temple Mount in Jerusalem five months from now, during Succot.

I believe the Temple must soon be rebuilt, for according to Scripture a Jewish Temple will be defiled by the Antichrist during the tribulation period (2nd Thessalonians 2:4, Mark 13:14). The Temple is central to the Jewish religion. Without the Temple, Judaism is just an empty shell. For if there is no Temple, there can be no sacrifices for sins. This present situation, in which the Jewish people would have no Temple and no sacrificial system, was prophesied in the Scriptures...

Hosea 3
Then said the LORD unto me, Go yet, love a woman beloved of her friend, yet an adulteress, according to the love of the LORD toward the children of Israel, who look to other gods, and love flagons of wine. So I bought her to me for fifteen pieces of silver, and for an homer of barley, and an half homer of barley: And I said unto her, Thou shalt abide for me many days; thou shalt not play the harlot, and thou shalt not be for another man: so will I also be for thee. For the children of Israel shall abide many days without a king, and without a prince, and without a sacrifice, and without an image, and without an ephod, and without teraphim: Afterward shall the children of Israel return, and seek the LORD their God, and David their king; and shall fear the LORD and his goodness in the latter days.

Of course the reason why Israel has abided many days without a sacrifice is because they rejected their Messiah and His sacrifice for their sins. The book of Hebrews states, "But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God", Hebrews 10:12. That Man is Yeshua HaMashiach - Jesus Christ. The scapegoat mentioned in Leviticus 16 is a picture of the Messiah's sacrifice for sin. The High Priest was to place his hands on the heads of two goats, symbolically laying the sins of the people upon them. One of the goats was then sacrificed by the priest. The blood of the sacrificial goat was placed on a white cord and tied around the horns of the scapegoat. The scapegoat was then led out into the wilderness and left in an uninhabited place. Both animals were a foreshadowing of the Messiah's sacrifice for our sins, how an innocent life would be taken in the place of the guilty - the first goat (1st Peter 1:19), and how the Lord would bare away the sins of the world - the second goat (Psalm 103:12, John 1:29). Jewish sages recall how the blood-stained cord tied to the horns of the scapegoat would miraculously turn white, declaring to all Israel that God had accepted the sacrifice for the sins of the people.

Isaiah 1:18 
Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.

But following the sacrifice of Christ on the cross, this miraculous event no longer occurred. This anomaly is recorded in the Jewish Talmud, along with other strange phenomena that occurred forty years prior to the destruction of the Second Temple.

Quote: "Forty years before the Temple was destroyed (30 A.D.) the chosen lot was not picked with the right hand, nor did the crimson stripe turn white, nor did the westernmost light burn; and the doors of the Temple’s Holy Place swung open by themselves, until Rabbi Yochanon ben Zakkai spoke saying: 'O most Holy Place, why have you become disturbed? I know full well that your destiny will be destruction, for the prophet Zechariah ben Iddo has already spoken regarding you saying: 'Open thy doors, O Lebanon, that the fire may devour the cedars' (Zech. 11:1).' Talmud Bavli, Yoma 39b

Why did this miracle no longer take place? God was declaring to all that He had accepted the sacrifice of His Son upon the cross as the final payment for sin, and that no more sin offering was required (Hebrews 10:18). Praise God that Jesus Christ made that one sacrifice for sins forever, and that through His precious blood our sins can be washed away. John the Baptist could say of Jesus Christ, He is "the barer away of the sins of the world". But in order for you to benefit from that, you need to accept it by faith. Trust in Jesus Christ for salvation today.

Isaiah 53:11
He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.  

Source Hebrew4Christians,  YNet News, Bible History