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Our Israel Connection
The Threshing Floor
Probably the most hotly contested spot on earth is the ancient Temple Mount of Jerusalem. While today two Moslem mosques rest there, it is the site of Solomon''s and Herod''s Temples where the presence of God Himself dwelled in the Holy of Holies.
The fact that Moslem mosques are there at all, one of them being a former Byzantine church, is because of the connection of this site with the presence of the God of the Bible. The Palestinians are in total control of this area today, yet there are many religious Jews who see this site as central to Jewish worship, and hope and pray that one day it will again be in Jewish hands. Because the ancient Temple area is so holy to them, a small remnant of the external retaining wall of Herod''s Temple platform, known today as the Western Wall, is considered a sacred area.
Is there any significance to this location being chosen for God''s temple? Of course, God always has a purpose for what He does.
King David, Jerusalem, And The Temple Mount
It was God''s plan that King David would unite the tribes of Israel. In order to do this, God chose the city of Jerusalem, which was on the border of the tribes of Benjamin and Judah. It was centrally located and provided an administrative center from which to run the kingdom. In II Samuel 5, we see that David left his capital in Hebron and was led by the Lord to conquer Jerusalem from the Jebusites.
"Then King David and his men marched to Jerusalem to attack the Jebusites, who lived there.... David then took up residence in the fortress and called it the City of David. He built up the area around it, from the supporting terraces inward. And he became more and more powerful, because the Lord God Almighty was with him" (II Sam. 5:6a, 9-10).
More important than being just an administrative center, God desired Jerusalem to be a spiritual center where His presence would dwell in a Temple built for Him. Because David was a man of war with blood on his hands, God gave the task of building the Temple to David''s son, Solomon, even giving him specifications for the design. However, even though Solomon built the Temple, David prepared the place.
In II Chronicles 3:1, we read, "Then Solomon began to build the Temple of the Lord in Jerusalem on Mount Moriah, where the Lord had appeared to his father David. It was on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite, the place provided by David."
We read in II Samuel 24 and I Chronicles 21 that David bought this threshing floor. David had sinned before the Lord, and the prophet Gad brought a word from the Lord that David should build an altar to the Lord, on the threshing floor of Araunah. There, he was to offer burnt offerings and peace offerings to stop a plague that had afflicted the people of Israel because of David''s sin.
Araunah gladly offered the location, his oxen for the offering, and his threshing sled and implements as wood for the fire.
In II Samuel 24:24 we read, "But the king replied to Araunah, ''No, I insist on paying you for it. I will not sacrifice to the Lord my God burnt offerings that cost me nothing.''"
The Significance Of The Threshing Floor
This location, which became the site of God''s Temple, was and is significant.
First, it was chosen by God.
Second, it was a prominent high place in Jerusalem that over - looked the City of David, making it easy to be seen by all.
Thirdly, it was a threshing floor which is rich in meaning. Let''s look at this.
A threshing floor was generally on a high place surrounded by a low stone wall, often where bedrock was exposed on a high hill. Here, it was easy to catch the wind necessary to blow the chaff away from the kernels of wheat that were tossed high in the air during the winnowing process. The bedrock could be easily swept to provide a clean place to catch the falling kernels for collection and storage.
Because food was not available to the ancients, as we have today in our 24-hour-a-day supermarkets with unending supplies of local and imported foods, every kernel of wheat was important. People never knew when there might be a famine, so they always thanked their gods for the provision of food, in hopes that they would provide for another year.
Therefore, in the ancient world, the threshing floor became a logical site for pagans to build small niches in which to place stone and wood idols of Baal or Astarte, the goddess of fertility. These little idols got the credit for God''s provision of food.
The Threshing Floor And High Places
In the Bible, we often read about the high places being places of worship to pagan gods. God wanted these destroyed in Israel as they were an abomination. Many of these high places were threshing floors where pagans worshipped their gods. But, it was not only the pagans. Sadly, like us, even the Israelites were not immune to worshipping an idol, just for insurance, and thereby angering God.
Archaeologists have excavated Israelite houses in the hills of Samaria and found idols such as those hidden under the floor stones of the house. The Israelites, seeing the prosperity of the world in the lives of pagans living around them, were tempted to live according to the ways of the world.
Therefore, when God placed His house, His Temple, on the threshing floor of Araunah, He was making a very loud statement to the ancients.
He is Yahweh Yireh, often mispronounced as Jehovah Jireh, God who is the provider.
He is the giver of the Bread of Life, and the sustainer of life.
There are no other gods before the Lord God of Israel. It is He who is the King of kings and Lord of lords, and who alone is to be worshiped on the high place of Jerusalem.
Thus, there was something very significant about David buying the threshing floor of Araunah. It became a focal point for Israel and the world, as it was the place of worship to the Lord God of Israel. Here, pagan gods were supplanted by the Most High God. David had to buy it since God''s temple could not rest on pagan-owned land.
The Temple Mount Chosen By God
Yes, this site was chosen by God, and bought with silver and gold by King David 3,000 years ago, when Jerusalem was established as the eternal capital of Israel.
It was at this site that God''s presence dwelled in Jerusalem for over a thousand years. And it is to this place that the Lord will return to establish His kingdom in Israel. From here, He will rule and reign in the earth, from Jerusalem.
Today, we find on this same Temple Mount a Moslem mosque with the area completely controlled by Moslem authorities. Jews and Christians are not allowed to pray at this site and are removed by Moslem authorities, if they attempt to pray there.
Nevertheless, no matter what the Moslems say, no matter what the United Nations, the Palestinian Authority or anybody else says, the Jewish people still own this Temple Mount. David bought it, it has been recorded for all time, and the deed is still valid.
In the fulfillment of Bible prophecy, the Jewish people have come back into this land by the millions. Does it seem likely that they should continue to be relegated to worshiping God only at a small section of an outer retaining wall of the Temple Mount - known as the Western Wall?
Many Christians believe that day is coming when the God of the Bible will be honored on top of the Mount again. From here, the Lord will be worshipped in a Third Temple that is yet to be built on the site, and Messiah will rule and reign from Jerusalem. When and how this will occur, only God knows.
Meanwhile this place, that once was a lowly threshing floor, remains a place of utmost importance even to this prophetic day, as all of history is becoming increasingly focused on Israel and Jerusalem.
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