The Mahdi Of The Eastern Gate Of The Jerusalem Temple

Malachi 3:1 states that prophet Malachi foretold; “Then suddenly the Lord you are seeking will come to his (Golden Gate) temple; the (Messiah) messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, will come.’ Ezekiel 44:1–3: prophesied that the Eastern Gate (often called the Golden Gate) would be shut because the “Lord, the God of Israel, has entered through it.”

The gate currently remains sealed in Jerusalem, which many interpret as a fulfillment awaiting the Messiah’s return. The Ottoman Turks blocked up the Golden Gate in 1530 CE and a cemetery was planted in front of the Golden Gate thinking that a Jewish Messiah would not set foot in a cemetery. However, when Messiah returns to Earth it has been prophesied that at the moment his feet touch the ground at the Mount of Olives there will be a great earthquake, causing the Golden Gate to open. And one or two Messiahs will walk through the open Golden Gate and into the Temple area.

“On that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, which lies to the east of Yerushalayim; and (the population of) the Mount of Olives will be split in half from east to west, to make a huge valley. Half of the mountain will move toward the north, and half of it toward the south.” (Zechariah 14:4)

The Golden Gate is the only eastern gate of the Jerusalem Temple Mount, and one of only two Gates of the Old City of Jerusalem that used to offer access into the city from the East side. The gate has been sealed since 1541, the most recent of several sealing. Its interior can be accessed from the Jerusalem Temple Mount.

In Jewish tradition, the Messiahs will enter Jerusalem through the Golden Gate, coming from the Mount of Olives. Christians and Muslims generally believe that this was the gate through which Jesus entered Jerusalem. The Golden Gate is a rectangular stonework structure with two decorated facades.

Unlike other gates in the Muslim al-Aqsa enclave, the eastern façade was not built level with the wall of the enclave, but projects two meters out from the wall.The Golden Gate has two passages. On the ground floor level a vaulted hall is divided by four columns into two aisles, which lead to the Door of Mercy, Bab al-Rahma, and the Door of Repentance, Bab al-Taubah; an upper floor room has the two roof domes as its ceiling.

The 1st-century Jewish historian, Josephus, mentions an «eastern gate» in his Antiquities of the Jews, and makes note of the fact that this gate was considered within the far northeastern extremity of the inner sacred court.The Mishnah mentions a former causeway which led out of the Temple Mount eastward over the Kidron valley, extending as far as the Mount of Olives.

Rabbi Eliezer, dissenting, says that it was not a causeway, but rather marble pillars over which cedar boards had been laid, was used by the High Priest and his entourage.This gate, known as the Shushan Gate, was not used by the masses to enter the Temple Mount, but reserved only for the High Priest and those that aided him when taking out the scapegoat on Yom Kippur.

The Qur’an refers to Prophet Abraham as a community or a nation: “Abraham was a nation/community [Ummah]; dutiful to God, a monotheist [hanif], not one of the polytheists.” (16:120) If Prophet Abraham is an Ummah; then fighting between the descendants of Prophets Ishmael and Isaac is a civil war and should always be avoided. And prior to the 20th century Arabs and Jews never did make war with each other.”Lo yisa goy el goy kherev velo yilmedu od milkhama” “Nation shall not lift sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore. (Isaiah 2:4)

If all Arabs and Jews can live up to the ideal that ‘the descendants of Abraham’s sons should never make war against each other’ is the will of God; we will help fulfill the 2700 year old vision of Prophet Isaiah: “On that day there will be a highway from Egypt to Assyria. The Assyrians will go to Egypt, and the Egyptians to Assyria. The Egyptians and Assyrians will worship together. On that day Israel  will join a three-party alliance with Egypt and Assyria, a blessing upon the heart. The LORD of Hosts will bless them saying, “Blessed be Egypt My people, Assyria My handiwork, and Israel My inheritance.” (Isaiah 19:23-5)

The Qur’an refers to Prophet Abraham as a community or a nation: “Abraham was a nation/community [Ummah]; dutiful to God, a monotheist [hanif], not one of the polytheists.” (16:120) If Prophet Abraham is an Ummah then fighting between the descendants of Prophets Ishmael and Isaac is a civil war and should always be avoided. “Lo yisa goy el goy kherev velo yilmedu od milkhama” “Nation shall not lift sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore. (Isaiah 2:4)

There will be no peace until both Palestinians and Israelis declare the chant ‘From the river to the sea’ becomes an aspirational call for freedom, human rights, and peaceful coexistence, and not death, destruction, or hate. We can make it truly aspirational by making it focus on both peoples first, and the land second. “From river to sea Palestinians and Israelis should be freed from hatred and suffering by ‘a two state for two peoples sharing of the land peacefully solution.’” Both Palestinians and Israelis have a right of return.