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As reported in The Jewish Press on March 14, 2013, there is a new call for something previously unthinkable. Sinem Tezyapar, a Muslim TV producer in Turkey, has called for the rebuilding of the “Prophet Solomon’s” Temple.

She assures her fellow Muslims that they need not be nervous because:

“There is a broad expanse of land around the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock. The land there is quite convenient in that respect, and the Temple can be placed just a little way from Qubbat As-Sakhrah, and a little ahead of Masjid el-Aqsa.”

There are overtones of wanting peace and togetherness with the Jewish people in her statements as well. This is a very interesting development and would be easy to dismiss as just one secular Muslim’s simplistic idea. Unfortunately, the fact that she is a woman in the Muslim world makes the idea even less feasible. However, this is not the first time this idea has come from the lips of a Muslim. According to an article in Word Net Daily, an influential Muslim leader by the name of Adnan Oktar in Turkey is described as making the same proposal, to rebuild the Jewish Temple, calling it the “Palace of Solomon.”

The Jewish people have longed for their Temple to be rebuilt. In an article about the rebuilding of the Temple, Hassidic writer and publisher Mordechai Housman, describes the first and primary obstacle as being political, and second being safety reasons due to Muslims. If a significant Muslim leader would declare that Solomon’s Temple should be rebuilt, then if the Muslim community would follow, it is likely the Jewish people would jump at the opportunity and be able to overcome whatever ceremonial obstacles also lie in the path.

This is very significant prophetically, because the Jewish Temple must be standing at the mid-point of the time period commonly known as the Tribulation. The Apostles John and Paul, the Prophet Daniel, and Jesus Himself make references to this Temple standing.

Daniel 9:27a says:

“And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease.” (KJV)

The “he” spoken of here is the coming world leader, known as the Antichrist. The “one week” is the seven years of the Tribulation period.

In Matthew 24:15–16, Jesus references this very passage:

“When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains:” (KJV)

This “Abomination of Desolation” is set up in the Most Holy Place, which is well known to be the Holy of Holies in the Jewish Temple. Thus this Temple must be standing in order for the “Abomination of Desolation” to happen.

Paul writes in 2 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.” (KJV)

Here also is a reference to the Antichrist (the man of sin) declaring himself God inside the Temple of God. This also is the Jewish Temple.

In Revelation 11:1–2, John tells us:

“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.” (KJV)

Forty-two months is also equivalent to half of seven years. In other words, the Temple which John refers to is standing, not only in the middle of the Tribulation, but it has been standing for the entire first part of the Tribulation.

There are several big milestones that students of prophecy are waiting for. One of those is the construction of the Third Jewish Temple for it does indeed seem to be a prerequisite to the beginning of the Tribulation period. If not a prerequisite, then it does definitely need to be standing by the midpoint of the Tribulation. With hints that the Muslim world might be agreeable to its construction, it would seem this particular milestone might be nearer than many think.

About six months ago the Russian Duma voted to cease all US adoptions of Russian orphaned children. This was a devastating move to the many families that had already invested considerable time, money and emotion to “rescue” these unwanted and at- risk children. Many of these children were “on the edge” of passing the age (some already had) at which the Russian culture and government had determined that they were no longer wanted and, thus, would become “warehoused” in mental institutions. Truly a tragedy.

This action by the Russian parliament was said to be for political purposes. The US had promised NATO (North American Treaty Organization) that they would build a “next generation” missile defense system for them in Europe. Of course, since Russia, as an antagonist, was the causal factor for the establishment of NATO, this was deemed a threat to the Russian homeland. The cessation of adoptions then became a political strike at not only communicating their dissatisfaction with this NATO agreement, but also a “hostage” act involving at-risk children. The world is sometimes cruel.

This week it has been reported that the US is “scaling back” its European missile shield plans. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel, on March 15, announced that we would cancel and “restructure” the fourth phase of the Standard Missile-3 Block IIB program. This phase included a highly advanced interceptor missile expected to shield against intercontinental ballistic missiles. It appears that Secretary Hagel was, in essence, reporting the shutdown on this most essential aspect of the project.

It appears that the current US administration is acquiescing to Russian demands and seeking to remove this roadblock to a more “normalized” relationship. While this move may seem to be important for this relationship, it is clear that there are many other issues that remain. By revealing ourselves as a “weaker” negotiator, this will only encourage the Russians to require more. Future negotiations will be more difficult and the threat of Russian hegemony will not have been affected.

US officials have insisted that the cancellation of the final phase had nothing to do with politics but was mainly influenced by economic and technological issues. From the beginning it was realized that the project was expensive and complicated. Certainly in this “new world” of economic contraction these type of projects have a more weighty effect and are harder to justify. Regardless of the true nature of Washington’s actions, this gives the appearance of US appeasement of Russia’s concerns. And, as we know, in Russia appearance of strength is vital for control.

With a long history of fragile relations, this decision does nothing for any long-term healing of the relationship between these two antagonists. Russia will not see the concession as enough and will certainly seek even more concessions, all the while holding out the “carrot” of friendship. It is the Russian way. Added to the complexity of the situation, the US will have to explain to the European allies and the rest of NATO, who saw this project as a large piece of their security plan, why the cancellation was necessary. This will be no easy task. The US will no doubt point to the troop buildup in Eastern Europe, part of the first three phases, as evidence of its commitment to a secure Europe.

Whether this recent decision on the missile defense plan will open up the Russian international adoption system or not remains to be seen. There are many US families that are waiting for their children and many children remain at risk. Please pray for all concerned.

The widening net of national bankruptcy worldwide is becoming ever more apparent. The economic imbalances in Europe have been well known for some time. Italy, Greece, Spain and Portugal have been vexed between a debt crisis—and its threat of insolvency—on one side, and their citizens’ unwillingness to put up with a reduction of services or pay.

The left-leaning government-supported cultures have been on the precipice with no long-term solutions, just waiting for the collapse. America, in all its glory and with the stock markets at their highest points, has its back also to the debt cliff. The US vainly hopes that when they turn around all this debt crisis will disappear, and be only a fleeting nightmare.

Every country in the world is watching the most economically unstable countries, trying to learn from others’ mistakes and find more creative solutions. The many austerity measures, instituted to try to find some liquidity to pay the bills, have ended in abject failure. The people have been unwilling to do their part in digging out of the hole.

Recently Cyprus, the newest addition to the instability, devised a plan to raid the savings accounts of its people to stave off bank failures. Their plan was to take 10% of everything in the banks. This immediately was met with outrage and runs on the banks. The public relations fight was on. The banks all closed due to account holders demanding all their money before the 10% could be taken. Cyprus has now backed away from this plan. It is not clear, though, when the banks will open again, or if they will. The economic condition of the nation has not changed. Yet another EU country is near insolvency.

Ironically, in the midst of this scenario, another country has been publicly entertaining the idea of using private bank accounts to solve its coming economic problems.

The New Zealand government is pushing a Cyprus-style plan to avoid bank failures. It has been reported by the Green Party that this plan would involve small depositors losing some of their funds to big bank bailouts.

The Open Bank Resolution (OBR) is the current favored option of Finance Minister Bill English. Under OBR, if banks are threatened with failure, all depositors’ holdings will be reduced overnight to fund the bailout.

“Bill English is proposing a Cyprus-style solution for managing bank failure here in New Zealand – a solution that will see small depositors lose some of their savings to fund big bank bailouts,” said Green Party Co-leader Dr. Russel Norman.

“The Reserve Bank is in the final stages of implementing a system of managing bank failure called Open Bank Resolution. The scheme will put all bank depositors on the hook for bailing out their bank.

“Depositors will overnight have their savings shaved by the amount needed to keep the bank afloat.

“While the details are still to be finalized, nearly all depositors will see their savings reduced by the same proportions.

“Bill English is wrong to assume everyday people are able to judge the soundness of their bank. Not even sophisticated investors like Merrill Lynch saw the global financial crisis coming.

“If he insists on pushing through this unfair scheme, small depositors can be protected ahead of time with a notified savings threshold below which their savings will be safe from any interference.”

In light of the Cyprus experience, and the fact that no other country is (publicly) promoting this strategy, Dr. Norman is questioning the government’s insistence on the OBR strategy.

This is only the beginning. The nations of the world are getting desperate. With no end to this crisis in sight they will have to resort to the simple math. Find volumes of resources and raid them. No one is willing to make the hard choices. For some, they will be forced to take the only choice left. We have waited, talked, deflected, denied and fantasized too long.