Why is the Mosque or Dome on the Rock powerful for Christianity?
Image via Wikipedia On the ancient temple mount in Jerusalem there stands a mosque. Observant Jews see a profaning of their most holy place and plead with YHWH to remove their disgrace. Observant Muslims see Allah ’s favor, a sign that the true religion sits in ascendency. The world sees a centuries-old religious/political drama being played out on the edge of a knife, with diplomats delicately working like a bomb squad to avoid an explosion. But most miss the real significance of the mosque on the mount. When the temple stood there it was the very heart of Judaism. It was the place where the presence of God dwelt among his people and sacrifices were offered to atone for sin. But the Presence remained inside the temple, in the holy of holies, cut off from sinful humans. And no one was allowed to enter there except the high priest, “and he but once a year, and not without taking blood, which he offer[ed] for himself and for the unintentional sins of the people” ( Hebrews