Thank you! A fun and fascinating read.
I do always wonder if this almost obsession with facing east in all the Abrahamic religions came out of Egypt or Sumeria - both of whom reverenced the rising sun. Or is it something deeper?
Know I love watching the sun rise while I pray. Just, well, He feels closer, you know? New day, time to give thanks and then screw up in new ways. Apologize for that in the evening prayers. :)
Apoc 22:16 I Jesus have sent my angel, to testify to you these things in the churches. I am the root and stock of David, the bright and morning star.
Ezek 8:16 And he brought me into the inner court of the house of the Lord: and behold at the door of the temple of the Lord, between the porch and the altar, were about five and twenty men having their backs towards the temple of the Lord, and their faces to the east: and they adored towards the rising of the sun.
Ezek 43:1-5 [1] And he brought me to the gate that looked towards the east. [2] And behold the glory of the God of Israel came in by the way of the east: and his voice was like the noise of many waters, and the earth shone with his majesty. [3] And I saw the vision according to the appearance which I had seen when he came to destroy the city: and the appearance was according to the vision which I had seen by the river Chobar: and I fell upon my face. [4] And the majesty of the Lord went into the temple by the way of the gate that looked to the east. [5] And the spirit lifted me up and brought me into the inner court: and behold the house was filled with the glory of the Lord.
And so on and so forth.
Only chrstians face east as a matter of principal. Moslems face Mecca and Jews face Jerusalem. Both just happen to be east of here.