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You said -- "Me, I'm a simple guy. As a fairly obervant Jew I mourn for the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem and pray for its restoration. The purpose of its restoration, as far as I can tell, is to enable us to reinstitute the sacrifices that according to Jewish law can take place only there and nowhere else. For us Jews, the three daily prayer services are a surrogate for the sacrifices that we long to have restored speedily and within our days."

Well, it's interesting to hear from you. I've wondered about the synagogue system put into place after the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem. Of course, the Jews have been unable to fulfill their obligations under the law, as required, because so much of it is related to the Temple. Once the Temple was gone, then that changed a lot of things and also changed practices and changed "understanding" as it relates to the Temple.

Of course, I'm coming at this from the Christian standpoint, but I also take to heart the position of the Bible in regards to the Jews, their significance and importance to God's plan of salvation.

And, there are a significant number of Jews in the world who are coming to the Messiah, Yeshua (as they prefer to call him in these congregations).

I was in Baruch Hashem Messianic Synagogue, in Dallas, Texas, last Saturday. I try to stop in at several different Messianic Synagogues in my travels. Although I've been down in Dallas for a while, I hadn't stopped in there before. I think I'll be going back to check out a few more things. I wanted to stop in again to take a look at their library and check out a few books.

Their web site is -- http://www.baruchhashem.com/

I don't know if it may be interesting to you or not. I decided to stop by there because Jeffrey Seif, of Zola Levitt Ministries, had featured it in one of their broadcasts. And I think it's significant that there are a rapidly growing number of Messianic Synagogues in the world, and especially in Israel.

Here is one that Jeffrey Seif spoke at, in one of his many trips to Israel --

http://www.kkcj.org/

They call it "King of Kings Assembly" and it's located in Jerusalem. You can see their history page here -- http://www.kkcj.org/about/our-history

And it's very interesting and significant to see this very rapid growth of the Messianic Congregations from about 30 years ago. It didn't exist before that, in history. This is the first time -- well..., the first time since "Biblical days" that is. And this relates to the passage that the Apostle Paul wrote about, in Romans 11:11-15. He's talking about the Jews here, and how their "rejection" for a time and then their "reconciliation" at the end -- relates to the Gentiles

11 Again I ask: Did they stumble so as to fall beyond recovery? Not at all! Rather, because of their transgression, salvation has come to the Gentiles to make Israel envious.

12 But if their transgression means riches for the world, and their loss means riches for the Gentiles, how much greater riches will their fullness bring!

13 I am talking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch as I am the apostle to the Gentiles, I make much of my ministry

14 in the hope that I may somehow arouse my own people to envy and save some of them.

15 For if their rejection is the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead?

That last verse, verse 15 is the *kicker* here. And what does that represent -- "life from the dead" -- a clear indication and reference to those end days when the dead will be raised (soon to come, as we speak).

And this is what we're seeing now, the "reconciliation" taking place, right now, which is exemplified by the Jewish Messianic Movement all over the Jewish world and to its center in Jerusalem. So, I think it's a significant and prophetic event, along with all the preparations for the rebuilding of the Temple and what will be happening next.

You also said -- "I imagine that part of the reason that General Moshe Dayan of Israel gave the keys to the Temple Mount to the Muslim Mufti of Jerusalem after it was liberated in 1967 was to prevent religious Jews from pushing for restoration of Jewish obligations on the Temple Mount. For some of us, this act was the worst ever done by the Israeli government -- even worse than the destruction of the Jewish communities of Gaza and the surrender of most of Hevron to the Palestinian Authority."

That was a definite "blow" to a lot of people. It was absolutey incredible. I still wonder about that. Of course, coming at that from another perspective, and from one that I approach with my Christian perspective, and keeping in mind that God does intend to bring the Jews back to the land and establish His Kingdom there, with the Messiah ruling and reigning -- it could be said that the "timing" was not quite yet, and that Moshe Dayan (who pretty much acted *unilaterally* in the matter) played into the proper timing for things to come -- regardless of what his thinking was on the matter. That's the way God works in the world, using anyone, regardless of their own personal thinking or faith (or lack thereof).

So, yes..., I do expect the Messiah to come and set up the Kingdom and bring peace to the entire world -- but it will be the one that God sent once before, who was initially rejected (although that was "in the plan of God") and who is returning, of which time the Bible says that the Jews *will* recognize Him this time around.

I think I can safely say that I will be accepting the arrival of the Messiah of Israel, just like the Jews will do -- when He comes. I think I can say that your Messiah will be my Messiah. The Apostle Paul says that and I agree with him in the Word of God. As he says, he was a Jew's Jew" of the day, keeping the law faithfully (and so was Yeshua...).

Well, I hope this opens up some areas for consideration and perhaps further talking. Thanks for your comments...

Regards,
Star Traveler