We just returned from Israel, and I must say that it was a great experience. Visiting the Temple Mount was particularly interesting. The Temple Mount is considered one of the most Holy sites by Jewish, Christian, and Muslim peoples. It is presently completely controlled by Muslims. In the 1st century it was the location of the Jewish Temple. We know from the New Testament that Jesus taught on the Temple Mount.
There are a few things visitors are prohibited from carrying up to the Temple Mount. No weapons, no alcohol, and no Bibles. You can tell that they are serious about security. There are guards with automatic weapons; there are metal detectors; and the guards search all bags. In the midst of our tour, when we had been there about an hour, a guard interrupted us to tell us it was time for us to leave.
I found it interesting that Bibles are not allowed on the Temple Mount. It made me consider those Christians who live in persecution. A close friend of mine told me that they were told not to pray on the Temple Mount and they were shadowed by two guards with automatic weapons. He said a man in their group prayed in Italian while they stood with their eyes open. It was an act of defiance.
In many ways Christianity is an act of defiance. It is an act of defiance against the forces and wisdom of this world. In Deuteronomy Moses passed on God's law to the people with these words: "These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates."
Here in America we are free to have God?s word with us, yet the problem is that we often don?t read it. We are not under the intense persecution that Christians live with in other countries, yet we largely ignore God's word. I was asked to leave the Bible behind for one hour, but what if I was asked to turn in all of my Bibles? What if I could only read the Bible in secret? Would I? Would I live a defiant life in spite of persecution?
There is a reason the Muslims do not want the Bible on the Temple Mount. It is because the word of God contains power. Yet we sit by idly with the Bible close to us and don?t read the Bible. How much more sinister is that? We have access but we allow the cares of this world to crowd out God?s word. The cares of this world also stand opposing God's word; you decide which are more effective in stopping God's word from being known.
Rev. Patrick Evans
