Earthquake at the Temple Mount!

Israel's experience with earthquakes is minimal, but anticipation is growing that the big one prophesied for Jerusalem is about to strike. During the festival of Sukkot Jews reading the Haftarah are reminded about the foreseen quake. Prophet Zechariah's words are read every year on the first day of Sukkot, but most translate this in its traditional form without much further analysis. A big quake will split the Mount of Olives somewhere along its north-south axis and a Valley will open. However, a closer reading reveals an alternative complexity.

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The land, in two movements along the axis will shift east, west and north, south opening a chasm along the ridge of the Mount of Olives that expands into a new valley, stretching and flattening the land in between and re-aligning along the Kidron Valley floor (see squiggly white line in the image). This could mean the black line in the distance (north) that marks the walk-bridge that once was used by the High Priest to avoid impurities conveyed by the dead bodies buried between the Temple Mount and Mount of Olives, will be adjusted. The grave sites on the South Western apex of the Mount of Olives facing the City of David, will move toward it.

The chasm that will be the new valley will run somewhere along the white line, which was relevant to a previous article I wrote regarding the location of the city of Ay (Ai). For those that are familiar with the landscape, the Seven Arches Hotel (immediately below the West Arrow) marks the spot Joshua’s army once awaited his ambush party sent to decoy the residents of Ay into the desert, east toward the Dead Sea after which he attacked and burned the city.

A re-alignment of the entire landscape makes sense only if the site of the future Temple in Jerusalem also shifts south to occupy the high ridge above the Gihon Spring at the City of David, which is documented in this video link. Many possibilities exist, but a static reading and understanding of Israel’s prophetic writings and teachings should not be taken for granted. In any event realization of Zechariah’s prophecy is not associated with the disaster one would normally attribute to an earthquake of this magnitude. However, its implication for Jerusalem, Israel and the world will be significant.