WND: Kerry proposed deal to give Vatican control of at least one ‘holy site’ in Jerusalem

Jerusalem

A reader sent the following report from World News Daily (WND):

TEL AVIV – Secretary of State John Kerry quietly presented a U.S. plan for eastern Jerusalem that calls for an international administrative mandate to control holy sites in the area, according to informed Palestinian and Israeli diplomatic sources.

The exact composition of the international mandate is up for discussion, the sources said, but Kerry’s plan recommended a coalition that includes the Vatican, together with a group of Muslim countries such as Turkey and Saudi Arabia.

The international arrangement is being proposed as a temporary solution for about two to three years while security arrangements in Jerusalem between Israelis and Palestinians are finalized, said the sources.

Israel, the sources said, was not receptive to the particulars of Kerry’s plan, especially the concept of Turkish participation in Jerusalem. http://www.wnd.com/2013/12/u-s-plan-gives-jerusalem-holy-sites-to-vatican/#zOtUZfVTsckfdrYL.99

Essentially, this plan divides Jerusalem in a way that Israel does not care for, gets the Muslims involved, and gets the Vatican what it wants.

Israel is also now being subject to a new pressure to make a deal that it does not want. Notice the following:

December 16, 2013

An association of American professors with almost 5,000 members has voted to endorse an academic boycott of Israeli colleges and universities, the group announced Monday, making it the largest academic group in the United States to back a growing movement to isolate Israel over its treatment of Palestinians…

“The resolution is in solidarity with scholars and students deprived of their academic freedom and it aspires to enlarge that freedom for all, including Palestinians,” the American Studies Association said in a statement released Monday…attempts in the West to isolate Israel have received close attention in that country. The greatest danger to Israel may lie in calls for an economic boycott — an idea that has gained much more traction in Europe, where Israel has close trade ties — which resulted last week in a Dutch company, Vitens, announcing that it would no longer do business with Israel’s national water company. Israelis are also accustomed to sharp criticism from Europe and unstinting support from the United States, and are sensitive signs that support may be waning. http://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/17/education/scholars-group-endorses-an-academic-boycott-of-israel.html?_r=0

So more pressure from various sources.

Getting back to pressure from the Vatican, what does the Vatican want?

Well, the Vatican wants to control a building that is often called the Cenacle. And a few months ago, a deal was announced that gave the Vatican access, but not control, of it. This building was built on the remains of the Church of God on Jerusalem’s Western Hill, the hill commonly called Mt. Zion.

Below is a picture of the side of the building that I took when visiting it several weeks ago:

John Kerry claims that some type of a deal is expected to be wrapped up by April 2014 (http://www.jpost.com/Diplomacy-and-Politics/Kerry-and-Netanyahu-meet-in-a-Jerusalem-winter-wonderland-334932). If it involves the above building, then this may be problematic.

The Vatican has attempted to get it for decades. Some in Israel have other ideas (see also Church of God on Jerusalem’s Western Hill).

While attempting to take some photos and to video some of the remains of the Church of God on Jerusalem’s Western Hill, I was approached by a Jewish rabbi named Avraham Goldstein of the Diaspora Yeshiva. He asked why I was there, so I explained it. He then asked me if the Continuing Church of God would like to be involved in an archaeological project related to that general area. He mentioned doing excavations related to what some believe is David’s tomb, located below. Many consider that only a legend and not the real location–though the actual location of David’s tomb has not been verified in many centuries. However a Jewish rabbi who claimed to visit it in 1163 A.D. stated it was below this particular Mt. Zion.

Avraham Goldstein also believes that the ark of the covenant may be directly below or near it via tunnels. I have reported to the brethren of the Continuing Church of God that we are considering having some possible involvement, because of various aspects of this project (see Letter: October 25, 2013).

Avraham Goldstein basically stated that his group once controlled the building and allowed Israeli government to have it under the condition that it would not be just given to a group like the Catholics of Rome.

So, I asked him to put that in writing in an email. So he sent me one on November 3, 2013:

1. Concerning the Cenacle (The Last Supper Room). Originally it belonged to the Yeshiva, but the Yeshiva gave it over to the Israel Ministry of Religions to administer.

2. The condition upon which the Cenacle was given over to the Israel Ministry of Religions was that the status quo would be upheld ;- that it is open to all religions and is not the specific property of any one faith. The Catholic Pope would like to have it exclusively at the disposal of the Catholic faith and to hold mass there. As things stand today this is the only building that is open to Jews, Christians and Moslems. We do not want it to be assigned to just one faith which could create problems with the Palestinians – which is certainly unecessary…

With thanks for your kind consideration of all these matters and with best wishes to you and blessings from Mount Zion,

Rabbi Avraham Goldstein
Diaspora Yeshiva
Mount Zion

He also telephoned me from Jerusalem last Monday. His group, the Diaspora Yeshiva, has a plan that the Vatican does not care for. They want to keep the building open to Jews, Christians, Muslims, and Catholics, and do not want the Vatican to get it.

Yet, ultimately, I suspect that the Vatican may well get its way.

Currently I am doing some research related to the building, its location, and its possible role in end time prophecy. I have attempted to contact various scholars about it and keep updating a paper I am writing on it as I put together more information (see also Church of God on Jerusalem’s Western Hill).

Here is a close up of some of the original bricks of the building (most of the bricks shown in the previous photo were added, as are the smaller ones below):

It is believed that the original bricks (the large ones above, also called ashlars) were not only part of the first Christian church building (which was called a synagogue then), but that they also may have come from the second temple in Jerusalem.

Anyway, the Vatican has wanted this building and the USA may be trying to put it under Vatican control.

Notice something else about what some in the USA want:

Kerry said his talks over the past two days, played out against a backdrop of fierce winter snow storms, had focused on security, with retired US General John Allen joining him for the discussions with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

GUARANTEES

Palestinian sources said Allen, a former commander of US troops in Afghanistan, had drawn up plans to allow a continued Israeli military presence for the next 10 years in the Jordan Valley – along the eastern border of any new Palestinian state.

Israel says its troops have to remain there to prevent arms and militants from entering the West Bank and launching attacks. Abbas has rejected the idea, but said he would accept seeing US troops deployed along the border.

“We are working on an approach that both guarantees Israel’s security and fully respects Palestinian sovereignty,” Kerry said, without giving further details. http://www.jpost.com/Diplomacy-and-Politics/Kerry-and-Netanyahu-meet-in-a-Jerusalem-winter-wonderland-334932

What is interesting is that both the WND and other report are taking about a temporary deal. With the hope of a permanent one to follow.

The Bible itself tells about a temporary deal in Daniel 9:27–but also shows that it will not end up well for Israel.

And while we may not yet be to the point that the temporary deal that the Bible speaks of will be in place, nor to the point when the Vatican may end up with the building it calls the Cenacle, a temporary deal will come to pass as Daniel 9:27 teaches and it may well be that the Vatican will end up with the remains of the Church of God on Jerusalem’s Western Hill (the hill is usually referred to as Mt. Zion) as this may be consistent with 2 Thessalonians 2.

The Bible seems to teach that the son of perdition will sit in some type of place that Christians worshipped at:

3 Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, 4 who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God. (2 Thessalonians 2:3-4)

If this is referring to an ancient site, then perhaps it could be referring to one the “Church of God on Jerusalem’s Western Hill” (though only a relatively few original bricks remain). And it is possible that the deal that the USA is working on will at least set the stage for the Vatican to end up with sites in Jerusalem that it should not have.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

Church of God on Jerusalem’s Western Hill Could this building, often referred to as the Cenacle, which is located on a Mount Zion, possibly have been the oldest actual Christian church building? There is also a video titled Does the ‘Cenacle’ deal have prophetic ramifications?
Why is a Jewish Temple in Jerusalem Not Required? Although people like Timothy LaHaye teach a third Jewish temple is required, who is ‘the temple of God” in the New Testament? Does the Bible require a rebuilt Jewish Temple? Here is a related item in the Spanish language ¿Por qué no se requiere un templo judío en Jerusalén?
Jerusalem: Past, Present, and Future What does the Bible say about Jerusalem and its future? Is Jerusalem going to be divided and eliminated? Is Jesus returning to the area of Jerusalem? There is also a related YouTube video you can watch titled Jerusalem To be divided and eliminated.
Anglo – America in Prophecy & the Lost Tribes of Israel Are the Americans, Canadians, English, Scottish, Welsh, Australians, Anglo (non-Dutch) Southern Africans, and New Zealanders descendants of Joseph? Where are the lost ten-tribes of Israel? Who are the lost tribes of Israel? What will happen to Jerusalem and the Jews in Israel? Will God punish the U.S.A., Canada, United Kingdom, and other Anglo nations? Why might God allow them to be punished first? Here is a link to the Spanish version of this article: Anglo-América & las Tribus Perdidas de Israel. A video of possible interest may be Will Will USA Spying Help the Beast Power?
Will the Anglo-Nations be Divided and Have People Taken as Slaves? Will the lands of the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand be divided? What about Jerusalem? What does Bible prophecy teach? Are there non-biblical prophecies that support this idea? Who will divide those lands? Who will end up with the lands and the people? Here is a link to a video titled Will the USA and other Anglo-nations be Divided and Their People Made Slaves? Here is a related item in the Spanish language ¿Serán divididas las naciones anglosajonas?
Barack Obama, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States-Second Edition for Second Obama Term This is a 160 page book for people truly interested in prophecies related to Barack Obama and the United States, including learning about many that have already been fulfilled (which the book documents in detail) and those that will be fulfilled in the future. It also has a chapter about a Republican choice. This book is available to order at www.barackobamaprophecy.com. The physical book can also be purchased at Amazon from the following link: Barack Obama, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States: Is Barack Obama Fulfilling Biblical, Islamic Catholic, Kenyan, and other America-Related Prophecies? What About Republican Leaders? Second Edition for Second Obama Term.
Barack Obama, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States-Second Term-Amazon Kindle edition. This electronic version is available for only US$2.99. And you do not need an actual Kindle device to read it. Why? Amazon will allow you to download it to almost any device: Please click HERE to download one of Amazon s Free Reader Apps. After you go to for your free Kindle reader and then go to Barack Obama, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States-Second Term-Amazon Kindle edition.