The Altar, Not the Temple: Exposing the Myth Behind the Al-Aqsa Propaganda
- Ely Hernandez
- Oct 9
- 4 min read
By Ely Hernández | StudyWithEly.com
A Dangerous Misunderstanding
Recently, on a Tucker Carlson podcast, the host suggested that “Israel is looking for an excuse to destroy the Al-Aqsa Mosque in order to build the Third Temple.” Statements like these, though sensational, spread quickly and dangerously — fueling both antisemitic conspiracy theories and anti-Israel hostility.
For generations, many have speculated that one day the Al-Aqsa Mosque will be destroyed, opening the way for the so-called “Third Temple.” This claim has been repeated in sermons, documentaries, and online videos — but it’s built on a foundation of confusion and fear.
The idea that Israel “needs” to destroy Al-Aqsa to fulfill prophecy is not only theologically mistaken, it is also legally impossible under international law. The biblical focus was never on the grandeur of a building, but on the significance of the altar — the mizbeach — the true center of covenant worship.
1. What International Law Actually Says
Under the 1954 Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property, the UNESCO Convention of 1972, and UN Security Council Resolution 2347 (2017), religious and cultural monuments — especially those within the Old City of Jerusalem — are protected heritage sites.¹
Any deliberate destruction of such property constitutes a war crime and obligates the responsible party to restore or compensate for the damage.²
In other words, destroying Al-Aqsa would not create “permission” for another building — it would trigger global condemnation and legal responsibility to rebuild what was destroyed. There is no international “green light” that follows destruction; only accountability.
2. The Status Quo of the Temple Mount / Haram al-Sharif
Since 1967, the Temple Mount (Har HaBayit) — also known as Haram al-Sharif — has been governed by a delicate status quo arrangement:
The Jordanian Waqf administers the site’s religious affairs.
Israel provides overall security and access control.³
This arrangement is recognized by Israel and the international community. Any attempt to alter, demolish, or build upon the site without mutual consent would violate this agreement and provoke global outrage.
Even Scripture supports restraint: “Seek peace and pursue it” (Psalm 34:14). Holiness cannot be reclaimed through violence.
3. What Scripture Actually Emphasizes
The Torah and the Prophets consistently reveal that the altar (mizbeach) was the heart of worship. When Moses received the pattern of the Tabernacle, the altar came first (Exodus 27:1-8). When Joshua entered the Land, he built an altar on Mount Ebal (Joshua 8:30-31) before any temple existed.
The altar represented atonement, covenant, and communion — not architectural prestige. Even the prophets foresaw that the true dwelling of God would not be confined to walls of stone (Isaiah 66:1-2; Acts 7:48-49).
Therefore, Israel does not “need” a physical temple to fulfill prophetic worship. The essence lies in restoring the altar of covenant — spiritually and, when the time comes, physically — in the place appointed by God, not through political destruction.
4. Orthodox Judaism’s Understanding of the Third Temple
Within Orthodox Judaism, the Beit HaMikdash HaShlishi — the Third Temple — is not to be built by human initiative, but by the Messiah himself, through divine power.
Classical sources affirm this:
Rashi (commenting on Sukkah 41a) teaches that the future Temple will be “built and completed by the hands of Heaven.”⁴
The Midrash Tanchuma (Noach 13) says it will “descend, fully built, from Heaven.”⁵
Maimonides (Rambam, Hilchot Melachim 11:1) lists among the Messiah’s identifying signs that he will build the Temple.⁶
This means that any human attempt to hasten prophecy through demolition or political construction stands outside halachic authority and contradicts mainstream Orthodox belief. The sages taught that the Messiah will come not through strife, but through righteousness and repentance (teshuvah).
Thus, calls to destroy Al-Aqsa or to “reclaim” the site by force are not acts of faith — they are expressions of zeal without Torah.
5. Theological Confusion and the Spirit of Fear
Those who preach that Al-Aqsa “must” fall before redemption are often driven by fear narratives or misinterpretations of prophecy. They turn eschatology into a weapon instead of a witness.
Hebrews 9:11 reminds us that the true sanctuary is not of this creation. To insist on physical destruction as a divine requirement is to misunderstand both Torah and Messiah’s mission. The divine pattern is always restoration through revelation, not devastation through rebellion.
6. The Symbol of the Altar Today
In prophetic language, the mizbeach symbolizes reconciliation — the meeting place where heaven and earth touch through covenant.
In every generation, the call is not to demolish but to dedicate; not to tear down others’ sanctuaries, but to restore the heart of worship within ourselves.
When Scripture declares, “From the rising of the sun to its setting, incense shall be offered to My Name” (Malachi 1:11), it speaks of global restoration of worship — not of political violence. The Kingdom of Heaven advances through teshuvah, not through demolition.
7. Conclusion: Restoration Through Understanding
The notion that Al-Aqsa must be destroyed to make way for a Temple is neither biblical, legal, nor rabbinic. It is a distortion born of misunderstanding — and sometimes of hatred.
The altar — not the building — was always the focus of divine service.
That altar already exists in covenantal purpose, awaiting hearts prepared to serve rather than hands eager to destroy.
As believers and students of Torah, our duty is to speak truth, preserve peace, and remind both Israel and the nations that holiness is established by righteousness, not by rubble.
References
Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict (1954); UNESCO World Heritage Convention (1972); UN Security Council Resolution 2347 (2017).
International Criminal Court, Al Mahdi case (2016) — conviction for the destruction of religious and historic sites in Timbuktu.
Israel–Jordan Peace Treaty (1994), Annex II; Status Quo Arrangement of 1967 (Defense Minister Moshe Dayan).
Rashi on Talmud Sukkah 41a: “Beit HaMikdash HaAtid she’Anachnu Metzapin, banuy u’metukan hu min HaShamayim hu Atid Le’hiyot.”
Midrash Tanchuma, Noach 13.
Mishneh Torah, Hilchot Melachim u’Milchamoteihem 11:1 — Rambam.
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