I’ve heard many convincing perspectives on both sides of the current conflict in the Middle East, but the perspective seldom discussed in the West is the spiritual element.
In a pro-Palestinian-oriented outlet for the Muslim Brotherhood that promotes pro-Hamas-related content, known as the Middle East Monitor, or Memo, I found a warning of a’red cow’.
“Settlers [Jewish people] are awaiting the appearance of a ‘blemish-free’ red cow, which, according to Judaism, is central to the prediction about the “end of times..”
Now I don’t know about you, but that’s not something I’d read my kids to bed with. Cow’s and the End of the World sound intriguing, though, right?
So I pulled out the bible and got to the book of Numbers Chapter 19 (In the Torah, also known as Parshah Chukat)
‘The Lord commands the Israelites to bring a red heifer without defect or blemish…This heifer is given to Eleazar the priest, taken outside the camp, and slaughtered…This process is used for purification.”
The Romans destroyed the Temple where this sacrifice occurred in AD 70 and to this day you can still see the stones as they feel underneath the city. Fast-forward to 1987, when The Temple Institute, an organisation dedicated to preparing for the rebuilding of a Third Temple in Jerusalem, began working to breed the type of cow required should sacrifices once again resume. In 2022, they selected five potential candidates and transported them to Israel.
The Israeli-Palestinian situation is a complex issue, so in no way am I suggesting a red cow is responsible for the current bloodshed, but if recent movements of cows to Israel were taken seriously, you could see how some may find this disturbing.
Picking up the bible again in the book of Ezekiel in chapter 40, there will be a ‘future’ temple in Jerusalem when the Mashiach arrives for the Jews.
50 years past the Yom Kippur War, the presence of a red cow could have significant implications for the future. Some believe that the rebuilding of the Temple could signal the end of the current era and the arrival of the Messiah. However, these beliefs vary widely, even within the Jewish community, and it’s important to remember that they represent one perspective among many. For example, most (but not all) Christians believe the church age comes to an end just before Jesus returns.
The potential rebuilding of the Temple raises geopolitical concerns, though, as the proposed site is currently occupied by the Al-Aqsa Mosque, a place of worship considered sacred by Muslims.
Any changes to the status quo around this piece of real estate could lead to a level of conflict that may indeed feel supernatural, at least to those tragically involved in the ongoing bloodshed.
The perspective of most everyday Westerners is most likely too clouded by social justice and/or materialism to really see things for what they are in the Middle East.
I think when the world is hurting, the least we could do is try to understand why, ideally from more than one perspective. We may not have the answers, but we are accountable for how we approach this area.
If you’re investing for wealth, you’re looking at the bigger picture, and you’re trying to understand if you’re being rewarded for the risk you take.
Further reading:
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230816-israels-red-cow-will-blow-up-the-region/
