Blood on the Mountain

by Richard Andrews

Blood on the Mountain is the first book to recount the full story and reveal the many secrets of The Temple Mount of Jerusalem. It is a tale of bloodshed, human greed and depravity, unparalleled in history. Today the Mount is a walled complex with at its centre the famous Dome of the Rock, which covers a small area of exposed mountain known as the As Sakhra or Foundation Stone. Traditionally the birthplace of monotheism, where Abraham prepared the sacrifice of Isaac, the stone is believed to mark the location of King Solomon's Temple which contained the Ark of the Covenant. Solomon's Temple was destroyed by the Babylonians in 586 BC, and the Second Temple, built by Herod, became the focal point for much of Jesus' ministry. The As Sakhra is also sacred to Muslims as the place where Muhammed ascended into heaven on his night-time journey from Mecca. But despite such spiritual associations, the Temple Mount remains historically the most violently disputed single location on earth; more human blood has been spilt per square metre of its surface than at any other man-made human location in known civilisation, and as the Millennium draws to a close, and militant religious attitudes harden in Israel, the threat of renewed human bloodshed, on a massive scale, persists. This is a revelatory book, containing a central line of detection which unfolds on many levels of history, archaeology and faith. The story contains some of the most famous characters of King David, King Muhammad and Lawrence of Arabia. Blood on the Mountain exposes the true historical origins, and the real motives which lie behind the activities and involvement of such organisations as the Knights Templar and the Freemasons, and reveals new evidence about the physical properties and fate of the Ark of the Covenant.

Genres: History

306 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1999

Reviews

[Tom Brennan · Rating 2 out of 5]

After pastoring for 27 years, I think I have a decent understanding of Israel's biblical history. But I've tried to add to that an understanding of Israel's history since the time of Christ. Thus it was I picked up this book. Essentially, this is a history of Jerusalem from ancient times to the modern day (circa 2000).

Andrews begins badly by questioning the accuracy of the biblical narrative. That same approach leavens the first 150 pages or so. It is wearingly frustrating. He offers alternative views for things long settled. You have to growl your way through it. Added to this is his rather superstitious embrace of Masonic elements in Solomon's Temple, elements that he continues to weave through the whole book. Theological liberalism is frustrating, to be sure. The Masonic thing on top of that almost caused me to give up the book.

He is at his best once he gets past biblical times. This is because he now has actual history to go on rather than his criticial/superstitious view of the past. He deals briefly with Rome's destruction of the city and the intervening centuries till Islam's arrival. The book is at its best when discussing the Muslim era and the Crusades, etc. He also does well bringing up the archeological interest since the early 1800s, and brings the book to a close with some generic attempt to paper over the Jewish/Palestinian divide of the modern day.

To summarize accurately, the book is a missed opportunity. His liberal snobbery, masonic superstitions, and overlooking of current divisions are deep flaws. They are not redeemed by the middle portion covering the rise of Islam and the Crusades.

There is a good book somewhere on this subject, the history of Jerusalem. This isn't it.

[Jani · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is so much information I didn't know. This book put so many pieces into the jigsaw puzzle of Jerusalem --explaining events that have happened through my lifetime that I didn't know were connected to the re-building of Jerusalem for the Jews.

[Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thoroughly researched. 3000 years of blood letting. Will it ever stop?

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a scientific matter of fact historical investigation into the temple mount in Jerusalem. It's filled with fascinating facts about the temple mount, and by extension, the city of Jerusalem, the Jewish people, and the Arc of the Covenant.