ARCHAELOGICAL PROOF OF BETHLEHEM

A few things I thought were interesting.....  Melech (Mulek?) means king in hebrew; which is similar in form to "melchizedek" or 'mulek zedek' which means 'king of righteousness' with 'zedekiah' meaning 'righteous one'.   I would love to speak and read/write hebrew fluently one day.  I am off to a slow start at this point....

Here is the article:

Ancient Bethlehem seal found; first reference to city outside Bible

A clay bulla, or seal, inscribed with the name Bethlehem, the only known ancient reference to the city found outside the Bible. (Israel Antiquities Authority / May 23, 2012)

By Thomas H. Maugh II

May 23, 2012, 12:04 p.m.

Israeli archaeologists digging near the city of Jerusalem have discovered an ancient clay bulla, about 2,700 years old, bearing the name Bethlehem. The artifact is the only known ancient reference to the city of Jesus' birth found outside the Bible, experts said. The find shows not only that the city existed, but that it probably also had a thriving commercial trade.
A bulla is a piece of clay used to make an impression in wax, sealing a document. The wax was intended to show the integrity of the document once it reached its final destination. The bulla is generally impressed with the name of the person who sent the document.
The bulla has three lines of text. The first says "in the seventh;" the second says Bethlehem; and the third has the letter "ch," which was probably the last letter of melech, the word for king. "It seems that in the seventh year of the reign of a king (it is unclear if the king referred to here is Hezekiah, Manasseh or Josiah), a shipment was dispatched from Bethlehem to the king in Jerusalem," said archaeologist Eli Shukron, director of the excavation. The bulla itself is what is known as a "fiscal bulla," one used to seal tax shipments to the kingdom of Judah.
"This is the first time the name Bethlehem appears outside the Bible, in an inscription from the First Temple period, which proves that Bethlehem was indeed a city in the kingdom of Judah, and possibly also in earlier periods," Shukron said.
The dig itself is somewhat controversial because it is being conducted in a national park in the Jerusalem suburb of Silwan, known to Jews as the City of David. The excavation is funded by the Ir David Foundation, which seeks to populate the Palestinian neighborhood of Silwan with Jewish settlers, claiming a link to antiquity.
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twitter.com/LATMaugh

THREE LEVELS TO THE INNER SANCTUM OF SOLOMON'S TEMPLE

One reason I like our older temples in this final dispensation is that it is clear as you move through the progression of states (from telestial to celestial), that you are made aware of the differences as you "upward" move. In the Salt Lake Temple, that is quite apparent - and even in the celestial room, you have distinct differences showing there are greater realms within that state of being with the sealing rooms above that level indicating the greatness of the crowning ordinances of being sealed to your eternal sweetheart throughout all time and eternity. I LOVE symbolism - the mind soars when you are able to see a 3D interpretation of God's plan for His children - and to see what He wants to place the most emphasis on.

In Solomon's Temple, apparently there were three levels within the holiest area (of which there were three areas). Three levels - which I can only guess represent the three levels within the celestial kingdom. It appears that there is enough oral tradition left of how the original temple was built that this important detail may make it into the final design of the third temple. I am VERY excited to see this - and will sell plasma (if I have to) to make sure my wife and I get to go and visit it - and give a gift (of poison, or something) to the anti-Christ...... And I firmly believe that I will live to see the day! Exciting times we live in!

TWO WINDING STAIRCASES

The First Temple as drawn by Ezekiel had a winding staircase built within the thick wall which accessed the higher chambers. Josephus confirms that a large winding staircase existed in the First Temple. He claims it was built in its thick wall. The Bible states it was built in the thick southern wall. The Second Temple did not have a winding staircase.

“The door for the middle chamber was in the right side of the house and they went up with winding stairs into the middle chamber, and out of the middle into the third.” MELAKHIM 6:8 JB

“The door for the middle chamber was in the right side of the house: and they went up with winding stairs into the middle chamber, and out of the middle into the third.” 1 KINGS 6:8 KJV

There are clearly two winding staircases. In order to use two winding staircases you would need 3 chambers stacked on top of each other and such is the case in this model of Solomon’s Temple when you incorporate Ezekiel’s measurements. The winding staircase is attached to “the right side of the house” I Kings 6:8 and goes up through the arch in the ceiling.
At the North Gate the blood from the sacrifice was drained into a goblet which was brought up the stairs by the High Priest once a year. In the ritual it took blood to approach the throne room. Once the High Priest passed through the curtain and entered into the Holy Throne Room the blood was then sprinkled on God who was resting in the Ark. He was always pleased. There is no record of Him striking to death any High Priest who brought the blood. The first set of winding stairs for house chamber (60 x 20) start there and connect up into the 40 x 20 chamber (I Kings 6:33)

In a horizontal Temple model the 60 x 20 chamber has a ceiling of 30, but the Holy of Holies has a ceiling of 20. If the Holy Chamber was elevated this would allow one winding staircase to enter it but where would the second winding staircase go? I Kings 6:2 & 8

Historian Josephus states this is how the winding staircases was constructed in Solomon’s Temple.

“The king (Solomon) also had a fine contrivance for an ascent to the upper room over the temple, and that was by steps in the thickness of its wall.”
Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews, B-VIII, C-3, V-2.

At the time that Josephus was told about the construction of Solomon’s Temple it had been destroyed 500 years prior. So the memory of perhaps the Holy of Holies chamber being ascended by stairs might have been lost in the oral tradition, but if this model is correct it was sealed in the written tradition of the Hebrew Bible.

In the first winding staircase it incorporates one-fifth (1/5) of the thickness of the wall to stabilize the staircase. In the second chamber the winding staircase is constructed of and tied into one-forth (1/4) of the thickness of the wall. Probably because the walls are pylon shaped it uses less of the stone wall in the middle chamber. I Kings 6:31-33

Solomon’s Temple is the only building on record which incorporated an arched ceiling which spanned 20 cubits (35′). Keep in mind this Temple predates the Roman Empire by nearly 1,000 years. Additionally there were three gigantic arches in Solomon’s Temple for the 3 chambers of the main structure.

Question: Which type of temple could best utilize two winding staircases: A horizontal temple or a vertical Temple? The TWO winding staircases is more evidence that the main tower structure might have had three stories and built vertically.

THE DEDICATION OF JERUSALEM BY ORSON HYDE

"O Thou! who art from everlasting to everlasting, eternally and unchangeably the same, even the God who rules in the heavens above, and controls the destinies of men on the earth, wilt Thou not condescend, through thine infinite goodness and royal favor, to listen to the prayer of Thy servant which he this day offers up unto Thee in the name of Thy holy child Jesus, upon this land, where the Son of Righteousness set in blood, and thine Anointed One expired.

"Be pleased, O Lord, to forgive all the follies, weaknesses, vanities, and sins of Thy servant, and strengthen him to resist all future temptations. Give him prudence and discernment that he may avoid the evil, and a heart to choose the good; give him fortitude to bear up under trying and adverse circumstances, and grace to endure all things for Thy name's sake, until the end shall come, when all the Saints shall rest in peace.

"Now, O Lord! Thy servant has been obedient to the heavenly vision which Thou gavest him in his native land; and under the shadow of Thine outstretched arm, he has safely arrived in this place to dedicate and consecrate this land unto Thee, for the gathering together of Judah's scattered remnants, according to the predictions of the holy Prophets -- for the building up of Jerusalem again after it has been trodden down by the Gentiles so long, and for rearing a Temple in honor of Thy name.
Everlasting thanks be ascribed unto Thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that Thou hast preserved Thy servant from the dangers of the seas, and from the plague and pestilence which have caused the land to mourn. The violence of man has also been restrained, and Thy providential care by night and by day has been exercised over Thine unworthy servant. (shadows of Rev 11)
Accept, therefore, O Lord, the tribute of a grateful heart for all past favors, and be pleased to continue Thy kindness and mercy towards a needy worm of the dust.

"O Thou, Who didst covenant with Abraham, Thy friend, and who didst renew that covenant with Isaac, and confirm the same with Jacob with an oath, that Thou wouldst not only give them this land for an everlasting inheritance, but that Thou wouldst also remember their seed forever. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob have long since closed their eyes in death, and made the grave their mansion. Their children are scattered and dispersed abroad among the nations of the Gentiles like sheep that have no shepherd, and are still looking forward for the fulfillment of those promises which Thou didst make concerning them; and even this land, which once poured forth nature's richest bounty, and flowed, as it were, with milk and honey, has, to a certain extent, been smitten with barrenness and sterility since it drank from murderous hands the blood of Him who never sinned.

"Grant, therefore, O Lord, in the name of Thy well-beloved Son, Jesus Christ, to remove the barrenness and sterility of this land, and let springs of living water break forth to water its thirsty soil. Let the vine and olive produce in their strength, and the fig-tree bloom and flourish. Let the land become abundantly fruitful when possessed by its rightful heirs; let it again flow with plenty to feed the returning prodigals who come home with a spirit of grace and supplication; upon it let the clouds distil virtue and richness, and let the fields smile with plenty. Let the flocks and the herds greatly increase and multiply upon the mountains and the hills; and let Thy great kindness conquer and subdue the unbelief of Thy people. Do Thou take from them their stony heart, and give them a heart of flesh; and may the Sun of Thy favor dispel the cold mists of darkness which have beclouded their atmosphere. Incline them to gather in upon this land according to Thy word. Let them come like clouds and like doves to their windows. Let the large ships of the nations bring them from the distant isles; and let kings become their nursing fathers, and queens with motherly fondness wipe the tear of sorrow from their eye.

"Thou, O Lord, did once move upon the heart of Cyrus to show favor unto Jerusalem and her children. Do Thou now also be pleased to inspire the hearts of kings and the powers of the earth to look with a friendly eye towards this place, and with a desire to see Thy righteous purposes executed in relation thereto. Let them know that it is Thy good pleasure to restore the kingdom unto Israel -- raise up Jerusalem as its capital, and constitute her people a distinct nation and government, with David Thy servant, even a descendant from the loins of ancient David to be their king.

"Let that nation or that people who shall take an active part in behalf of Abraham's children, and in the raising up of Jerusalem, find favor in Thy sight. Let not their enemies prevail against them, neither let pestilence or famine overcome them, but let the glory of Israel overshadow them, and the power of the Highest protect them; while that nation or kingdom that will not serve Thee in this glorious work must perish, according to Thy word --- Yea, those nations shall be utterly wasted. "

Though Thy servant is now far from his home, and from the land bedewed with his earliest tear, yet he remembers, O Lord, his friend: who are there, and family, whom for Thy sake he has left. Though poverty and privation be our earthly lot, yet ah! do Thou richly endow us with an inheritance where moth and rust do not corrupt, and where thieves do not break through and steal.

"The hands that have fed, clothed, or shown favor unto the family of Thy servant in his absence, or that shall hereafter do so, let them not lose their reward, but let a special blessing rest upon them, and in Thy kingdom let them have an inheritance when Thou shalt come to be glorified in this society.

"Do Thou also look with favor upon all those through whose liberality I have been enabled to come to this land; and in the day when Thou shalt reward all people according to their works, let these also not be passed by or forgotten, but in time let them be in readiness to enjoy the glory of those mansions which Jesus has gone to prepare. Particularly do Thou bless the stranger in Philadelphia, whom I never saw, but who sent me gold, with a request that I should pray for him in Jerusalem. Now, O Lord, let blessings come upon him from an unexpected quarter, and let his basket be filled, and his storehouse abound with plenty, and let not the good things of the earth be his only portion, but let him be found among those to whom it shall be said, `Thou hast been faithful over a few things, and I will make thee ruler over many.'

"O my Father in heaven! I now ask Thee in the name of Jesus to remember Zion, with all her Stakes, and with all her assemblies. She has been grievously afflicted and smitten; she has mourned; she has wept; her enemies have triumphed, and have said, `Ah, where is thy God?' Her Priests and Prophets have groaned in chains and fetters within the gloomy walls of prisons, while many were slain, and now sleep in the arms of death. How long, O Lord, shall iniquity triumph, and sin go unpunished?

"Do Thou arise in the majesty of Thy strength, and make bare Thine arm in behalf of Thy people. Redress their wrongs, and turn their sorrow into joy. Pour the spirit of light and knowledge, grace and wisdom, into the hearts of her Prophets, and clothe her Priests with salvation. Let light and knowledge march forth through the empire of darkness, and may the honest in heart flow to their standard, and join in the march to go forth to meet the Bridegroom.

"Let a peculiar blessing rest upon the Presidency of Thy Church, for at them are the arrows of the enemy directed. Be Thou to them a sun and a shield, their strong tower and hiding place; and in the time of distress or danger be Thou near to deliver. Also the quorum of the Twelve, do Thou be pleased to stand by them for Thou knowest the obstacles which they have to encounter, the temptations to which they are exposed, and the privations which they must suffer. Give us, [the Twelve] therefore, strength according to our day, and help us to bear a faithful testimony of Jesus and His Gospel, to finish with fidelity and honor the work which Thou hast given us to do, and then give us a place in Thy glorious kingdom. And let this blessing rest upon every faithful officer and member in Thy Church. And all the glory and honor will we ascribe unto God and the Lamb forever and ever. Amen."

ANOTHER CONFIRMATION THAT THEY ARE READY TO BUILD THE THIRD TEMPLE IN JERUSALEM

Well, here is another independent person who is saying that he ran into someone who is working with the Jews to build the harps, etc for the third temple. You can fast forward to around the 12 minute mark for the good stuff. If you have not heard about Ron Wyatt and the discovery of the Ark of the Covenant, the entire video would be good to listen to....:

CLICK LINK

Pretty exciting stuff.

THE KNIGHTS TEMPLAR: THE HOOKED X

Bumped into a guy at work tonight that knows what the "Black Irish" are. He and I were carved out of the same block of wood. While conversing on some topics we are mutually fascinated about, he told me about the 'hooked X'. I plan on doing some more research on it.

Sounds like it might belong on the Wood Zone....

I am just putting a book-mark up so I can come back to it later. If you know something, please feel free to share.

GEOLOGICAL INSTABILITY ON THE MOUNT OF OLIVES

I was pretty shocked when I saw this photo - but the evidence is clear; there was a massive ancient land-slide on the southern flank of the Mount of Olives. Here is the photo:



Here is a little more history associated with how this geological event came about. Apparently, it was tied to some actions of a wicked Israelite king and a prophecy in Zechariah 14. Fascinating stuff:

CLICK LINK

There will be more to come as Christ returns and that baby splits right in half - and the Jews are rescued from their fate. That event will be part of a massive earth change - hopefully the third temple will be built to withstand the heavy rocking and rolling that will take place.

THE TEMPLE OF SOLOMON AS A SYMBOL OF THE BODY OF MAN

Whoa!!! This stuff blows my mind. You have to read each page and keep on clicking the links at the bottom of each page taking you to the next level.

This stuff is astounding! The amount of detail on the temple of Solomon and the earlier structure is cool - let alone the details about how it corresponds to the human form. And how it all ties into the endowment of our modern temples. Truly mind blowing stuff!

CLIKC HERE

SO JOSEPHUS WAS SPOT ON YET AGAIN

JERUSALEM (AP) — Newly found coins underneath Jerusalem's Western Wall could change the accepted belief about the construction of one of the world's most sacred sites two millennia ago, Israeli archaeologists said Wednesday.

The man usually credited with building the compound known to Jews as the Temple Mount and to Muslims as the Noble Sanctuary is Herod, a Jewish ruler who died in 4 B.C. Herod's monumental compound replaced and expanded a much older Jewish temple complex on the same site.

But archaeologists with the Israel Antiquities Authority now say diggers have found coins underneath the massive foundation stones of the compound's Western Wall that were stamped by a Roman proconsul 20 years after Herod's death. That indicates that Herod did not build the wall — part of which is venerated as Judaism's holiest prayer site — and that construction was not close to being complete when he died.

"The find changes the way we see the construction, and shows it lasted for longer than we originally thought," said the dig's co-director, Eli Shukron.

The four bronze coins were stamped around 17 A.D. by the Roman official Valerius Gratus. He preceded Pontius Pilate of the New Testament story as Rome's representative in Jerusalem, according to Ronny Reich of Haifa University, one of the two archaeologists in charge of the dig.

The coins were found inside a ritual bath that predated construction of the renovated Temple Mount complex and which was filled in to support the new walls, Reich said.

They show that construction of the Western Wall had not even begun at the time of Herod's death. Instead, it was likely completed only generations later by one of his descendants.

The coins confirm a contemporary account by Josephus Flavius, a Jewish general who became a Roman historian. Writing after a Jewish revolt against Rome and the destruction of the Temple by legionnaires in 70 A.D., he recounted that work on the Temple Mount had been completed only by King Agrippa II, Herod's great-grandson, two decades before the entire compound was destroyed.

Scholars have long been familiar with Josephus' account, but the find is nonetheless important because it offers the "first clear-cut archaeological evidence that part of the enclosure wall was not built by Herod," said archaeologist Aren Maeir of Bar-Ilan University, who was not involved in the dig.

Josephus also wrote that the end of construction left 18,000 workmen unemployed in Jerusalem. Some historians have linked this to discontent that eventually erupted in the Jewish revolt.

The compound, controlled since 1967 by Israel, now houses the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the golden-capped Muslim shrine known as the Dome of the Rock. The fact that the compound is holy both to Jews and Muslims makes it one of the world's most sensitive religious sites.

The dig in which the coins were discovered cleared a Roman-era drainage tunnel that begins at the biblical Pool of Siloam, one of the city's original water sources, and terminates with a climb up a ladder out onto a 2,000-year-old street inside Jerusalem's Old City. The tunnel runs by the foundation stones of the compound's western wall, where the coins were found.

The drainage tunnel was excavated as part of the dig at the City of David, which is perhaps Israel's richest archaeological excavation and its most contentious.

The dig is being carried out inside the Palestinian neighborhood of Silwan, and is funded by a group associated with the Israeli settlement movement that opposes any division of the city as part of a future peace deal.

The excavation of the tunnel has also yielded a Roman sword, oil lamps, pots and coins that scholars believe are likely debris from an attempt by Jewish rebels to hide in the underground passage as they fled from the Roman soldiers.

EXCELLENT PLACE TO VISIT IN ISRAEL - FORMER LOCATION OF ARK OF THE COVENANT

On my bucket list before I leave this sphere is a visit to Israel with my wife.

This sounds like a nice place to stay while near Jerusalem - and alot of low-key things to do, as well:

CLICK LINK

Can't wait for the trip..... And maybe I can hit the rebuilt Temple while I am there (hope, hope, hope.....)

MIRACLES SHOWING IMPENDING DOOM ON TEMPLE MOUNT BEFORE ABOMINATION ON TEMPLE MOUNT

Wow, this is off the charts cool stuff about what transpired the "generation" directly preceding the fall of Jerusalem and the destruction of the temple that Jesus prophesied while he was still alive:

CLICK LINK

Remember, according to Josephus, it took two weeks for the stones to cool before the Roman soldiers could pry the temple apart to remove the gold leaf that had formed between the stones after it melted and dripped from ceiling relief panels. That destruction came 40 years almost to the day that Jesus uttered the decree.

So going back to the article above, sometimes, when it all begins to line up, it is time for us to pay attention - because God is not messing around.

Which brings me to a comment by a reader that I need to answer. Her question was basically, how come we have not heard about this from the top. The answer will be complex and may not sound very good.

There three or four possible reasons that I will go over here: TBC - please check back...

GOD WILL HELP YOU FIGHT YOUR BATTLES IF YOUR CAUSE IS JUST

FROM ASKGRAMPS.COM:

Here is an account of a contemporary and rather dramatic occurrence recounted at the April 1954 General Conference of the Mormon Church that could be attributed to the Three Nephites.

“A short time ago, when a committee was sent there [to Israel] by President Truman, they were told by Chaim Weizmann, the first president of Israel, that it was their belief in a mystical force that would return the Jews to the land of Israel, that had kept them alive.

In the Jewish Hope, of September 1950, was an article by Arthur U. Michelson. I will not take time to read it, but he tells of a visit he made to Jerusalem, when he heard the experience of the Jewish army. They had only one cannon, and were facing the Arabs with their well-trained and equipped army, and so when they used this cannon, they moved it from place to place so the enemy would think they had many, and every time the cannon was fired, they would beat tin cans in order to make a lot of noise so that the enemy would think they had many cannons. I want to read what he said about what happened when the armies of Israel were about to give up:

“One of the officials has told me how much the Jews had to suffer. They had hardly anything with which to resist the heavy attacks of the Arabs who were well organized and equipped with the latest weapons. Besides, they had neither food nor water, because all their supplies were cut off.

“At this critical moment, God showed them that he was on their side, for he performed one of the greatest miracles that ever happened. The Arabs suddenly threw down their arms and surrendered. When their delegation appeared with the white flag, they asked, ‘Where are the three men and where are all the troops we saw?’ The Jews told them that they did not know anything of the three men, for this group was their entire force. The Arabs said that they saw three persons, with long beards and flowing white robes who warned them not to fight any longer, otherwise they would all be killed. They became so frightened that they decided to give up. What an encouragement this was for the Jews to realize that God was fighting for them.

“And then he told about another case when one man with a white robe and a long beard appeared, and they all saw him, and they gave up their arms. Now I do not know, but the Lord said that he would do something for the Jews in the latter days, and when he permitted the Three Nephites to tarry upon this land, he said:

“And behold they will be among the Gentiles, and the Gentiles shall know them not. They will also be among the Jews, and the Jews shall know them not. And it shall come to pass, when the lord seeth fit in his wisdom that they shall minister unto all the scattered tribes of Israel, and unto all nations, kindreds, tongues and people, and shall bring out of them unto Jesus many souls, that their desire may be fulfilled, and also because of the convincing power of God which is in them. (3 Ne. 28:27-29.)” (Elder Legrand Richards, Conference Report, April 1954, Afternoon Meeting, p.55-56)

We may add the words of Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of the Mormon Church today, so said,

“These three Nephites continue in their translated state today, just as when they went throughout the lands of Nephi. At one point Mormon was about to reveal their names to his latter-day readers, but he was forbidden by the Lord from doing so. Nevertheless, these three ministered to Mormon and Moroni, and they are yet ministering to Jew, Gentile, and the scattered tribes of Israel, even all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people. (Jeffrey R. Holland, Christ and the New Covenant: The Messianic Message of the Book of Mormon, p.307)

INTERESTING HISTORY ABOUT JERUSALEM

I THOUGHT THE FOLLOWING WAS WORTH POSTING:



REVELATION 12:7 Now war arose in heaven, Michael and his angels fighting against the dragon. And the dragon and his angels fought back,
8 but he was defeated, and there was no longer any place for them in heaven.
9 And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world ─ he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him. (ESV)

From Josephus' 1st-century history, we know that the time of this heavenly battle was the spring of 66 CE. The battle where Satan was defeated by Michael took place at this time (about 40 years from the time Yeshua began his earthly ministry in the fall of 26 CE). A portion of this spiritual battle was actually seen in the skies above Jerusalem, as Josephus records:

Also on certain days after the festival [Passover] there appeared a thing so marvelous as to be beyond belief, but that it was related by many that saw it in their own eyes. Before the setting of the sun there were seen chariots driven across the sky, and hosts of armed men setting themselves in order of battle, and surrounding the cities. (Wars of the Jews, 6.5.3)

This vision, which seems to have occurred during the second Passover in the month of Iyar in 66 CE, was a supernatural sign for the Jews to flee from Jerusalem. It had been prophesied by Yeshua just before his crucifixion:

MATTHEW 24:15 "So when you see standing in the holy place 'the abomination that causes desolation,' spoken of through the prophet Daniel ─ let the reader understand ─
16 then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.
17 Let no one on the roof of his house go down to take anything out of the house.
18 Let no one in the field go back to get his cloak.
19 How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers!
20 Pray that your flight will not take place in winter or on the Sabbath." (NIV)

What was the identity of this “abomination that causes desolation”? Many people have the mistaken idea that it will be the Antichrist seating himself in a rebuilt Jewish temple on the Temple Mount. However, the parallel passage in Luke’s Gospel gives us the true understanding of this desolating abomination:

LUKE 21:20 "When you see Jerusalem being surrounded by armies, you will know that its desolation is near." (NIV)

When this sign of heavenly armies was seen in the skies over Jerusalem, the messianic church in Jerusalem fled to Pella and subsequently was spared when the Romans besieged Jerusalem and eventually destroyed it and the Temple 3½ years later in 70 CE.

Josephus’ account of this heavenly battle is not the only historical mention we have of this incident. About 115 CE, the Roman historian Tacitus described this same supernatural event:

In the sky appeared a vision of armies in conflict, of glittering armor. A sudden lightning flash from the clouds lit up the Temple. The doors of the holy place abruptly opened, a superhuman voice was heard to declare that the gods were leaving it, and in the same instant came the rushing tumult of their departure. Few people placed a sinister interpretation upon this. The majority were convinced that the ancient scriptures of their priests alluded to the present as the very time when the Orient would triumph and from Judaea would go forth men destined to rule the world. (Histories, 5.13)

The early church historian Eusebius of Caesarea also wrote about this heavenly fight around 325 CE:

For before the setting of the sun chariots and armed troops were seen throughout the whole region in mid-air, wheeling through the clouds and encircling the cities. (Ecclesiastical History, 3.8)

EXCELLENT SITE ON THE LOCATION OF THE JERUSALEM TEMPLE

This is the most comprehensive site I have seen showing the possibilities of the location of the Temple in Jerusalem:

http://templemount.org/tuviatemple.pdf

ENJOY!!.....and does anyone read Hebrew?

LOCATION OF THE ARK OF THE COVENANT

Well, without making this site too sensational, I have to revisit something that I think has merit and that I have found some great You-tubes on (for those that do not like to read).



We all know that before Christ comes, the Jews have to return to their holy land (check - although there yet will be a huge migration from the US to Israel as things get dicey stateside), they have to prepare themselves for Him (check), they have to build their temple as an offering in righteousness (no check, yet) - and in order to do that, have to have all of the vessels in place, the table of the shewbread, the ashes of a red heifer for purification, the candelabra, possibly the Stone of Scone etc. in place. There is still much to be done to get ready for that big event. The big center piece of that preparation is the locating of the Ark of the Covenant. That is more or less the thing that has been holding things up - at least in my mind. Oh yeah - and the not-so-easy finding of a nice place to set up the third (fourth) temple. There are still alot of sticky details to work out. The big mystery in my mind has always been the location of the Ark of the Covenant.

Each year, in ancient times, the High Priest would enter the Holy of Holies of the Temple of God and sprinkle blood on the Mercy Seat - representative of the future shedding of the blood of Christ for the sins of the world. This individual (Ron Wyatt) claims to have found the location of the Ark of the Covenant (with the Mercy Seat) and that it was located about 20 feet below the bedrock at the Place of the Skull (Golgotha).

It takes some serious open mind - but I cannot shoot holes in it. Ron seems very sincere and is a straight shooter. For a Seventh Day Adventist, I am not sure if his beliefs align with his doctrinal set, but his beliefs do align with revealed religion (I sometimes wonder if Ellen White had her hand in the doctrinal cookie jar back in the 1840's....).

Here is a fascinating vid on the proximity of alot of the holy sites just outside of Mt. Moriah where it has all gone down through history.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6DXT7CbaCjE

Here is a link to the written story of Ron Wyatt on finding the Ark of the Covenant back in the 1980s. Here is a snippet from the article to whet your appetite:

With adrenaline flowing through his veins and great anticipation, he looked around to see what else he could see, which wasn't much. He shined his flashlight around the open area and then up to the ceiling. There, he saw something that caught his eye - it was a crack in the ceiling with a black substance within the crack. Crawling slowly and painfully over the rocks to the rear of the chamber, he saw a stone case extending through the rocks. It had a flat stone top which was cracked completely in two and the smaller section was moved aside, creating an opening into the stone case. But the top was too near the ceiling for him to look inside. Yet he knew what was inside- the crack in the ceiling was directly above the cracked part of the lid, where it was open, and the black substance had fallen from the crack into the case because some of it had splashed onto the lid. It was at this time, as Ron recalls, as the instant realization of what had happened here dawned on him, that he passed out. When he realized that the crack in the ceiling was the end of the crack he had found in the elevated cross-hole many feet above him, and the black substance was blood which had fallen through the crack and into the stone case, he KNEW the Ark was in the stone case. But the most overwhelming realization was that Christ's Blood had actually fallen onto the Mercy Seat.

When he came to, it was 2:45 pm. A mere 45 minutes had passed since he entered the chamber, yet in that short time, he became the first witness to the literal fulfillment of the "type" represented by all the sacrifices made by God's people since Adam and Eve, and later specifically directed by God, Himself, in the laws of the sacrificial system. Now he knew why he and the boys had to do the last three years of excavation that he had sometimes felt was useless. If they had not found first, the cut-out niches, and then the elevated cross-hole with the earthquake crack, he would not have recognized what had happened here. And the promise Ron believed he had received HAD been fulfilled - he DID find the Ark of the Covenant on that trip. But he didn't even lay eyes on it. And in his frustration and complaining, he received another VERY strong impression - "I only promised that you would FIND it. It will come out when the time is right."

Hope you have enjoyed this one. I sure have had fun with it for the last 10 years since I first bumped into it.

The prophecies of Jerusalem will be fulfilled every jot and tittle. It is going to be a fascinating ride in the next few decades of the world history scene - so buckle up, do what is right and enjoy the ride that is life.

FURTHER PROOF OF THE TEMPLE DESTRUCTION - 70 A.D.

THE ONLY REASON I DECIDED TO BLOG THIS IS THAT I HAVE A FASCINATION WITH THE GLOBAL SCALE DECEIT AND COVER-UP BY THE LEFT AND ANTI-JEWISH ELEMENTS OF THE FACT THAT THERE EVER WAS A THIRD TEMPLE ON THE TEMPLE MOUNT. IF THIS FACT CAN BE SWEPT UNDER THE RUG, OR IGNORED, IT WILL BE ALOT EASIER TO DENY THAT THE JEWS HAVE A RIGHT TO THE TEMPLE MOUNT, OR WORSE, OVER TIME, THAT THERE WAS EVEN A PERFECT MAN/GOD WHO WALKED THE EARTH AND PREDICTED THAT THE SAID TEMPLE WOULD BE LEVELED, WITH NOT ONE STONE REMAINING UPON ANOTHER. I AM ALWAYS AMAZED AT THE LEVEL THAT THE ADVERSARY WILL GO TO WIPE OUT THE TRUE HISTORY AND REPLACE IT WITH EITHER LIES, OR OUTRIGHT EXPUNGING IT FROM THE HISTORICAL CONTINUUM.

TO THAT END, WE HAVE AN OUTRIGHT COVERUP GOING ON AS THE WAQF TRIES TO DESTROY THE LAST VESTIGES OF THE UNDERGROUND VAULTS ON TEMPLE MOUNT WHERE ALOT OF TEMPLE EVIDENCE WAS DISCARDED DURING THE CENTURIES. AS WITH ALL OTHER LIES OF THE ADVERSARY, THIS ONE IS COMING BACK TO BITE THEM AS HERODS WALLS ARE BECOMING UNSTABLE AND COLLAPSING. TWO HUNDRED LINEAR FEET SO FAR HAS EITHER COLLAPSED OR IS THREATENING TO DO SO.... (I AM PROPHESYING HERE) THAT THIS DESECRATION ON THIS SACRED SITE WILL CAUSE THE COLLAPSE OF AL AQSA (DOME OF THE ROCK) (THE SEVENTH TIME IS WILL HAVE BEEN DESTROYED THROUGH HISTORY) AND WILL RESULT IN THE U.N. AND THAT FUTURE NOTORIOUS LEADER CAUSING THE FOURTH (YES, MY COUNT IS GOOD) TEMPLE TO BE BUILT WHICH WILL LEAD TO THE END-GAME STUFF. CANNOT WAIT! WE ARE COASTING THROUGH THE FINAL CHAPTERS OF PRE-MILLENNIAL HISTORY - MOST PEOPLE ASLEEP AND UNAWARE WITH LITTLE OR NO OIL IN THE PROVERBIAL LAMPS.

ENJOY!

By MICHAEL BARAJAS
JERUSALEM (AP) - Israel displayed for the first time Wednesday a collection of rare coins charred and burned from the Roman destruction of the Jewish Temple nearly 2,000 years ago.
About 70 coins were found in an excavation at the foot of a key Jerusalem holy site. They give a rare glimpse into the period of the Jewish revolt that eventually led to the destruction of the Second Jewish Temple in A.D. 70, said Hava Katz, curator of the exhibition.
The Jews rebelled against the Roman Empire and took over Jerusalem in A.D. 66. After laying siege to Jerusalem, the Romans breached the city walls and wiped out the rebellion, demolishing the Jewish Temple, the holiest site in Judaism.
The coins sit inside a glass case, some melted down to unrecognizable chunks of pockmarked and carbonized bronze from the flames that destroyed the Temple.
"These really show us the impact of the destruction of Jerusalem in the first century," said Gabriela Bijovsky, an antique coin expert from Israel Antiquities Authority. "These are a very vivid, dramatic example of that destruction."
"The most important coins we have are from those last four or five years of the rebellion against the Roman army, and one coin we found was actually minted very close to the destruction of the Second Temple," she said.
The coins were excavated from an ancient street below the Temple Mount, experts said. Archaeologists had to sift through debris and remove boulders thrown off the Temple Mount during the Roman raid before they found the road and the hoard of coins.
Today the Al Aqsa Mosque compound sits atop the ruins of the temples. Muslims refer to the site as the Noble Sanctuary, marking the spot from where they believe the Prophet Muhammad ascended to heaven. The conflicting claims make the site one the most explosive issues in the Israel-Palestinian conflict.
The coins are part of a larger exhibition in Jerusalem's Archaeological Garden, showing a collection of antique coins that have been uncovered over the past three decades.
The exhibition shows not only coins minted in Jerusalem during the rebellion but also European, North African and Persian coins that were found around the holy site from various periods.
"This just shows the international character of the city," Katz said. "It shows the importance of Jerusalem to generations of people ... the importance of Jerusalem never faded away for Jews, Christians and Muslims," she said.

TEMPLE MOUNT MIRACLE - WAR OF 1967

VERY INTERESTING - BUT NOT SURPRISING:

Mystery on the Temple Mount during the Six Day War
Gershon Salomon is the leader of the Temple Mount Faithful (http://www.templemountfaithful.org/). Salomon is a 10th generation Jerusalemite, descended from Rabbi Avraham Zoref who settled in Jerusalem in 1811. Rabbi Zoref was one of the first Jewish pioneers to rebuild the waste lands of Judea. Gershon knew, even as a child, that he was called by God to follow in his ancestor's footsteps in the redemption of the land and people of Israel.

The goal of Salomon's organization, the Temple Mount Faithful, is the building of the Third Temple on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. He believes that this must be done in his lifetime in accordance with the Word of God and all the Hebrew prophets. The Temple Mount Faithful seek the liberation of the Temple Mount from Arab (Islamic) occupation so that it may be consecrated to the Name of God once more.

Even as a child, Gershon Salomon knew that God was calling him to work for the redemption of the people of Israel. As a youth, Gershon was involved in the Israeli War of Independence. He was arrested at age 11 by the British Mandatory police.

Later, after he had joined the IDF, he led a company in the Golan Heights. In a battle with the Syrian Army in 1958, Salomon was accidentally injured when, in the heat and confusion of battle, he was run over by a tank. Syrian soldiers, trained to shoot "again" any wounded Israeli soldiers, came toward him to finish him off. However, before they were able to shoot Salomon, they all suddenly fled. Later these Syrians soldiers reported to UN officers that they had seen thousands of angels around this IDF officer and had run away.

It was at this time that Salomon heard the voice of God telling him that He was not finished with him. Salomon understood this as a divine call to consecrate himself to the work of God regarding the Temple Mount.

After one year in the hospital, Mr. Salomon had recovered sufficiently to return to his unit even though he now walked on crutches. He continued his service in defense of the land of Israel. He feels that the greatest moment of his life to this point was his participation in the liberation of Jerusalem and the Temple Mount during the Six Day War in June 1967.

Ammunition Hill is about three miles from the Temple Mount. This hill was the site of one of the most critical battles in the liberation of Jerusalem in the Six Day War of 1967. Ammunition Hill was the most important fortification of the Jordanian army. The whole hill was one big bunker.

It was a heroic battle as the Israeli army fought bravely against the Arab soldiers who tried to prevent them from liberating Jerusalem. The battle was from bunker to bunker; 170 Israeli soldiers fell during the battle in this area. This heroic battle opened the way to Jerusalem. However they still had to fight through the Lion Gate of the old city and the Tribe Gates onto the Temple Mount itself. Many more Israeli soldiers sacrificed their lives on their way to the Temple Mount and again near the walls of the Old City and the Lion Gate.

When the first Israeli tank smashed through the Lion Gate, the way to the Temple Mount was opened through the Tribes Gate (named after the twelve Israelite tribes). Once through the Arab soldiers, the Israelis ran excitedly to the rock of Abraham and Isaac on the Temple Mount. This is considered to be the place of the First and Second Temples and the Holy of Holies.

Gershon Salomon had the privilege of being with the first Israeli parachute battalion to arrive on the Temple Mount. Few know that a supernatural event took place at this time. Here is how it is described in a recent Temple Mount Faithful report:

Mystery on the Temple Mount during the Six Day War

On the day of the liberation of the Temple Mount during the Six Day War of 1967, a mysterious event occurred. As Gershon Salomon and the soldiers were walking on the Temple Mount, someone dressed in civilian clothing suddenly appeared. He approached the group speaking English and told them that he had come to show them the location of the Temple and its complex on the Temple Mount. He immediately took the group back to the Dome of the Rock, where they stood shortly before with tears in their eyes at the moment of the liberation. He showed the group the site of their Temple, the rock of Abraham and Isaac and the Holy of Holies, the altar, and the Cave of the Spirits. He also explained the function of every place in the Temple complex. He was very excited when he spoke to them and repeatedly blessed the group for the godly liberation of the Temple Mount, as he put it. He told the group that they should immediately rebuild the Temple because that is why G-d had brought Israel back to the Temple Mount with such a great victory.
The group asked the man who he was, and he replied that he was an Arab guide for the Temple Mount. However, he did not look like either an Arab or a guide. The group asked him why he had not spoken about the history of Arab occupation on the Temple Mount. He said that he had been sent by G-d to tell the group that the history of the Arab occupation of the Temple Mount, Jerusalem, and all the land had passed away forever; it was time to rebuild the Temple in the same location as the First and Second Temples, which he had indicated that day. All this was told to all the Arabs and Moslems by their elders and was even written in their holy books. They knew that one day, in G-d's timing, it would come to pass and that time had arrived so Israel should do what G-d was expecting her to do and G-d would be with her as He always was and also had been in the victory which He had just given her.

When the stranger finished speaking, he suddenly disappeared as if he had been blown away by a wind; he was not seen again. All the group were sure that this mysterious "person" was an angel sent by G-d to tell Israel that He was expecting her to immediately rebuild the Temple, to renew the days of Israel as it was in the Biblical times, and to open the door for the coming of Mashiach ben David. Gershon will never forget this event.

http://www.templemountfaithful.org/s5760.htm#HEADER6


Unfortunately, Moshe Dayan, the defense minister of Israel in 1967, made a terrible decision. Very shortly after their great victory, he returned control of the Temple Mount to the Moslem authorities of Jerusalem. Since that time, Moslem Arabs have maintained control of this crucial biblical site.

Gershon Salomon recognized the tragedy of this action and formed the Temple Mount Faithful organization. Since then he has dedicated himself to the vision of consecrating the Temple Mount to the Name of God, to removing the Moslem shrines placed there as a symbol of Moslem conquest, and to rebuilding the Third Temple.

However, he has constantly been thwarted from doing so by the Israeli government. Just as they did thousands of years ago, when they refused to go forward and take the land of Canaan (Num. 13-14), the Israelis have not had the courage to follow God's instructions and rebuild the Temple.

It has been 37 1/2 years since the Temple Mount once again came into Israeli possession. If you know anything about biblical numbers, you probably know that 40 is the scriptural number of testing, trying and judgment.

Because of their unbelief and rebellion after the spies had given a bad report about the land, Israel spent 40 years wandering in the wilderness after coming out of Egypt. Of that generation that left Egypt, only Joshua and Caleb were judged worthy to enter the Promised Land.

Earlier, the inhabitants of the earth had been judged due to their wickedness. They had 40 days and nights worth of rain poured out upon them. Only 8 souls lived through that judgment.

Moses spent 40 days and nights fasting as God gave him the Law on Mount Sinai. Coming down from the mountain and finding the Israelites committing idolatry with the golden calf, he broke the two stone tablets and had 3,000 of the sinning Israelites killed by the Levites. Moses then had to spend another 40 days and nights on Mount Sinai fasting and begging God not to annihilate the Israelites for their sin with the golden calf.

Goliath challenged the armies of Israel for 40 days. He was then judged and killed by a lad named David.

God, through the prophet Jonah, gave Ninevah 40 days to repent of their evil or be destroyed. Unlike most other biblical examples, the Ninevites repented and were spared. Had they not done so, God's judgment surely would have fallen upon them.

Yeshua fasted in the wilderness for 40 days and nights. During that time, he was tempted by the devil. He overcame that time of trial and was judged worthy because of his triumph.

The Jewish nation was given 40 years after the crucifixion and resurrection of Yeshua in 30 AD to accept their Messiah. After they failed to do so by the end of that time period, God brought the Romans upon them in 70 AD to destroy Jerusalem and the second Temple.

If it truly was an angel of God that spoke to the men on the Temple Mount on June 7, 1967, then I believe the Jews have been given 40 years to do what God told them to do (i.e., rebuild the Temple). That time is rapidly coming to a close, and it does not appear that they will do what they were instructed to do.

While in Babylonian captivity, the prophet Ezekiel was instructed to make penance for 40 years worth of Judah's sins:

EZEKIEL 4:6 "And when you have completed them, lie again on your right side; then you shall bear the iniquity of the House of Judah forty days. I have laid on you a day for each year. 7 Therefore you shall set your face toward the siege of Jerusalem; your arm shall be uncovered, and you shall prophesy against it." (NKJV)


Clearly this sin had happened previously. However, often we see prophetic patterns established and then later repeated (cf. Isa. 7:14-17). As wise king Solomon stated: "That which has been is what will be, that which is done is what will be done, and there is nothing new under the sun" (Ecc. 1:9). Could it be that once again Judah's 40 years of sin and rebellion will lead to the seige of Jerusalem?

If God follows the same pattern He has established and used numerous times, the Jews will be judged for their lack of faithful obedience and punished. This punishment is spoken of prophetically by Zechariah:

ZECHARIAH 13:8 "And it shall come to pass in all the land," says the LORD, "that two-thirds in it shall be cut off and die, but one-third shall be left in it: 9 I will bring the one-third through the fire, will refine them as silver is refined, and test them as gold is tested. They will call on My name, and I will answer them. I will say, 'This is My people'; and each one will say, 'The LORD is my God.' " (NKJV)


I believe the prophetic time spoken of when the nations will come against and conquer Jerusalem is fast approaching:

ZECHARIAH 14:1 Behold, the Day of the LORD is coming, and your spoil will be divided in your midst. 2 For I will gather all the nations to battle against Jerusalem; the city shall be taken, the houses rifled, and the women ravished. Half of the city shall go into captivity, but the remnant of the people shall not be cut off from the city. (NKJV)


This could happen as soon as 2007, by my estimation. Those of you who haven't studied OT prophecy would be well served to look at these things so you can recognize them when they occur.