The Temple Rebuild

Through research Author Robert Cornuke has provided the most convincing information regarding the location of the temple mount.

Many today are finding cause to pause because of the information and evidence that he has uncovered. Many through the years have accepted that the current location of the temple mount to be located under the Golden Mosque in Jerusalem. Since the return of the Jews to their homeland Israel, many religiously go to the Western Wailing Wall. Though the wall is not worshipped it is still held in high regard due to the belief that this wall was once built by King Herod.

Jews from all forms of life and belief come to the wall folding papers containing prayers and are slid into the cracks of the walls. Their prayers are for the rebuilding of their temple and peace finally come to Jerusalem. The Mosque was placed on the temple mount by marauding muslims that explained that the prophet mohammed was taken into the heavens by a horse there and now today is considered the 3^rd most holiest muslim site. Of course, those that know the manipulation of stories by muslims understand that this story was just a fabrication in an attempt to keep the Jews from rebuilding their Temple. The Al-Aqsa Mosque was originally built in 705 CE. It has been rebuilt numerous times and has been destroyed by earthquakes twice the last time was in 1033CE.

In 1099 CE during the first crusade Jerusalem was taken and the Mosque was not taken down. Instead the Crusaders called the Mosque Solomon’s Temple removed the crescent moon from the top of the dome and placed a Cross. This sealed the identity of the temple mount and has been seen as such by Jews, Christians and Muslims. Jews have used this site to discount the prophecies of Jesus. Saying that if Jesus was the Son of God then why is the Wall still standing? Why is the foundation of the mount still here? Muslims say the site is Holy to them because of ties to the prophet. And, Christians are basically ignorant. Oops did I say that out loud? One thing that I admire about true crusaders today like Robert Cornuke is his unmovable faith in the words of Jesus. If Jesus said it then that settles it. If facts don’t support what Jesus said then Bob Cornuke believes he has misunderstood the facts or he is simply wrong. However, he holds to the understanding that the words of Jesus could never be wrong. With that stubbornness of faith it has led him to discover some of the greatest facts in this century. Facts that have put the religious world and not to mention Israel, on their ear. Bob Cornuke was led to research the writings of Flavius Josephus and also the writings of the Pilgrim of Bordeaux written in 333 CE. The writings of Flavius Josephus in 70 CE record the destruction of the Temple. Josephus writes that if one had never seen the temple then you would not know where the temple rested for nothing but dirt and grass remain. The only thing that gives witness that there was a temple is the Roman Fort Antonio that once looked over the temple.

The Roman Fort Antonio was erected to look over the Temple mount and house the 10^th Roman Legion. This fort housed 10,000 people. 6,000 soldiers and 4,000 people to care for the soldiers. It basically was a town to itself. Inside the gates of the Praetorium were not just barracks for the soldiers but food stores and other stores for shopping. The stables for all the horses and blacksmithing, everything needed to sustain the 10^th legion. Rome went to great lengths to care for its military and no expense was spared in the ornateness in the construction of the fort. Many forts like fort Antonio have been discovered in the past and the construction was normally a 36 acre walled construction, like the one in Jerusalem.

The Pilgrim of Bordeaux writes that in 333 CE that Fort Antonio was still visible while standing at the church of the Holy Sepulcher looking east. He stated that the walls of the old Roman Praetorium were still standing. That would be the Wailing Wall if we were looking at it today. These were two eyewitnesses that recorded that what we know as the traditional temple mount is actually an old Roman Fort Antonio. Is there more? Why of course. Bob found that Archeologist Eli Shukron who is the Director of Excavations of the City of David, was digging under the Wailing Wall known as the walls that King Herod built.

Under the foundation of the wailing wall Eli Shukron found two coins dating back to 20 CE. The coin was an ancient bronze of Valerius Gratus, Prefect under Tiberius who reigned from 15-26 CE. The minting date as well as its earliest distribution date was 20 CE. This coin that was found underneath the huge foundation stone had fallen from the pocket of someone as they were placing these huge foundation stones. What is the problem with this? King Herod died in 4 BC. 24 years before this coin was minted. If Herod built the Wailing Wall then explain how this coin ended up underneath the foundation stone of the Wailing Wall. It could only mean that Herod did not build the Wailing Wall and that whoever built this wall did so in 20 AD, 24 years after Herod’s death. Do we know who was building a wall at that time? Yes we do. Rome was building the Roman Fort for the 10^th legion, Fort Antonio. A 36 acre fort.

The interesting fact is this, what we know about Roman pride. Anything you can build the Romans could build it bigger. The Temple was huge as a 12 acre site. The Roman Fort would be 3 times the size of the temple area.

Is there any more physical evidence to prove that the site we commonly refer to as the temple site is an old roman fort? Yes the temple was said to be situated over the Gihon Springs. Why? Because of all of the animal sacrifices, water would be essential to wash away all of the blood. Without water the temple would soon become a toxic site. There is no water on the old roman fort site. The closest water is the Gihon Spring south of the current temple mount area. The location that the temple was said to be directly placed over. How could this be? How could we make such a huge mistake about the location of the temple mount? Because, there was not one stone left standing on one another just like Jesus prophesied. The temple had been completely destroyed. There was nothing left of it. Thousands of years go by and then it was a guessing game. The biggest piece of evidence is the location of the Gihon Springs.

The only thing left that would resemble evidence of the temple was Fort Antonio. Eli Shukron began excavating where the temple should have been. Remember, the ancient temple had been torn down and rebuilt over time and again over the same site. Built over ancient temples from the original Solomon’s Temple built on the threshing floor bought by his father King David. The threshing floor once owned by a Jebusite named Ornan. The Jebusite Kingdom would be taken by King David and known as the city of David. The temple would be placed on the threshing floor in the city of David next to water, the Gihon Spring. Eli began excavating in this location. Just 30 feet from the Gihon Spring he found an old temple site.

The walls of the ancient temple were still there and in the floor a hole was carved out where olives were ground to make the anointing oil. The priest would be anointed with oil and would not be allowed to leave the sanctuary. Eli had found a very holy place.

The next thing he found was a channel chiseled out of the stone. The channel was created for carrying all of the blood.

In the corner of the stone wall he found a hole chiseled through the stone where the sheep would be tied to before the sacrifice. There were bones, animal bones, found all over the place. Eli had found the ancient temple site! In this site he also located a stele.

The only one of its kind in Jerusalem. Eli built a steel box around it and padlocked it to protect it.

This was surely a Holy place. Now, some thoughts of my own. First, why would Jesus tell the disciples that the glamorous Temple that King Herod built known as one of the 8 wonders of the world at that time, would be destroyed with not one stone left upon another? Why would this Holy place be so completely destroyed? Surely, God would want His house protected? To answer this question we have to go back to the time of the first temple. King David was attested to by God to be a man after God’s own heart. Yet, God would not let this man whom he favored build his temple. Why? Because, David had shed so much blood and was known as a man of war. It would be Solomon, whose name meant peace that would be allowed to build this Holy structure. We read through the biblical text that men like Solomon, men of peace, were chosen to rebuild the structure. As time goes by, we have this violent warring King, King Herod, who would slaughter thousands of children in an attempt to destroy the prophesied Messiah. He was known as the rabbi killer with 4400 rabbis murdered at his command. Working with the Romans he perverted the nation of Israel and the religion of Israel as well. How can we imagine that God would use this profane murderer to build His house and corrupt His laws? Unfortunately, by the time Jesus began preaching the Good News that the Kingdom of God had come, the belief had become so twisted and corrupted, rather than praise God for His mercy, most clung to the corrupted religion that Herod had installed. Pieces of the truth had been intermingled with corrupt religious teaching that had nothing to do with the heart of God, just like this magnificent temple that Herod had constructed. What else could God do, but completely destroy what had become a symbol of pagan theology. Just like Israel of old, Herod had combined the image of God with the pagan gods infiltrating Jerusalem. The people were more enthralled by the images and sites, the magnificent buildings and structures than the relationship found through the Kingdom brought to all by the Messiah. Israel couldn’t understand it then and still misunderstand it today. We only have to look back to King David to unveil truths that have been hidden for thousands of years directly related to misunderstanding.

In 1^st Chronicles chapter 17 we read about King David declaring to the Prophet Nathan that he was going to build God’s temple. Nathan told David to do everything that is in his heart to do, for God was with him. Nathan believed if anyone should build God a temple it would certainly be the King who was chosen by God when David was just a lowly shepherd boy. It was evident that God favored David. When Nathan got home that night God corrected Nathan’s thoughts. He explained to Nathan to tell the king the following;   and it will be, when your days have ended so that you must go to be with your fathers, I will raise up your seed after you, who shall be from your sons. And I will make his kingdom sure. He shall build Me a house, and I will establish his throne forever. I will be his Father, and he shall be My son. And I will not take My mercy away from him as I took it from him who was before you. And I will settle him in My house, and in My kingdom forever. And his throne shall be established forever.

Men will hear what they hear. David would later tell Solomon what he believed he heard from Nathan which was; And He(God) said to me, Solomon your son shall build My house and My courts, for I have chosen him to be My son, and I will be his Father. And I will establish his kingdom forever if he will always do My commandments and My judgments, as at this day. I want to join with me as we decipher what God actually said that King David failed to understand. God explains to David that He would raise up a son from David’s lineage after his death. And from that lineage He would establish that Kingdom forever. Question 1; Did Solomon’s kingdom last forever? Of course not. Was David dead when Solomon was made king? No. Did God ever call Solomon His son? No. In fact, we know that the only one ever called Son by God was the Messiah Jesus. Mar 9:7 A cloud came, overshadowing them, and a voice came out of the cloud, “This is my beloved Son. Listen to him.

We know that the message of the Kingdom was preached to those in Israel and soon around the world. We know that the Gospel of the Kingdom will be preached until the end of the age. Then at that conclusion the Kingdom of God will descend from the heavens and be placed in the City of David. The throne of our Lord will be established forever. Why has the temple mount been hidden for so long? Maybe, to keep another Herod from profaning the temple mount. The real question we should be asking is; Why is this mystery being revealed today? I hope this blog has caused you to think about the future and also reflect on the past. Muslims thinking they were blocking Israel's access to their God by building a supposed holy site on the temple mount is probably nothing more than a roman stable. Let's keep looking up, Jesus is coming soon!