SITE OF SOLOMON'S
TEMPLE QUESTIONED
New Study Places It Off Temple Mount
By WebToday Editor Lawrence J. Joyce
(WebToday, March 13, 2002)-- The focus of tension in Israel concerns sovereignty over Mount Moriah, which Jews call the "Temple Mount" and which Moslems call "al-Haram al-Sharif" (the "Noble Sanctuary"). Most Jews believe this was the site of their ancient temples (i.e., Solomon's Temple and Herod's Temple). But two of the holiest mosques in Islam are now located there. The present uprising stems from the conflict over who should control this land. But if a new analysis is correct, the temples were not there, and the two religions would not have to compete for the same ground.
Mount Moriah is in East Jerusalem, which was not originally part of Israel. Israel occupied it during the Six-Day War of 1967. Israel now claims sovereignty over all of Jerusalem, including Mount Moriah.
To the Moslems, this is intolerable. The current uprising, in fact, started when Ariel Sharon decided to test whether Jews were free to visit their holiest site when he walked up to Mount Moriah. Arab Moslems, fearing this was meant to proclaim sovereignty over their holy sites, and mindful of some plans to tear down their mosques to build a new temple, stormed the compound. This riot touched off the fighting which has been seen since that day.
The temples were the site of the Holy of Holies, where God would come down on the Day of Atonement to forgive the sins of the people. Only the High Priest was allowed inside the Holy of Holies, and only on that day. The Holy of Holies of Solomon's Temple was, in fact, the site of the fabled Ark of the Covenant, a gold-covered chest which contained the actual original stone tablets of the Ten Commandments placed there by Moses himself, and over which two golden angels spread their wings to form the Mercy Seat, the actual site of God's presence. Various persons claim that the Ark still exists and will be soon brought to light. (See, e.g., http://www.anchorstone.com/wyatt/arkofcovenant.html).
Evangelical Christians also pay close attention to this subject. Jesus said that the seven-year long Great Tribulation which immediately precedes his Second Coming will commence immediately following the horrible desecration of the Holy of Holies spoken of by the prophet Daniel. (Dan. 9:27 and 12:11). And the Apostle Paul wrote that the Antichrist will set himself up as being God in the Sanctuary (Temple) of God. (II Thess. 2: 4).
The precise location of the ancient temples is not known for certain, howev er. But the Moslems furiously oppose any archeological excavation to find their foundations.
A new study, however, places the site of the temples on the hill immediately to the south known as Mount Ophel (http://www.biblediscoveries.com/templesite.html). The originator of this hypothesis, Dr. T.V. Oommen, bases his conclusion on certain points: First, he says ancient sources reveal that Solomon's Temple was above a spring known as Gihon, which is near Mount Ophel, not Mount Moriah.
Second, ancient historian Josephus Flavius said the view of Herod's Temple was obscured from the north. Most of Mount Moriah is highly elevated. Mount Ophel is shorter. One author who does believe the temples were on Mount Moriah says this would at least preclude the temples from being at the traditionally-held sites. (http://www.templemount.org/theories.html). He also notes that Jewish priests complained that Romans soldiers could observe them performing their daily duties. If the temple had been on the traditional sites, the Romans would have to have been in a tower 75 feet high.
Dr. Oommen also points out that the tradition that Mount Moriah is the site of the temples is based on the hearsay account of a Spanish Jewish scholar who visited Jerusalem in 1169 A.D. Significantly, one of his Jewish contemporaries, Maimonides, insisted that Mount Moriah was not the site. And the belief that the Western ("Wailing") Wall is the last remaining structure of the old temples is based on a conclusion drawn only 400 years ago.
If rabbis concur that Mount Ophel is the true site of Solomon's Temple, this could remove at least one otherwise insurmountable obstacle to producing a peace accord. Also, evangelical Christians, who constitute the plurality voting block in America, would gladly---even eagerly---accept a U.S.-brokered political deal in the Mideast which allows for the construction of a new temple.
A resolution of the conflict in Israel would seem to defy even the wisdom of Solomon. But let us keep in mind the words of his father, King David: "Pray for the peace of Jerusalem; they shall prosper that love thee." (Ps. 122: 6; KJV).
Analysis of why Temple doesn't necessarily even have to be rebuilt
You may email Lawrence Joyce at: germwarfarebook@aol.com
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