Mike S
Member
The traditional thinking is that the first and second Jewish Temples where located on what today is called the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. One problem for me is that Jesus clearly said the Temple would be completely destroyed, not one stone left upon another:
Additionally, in the Book of Kings we find:
I believe a good case is made that the first and second Temples where located on the site where the Tabernacle had been erected in the City of David, not on the Temple Mount.
Mark 13:1-2
1And as he went out of the temple, one of his disciples saith unto him, Master, see what manner of stones and what buildings are here! 2And Jesus answering said unto him, Seest thou these great buildings? there shall not be left one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.
Yet, when we visit the Temple Mount we find foundation walls well preserved from the time of destruction.1And as he went out of the temple, one of his disciples saith unto him, Master, see what manner of stones and what buildings are here! 2And Jesus answering said unto him, Seest thou these great buildings? there shall not be left one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.
Additionally, in the Book of Kings we find:
1 Kings 1:38-39
38 So Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethites and the Pelethites went down and had Solomon ride on King David's mule and brought him to Gihon. 39 There Zadok the priest took the horn of oil from the tent and anointed Solomon. Then they blew the trumpet, and all the people said, “Long live King Solomon!”
This clearly locates the tent of the Tabernacle next to the Spring of Gihon, which is in the City of David, not where the Temple Mount is today in the city of Jerusalem. There was actually nothing of Jerusalem, including the Temple Mount, outside the walls of City of David in the time of Solomon.38 So Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethites and the Pelethites went down and had Solomon ride on King David's mule and brought him to Gihon. 39 There Zadok the priest took the horn of oil from the tent and anointed Solomon. Then they blew the trumpet, and all the people said, “Long live King Solomon!”
I believe a good case is made that the first and second Temples where located on the site where the Tabernacle had been erected in the City of David, not on the Temple Mount.
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