Child Of Zion

Greetings. This article follows on from my previous entitled “What does your God require of you,” and concerns one of my personal fascinations – the holy precinct talked about in the latter chapters of Ezekiel. When I talk about this with my acquaintances, the typical response is, “What has that got to do with me?” But in reading Ezekiel 36-48, I know I am seeing a preview of the kingdom of God. I have no doubt that these are God’s words. I know they have not yet been fulfilled. I believe they will be fulfilled in my lifetime. My message for several years now is that Christianity has lost the way of truth, and that we must return to God’s way, so that he will return to us. [see Malachi 3:7] Lately I have decided that there are actions we can take to participate in bringing the kingdom of God to fruition.

The first part of this article attempts to link the spiritual kingdom with the physical kingdom of God on earth. The second part is an assessment of prophetic, and historical markers that may help map out God’s physical Kingdom, and an analysis of important historical sites, regarding their location. I hope this second part will attract the attention of an archeologist who is seeking God’s kingdom, as there is work to do finding these sites. My objective is to locate the place where Abraham, Jacob, and Joshua, each in turn, built an altar to God in Israel. This is where the future temple will be located. It is where God himself will dwell among men, and the place all mankind will meet with God;

 

 

PART ONE – THE KINGDOM AND YOU

Concerning the messiah, the Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him who hears say, “Come!” Concerning us God says, “Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life.” [see Revelation 22:17] There is a place we can go to meet with God and satisfy our thirst. Let’s find it.

Come, let us go up to the Mountain of God, and to the house of God. My Father’s house will be a house of prayer for all men. Yes, walking in the way of your law, we wait for you…. [Isaiah 2:3, 56:7, 26:8]

I rejoiced with those who said to me, “Let us go to the house of the LORD.” Our feet are standing in your gates, O Jerusalem. Jerusalem is built like a city that is closely compacted together. [or joined unitedly – chabar yachad] That is where the tribes go up, the tribes of the LORD, [go up unto the witness of Israel – eduwth Yisra'el] to praise the name of the LORD according to the statute given to Israel. There the thrones for judgment stand, the thrones of the house of David. Psalm 122:1-5 [The following saying of Jesus links this Psalm to the eternal kingdom.]

I confer on you a kingdom, just as my Father conferred one on me, so that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.   Luke 22:29  [hunger and thirst satisfied.]

The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy he went and sold all he had and bought that field.  Matthew 13:44

Do you know that the true nature of the kingdom of God has been hidden from our eyes? Are you confident that you have already found this hidden treasure? Jesus told us; “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.” So if you are not yet satisfied, as I am not yet satisfied, then I propose a treasure hunt. Here I will attempt to link Jesus’ parable of the hidden treasure to the great treasure of Israel – the temple and the holy mountain. If the connection seems tenuous, I agree. Many have told me that the kingdom of God is, and will be a spiritual kingdom, and I agree. But if God’s prophetic words are to be fulfilled, then the kingdom of God must also be a physical kingdom on earth.

My people have been lost sheep; their shepherds have led them astray and caused them to roam on the mountains. They wandered over mountain and hill and forgot their true resting place.  Jeremiah 50:6

When Jesus was on the cross, he told a dying criminal, “Today you will be with me in paradise.” Could paradise be the promised land of Israel? After all, when he said these words they were both busy dying in agony in that very land. To our eyes Israel may appear to be an unattractive place – small, overcrowded, a dry rocky land surrounded by sworn enemies, and yet this is the land that God calls “The beautiful land,” [Daniel 8:9, 11:16,41, Jeremiah 3:19] and “The most beautiful of all lands.” [Ezekiel 20:6] I have decided that Israel is the paradise Jesus was talking about, and that we have all gone astray and have forgotten our true resting place. Our true resting place is the land God promised to Abraham as our inheritance forever. [Genesis 13:15]  Inheritance equates with treasure.

There is no conflict in God’s word concerning the simultaneous existence of both the physical realm and the spiritual realm, and any Christian will acknowledge that we are both physical and spiritual beings. All that has happened is that we have trained ourselves to imagine a future “heaven.” Whenever I ask a Christian what heaven actually is I get the same answer – silence. No one is prepared to tell me about the heaven they have imagined, nor can I define the kingdom of God now. In this life I am limited to seeing the existing physical realm. I cannot see the future physical realm, when the earth will be renewed, nor the eternal spiritual realm. I must rely on what God has said about his kingdom, which in turn is limited by my own understanding. Here is what God told Ezra about human understanding;

And I said, “…. I labor to comprehend the way of the Most High, and to seek out part of his judgment.”  And he said unto me, “You cannot.” 2 Esdras 5:34

He said moreover unto me, “Your own things, and such as are grown up with you, [the physical realm]  you cannot understand. How can you then be able to comprehend the way of the Highest???   And, the world now being outwardly corrupted in your sight, how can you even begin to comprehend the corruption that is evident in my sight???”   2 Esdras 4:10

I’ve decided that the best strategy for a mortal man to adopt, is to believe what God has said, whether I understand it or not. I have chosen to reject the teachings of men. By doing this God can show me new things from his word. One of the things that I have discovered God has said, is that he will punish all those who avoid stepping on the threshold. [Zephaniah 1:9 NIV bible] I don’t want to incur the wrath of the God I serve – that would be shameful. In God’s kingdom all mankind will go up to appear before God. [Zechariah 14:16]  This requirement is written in God’s Law, [Deuteronomy 12:5, 16:16] and God’s Law is eternal. [Psalm 93:5, 103:18, 11:7, 119:44,111,144,152,160]

Long ago I learned from your statutes that you established them to last forever. Psalm 119:152

All your words are true; all your righteous laws are eternal. Psalm 119:160

I will always obey your law, for ever and ever. Psalm 119:44

 

 

But as for you who forsake the LORD and forget my holy mountain, who spread a table for Fortune and fill bowls of mixed wine for Destiny, I will destine you for the sword, and you will all bend down for the slaughter; for I called but you did not answer, I spoke but you did not listen. You did evil in my sight and chose what displeases me.  Isaiah 65:11

Note; God is about to call us to return to his ways, but the Christian religion is so entrenched in false doctrine that it will be incapable of responding, and will have to be scrapped. How do you reinvent a 2000 year old religion, when the falsehood goes right to the foundations? We must seek the kingdom, as though it were hidden treasure.

Is it not because I have long been silent that you do not fear me? I will expose your righteousness and your works, and they will not benefit you. When you cry out for help, let your collection of idols save you! The wind will carry them all off, a mere breath will blow them away. But the man who makes me his refuge will inherit the land and possess my holy mountain.   Isaiah 57:11  [inheritance and possession equate with treasure in the Hebrew language.]

See, the LORD is coming with fire, and his chariots are like a whirlwind; he will bring down his anger with fury, and his rebuke with flames of fire. For with fire and with his sword the LORD will execute judgment on all men, and many will be those slain by the LORD.  Isaiah 66:15  [If ever we are to discover the fear of God, now is a good time to do it.]

On that day I will punish all those who avoid stepping on the threshold, who fill the temple of their gods with violence and deceit.  Zephaniah 1:9  NIV bible

Unfortunately, this last scripture is written in such a way that it’s meaning is obscured in most translations of the bible, but I have concluded that the NIV bible has got the meaning approximately correct. The problem is the term “dalag miphtan,” which translates “leap threshold.” Bible translators are divided as to whether this means to “leap on the threshold” or to “leap over the threshold,” and only the NIV translators concluded that it means “avoid stepping on the threshold.” You will have to make up your own mind, but do ask God why he will punish men for leaping on, or over, the threshold before you reject the NIV bible version. I’ve made up my mind what God meant here, based largely on how it fits in with everything else that God says he is about to do. It fits God’s word perfectly to punish those who forsake his ways and ignore his commandments. I want to appear before God, and step on the threshold.

I am reasonably certain that the term, “Those who fill the temple of their gods with violence and deceit,” is correct as well. Some translations say, “the house of the Lord their God,” or similar, but the name Yahweh is used 11 times in this chapter, and not used to describe these temples. In other words, if it was Yahweh’s house, why didn’t he say so? The violence mentioned here is almost certainly “violence against God’s law” [see Zephaniah 3:4, Ezekiel 22:26], a crime the Christian church is notorious for. For example, how could the Christian church have ever concluded that Sunday is the Sabbath? [refer to Luke 23:56] And why have we gone along with this practice for so long, cheerfully forsaking God’s ways? We have been perpetually breaking the 4^th commandment for centuries. Deceit is deceit. It is the foremost sorcery of Babylon, the adulterous city we all currently live in. [see Ezekiel 13:17-23]

God told Daniel “The violent men among your own people will rebel in fulfillment of the vision,” [Dan 11:14] which brings to mind a bunch of thugs. But it is easy for me to see that we [including those who adhere to the Christian religion] have forsaken God’s ways, have done violence against God’s law, have become accustomed to living in a perpetual state of rebellion, and have become completely oblivious to the fact that we are about to participate in the greatest rebellion against God of all time. “Lately my people have risen up like an enemy.” [Micah 2:8] “All this because of the wanton lust of a harlot, alluring, the mistress of sorceries, who enslaves the nations…” [Nahum 3:4]

Do you think that you personally have escaped this enslavement? I now understand that I have been enslaved in Babylon, and am urgently seeking the way to New Jerusalem. If you have even a suspicion that you are in Babylon, then plead with God, that he would direct you to Jerusalem / Zion. The following prophesy puts the two alternatives – Babylon and Jerusalem – in one scripture. It is directed towards those believers who survive the coming tribulation against the saints. These survivors are hearing God’s second call to return to Israel, Jerusalem, his temple and his law. [see Isaiah 11:11] But how much better would it be for us to hear God’s first call !!!

 

Babylon must fall because of Israel’s slain, just as the slain in all the earth have fallen because of Babylon. You who have escaped the sword, leave and do not linger! Remember the LORD in a distant land, and think on Jerusalem.   Jeremiah 51:49

You who call on the LORD, give yourselves no rest, and give him no rest till he establishes Jerusalem and makes her the praise of the earth.  Isaiah 62:6,7   [Or in other words, seek and keep on seeking. Ask and keep on asking.]

And so, regarding our eternal treasure, the temple and the holy mountain. This is much more valuable to us than we currently realize. If we forsake God’s holy mountain, we will all bend down for the slaughter. If we avoid stepping on the threshold, then God’s rebuke will fall on us. But if we seek God’s kingdom, we may find the hidden treasure Jesus once told us about. Once the temple and the holy mountain are established in Zion, Babylon will be banished forever. I now consider they are the treasure hidden in a field, placed right before our eyes, though we have failed to see it.

 

Mankind comes to Mount Zion

In the last days the mountain of the LORD’s temple will be established as chief among the mountains; it will be raised above the hills, and all nations will stream to it. Many peoples will come and say, “Come, Let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths.” The Law will go out from Zion, the word of the LORD from Jerusalem….. Come, O house of Jacob, let us walk in the light of the LORD.  Isaiah 2:2-5

In that day the LORD will thresh from the flowing River to the Wadi of Egypt, and you O Israelites, will be gathered up one by one. And in that day a great trumpet will sound. Those who were perishing in Assyria and those who were exiled in Egypt will come and worship the LORD on the holy mountain in Jerusalem.   Isaiah 27:12,13

Great is the LORD in Zion; he is exalted over the nations….. Exalt the LORD our God and worship at his footstool; he is holy….. Exalt the LORD our God and worship at his holy mountain, for the LORD our God is holy.  Psalm 99

Send forth your light and your truth, let them guide me; let them bring me to your holy mountain, to the place where you dwell.  Psalm 43:3 

Let this be the prayer of all the servants of God. If you are reading this article, and are not yet a servant of God, then ask yourself one simple question; If there is a God, a supreme being who created the universe, and you, will you choose to humble yourself and serve him? If the answer is No, then you will probably have no part in the treasure God has in store for those who love him. If the answer is Yes, then go ahead and ask God to reveal himself. He already knows you, your thoughts, and your actions intimately. Regardless of  what you decide, eventually all mankind, and you, will be humbled and will serve the Creator – no exceptions.

 

 

God comes to Mount Zion

Then I looked, and there before me was the Lamb, standing on Mount Zion, and with him 144000 who had his name [authority] and his fathers name written on their foreheads….. who had been redeemed from the earth…. They follow the Lamb wherever he goes. They were purchased from among men and offered as firstfruits to God and the Lamb. No lie was found in their mouths; they are blameless. Revelation 14:1-5

“I have installed my king on Zion, my holy hill.” I will proclaim the decree of the LORD: He said to me;  “You are my Son, today I have become your Father. Ask of me, and I will make the nations your inheritance, the ends of the earth your possession. You will rule them with an iron scepter; you will dash them to pieces like pottery.”   Psalm 2:6-9

Note; 144000 is a comparatively small number of earths inhabitants to be redeemed from amongst men. Because the tribe of Dan is omitted from Revelation 7, there is scope within God’s word for a larger number to respond to God’s call to return to his ways. All of us, in fact. The rest of us, all those who ignore God’s requirements, are about to be consumed by God’s rebuke, but will be redeemed from the grave, and some will survive captivity to be restored. We all have the potential to become the sons of God, but God will choose only those who are found worthy. They will receive God’s authority by the indwelling of his spirit. [See Luke 20:35,36, Malachi 3:16,17]

 

I will return to Zion and dwell in Jerusalem. Then Jerusalem will be called the City of Truth, and the mountain of the LORD Almighty will be called the Holy Mountain.  Zechariah 8:3

Great is the LORD, and most worthy of praise, in the city of our God, his holy mountain. It is beautiful in it’s loftiness, the Joy of the whole earth.   Psalm 48:1,2

Why gaze in envy, O rugged mountains, at the mountain where God chooses to reign, where God himself will dwell forever? The chariots of God are tens of thousands and thousands of thousands; the LORD has come from Sinai into his sanctuary.  Psalm 68:16   [Sinai - Ciyniay - see-nah'-ee]

He has set his foundation on the holy mountain; the LORD loves the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob…..  Psalm 87   [ Zion - Tsiyown - tsee-yone']

There is a river [see Ezekiel 47] whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most high dwells. God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day. Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall; he lifts his voice, the earth melts.   Psalm 46:4-6

 

I spoke and conversed with him who will go forth from his habitation – the Holy and Mighty One, the God of the world – who will hereafter stand upon Mount Sinai, appear with his hosts, and be made known in the strength of his power from heaven. All shall be afraid, and the watchers be terrified. Great fear and trembling shall seize them, even to the ends of the earth. The lofty mountains shall be troubled, the exalted hills brought low, melting like a honeycomb in the flame. Enoch 1:3-6

 

 

 

On this Mountain the Lord will be seen

Go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice your son there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you about…. He set out [from Beersheba] for the place God had told him about. On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance…. Abraham built an altar there…. So Abraham called that place “The LORD Will Provide.” [Yehovah Yireh – The LORD will see – that is; The LORD will take care of everything.] And to this day it is said, “On the mountain of the LORD it will be provided.” [behar Yehovah Yeraeh – On this Mount the LORD will be seen.]   Genesis 22:2-14

On this mountain the LORD Almighty will prepare a feast [great joy and abundant provision, as at the time of a great victory] of rich food for all peoples, a banquet of aged wine [preserved, retained, wine left on it's lees, retaining all it's strength and flavor] – the best of meats [a feast of fat things full of marrow, richness / pure livestock, well kept and clean, unblemished, according to the Law of God] and the finest of wines. [hunger and thirst satisfied] On this mountain he will destroy the shroud that enfolds all peoples, the sheet that covers all nations; he will swallow up death forever.   Isaiah 25:6

I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats this bread, he will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I give for the life of the world….. unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.   [Jesus]   John 6:51-54

Note; When Jesus said this, his followers had no idea what he meant, and I’ve never heard a satisfactory explanation for these words, so it’s hard to believe anyone knows what Jesus meant. We certainly don’t have eternal life yet, nor have we been raised up. I suggest that if we come and appear before God in these final days, we will find out what these words mean. We will receive the latter rain blessing, we will be raised up to the status of sons. I don’t think that this will occur immediately – at that moment of time. I have seen quite a bit of scriptural evidence to suggest that a number of those who heed God’s call and receive his blessing will yet be slain in innocence. But, if God did not spare his own Son from death, there is no reason to conclude that we should be immune.

 

 

Useless Rebuttals;

Our fathers worshiped on this mountain….. A time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem……the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth.   John 4:20-23

Note; These words of Jesus, and the testimony of John [Revelation 21:22] have both been used to argue that the physical temple is a thing of the past, not part of our future, because both indicate that in God’s kingdom we won’t be worshiping God at the temple in Jerusalem. That much is correct, but according to Ezekiel 48, the future temple will not be located in Jerusalem, but 4500 cubits north of the city, which makes these arguments redundant. Yes, we will worship God at his temple in spirit and in truth – no, we will not worship God at a temple in the city of Jerusalem.

Another bible text that has conditioned Christians into rejecting the physical kingdom and the physical temple is Galations 4:21-31, where Paul likens the children of the spiritual kingdom to those of Sarah, the free woman, and the children “bound” to physical observance of the law as the children of Hagar, the slave woman. On the basis of this, who would want to uphold the physical observances of God’s holy Law? This teaching is false. To support this teaching Paul has quoted from God’s word to Isaiah;

Sing, O barren woman, you who never bore a child; burst into song, shout for joy, you who were never in labor; because more are the children of the desolate woman than of her who has a husband. Isaiah 54:1

It was Sarah that was barren, and it was Sarah who had a husband, so how can this scripture be connected to Sarah and Hagar? Furthermore, the facts are that Sarah and Hagar both went into labor and both had children. Can you see anything at all in this scripture that says we should abandon the eternal law of God? I say it is impossible to find support for Paul’s teaching here, and the only thing it proves is how gullible we are. This scripture is about the two kingdoms of Israel :- the southern kingdom of Judah, whom God kept, and the northern kingdom of Israel [Ephraim] whom God divorced and sent away. [see Jeremiah 3:8] The children born to Ephraim will predominantly be children of the resurrection. Ephraim is about to be almost completely destroyed. [see Hosea 5:9, 13:14]

Meanwhile; back in the land of “the way, the truth, and the life,” here is what God says concerning those who bind themselves to the observance of God’s holy law; I will always obey your law, for ever and ever. I will walk about in freedom, for I have sought out your precepts.   [Psalm 119:44]  This is the exact opposite of what Paul taught. People; trust what God says and reject what Paul says. Seek God’s kingdom today by seeking out his precepts.

 

 

HIDDEN TREASURE

The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy he went and sold all he had and bought that field.   Matthew 13:44

Parallel prophesy concerning wisdom;

Wisdom is supreme; therefore get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding.  Proverbs 4:7

Jesus said; Seek and you will find. In those days the things you asked me about I did not tell you. Now I am willing to tell them, but you do not seek them.  Thomas 92

If you call out for insight, and cry aloud for understanding, and if you look for it as for silver, and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God.  Proverbs 2:3-5

Blessed is the man who finds wisdom, the man who gains understanding, for she is more profitable than silver and yields better returns than gold.  Proverbs 3:13

The house of the righteous contains great treasure.  Proverbs 15:9

Submit to God and be at peace with him; [see Psalm 131, Matthew 18:3] in this way prosperity will come to you. Accept instruction from his mouth and lay up his words in your heart. If you return to the Almighty, you will be restored: if you remove wickedness far from your tent and assign your nuggets to the dust, your gold of Ophir to the rocks of the ravines, then the Almighty will be your gold, the choicest silver for you. Surely then you will find delight in the Almighty and will lift up your face to God. You will pray to him and he will hear you, and you will fulfill your vows. What you decide on will be done, and light will shine on your ways. When men are brought low and you say “Lift them up!” then he will save the downcast. He will deliver even one who is not innocent, who will be delivered through the cleanness of your hands.   Job 22:21-30

 

 

By wisdom will God’s kingdom be established

By wisdom the LORD laid the earths foundations….  Proverbs 3:19

By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established; through knowledge it’s rooms are filled with rare and beautiful treasure.   Proverbs 24:3

The LORD is exalted, for he dwells on high; he will fill Zion with justice and righteousness. He will be a sure foundation for your times, a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge; the fear of the LORD is the key to this treasure.  Isaiah 33:5

Unless the LORD builds the house, it’s builders labor in vain. Unless the LORD watches over a city, the watchmen stand guard in vain. In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat – for while they sleep he provides for those he loves. Sons born in ones youth [the sons of God – see Isaiah 66:8] are a heritage from the LORD….. they will not be put to shame when they contend with their enemies at the gate.   Psalm 127

 

 

The latter rain – the blessing for our time

From this day on, from this twenty forth day of the ninth month, give careful thought to the day when the foundation of the LORD’s temple was laid. Give careful thought: Is there yet any seed left in the barn? Until now, the vine and the fig tree, the pomegranate and the olive tree have not borne fruit. From this day on I will bless you.   Haggai 2:18

So if you faithfully obey all the commands I am giving you today – to love the LORD your God and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul – then I will send rain on your land in it’s season, both the former rain and the latter rain.  Deuteronomy 11:13

In the land the LORD your God is giving you to possess as your inheritance, he will richly bless you, if only you fully obey the LORD your God and are careful to follow all these commands I am giving you today. For the LORD your God will bless you as he promised, and you will lend to many nations but will borrow from none. You will rule over many nations but none will rule over you.   Deuteronomy 15:4-6

The LORD will open the heavens, the storehouse of his treasure, to send rain on your land in season and to bless all the work of your hands. You will lend to many nations but borrow from none.   Deuteronomy 28:12

Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this, says the LORD Almighty, and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it….. Then all the nations will call you blessed, for yours will be a delightful land.  Malachi 3:10-12

Note; I have highlighted the words that I believe help define the nature of this blessing, specifically, that the blessing will come at an appointed season, that it will be the realization of God’s kingdom on earth, that the blessing will apply to the land of Israel, and is dependent upon obedience to God’s law.

Pause and consider what these words mean for you and I today. God has said that when the appointed time comes, if we decide to take what God says seriously and actually do what he says, that is, faithfully and fully obey the Law of our God, then he will pour out blessing that we will be unable to contain, so that Israel will become a blessing for all the earth. We will rule over all the earth, but no-one will rule over us. In other words, If we obey God today, then God’s kingdom will come.

I have heard Malachi 3:10 used numerous times to whip the congregation of Christians into giving money to their churches. There may be no offense to God in tithing to your church, and you may have been blessed for tithing to your church, but if you believe God’s blessing of Malachi 3 applies to this practice, then you are not reading the word of God correctly. Tithing is a tricky doctrine to pin down. I hope to take my tithe to the altar of God, but I don’t know for certain how it all works. Deuteronomy 16:16 says we should appear before God three times a year, and not to come without a gift proportional to how God has blessed us, which could mean tithe.

 

 

The mountain of God’s blessing

On this mountain the LORD Almighty will prepare a feast of rich food for all peoples, a banquet of aged wine – the best of meats and the finest of wines. On this mountain he will destroy the shroud that enfolds all peoples, the sheet that covers all nations; he will swallow up death forever.   Isaiah 25:6   [hunger and thirst satisfied.]

Send forth you light and your truth, let them guide me; let them bring me to your holy mountain, to the place where you dwell. Then I will go to the altar of God, to God, my joy and my delight.  Psalm 43:3,4

I will not enter my house or go to my bed – I will allow no sleep to my eyes, no slumber to my eyelids, till I find a place for the LORD, a dwelling for the Mighty One of Jacob.  We have heard of it by the hand of David, who was of Ephrathah, we found it in the field of the woods, the place where the ancient fathers prayed. Let us go to his dwelling place; let us worship at his footstool – arise, O LORD, and come to your resting place, you and the ark of your might. May your priests be clothed with righteousness; may your saints sing for joy……

For the LORD has chosen Zion, he has desired it for his dwelling. “This is my resting place for ever and ever; here I will sit enthroned, for I have desired it – I will bless her with abundant provisions; her poor I will satisfy with food. I will clothe her priests with salvation, and her saints will ever sing for joy. Here I will make a horn [kingdom] grow for David and set up a lamp for my anointed one. I will clothe his enemies with shame, but the crown on his head will be resplendent.”   Psalm 132:3-18

Note; This is a Psalm of David, and yet David was refused permission to build the temple. Consider this Psalm a prophetic message for us. I attach great significance to this Psalm, in conjunction with all the other scriptures that link the physical temple to the kingdom of God. From this Psalm I know that;

Here is the only worthwhile endeavor for me in these end times – to find a place for God. Every other endeavor will come to nothing in a few short years. [see Jeremiah 51:58, Habakkuk 2:13, Psalm 39:6, Ezekiel 7:11, Wisdom of Solomon 5:8,9] God has said our endeavor should be the establishment of Zion, which is the eternal dwelling place of God. [see Isaiah 62:6,12, 60:14, Psalm 68:16, Ezekiel 43:7, 48:35]

The house of David has a message about finding the temple site. Either David himself, or any of his descendants.

The ancient fathers prayed there. Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Aaron, Joshua, David, Solomon, etc.

 

 

Babylon – The Removable Mountain

The LORD said, “If as one people speaking the same language they have begun to do this [men were building Babel - a city for their own name] then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them. Come , let us go down and confuse their language so they will not understand each other.”   Genesis 11:6

Note; This scripture may seem out of place here, but Babel was the first manifestation of physical Babylon, and this is about to happen again. Men will once again unite, in an attempt to solve all our problems and secure our future. But they will do this without acknowledging the Holy One of Israel, or adhering to his statutes. For example, we know from Daniel 7:25 that the Antichrist will try to change the set times and the laws. This endeavor is doomed to failure, because God says we need a new heart and a new spirit. Until that happens, our fundamental motive will always be self interest – by God’s standards we are evil by nature. But there are implications in the story of Babel for you and I. The kingdom of God will also be initiated when brothers unite, so we need to be careful not to be fooled into supporting this false kingdom. [see Matthew 24:24 – deceive even the elect] This false kingdom will seem to be a wonderful endeavor, and anyone who speaks against it will be unpopular. [see Revelation 11 – two witnesses.]

 

This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: “Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,” says the LORD Almighty. Who are you, O mighty mountain? [Babylon – see Jeremiah 51, below.] Before Zerubbabel you will become level ground. Then he will bring out the capstone to shouts of “God bless it! God bless it!” Then the word of the LORD came to me: The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundations of this temple; his hands will also complete it. Then you will know that the LORD Almighty has sent me to you. Who despises the day of small things? People will rejoice when they see the plumbline in the hands of Zerubbabel.    Zechariah 4:6-10

Before your eyes I will repay Babylon and all who live in Chaldea for all the wrong they have done in Zion, declares the LORD. I am against you O destroying mountain, you who destroy the whole earth, declares the LORD. I will stretch out my hand against you, roll you of the cliffs, and make you a burnt out mountain. No rock will be taken from you for a cornerstone, nor any stone for a foundation, for you will be desolate forever, declares the LORD.  Jeremiah 51:24-26

Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets…. Look, your house is left to you desolate.   Luke 13:34,35

Note; Babylon is all false religion, and is guilty of the blood of the prophets and saints all the way back to the blood of Abel. The name “Babylon” can’t be hung entirely on any single religion. Ignore those who label Judaism or Islam or Catholicism as being Babylon. Until we return to God’s ways, we are all equally entrenched in Babylon. We must seek the kingdom of God, just like seeking for hidden treasure. That’s what Jesus told us to do.

The destructive nature of Babylon is made evident in the death of Abel. Cain practiced false religion, his sacrifice was rejected, and in jealous anger he killed Abel, who practiced true religion. Also, we bring condemnation on ourselves when we practice false religion, and so become subject to destruction. God gave true religion to us through Moses, saying, “Do this and you will live.” These are the very things we have refused to do, just as our forefathers refused to do them.

To understand the riddle of prophesy, you need to realize that until God destroys us for our wickedness, Jerusalem is Babylon and Babylon is Jerusalem. But all our wickedness will be bundled up in Babylon, [see Zechariah 5:5-11] which will then be destroyed forever. Then New Jerusalem will come, being prepared like a bride. No one who practices falsehood will enter the kingdom of God – we will all swear allegiance to God and keep our vows, finally learning to do what God has always told us to do. This next prophesy gives Jerusalem the characteristics of Babylon;

From the day it was built until now, this city has so aroused my anger and wrath that I must remove it from my sight. The people of Israel and Judah have provoked me by all the evil they have done…. They turned their backs to me and not their faces; though I taught them again and again, they would not listen or respond to discipline. They set up their abominable idols in the house that bears my Name and defiled it…… [read; abomination of desolation] You are saying of this city, “By the sword, famine and plague it will be handed over…..” [see Matthew 24:9 – handed over] but this is what the LORD, the God of Israel says: “I will surely gather them from all the lands where I banish them in my furious anger and great wrath; I will bring them back to this land and let them live in safety. They will be my people and I will be their God. [see Revelation 21:3] I will give them singleness of heart and action……  Jeremiah 32:31-39   [Here referring to the new covenant, which is still in our future. We don't have singleness of heart and action yet.]

Man lies down and does not rise; till the heavens are no more, men will not awake or be roused from their sleep. If only you would hide me in the grave and conceal me till your anger has passed! If only you would set me a time and then remember me! If a man dies, will he live again? All the days of my hard service I will wait for my renewal to come. You will call and I will answer you; you will long for the creature you have made. Surely then you will count my steps but not keep track of my sin. My offenses will be sealed up in a bag; [Zechariah 5:5-11]  you will cover over my sin. But as a mountain erodes and crumbles and a rock is moved from it’s place, [Zechariah 4:7] as water wears away stones and torrents wash away soil, so you destroy man’s hope. You overpower him once for all, and he is gone.  Job 14:10-20   [God is about to destroy all the hope we have placed in our adulterous false religions.]

Now where are their gods, the rock they took refuge in….? There is no god besides me. I put to death and I bring to life…. and no one can deliver from out of my hand.   Deuteronomy 32:37-39

 

 

Jesus replied, I tell you the truth, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, “Go, throw yourself into the sea,” and it will be done.   Matthew 21:21

Note; This scripture is similar to Mark 11:23, Luke 17:6. When the kingdom of God comes, Babylon will be cast into the sea. [see Jeremiah 51:42, Revelation 18:21]

I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, “Move from here to there,” and it will move.   Matthew 17:20

Jesus said; If two make peace with one another in this one house, they will say to the mountain, “Move,” and it will move.   Thomas 48

Jesus said; When you make the two into one, you will become Sons of Man. And when you say, Mountain move,” it will be moved.   Thomas 106

Note; The reference regarding two making peace with each other refers to the reunification of Judah and Ephraim to become one kingdom of Israel. [see Ezekiel 37] This concept is again highlighted in the scripture from Zechariah that follows. It’s proximity to the mountain moving exploits of Zerubbabel found in Zechariah 4:7 may mean that by faith and unity he, or more properly, they, will be instrumental in removing the adulterous destroying mountain from Jerusalem, by the authority of the Spirit of God. Once the defilement of Jerusalem is removed, God’s kingdom – the eternal Holy Mountain will come, and the eternal Holy God will make his habitation with men.

Take silver and gold from the exiles Heldai, Tobijah and Jediah, who have arrived from Babylon. [we are all in Babylon at present] Go the same day to the house of Josiah son of Zephaniah. Take the silver and gold and make a crown and set it on the head of Joshua, son of Jehozadok. Tell him this is what the LORD Almighty says: “Here is the man whose name is the Branch, [see Jeremiah 23:5] and he will branch out from his place and build the temple of the LORD. It is he who will build the temple of the LORD, and he will be clothed in majesty and will sit and rule on his throne. And he will be a priest on his throne. [see Psalm 110, Revelation 20:6 – Priest and King] And there will be harmony between the two.    Zechariah 6:11-13   [also see Psalm 133, below]

How good and pleasant it is when brothers live in unity! It is like precious oil poured on the head, running down on the beard, running down on Aaron’s beard, down upon the collar of his robes. It is as if the dew of Hermon were falling on Mount Zion. For there the LORD bestows his blessing, even life forevermore.    Psalm 133

 

 

Mount Zion – The Immovable Mountain

Those who trust in the LORD are like Mount Zion, which cannot be shaken but endures for ever. As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the LORD surrounds his people both now and forevermore.    Psalm 125:1,2

Vision; While you were watching, a rock was cut out, but not by human hands. It struck the statue on it’s feet of iron and clay, and smashed them. Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver and the gold were broken to pieces at the same time and became like chaff on the threshing floor in the summer. The wind swept them away without leaving a trace. But the rock that struck the statue became a huge mountain and filled the whole earth.    Daniel 2:34,35

Interpretation; In the time of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed, nor will it be left to another people. It will crush those kingdoms and bring them to an end, but it will itself endure forever.   Daniel 2:44

Vision; And I beheld, and lo, that man waxed strong with the thousands of heaven, and when he turned his countenance to look, all the things trembled that were seen under him….. But I beheld, and lo, he had graved himself a great mountain, and flew up upon it. But I would have seen the region or place from where the hill was graven, and I could not….. Afterward I saw the same man come down from the mountain, and call unto him another peaceable multitude.    2 Esdras 13:3-12

Interpretation; Then shall my Son be declared, whom thou saw as a man ascending. And when all the people hear his voice, every man shall in their own land leave the battle they have one against another, and an innumerable multitude shall be gathered together, as thou sawest them, willing to come, and to overcome him by fighting. But he shall stand upon the top of Mount Sion. And Sion shall come and shall be showed to all men, being prepared and builded, like as thou sawest the hill graven without human hands.    2 Esdras 13:32-36

Note; Daniel’s vision indicates that the mountain is a physical kingdom on earth, while Ezra’s vision reveals a physical mountain as well as a kingdom. If this mountain was regarded as an exclusively spiritual and / or physical kingdom, then there would be no cause for the Messiah to ever descend from the mountain. He will rule forever.

 

I am going to make Jerusalem a cup that sends all the surrounding peoples reeling. Judah will be besieged as well as Jerusalem. On that day, when all the nations of the earth are gathered against her, I will make Jerusalem an immovable rock for all the nations. All who try to move it will injure themselves.   Zechariah 12:2,3

He [the Antichrist] will pitch his royal tents between the sea and the beautiful holy mountain. Yet he will come to his end, and no one will help him.   Daniel 11:45

Note; Again the holy mountain refers to a physical mountain – here it is a landmark.. The sea mentioned is the Eastern sea, known as the Dead sea. The kings of the earth will assemble here, and their armies will completely encircle the land of Israel in the last days of the judgment. But they will come to their mortal end, awaiting resurrection to eternal life. In that day the LORD will thresh from the flowing River to the Wadi of Egypt, and you O Israelites, will be gathered up one by one. And in that day a great trumpet will sound.  [Isaiah 27:12,13]  That is, all will be resurrected except for the antichrist and the false prophet, who will be captured alive and sentenced immediately. The reason Israel will be gathered up by this threshing process is that these armies are all descendants of Israel – one of the hidden truths of God’s plan for Israel and mankind. This assembly of kings and armies is described in Revelation 16 and 19, and the location is given again in Isaiah 10:28-32.

 

 

The beautiful Holy Mountain;

When I restore their fortunes, the people in the land of Judah and in it’s towns will once again use these words: “The LORD bless you, O righteous dwelling, O sacred mountain.”   Jeremiah 31:23

Who are you, O mighty mountain? Before Zerubbabel you will become level ground. Then he will bring out the capstone to shouts of “God bless it! God bless it!”   Zechariah 4:7

The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone; the LORD has done this and it is marvelous in our eyes… Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD. From the house of the LORD we bless you.   Psalm 118

Note; Here the capstone is referred to as a spiritual entity as well as a physical object, probably the sacred mountain. The first blessing states that the sacred mountain is the righteous dwelling place, and will be located in the land of Judah. The second says “God bless IT,” rather than God bless “you” or “him,” meaning that the capstone is a physical object, one that Zerubbabel will be instrumental in establishing in Zion. By looking at the first two blessings in parallel, it is possible to conclude that the sacred mountain and the capstone are the same physical object.

By looking at the third blessing in parallel with the first two, it can be seen that the capstone is also “HE,” a spiritual being – the Almighty God, who will come to give us salvation, [Psalm 118:14] and triumph over out enemies. [Psalm 118:7]  The following scriptures define God as the Rock.. Lately the term “Rock” has taken on additional meaning for me;

 

Jeshurun grew fat and kicked; [rebelled] filled with food, he became heavy and sleek. He abandoned the God who made him and rejected the Rock his savior. [read; forgot his Holy Mountain, read; rejected the Word of God and clung to the teachings of men.] They made him jealous with their foreign gods and angered him with their detestable idols…. [our many adulterous religions] You deserted the Rock, who fathered you; you forgot the God who gave you birth.    Deuteronomy 32:15-18

Be my rock of refuge, to which I can always go, give the command to save me, for you are my rock and my fortress. Deliver me, O my God, from the hand of the wicked, from the grasp of evil and cruel men.    Psalm 71:3,4

The LORD is my rock, my fortress, my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge. He is my sheild and the horn [kingdom] of my salvation, my stronghold. I call to the LORD, who is worthy of praise, and I am saved from my enemies.    Psalm 18:2,3

 

So, what do you think? Can you see any reason to get excited about the physical kingdom that is coming? I’m sure there is great reward for us in seeking both the physical as well as the spiritual treasures of Israel. I have already acknowledged that the connection can seem tenuous, although, for me the connection has now become obvious, but there is something else to consider. If I am correct, it means that God has hidden this from our eyes. Why? – I do not know. But I do know that God has acknowledged as much in his word;

 

 

The Rock that makes men fall;

The LORD Almighty…. will be a sanctuary; but for both houses of Israel he will be a stone that causes men to stumble and a rock that makes them fall.   Isaiah 8:13,14   [both houses meaning both Judah – the Jews, and Ephraim – the gentiles.]

I will put obstacles before this people. Fathers and sons alike will stumble over them; neighbors and friends will perish.    Jeremiah 6:21

He who falls on this stone will be broken in pieces, but he on whom it falls will be crushed.   Matthew 21:44

He shakes the nations in a sieve of destruction; he places in the jaws of the peoples a bit that leads them astray.   Isaiah 30:28

The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it….. He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him.    John 1:5,10

How can you say, “We are wise, for we have the Law of the LORD,” when actually the lying pen of the scribes has handled it falsely? The wise will be put to shame; they will be dismayed and trapped. Since they have rejected the word of the LORD, what kind of wisdom do they have?   Jeremiah 8:8

Why, O LORD, do you make us wander from your ways and harden our hearts so we do not revere you?    Isaiah 63:17

To my knowledge, God has not answered this question anywhere in his written word. According to Jesus, “these things” are hidden from the wise and learned, and revealed to little children, because it is the Father’s good pleasure to do so. [Luke 10:21] That explanation may have to suffice for now. But the real question is, have we found the hidden treasure Jesus told us about? We won’t find anything if we are already satisfied with what we have, and are not prepared to look any further. If there is something more to be found, then let’s find it.

 

 

PART TWO – TREASURE MAP;

According to Ezekiel 48, Jerusalem will measure 4500 x 4500 cubits square, and the future temple will not be in Jerusalem but 4500 cubits north of the city. [A cubit being about 0.46 meters.] According to Revelation 21:16, Jerusalem will measure 12000 stadia or furlongs in length, width, and height. These measurements are huge. There are eight furlongs to a mile and about 1610 meters to a mile, so one furlong = 1610 / 8 = 201.25 meters. Jerusalem would be 1500 miles or 2415 kilometers square and high, much bigger than the land of Israel, and bulky enough to tip our planet over. This scripture may have been mishandled somehow.

If we ignore the multiple 1000, and the city measured 12 furlongs length by width, then this would result in a city measuring 2415 meters square, which seems much more reasonable, and a good match with Ezekiel 48. To get a practical 2415 meter height for the city, I put forward my pet theory, that Mount Sinai [The Holy Mountain - Jabal al Lawz – Saudi Arabia] will be physically relocated to Jerusalem, and that this is what Jesus was talking about when he said; “the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky.” [see Matthew 24:30] 

He may have meant, “appear on the skyline / horizon,” as an instant appearance on site, rather than appearing as a flying mountain. This mountain is only constructed of atoms. It is no problem for God to dismantle those atoms and reassemble them at Jerusalem. I’m confident that the Holy mountain, and the river of life, will be inhabited by the Spirit of God. This also is no problem for God. We can safely assume the the Spirit of God has previously inhabited the Tree of Life, the Tree of Knowledge, the burning bush, a dove, tongues of fire, and possibly even Balaam’s donkey, which gave voice and rebuked Balaam.

According to 2 Maccabees 2:4-8, the prophet Jeremiah hid the tabernacle, the ark of the covenant, and the altar of incense from the first temple in a cave on Mount Sinai, [Horeb] and sealed the entrance. Jeremiah said;

As for that place, it shall be unknown until the time that God gather his people again together, and receive them unto mercy. Then shall the LORD show them these things, and the glory of the LORD shall appear, and the cloud also, as it was showed under Moses….   2 Maccabees 2:7,8

So if my theory is right, we will never have to find the ark of the covenant. God will bring it with him when he comes to Zion from Sinai, along with his holy mountain;

….arise, O LORD, and come to your resting place, you and the ark of your might. May your priests be clothed with righteousness; may your saints sing for joy……   Psalm 132

….the LORD has come from Sinai into his sanctuary.    Psalm 68:16

 I spoke and conversed with him who will go forth from his habitation – the Holy and Mighty One, the God of the world – who will hereafter stand upon Mount Sinai, appear with his hosts, and be made known in the strength of his power from heaven.     Enoch 1:3,4

….men will no longer say, “The ark of the covenant of the LORD.” It will never enter their minds or be remembered; it will not be missed, nor will another one be made.    Jeremiah 3:16  [because God will write his law on our hearts – see Jeremiah 31:33]

I am aware of the copper scroll that suggests that the hiding place of the ark and tabernacle is near the Valley of Achor. [near Jericho] The scroll is almost certainly genuine, but we will be passing through a radically different “Valley of Achor" [Trouble] before the ark is restored to Jerusalem. I doubt that these items are anywhere near Jericho.

Jabal al Lawz is massive, being about 2500m in elevation at it’s highest peak, with a footprint about 15km across, and rising from a desert plateau of about 1000 – 1200 meters elevation. By comparison, the elevation at Jerusalem is in the 600 – 800 meter range. When considering the Ezekiel 48 map, this would mean that Jerusalem will be raised above the hills, and will rest on the slopes of the mountain;

In visions of God he took me to the land of Israel and set me on a very high mountain, on whose south side were some buildings that looked like a city.   Ezekiel 40:2

He has set his foundation on the holy mountain; the LORD loves the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob…..    Psalm 87

Great is the LORD, and most worthy of praise, in the city of our God, his holy mountain. It is beautiful in it’s loftiness, the Joy of the whole earth.    Psalm 48:1,2

In the last days the mountain of the LORD’s temple will be established as chief among the mountains; it will be raised above the hills, and all nations will stream to it.    Isaiah 2:2

Note; This in turn reconciles the conflicting accounts of the “river of life,” with regard to where it originates from and which direction it flows. Ezekiel 47 says the river comes from under the threshold of the temple, [possibly meaning the mountain itself] but on the south side of the altar, and goes east to the Arabah and the Eastern sea, while the city is to the south. Revelation 22 says the river flows from the throne of God, [the temple – see Ezekiel 43:7] down through the center of the great street of the city. And Zechariah 14 says living water will flow out from the city, half to the Eastern sea and half to the Western sea. My point is that if the city is on the mountain itself, there is no conflict between these prophesies. The river first flows southward down the mountain from God’s throne, through the center of the city’s great street to the foot of the mountain. The river has therefore come from under the threshold, on the south side, to then branch and flow both east and west.

Daniel tells us that Jerusalem; will be rebuilt with streets and a trench, but in times of trouble. [Daniel 9:25]  The phrase, “times of trouble,” is straightforward enough. The reconstruction will occur during the tribulation / judgment period, while the heavens and the earth are being shaken. But why mention streets and a trench specifically? I currently believe the trench is to do with the river of life that will flow through the city. The mention of streets serves no useful purpose that I can see, except to draw attention to the lack of walls;

Jerusalem will be a city without walls… And I myself will be a wall of fire around it… and I will be it’s glory within.   Zechariah 2:4

The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is it’s lamp.   Revelation 21:23

Notice that John didn’t say that there was no sun or moon, but that the city didn’t require their light. John did see walls around the New Jerusalem that were either 144 cubits thick, or 144 cubits high, by man’s measurement, and made of jasper. [Revelation 21:17]  I have a doctrine that says these walls are representative of the 144,000 firstfruits of the 12 tribes of Israel mentioned in Revelation 14, who will be the sons of God, the rulers and watchmen of Zion, having the indwelling of God’s spirit. [Isaiah 32:1,2, Micah 4:8]  By this doctrine it could be said that God is the wall of fire around Jerusalem. The missing multiple “1000” was probably attached to the city’s length and width by mistake.

 

Getting back to the problem of locating the temple site at Jerusalem; If my reasoning and my mathematics prove correct, then an Ezekiel 48 cubit = 2415 / 4500 = 0.537 meters approximately. This would indicate that an Ezekiel 48 cubit is a long cubit, although this is not stated in Ezekiel 48. A long cubit is one normal cubit and a hand breadth – as specified in Ezekiel 40:5. My inclination is to trust the larger measurement, [1 cubit = 0.537 meters] giving a city measuring 2415 meters square, with a temple site 2415 meters to the north of the city.

This may be where the original temple built by Solomon was located. The only pointer that I know about is 1 Kings 8:1-9 and 2 Chronicles 5:2-10, which both state that the ark of the covenant was taken up to the temple from Zion, the City of David. This tells me that the original temple Solomon built was not inside the city walls, while we know that the temple that Herod built was. This is not conclusive information, because the walls of Jerusalem may have been extended in later years to enclose the original temple site. Kings, Chronicles, and Jeremiah may have evidence for and against this possibility. UPDATE [9-5-2011]; Yes, there is additional evidence that the original temple that Solomon built was at the eternal altar site north of Jerusalem. It comes from 2 Chronicles, where Jesus appeared to Solomon, and said that his Name would be in that place forever – which to me means that the temple must have been built in the right place – consider this;

The LORD appeared to Solomon at night and said; I have heard your prayer and have chosen this place for myself as a temple for sacrifices…… I have chosen and consecrated this temple so that my Name may be there forever. My eyes and my heart will always be there. 2 Chronicles 7:12-16

Whether or not my conclusion proves correct, I believe we can forget about the temple mount in Jerusalem, and forget about the Dome of the Rock. That site is of no consequence. Lets find the future temple site [and possibly the original temple site] either 2.415 kilometers north of Old Jerusalem, or 2.415 kilometers north of the Future Jerusalem. At present I believe New Jerusalem will be located on the same geographical footprint as Old Jerusalem, based on the prophesies of Zechariah 14:10 and Jeremiah 31:38. The significance of all this is that if we can locate the original footprint of the Old City, then hopefully we can find the correct site for the future temple. Or conversely, if we find the original altar site north of Jerusalem, we can then survey the New Jerusalem. Men will rejoice when they see the plumbline in the hand of Zerubbabel.

 

Then what next? I expect that the elect might appear before God here, as described in Jeremiah 3:14,15, to receive the anointing of kingship. But then this treasure should remain hidden, as stated in Jesus’ parable. The only reason I can think of for a cover–up is so that the eternal temple site is not defiled, by the abomination of desolation, for example. In other words, let them build an interim temple for God wherever the builders see fit, meaning in the wrong place, then let that temple be defiled and destroyed. But how will that make any difference? God says the whole land and all it’s people are defiled, and that he will remove our sin in a single day. You’d have to conclude that no kind of defilement will prevent God’s plan from bearing fruit.

My suspicion, is that God has made provision for his elect. Once the temple is defiled, God will turn his face from his people, and we will be destroyed. [see Ezekiel 7,8,9] However, God says he will place an open door before Eliakim [Isaiah 22:20-24] and Philadelphia [Revelation 3:8] that no one can shut. And though, for a time, God will not listen to the prayers of his people, the prayers of the elect may come before God, even during the judgment. [See Job 22:21-30] So an undefiled altar may represent an open door to God. The angel Raphael told Tobit and Tobias; “It is good to keep close the secret of a king, but it is honorable to reveal the works of God.” [Tobit 12:7] This is complimentary as an explanation, if the elect of God, the 144000, are the future kings over all Israel, as I believe to be the case.

There is also a likelihood of progressive cleansing of the earth. Daniel 2:35 says; But the rock that struck the statue became a huge mountain and filled the whole earth….. which suggests to me that the kingdom of God is progressive.  Although Babylon will soon be destroyed forever, deceit will still exist according to Revelation 20:7-10, which is backed up by Ezekiel 38. So this progression may go from; an undefiled Son of God, to the undefiled sons of God [the 144000 who are blameless, no lie is found on their lips, also see Zechariah 3:1-5] at an undefiled altar, to the coming of an undefiled holy mountain, the building of an undefiled temple and a new Jerusalem, the removal, in a single day, of the defilement of the land and the people of future Israel, and after 1000 years, the final cleansing of all the earth and the removal of the curse. [see Revelation 22:3]

Note; If this line of reasoning is correct, then I would not count on finding evidence of the original temple at the future temple site, because there was defilement of that temple back in it’s day. But this fact does not prohibit the possibility. God destroyed the temple and ejected Judah from the land at that time, so he may see the defilement of that site as having been removed already. For an insight of how God sees all this, read Jeremiah 7:1-15. The previous three paragraphs are mostly speculation – I am not calling this a doctrine. I only mention these ideas for you to consider, and in case you can see something I have missed. However, if you are inclined to dismiss the concept of a physical “portal” to God’s heavenly throne as unscriptural, or unnecessary, then consider this;

My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations.   Isaiah 56:7   [this was re-stated by Jesus; Luke 19:46]

May your eyes be open towards this temple day and night, this place of which you said you would put your Name there. May you hear the prayer your servant prays towards this place…. Hear from heaven, your dwelling place; and when you hear, forgive.    1 Chronicles 6:20,21

I have chosen and consecrated this temple so that my Name may be there forever. My eyes and my heart will always be there. 2 Chronicles 7:16

 

Note; Appearing before God at this altar is a primary action we can take to show God we have not forsaken his ways or forgotten his Holy Mountain. From this one act of obedience and contrition, God may then teach us his ways and guide us in the path we should go. The Holy Mountain is the place where the glory of God was first seen on earth by mankind, where the Law was given to Moses. It is also where God’s glory will remain among men forever, and the Law will continue to be given. [See Isaiah 6:1-7 and 2:2-5] The vision that Jacob dreamed at the altar site north of Jerusalem saw the future fulfillment of God’s kingdom on earth, with the holy ones ascending and descending before God’s throne. If we go to this altar site at the appointed time, we may become personally involved in the fulfillment of Jacob’s vision. I believe this also means we will fulfill the role of the prophetic Joshua / Zerubbabel / Eliakim figure.

Although I sent them far away among the nations and scattered them among the countries, yet for a little while I have been a sanctuary for them in the countries where they have gone.   Ezekiel 11:16    [As it is today.]    When they placed their threshold next to my threshold and their doorposts next to my doorposts, with only a wall between me and them, they defiled my holy name…. Now, let them put away their prostitution…. and I will live among them forever. Son of man, describe the temple to the people of Israel, that they may be ashamed of their sins. Let them consider the plan…. it’s arrangement, it’s exits and entrances – it’s whole design and all it’s regulations.   Ezekiel 43:8-11

If you examine the latter chapters of Ezekiel, you may discover, as I have discovered, that although it is God’s desire to dwell among men, there will always be a need for partitioning us from the full glory of his being. When Jesus died the curtain of the temple was rent from top to bottom. I have no doubt that this actually happened, but I reject the teaching that this allows all men to come into the presence of God’s glory. I’d rather trust what God told Ezekiel. It seems evident from scripture that we won’t all be equal in stature in God’s kingdom, and not everyone will see God’s face. Some will be elevated above others, depending upon whether we obeyed the will of the Father in this life. But no-one will be disappointed with the kingdom of God. He will wipe away all our tears and give us everlasting joy and peace. We will all know God, from the least to the greatest. The whole earth will be filled with the knowledge of God.

 

 

Other useful information;

The establishment of Herod’s temple is not discussed in the bible text, but the establishment of the temple commissioned by King Cyrus is. [see Ezra 1:1-8, 6:3-5] It seems that Cyrus’ temple was bigger than the original temple of Solomon, [see 2 Chronicles 3:1-9] and the future temple, [Ezekiel 41:2-4] both being 20 cubits wide and 60 cubits long. By comparison, the temple Cyrus commissioned was 60 cubits high and 60 cubits wide, [Ezra 6:3] and was probably built inside the city walls. [see Ezra 4:24, 5:16, 10:9, Nehemiah 8:16, 12:27-40] If this is true, then Cyrus’ temple wasn’t built according to God’s pattern and possibly in the wrong place, which may be why the priests wept aloud at it’s construction ;

….the older priests and family heads, who had seen the former temple, wept aloud when they saw the foundation of this temple being laid….    Ezra 3:12   [bakah – wept, bemoaned, bewailed, lamented ]

Another curiosity is the person of Sheshbazzar, prince of Judah, whom Cyrus appointed to be governor, and to lay the foundations of the temple [see Ezra 1:8,11, 5:16]  He appears to be distinct from Zerubbabel and Nehemiah. [Ezra 2:2]   In 1 Esdras 2:12 he is called Sanabassar, and in 1 Esdras 6:20 he is called Sanabasarus. He may have been Shenazzar, son of Jehoiachin, brother of Shealtiel, and uncle of Zerubbabel. [see 1 Chronicles 3:18]  Whatever the case, you can be confident that when God says Zerubbabel will lay the foundation of the temple and finish it, and that men will rejoice to see the plumbline in his hand, he is talking about a future Zerubbabel building a future temple;

Listen, O high priest Joshua and your associates seated before you, who are men symbolic of things to come. I am going to bring my servant, the Branch. [see Jeremiah 23:5] See, the stone I have set before Joshua! There are seven eyes on that one stone, [see Revelation 5:6] and I will engrave an inscription on it, says the LORD Almighty, and I will remove the sin of this land in a single day. In that day each of you will invite his neighbor to sit under his vine [Israel] and fig tree, [Judah] declares the LORD Almighty……. This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: “Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,” says the LORD Almighty. Who are you, O mighty mountain? Before Zerubbabel you will become level ground. Then he will bring out the capstone to shouts of “God bless it! God bless it!” Then the word of the LORD came to me: The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundations of this temple; his hands will also complete it. Then you will know that the LORD Almighty has sent me to you. Who despises the day of small things? Men will rejoice when they see the plumbline in the hand of Zerubbabel. Zechariah 3:8 – 4:10

 

 

ARCHEOLOGICAL TEMPLE MARKERS;

Introduction;

The following discussion concerns the location of archeological evidence relating to the holy precinct, particularly the future temple site. Here I repeatedly challenge accepted doctrine concerning the whereabouts of historic sites that are significant with regard to the eternal kingdom. This includes discrediting some of the existing text of the Hebrew scriptures, and holding to others. In other words, I am analyzing the Hebrew writings with a specific agenda, namely; There is only one legitimate altar site for God’s people in all the earth. The altar immediately north of the city of Jerusalem. This guiding principle has come about by studying the Law and the Prophets, including Ezekiel 48.

To get an appreciation of how important this issue is, I recommend reading Joshua 22. In this case the western tribes of Israel were preparing to annihilate the eastern tribes of Israel because they believed they had broken faith with God; Do not rebel against the LORD or against us by building an altar for yourselves other than the altar of the LORD your God. [Joshua 22:19] Once Israel entered the land, and began to rub shoulders with the Canaanites, they quickly lost this early devotion to the altar of the LORD, and began to stumble into the customs of the surrounding nations, as God had previously warned them that they would. [Deuteronomy 31:16, Judges 3:6, Psalm 106:35] This is still true today. Our worship of God reflects the customs of men, and does not accurately reflect the law of our God.

I do not deny that other altars have been built in defiance of God’s law, or that God has continued to meet with his people at these altars. But the truth is that God has continued to have dealings with us, and has met all our needs, despite every one of our failings. I am saying that God is about to change all that by bringing us back to his ways, and I am saying that what God is about to do is infinitely better for us. I am looking for the Kingdom of God – the real one, and I now believe that means finding the real altar site. Hopefully some of the following discussion is persuasive, but finding physical evidence is better, and this is what I hope we will achieve.

 

Politics, Ethnicity and Archeology in the Holy Land;

Archeological discoveries in the Holy Land can be misused to incite ethnic conflict between Jew and Palestinian, and between the religious interests of Judaism, Islam, and Christianity. [see Time magazine, 8 Feb 2010 – “Digging up trouble.”] In particular, some Jews see archeological proof that the ancient nation of Israel lived in the land of Palestine as confirmation that they are the rightful possessors of the Holy Land, and consider that they are entitled to mistreat and dispossess Palestinian Arabs from the land. I am concerned that the following archeological discussion, if proven valid, may contribute to unrest. So I will state my political position;

Personal statement on Religion and Politics; All religion is worthless if it doesn’t uphold the law of God, [see Jeremiah 7:1-15] but I am glad to be a follower of Jesus the messiah. All Nationalism is worthless if that nation does not uphold the law of God, [see Isaiah 40:17] but I am glad to be a New Zealander. All political systems are worthless if they do not uphold the law of God, but I am glad to live in a democracy. I am looking for the Kingdom of God, which will uphold the law of God, and will bring peace to ALL mankind. [see Isaiah 2:1-5]

Possession of the Holy Land; When the kingdom of God comes, the people of God will receive their inheritance in the land of Israel. Until that happens, no one owns it by right, God will eject or introduce whichever nations he pleases. It has been said that dominion of the Holy Land has changed hands 120 times in the history of mankind. Regardless of which earthly kingdom has held sway, it has always been God’s land, and always will be. In the future, our right to possess the land will depend on whether God finds us worthy to receive our inheritance.

In the meantime, both the Jews and the Palestinians are tenants of God’s land, neither having right of ownership. Both Jew and Muslim should know this, it is written in the Law; The land must not be sold permanently, because the land is mine and you are but aliens and my tenants. [Leviticus 25:23] So under God’s Law the Jews and Palestinians are both classified as aliens, and under God’s Law, no one is permitted to deprive the alien of justice; Judah’s leaders are like those who move boundary stones. I will pour out my wrath on them like a flood of water. [Hosea 5:10]

Concerning “right of descent from Israel” in this current age, neither Jew nor Palestinian is favored. [Joshua 5:13,14]  Both Jew, and Palestinian, are descended from Israel, as are all of mankind. All mankind are God’s inheritance, [Psalm 82:8] because they are all descended from Israel, the tribe of God’s inheritance. All mankind will be judged according to the law of the covenant, [Isaiah 24:5] because we are all answerable to the covenant that our forefathers made between Israel and God. [Deuteronomy 29:14,15]  What God has previously said to Abraham, [Genesis 22:15-18] and to Jacob / Israel, [Genesis 28:13-15] has partly come to pass already. By integration with the nations Israel has long ago taken possession of the nations;

I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of the cities of their enemies, and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed because you have obeyed me.   Genesis 22:15-18

The Israelites lived among the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. They took their daughters in marriage and gave their own daughters to their sons, and served their gods.   Judges 3:5,6

This is what the Sovereign LORD says to Jerusalem: Your ancestry and birth was in the land of the Canaanites; your father was an Amorite and your mother a Hittite.   Ezekiel 16:3

Ephraim mixes with the nations; Ephraim is a flat cake not turned over.    Hosea 7:8

Ephraim refers to the Northern kingdom of Israel – today this means everyone who isn’t Jewish. The Jews are Canaanites by descent just like the rest of us, and together we are all descended from Israel, including the Palestinians. If we cast anyone out of their home unjustly we will answer to God for our crime;

Hear the word of the LORD you people of Judah, who come through these gates to worship the LORD…. Reform your ways and your actions and I will let you live in this place….. deal with each other justly, do not oppress the alien, the fatherless or the widow, and do not shed innocent blood in this place…. Will you steal and murder, commit adultery and perjury, burn incense to Baal and follow other gods you have not known, and then come and stand before me in the house that bears my Name, and say, “We are safe” – safe to do all these detestable things? Jeremiah 7:2-10

Accept what God has done with Israel and with all mankind. By descent from Israel all mankind are equal before God, regardless of ethnicity or religion. Each of us are only set apart in God’s sight by our faithfulness or lack of faithfulness, by our obedience or lack of obedience. Faithfulness and obedience are the characteristics of Abraham, and these things determine whether we are children of Abraham or not. A Jew who claims to be a descendant of Israel is correct, but a Jew who then treats an alien unjustly has forsaken the Law of the Holy One of Israel, and is not entitled to consider himself a child of Abraham.

Using the archeological history of Israel as justification for mistreating the Palestinians will bring about the expulsion of Judah from the land of Israel once again. [see Zechariah 14:1-5 – the final exile of Judah.]  I should add that Judah will fare much better than Ephraim when God’s judgment falls on us, but that ought not be much comfort to Judah. Ephraim is in utter disgrace for forsaking God’s ways. From my study of the prophesies, I am confident that the following evidence will be used for evil purposes. Though I cannot stop this from happening, I have at least partly fulfilled my obligation to warn Judah of the disaster that will ensue. [see Ezekiel 33:1-9]

 

 

The place our fathers prayed;

Abram traveled through the land as far as the site of the great tree of Moreh at Shechem. At that time the Canaanites were in the land. The LORD appeared to Abram and said, “To your offspring I will give this land.” So he built an altar there to the LORD, who had appeared to him. From there he went on towards the hills east of Bethel and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east. There he built an altar to the LORD and called on the name of the LORD. Then Abram set out and continued toward the Negev.  Genesis 12:6-9

Note; This was Abrams first expedition to Canaan, when he was 75. The word Moreh is defined as; mowreh – a hill of uncertain location, while the “tree of Moreh” has an additional significance – the teacher. The word Moriah is defined as; mowriyah – “seen of Yahweh” – a hill in Palestine. I want to draw a connection between these sites.

From the Negev he went from place to place until he came to Bethel, to the place between Bethel and Ai where his tent had been earlier and where he had first built an altar. There Abram called on the name of the LORD.   Genesis 13:3

Note; This was Abram’s second expedition, on returning from Egypt not many years later. It is significant that he went back to the same altar site. Shechem is worth investigating, because Jacob bought some land from Shechem within sight of the city of Shalem. [Jerusalem - this story follows.] Historians have determined that this Shalem must be a different city from Jerusalem, because Shechem is accepted as being located quite a way further north, at the current site of Nablus. But this second northern Shalem was never mentioned in the history of Israel ever again. How likely is that? My suggestion is that there was only one Shalem, now known as Jerusalem, and that Shechem was also in the region of Moriah.

According to bible records, there was about 685 years between this expedition of Abram, and the return of the Israelites from the land of Egypt. It is certainly possible that the Israelites credited the name Shechem to the wrong location on their return, and the title remained permanently. After all, the men of Shechem had been wiped out long before Israel returned from Egypt, [see Genesis 34] so no-one remained to certify where Shechem really was.

This kind of mix-up could also apply to Bethel, although I can’t yet visualize how it might have occurred. There does not seem to be any dispute where Bethel was, but nobody knows where Ai was, and it could be that they are looking in the wrong place. My objection to trusting the historically accepted altar site at Bethel of Israel, is that it was never a legitimate place for God’s temple, judging by what is written in the law, the prophets, and the history of Israel. And yet some prophetically significant events occurred at both these sites in the days of Abram and Jacob, as we shall see.

What I want to suggest is that these two sites are in fact one and the same, meaning that Bethel, Ai, and Shechem were all in close proximity to Jerusalem, and that there was only ever one legitimate altar site in the land of Israel. That requires discrediting the narrative of Genesis as it now exists. The first crack in the existing narrative is evident in the two scriptures just quoted, because Genesis 12 says Abram built an altar first at Shechem, and then another at Bethel / Ai, and yet Genesis 13 says he returned to where he had first built an altar at Bethel / Ai. [first – ri'shown; first in rank, place or time.] So which was first? I expect they were both first, being one and the same.

 

 

The almost sacrifice of Isaac;

Go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice your son there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you about…. He set out [from Beersheba in the south] for the place God had told him about. On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance…. Abraham built an altar there…. So Abraham called that place “The LORD Will Provide.” And to this day it is said, “On the mountain of the LORD it will be provided.” [behar Yehovah Yeraeh – On this Mount the LORD will be seen.]   Genesis 22:2-14

Note; This occurred about 35 years after Abraham’s first expedition. The previous altar may have deteriorated, or possibly Abraham dismantled each altar after it had served it’s purpose, rather than let the Canaanites defile it.

 

 

Golgotha;

The almost sacrifice of Isaac was typical of the sacrifice of God’s son, which is likely to have occurred at the same location. Why else would God send Abraham, the prophet, [see Genesis 20:7] from Beersheba to Moriah to do the deed of offering up his son? The crucifixion of Jesus occurred at Golgotha, [ Matthew 27:33, Mark 15:22, John 19:17] which was outside but near to the city. [John 19:20, Hebrews 13:12] It was close to a road [Matthew 27:39, Mark 15:29] that approaches the city from the countryside [Mark 15:21] the one used by Simon of Cyrene [Luke 23:26, Mark 15:21] It was a location that was visible from some distance [Mark 15:40, Luke 23:49, Genesis 22:4] At the place where Jesus was crucified there was a garden and a new tomb cut in the rock, where they lay his body. [John 19:41, Luke 23:53, Matthew 27:60] The tomb had a very large rock to seal it, and the rock was sealed shut as securely as possible. [Matthew 27:66, Mark 16:4] The women watched Jesus death and burial, from a distance, opposite the tomb. [Matthew 27;61]

 

 

Melchizedek and the valley of the king;

After Abram returned from defeating Kedorlaomer and the kings allied with him, the king of Sodom came out to meet him in the valley of Shaveh [that is, the King's valley]. Then Melchizedek, king of Salem [Jerusalem] brought out bread and wine.   Genesis 14:17  [Shaveh – can mean “plain”]

Note; Hunger and thirst satisfied. Melchizedek was Jesus the Messiah in person. He blessed Abram and received his tithe. Josephus put the Kings valley two furlongs [400m] from Jerusalem – the Kidron valley to the east. There is a shrine of Absalom in the Kidron valley, but it is of Grecian design, not Hebrew. I say it is a fraud. During his lifetime Absalom had taken a pillar and erected it in the King’s Valley as a monument to himself….. [2 Samuel 18:18]

Here I wish to issue another protest, and offer another alternative, because it would fit the prophesy picture better if the kings valley was north of Jerusalem, adjacent to the altar site. The kings valley is also thought to be Ben Hinnom, which was named as the east to west border between Judah and Benjamin in Joshua’s day;

Then it ran up the valley of Ben Hinnom [in context, this was from east to west] along the southern slope of the Jebusite city [that is, Jerusalem]. From there it climbed to the top of the hill west of the Hinnom valley at the northern end of the valley of Rephaim. [ Joshua 15:8]

There is a distinctive valley to the north of Jerusalem that runs east – west, which I will call Ben Hinnom, the kings valley. This valley then intersects the northern end of a distinctive north – south valley, which I will call Rephaim. So this matches the landscape features stated in the Joshua text better than the supposed Ben Hinnom on Jerusalem’s southern slopes. If this is correct, then the border would have run approximately along the line of the existing State highway 1, which heads west towards Tel Aviv, passing about 4km north of Kiriath Jearim, also named on the border. [Joshua 15:9] From the eastern end of this valley there is a natural line of the Wadi el Halaf [waters of En Shemesh] leading to Gilgal, which was south of the gorge, facing east towards the Adummim pass. [see Joshua 15:7] The gorge is an obvious landmark northeast of Jerusalem. Check coordinates 31.845931, 35.295939 on google satellite for a possible site for Gilgal.

If I’m right about this, it would mean that the words; [that is, Jerusalem], in the Joshua text are false, added in later, and that the Jebusite city in question was not Jerusalem, but another city on the northern fringes of Jerusalem. I will call this city Shechem, later called En Rogel in the Joshua text, [Joshua 15:7] located at the eastern end of Ben Hinnom, approximately where Sho’ afat is today. If the border passed to the south of “the Jebusite city,” then this city should be listed among the towns of Benjamin. Examining the list of southern towns credited to Judah, we find that Jerusalem was supposed to belong to Judah, but they couldn’t dislodge the Jebusites there. [Joshua 15:63] The border town of En Rogel [see Joshua 15:7] is not included as belonging to Judah. Examining the list of northern towns credited to Benjamin [Joshua 18:21-28] we find that En Rogel is not mentioned here either, but “the Jebusite city” is. Ergo – the Jebusite city in question was En Rogel, not Jerusalem. With this written evidence, the landscape features, and the nagging implications of prophesy, there is a strong case for Ben Hinnom, the kings valley, the border, being located north of Jerusalem.

I cannot prove this conclusively, because it depends upon which part of the text you believe, but if the remnant of Absalom’s pillar was to be found here, then many would be convinced. Because Absalom was such a conceited fellow, the first place I would look is not in the valley floor, but on top of a high hill that juts into the valley. Here it would be more visible from all around. The google coordinates are 31.804738, 35.193229. It appears to be a park or reserve area, having no buildings on it that I can see. Does someone want to have a look? I myself am unskilled in the field of archeology, and I am more interested in examining the Word of God to uncover his mysteries. Finding such an artifact may have a profound effect. It is not just this one landmark that is in question. It is a landmark that, if proven, may lead to the uncovering of other significant historical sites, and I have no doubt that all the historical evidence will link physical Israel to the eternal kingdom described by the prophets. In my opinion, it would also prove that everything we have believed needs re-examining – a permanent condition for humankind, but one we often forget.

 

 

Jacob and the Stairway to heaven;

When Jacob awoke from his sleep, he thought, “Surely the LORD is in this place, and I was not aware of it.” He was afraid and said, “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God; this is the gate of heaven.” Early the next morning Jacob took the stone he had placed under his head and set it up as a pillar and poured oil on top of it. He called that place Bethel, [house of God] though the city used to be called Luz. Then Jacob made a vow, saying, “Since God will be with me and will watch over me on this journey I am taking and will give me food to eat and clothes to wear so that I return safely to my father’s house, and the LORD will be my God, then this stone that I have set up as a pillar will be God’s house, and of all that you give me I will give you a tenth.   Genesis 28:16-22

This could not have occurred anywhere other than the future temple site north of Jerusalem. This scripture says that Bethel used to be called Luz, and Genesis 35:6 also says Bethel was Luz, some journey from Shechem. But it is important to notice that Jacob was not naming a city – he was naming a place where he had slept with a rock under his head. There is a River Luz in the proximity of northwest Jerusalem. [ Nahal Luz - this shows up when using google map with the terrain option on.] There is also a lightly discolored area which may be the site of an ancient city on high ground immediately above it, adjacent to the settlement called Bayt Iksa – check google satellite coordinates 31.821028, 35.172772. It is about 5 kilometers directly to the west of my favored altar site, the one called Bethel, by the city of Shechem, on a ridge of land bordering the valley of kings, in the territory of Benjamin [son of my right hand] – the coordinates of my preferred altar site are 31.810691, 35.226619, or there about.

 

 

Two camps;

When Jacob departed from Laban in the hill country of Gilead…. Jacob also went on his way, and the angels of God met him. When Jacob saw them, he said, “This is the camp of God!” So he named that place Mahanaim…… [two camps] In great fear and distress Jacob divided his people into two camps….. If Esau attacks one camp the camp that is left may escape.   Genesis 32:7

Note; This sentiment parallels the Zechariah 11 prophesy – the flock marked for slaughter. Here is another oddity in the Genesis narrative. Why call this camp “two camps” if there were already two camps at Shechem and at Bethel? Why not call it three camps? I say there was only one camp in Israel, and this was the second. This was in Gilead, at Peniel somewhere near the Jabbok river. [Genesis 32:22,30] I don’t object to the legitimacy of this site. Jacob did not build an altar for God here, it is not in the land of Israel, and it fits prophesy for the remnant of Ephraim, who will be pastured in the land of Gilead prior to returning to the promised land of Israel. [see Micah 7:14, Zechariah 10:10]

 

 

The purchase of land at Shalem [Jerusalem];

After Jacob came from Paddan Aram, he arrived at Shalem, a city of Shechem in Canaan and camped within sight of the city. [In my opinion, within sight of both Jerusalem and Shechem] For a hundred kesitahs, [lambs, or lamb imprinted coins] he bought from the sons of Hamor, the father of Shechem, the plot of ground where he pitched his tent. There he set up an altar and called it El Elohe Israel. [God, the God of Israel]   Genesis 33:18

In my opinion, Jacob bought the ridge of land on which he had previously dreamed of a stairway to heaven, where Abraham had offered up his son, and where Jesus later died and was buried, within sight of Jerusalem. Abraham had set up an altar by “the great tree of the teacher” here about 125 years earlier, and had offered up his son Isaac here about 90 years earlier. Soon there will be a temple there, and a great mountain. Jacob gave this ridge of land to his son Joseph, who is typical of the sons of God;

 

 

The ridge of land given to Joseph – ruler over Israel;

Then Israel said to Joseph, “I am about to die, but God will be with you [plural – many] and take you [plural – many] back to the land of your fathers. [Though Joseph died in Egypt]  And to you, as one who is over your brothers, [which the Sons of God will be]   I give the ridge of land [shechem achad - “one shoulder.”]  I took from the Amorites with my sword and my bow.   Genesis 48:21

Note; The Amorites are reputed to have been the largest of the Canaanite kingdoms, although Hamor, who’s sons sold the land, was said to be a Hivite. [Genesis 34:2] Based on my efforts so far, I’d say there is little chance of resolving this issue from the bible records. Canaan was the father of Sidon his firstborn, and of the Hittites, Jebusites, Amorites, Girgashites, Hivites, Arkites, Sinites, Arvadites, Zemarites and Hamathites. [11 tribes]  Genesis 10:15

It could be said that Jacob took this land by force, even though he paid 100 lambs for it. His sons Simeon and Levi promptly killed all the men of Shechem after the defilement of Dinah, then all the sons of Jacob looted their possessions. So Jacob got his lambs back, effectively making no payment and taking the land by force, including the city of Shechem. Alternatively, Aben Ezra and Ben Gersom interpret the taking by force to mean in the future, prophetically speaking. I say this ridge of land is just north of Jerusalem, at the coordinates previously mentioned for the altar site; 31.810691, 35.226619. It lies east west, forming the northern face of the valley of kings. The ancient road heading from Jerusalem towards the north passes across the eastern extremity of this ridge, where Shechem / En Rogel used to be. This is where I believe Jesus the messiah was crucified, and that he was temporarily buried at the eastern extremity of the valley of the kings.

 

 

The pillar of Rachel;

Between Bethel and Bethlehem Ephrath, [or by my doctrine, actually at Bethel, the altar site] Rachel died giving birth to Ben Oni [son of my trouble, see Isaiah 66:8] called Benjamin [son of my right hand, see Psalm 2] Over her tomb Jacob set up a pillar. [Genesis 35:16-20] Jacob later recited the same incident to Joseph;

As I was returning from Paddan, to my sorrow Rachel died in the land of Canaan while we were still on the way, a little distance from Ephrath [that is, Bethlehem].   Genesis 48:7

This is what the LORD says: A voice is heard in Ramah, mourning and great weeping, Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because her children are no more. This is what the LORD says: Restrain your voice from weeping and your eyes from tears, your work will be rewarded, says the LORD. They will return from the land of the enemy. So there is hope for your future.   Jeremiah 31:15

This is loaded with prophetic significance for us, but for now I’m looking for clues as to the location of Rachel’s pillar. It is well accepted that the present shrine to Rachel is a fraud. Rachel’s tomb is said to have been at Zelzah on the border of Benjamin. [1 Samuel 10:2] Zelzah is probably the same town as Zela / Zelah, [Joshua 18:28 – means slope or side] in which case the bodies of Saul and Jonathon are buried there too. [2 Samuel 21:14] It is unlikely to be the same town as En Rogel, because both Zelah and “the Jebusite city” are listed consecutively in Joshua 18:28, but it can’t be too far away given that it was on the border, and given that Rachel’s weeping is heard in Ramah, now called al-Ram, about four kilometers further north.

If this really occurred at, or near the future altar site, which is what I am suggesting, it means that the text of Genesis 33:18 through to 35:20 has been mishandled to give quite a different perspective of what occurred here;

On returning from Paddan Aram, Jacob traveled directly to the eternal altar site of God at Jerusalem, and bought the ridge of land on which it is located. Dinah was defiled, and the Canaanites responsible were slaughtered. The Israelites buried their household God’s under an oak tree at or near Shechem, [En Rogel] then built the altar for the LORD at Bethel, the future temple site. There God met with Jacob, renaming him Israel [prince of God / he will rule as God / God strives / strives with God] and promising him the kingdom. Deborah, who had nursed Isaac [laughter] died and was buried at the “oak of weeping” below Bethel [the altar, not the supposed city] probably in the kings valley, below the temple site. Rachel also died and Benjamin [son of my right hand] was born.

All of this occurred in the one place and at one time. Rachel died because Jacob had unwittingly cursed her a few weeks earlier, for carrying false gods. [see Genesis 31:32] It could be said that she is typical of a defiled Jerusalem, our spiritual mother, who must soon die in the process of giving birth to the sons of God. If Deborah was buried under an oak tree here, then it makes sense that Jacob would bury Rachel along side her. This occurred about 3700 years ago. It would be astonishing if anything remained of the tree, but the pillar should be there, immediately below the altar site called Bethel. It could be on the northern side of the ridge, facing Ramah, but I would definitely check the king’s valley first. I wouldn’t be surprised if the tree was the same tree named near Shechem, so there may be an assortment of household gods buried in close proximity to Rachel’s pillar. They won’t be very big, because Rachel was sitting on them and no-one noticed. [Genesis 31:35] The bible text says she couldn’t get up because she was having her period. Actually, she was pregnant with Benjamin. This makes more sense regarding Rachel being unable to get up for her father Laban, and fits what we know soon occurred – Benjamin was born. The words of this text are – derek ‘ishshah – “the road, or, the course of life of a woman,” which could mean either menstruation or pregnancy.

 

 

Gilgal, and the altar at Mount Ebal

The accepted site for Mount Ebal and Mount Gerizim is immediately north and south of modern Nablus, which was called Shechem, then Sychar in earlier days. Here I object again. This event has to have occurred at the legitimate altar site at Jerusalem. After the Israelites carried out Moses instructions concerning this altar, Mount Gerizim is mentioned only once more in the bible, when Jothan climbed up mount Gerizim overlooking Shechem less than 100 years later. [Judges 9:7] Mount Ebal and the altar are never mentioned again, not in the history of Israel, nor in prophesy, which sums up perfectly the significance of the Nablus site. Zero.

Gilgal;

Moses said; When the LORD your God has brought you into the land you are entering to possess, you are to proclaim on mount Gerizim the blessings, and on mount Ebal the curses. As you know, these mountains are across the Jordan, westward towards the setting sun, near the great trees of Moreh, in the territory of those Canaanites living in the Arabah in the vicinity of Gilgal.   Deuteronomy 11:29,30

On crossing the Jordan; On the tenth day of the first month the people went up from the Jordan and camped at Gilgal on the eastern [make that western] border of Jericho. And Joshua set up at Gilgal the twelve stones they had taken out of the Jordan.    Joshua 4:19,20  [This text goes on to say that these stones are a permanent memorial.]

Gilgal which faces the pass of Adummim, [adjacent to Jericho] south of the gorge.   Joshua 15:7

Note; As previously discussed, Joshua 15 puts Gilgal at the border of Benjamin / Judah, in close proximity to Jerusalem. These descriptions from Deuteronomy 11, Joshua 4 and 15 don’t add up until you change the word eastern to western. Then they make quite good sense, and more importantly, they put Mount Ebal at the future temple site;

What these scriptures suggest is that Jericho wasn’t just an isolated city. It was a Canaanite kingdom that extended from the Arabah [that is, the Jordan valley near the Dead sea, where Jericho was and still is] westward into the hill country as far as the trees of Moreh, and Mounts Ebal and Gerizim, which are in the vicinity of Gilgal, which is south of the gorge, one of the most distinctive landmarks in Palestine.

That much is evident from these three scriptures if you allow the word “eastern” to be changed for western. This kingdom possibly included the cities of Ai and Luz [also falsely known as Bethel] which were the next targets for destruction after Jericho fell. [see Joshua 8:17] Not definitely though, because Jerusalem had it’s own Jebusite king, Adoni-zedek, and there was also the Jebusite city of En Rogel in close proximity to Gilgal, midway between Ai and Luz in my opinion, so Ai and Luz may have been part of that kingdom. It depends on whether Jericho was a Jebusite city as well, but that issue is immaterial with regard to this discussion. After Ai and Luz – cities of 12,000 inhabitants – [Joshua 8:17,25] were destroyed, the Israelites immediately fulfilled the task Moses had set for them at Mounts Ebal and Gerizim. [see Joshua 8:30-35] So in other words, just as soon as they could, the Israelites went to the altar of God at Jerusalem, just as Abraham and Jacob had done in earlier years.

The Jews believe that the correct order of events saw the altar built first, in fulfillment of Moses command, then Jericho, Ai, and Luz destroyed afterward. This is highly probable in my opinion. Even before the Israelites entered the land the Canaanites were terrified of them, so there was nothing to stop them moving about just as they pleased. [see Joshua 2:9, 5:1] At the very least, the Israelites trudged right past Jericho in order to get to Gilgal, then returned to destroy Jericho later. The text says that they camped at Gilgal on the very first day. [Joshua 4:3, 19,20]

Gilgal continued to be a major campsite for Israel for some time to come. After destroying Jericho, they may have camped here when Ai was destroyed. [Joshua 8:11] They were still there when the Gibeonites came to make a treaty, [Joshua 9:6] and when the Gibeonites called for help. [Joshua 10:6,15] It took Israel just one night to march from Gilgal to Gibeon to help them, so it is unlikely that Gilgal was east of Jericho. [see Joshua 10:5-9] Joshua was still camped at Gilgal five years later, when Caleb, aged 85, came to see him, supposing that Caleb was 80 when they entered the land. [See Joshua 14:6-10]  To confirm the location of Gilgal, south of the gorge, all we need to do is find twelve river stones that can be shown to have come from the Jordan. They won’t be very big, having been carried about 15 kilometers in one day by one man per river stone. These need to be found by an authorized archaeologist, otherwise their discovery could be considered a hoax.

Check coordinates 31.844992, 35.295944 on google satellite for a possible site for Gilgal. It has been selected for being south of the gorge, on a ridge-top that slopes eastward facing Jericho and the Adummim pass. It is adjacent to a natural bend in the Benjamin / Judah border, supposing the border followed the water course that runs from En Rogel to Gilgal to Debir to the Adummim pass. It is north of this border, in the territory of Benjamin, as required by the list of Benjaminite towns. It is an easy night march away from the accepted site of Gibeon, about 12 kilometers in a straight line, so probably not more than 20 kilometers by road. On google satellite I can see regular rectangular shapes in the terrain that may be ancient excavations.

Mount Ebal;

When you have crossed the Jordan into the land the LORD your God is giving you, set up some large stones and coat them with plaster. Write on them all the words of this law….. set up these stones on Mount Ebal, as I command you today, and coat them with plaster. Build there an altar to the LORD your God, an altar of stones… stones from the field and offer burnt offerings on it to the LORD your God. Sacrifice fellowship offerings there, eating them and rejoicing in the presence of the LORD your God. [Similar to the observance of tithing – hunger satisfied.] And you shall write very clearly all the words of this law on the stones you have set up.   Deuteronomy 27:2-8

 

These tribes shall stand on Mount Gerizim to bless the people; Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Joseph, and Benjamin. And these tribes shall stand on Mount Ebal to pronounce curses; Reuben, Gad, Asher, Zebulun, Dan, and Naphtali. The Levites shall recite to all the people of Israel in a loud voice;

Cursed is the man who carves or casts an idol – and sets it up in secret.

Cursed is the man who dishonors his father or mother.

Cursed is the man who moves his neighbors boundary stone.

Cursed is the man who leads the blind astray on the road

Cursed is the man who withholds justice from the alien, orphan, or widow.

Cursed is the man who sleeps with his fathers wife, with any animal, with his sister or mother in law.

Cursed is the man who kills his neighbor secretly or accepts a bribe to kill the innocent.

Cursed is the man who does not uphold the words of this law by carrying them out.   Deuteronomy 27:12-26  [I suspect these curses mark the Antichrist.]

 

Then Joshua built on Mount Ebal an altar to the LORD….. an altar of uncut stones, on which no iron tool had been used. On it they offered to the LORD burnt offerings and sacrificed fellowship offerings. There, in the presence of all Israel Joshua copied on stones the law of Moses. All Israel … were standing on both sides of the ark of the covenant of the LORD, facing those who carried it. Half of the people stood in front of Mount Gerizim and half of them in front of Mount Ebal.    Joshua 8:30-33

This scripture indicates that the altar was midpoint between these two mountains, rather than on either mountain. This fits the Jerusalem altar site quite well, if the mountains were at the site of Ramat Shlomo to the west and Sho’ afat to the east. These are merely high ground at each end of Jacob’s ridge of land, but that makes no difference in the context of the Jerusalem landscape. They are both in excess of 800 meters in elevation, which is as high as any of the hills in the Jerusalem region. Many sites of high ground are defined as “Mount so and so” in the bible.

The east – west orientation of these hills match some commentators expectations better than the orientation of the Nablus site, which is north – south, although I can’t see how an east – west preference can be drawn from these scriptures. Concerning the Nablus site, comment has been made that Mount Gerizim is lush, and Mount Ebal is desolate. [cursed] This doesn’t compute with the Joshua 8 text, because the six tribes uttered curses with their backs to Mount Ebal, facing Mount Gerizim, so logically it would be Mount Gerizim that had been cursed.

The coordinates of my preferred altar site are 31.810691, 35.226619. This puts it midpoint on the ridge in an area of open ground with no buildings. There is about 2 kilometers between the rising ground at either end. If we allowed one square meter per adult, then 1.2 million adults gathered to pronounce blessings and curses would span an area 600 meters wide. The text says that all Israel gathered there, which some say could be anything up to three million men women and children, in which case this site is a bit cramped. To help visualize this, the lift of a building is about 3 meters by 2 meters, and can accommodate 12 people – that is, 2 people per square meter. Imagine standing that closely packed together for a whole day.

This site is about the right distance from Old Jerusalem in order to match the Ezekiel 48 map, and I estimate it is approximately central on a North / South line with a 2.415 km wide Jerusalem whose eastern extremity is adjacent to the Kidron valley. Using google satellite on this site is not much help. There are interesting formations in evidence, but I can’t decipher anything definite, such as the excavation of a temple. There appear to be trees growing here, so it is possible to consider this the “field of the forest.” [See Psalm 132:6]

If this was the original temple site, then at least the foundations should still be buried there. The temple was built on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite, so there may be evidence left over from this activity. The altars of Abraham and Jacob are unlikely to be distinguishable, but even one of the stones of Joshua’s altar ought to be definitive for this site. They were specified as being field stones, with no iron tool used on them, yet Joshua wrote the law on them. The most likely explanation is that these stones were plaster coated, [see Deuteronomy 27:2] and the law was scribed into the plaster with a wooden tool while the plaster was still soft. If so, then these ought to be very distinctive, and no mistaking their origin. If we find all these stones intact we will have a full and original copy of God’s holy law, written by the scribe Joshua! Then we will know with confidence what God requires of us. Joshua accompanied Moses at the tent of meeting. You’d have to agree, he is a first hand witness.

 

 

Ai

Ai is of no relevance to God’s kingdom, but if the previous sites named here are proven correct then it should be in close proximity. The biblical information concerning Ai is found in Joshua chapter 8. The site that looks most likely is at google coordinates 31.815204, 35.271982. This puts it on gently sloping, open ground, albeit the outer fringes of the existing town of Anata have partially obscured the perimeter. The Israelite camp at Gilgal is 4 kilometers north-north east, and is visible by line of sight across a wide valley. There is an elevated site nearby at google coordinates 31.825148, 35.273377, that would be a logical observation and defensive stronghold for the defenders of Ai to use as the Israelites approached to attack across the valley.

Note; Only an authorized archeologist should investigate a site like this, otherwise evidence may be lost unwittingly. If this site is in genuine, then the evidence must surely be unrecognizable at ground level – people are living and working upon this site and have not realized what it is.

Using google satellite to view the site that has caught my attention, I consider that the partial outline of a perimeter wall is evident, and centered on the wall are large circular outlines that could have been defensive towers. They are approximately 20 meters in diameter and are about 40 to 50 meters apart. The google coordinates of the first two supposed towers that caught my attention are 31.815204, 35.271982 and 31.814911, 35.272599. This second outline is partially obscured by a roadway. There are traces of further supposed towers arranged in a perimeter pattern. Progressing from the first two towers, in a clockwise direction around the perimeter, their individual coordinates are as follows;

1. 31.817027, 35.268656 – a projected estimate of the Western corner of this city. Indistinct circular outline.

2. 31.817673, 35.268817 – a projected estimate following the NW wall outline. Indistinct circular outline

3. 31.818275, 35.269182 – Indistinct circular outline.

4. 31.81832, 35.269842 – distinct partial circle. The diameter is oversize compared to the other suspect towers, as if having been enhanced by subsequent landscaping.

5. 31.818712, 35.269954 – Indistinct circular outline.

6. 31.819054, 35.270437 – Indistinct circular outline.

7. 31.819542, 35.271354 – Indistinct circular outline.

8. 31.82008, 35.271569 – Indistinct circular outline.

9. 31.819784, 35.271794 – Indistinct circular outline.

10. 31.820039, 35.272416 – Indistinct circular outline.

11. 31.820344, 35.272974 – Indistinct circular outline.

12. 31.820782, 35.275099 – projected Northern corner of the city. No circular outline.

13. 31.82034, 35.274246, – Indistinct circular outline.

14. 31.819916, 35.274578 – Indistinct circular outline.

15. 31.818968,35.275297 – Indistinct circular outline. From this point there are no visible outlines of either a NE wall or SE wall or the suspected circular towers. A higher definition image may help, in order to extract more evidence.

16. 31.814104, 35.274026 – approximate Southern corner of the city. Indistinct circular outline.

17. 31.814511, 35.273302 – Indistinct circular outline. This completes the suspected perimeter of Ai.

There are other points of interest in close proximity to the above coordinates;

1. 31.818749, 35.273259 – The defining marker for Ai is a large mound of rubble in the city gates, with the corpse of a king buried under it. [see Joshua 8:29] The coordinates given here match a pronounced shadow visible on google satellite, which may indicate such a mound.

2. 31.81885, 35,35.287614 – this site shows the outline and workings of a rectangular compound that is approximately 100 meters in length and 80 meters wide, with additional outlines within. It is only slightly to the east of the city of Ai.

3. 31.81616, 35.295135 – more evidence of previous civilization slightly east of Ai.

I have labored over what to do with this information, and have delayed publishing this document, expecting God to clarify what it should be used for. I still don’t know, except that, if it is correct, I certainly can’t keep it for myself. So here it is for you to use as God directs you. If you have bothered to read all the preamble to the naming of these sites then you are probably a servant of God who is seeking the Kingdom of God. I recommend that when you ask God for direction on this matter, or for any other matter, that you wait at least ten days for an answer, based on the practice evident in Jeremiah 42:7. Unfortunately, that practice hasn’t directly clarified things for me this time! Now this matter is in your hands and in God’s hands. So be it.

 

 

MOUNT SINAI

Supposing the temple will be at the pinnacle of the mountain, then Jabal al Laws has two peaks that I can see may be flat enough and large enough for a temple site. One at coordinates 28.659284, 35.323277, another at coordinates 28.69302, 35.297427. It’s worth looking at these sites on google earth just for the view! I don’t see any place flat enough for a 2.415 kilometer square city. The closest flat area on the desert plateau that would fit a city of this size is about 5km away from the first site, coordinates 28.643188, 35.370998, too far away to fit the Ezekiel 48 map.

Moses altar is well to the south of both these sites, at 28.584457, 35.37876. This is at the foot of the mountain at an elevation of about 1550 meters, with wide areas of plateau nearby. This section of the mountain has greater possibilities of fitting a city on it, and therefore matching Ezekiel 48. It would depend upon the shape of the root of this mountain, meaning below the current level of the desert plateau. The prophesies and parables indicate that Jerusalem will be elevated, high on the mountain, so more than just the visible mountain would be transported if the site of Moses altar is to be the site of the temple and city.

I have decided that Moses altar site does not have to be transposed directly to the future temple site, in order that prophesy is fulfilled. For a start, it just doesn’t fit, as far as I can see. But also it was constructed before God gave the law concerning one place of worship. In my opinion, it qualified as a legitimate place of worship at the time it was constructed, but it is an illegitimate place of worship now. Whichever way I look at this mountain, I cant fit it to Ezekiel 48 or the other prophesies without remodeling it. But I insist that it has to be this mountain – no other mountain will do. To the north is the split rock of Rephidim at 28.728861, 35.236343.

 

 

APPENDIX

The scriptures and comments of this section have no bearing on finding the temple site that I know of, but may be useful for gaining an insight of God’s plan. Here are the encounters we know of that mankind have had with Mount Sinai. Encounters with the Mountain of God;

Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian, and he led his flock to the far side of the desert and came to Horeb, the mountain of God….. “Do not come any closer,” God said. Take off your sandals, for the place you are standing is holy ground. Exodus 3:1

Parallel Prophesy;

This is the law of the temple: All the surrounding area on top of the mountain will be most holy. Such is the law of the temple….. No foreigner uncircumcised in heart and flesh is to enter my sanctuary, not even the foreigners who live among the Israelites. Ezekiel 43:12 – 44:9 [In other words, the temple will never be defiled again]

 

When you have brought the people out of Egypt you [many] will worship God on this holy mountain. Exodus 3:12

Parallel Prophesy;

Ephraim will return to Egypt and eat unclean food in Assyria. [Hosea 9:3] Afterwards the Israelites will return and seek the LORD their God and David their king. They will come trembling to the LORD and to his blessings in the last days. [Hosea 4:5, referring to the latter rain] They will follow the LORD; he will roar like a lion. When he roars, his children will come trembling from the west. They will come trembling like birds from Egypt, like doves from Assyria. I will settle them in their homes, declares the LORD. Hosea 11:10 And in that day a great trumpet will sound. Those who were perishing in Assyria and those who were exiled in Egypt will come and worship the LORD on the holy mountain in Jerusalem. Isaiah 27:12,13

 

God said to Aaron, “Go into the desert to meet with Moses.” So he met Moses at the mountain of God and kissed him. Ex 4:27

Parallel Prophecy;

How good and pleasant it is when brothers live in unity! It is like precious oil poured on the head, running down on the beard, running down on Aaron’s beard, down upon the collar of his robes. It is as if the dew of Hermon were falling on Mount Zion. For there the LORD bestows his blessing, even life forevermore. Psalm 133

 

Then Moses went up to God, and the LORD called to him from the mountain…. “You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles wings and brought you to myself. Exodus 19:3,4

Parallel Prophesy;

Those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. Isaiah 40:31

Yet if there is an angel on man’s side as a mediator, one out of a thousand, to tell a man what is right for him, to be gracious to him and say, “Spare him from going down to the pit; I have found a ransom for him” – then his flesh is renewed like a child’s; it is restored as in the days of his youth. He prays to God and finds favor with him, he sees God’s face and shouts for joy; he is restored by God to his righteous state. Job 33:23-26 [also 14:14]

Praise the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits – who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like an eagle’s…. He made known his ways to Moses…. from everlasting to everlasting the LORD’s love is with those who fear him….. with those who keep his covenant and remember to obey his precepts. Psalm 103:2-18

 

Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow. Make them wash their clothes and be ready by the third day, because on that day the LORD will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people. Exodus 19:10,11

Parallel Prophesy;

Come, let us return to the LORD. He has torn us to pieces but he will heal us; he has injured us but he will bind up our wounds. After two days he will revive us; on the third day he will restore us, that we may live in his presence. Hosea 6:1,2

Note; See prophesy timeline; After 3 ½ years of tribulation, the surviving remnant of the saints come out of captivity and return to Israel. The saints receive a new spirit [see Ezekiel 36:26] and the temple is reconsecrated in the third year. [November 2022] Then the glory of God inhabits the temple, his eternal throne on earth. [see Ezekiel 43:7.]

 

Put limits for the people around the mountain and tell them,”Be careful that you do not go up the mountain or touch the foot of it. Whoever touches the mountain shall surely be put to death….. Only when the ram’s horn sounds may they go up to the mountain. Exodus 19:12,13

Parallel Prophesy;

And in that day a great trumpet will sound. Those who were perishing in Assyria and those who were exiled in Egypt will come and worship the LORD on the holy mountain in Jerusalem. Isaiah 27:12,13

 

The LORD said to Moses, “Come up to me on the mountain and stay here, [see Revelation 14:1-5] and I will give you the tablets of stone, with the law and commands I have written that you may teach them. Exodus 24:12

Parallel Prophesy; TAUGHT BY GOD

No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day. It is written in the Prophets, “They will all be taught by God.” [Jesus] John 6:44,45

Who then, is the man that fears the LORD? He will instruct him in the way chosen for him…. Psalm 25:12-14

The LORD has given me an instructed tongue, to know the word that sustains the weary. He wakens me morning by morning, wakens my ear to listen like one being taught. The Sovereign LORD has opened my ears, and I have not been rebellious; I have not drawn back. Isaiah 50:4,5

I am the LORD your God, who teaches you what is best for you, who directs you in the way you should go. If only you had paid attention to my commands, your peace would have been like a river, your righteousness like the waves of the sea. Isaiah 48:17,18

O people of Zion… Although the LORD gives you the bread of adversity, and the water of affliction, your teachers will be hidden no more; with your own eyes you will see them….. Isaiah 30:19

He will teach us of his ways, so that we may walk in his paths. Isaiah 2:3

I will instruct and teach you in the way you should go…. Psalm 32:8

All your sons will be taught by the LORD, and great will be your childrens peace. Isaiah 54:13

The LORD came from Sinai and dawned over them from Seir; [Edom] he shone forth from Mount Paran. He came with myriads of his holy ones from the south, from his mountain slopes. Surely it is you who love the people; all the holy ones are in your hand. At your feet they all bow down, and from you receive instruction, the law that Moses gave us, the possession [treasure] of the assembly of Jacob. Deuteronomy 33:2-4

 

For six days the cloud covered the mountain, and on the seventh day the LORD called to Moses from within the cloud. Exodus 24:16

Prophetic implications;

The Sabbath: – We have experienced six millennial days, [6000 years] and soon the seventh millennial day will commence, the day of the LORD, when we can go up to God and see his face: –

They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years….. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy are those who have part in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and will reign with him for a thousand years. Revelation 20:4-6

Meeting the Holy God: – On this mountain the LORD Almighty will prepare a feast of rich food for all peoples, a banquet of aged wine – the best of meats and the finest of wines. On this mountain he will destroy the shroud that enfolds all peoples, the sheet that covers all nations; he will swallow up death forever. Isaiah 25:6

 

I will show you. Exodus 25:9,

See that you make them according to the pattern shown you on the mountain. Exodus 25:40, 26:30, 27:8

Prophetic implications;

Exodus chapters 25 to 31 deal with what was shown and said to Moses on Mount Sinai for a period of forty days. So it is safe to say that Moses actually saw the following items on the mountain; the ark, table, lampstand, the sanctuary or tabernacle, the altar, courtyard, priestly garments, Ephod, Breastpiece, altar of incense. All these items have already been seen on Mount Sinai. I expect the future priests of God will see them there again – except that the holy mountain will be relocated – the temple and Mount Sinai will be found to the north of Jerusalem. [see Ezekiel 48]

 

Elijah’s encounter with the holy mountain;

Elijah [Whose God is Yahweh] was afraid and ran for his life. When he came to Beersheba [well of the oath / well of the seven] in Judah, [praise Yahweh] he left his servant there, while he himself went a days journey into the desert. He came to a broom tree and sat down under it and prayed that he might die. “I’ve had enough LORD,” he said. “Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors.” Then he lay down under the tree and fell asleep.

All at once an angel touched him and said, “Get up and eat.”

He looked around and there by his head was a cake of bread baked over hot coals, and a jar of water. He ate and drank and then lay down again.

The angel of the LORD came back a second time and touched him and said, ”Get up and eat, the journey is too much for you.”

So he got up and ate and drank. Strengthened by the food, he traveled forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God. There he went into a cave and spent the night. And the word of the LORD came to him: “What are you doing here Elijah?”

He replied, “I have been very zealous for the LORD God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, broken down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.”

The LORD said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by.” Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake was a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire was a gentle whisper…..

Then a voice said to him: “What are you doing here Elijah?”

He replied, “I have been very zealous for the LORD God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, broken down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.”

Go back the way you came and go to the desert of Damascus. When you get there, anoint Hazael [whom God beholds] king over Aram. [high] Also anoint Jehu [Yahweh is he] son of Nimshi [saved] king over Israel, and anoint Elisha [God his salvation] son of Shaphat [judge] from Abel Meholah [the meadow of dancing] to succeed you as prophet.

Yahweh is he [Jehu] will put to death any who escape the sword of Whom God beholds, [Hazael] and God his salvation [Elisha] will put to death any who escape the sword of Yahweh is he. Yet I reserve seven thousand in Israel – all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal, and all whose mouths have not kissed him. 1 Kings 19:18

 

Note; Elijah took 40 days to go from the desert of Kadesh, one days travel from Beersheba, [19:3] to Mount Horeb – a journey that should only have taken 11 days; It takes eleven days to go from Horeb to Kadesh by the Mount Seir road. [Deuteronomy 1:2] As far as we know, God told Elijah to go to the holy mountain just so that he could then tell him to go back the way he had come! What was the point of this journey? As far as we know, Elijah did anoint Elisha as prophet, but did nothing about the anointing of Hazael – whom God beholds, or Jehu. – Yahweh is he.

My inclination, of course, is to look for a prophetic meaning to Elijah’s encounter, one that we will fulfill in the last days.

 

 

SEVEN

Seven spirits;

See, the stone I have set before Joshua! There are seven eyes on that one stone, and I will engrave an inscription on it, says the LORD Almighty, and I will remove the sin of this land in a single day….. [These seven are the eyes of the LORD which range throughout the earth.] Zechariah 3:8 – 4:10

He had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. Revelation 5:6

Revelation 1:4, 4:5 – seven spirits [lamps] before the throne.

Revelation 1:20 – seven messengers [stars] to the seven assemblies [lampstands]

Stars; Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever. Daniel 12:3

The king and his seven friends, the councilors;

Ezra 7:14 – Ezra commissioned by the king and his seven advisers regarding the Law of his God. [see 1 Esdras 8:11]

Micah 5:5 – seven shepherds, eight leaders of men.

2 Esdras 2:19 – seven mighty mountains… whereby I fill thy children with joy.

Proverbs 9:1 – seven pillars of wisdom.

1 Samuel 2:5 – the desolate woman has borne seven children. God gives strength to his king and exalts his horn.

The sacrifice of the seven;

Jeremiah 15:9 – the mother of seven grows faint and breathes her last.

2 Macabees – mother and seven sons mistreated and executed.

2 Samuel 21:1-14 – seven descendants of Saul, the elect, exposed before God to turn away anger from Israel

Psalm 12:6 – the Word of God, like silver purified in a clay oven seven times. [the silver is mine, the gold is mine – Zechariah.]

Some of the wise will fall, so that they may be refined, purified and made spotless until the time of the end. Daniel 11:35 [see Keil and Delitzsch Biblical commentary, who assess this scripture to mean that the death of the wise is for the purification of the whole assembly of Israel, not just for themselves. ]

Yet I reserve seven thousand in Israel – all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal, and all whose mouths have not kissed him. 1 Kings 19:18

They went up to heaven in a cloud, while their enemies looked on. At that very hour there was a severe earthquake and a tenth of the city collapsed. [Tithe?] Seven thousand people were killed in the earthquake, and the survivors were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven. Revelation 11:13

Abraham set apart seven ewe lambs from the flock…… Accept these seven lambs from my hand as a witness that I dug this well. So the place was called Beersheba [well of seven, or well of the oath.] Genesis 21:28

 

 

Gibeah of God – the hill of God;

 

Gibeah; Hill. As with “Bethel,” a place named “Gibeah” does not have to refer to a specific city, or any city.

Gibeah of Benjamin; a Benjamite town, possibly about 5 kilometers north of Jerusalem. Titus is said to have encamped at Gibeah, about 30 furlongs [6 km] north of Jerusalem as he approached to attack it. According to Joshua 18:28, Gibeah distinct from Zelah, Ramah, and the Jebusite city. Judges 19:14 details the defilement of a Levite’s concubine at Gibeah – possibly being a prophetic incident. Gibeah was also named in 1Samuel 13:2,15, and 14:16

What shall I do for you? How shall I make amends so that you will bless the LORD’s inheritance?….

They answered the king, “As for the man who destroyed us and plotted against us so that we have been decimated and have no place anywhere in Israel, let seven of his male descendants be given to us to be killed and exposed before the the LORD at [gibeah - the hill] of Saul – “the LORD’s elect.” 2 Samuel 21:3-6 [see appendix – seven.]

 

Has not the LORD anointed you leader over his people Israel? You will reign over the LORD’s people and save them from the power of their enemies round about. And this will be a sign to you that the LORD has anointed you leader over his inheritance: When you leave me today, you will meet two men near Rachel’s tomb, at Zelzah [a town of Benjamin, clear shade, slope, side] on the border of Benjamin. They will say,.. your Father has forsaken his concern for those wandering she-asses, but is concerned for you, and says, ”Make him my son.” Then you will go on from there until you reach the oak [or plain - 'elown – oak, strong tree, plain, as in the king's valley of Shaveh / plain] of Tabor. [tabowr - broken region] Three men [or a third man] ascending to God at Bethel [house of God, the altar] will meet you there. One will be carrying three young goats, one will be carrying three loaves of bread, one will be carrying a skin of wine. They will greet you [bless – demand peace of / for you] and offer you two loaves of bread, which you will accept from them.

After that you will go to [gibeah - the hill] of God, where there is a Philistine outpost. [ntsiyb – something stationary, a garrison, officer, pillar - It is the Palestinian West Bank today, and there is a Palestinian refuge camp there today.] As you approach the town,[ 'iyr – city or encampment.] you will meet a procession of prophets coming down from the high place with lyres, tambourines, flutes and harps being played before them, and they will be prophesying. The spirit of the LORD will come upon you in power, and you will prophesy with them; and you will be changed into a different person. Once these signs are fulfilled, do whatever your hand finds to do, for God is with you. Go down ahead of me to Gilgal. I will surely come down to you to sacrifice burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, but you must wait seven days until I come to you and tell you what you are to do. 1 Samuel 10:1

Note; I doubt this has much to do with Saul. I’m sure it has everything to do with God’s elect. I’ve tampered with this text to extract all the prophetic significance I can find from the root Hebrew. This text goes on to inquire; “And who is their father,” which again tells me that this concerns others besides Saul.