“Because of our traditions we have kept our balance for
many, many years”; Fiddler on the Roof. Let’s think about that for a moment. Those
who extol the virtues of tradition do so because they feel it keeps them and
the others around them balanced. What they are really saying is that there is
no disruption in their daily lives with things that might be new or things that
one would have to think about. Really, traditions void us from thinking. People
just follow the yellow brick road, no need to wander off the path, just stay on
the path. What if traditions hold us back from the greatness of what God has
for us? What if traditions end up binding us rather than allowing our hearts to
connect with God? Jesus was not about tradition but about tender, connected
hearts with God. Jesus was the most rebellious teacher ever as he didn’t teach
or follow tradition.
Sometimes tradition takes a more harmful twist than
simply unwashed hands or unwashed feet. While ceremonial washing was symbolic
to bathing with the word of God, what if traditions held people in such bondage
that those who daily wish for a closer walk with God are held back because
their elders refuse to learn and grow. Specifically, I am speaking about the
location of the Temple in Jerusalem. There have been rumors for many years
regarding the location of the Temple of Solomon. What if the elders who refuse
anything that is non-traditional do the necessary research and find something
new? Not that what they find would be new to God, or other people, but new to
themselves because tradition has held them back. If then, new knowledge allows
growth and a closer relationship with Yahweh Elohim, then wouldn’t it be wise
to drop traditions and dive into the heart of God? The Temple location is not
the Temple Mount, but the City of David. More on that shortly.
Here is a definition of the word tradition from Easton’s Bible Dictionary, and Strong’s
Concordance.
Tradition — any kind of teaching, written or spoken,
handed down from generation to generation. In Mark 7:3,9,13; Col 2:8, this word
refers to the arbitrary interpretations of the Jews. In 2 Thess 2:15; 3:6, it
is used in a good sense. Peter (1 Peter 1:18) uses this word with reference to
the degenerate Judaism of the "strangers scattered" whom he addresses
(comp. Acts 15:10; Matt 15:2-6; Gal 1:14(from Easton's Bible Dictionary, PC
Study Bible formatted electronic database Copyright © 2003, 2006 Biblesoft,
Inc. All rights reserved.)
NT:3862 paradosis (par-ad'-os-is); from NT:3860;
transmission, i.e. (concretely) a precept; specifically, the Jewish
traditionary law: KJV - ordinance, tradition.(Biblesoft's New Exhaustive
Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary.
Copyright © 1994, 2003, 2006 Biblesoft, Inc. and International Bible
Translators, Inc.)
The word tradition only appears in the New Testament, and
it means a way of conducting one’s self. The Pharisees loved to annoy Jesus
regarding their traditions. The Scribes and Pharisees could not believe the
Messiah would not follow the traditions that were instituted by their
forefathers. The first thing that tells us, is that Jesus wasn’t interested in
following traditions. Instead, Jesus wants to know why they instituted
traditions to get out of following the law.
Matt 15:1-20 THEN FROM Jerusalem came scribes and
Pharisees and said, 2 Why do Your disciples transgress and violate the rules
handed down by the elders of the past? For they do not practice [ceremonially]
washing their hands before they eat. 3 He replied to them, And why also do you
transgress and violate the commandment of God for the sake of the rules handed
down to you by your forefathers (the elders)?
People bent the rules to suit their own desires. Instead
of taking care of their parents, people made a new “rule” that if they
dedicated everything they had to the temple, they didn’t have to take care of
their aging parents.
Matt 15:4 For God commanded, Honor your father and your
mother, and, He who curses or reviles or speaks evil of or abuses or treats
improperly his father or mother, let him surely come to his end by death. [Ex
20:12; 21:17; Lev 20:9; Deut 5:16.] 5 But you say, If anyone tells his father
or mother, What you would have gained from me [that is, the money and whatever
I have that might be used for helping you] is already dedicated as a gift to
God, then he is exempt and no longer under obligation to honor and help his
father or his mother. 6 So for the sake of your tradition (the rules handed
down by your forefathers), you have set aside the Word of God [depriving it of
force and authority and making it of no effect].
There are many reasons why people would do this. If we
look at our modern world today, we can see that families are not perfect, and
many times parents have mental issues and personality disorders, while some may
also be lazy and selfish, and not interested in serving God. Not wanting to
take care of one’s parents because of constant conflict is likely the reason
the new “rule” was made. This led everyone into a tradition of deciding to care
for the elderly or not. Jesus did not discuss this other than pointing out to
them their redesigning of the laws to suit their needs. Jesus then gives us the
key to this idea of traditions. The people’s hearts were far from God. They did
the works of traditions without their hearts being in what they were doing.
Matt 15:7 You pretenders (hypocrites)! Admirably and
truly did Isaiah prophesy of you when he said: 8 These people draw near Me with
their mouths and honor Me with their lips, but their hearts hold off and are
far away from Me. 9 Uselessly do they worship Me, for they teach as doctrines
the commands of men. [Isa 29:13.] 10 And Jesus called the people to Him and said
to them, Listen and grasp and comprehend this: 11 It is not what goes into the
mouth of a man that makes him unclean and defiled, but what comes out of the
mouth; this makes a man unclean and defiles [him].
The Pharisees and Scribes were doing what someone told
them was tradition and expected others to follow along so this did not please
them.
Matt 15:12 Then the disciples came and said to Him, Do
You know that the Pharisees were displeased and offended and indignant when
they heard this saying? 13 He answered, Every plant which My heavenly Father
has not planted will be torn up by the roots. [Isa 60:21.] 14 Let them alone
and disregard them; they are blind guides and teachers. And if a blind man
leads a blind man, both will fall into a ditch. 15 But Peter said to Him,
Explain this proverb (this maxim) to us.
The Heavenly Father did not create traditions and those
things will be torn up by the roots. Yet the disciples didn’t quite get it.
Matt 15:16 And He said, Are you also even yet dull and ignorant
[without understanding and unable to put things together]? 17 Do you not see
and understand that whatever goes into the mouth passes into the abdomen and so
passes on into the place where discharges are deposited? 18 But whatever comes
out of the mouth comes from the heart, and this is what makes a man unclean and
defiles [him]. 19 For out of the heart come evil thoughts (reasonings and
disputings and designs) such as murder, adultery, sexual vice, theft, false
witnessing, slander, and irreverent speech. 20 These are what make a man
unclean and defile [him]; but eating with unwashed hands does not make him
unclean or defile [him]. AMP
Traditions lead people so far astray from the heart of
God that religious leaders put requirements on people’s actions but did not
teach people to have a pure heart towards God. Mark gives us a little more
insight into what this specific tradition entailed.
Mark 7:1-5 NOW THERE gathered together to [Jesus] the
Pharisees and some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem, 2 For they had
seen that some of His disciples ate with common hands, that is, unwashed [with
hands defiled and unhallowed, because they had not given them a ceremonial
washing] — 3 For the Pharisees and all of
the Jews do not eat unless [merely for ceremonial reasons] they wash their
hands [diligently up to the elbow] with clenched fist, adhering [carefully and
faithfully] to the tradition of [practices and customs handed down to them by]
their forefathers [to be observed]. 4 And [when they come] from the
marketplace, they do not eat unless they purify themselves; and there are many
other traditions [oral, man-made laws handed down to them, which they observe
faithfully and diligently, such as], the washing of cups and wooden pitchers
and widemouthed jugs and utensils of copper and beds — 5 And the Pharisees and scribes kept asking
[Jesus], Why do Your disciples not order their way of living according to the
tradition handed down by the forefathers [to be observed], but eat with hands
unwashed and ceremonially not purified? AMP
At the time of the first century, people’s lives had gone
from freedom of heart, like we see in Abraham, to so many rules no one could
get it all right. Not only that, Jesus didn’t care about these traditions, and
for him to do miracles and heal people, and have a following became confusing
to the religious leaders who expected the traditions to be followed. While they
themselves were not doing miracles and healing people, they were keeping the
traditions, but Jesus blew their minds by pointing out that their traditions
were nullifying the very law that God gave them.
Paul tells us to now walk in unity and conformity to
Jesus, not to traditions.
Col 2:6-9 As you have therefore received Christ, [even]
Jesus the Lord, [so] walk (regulate your lives and conduct yourselves) in union
with and conformity to Him. 7 Have the roots [of your being] firmly and deeply
planted [in Him, fixed and founded in Him], being continually built up in Him,
becoming increasingly more confirmed and established in the faith, just as you
were taught, and abounding and overflowing in it with thanksgiving. 8 See to it
that no one carries you off as spoil or makes you yourselves captive by his
so-called philosophy and intellectualism and vain deceit (idle fancies and
plain nonsense), following human tradition (men's ideas of the material rather
than the spiritual world), just crude notions following the rudimentary and
elemental teachings of the universe and disregarding [the teachings of] Christ
(the Messiah). 9 For in Him the whole fullness of Deity (the Godhead) continues
to dwell in bodily form [giving complete expression of the divine nature]. AMP
We are not to be lead away from unity and conformity with
Jesus by philosophy, or intellectualism, or traditions. These things are crude
concepts that disregard the living and vital relationship we are to have with
Jesus himself. The whole Godhead is encompassed in Jesus and our hearts should
connect with Him rather than ordering our behaviors to be compliant with man’s
ideas and traditions. Paul gives us the answer here in Galatians.
Gal 1:11-24 For I want you to know, brethren, that the
Gospel which was proclaimed and made known by me is not man's gospel [a human
invention, according to or patterned after any human standard]. 12 For indeed I
did not receive it from man, nor was I taught it, but [it came to me] through a
[direct] revelation [given] by Jesus Christ (the Messiah). 13 You have heard of
my earlier career and former manner of life in the Jewish religion (Judaism),
how I persecuted and abused the church of God furiously and extensively, and
[with fanatical zeal did my best] to make havoc of it and destroy it. 14 And
[you have heard how] I outstripped many of the men of my own generation among
the people of my race in [my advancement in study and observance of the laws
of] Judaism, so extremely enthusiastic and zealous I was for the traditions of
my ancestors.
Paul was so very zealous to do the law and follow
traditions that he excelled beyond his peers. Paul learned under Gamaliel, a Pharisee
mentioned in the Bible who advocated that the rulers not be harsh on the
Apostles because if what they were preaching was not from God it wouldn’t amount
to anything. It is odd that Paul, as a student, set about to kill Christians
instead of taking the advice his teacher gave him in Acts 5. Paul was probably
one of those self-promoter types who enjoyed pats on the head from the
religious leaders and teachers. But his heart was hollow, not knowing Jesus but
instead knowing traditions and rules.
Gal 1:15 But when He, Who had chosen and set me apart
[even] before I was born and had called me by His grace (His undeserved favor
and blessing), saw fit and was pleased [Isa 49:1; Jer 1:5.] 16 To reveal (unveil,
disclose) His Son within me so that I might proclaim Him among the Gentiles
(the non-Jewish world) as the glad tidings (Gospel), immediately I did not
confer with flesh and blood [did not consult or counsel with any frail human
being or communicate with anyone]. 17 Nor did I [even] go up to Jerusalem to
those who were apostles (special messengers of Christ) before I was, but I went
away and retired into Arabia, and afterward I came back again to Damascus. 18
Then three years later, I did go up to Jerusalem to become [personally]
acquainted with Cephas (Peter), and remained with him for fifteen days. 19 But
I did not see any of the other apostles (the special messengers of Christ)
except James the brother of our Lord. 20 Now [note carefully what I am telling
you, for it is the truth], I write this as if I were standing before the bar of
God; I do not lie. 21 Then I went into the districts (countries, regions) of
Syria and Cilicia. 22 And so far I was still unknown by sight to the churches
of Christ in Judea (the country surrounding Jerusalem). 23 They were only
hearing it said, He who used to persecute us is now proclaiming the very faith
he once reviled and which he set out to ruin and tried with all his might to
destroy. 24 And they glorified God [as the Author and Source of what had taken
place] in me. AMP
Notice what Paul did, he didn’t talk to anyone about his
experience with the Lord. He didn’t see church elders, or priests, or rabbis.
Instead he went to Arabia, possibly Mt Sinai, and dug into a relationship with
the Lord. Remember, Paul didn’t have his own personal scrolls. He was spending
time in the wilderness with Yahweh the Elohim. When he finally connected with
people, they were excited about Paul’s conversion to Christianity. This wasn’t
like turning on a light, it took time for Paul to figure things out. Paul says
he was called by His grace. It is interesting because Jesus never taught grace,
but by Jesus’ grace we are called and saved. Repetitive actions, laws, or
traditions do not save us. Salvation is a free gift which is not something that
one can work for and become prideful over. It simply cannot be earned. We are
all called by grace, just like Paul. Paul put off the traditions he learned to
dive into a life with Jesus.
Today, the combination of historical documents,
archeology, and the Bible, all point to the location of Solomon’s Temple and
Herod’s Temple being built over the Gihon Springs in the City of David. Dr.
Ernest L. Martin first made this claim, and wrote a book in 1994 entitled The Temples that Jerusalem Forgot. Dr.
Martin passed before the accumulation of archeological evidence could prove him
correct. Archeologist/Explorer Bob Cornuke took up this information and now
confirms Dr. Martin’s findings documented in his new book Temple: Amazing Discoveries That Change Everything About the Location
of Solomon’s Temple.
At first thought, some people may scoff because they are
rooted in tradition. But think of what this means. Today, the Muslims control
the temple mount and no excavation is allowed there. Also, there are no fresh
springs on the temple mount which are required for ceremonial washings of the
Priests, and the cleaning and drainage of the blood sacrifices. The Muslims do not
control the area of the City of David. When I was in Israel in 1999, our guide
was careful to tell us that some of the stones we saw at the Wailing Wall and
under the ground were re-used from Herod’s temple. Jesus told us that not one
stone would be left upon another. Jesus was either mistaken, as we have a wall
left, or he was very accurate. The wall we see today as well as the area of the
temple mount was from the fortress Antonia built by Herod the Great around 19
BC which held about 10,000 people. It was still standing in 73 AD, three years
after the temple was destroyed in 70 AD. While I am not qualified to share all
evidences I will site some resources here, and we will look at Jesus’ words.
Matt 24:1-2 JESUS DEPARTED from the temple area and was
going on His way when His disciples came up to Him to call His attention to the
buildings of the temple and point them out to Him. 2 But He answered them, Do
you see all these? Truly I tell you, there will not be left here one stone upon
another that will not be thrown down. AMP
Mark 13:1-2 AND AS [Jesus] was coming out of the temple
[area], one of His disciples said to Him, Look, Teacher! Notice the sort and
quality of these stones and buildings! 2 And Jesus replied to him, You see
these great buildings? There will not be left here one stone upon another that
will not be loosened and torn down. AMP
Matthew and Mark both tell us the same thing, that no
stone would be left, but torn down or thrown down. Jesus tells us why this is
the case. Every stone of the temple would be torn down because they did not
recognize the time of his visitation as Luke records.
Luke 19:37-44 As He was approaching [the city], at the
descent of the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of the disciples began to
rejoice and to praise God [extolling Him exultantly and] loudly for all the
mighty miracles and works of power that they had witnessed, 38 Crying, Blessed
(celebrated with praises) is the King Who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace
in heaven [freedom there from all the distresses that are experienced as the
result of sin] and glory (majesty and splendor) in the highest [heaven]! [Ps
118:26.] 39 And some of the Pharisees from the throng said to Jesus, Teacher,
reprove Your disciples! 40 He replied, I tell you that if these keep silent,
the very stones will cry out. [Hab 2:11.] 41 And as He approached, He saw the
city, and He wept [audibly] over it, 42 Exclaiming, Would that you had known
personally, even at least in this your day, the things that make for peace (for
freedom from all the distresses that are experienced as the result of sin and
upon which your peace — your security, safety, prosperity, and happiness —
depends)! But now they are hidden from your eyes. 43 For a time is coming upon
you when your enemies will throw up a bank [with pointed stakes] about you and
surround you and shut you in on every side. [Isa 29:3; Jer 6:6; Ezek 4:2.] 44
And they will dash you down to the ground, you [Jerusalem] and your children
within you; and they will not leave in you one stone upon another, [all]
because you did not come progressively to recognize and know and understand
[from observation and experience] the time of your visitation [that is, when
God was visiting you, the time in which God showed Himself gracious toward you
and offered you salvation through Christ]. AMP
As we have looked at from Sir Robert Anderson’s work in
Daniel, the angel told Daniel the exact day that Jesus would be announced, the
day he would come and then be cut off. It is with amazing accuracy that we can
now understand how literal this was. There was no approximate time, but an
exact date, and the people should have known who he was and the time of his
visitation. That is why the temple and the city was destroyed in 70 AD. That is
also why the Romans took the stones and used them elsewhere. We also have one
more clue from Luke. People were admiring the temple.
Luke 21:5-6 And as some were saying of the temple that it
was decorated with handsome (shapely and magnificent) stones and consecrated
offerings [laid up to be kept], He said, 6 As for all this that you
[thoughtfully] look at, the time will come when there shall not be left here
one stone upon another that will not be thrown down. AMP
It looked beautiful even in their day (remember this was
Herod’s temple), and people thought this was a beautiful building. We don’t see
that today, nor do we see any type of inlays, or places where precious stones
were inlaid. We don’t see any decoration on the stones of the temple mount that
come from that era. There seems to also be the problem of the living waters,
the spring. There are no springs on the temple mount, and the priests had to
have flowing water, not stagnant water. Let’s look at Easton’s Bible Dictionary
regarding Gihon.
GIHON— a stream. … (2.) The only natural spring of water
in or near Jerusalem is the "Fountain of the Virgin" (q.v.), which
rises outside the city walls on the west bank of the Kidron valley. On the
occasion of the approach of the Assyrian army under Sennacherib, Hezekiah, in
order to prevent the besiegers from finding water, "stopped the upper
water course of Gihon, and brought it straight down to the west side of the
city of David" (2 Chron 32:30; 33:14). This "fountain" or spring
is therefore to be regarded as the "upper water course of Gihon."
From this "fountain" a tunnel cut through the ridge which forms the
south part of the temple hill conveys the water to the Pool of Siloam, which
lies on the opposite side of this ridge at the head of the Tyropoeon
("cheesemakers'") valley, or valley of the son of Hinnom, now filled
up by rubbish. The length of this tunnel is about 1,750 feet. In 1880 an
inscription was accidentally discovered on the wall of the tunnel about
nineteen feet from where it opens into the Pool of Siloam. This inscription was
executed in all probability by Hezekiah's workmen. It briefly narrates the history
of the excavation. It may, however, be possible that this tunnel was excavated
in the time of Solomon. If the "waters of Shiloah that go softly"
(Isa 8:6) refers to the gentle stream that still flows through the tunnel into
the Pool of Siloam, then this excavation must have existed before the time of
Hezekiah. (from Easton's Bible Dictionary, PC Study Bible formatted electronic
database Copyright © 2003, 2006 Biblesoft, Inc. All rights reserved.)
Let’s look at the information concerning where the city
of David was. Take note that this is where Jesus was born.
CITY OF DAVID The name of two cities in the Bible: 1. The
stronghold of ZION, the fortified city of the Jebusites, later known as
Jerusalem. King David and his men captured it (2 Sam 5:7,9). The Jebusite
fortress of Zion was situated on a hill overlooking the pool of Siloam, at the
junction of the Kidron and Tyropoeon valleys (later in southeastern Jerusalem).
The account of the capture of Zion implies that David's army entered the
fortress by surprise (2 Sam 5:8). The "water shaft" mentioned in this
passage was apparently a tunnel leading from the underground spring of GIHON
into the citadel. Joab was the one who went up the shaft first (1 Chron 11:6),
true to his promise, David made him the commander, or "chief," of the
armies of Israel.
After the capture of Zion, "David dwelt in the
stronghold, and called it the City of David" (2 Sam 5:9). Not only did
David establish his residence here, but he also strengthened the city's
fortifications (1 Chron 11:8). Solomon further strengthened the defenses of the
city (1 Kings 11:27). The site of Solomon's Temple was on the neighboring Mount
Moriah, part of the same strong rock outcropping as Mount Zion.
2. Bethlehem, the birthplace or home of David (Luke
2:4,11; John 7:42).(from Nelson's Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Copyright ©
1986, Thomas Nelson Publishers)
Luke 2:11 For unto you is born this day in the city of
David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. KJV
The area seems to be significant because the Bible also
tells us that the Lord dwells in Zion. Not only was he born there, he was
worshipped there as well. The millo
gives us another clue.
MILLO [MILL oh] (mound) - a fortification or citadel near
Jerusalem. The Millo of Jerusalem was probably part of the fortification of the
Jebusite city that David captured. It may have been either a solid tower full
of earth or a bastion strengthening a weak point in the wall. It was already in
existence when David's army captured the Jebusite city (2 Sam 5:9).
The Millo was one of the building projects included in
King Solomon's expansion program in Jerusalem in later years. He strengthened
the Millo by using conscripted labor (1 Kings 9:15). Centuries later, King
Hezekiah had the Millo repaired in preparation for an invasion and siege by the
Assyrians (2 Chron 32:5). King Joash was killed "in the house of the
Millo" (2 Kings 12:20) - the victim of a conspiracy.
(from Nelson's Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Copyright ©
1986, Thomas Nelson Publishers)
And the Pool of Siloam is another place of interest. While
there may have been more pools, we have this one mentioned. It seems silly that
Hezekiah would not protect the temple, but only protect the springs and his
residence from the Assyrians.
SILOAM[sigh LOW um] (sent) - a storage pool and water
tunnel that provided a water supply for early residents of the city of
Jerusalem. The pool and tunnel drew water from the GIHON spring outside the
city wall.
Under the peril of an impending invasion by the armies of
Sennacherib, king of Assyria (reigned about 705 B.C. - 681 B.C.), King Hezekiah
of Judah "made a pool and a tunnel [or conduit] and brought water into the
city" (2 Kings 20:20). The parallel account in 2 Chronicles says he
"stopped the water outlet of Upper Gihon, and brought the water by tunnel
to the west side of the City of David" (2 Chron 32:30).
Hezekiah's tunnel was discovered accidentally in 1838 and
was explored by the American traveler, Edward Robinson, and his missionary
friend, Eli Smith. They found the Siloam tunnel to be about 518 meters (1,750
feet) long, although the straight line distance between the storage pool and
the Gihon spring is only 332 meters (1,090 feet). The course has numerous
twists and turns. Some scholars have suggested that by following such a crooked
course, the tunnel builders were trying to avoid the royal tombs cut into the
same area through which the conduit was cut. But it is just as possible that
more accurate surveying methods were unavailable to Hezekiah's technicians. By
any standards, however, Hezekiah's tunnel was a notable achievement.
The tunnel was explored in 1867, but it was not until
1880 that an important Hebrew inscription was discovered near the entrance to
the reservoir. It gave a graphic description of how the tunnel was built. Two
work crews cut the tunnel through solid rock, working from opposite ends until
they met in the middle.
It may have been through another tunnel or gap such as
this that David's warriors entered the ancient city of Jerusalem about 1002
B.C. The city was known as Jebus at that time. David captured it and turned it
into the capital city of his kingdom.
The Bible does contain some puzzling references to a more
ancient pool. The prophet Isaiah, for instance, speaks of Hezekiah's
"reservoir between the two walls for the water of the old pool" (Isa
22:11). Perhaps Hezekiah and his craftsmen used an existing reservoir and
linked it to his tunnel and pool.
(from Nelson's Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Copyright ©
1986, Thomas Nelson Publishers)
Whether we understand this or not, we have a minor issue
as “the Lord dwells in Zion”. Does he dwell on the temple mount with a rock and
a dome, or does he dwell in the very place he was worshipped and came to earth?
He dwells in a place that we are only beginning to rediscover and uncover.
Ps 9:11 Sing praises to the Lord, Who dwells in Zion!
Declare among the peoples His doings! AMP
Ps 102:16 When the Lord builds up Zion, He will appear in
His glory; AMP
Isa 8:18 Behold, I and the children whom the Lord has
given me are signs and wonders [that are to take place] in Israel from the Lord
of hosts, Who dwells on Mount Zion .AMP
Joel 3:21 And I will cleanse and hold as innocent their
blood and avenge it, blood which I have not cleansed, held innocent, and
avenged, for the Lord dwells in Zion. AMP
There is a great history here that goes back to the time
of Melchizedek/Shem, who taught and ministered to the Lord in that same
place. It is very simply clear from the
Bible itself that the place David bought from Onan was this place, then called
the city of David. It is the place Solomon was anointed at his coronation, and
the place Hezekiah built the pool of Siloam so that the Assyrians would not
find water. It is also the place that Nehemiah and Ezra came back to (from their
captivity), to re-build the Temple along with governor Zerubbabel. Herod the
Great took 46 years to build the temple again. That was the temple that was in
existence in the first century alongside the fortress Antonia. The Temple was
destroyed in 70 AD, but not the fortress. This temple is the place where Simeon
prophesied over Jesus as a baby. And this is the place that the temple will be
built again just before, or in the beginning of, the tribulation years.
The Apostle Paul is our example, as he dug into
scriptural understanding rather than man’s understanding, when he first learned
about Jesus. Tradition may get in the way for the time being, but most
certainly a people will rise up and search out the Temple remains. Then, the
time of the end will be near as there is nothing stopping the rebuilding of the
temple but tradition. The Millennial temple will be built in this place as
well. That will be a glorious time. As the days and times unfold, we must
remember that we are called by grace, and our hearts should be close to His. If
Jesus is our example, we must put off traditions as he did.
Ps 50:1-6 THE MIGHTY One, God, the Lord, speaks and calls
the earth from the rising of the sun to its setting. 2 Out of Zion, the
perfection of beauty, God shines forth. 3 Our God comes and does not keep
silence; a fire devours before Him, and round about Him a mighty tempest rages.
4 He calls to the heavens above and to the earth, that He may judge His people:
5 Gather together to Me My saints [those who have found grace in My sight],
those who have made a covenant with Me by sacrifice. 6 And the heavens declare
His righteousness (rightness and justice), for God, He is judge. Selah [pause,
and calmly think of that]! AMP
