Episode 117 :: Dr. Christian Widener :: Stories of the Temple Mount’s History and Potential Future in Jerusalem - Part 1
Dr. Christian Widener grew up from a curious kid who always needed to know ‘why’ and work it all the way through to an answer to become an investigator and researcher to the core. Through his indepth research he has written a book called The Temple Revealed where he makes a case for the location of The Temple in Jerusalem. He worked in cooperation with numerous renowned archeologists, historians and theologians, and it's an incredibly detailed and fascinating look at what the future might hold, but ultimately a significant reminder of who holds the future.
This episode felt like sitting in on a seminary course. We’re digging into deep theological and eschatological topics, which just simply means the study of God, His word and the end times, through things like history, archeology, geography, and even engineering. It's fascinating but it is A LOT of information, so I’ve actually divided this conversation into two parts in an attempt to help us digest this more intentionally. In this first part, we’ll get a fly over of Dr. Widener’s work, and then we’ll back up and work through Israel’s history with the Temple through the Old and New Testament to try and give us a bit of ground work for some of the confusing (and often forgotten) parts of its past to set us up for understanding a bit of its present state and potential role in the future.
We cover so much ground in this episode, so I made sure and tried to include links to visual aids, maps in addition to the links to references he’s made, and the scriptures they connect to. I hope that’s helpful for you as you process this on your own journey!
Just a reminder: There are so many schools of thought here in regards to the Temple and eschatology, and this is just one. The beauty of all of it is founded on this main promise: Jesus is coming back. Praise God that where we are now isn’t all there is! Just like the temple mount itself that’s a literal picture of cycles of destruction, redemption, spiritual warfare, consequences of sin, and rebuilding again, God’s promises and faithful hand are constantly making His presence known because it is marked by His name, so are His people. Our hope is in the Messiah who cannot be shaken. And His story isn’t over, and neither is yours. You matter, friend. Your story matters.
*PS: So many of the visual resources I was able to find were provided by the work of the Megalim Institute/City of David Ancient Jerusalem
Follow them on Facebook, Instagram and check out their YouTube page. It is FASCINATING.
Connecting with Dr. Widener:
His youtube video The Temple Revealed (which in many ways just summarizes his book)
Episode Sponsor: Tony Crabtree of Crabtree Homes with Exit Realty
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References:
-Aluminum lithium alloy and space shuttles
-The Gates of the Temple Mount
-What is the Dome of the Rock?
-The East Gate (or the Golden Gate/Mercy Gate)— all walled up in stone (picture of it currently)
-The Mount of Olives (pictures)-- photo of the East Gate from Garden of Gethsemane on MofO)
-Suleyman (from the Jewish perspective) // Suleyman-the-Magnificent (general history)
-Josephus (they destroyed all the gates except two, and burned with fire– this site breaks down much of his observations of the process of its destruction)
-finding the City of David recently (as in 2020) // FASCINATING video from the City of David Foundation
-city of David is not the same place of Bethlehem // more about the archeological journey and the history // City of David uncovered (see inside!)
-Destruction of the first Temple by Nebecudnezzer (a reenactment by the City of David Institute) // Great article on context and history and what lead exactly to the Siege of Jerusalem
-Charles Warren and Captain Wilson took bedrock measurements of the Temple Mount (This article is FASCINATING as it details the archeological process of unearthing the Temple Mount)
-Herod the Great comes along (Jewish by nationality, not a practicing Jew) a pagan King with a Jewish connection // A recreation of this process, and the construction of Herod’s Temple from the City of David Institute— the Jews make a deal with him to increase and beautify the Temple —> The video linked as a recreation shows the porticos were the only spot where people that were not men of Israel or priests could go (and where Jesus and the disciples would teach)
-FULL LAYOUT OF THE SECOND/HEROD’S TEMPLE: // a verbal description of the path walked through the Temple // from the outside in:: court of gentiles, court of women, court of Israel, court of priests and the small temple itself (Dr. Widener’s focus)
-Pool of Siloam (or The Pool of Shiloah) (a tour of it today!)
-What happened to the ark of the covenant? (weeellll THIS was a fascinating today-years-old-moment. Apparently a group of Christians in Ethiopia claim to have the ark in a chapel there. I mean. WOW)
70 AD: Is when Herod’s Temple is destroyed, Jerusalem is ransacked (-From the City of David institute, here is a reenactment of the destruction of the second temple in 70AD)
-The double gate- an underground passageway and had a ramp to the other (here’s a 360 virtual reality look!)
-Western Wall (also known as the Wailing Wall) is still there
Scripture References:
Genesis 6:9-9:17- Noah’s Ark
Book of Revelation (Bible Project Video part 1 and 2)
Matthew 24:42- “Watch therefore”
Zechariah 9:9, Matthew 21:10-11, John 12-13- Jesus on Palm Sunday
Ezekiel 43:3-5--the glory of the Lord entered the by the East Gate of the Temple
Nehemiah 3 lists the rebuilding of the gates and he never mentions rebuilding the East Gate
Nehemiah 3:29- the keeper of the East Gate
Exodus 20-31, 35-40, Leviticus 1-10, Numbers 6-10- the Ten Commandments, establishing the sacrificial system and sacrifice it only in the Tabernacle by the established Levitical Priesthood
1 Chronicles 17, 2 Samuel 7- establishing the Davidic covenant / I will be your house and I will allow your family to build mine (summary)
1 Chronicles 21:18-30, 1 Chronicles 22- God shows David where the Temple should be built on the threshing floor of Araunah on Mount Moriah
Genesis 22-Abraham offered Isaac as a sacrifice on Mount Moriah (and the Lord provided another way!)
1 Kings 5-8 -Solomon builds the first Temple
Matthew 2-the wise men came to Jerusalem and met with Herod, and then they went to Jesus in Bethlehem
1 Kings 3-God came to Solomon and gave him wealth
1 Kings 9 -God came to Solomon again with a warning, and if you do, I will destroy this house you’ve built
2 Samuel 11, 2 Samuel 12:24-Solomon was the son of Bathsheba and David
2 Kings 24-25-Destruction of the first Temple by Nebecudnezzer, Israel goes into exile
Book of Ezra AND Nehemiah and story of rebuilding
Nehemiah 1-7- Nehemiah goes to help rebuild the wall (Zerubbabel helped)
Daniel 12 - the abomination of the desolation (12:11-12)
Matthew 24- Jesus prophecies the destruction of the temple and the abomination of desolation – more commentary for deeper study here
Ezra 3:12- -the people at the consecration of the second temple who had seen the first temple wept because it wasn’t the same
Mark 13-The disciples are leaving the temple, look at all these buildings (within the confines of the Temple) and Jesus says “I tell you the truth not one stone will be built on another”
Matthew 21:12-13,Mark 11:15-18-Court of Gentiles and outside and around the Temple Mount where Jesus would turn over the tables of moneychangers treating the pilgrims of faith unfairly
Exodus 16:33-34, Numbers 17, Deuteronomy 31:26, Hebrews 9:4 -the 10 commandment stones, Aaron’s staff that budded, manna all inside the ark
1 Chronicles 13-16-the ark represented the presence of God (it goes on lots of trips over time- awesome list from ESV!)
Matthew 27:51-54-When the curtain was torn in two when Jesus was crucified
Ezekiel 43:7- this is the place where I will place my throne and I will dwell among Israel forever
2 Kings 20:20, John 7:37-39, John 9 -Pool of Siloam (or The Pool of Shiloah)
2 Thessalonians 2:4-9- it says its God’s temple that is desecrated
Jeremiah 3:16-there is a verse that says there will be a day where the ark isn’t even in the minds
Matthew 27:27-56,Mark 15:21-38,Luke 23:26-49,John 19:16-37-Jesus’ death and resurrection
1 Peter 1:3-6, 1 John 5:13-14, Ephesians 2:8-10, Hebrews 10:23- We have hope in Jesus
Acts 3:21, Revelations 21:4- Jesus is coming back to restore all things
Connecting with Emily and Simply Stories Podcast:
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*Intro and Outro music is from audionautix.com