Episode 118 :: Dr. Christian Widener :: Stories of the Temple Mount’s History and Potential Future in Jerusalem and the Hope of Restoration - Part 2
Today we’re jumping back into my conversation with Dr. Christian Widener. So in part 1 of our conversation, Dr. Widener shared about the history of the Temple Mount in Jerusalem throughout the old and new testament scripture coupled with historic accounts and what he has learned in his research with renowned scholars, historians and archeologists. In this part two, he’ll walk us through the history of what happened to the Temple Mount after its destruction in 70 A.D. and why the what remains in the remnants that we can see support his research from some historical, archeological, engineering perspectives, and why any of this matters to us today and for the future.
Ultimately, Dr. Widener has a heart for God’s people to turn their hearts to Him. He wants to lay a foundation of hope that what we can see about the Temple Mount is a sign that God is still keeping His promises in regards to restoring Israel and that Jesus is coming back to make all things right for all of creation. Prophecy and eschatology are complicated, but when we see in history and in the present that God keeps His promises it fuels our faith. It helps us to live in expectation of His activity in our own lives and in the big story of His kingdom on Earth as it is in Heaven, and we are reminded and hopeful that He will never stop being faithful now and forevermore. It also calls us to evaluate what we do with our time and how we serve others and the Lord in this season of waiting with hope. What are we investing in? Whose kingdom are we building? There is always more to learn, and deeper places to discover in our walk with God. We have to be courageous enough to do the work.
The preservation of God’s people is just unbelievable. The fact that God continues to show human beings mercy, and has incredible patience so that no one may be lost to Him is astonishing. That goes for His set apart people through Abraham, and for those He has grafted in through His Son Jesus Christ. The Jewish people have always been special to God. They are His chosen nation.There is so much to learn from their history, their present, and their hope. I am actually learning a lot about this very thing currently and we may be unpacking it in other episodes, but that’s just a teaser note.
This story isn’t over, friends. And you’re a part of it. You matter, and your story matters.
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
Home buyer guide: http://bit.ly/buyersguidecrabtreehomes
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References:
Hear part one of this conversation AND access all the detailed show notes here.
Super fascinating article from Chabad.org about the Jewish history of the Temple
-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)
-The arches that exist on the southern side of the Temple Mount
-First thing built there after temple’s destruction is a temple to Jupiter
--Super interesting articles about the current tension of the situation even in archeological pursuits from Smithsonian, and NBC that share the history and current conversation
-Early Christians made the temple mount a trash heap
-Pre-Tribulation, Post- Tribulation, etc (what do these things mean?!)
-The Siege of Jerusalem 636-637 AD by the Muslims (this is a super fascinating read as it is from an Islamic history site. )
-The East Gate (or the Golden Gate/Mercy Gate)— all walled up in stone (picture of it currently)
-Muslims believe that Jesus will return (this article is suuuuper interesting) and they want to keep him out
Graveyard near the western wall, Mamila Cemetery (a super interesting Palestinian perspective about this site)
Jewish graves on the mount of olives so that they’re there for the resurrection of the last day
The Sabbath practice of looking for Elijah
Emperor Heraclius went through the gate (I can’t really find about a “shortly there after” article to verify that part BUT it is interesting that the story says an angel walled up the gate) (an art piece depicting it)
The Road to Emmaus painting by Robert Zund
Foxes on the Wailing Wall in 2019 (and the scripture that goes with it/Lamentations 5:18)
Finding Solomon: Rediscovering the Works of Israel’s Greatest Builder (scroll all the way to the bottom of page!)
Scripture References:
Acts 15 – how much do we continue to honor Judaism and grow Christianity
2 Samuel 24:18-25-David made a sacrifice on the threshing floor
2 Chronicles 3:1-The Temple being built on the threshing floor
Genesis 22 -Issac was not sacrificed, but offered as one and then a goat was provided by God
Matthew 27:51-The area opened because the curtain ripped in two
Deuteronomy 11-12- this is the place where He will place the souls of His feet
1 Kings 12-17 -Building the false temple in Israel after the Kingdom is divided in two, built in Bethel (and also Dan) so that they could have their own place of worship instead of where God declared where it should be
Judges 19-21 -Towards the end of the book of Judges with a false temple set up by a Levite for a family (ugh this story is gross. People are crazy)
Daniel 9 -The abomination that causes desolation
Zechariah 14:4-11; Revelation 19:11-16; 20:1-6-Revelation where Jesus comes back on the Mount of Olives
Zechariah 8-I’m going to bring them back into their own land
John 11:24, -Resurrection of the last day (more scriptures!)
Ezekiel 47, Revelation 3:7-13, Revelation 22:1-5- There will be a spring of living water, a mighty river that will turn the dead sea into fresh water
Hebrews 13:14-this is not our home
John 19:28-Jesus says “I thirst” on the cross, but the context of it in the Psalm 22:15
Daniel 5- the hand writing on the wall
Acts 1:11- -Men of Galilee why do you stand and look at the sky?
Lamentations 3:22-25, Joshua 23:14 -He is faithful and He will keep His promises
Jeremiah 30,Isaiah 61:7 -He will restore His people (a big list of scriptures on this!)
Acts 12- Herod Agrippa’s funky claims about his voicing being one with God’s and his death
Luke 24:13-35-The road to Emmaus
Isaiah 43:19-The Lord is doing a new thing, now it springs up do you not perceive it?
Matthew 25- The Ten Bridesmaids
Matthew 6:10-His will be done on earth as it is in heaven
Psalm 130:6-More than watchmen wait for the morning do we long for the Lord
John 11-weeping at Lazarus’ tomb
Isaiah 22:13; Proverbs 23:35; Luke 12:19; 1 Corinthians 15:32-Eat, drink, and be merry for tomorrow we die
Hebrews 10:23-We hold unswervingly for He who promised is faithful
Revelation 21:4-He will wipe every tear from our eyes
2 Corinthians 4:17-This is a light and momentary trouble and there is coming an eternal glory
1 Kings 4:30-Solomon was the wisest person in the world
1 Kings 10- When the Queen of Sheba came and was blown away by what she saw
2 Corinthians 12:9-His grace is sufficient
Zechariah 8:3-22- the passage I read at the end about God’s restoration
Connecting with Emily and Simply Stories Podcast:
Instagram (Em life // Podcast Life)
Facebook
Twitter
Blog
*Intro and Outro music is from audionautix.com
Zechariah 8:3-22- NLT
“And now the Lord says: I am returning to Mount Zion, and I will live in Jerusalem. Then Jerusalem will be called the Faithful City; the mountain of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies will be called the Holy Mountain.
“This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: Once again old men and women will walk Jerusalem’s streets with their canes and will sit together in the city squares. And the streets of the city will be filled with boys and girls at play.
“This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: All this may seem impossible to you now, a small remnant of God’s people. But is it impossible for me? says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.
“This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: You can be sure that I will rescue my people from the east and from the west. I will bring them home again to live safely in Jerusalem. They will be my people, and I will be faithful and just toward them as their God.
“This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: Be strong and finish the task! Ever since the laying of the foundation of the Temple of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, you have heard what the prophets have been saying about completing the building. Before the work on the Temple began, there were no jobs and no money to hire people or animals. No traveler was safe from the enemy, for there were enemies on all sides. I had turned everyone against each other.
“But now I will not treat the remnant of my people as I treated them before, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. For I am planting seeds of peace and prosperity among you. The grapevines will be heavy with fruit. The earth will produce its crops, and the heavens will release the dew. Once more I will cause the remnant in Judah and Israel to inherit these blessings. Among the other nations, Judah and Israel became symbols of a cursed nation. But no longer! Now I will rescue you and make you both a symbol and a source of blessing. So don’t be afraid. Be strong, and get on with rebuilding the Temple!
“For this is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: I was determined to punish you when your ancestors angered me, and I did not change my mind, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. But now I am determined to bless Jerusalem and the people of Judah. So don’t be afraid. But this is what you must do: Tell the truth to each other. Render verdicts in your courts that are just and that lead to peace. Don’t scheme against each other. Stop your love of telling lies that you swear are the truth. I hate all these things, says the Lord.”
Here is another message that came to me from the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. “This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: The traditional fasts and times of mourning you have kept in early summer, midsummer, autumn, and winter are now ended. They will become festivals of joy and celebration for the people of Judah. So love truth and peace.
“This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: People from nations and cities around the world will travel to Jerusalem. The people of one city will say to the people of another, ‘Come with us to Jerusalem to ask the Lord to bless us. Let’s worship the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. I’m determined to go.’ Many peoples and powerful nations will come to Jerusalem to seek the Lord of Heaven’s Armies and to ask for his blessing.”