From: baresson@cbnewsi.att.com
Newsgroups: soc.religion.christian
Subject: Re: Future Temples
Date: 31 Jul 92 05:57:17 GMT
Organization: AT&T

In article <Jul.28.03.31.20.1992.25428@dartagnan.rutgers.edu> jmanghan@sdcc13.ucsd.edu (I am G!) writes:
>This article was quite interesting and I wanted to ask a couple
>questions:
>
>In article <Jul.22.02.02.45.1992.12586@dumas.rutgers.edu> baresson@cbnewsi.att.com writes:
>>I believe that there will be 2 temples built; the Dan 9/ Matt 24 temple and 
>>Ezekiel's Temple.
>
>Was the ark of the covenant rediscovered?  When?  

There has been a book published on the subject - I asked a friend about it.
I will give you details on the title etc of the book when I have it, (or does 
anyone on the net know what it is?) but this is a review that my friend gave me.

&The book is a best seller here and has been discussed a bit on the net.
&The author was a correspondent for the Economist magazine in East Africa, and
&seems to have become an Indiana Jones type. The essential arguments seem quite
&sound.
&
&	From memory - Manasseh, son of Josiah, was an apostate king of Juda and
&introduced idol worship into the temple. The priests took the ark away for safe-
&keeping to Elephantine island, near Aswan (the Syene mentioned by Isaiah). There
&was a Jewish garrison there at the time - mercenaries employed by the Pharoah
&to protect Egypt from the Nubians.
&
&	They built a temple there. Curiously, the temple in Jerusalem was built
&to house the ark and this was the only other temple. (This is more than a syna-
&gogue). The author argues that this temple was also built to house the ark.
&
&	In 10 BC the Elephantine temple was destroyed and the ark removed up-
&stream to Ethiopia, to an island in a lake. When (5th century?) Ethiopia
&became a christian country, the ark was taken to the capital city Axum, where
&it remains.
&
&	Evidently only one priest is allowed to see the ark, during his lifet-
&time. There may be some connection with the Falashas - the black Jews of Ethiopia.
&

DISCLAIMER - I haven't read the book myself and this info is second-hand 
therefore I have not had a chance to authenticate it. You be the judge.

If there is any significence in the ark it is certainly not for the millenial 
future, as Jeremiah makes clear. I suppose its significence can be seen in 
the light as part of the stage getting set for the latter day events referred to
in Revelation.

>Why do you think that there will be two temples built?
>
>>
>>The "Tribulation" Temple
>>========================
>>
>>On the subject of rebuilding the Temple in Israel - An organisation in 
>>Jerusalem, the Temple Institute, has made the two-thirds of the 92 articles 
>>and vestments that the Bible says were used in the ancient Temple. This with 
>>other efforts, is in anticipation of the rebuilding of the Temple and 
>>re-establishment of worship there.

My understanding of Biblical prophecy leads to this conclusion. In Daniel 9
there is a reference to "the abomination of desolation" which refers to a 
future event when the antichrist commits an act of sacrilege against the 
Jews 3.5 years after making a 7 year peace treaty with Israel. This 
event involves desolating the temple in Jerusalem (Dan 9.27), and was 
prefigured by Antiochus Ephipanes' action of sacrificing a pig to Zeus
in the Temple during his day. Jesus spoke of a future act (Matt 24.15),
telling his followers to run for the hills.
(Incidently I do not believe  that this prophecy was fulfilled in NT times
there was no treaty with the Romans for 1 week when they destroyed the
old temple in AD 70, and no act of sacrilege. Although the Romans set up 
statues of the Caesars they did not put one in the Jerusalem Temple.)

It is interesting that the East Gate to Jerusalem is sealed up, as 
prophecied at the end of Ezekiel. We also note that the mosque of Omar
currently stands on the site - some misguided Austrailian I believe tried
to blow it up, but it stands to this day. 


As for the second temple, described in Ezekiel 40-48, this involves 
geographical changes to the land of Israel, such as the dead sea flowing
and being alive with fish. I believe that these will take place at the
second advent - Jesus will build the Temple: `The Lord is here` (Ezek 48).

Barney Resson
"Many shall run to and fro, & knowledge shall increase" (Daniel)