(OPINION) When the discovery of the Ark of the Covenant is finally announced by the Israeli government, it will be the greatest archaeological bombshell in the history of the world.
Authorities in Israel have known where it is located for a long time, but trying to remove an object of such immense importance from deep under the Temple Mount was always going to be complicated.
In fact, when the Israelis finally unveil the Ark they may not even admit where it was hidden all this time due to conflicting claims of jurisdiction over the Temple Mount.
If the Israelis openly admit that they took the Ark from under the Temple Mount it could potentially set off riots all over the Islamic world. This is such a sensitive topic, and it really will be a miracle when the discovery of the Ark is finally revealed.
But it will happen. In fact, I believe that the announcement of the discovery of the Ark is most likely to happen on or near a major Jewish holiday. So every time another Biblical festival rolls around, we need to be on high alert.
In case you did not read my last article on the location of the Ark of the Covenant, I want to review one very important point.
In the western world, our “scholars” have come up with all sorts of weird theories about the location of the Ark, but the truth is that over in Israel they have known where it is resting for many years.
In fact, on their official website the Temple Institute actually admits that they know precisely where it is located…
The Ark of the Covenant is one of the most fascinating of all Temple-related subjects. There are many theories about what happened to the Ark of the Covenant, and speculation abounds as to its actual location.
Some people think it was taken to the Vatican, together with other Temple vessels, such as those depicted on the Roman monument, the Arch of Titus.
There are many authentic, ancient historical chronicles, and even more popular legends, that attest to many sacred vessels having been taken away to Rome. However, this does not apply to the most holy feature of the First Temple, the Ark.
While some claim to have evidence that the ark is in Ethiopia, and of course, moviegoers were treated to a fanciful version of the story in “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” in reality, the expression “lost” ark is not an accurate description for the Jewish people’s point of view – because we have always known exactly where it is. So the Ark is “Hidden,” and hidden quite well, but it is not lost.
Tradition records that even as King Solomon built the First Temple, he already knew, through Divine inspiration, that eventually it would be destroyed.
Thus Solomon, the wisest of all men, oversaw the construction of a vast system of labyrinths, mazes, chambers and corridors underneath the Temple Mount complex.
He commanded that a special place be built in the bowels of the earth, where the sacred vessels of the Temple could be hidden in case of approaching danger.
Midrashic tradition teaches that King Josiah of Israel, who lived about forty years before the destruction of the First Temple, commanded the Levites to hide the Ark, together with the original menorah and several other items*, in this secret hiding place which Solomon had prepared.
This location is recorded in our sources, and today, there are those who know exactly where this chamber is. And we know that the ark is still there, undisturbed, and waiting for the day when it will be revealed.
An attempt was made a few years ago to excavate toward the direction of this chamber. This resulted in widespread Moslem unrest and rioting.
They stand a great deal to lose if the Ark is revealed – for it will prove to the whole world that there really was a Holy Temple, and thus, that the Jews really do have a claim to the Temple Mount.
Of course, knowing where it is and getting it out are two entirely different things. The area under the Temple Mount is riddled with at least 45 major tunnels, and not all of them are stable.
Any effort to do more digging could cause one or more of those tunnels to collapse, and if any of the structures sitting on top of the Temple Mount were damaged that could cause an international incident.
And as investigative archaeologist Harry Moskoff has pointed out, getting approval from all of the necessary authorities would be exceedingly complex…
Now, about those subterranean tunnel entrances. Even if one would theoretically obtain all the permits from the Israel Antiquities Authority, the Jordanian WAQF, as well as the halachic permission from the Chief Rabbis of our day, it is simply too dangerous from a spiritual, as well as physical perspective to enter into these tunnels (which I delineate in my book).
Further, the Ark seems to have this profound ability to sense who is around it, and if they have permission (as it were) to be there.
And if not, the consequences have been proven to be lethal! Why take the risk? After all, even Moses wouldn’t enter the Tabernacle (that he himself built) to speak with God without permission. So who would be worthy today? (READ MORE)
