JUPITER'S FORT ANTONIA NOT 'JEWISH' WAILING WALL

 Temple Mount Area

Power of Prophecy

Oct 25 2013 at 11:36 PM

 

Dear Friends,

 

The Jews are perpetrating a monumental hoax on Christians and the West by presenting their Wailing Wall as the holy and sacred remains of their famed Jewish Temple. In fact, the Western Wall was not part of the Temple, but is, actually, a remnant of the Roman's historic Fort Antonia. Four centuries ago, a plot was created to use this wall as a propaganda device to unite the Jews and to confound the Muslims. Today, dumbed-down American and European politicians trek to the Wailing Wall and put their written prayer in a crack in the wall's missing mortar. This voodoo mumbo-jumbo is then broadcast across the globe. Please, tune in to this week's extremely powerful program, Devils at the Wailing Wall.

 

Click this link or copy and paste it in the address line of your internet browser: www.texemarrs.com

 

Then, scroll down until you see, Devils at the Wailing Wall, and click the link.

 

All God's Best,

Jerry Barrett

Webmaster

 

JUPITER'S JEWISH WAILING WALL

Temple Update Article

Expanded Internet Edition - July 1, 2000 

The Strange Story of the False Wailing Wall [The secular dates in this article rendered B.C.E. and C.E. (meaning "Before Common Era" and "Common Era") are identical to the false religious dates B.C. and A.D. ("Before Christ" and "After our Lord") which erroneously became standard in Christian countries (though 3 years off) in the sixth century of our Era.] Listen to the Byte Show Interview on this article: The Strange Story of the False Wailing Wall - Listen • Download • MP3 More Byte Show Interviews...   There is absolute proof that the present site of the Jewish "Wailing Wall" in Jerusalem is NOT any part of the Temple that existed in the time of Herod and Jesus. In fact, that particular location that the Jewish authorities have accepted represents the Western Wall of an early Roman fortress (finally built and enlarged by Herod the Great). King Herod called it Fort Antonia, after the famous Mark Anthony who lived at the end of the first century before Christ.

It was formerly called the Baris in the proceeding hundred years and it finally became known as the Praetorium in the New Testament period (the central military edifice in Jerusalem where the commanding general of a Legion of troops had his headquarters). This rectangular type of building clearly resembles most permanent military camps that the Romans constructed throughout the Empire to house their Legions.
Indeed, when the Bordeaux Pilgrim visited Jerusalem in 333 C.E., he looked east from an area in front of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre (then in its final stages of being built) and said he saw this Praetorium directly eastward with its walls (he mentioned "walls" in the plural – meaning the southern and western walls) firmly entrenched in the bottom of the Tyropoeon Valley. This central valley of Jerusalem (the Valley of the Cheesemakers) separated the eastern mountain ridge of the city (the original Mount Zion of the Bible) from the larger and more extensive western ridge.

What the Bordeaux Pilgrim provided in his writing is a perfect description of what we call today the Haram esh-Sharif. It is the remains of Fort Antonia. This Herodian structure housed the Tenth Legion left by Titus after the Roman/Jewish War of 66 to 73 C.E. The Tenth Legion continued its presence within its walls for over 200 years — until the Legion left for Ailat on the Red Sea in 289 C.E. The Haram esh-Sharif (Fort Antonia) is the only remaining part of the Jerusalem that existed in the period of Herod and Jesus. And the present Jewish authorities have mistakenly accepted its Western Wall as being the wall of Herod’s Temple. They are wrong! It is actually the Western Wall of Fort Antonia.

But how did the present "Wailing Wall" get erroneously selected by the Jewish authorities as a holy place for the Jews? As I have abundantly shown in my new book "The Temples that Jerusalem Forgot" and in my supplemental articles on the ASK Web Site, the Jewish authorities in and around Jerusalem from 70 C.E. until 1077 C.E. (for over a thousand years) only showed their religious interest for the location of the Temple at the area positioned over and around the Gihon Spring. This was at least 1000 feet south of what later became known as the Dome of the Rock. This is the exact area that the Genizah documents from Egypt show the Jewish authorities wished to live (to be near their Temple) in the time of Omar, the Second Caliph (638 C.E.). The Jewish records show (mentioned in my book and supplemental articles) that it is without doubt the southeastern ridge of Jerusalem that contained the Temples of Solomon, Zerubbabel and that of Herod.

However, with the period of the Crusades, things begin to change. After a period of 50 years (from 1099 to 1154 C.E.) during which no Jewish person was allowed into the City of Jerusalem, we then have records that a few Jews began to return to Jerusalem. It was only at this time (around 1054 C.E.) that some Jewish people started to imagine that the Christian and Muslim identification of the Dome of the Rock for the site of the former Temples might have relevance. This was first mentioned by Benjamin of Tudela. It was this Jewish traveler in about 1169 C.E., who first suggested that the region of the Dome of the Rock should be considered the site of the former Temples. This was a great error, but within a hundred years after Benjamin all Jews in the world came to believe it (I will explain why the Jews erroneously did so in a biblical and historical way in next month’s article titled: "Expansion and Portability of Zion"). So, a new area for the site of the Temple was selected by the Jews in the time of Benjamin of Tudela. Benjamin even pointed to a low balustrade that existed in his time near the western entrance to the octagonal edifice (this balustrade has since been destroyed) and he identified it with the "Western Wall" of the Holy of Holies that earlier Jews had mentioned in their former literature. He, of course, was wrong. The "Western Wall" that the Talmuds and the writers of the Midrashim referred to was that remnant wall that was at one time the Western Wall of the Holy of Holies from the ruins of a later Temple than that of Herod. This later Temple was twice attempted to be built (once was in the time of Constantine from 313 to 325 C.E. and again a short time later in the period of Julian the Apostate about 362 C.E.). The particular site where those two later Temples were attempted to be constructed was within the proper precincts of Herod’s former Temple. This later Temple was built over and near the Gihon Spring on the southeast ridge (1000 feet SOUTH of the Dome of the Rock).

But in the time of Benjamin of Tudela (1169 C.E.), some Jews decided to reposition the Temple from that southeastern section of Jerusalem up to the Dome of the Rock. They also invented a new "second" Western Wall as a part of the supposed Holy of Holies by identifying it with that ruined balustrade at the western entrance to the Dome of the Rock. During this time (in 1169 C.E. and for the next 380 years), the Jewish people paid NO ATTENTION whatever to the "Western Wall" of the Haram esh-Sharif which is now called their "Wailing Wall." Until the 16^th century of our era, that western area produced NO INTEREST in the minds of the Jewish authorities or laity. Indeed, from the Crusades until the rise of the Ottoman Empire in 1517 C.E., the Jews customarily assembled in the very opposite direction — at the EASTERN side of the Haram on the Mount of Olives (or, at the EASTERN wall itself at what they called the Gate of Mercy if the Muslim authorities would allow them to get that close). They congregated in the eastern part from the Haram in order to face the Dome of the Rock in the west that they finally considered (erroneously) to be the former spot of their Temples. When Benjamin of Tudela visited the spot in the middle of the 12^th century, he was able to stand at the eastern wall and pray toward the Dome of the Rock. However, a few years later, the Jewish traveler Petachia of Ratisbon mentioned the "Gate of Mercy" but said "no Jew is permitted to go there." Petachia said the Jews were then meeting on the Mount of Olives and "prayers were offered up there" (Elkan Adler, Jewish Travellers in the Middle Ages, p.90). This is further vindicated by Rabbi Jacob in 1238-44 C.E. who said "we ascend the Mount of Olives…until we reach a platform which is on the Mount of Olives, where the Red Heifer was slain, and we go uphill to the platform which faces the Temple gate. Thence we see the Temple Mount and all the buildings upon it, and we pray in the direction of the Temple" (ibid., p,117). Further on in his writing, Rabbi Jacob states: "Around the Foundation Stone, the Ishmaelite kings have built a very beautiful building for a house of prayer and erected on the top of a very fine cupola [Dome]. The building is the site of the Holy of Holies and the Sanctuary" (ibid. p.118). Though the Jewish records show that Jews before the Crusades believed the Temple Mount was over the Gihon Spring, now in the 13^th century it was being reckoned (wrongly) to be at the Dome of the Rock.

Later, in the time of Isaac Chelo (1334 C.E.), he refers to the "Western Wall" that was mentioned by Benjamin of Tudela which he said stood before the Temple of Omar ibn al Khattah. The language of Chelo is confusing because he strangely called Omar’s "Temple" as being the "Gate of Mercy" and that the "Western Wall" was located before the Temple [which normally means east of the building]. But since Chelo is citing Benjamin (who placed the "Western Wall" just in front of the entrance to the Dome of the Rock), this is no doubt what Chelo also intended to convey. Yet Chelo mixed-up the chronology and said his "Western Wall" was discovered in the time of Omar (638 C.E.) when some Jews told him that there was some "heaped rubbish and filth over the spot, so that no one knew exactly where the ruins [of the former Temple] stood." But an old Jewish man finally showed Omar (back in 638 C.E.) "the ruins of the Temple under a mound of defilements" (ibid. p.131).

The records are chronologically confusing because the later Jewish travelers misidentified a "Western Wall" as being that of two different time periods. The first period was that when the Muslims first conquered Jerusalem in 638 C.E., and the second period was that which began with Benjamin of Tudela in 1169 C.E. (well over 400 years later). Indeed, as I have explained in my book, the first "Western Wall" was connected with the Holy of Holies of the Sanctuaries built in the time of Constantine and Julian, while the second "Western Wall" (over 400 years later) was thought to be at the west side of the Dome of the Rock. The Jews in the Crusade period finally accepted the Dome of the Rock as the general site of the Holy of Holies. There is yet, however, a further complication in rationally trying to identify the "Western Wall." This further confusion is the selection by the Jews of the present "Wailing Wall" as being the "Western Wall" mentioned by the early Talmudic Jews in their literature. The truth is, on the other hand, that later "Western Wall" had nothing to do with the Holy of Holies and everyone knew this. The "Wailing Wall" is actually the outer "Western Wall" of the Haram esh-Sharif which I have shown in my book to be the Western Wall of the former Fort Antonia and it has nothing to do with ANY of the former Temples of the Jews. This latter wall was finally selected by the Jews in about 1570 C.E. This is our modern "Wailing Wall." But in order to semi-justify their selection, present day Jews are prone to mix up the two earlier accounts and erroneously to confuse them with events surrounding their present "Wailing Wall" that is located north of Robinson’s arch.

When the Present "Wailing Wall" Was Selected by the Jewish Authorities

Let us look at the historical records to see what happened in about the year 1520 C.E. (and again in 1537 C.E.) that caused the Jewish people to abruptly accept the wrong spot. Strangely, they abandoned their customary practice of officially assembling at the EASTERN wall at the Gate of Mercy (or mainly on the Mount of Olives). The Jewish authorities decided to select the WESTERN WALL of the Haram esh-Sharif (just north of what became known as "Robinson’s Arch") as their official site for assembly. It was an error of the first magnitude to transfer their devotions to this Western Wall of the Haram. Israeli scholars today understand that the present "Western Wall" has nothing to do with the former "Western Wall of the Holy of Holies" that was thought to be previously located at first near the Gihon Spring and then later (1000 feet further north) at the west entrance to the Dome of the Rock. In his excellent book "The Western Wall," Meir Ben-Dov wants it to be clearly understood that the Western Wall of the Haram (the present Wailing Wall) is NOT the same as the "Western Wall" mentioned in early Jewish literature that once considered it to be a part of the Holy of Holies. Notice how Ben-Dov makes this abundantly clear:

"There is a tradition that the Temple’s Western Wall remained standing [after the Roman/Jewish War of 66 to 73 C.E.]." Meir Ben-Dov then continues: "This is not a reference to the western wall of the Temple Mount [the present Wailing Wall of the Haram, emphasis mine] — all of its walls [those of the Haram] have survived to this day. The western wall about which it was prophesied [by Jews in the Talmudic period] that it would never be destroyed, is the Western Wall of the actual sanctuary, and in the course of time, it [the Western Wall of Herod’s Temple] was razed to the ground completely" (The Western Wall, p.27).

The Western Wall that later Jews were prophesying would NOT be destroyed was the Western Wall of the Holy of Holies of the Temple that was attempted to be built in the time of Constantine and Julian (in the fourth century). As for the present Wailing Wall, it was finally selected by the Jewish authorities only about 350 years ago and that wall had nothing to do with the Holy of Holies. Indeed, no Jew in history before the sixteenth century thought that outer Western Wall of the Haram esh-Sharif was holy and important.
Something happened, however, that made the Jewish authorities to accept the erroneous Wailing Wall site. What occurred that made the Jews eventually to pick this upstart "wall" that wasn’t even a part of the inner sanctuary (that the former "Western Walls" were a part of)? The fact is, something very mystical occurred in the history of Judaism in the early sixteenth century that caused the Jewish authorities and people to abandon the other two sites which they formerly accepted for the location of their Temples and they began to concentrate on their present "Wailing Wall" as the holiest spot in all Judaism. That story is an interesting one. I will now cite two Jewish sources that explain how the Jews finally accepted their new "Wailing Wall."

The Site of the "Wailing Wall" Was at First a Christian Holy Place

Let us understand the historical reasons why the Jews finally (and erroneously) accepted their present Wailing Wall as their holiest place in Judaism. The Jewish records of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries inform us that the place of the "Wailing Wall" was a spot situated at the base of the Western Wall of the Haram esh-Sharif where Christian women would assemble at various times in order to deposit their garbage (such as ordure, menstrual clothes and other junk). The first Jewish account of this practice refers to about the year 1520 C.E. It describes the place as having long been a dump of religious significance for Christian women. Before 1520 C.E., NO Jew or Muslim was at all interested in the place (it had no significance for them) because it was a Christian site that only Christians believed to be significant. It was a Christian "dump" of religious meaning to Christians alone. The pile of refuse at the spot was so huge (having accumulated for decades over the site by the deposits of the Christian women) that it finally became noticeable to the first Ottoman king who conquered Jerusalem (Selim – the father of Suleiman the Magnificent). Since the garbage dump was near a region where Selim had his palace, he inquired why the filthy area was there and who maintained it.

The historical account of what happened is first given in a Jewish historical work recorded in approximately 1730 C.E. (about 200 years after the event it claims to recount). The man who wrote it was Moses Hagiz, a then resident of Jerusalem. The full narrative is given in the excellent book mentioned above written by Meir Ben-Dov, Mordechai Naor and Zeev Aner for the Ministry of Defence Publishing House in 1983 titled: "The Western Wall (HaKotel)," pages 108-110. Let us notice carefully the gist of the story. In fact, there were actually two stories that became entwined together within the decades that follow the first account, but it is easy to gather the main points and to understand the central thread of their themes without any ambiguity. The first (and chronologically the earliest for the actors of the story) is that given by Moses Hagiz (mentioned above). He reports it was Selim (the father of Suleiman the Magnificent) who was the feature actor. The second story on the other hand describes a time about 20 years later, and it has Suleiman himself as the central actor. The Jewish writer Eliezer Nahman Poa wrote this second story of the account (sometime in the 17^th century). It is the earlier of the two accounts from the point of view of relating the story to listeners and readers. Some features of the two stories remind us of allegorical personages mentioned in ancient accounts found in the Holy Scriptures. These stories no doubt evolved in order to make political points or to show lines of religious significance within the accounts. I will now copy in italics what the above book "The Western Wall" relates.

"One day he (the Sultan Selim) saw from his window, an old gentile woman, more than ninety years of age, bring a sack or box (basket) of garbage and drop it at a spot near his office. He became very angry...and sent one of his slaves to bring the woman and her sack. When she came he asked to which people she belonged and she told him that she was a Roman (Christian). He then asked her where she lived and she answered: ‘Not far from here, about two days’ walk’ [Bethlehem] and explained that that was why she was tired because, according to the custom the Roman leadership imposed, everyone who lived in Jerusalem had to deposit garbage at that spot [that became the Western Wall] at least once a day; those who lived in the environs of the city had to do it twice a week and those who lived at least three days away had to do it once every thirty days, because that place was the house of Israel’s God [the site of the Temple] and when they were not able to destroy it completely, they decreed, by a ban,….that the name of Israel should never again be mentioned concerning it.

"Therefore," (said the old Woman), "do not be angry that I came with a bag of garbage to your royal court. I meant no offence to you. The king, may he rest in paradise, listened to everything the woman had to say and then told his slaves to detain her until he had investigated the matter to see if she spoke the truth …. His slaves brought to him many others who brought (sacks of garbage) and he interrogated them and found that they told the same story as the woman….

"He (the Sultan) opened his store of silver and gold and took several bags of coins as well as a basket and a hoe which he slung over his back. He issued a proclamation: ‘All who love the King and want to give him satisfaction should watch and follow suit!.’ He then went to the garbage heap and scattered a bagful of coins so that the poor should dig for them, and, out of their love of money, clear the garbage away. He (the Sultan) stood over them and encouraged them…. Every day he scattered more coins…. For some thirty days, more than ten thousand people cleared away garbage until he revealed the Western Wall and the foundations as they can be seen today by everybody…." [End of first quote from the book by Meir Ben-Dov titled "The Western Wall."]

The above represents the first story. It gives the essence of the account that brings the Wailing Wall into focus and it states that the narrative was chronologically based in the time of Selim (about 1520 C.E.). I now continue with the further quote from the book "The Western Wall" about the second account.

"The hero of the second, parallel story about the discovery of the Wall is the sultan Suleiman the Magnificent, the son of the Selim, referred to above. The author (or source) of this story is Eliezer Nahman Poa (17th century) and he attaches the story to the verse, ‘He raises up the needy from the earth; He lifts up the poor from the garbage heap’ (Psalm 113:7). Poa brings the story from an oral tradition and introduces it with the words, "And this was told to me:"

"In the days of the king Sultan Suleiman, nobody knew the location of the Temple [emphasis mine], so he ordered a search of Jerusalem to find it.
"One day, the man in charge of the search who had already given up hope [of discovering the true site of the Temple], saw a woman coming and on her head was a basket full of garbage and filth.
"What is that on your head?" he asked.
"Garbage," she said.
"Where are you taking it?"
"To such-and-such a place."
"Where are you from?"
"From Bethlehem."
"And between Bethlehem and this place are there no garbage dumps?"
"We have a tradition that anyone who brings garbage and dumps it here is performing a meritorious deed.
"This must be it said the man [it must be the place of the Temple], and [the captain] ordered many men to clear out the garbage from that spot. The garbage which, because of the great time that had passed, had turned into earth at the bottom. And so he uncovered the holy place. He went and told the king who rejoiced greatly and ordered them to clear and sweep (the place) and wash the Wall with rose-water." [End of the second account recorded in the book "The Western Wall."]

[Then, Meir Ben-Dov continues with his commentary on the two accounts.] "We may assume that the tradition which ascribes the discovery to Suleiman is the more reliable of the two, not only because its source, Eliezer Nahman Poa, lived closer chronologically to the event or because its strands are more true to folk-tradition, but also because Suleiman was famous for his preoccupation with excavation and building. It was he who, in 1538 completed the walls of Jerusalem which are still standing. It would appear that theory line [the first account] was transferred (by Moses Hagiz?) to the beginning of the Turkish occupation and to the earlier sultan in order to give it more importance. Thus the Selim version was created later. The logic of such a transfer would be: If the new rulers decided to "search Jerusalem" for the unknown Temple site [emphasis mine, note that NO ONE at this time KNEW the whereabouts of the former Temples], why would Selim not do it [cleanse the site at the Wailing Wall] immediately on their arrival?
Meir Ben-Dov continues: "The stories cited above serve as examples of the general historical legends connected with the Wall in the past. Another type of legend is connected with the sanctity of the Wall in the present, a sanctity which is both general and particular. The general sanctity finds expression in the tales about miraculous cures effected by the Wall, in stories about its desecration being punished, and similar motives, which are common in folk literature in connection with other holy places and saints. When they happen at the Wall, however, the miracles that happen are more intense." [End of commentary cited in the book "The Western Wall."]

A Significant Observation in Regard to these Jewish Accounts on Why the Wailing Wall was Selected?

It is important to recognize that these records show that at the beginning of the sixteenth century (a mere 380 years ago) NO JEWISH PEOPLE were going to the Western Wall of the Haram esh-Sharif and calling it the Western Wall of the Temple. Indeed, the Jewish historical narrative we have been reading states that in the days of Suleiman (1538 C.E.) "nobody knew the location of the Temple, so he ordered a search of Jerusalem to find it." And why was the first account dated to the rule of Selim (the first Turkish ruler to conquer Jerusalem)? It was to justify the fact that NO ONE knew precisely in the early sixteenth century WHERE the actual Temples were located. True, all at this late date thought that the site of the former Temple was SOMEWHERE within the area of the Haram esh-Sharif. But exactly where? No one knew. Isn’t it interesting that even the scholars today are in the same plight of understanding? They are also as ignorant as the historians and theologians were at the time of the beginning of the Ottoman Empire.

Further Evidence the Jewish Authorities DID NOT Accept the Wailing Wall Until AFTER 1520 C.E.

The Jewish authorities in Jerusalem did not at first accept the site of the Christian dump as having any Jewish significance. It was only after the Muslims decided to clean up the area that some Jews became interested in the place of the later Wailing Wall. But soon after the Ottoman invasion of Jerusalem, certain miraculous events occurred that gave confidence to the people of Jerusalem that the Dome of the Rock was located near the former Holy of Holies of the Temple. Let us notice what happened.

In the year 1517 C.E. (when the Ottoman Turks first entered Jerusalem under Selim), it was then believed that the area of the Dome of the Rock had the best credentials for being the place of the Holy of Holies. Zev Vilnay in his "Legends of Jerusalem," relates: "It is said that during the Feast of Tabernacles in 1519 it [the crescent on top the Dome of the Rock] turned eastward [its horns turned to the east]. The Arabs believed this to be a portentous omen. They attempted to turn it [to face] southward, in the direction of Mecca, the holy city of the Muslims in Arabia [the crescent’s normal position was toward the south with its horns pointing westward]" (page 30). The Muslims interpreted this eastward positioning of the crescent to signal the coming of the Messiah (Jesus had taught that he would come back to earth from the east and to the Mount of Olives). After the restoration of the crescent on the Dome, another similar event occurred three years later in 1522. Again Vilnay states: "Rabbi Moses Bassola, who visited the Holy Land in 1522, in the time of the Turks, reported that the ‘rumor concerning the crescent is, that an overturned crescent [was] facing south [it was bent toward the south], protrudes from a big column of metal at the head of a dome [the Dome of the Rock] which the Arabs have in the Temple" (page 30). These supernatural events seemed to substantiate the thought that the Dome was indeed the site of the Temple. There were even more miraculous occurrences concerning the crescent atop the Dome of the Rock.

Vilnay reports another occurrence that happened a year later (in 1523) when a false prophet of the Jews named David ha-Reubeni came to Jerusalem claiming to be the Messiah. Vilnay continues: "David ha-Reubeni, a false Messiah of Israel, went to Jerusalem from Arabia. He was on his way to Rome to petition the Pope for help in his endeavor to restore the Jewish people to their land. In 1523, he entered the Dome of the Rock [this was normally forbidden to any Jew, but the so-called supernal events happening at this time, notably with the mysterious twisting of the crescent atop the Dome of the Rock, caused even the Muslim Arabs to admit David ha-Reubeni into the inner sanctuary of the Dome of the Rock]." Vilnay continues with the story: "Now on the top of the dome there is a crescent which faces westward [it horns pointed westward]. On the first day of the Feast of Pentecost, this crescent was seen to face the east [it had twisted a hundred and eighty degrees with its horns now pointing eastward], and when the Arabs saw this, they shouted in great alarm. I asked them, ‘Why do you shout?’ They answered, ‘Because of our sins this crescent has turned toward the east, which is an evil omen to the Arabs’ A workman climbed to the Dome and returned the crescent to its former position, but on the next day it was facing the east. And the Arabs continued to shout and to weep as they vainly tried to turn the crescent." These supposed supernatural signs caused David ha-Reubeni to further proclaim his Messiahship. He teamed up with another Jew named Solomon Molcho in Rome and many Christians believed that some type of Jewish Messiah was indeed in their midst. The two men, however, were judged for practicing witchcraft and both died ignominiously.
The prime reason I give these historical accounts at this juncture is because at the beginning of the Ottoman rule, it was common knowledge both by Muslims and Jews that the former Temple was then recognized as being near or at the site of the Dome of the Rock. There is not one mention of the importance of the "Wailing Wall" that was located at the Western Wall of the Haram esh-Sharif in these early records. However, this was soon to change. A most eminent individual arrived on the historical scene who was to drastically alter the beliefs of the Jews — almost to a man, woman and child. This was Rabbi Isaac Luria. With the advent of Rabbi Isaac Luria around 1570 C.E., the "Wailing Wall" became a prominent holy fixture among Jews. This was because of the influence of Rabbi Luria. He was a most powerful mystic and religious leader among the Jews. The historical records reveal that it was Rabbi Luria who selected the former Christian holy site at what became the Wailing Wall. What this all shows is that not only Jews by this time did not know the precise area of the Temple site, but they and the Muslim Turks were now relying on a Christian traditional site to locate it for them. And what tradition did they select? It was a very negative and hostile Christian tradition that was designed to antagonize the beliefs of Jews and Muslims. Still, the Jews and Muslims reasoned that IF the Christians had for a long time cast garbage at the site where the Wailing Wall was finally selected (and the heap of rubbish had grown so high that the bottom of the pile had turned back into soil), then surely THE CHRISTIANS MUST BE RIGHT. This was Jewish and Muslim reasoning at the time. After all, the Jews and Muslim authorities readily admitted that no one of them knew the precise spot where the Holy of Holies had once been located. The actions of the Christians regarding the place of their "religious dump" impressed the Jews and Muslims. There seemed to be historical precedents for this belief.
Recall that there was also an early Jewish account that when Omar the Second Caliph back in 638 C.E. was seeking the spot of the Jewish Temple that an old Jewish man showed the Sultan where the Holy of Holies had been. It was also a rubbish dump (but mentioned in the records some 900 years before the time of the Ottoman Turks). It was this earlier story that had long circulated in the Middle East that no doubt led Selim (or Suleiman and later the Jewish authorities) to think that this new rubbish dump that the Christians had maintained was in some way connected with the original Temple site. What is astonishing is the fact that the stories relate that it was the Christians who had initiated the dump and had perpetuated its use from olden days. Jews and Muslims in the preceding 350 years had paid no attention to the site whatever! It was other areas that Jews and Muslims were interested in. It must be remembered that Omar was shown in his day the Temple site over and near the Gihon Spring, while the accounts of the Christian women some 900 years later in the sixteenth century had repositioned the Temple site to an area somewhere near their rubbish dump that was adjacent to the Western Wall of the Haram. So, first the Muslims and then the Jewish authorities in the middle and late sixteenth century began to think that perhaps the Christian identification at what became the Wailing Wall was indeed the correct site.

What an anachronism! Here we have the Muslim authorities in the time of Suleiman the Magnificent relying on a Christian site that was established as a place of hate and revulsion to locate the Jewish "House of God." Indeed, this garbage dump (according to the story) became a Muslim prime proof of where the once glorious Temples were located. This must be the case because the accounts show that neither Selim nor Suleiman before their selection of the dump area (with all their historians and professional men) were able to discover the true site of the Temple. The Ottoman Turks were oblivious of the real site. True, tradition placed the Temple somewhere within the Haram esh-Sharif, but just where within that enclosure was the correct spot? What is interesting is the fact that there is still not a scholar today (whether Jewish, Muslim or Christian) who can inform any person dogmatically where the Holy of Holies was even at this start of the twenty-first century. All scholars and religious authorities are still in the dark regarding what they consider to be the exact spot for the Temple within the area of the Haram. The fact is, however, they are all looking in the wrong place. The Haram esh-Sharif (as I have adequately proved) is the military camp of Fort Antonia. The actual Temples of God were located 1000 feet further SOUTH from the Dome of the Rock and 600 feet SOUTH of the southern wall of the Haram esh-Sharif.

Why Did the Jewish Authorities Finally Select the "Wailing Wall" as a Wall of Herod’s Temple?

The historical records show that the Jewish authorities DID NOT at first follow the Muslims in this identification of this Christian garbage dump as being near the Temple (or that it pointed toward it). The Jews had to rely on other factors to accept the area of the dump. True, it is clear that the Jewish authorities finally relented and began to pay attention to the "Wailing Wall." This happened because of the experiences and teachings of a most respected Rabbi that finally accepted the spot as holy. That Rabbi was Isaac Luria (referred to as Ha-Ari, "the Lion"), the creator of what became known as the Lurianic Kabbalah. Indeed, the Jews from the time of Benjamin of Tudela (1069 C.E.) until the rise of the Ottoman Empire (1517 C.E.) showed not the slightest attention to this formerly Christian part of the Western Wall as a place holy and sanctified to them. It was a Christian holy spot for many years. Then it was cleaned up by the Muslims to become a holy site to them. And eventually, the Jewish authorities felt it was also proper for them to recognize it – but they were the last to do so in Jerusalem. It was when Rabbi Isaac Luria told them that the Shekinah was then located at that former Christian dump, that the Jews began to assemble (and later to flock) to the region and pushing out the Muslims who had at first cleaned up the place from its Christian defilement. Up to the time of Rabbi Isaac Luria (who was born in Jerusalem 1534 and died 1572 C.E.), the Jewish custom (for almost the previous 400 years) was to assemble at the Eastern Wall at the Gate of Mercy (or, on the Mount of Olives) and pray westward toward the Dome of the Rock. They adored a balustrade they thought was the Western Wall of the Holy of Holies. But Rabbi Luria changed this. I will now show what prompted this action of acceptance. What the Jewish authorities did was to heed the words of Luria and from then on they began to assemble (as they do now) at their new "Western Wall."

The Importance of Rabbi Isaac Luria

In the middle of the sixteenth century, practically the whole of the Jewish people went over to a belief in the philosophies of a man named Rabbi Isaac Luria. He was the person who established what is called Lurianic Kabbala (a form of mystic Gnosticism) that led people into doctrines that were as foreign to Moses, Isaiah and Ezra as anyone could get (and this also includes the teachings of those Jews who wrote the Talmuds and other writings up the about the thirteenth century). Among other false doctrines (that are counter to the simple teachings of the Holy Scriptures), Luria taught the Gentile doctrine of the Immortality of the Soul and even more Gentile in origin, the doctrine of the Transmigration of Souls (very similar as the Hindus do today). Both these doctrines are diametrically contrary to the basic teachings of the Old Testament (the Tanak) and also of the New Testament. [I have written numerous research papers showing this which can be read and downloaded on our ASK Web Page.] Rabbi Luria promoted as a prime doctrine that it was normal for the people who lived in one generation to appear after their deaths as other persons in the next generation (and his teaching did not require a resurrection from the dead, as Scripture demands). In other words, Luria believed and taught Reincarnation (Metempsychosis). And the whole of the Jewish nation at the time went over to believing his strange and anti-biblical teachings (while they continued to keep the Sabbath, food laws and other external rituals that identified the people as still being Jews). Note what the Encyclopedia of Religion has to relate about the influence of Luria.

"LURIA, ISAAC (1534-1572), known also by the acronym [A’RiY, that is, Ha-Ari (ha-Elohi Rabbi Yitshaq, "the godly Rabbi Isaac"); Jewish mystic. Isaac Luria was the preeminent Kabbalist of Safed, a small town in the Galilee where a remarkable renaissance of Jewish mystical life took place in the sixteenth century. Not only did Luria's original mythological system and innovative ritual practices achieve great popularity in Safed itself; they also exerted profound influence upon virtually all subsequent Jewish mystical creativity. By the middle of the seventeenth century, Lurianic theology and ritual practices had permeated much of the Jewish world. It has been observed that Lurianism was the last premodern theological system to enjoy such widespread acceptance within Judaism" (Vol.9, pp.54,55). Luria even adopted some theological teachings similar to Christian belief in the Trinity (that God is found to be One God manifested in Three Persons). Luria went even further. He used the same principle of interpretation of the early Christians, but he devised "ten different manifestations of God" (that he called Sefirot) that were supposed to represent "one" God. Luria’s top and foremost manifestation of his plural "Godhead" was a "Non-being" never known by Moses or the Prophets, or those Sages of the Talmuds. He called his final manifestation of the Deity as Ein Sof which means in Hebrew "No End" (or, simply, "the End is Nothing" or "Nothing is the End") which is another way of saying in a philosophical sense "there is NO definable God" (or, all that there is in the Universe is NOTHING – or that God is a "God" who is in exile or in hiding). This was another way of teaching there is "no God" in the final analysis of things. In a word, it is a teaching advocating atheism. Luria also followed in the footsteps of Maimonides even further in his acceptance of the principles of Aristotle.

For a century and a half, Luria had a profound influence on all sections of Jewish religious belief and society. Continuing with the comments in the Encyclopedia of Religion, we read: "It appears that Luria possessed the traits of a genuinely inspired and charismatic individual. He became known in Safed as an extraordinarily saintly person who had been privileged to experience personal revelations of Kabbalistic knowledge from the Holy Spirit, the prophet Elijah, and departed rabbis. He was regarded as having knowledge of such esoteric arts as metoposcopy and physiognomy and the ability to understand the language of animals. He was able to diagnose the spiritual condition of his disciples and others and provided them with specific acts of atonement for restoring their souls to a state of purity. To his formal disciples, who numbered about thirty-five, Luria imparted esoteric wisdom, vouchsafing to each one mystical knowledge pertinent to his particular soul, such as its ancestry and the transmigrations through which it had gone. He also gave his disciples detailed instructions on the meditative techniques by which they could raise their souls up to the divine realm, commune with the souls of departed rabbis, and achieve revelatory experiences of their own" (Vol.9, p.55).

Rabbi Luria was born in Jerusalem in A.D. 1534. In Jewish opinion, he was a most important child in a prophetic point of view. It was believed that Elijah the prophet appeared to the father of Rabbi Luria and told him "to keep this child well, for a great light shall shine forth from him to Israel and to the whole world" (Vilnay, Legends of Jerusalem, p.199). Through much meditation (that he learned in Egypt), he finally moved to Safed in Galilee and won over most of the Jewish Kabbalists who lived there. He was capable of pointing out at a distance the unmarked and unknown graves of past Rabbis and holy men and to precisely identify them. There was no way of proving Luria wrong in most instances because many of the graves he discovered had no markings on them, and people had to assume that Luria (because of his saintliness) had to be right in his identifications.

"Visiting holy graves was considered particularly desirable by the Kabbalists of Safed. Isaac Luria, the foremost exponent of that school, is credited with having ‘revealed’ hitherto unknown graves" (Encyclopaedia Judaica, article "Luria"). Continuing the quote: "The custom of visiting graves itself seems to be of old Arabic origin. Nearly all the Jewish travelers who visited Erez Israel mentioned graves in their accounts and, indeed, many travel books outlining itineraries and listing the graves enjoyed wide circulation. A pilgrimage to a holy grave was considered to have therapeutic value and many customs developed for such visits. Candles were lit at the grave; often the supplicants made ceremonial processions around it and prostrated themselves on it. There was—and still is—a widespread custom of placing a small stone or pebble on the grave and some pilgrims take a stone from it when they leave. It is also common practice to leave a written petition at the grave. As early as the beginning of the tenth century the Karaite scholar Sahl b. Mazli'ah complained: ‘How can I remain silent when some Jews are behaving like idolaters? They sit at the graves, sometimes sleeping there at night, and appeal to the dead: 'Oh! Rabbi Yose ha-Gelili! Heal me! Grant me children!' They kindle lights there and offer incense...’ (Pinsker, Likkutei Kadmoniyyot, Nispahim, II p. 32)" (Encyclopaedia Judaica, article "Jewish Holy Places"). True enough, this practice is outright paganism in its origin.

The Karaite Jewish scholar mentioned in the last quote was absolutely correct. People who do such things are practicing heathen and idolatrous customs and it is utterly condemned in the Holy Scriptures (Isaiah 8:19,20). In the majority of cases, these grave sites that the people began to visit in pilgrimages in the land of Israel in the time of Rabbi Isaac Luria were identified "miraculously." There were very few graves that had gravestones with inscriptions that identified the person who was buried at the spot. This is where Rabbi Isaac Luria became so famous and recognized as being saintly. He was considered to possess the spirit of Elijah and the spirits and souls of other important men of the past. The new Encyclopedia of Judaism (edited by Jacob Neusner, Avery-Pick and Green) has this to say about these "miraculously" identified graves (most of which were unmarked and no one could prove one way or another whether Luria was correct in his selections). The Encyclopedia relates:

"During the sixteenth century, many graves of Mishnaic and Talmudic rabbis were miraculously [emphasis mine] identified in Palestine and became loci of individual and organized pilgrimage. With the spread of Luranic Kabbalah and the collections of the miraculous deeds of Luria himself [emphasis mine], entitled ‘The Praises of the Ari,’, local pilgrimage sites began to appear among many Jewish communities throughout the entire Muslim world, especially in North Africa. There [in North Africa], [the native] Berber popular religion, with graves of holy men, sacred trees, groves, brooks, pools, rocks, and grottos, had been thoroughly syncretized with local Islam…." [Continuing the quote:] "By the twentieth century, in Morocco alone there were no fewer than 652 shrines to Jewish saints…. This is due to the common influence of the Lurianic Kabbalah in both its intellectual and popular manifestations… Even those Middle Eastern and North African rabbis who objected to the more exuberant and syncretistic practices of popular saint veneration tended to take a generally permissive attitude, due in part to the ubiquity of saint veneration and in part to a desire to keep pilgrimages and other practices associated with such venerations as much as possible within Halakhic [oral law] bounds. Thus, for example, while the great Iraqi legal decisor :Yosef Hayyim (1833 or 1835-1909) ruled that the Jews of Arbil in Iraqi Kurdistan ought to abandon their custom of sacrificing cattle on the graves of tzaddiqim in times of drought [the tzaddiqim were dead ‘righteous men’ of the past], he did not forbid prayer at those places. This tolerant attitude continues throughout much of the Sephardic world and in the state of Israel today, where saint veneration has undergone a major revival and is stronger than ever before" (Encyclopedia of Judaism, pp.679,680)."

Yes, there is widespread acceptance of these saint venerations even in modern Israel. It was Rabbi Isaac Luria who commenced in earnest (and popularized) these pilgrimages to the graves of dead men who were thought to be righteous and still alive (often hovering around their graves). These dead men (who were still thought to be alive) were thought to have the powers of blessing and healing — and they could still work miracles for those who relied on them for spiritual help. Indeed [continuing with the Encyclopedia of Judaism]: "In the 1960’s, synagogues named after tzaddiqim began to proliferate, and some became the sites of major annual hillulot [pilgrimage]. Around the same time, pilgrimages to graves of holy men buried in Israel began to attract increasing numbers of people….. The hillulot of Simeon b. Yohai [the reputed originator of the Zohar which taught the Kabbalah] on Lag B’Omer at Meron in the Galilee has become the most important pilgrimage among Sephardim in Israel, attracting more than 100,000…. A great many new pilgrimage sites have emerged in Israel in recent decades, and newly recognized individuals are continually being added to the pantheon of tzaddiqim" (The Encyclopedia of Judaism, pp.688,699).

These actions are pure and simple paganism in action (utterly condemned in the Torah and Tanak – the Holy Scriptures). The prime originator of these pilgrimages to the graves of ‘righteous men’ is the same man who first selected the Wailing Wall as a divine spot for the Jews to assemble. This was Rabbi Isaac Luria. He was one of the most powerful men in sixteenth century Judaism (with outstanding influence throughout all of Judaism). His credentials center around the fact that he could identify the persons in unmarked graves through visions, dreams and supernatural revelations, not through the application of sound historical and geographical methods. Indeed, Luria’s prestige is still extremely high among many religious Jews. Those who accept him and his teachings are those Jews who have the religious mentality that governed the Jewish masses in the sixteenth century. Christians and Muslims have their share of such people as well. It is by such visionary and miraculously claimed identifications that so many places of pilgrimage have been selected to adore and at which the Jewish people should assemble and pray. But are these places genuine? The real truth is, there has been much error that has infiltrated into the bosom of the three Abrahamic faiths. The Christians and Muslims of the past have done the same thing on a large scale. The ubiquity of the practice (and its popularity even today) shows just how pervasive and insidious are such customs. If people believe them (as do thousands upon thousands of folk), they do immeasurable harm to the real facts of history and they perpetuate "Dark Age" religious and societal practices that have no basis of fact in demonstrating historical or geographical truths. Time is long overdue for a rectification of these absurd and ridiculous teachings and false identifications.

Notice Some False Geographical Identifications Made by Rabbi Isaac Luria

This Rabbi should not be looked on as a simple deceived "religious man." This is because of the supreme influence that the man and his teachings have had (and still have) on modern day Judaism. Let us look at a few points. There was also a side to Rabbi Luria that many people have decided to ignore. But we need to be aware of it. The fact is, Luria also made some outstanding mistakes in his selection of former sites mentioned in the Holy Scriptures. We are told in Vilnay’s The Legends of Jerusalem that Rabbi Luria supposedly knew in his day in a supernatural way where Jeremiah was placed in the Court of the Guard mentioned in Jeremiah 32:2. Notice what Vilnay records:

"It is told of Ha-Ari the holy, head of the Safed Kabbalists in the sixteenth century, that he discovered the Court of the Guard and its pit into which Jeremiah was cast. [Ha-Ari then envisioned:] ‘And the mouth of the pit is narrow and its bottom large and round, about two ells in diameter. And there are places cut out of the mountain rock which were used as jails by the kings of Judah. And it is told that Jeremiah the prophet is buried in the Court of the Guard" (pp.242–3).

The only trouble was, Rabbi Luria (that is, Ha-Ari) picked the spot now called "Jeremiah’s Grotto" in back of the East Jerusalem bus station. Luria selected the wrong place — a place that the Holy Scriptures would in no way allow. Luria was about 3000 feet north of the true site that was near the Gihon Spring. It is clear in the biblical text that the prison in the House of the King of Judah was located just south of the Temple.
Another geographical and historical error attributed to Rabbi Luria (Ha-Ari) was his selection of the person who supposedly "blocked up" the Gihon Spring in earlier days (which had in the previous century been re-discovered in Jerusalem). According to Jewish historical sources, the Gihon Spring was again revealed and restored to the knowledge of the Jewish people by the disciple of Isaac Luria named Rabbi Haim Vital. This great mystical leader of the Jews brought all Judaism within the embrace of the Lurianic Kabbalistic teachings in the sixteenth century. I shall give the Jewish rendition of how the Gihon Spring was again restored to the knowledge of the Jews, as shown in Zev Vilnay’s Legends of Jerusalem, pp.276,277. Remember that Jews of this time were prone to accept the teachings of some of the mystics as divine revelations direct from God.

"In the sixteenth century, Jerusalem was ruled by a tyrannical Turkish governor called Abu-Seifen — Father of Two Swords. Knowing that a king of Judah had sealed up the Fountain of Gihon, he asked whether there was one who could open it. His friends advised him: ‘There is a wise Jew in this city, a man of God, and his name is Rabbi Haim Vital. He will surely know how to open it.’ The governor sent for him on Friday, the Muslim day of rest, and said: ‘I command you to open the fountain, which was sealed by your king, during the time that I am at prayer in the mosque. If you obey not, your blood be on your head.’ Then a miracle occurred, and there appeared to Rabbi Vital in a vision his teacher, Ha-Ari the holy [that is, Rabbi Luria], head of the mystics [who had been dead several years]. He said: ‘The soul of King Sennacherib, the enemy of King Hezekiah, has been transmitted into the body of this governor, and in your body there is a spark of the soul of King Hezekiah, peace be upon him! [The Lurianic Kabbalistic teaching of the Ha-Ari (Isaac Luria) believed in the Transmigration of Souls — an Indian or Gentile doctrine never believed by mainline Jews before the revelation of the Kabbalah in the thirteenth century. This vision of Isaac Luria to Haim Vital continued by saying:] ‘And now is the time to open the Fountain of Gihon, for it was without the consent of the sages that Hezekiah sealed its waters.’ ‘And now,’ continued the vision of Rabbi Luria, ‘if you are able to open the sealed Gihon, you will bring great blessing upon the people!’ Rabbi Vital answered: ‘I shall open the fountain.’"

This account vindicates the belief that Rabbi Vital accepted the instruction of "Rabbi Luria" that it was indeed King Hezekiah who "blocked up" the waters of the Gihon Spring [this belief, however, was the first historical falsehood]. As it has been shown in my book "The Temples that Jerusalem Forgot," we have records from the Crusade period that it was actually Saladin, the Kurdish Muslim ruler about 400 years before who "blocked up" the Gihon (Francesco Gabrieli, Arab Historians of the Crusades, p.93). But the Jewish people in the sixteenth century believed that Rabbi Luria was (through the teaching of the Transmigration of Souls) a re-manifestation on earth of Adam, Abraham, Moses, Elijah and the Messiah all combined in the person of Rabbi Luria.

With such credentials, Jews thought Rabbi Luria must have known the true sites in Jerusalem and the long-lost unmarked graves of many early Rabbis who lived in Galilee. They also believed he must have known it was Hezekiah who "blocked up" the Gihon, rather than Saladin as the historical records revealed. Saladin was the right person, NOT Hezekiah as Luria stated in his visionary explanation. Some of Luria’s identifications were gigantic errors.

But why blame the Jewish people for believing such "miraculous" identifications when we equally have a similar amount of erroneous sites promulgated by our early Christian and Muslim authorities and still maintained by their modern representatives. There needs to be a thorough housecleaning of all of these nonsensical and paganized forms of idolatry that now permeate the religious beliefs, customs and traditions of the Jews, of the Christians and of the Muslims. God help us and save us from our stupidities.

How the Wailing Wall Was Selected as a Jewish Holy Site

The ordinary Jewish people in the sixteenth century had no idea how anti-biblical Luria’s teachings were or how wrong his geographical identifications were. They accepted his teachings altogether because he was to them a holy man of the first rank. And in his endeavor to select former unmarked graves of early Rabbis of the past, and also to show holy places long forgotten by the Jews, he had a hand in determining the Wailing Wall (that was at first a Christian/Muslim holy site) as being a holy place for the Jews. Indeed, in my research it appears that Luria was the first person in Jewish history (450 years ago) to point out the present "Western Wall" (the "Wailing Wall") as the place to assemble for the Jewish people and where they ought to worship God. No Jewish person had ever gone to the "Wailing Wall" (as we call it today) until Luria told one Rabbi Abraham Halevy that he was worthy to see the Shekinah (the Divine Presence). Vilnay spoke about Luria (Ha-Ari) and what he said to Rabbi Abraham Halevy. Notice the comment by Vilnay.

"Once the holy Ha-Ari said to Rabbi Abraham: ‘Know that your days are numbered and that you will soon die if you will not do as I tell you: but if you do, you will yet live another twenty-two years. This is what I bid you do: Go to Jerusalem and pour out your prayers before the Wailing Wall and you will prove yourself worthy by seeing the divine Presence there.’ Rabbi Abraham went home, shut himself in his house for three days and three nights, clothed himself in sackcloth and ashes, and fasted the whole time. Then he went forth to Jerusalem; he stood before the Wailing Wall in prayer, deep meditation, and weeping. The image of a woman, clad in black, appeared to him on the face of the wall. Immediately he fell upon the ground in great fear. Tearing his hair, he cried in a loud voice: ‘Woe is me, what have I seen?’ Finally he fell in a deep slumber and in a dream the divine Presence appeared to him, clad in fine raiment, and said to him: ‘Console thyself, My son Abraham; there is yet hope for thee, and the children of Israel will return to their inheritance, and I will have mercy on them.’ He arose and returned to Safed, and when Ha-Ari the Holy saw him, he said to him at once: ‘Now I know that you have seen the Divine Presence and you can rest assured that you will live another twenty-two years" (Legends of Jerusalem, pp.165,166). As a result, Rabbi Abraham Halevy who witnessed these things at the "Wailing Wall" lived exactly 22 more years. The people considered this an astonishing confirmation of Rabbi Luria’s divine powers and the truthfulness of his revelations for identifying geographical sites of former holy sites. From that time forward, Jews in Jerusalem began to flock to that former Christian holy spot (which the Muslims had cleaned up after they inherited it from the Christians), and the Jewish authorities soon turned it into what is now called the "Wailing Wall."

The fact is, the geography of the "Wailing Wall" fits the erroneous theological teachings of Luria to a tee. Beyond that wall (eastward) was "nothing" (no buildings or shrines) and it provided support to his Kabbalistic teaching of the Ein Sof as being in Exile and in a state of "Nothingness," and that God’s "end" would terminate in "nothing." In other words, Luria’s God for the Jewish people was a "Nothingness" (a truly exiled and unknowable "God"). It is no wonder that Luria's "God" could not be seen. To Luria and those who followed him for the next 200 years, there was "NO discernable God" in the final degree of his non-thesitic understanding of the divine epiphany. Plainly, if a person reasoned the Lurianic philosophical beliefs to a proper conclusion, the person encounters "NO God." He finds only "empty space." The "empty space" east of the Western Wall was ideal in Luria’s mind to emphasize the "Ein Sof" (Nothingness) of the Deity. And the Deity was not in His Temple, but in exile (like the Children of Israel). And to further demonstrate this, the account shows the Shekinah first decorated as an old woman in black mourning clothes as a sign of its exile from its "home," and then when Rabbi Halevy was blessed with longer life the Shekinah appeared in resplendent glory. To Luria, it was this Wailing Wall that best represented the spot to show the exilic condition of the Shekinah (and even Luria’s tenth display of his divine epiphany called the Sefirot — the Ein Sof as also being in exile). From then on, Jews began to assemble at this part of the Haram esh-Sharif. In time, it became their most holy place in Jerusalem. It had nothing to do with the Western Wall of the Holy of Holies that earlier Jewish authorities had spoken about. As far as I can find, before the time of Luria no Jewish person ever went to the present "Wailing Wall" to pray. But Luria directed the Jewish people to the Western Wall. In doing so, he sent them to the wrong place. But Jewish people at the time were so impressed with Luria, that they gave him a status that equaled that of Moses (or even greater). The Jewish authorities at his time absorbed his beliefs almost hook, line and sinker.

The Perpetuation of the False (and Anti-biblical) Teachings of the Kabbalah

Luria also established his own unique version of the Kabbalah. The teachings of this form of worship are almost thoroughly in the mystical vein. Through his teaching of Transmigration of Souls, he stated to his disciples that he had inherited the "soul" of Adam, along with some other "souls" (who came into Luria’s body to inhabit it by reincarnation). Several "souls" entered Luria’s body: those of Abraham, Moses, David, Elijah and he even had the "soul" of the Messiah.

Luria won over most of the influential Rabbis at the time with his teachings, and for the next 200 years (until the Jewish enlightenment of the 1700’s). Lurianic Kabbalah reigned supreme in most Jewish circles (see the Encyclopaedia Judaica article "Judaism"). Of course, most Jews do not believe in many of the weird teachings of Rabbi Luria today. Many Jewish scholars and intellectuals have now learned to place such beliefs into a category of "dark age mentality" that most religious groups have gone through at one time or another. This is true enough, but it is the philosophy behind the concepts of Rabbi Luria that often continue to be believed by many religious Jews. There is still among religious Jews (and many Christian and Muslims) believers in what must be called "Dark Age doctrines of a Middle Age mentality."

At any rate, I have shown with an abundance of historical and biblical evidences that the original Temples of God were positioned over and around the Gihon Spring in the southeastern part of Jerusalem. The evidence is so strong that one wonders how such an obvious fact could be so hidden from the attention of the world for so long? Perhaps we all ought to read the whole of Isaiah 29 once again. The answer why the site of the Temples has been hidden is no doubt found in that chapter 29 of Isaiah.

In conclusion, the acceptance of the present "Wailing Wall" by the Jewish authorities as a wall of Herod’s Temple was inspired by false visions and dreams and so-called miraculous events that turned a former Christian holy site into the prime Jewish spot for divine veneration. That spot was NOT discovered by using historical and biblical facts. The present "Wailing Wall" is a modern invention (devised about 350 years ago) and Jewish scholars know this to be a certain fact. That "Wailing Wall" is actually the Western Wall of Fort Antonia. The true Temple was located over the Gihon Spring on the southeast ridge of Jerusalem. There can be no doubt of this fact. It is time for all people to abandon these false religious sites.

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© 1976-2012 Associates for Scriptural Knowledge - ASK is supported by freewill contributions A Name for the Temple of God Breaking News for September 21, 2002 — Beth Shem The Temple of God was called by several names by the Israelites after the time of Samuel. One of those names was "The House of the Name" or Beth Shem in Hebrew. This is abundantly shown in many verses of the bible, especially in the books of Kings, Chronicles and Jeremiah. This term "The House of the Name" or "The House for My Name" was used in the Copper Scroll in a very interesting passage. The Copper Scroll is written with Hebrew characters pressed into the copper metal with a stylus. The Copper Scroll talks about a "fountain" within the "House of the Name." This is a strikingly similar account to the report of a fountain or spring written about by Aristeas around 265 B.C.E. and by the historian Tacitus in Roman times as Dr. Martin accounts in his book The Temples that Jerusalem Forgot. I shall show you this passage in the Copper Scroll next time. For now, consider the abundant evidence that the Temple was indeed called "The House of the Name." NOTE: The block quotes are not bold as usual, so that special emphasis can be given. "He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever." • 2 Samuel 7:13 "Only the people sacrificed in high places, because there was no house built unto the name of the LORD, until those days." • 1 Kings 3:2 "Thou knowest how that David my father could not build an house unto the name of the LORD his God for the wars which were about him on every side, until the LORD put them under the soles of his feet. 4 But now the LORD my God hath given me rest on every side, so that there is neither adversary nor evil occurrent. 5 And, behold, I purpose to build an house unto the name of the LORD my God, as the LORD spake unto David my father, saying, Thy son, whom I will set upon thy throne in thy room, he shall build an house unto my name." • 1 Kings 5:3-5 "Since the day that I brought forth my people Israel out of Egypt, I chose no city out of all the tribes of Israel to build an house, that my name might be therein; but I chose David to be over my people Israel. 17 And it was in the heart of David my father to build house for the name of the LORD God of Israel. 18 And the LORD said unto David my father, ‘Whereas it was in thine heart to build an house unto my name, thou didst well that it was in thine heart. 19 Nevertheless thou shalt not build the house; but thy son that shall come forth out of thy loins, he shall build the house unto my name.’  20 And the LORD hath performed his word that he spake, and I am risen up in the room of David my father, and sit on the throne of Israel, as the LORD promised, and have built house for the name of the LORD God of Israel." • 1 Kings 8:16-20 (2 Chronicles 6:5–10) "That thine eyes may be open toward this house night and day, even toward the place of which thou hast said, My name shall be there: that thou mayest hearken unto the prayer which thy servant shall make toward this place." • 1 Kings 8:29 (2 Chronicles 6:20) "Hear thou in heaven thy dwelling place, and do according to all that the stranger calleth to thee for: that all people of the earth may know thy name, to fear thee, as do thy people Israel; and that they may know that this house, which I have builded, is called by thy name. 44 If thy people go out to battle against their enemy, whithersoever thou shalt send them, and shall pray unto the LORD toward the city which thou hast chosen, and toward the house that I have built for thy name." • 1 Kings 8:43 (2 Chronicles 6:33–34) "And so return unto thee with all their heart, and with all their soul, in the land of their enemies, which led them away captive, and pray unto thee toward their land, which thou gavest unto their fathers, the city which thou hast chosen, and the house which I have built for thy name." • 1 Kings 8:48 (2 Chronicles 6:38) 3 "And the LORD said unto him, 'I have heard thy prayer and thy supplication, that thou hast made before me: I have hallowed this house, which thou hast built, to put my name there for ever; and mine eyes and mine heart shall be there perpetually. ... 7 "Then will I cut off Israel out of the land which I have given them; and this house, which I have hallowed for my name, will I cast out of my sight; and Israel shall be a proverb and a byword among all people." • 1 Kings 9:3, 7 (2 Chronicles 7:16, 20) 4 "And he built altars in the house of the LORD, of which the LORD said, In Jerusalem will I put my name. 7 And he set a graven image of the grove that he had made in the house, of which the LORD said to David, and to Solomon his son, ‘In this house, and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all tribes of Israel, will I put my name for ever.’" • 2 Kings 21:4, 7 (2 Chronicles 33:4, 7 27 "And the LORD said, I will remove Judah also out of my sight, as I have removed Israel, and will cast off this city Jerusalem which I have chosen, and the house of which I said, My name shall be there." • 2 Kings 23:27 7 "And David said to Solomon, My son, as for me, it was in my mind to build an house unto the name of the LORD my God: 8 But the word of the LORD came to me, saying, ‘Thou hast shed blood abundantly, and hast made great wars: thou shalt not build an house unto my name, because thou hast shed much blood upon the earth in my sight. 9 Behold, a son shall be born to thee, who shall be a man of rest; and I will give him rest from all his enemies round about: for his name shall be Solomon, and I will give peace and quietness unto Israel in his days. 10 He shall build an house for my name; and he shall be my son, and I will be his father; and I will establish the throne of his kingdom over Israel for ever.’" • 1 Chronicles 22:7-10 19 "Now set your heart and your soul to seek the LORD your God; arise therefore, and build ye the sanctuary of the LORD God, to bring the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and the holy vessels of God, into the house that is to be built to the name of the LORD." • 1 Chronicles 22:19 3 "But God said unto me, Thou shalt not build an house for my name, because thou hast been a man of war, and hast shed blood." • 2 Chronicles 28:3 16 "O LORD our God, all this store that we have prepared to build thee an house for thine holy name cometh of thine hand, and is all thine own." • 2 Chronicles 29:16 "And Solomon determined to build an house for the name of the LORD, and an house for his kingdom. ... 4 Behold, I build an house to the name of the LORD my God, to dedicate it to him, and to burn before him sweet incense, and for the continual shewbread, and for the burnt offerings morning and evening, on the sabbaths, and on the new moons, and on the solemn feasts of the LORD our God." • 2 Chronicles 2:1, 4 9 "If, when evil cometh upon us, as the sword, judgment, or pestilence, or famine, we stand before this house, and in thy presence, (for thy name is in this house,) and cry unto thee in our affliction, then thou wilt hear and help." • 2 Chronicles 20:9 7 "And he set a carved image, the idol which he had made, in the house of God, of which God had said to David and to Solomon his son, In this house, and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen before all the tribes of Israel, will I put my name for ever." • 2 Chronicles 33:7 10 "And come and stand before me in this house, which is called by my name, and say, We are delivered to do all these abominations? 11 Is this house, which is called by my name, become a den of robbers in your eyes? Behold, even I have seen it, saith the LORD. 12 But go ye now unto my place which was in Shiloh, where I set my name at the first, and see what I did to it for the wickedness of my people Israel. 13 And now, because ye have done all these works, saith the LORD, and I spake unto you, rising up early and speaking, but ye heard not; and I called you, but ye answered not; 14 Therefore will I do unto this house, which is called by my name, wherein ye trust, and unto the place which I gave to you and to your fathers, as I have done to Shiloh." • Jeremiah 7:10-14 "For the children of Judah have done evil in my sight, saith the LORD: they have set their abominations in the house which is called by my name, to pollute it." • Jeremiah 7:30 34 "But they set their abominations in the house, which is called by my name, to defile it." • Jeremiah 32:34 15 "And ye were now turned, and had done right in my sight, in proclaiming liberty every man to his neighbor; and ye had made a covenant before me in the house which is called by my name." • Jeremiah 34:15-16 Clearly, the Temple of God as constructed by Solomon was termed Beth Shem or House of the Name. That name lingered even to the time of the Copper Scroll. David Sielaff David@askelm.com Expanded Internet Edition - December 1, 2000  The Temple Was a Tower Excerpts from early historical sources that the Temple was shaped like a TOWER. See the references below. The word TOWER has been highlighted for easy reference. Notice 1) The Epistle of Barnabas, 2) The Book of Enoch; and 3) The Shepherd of Hermas. I give an introduction to all three sources. To see the TEMPLE/TOWER connection, simply scroll (or look) through the texts of the three literary works translated below. There is no specific teaching that I am intending from the texts of the three sources. The display is simply to show that it was common knowledge among Jews and Gentiles (both before and after the time of Christ Jesus) that the Temples were like TOWERS – like the "Tower of Babel" mentioned in the Book of Genesis. This article is simply to show this. THE EPISTLE OF BARNABAS (written about 85 A.D. – it is the first eyewitness account of the Temple in ruins). Note that this author (who was probably NOT the Barnabas of the New Testament) stated that the Temple looked like a TOWER (or, as we would say today, like a SKYSCRAPER). Josephus described it as a square building (600 feet by 600 feet) and about 450 feet high from the bottom of the Kidron Valley. It thus resembled a modern building in downtown Los Angeles, Chicago or New York that occupied a square block of territory and was as high as a 40 to 45 story building. The Temple platform itself was like a Penthouse on top of the TOWER. It was connected to Fort Antonia in the north by two colonnade roadways that were each 600 feet long. Fort Antonia is now the fourwalled structure known as the Haram esh-Sharif. Let us now notice how Professor Lightfoot translated Barnabas. I have highlighted the word TEMPLE and in the midst we see the word TOWER (also highlighted). J.B. Lightfoot has translated the text of The Epistle of Barnabas. Adapted and modernized (c) 1990. "Moreover I will tell you likewise concerning the TEMPLE, how these wretched men being led astray set their hope on the building, and not on their God that made them, as being a house of God. For like the Gentiles almost they consecrated Him in the TEMPLE. But what saith the Lord abolishing the TEMPLE? Learn ye. Who hath measured the heaven with a span, or hath measured the earth with his hand? Have not I, saith the Lord? The heaven is My throne and the earth the footstool of My feet. What manner of house will ye build for Me? Or what shall be my resting place? Ye perceive that their hope is vain. Furthermore He saith again; Behold they that pulled down this TEMPLE themselves shall build it. So it cometh to pass; for because they went to war it was pulled down by their enemies. Now also the very servants of their enemies shall build it up. Again, it was revealed how the city and the TEMPLE and the people of Israel should be betrayed. For the scripture saith; And it shall be in the last days, that the Lord shall deliver up the sheep of the pasture and the fold and the TOWER thereof to destruction. And it came to pass as the Lord spake. But let us enquire whether there be any TEMPLE of God. There is; in the place where he himself undertakes to make and finish it. For it is written And it shall come to pass, when the week [of Daniel’s Seventy Weeks’ Prophecy] is being accomplished, the TEMPLE of God shall be built gloriously in the name of the Lord. I find then that there is a TEMPLE, How then shall it be built in the name of the Lord? Understand ye. Before we believed on God, the abode of our heart was corrupt and weak, a TEMPLE truly built by hands; for it was full of idolatry and was a house of demons, because we did whatsoever was contrary to God. But it [the true Temple, or the Ekklesia of God] shall be built in the name of the Lord. Give heed then that the TEMPLE of the Lord may be built." Barnabas 16:1-8 The next reference I will give that the Temple was a TOWER is the Book of Enoch written about 100 years before the birth of Jesus. The author knew the Temple even then (though it was half the size of Herod’s Temple that Jesus knew) as being fashioned as a TOWER (a skyscraper type of building with a platform on top that housed the Temple which was like a Penthouse on top of the TOWER). Simply scroll (or read) through the text of Enoch to see the TEMPLE/TOWER identification. All early people knew the Temple in Jerusalem was shaped like a square TOWER. Note the text that follows. The symbolic animals represent men in history who lived in the third and second centuries before Christ. [Chapter 87] 1 And again I saw how they began to gore each other and to devour each other, and the earth 2 began to cry aloud. And I raised mine eyes again to heaven, and I saw in the vision, and behold there came forth from heaven beings who were like white men: and four went forth from that place 3 and three with them. And those three that had last come forth grasped me by my hand and took me up, away from the generations of the earth, and raised me up to a lofty place, and showed me 4 a TOWER raised high above the earth, and all the hills were lower. And one said unto me: ' Remain here till thou seest everything that befalls those elephants, camels, and asses, and the stars and the oxen, and all of them.' [Haitus] 50 And that house became great and broad, and it was built for those sheep: (and) a TOWER lofty and great was built on the house for the Lord of the sheep, and that house was low, but the TOWER was elevated and lofty, and the Lord of the sheep stood on that TOWER and they offered a full table before Him. 51 And again I saw those sheep that they again erred and went many ways, and forsook that their house, and the Lord of the sheep called some from amongst the sheep and sent them to the sheep, 52 but the sheep began to slay them. And one of them was saved and was not slain, and it sped away and cried aloud over the sheep; and they sought to slay it, but the Lord of the sheep saved it from 53 the sheep, and brought it up to me, and caused it to dwell there. And many other sheep He sent to those sheep to testify unto them and lament over them. And after that I saw that when they forsook the house of the Lord and His TOWER they fell away entirely, and their eyes were blinded; and I saw the Lord of the sheep how He wrought much slaughter amongst them in their herds until 55 those sheep invited that slaughter and betrayed His place. And He gave them over into the hands of the lions and tigers, and wolves and hyenas, and into the hand of the foxes, and to all the wild 56 beasts, and those wild beasts began to tear in pieces those sheep. And I saw that He forsook that their house and their TOWER and gave them all into the hand of the lions, to tear and devour them, 57 into the hand of all the wild beasts. [Hiatus] And I saw till those shepherds pastured in their season, and they began to slay and to destroy more than they were bidden, and they delivered 66 those sheep into the hand of the lions. And the lions and tigers eat and devoured the greater part of those sheep, and the wild boars eat along with them; and they burnt that TOWER and demolished 67 that house. And I became exceedingly sorrowful over that TOWER because that house of the sheep was demolished, and afterwards I was unable to see if those sheep entered that house. [Hiatus] 72 And forthwith I saw how the shepherds pastured for twelve hours, and behold three of those sheep turned back and came and entered and began to build up all that had fallen down of that 73 house; but the wild boars tried to hinder them, but they were not able. And they began again to build as before, and they reared up that TOWER, and it was named the high TOWER; and they began again to place a table before the TOWER, but all the bread on it was polluted and not pure. The next reference to the Temple being a TOWER is The Shepherd of Hermas (a Christian composition written in the latter part of the Second Century A.D). This source identifies the Christian Church (ekklesia) as being a type of Temple (like the apostle Paul stated in Ephesians 2). But since the New Jerusalem in Revelation 21 is shown to be a HIGH TOWER (really, a cube shaped structure symbolically shown to be about 1300 miles high), it would resemble a TOWER (that is, like a skyscraper). The Shepherd of Hermas always calls the Temple of God at Jerusalem as being like a TOWER which the author (as stated above) symbolically represents the Christian Community of believers (the ekklesia). You will notice the abundance of prime references to the TOWER/TEMPLE and the TOWER/CHURCH identification. Simply scroll through the text to see the many references to this identification. Thus, to the Shepherd of Hermas, the Temple in Jerusalem was indeed shaped like a TOWER. Let us see the text. APOSTOLIC FATHERS, THE SHEPHERD OF HERMAS (translated and edited by J. B. Lightfoot). I have abridged it with hiatuses in some places. VISION ONE. 1:2 The master, who reared me, had sold me to one Rhoda in Rome. 1:3 After many years, I met her again, and began to love her as a sister. 1:4 After a certain time I saw her bathing in the river Tiber; 1:5 and I gave her my hand, and led her out of the river. 1:6 So, seeing her beauty, I reasoned in my heart, saying, ` Happy were I, if I had such an one to wife both in beauty and in character'. 1:7 I merely reflected on this and nothing more. 1:8 After a certain time, as I was journeying to Cumae, and glorifying God's creatures for their greatness and splendour and power, as I walked I fell asleep. 1:9 And a Spirit took me, and bore me away through a pathless tract, through which no man could pass: 1:10 for the place was precipitous, and broken into clefts by reason of the waters. [Hiatus] 13:1 When she had said this, she wished to depart; 13:2 but, falling at vision which she promised. 13:3 Then she again took me by the hand, and raiseth me, and seateth me on the couch at the left hand, while she herself sat on the right. 13:4 And lifting up a certain glistening rod, she saith to me, `Seest thou a great thing'? 13:5 I say to her, ` Lady, I see nothing'. 13:6 She saith to me, `Look thou; 13:7 dost thou not see in front of thee a great TOWER being builded upon the waters, of glistening square stones'? 13:8 Now the TOWER was being builded foursquare by the six young men that came with her. 13:9 And countless other men were bringing stones, some of them from the deep, and others from the land, and were handing them to the six young men. 13:10 And they took them and builded. 13:11 The stones that were dragged from the deep they placed in every case, 13:12 just as they were, into the building, for they had been shaped, and they fitted in their joining with the other stones; 13:13 and they adhered so closely one with another that their joining could not possibly be detected; 13:14 and the building of the TOWER appeared as if it were built of one stone. 13:15 But of the other stones which were brought from the dry land, some they threw away, and some they put into the building; 13:16 and others they broke in pieces, and threw to a distance from the TOWER. 13:17 Now many other stones were lying round the TOWER, and they did not use them for the building; 13:18 for some of them were mildewed, and others had cracks ill them, and others were too short, and others were white and round, and did not fit into the building. 13:19 And I saw other stones thrown to a distance from the TOWER, and coming to the way, and yet not staying in the way, but rolling to where there was no way; 13:20 and others falling into the fire and burning there; 14:1 When she had shown me these things, she wished to hurry these things, and yet not to know what the things mean'? 14:2 She answered and said unto me, `Thou art an over-curious fellow, in desiring to know all that concerns the TOWER'. 14:3 `Yea, lady', I said, `that I may announce it to any brethren, and that they [may be the more gladdened and] when they hear [these things] may know the Lord in great glory'. 14:4 `Then said she, `Many shall hear; 14:5 but when they hear, some of them shall be glad, and others shall weep. 14:6 Yet even these latter, if they hear and repent, shall likewise be glad. 14:7 Hear thou therefore the parables of the TOWER; 14:8 for I will reveal all things unto thee. 14:9 And trouble me no more about revelation; 14:10 for these revelations have an end, seeing that they have been completed. 14:11 Nevertheless thou wilt not cease asking for revelations; 14:12 for thou art shameless. 15:1 `The TOWER, which thou seest building, is myself, the Church, which was seen of thee both now and aforetime. 15:2 Ask, therefore, what thou willest concerning the TOWER, and I will reveal it unto thee, that thou mayest rejoice with the saints'. 15:3 I say unto her, Lady, since thou didst hold me worthy once for all, that thou shouldest reveal all things to me, reveal them'. 15:4 Then she saith to me, `Whatsoever is possible to be revealed to thee, shall be revealed. 15:5 Only let thy heart be with God, and doubt not in thy mind about that which thou seest'. 15:6 I asked her, `Wherefore is the TOWER builded upon waters, lady'? 15:7 `I told thee so before', said she, `and indeed thou dost enquire diligently. 15:8 So by thy enquiry thou discoverest the truth. 15:9 Hear then why the TOWER is builded upon waters; 15:10 it is because your life is saved and shall be saved by water. 16:1 I answered and said unto her, 16:2 `Lady, this thing is great and `These are the holy angels of GOD, that were created first of all, unto whom the Lord delivered all His creation to increase and to build it, and to be masters of all creation. 16:3 By their hands therefore the building of the TOWER will be accomplished'. 16:4 `And who are the others who are bringing the stones'? 16:5 `They also are holy angels of God; 16:6 but these six are superior to them. 16:7 The building of the TOWER then shall be accomplished, and all alike shall rejoice in the (completed) circle of the TOWER, and shall glorify God that the building of the TOWER was accomplished'. 16:8 I enquired of her, saying, ` Lady, I could wish to know concerning the end of the stones, and their power, of what kind it is'. [Hiatus] 17:7 Therefore their joinings fit together in the building of the TOWER'. 17:8 `But they that are dragged from the deep, and placed in the building, and that fit together in their joinings with the other stones that are already builded in, who are they'? 17:9 `These are they that suffered for the name of the Lord'. 17:10 `But the other stones that are brought from the dry land, I would fain know who these are, lady'. 17:11 She said, `Those that go to the building, and yet are not hewn, these the Lord hath approved because they walked in the uprightness of the Lord, and rightly performed His commandments'. 17:12 `But they that are brought and placed in the building, who are they'? 17:13 `They are young in the faith, and faithful; 17:14 but they are warned by the angels to do good, because wickedness was found in them'. 17:15 `But those whom they rejected and threw away, who are they'? 17:16 `These have sinned, and desire to repent, therefore they were not cast to a great distance from the TOWER, because they will be useful for the building, if they repent. 17:17 They then that shall repent, if they repent, will be strong in the faith, if they repent now while the TOWER is building. 17:18 But if the building shall be finished, they have no more any place, but shall be castaways. 18:1 But wouldst thou know about them that are broken in pieces, and cast away far from the TOWER? 18:2 These are the sons of wickedness was absent from them. 18:3 Therefore they have not salvation, for they are not useful for building by reason of their wickednesses. [Hiatus] 21:1 `But the other stones which thou sawest cast far away from the TOWER and falling into the way and rolling out of the way into believed, 21:2 but by reason of their double heart they abandon their true way. [Hiatus] 21:9 Then, when they call to their remembrance the purity of the truth, they change their minds, and go back again after their evil desires'. 21:10 So she finished the explanation of the TOWER. 21:11 Still importunate, I asked her further, whether for all these stones that were rejected and would not fit into the building of the TOWER there was repentance, and they had a place in this TOWER. 21:12 `They can repent', she said, `but they cannot be fitted into this TOWER. 21:13 Yet they shall be fitted into another place much more humble, but not until they have undergone torments, and have fulfilled the days of their sins. 21:14 And they shall be changed for this reason, because they participated it, the Righteous Word; 21:15 and then shall it befall them to be relieved from their torments, if the evil deeds, that they have done, come into their heart; 22:1 When then I ceased asking her concerning all these things, desirous of beholding, I was greatly rejoiced that I should see it. 22:2 She looked upon me, and smiled, and she saith to me, `Seest thou seven women round the TOWER'? 22:3 `I see them, lady', say I. 22:4 `This TOWER is supported by them by commandment of the Lord. 22:5 Hear now their employments. [Hiatus] 22:19 Their works then are pure and reverent and divine. 22:20 Whosoever therefore shall serve these women, and shall have strength to master their works, shall have his dwelling in the TOWER with the saints of God'. 22:21 Then I asked her concerning the seasons, whether the consummation is even now. 22:22 But she cried aloud, saying, ` Foolish man, seest thou not that the TOWER is still a-building? 22:23 Whensoever therefore the TOWER shall be finished building, the end cometh; 22:24 but it shall be built up quickly. 22:25 Ask me no more questions: [Hiatus] 23:11 Ye then that have more than enough, seek out them that are hungry, while the TOWER is still unfinished; 23:12 for after the TOWER is finished, ye will desire to do good, and will find no place for it. 23:13 Look ye therefore, ye that exult in your wealth, 23:14 lest they that are in want shall moan, and their moaning shall go up unto the Lord, and ye with your [abundance of) good things be shut outside the door of the TOWER. [Hiatus] 24:1 When then she ceased speaking with me, the six young men, who were building, came, and took her away to the TOWER, and other four lifted the couch, and took it also away to the TOWER. 24:2 I saw not the face of these, for they were turned away. [Hiatus] 26:10 And therefore He showed you the building of the TOWER; [Hiatus] 30:9 For as the gold loses its dross, so ye also shall cast away all sorrow and tribulation, and shall be purified, and shall be useful for the building of the TOWER. 30:10 But the white portion is the coming age, in which the elect of God shall dwell; 30:11 because the elect of God shall be without spot and pure unto life eternal. [Hiatus] 77:2 And crowns were brought, made as it were of palm-branches; 77:3 and he crowned the men that had given up the rods which had the shoots and some fruit, and sent them away into the TOWER. 77:4 And the others also he sent into the TOWER, even those who had given up the rods green and with shoots, but the shoots were without fruit; 77:5 and he set a seal upon them. 77:6 And all they that went into the TOWER had the same raiment, white as snow. 77:7 And those that had given up their rods green as they received them, he sent away, giving them a [white] robe, and seals. [Hiatus] 78:15 I say unto him; 78:16 `Sir, wherefore did he send away some into the TOWER, and leave others for thee?' 78:17 `As many,' saith he, `as transgressed the law which they received from him, these he left under my authority for repentance; 78:18 but as many as already satisfied the law and have observed it, these he has under his own authority.' 78:19 `Who then, Sir,' say I, `are they that have been crowned and go into the TOWER? 78:20 `[`As many,' saith he, `as wrestled with the devil and overcame him in their wrestling, are crowned:] [Hiatus] 79:14 Then those gave them up who had had the half-withered and with cracks; 79:15 and many of them gave them up green and without cracks; 79:16 and some gave them up green and with shoots, and fruits on the shoots, such as those had who went into the TOWER crowned; 79:17 and some gave them up withered and eaten, and some withered and uneaten, and some such as they were, half-withered and with cracks. [Hiatus] 81:26 And as many as shall not repent, have lost their life; 81:27 but as many of them as repented, became good; 81:28 and their dwelling was placed within the first walls, and some of them even ascended into the TOWER. 81:29 Thou seest then,' [saith he,] `that repentance from sins bringeth life, but not to repent bringeth death. 82:1 `But as many as gave up (the rods) half-withered, and with cracks in them, hear also concerning these. 82:2 Those whose rods were half-withered throughout are the double-minded; 82:3 for they neither live nor are dead. 82:4 But those that have them half-withered and cracks in then,, these are both double-minded and slanderers, and are never at peace among themselves but always causing dissensions. 82:5 Yet even to these,' [saith he,] `repentence is given. 82:6 Thou seest,' [saith he,] `that some of them have repented; 82:7 and there is still,' saith he, `hope of repentance among them. 82:8 And as many of them,' saith he, `as have repented, have their abode within the TOWER but as many of them as have repented tardily shall abide within the walls; 82:9 and as many as repent not, but continue in their doings, shall die the death. [Hiatus] 82:13 They have their habitation, therefore, within the TOWER. 82:14 But if any one shall again turn to dissension, he shall be cast out from the TOWER and shall lose his life. 82:15 Life is for all those that keep the commandments of the Lord. 82:16 But in the commandments there is nothing about first places, or about glory of any kind, but about long-suffering and humility in man. 82:17 In such men, therefore, is the life of the Lord, but in factious and lawless men is death. 83:1 `But they that gave up their rods half green and half withered, these are they that are mixed up in business and cleave not to the saints. 83:2 Therefore the one half of them liveth, but the other half is dead. 83:3 Many then when they heard my commandments repented. 83:4 As many then as repented, have their abode within the TOWER. 83:5 But some of them altogether stood aloof. 83:6 These then have no repentance; 83:7 for by reason of their business affairs they blasphemed the Lord and denied Him. 83:8 So they lost their life for the wickedness that they committed. 83:9 But many of them were doubtful-minded. 83:10 These still have place for repentance, if they repent quickly, and their dwelling shall be within the TOWER; 83:11 and if they repent tardily, they shall dwell within the walls; 83:12 but if they repent not, they too have lost their life. 83:13 But they that have given up two parts green and the third part withered, these are they that have denied with manifold denials. 83:14 Many of them therefore repented, and departed to dwell inside the TOWER; 83:15 but many utterly rebelled from God; 83:16 these lost their life finally. 83:17 And some of them were double-minded and caused dissensions. 83:18 For these then there is repentance, if they repent speedily and continue not in their pleasures; 83:19 but if they continue in their doings, they likewise procure for themselves death. 84:1 `But they that have given up their rods two thirds withered and one third green, these are men who have been believers, but grew rich and became renowned among the Gentiles. 84:2 They clothed themselves with great pride and became high-minded, 84:3 and abandoned the truth and did not cleave to the righteous, but lived together after the manner of the Gentiles, and the path appeared the more pleasant unto them; 84:4 yet they departed not from God, but continued in the faith, though they wrought not the works of the faith. 84:5 Many of them therefore repented, and they had their habitation within the TOWER. 84:6 But others at the last living with the Gentiles, and being corrupted by the vain opinions of the Gentiles, departed from God, and worked the works of the Gentiles. 84:7 These therefore were numbered with the Gentiles. 84:8 But others of them were doubtful-minded, not hoping to be saved by reason of the deeds that they had done; 84:9 and others were double-minded and made divisions among themselves. 84:10 For these then that were double-minded by reason of their doings there is still repentance; 84:11 but their repentance ought to be speedy, that their dwelling may be within the TOWER; 84:12 but for those who repent not, but continue in their pleasures, death is nigh. 85:1 `But they that gave up their rods green, yet with the extreme ends withered and with cracks; 85:2 these were found at all times good and faithful and glorious in the sight of God, 85:3 but they sinned to a very slight degree by reason of little desires and because they had somewhat against one another. 85:4 But, when they heard my words, the greater part quickly repented, and their dwelling was assigned within the TOWER. 85:5 But some of them were double-minded, and some being double-minded made a greater dissension. 85:6 In these then there is still a hope of repentance, because they were found always good; 85:7 and hardly shall one of them die. 85:8 But they that gave up their rods withered, yet with a very small part green, these are they that believed, but practiced the works of lawlessness. 85:9 Still they never separated from God, but bore the Name gladly, and gladly received into their houses the servants of God. 85:10 So hearing of this repentance they repented without wavering, and they practice all excellence and righteousness. 85:11 And some of them even suffer persecution willingly, knowing the deeds that they did. 85:12 All these then shall have their dwelling within the TOWER. [Hiatus] [PARABLE THE NINTH]. 87:2 After I had written down the commandments and parables of the shepherd, the angel of repentance, he came to me and saith with thee in the form of the Church, showed unto thee. 87:3 For that Spirit is the Son of God. 87:4 For when thou wast weaker in the flesh, it was not declared unto thee through an angel; 87:5 but when thou wast enabled through the Spirit, and didst grow mighty in thy strength so that thou couldest even see an angel, 87:6 then at length was manifested unto thee, through the Church, the building of the TOWER. 87:7 In fair and seemly manner hast thou seen all things, (instructed) as it were by a virgin; 87:8 but now thou seest (being instructed by an angel, though by the same Spirit; 87:9 yet must thou learn everything more accurately from me.[Hiatus] 89:4 And there arose a great noise from those men who had come to build the TOWER, as they ran hither and thither round the gate. 89:5 For the virgins standing round the gate told the men to hasten to build the TOWER. 89:6 Now the virgins had spread out their hands, as if they would take something from the men. 89:7 And the six men ordered stones to come up from a certain deep place, and to go to the building of the TOWER. 89:8 And there went up ten stones square and polished, [not] hewn from a quarry. 89:9 And the six men called to the virgins, and ordered them to carry all the stones which should go unto the building of the TOWER, and to pass through the gate and to hand them to the men that were about to build the TOWER. 89:10 And the virgins laid the first ten stones that rose out of the deep on each other, and they carried them together, stone by stone. 90:1 And just as they stood together around the gate, in that order they carried them that seemed to be strong enough and had stooped under the corners of the stone, while the others stooped at the sides of the stone. 90:2 And so they carried all the stones. 90:3 And they carried them right through the gate, as they were ordered, and handed them to the men for the TOWER; 90:4 and these took the stones and builded. 90:5 Now the building of the TOWER was upon the great rock and above the gate. 90:6 Those ten stones then were joined together, and they covered the whole rock. 90:7 And these formed a foundation for the building of the TOWER. 90:8 And [the rock and] the gate supported the whole TOWER. 90:9 And, after the ten stones, other twenty-five stones came up from the deep, and these were fitted into the building of the TOWER, being carried by the virgins, like the former. 90:10 And after these thirty-five stones came up. 90:11 And these likewise were fitted into the TOWER. 90:12 And after these came up other forty stones, and these all were put into the building of the TOWER. 90:13 So four rows were made in the foundations of the TOWER. 90:14 And (the stones) ceased coming up from the deep, and the builders likewise ceased for a little. 90:15 And again the six men ordered the multitude of the people to bring in stones from the mountains for the building of the TOWER. 90:16 They were brought in accordingly from all the mountains, of various colours, shaped by the men, and were handed to the virgins; 90:17 and the virgins carried them right through the gate, and handed them in for the building of the TOWER. 90:18 And when the various stones were placed in the building, they became all alike and white, and they lost their various colours. 90:19 But some stones were handed in by the men for the building, and these did not become bright; 90:20 but just as they were placed, such likewise were they found; 90:21 for they were not handed in by the virgins, nor had they been carried in through the gate. 90:22 These stones then were unsightly in the building of the TOWER. 90:23 Then the six men, seeing the stones that were unsightly in the building, ordered them to be removed and carried [below] into their own place whence they were brought. 90:24 And they say to the men who were bringing the stones in; 90:25 `Abstain for your parts altogether from handing in stones for the building; 90:26 but place them by the TOWER, that the virgins may carry them through the gate, and hand them in for the building. 90:27 For if,' [say they,] `they be not carried in through the gate by the hands of these virgins, they cannot change their colours. 90:28 Labor not therefore,' [say they,] `in vain. 91:1 And the building was finished on that day, yet was not the TOWER finally completed, for it was to be carried up [still] higher; 91:2 and there was a cessation in the building. 91:3 And the six men ordered the builders to retire for a short time [all of them], and to rest; 91:4 but the virgins they ordered not to retire from the TOWER. 91:5 And me thought the virgins were left to guard the TOWER. 91:6 And after all had retired [and rested], I say to the shepherd; 91:7 `How is it, Sir,' say I, `that the building of the TOWER was not completed?' 91:8 `The TOWER,' he saith, `cannot yet he fully completed, until its master come and test this building, that if any stones be found crumbling, he may change them; 91:9 for the TOWER is being built according to His will.' 91:10 `I would fain know, Sir,' say I, 91:11 `what is this building of this TOWER, and concerning the rock and gate, and the mountains, and the virgins, and the stones that came up from the deep, and were not shaped, hut went just as they were into the building; 91:12 and wherefore ten stones were first placed in the foundations, 91:13 then twenty-five, then thirty-five, then forty, 91:14 and concerning the stones that had gone to the building and were removed again and put away in their own place-concerning all these things set my soul at rest, Sir, and explain them to me.' 91:15 `If,' saith he, `thou be not found possessed of an idle curiosity, thou shalt know all things. 91:16 For after a few days we shall come here, and thou shalt see the sequel that overtaketh this TOWER and shalt understand all the parables accurately.' 91:17 And after a few days we came to the place where we had sat, and he saith to me, `Let us go to the TOWER; 91:18 for the owner of the TOWER cometh to inspect it.' 91:19 And we came to the TOWER, and there was no one at all by it, save the virgins alone. 91:20 And the shepherd asked the virgins whether the master of the TOWER had arrived. 91:21 And they said that he would be there directly to inspect the building. 92:1 And, behold, after a little while I see an array of many men coming, and in the midst a man of such lofty stature that he overtopped the TOWER. 92:2 And the six men who superintended the building walked with him on the right hand and on the left, and all they that worked at the building were with him, and many other glorious attendants around him. 92:3 And the virgins that watched the TOWER ran up and kissed him, and they began to walk by his side round the TOWER. 92:4 And that man inspected the building so carefully, that he felt each single stone; 92:5 and he held a rod in his hand and struck each single stone that was built in. 92:6 And when he smote, some of the stones became black as soot, others mildewed, 92:7 others cracked, others broke off short, others became neither white nor black, others rough and not fitting in with the other stones, and others with many spots; 92:8 these were the varied aspects of the stones which were found unsound for the building. 92:9 So he ordered all these to be removed from the TOWER, and to be placed by the side of the TOWER, and other stones to be brought and put into their place. 92:10 And the builders asked him from what mountain he desired stones to be brought and put into their place. 92:11 And he would not have them brought from the mountains, but ordered them to be brought from a certain plain that was nigh at hand. 92:12 And the plain was dug, and stones were found there bright and square, but some of them too were round. 92:13 And all the stones which there were anywhere in that plain were brought every one of them, and were carried through the gate by the virgins. 92:14 And the square stones were hewed, and set in the place of those which had been removed; 92:15 but the round ones were not placed in the building, because they were too hard to be shaped, and to work on them was slow. 92:16 So they were placed by the side of the TOWER, as though they were intended to be shaped and placed in the building; 92:17 for they were very bright. 93:1 So then, having accomplished these things, 93:2 the glorious man who was lord of the whole TOWER called the shepherd to him, 93:3 and delivered unto him all the stones which lay by the side of the TOWER, which were cast out from the building, and saith unto him; 93:4 `Clean these stones carefully, and set them in the building of the TOWER, these, I mean, which can fit with the rest; 93:5 but those which will not fit, throw far away from the TOWER.' 93:6 Having given these orders to the shepherd, he departed from the TOWER with all those with whom he had come. 93:7 And the virgins stood round the TOWER watching it. 93:8 I say to the shepherd, `How can these stones go again to the building of the TOWER, seeing that they have been disapproved?' 93:9 He saith unto me in answer; 93:10 `Seest thou,' saith he, `these stones?' 93:11 `I see them, Sir,' say I. 93:12 `I myself,' saith he, will shape the greater part of these stones and put them into the building, and they shall fit in with the remaining stones.' 93:13 `How, Sir,' say I, `can they, when they are chiseled, fill the same space?' 93:14 He saith unto me in answer, As many as shall be found small, shall be put into the middle of the building; 93:15 but as many as are larger, shall be placed nearer the outside, and they will bind them together.' 93:16 With these words he saith to me, Let us go away, and after two days let us come and clean these stones, and put them into the building; 93:17 for all things round the TOWER must be made clean, 93:18 lest haply the master come suddenly and find the circuit of the TOWER dirty, 93:19 and he be wroth, and so these stones shall not go to the building of the TOWER, and I shall appear to be careless in my master's sight. 94:1 And after two days we came to the TOWER, and he saith unto me; 94:2 `Let us inspect all the stones, and see those which can go to the building.' 94:3 I say to him, `Sir, let us inspect them.' 94:4 And so commencing first we began to inspect the black stones; 94:5 and just as they were when set aside from the building, such also they were found. 94:6 And the shepherd ordered them to be removed from the TOWER and to be put on one side. 94:7 Then he inspected those that were mildewed, and he took and shaped many of them, and ordered the virgins to take them up and put them into the building. 94:8 And the virgins took them up and placed them in the building of the TOWER in a middle position. 94:9 But the rest he ordered to be placed with the black ones; 94:10 for these also were found black. 94:11 Then he began to inspect those that had the cracks; 94:12 and of these he shaped many, and he ordered them to be carried away by the hands of the virgins for the building. 94:13 And they were placed towards the outside, because they were found to be sounder. 94:14 But the rest could not be shaped owing to the number of the cracks. 94:15 For this reason therefore they were cast aside front the building of the TOWER. 94:16 Then he proceeded to inspect the stunted (stones), and many among them were found black, and some had contracted great cracks; 94:17 and he ordered these also to be placed with those that had been cast aside. 94:18 But those of them which remained he cleaned and shaped, and ordered to he placed in the building. 94:19 So the virgins took them up, and fitted them into the middle of the building of the TOWER; 94:20 for they were somewhat weak. 94:21 Then he began to inspect those that were half white and half black, and many of them were (now) found black; 94:22 and he ordered these also to be taken up with those that had been cast aside. 94:23 *But all the rest were [found white, and were] taken up by the virgins; 94:24 for being white they were fitted by [the virgins] them[selves] into the building. 94:25 *But they were placed towards the outside, because they were found sound, so that they could hold together those that were placed in the middle; 94:26 for not a single one of them was too short. 94:27 Then he began to inspect the hard and rough; 94:28 and a few of them were cast away, because they could not be shaped; 94:29 for they were found very hard. 94:30 But the rest of them were shaped [and taken up by the virgins] and fitted into the middle of the building of the TOWER; 94:31 for they were somewhat weak. [Hiatus] 95:13 But the rest, which remained over, were taken up, and put aside into the plain whence they were brought; 95:14 they were not however cast away, `Because,' saith he, `there remaineth still a little of the TOWER to be builded. 95:15 And the master of the TOWER is exceedingly anxious that these stones be fitted into the building, for they are very bright. 95:16 So twelve women were called, most beautiful in form, clad in black, [girded about and having the shoulders bare,] with their hair hanging loose. 95:17 And these women, me thought, had a savage look. 95:18 And the shepherd ordered them to take up the stones which had been cast away from the building, and to carry them off to the same mountains from which also they had been brought; 95:19 and they took them up joyfully, and carried away all the stones and put them in the place whence they had been taken. 95:20 And after all the stones had been taken up, and not a single stone still lay round the TOWER, the shepherd saith unto me; 95:21 Let us go round the TOWER, and see that there is no defect in it. 95:22 And I proceeded to go round it with him. 95:23 And when the shepherd saw that the TOWER was very comely in the building, he was exceedingly glad; 95:24 for the TOWER was so well builded, that when I saw it I coveted the building of it ; 95:25 for it was builded, as it were, of one stone, having one fitting in it. 95:26 And the stone-work appeared as if hewn out of the rock; 95:27 for it seemed to be all a single stone. 96:1 And I, as I walked with him, was glad to see so brave a sight. 96:2 And the shepherd saith to me `Go and bring plaster and fine clay, that I may fill up the shapes of the stones that have been taken up and put into the building; 96:3 for all the circuit of the TOWER must be made smooth. 96:4 And I did is he bade, and brought them to him. 96:5 `Assist me,' saith he, `and the work will speedily be accomplished. 96:6 So he filled in the shapes of the stones which had gone to the building, and ordered the circuit of the TOWER to be swept and made clean. 96:7 And the virgins took brooms and swept, and they removed all the rubbish from the TOWER, and sprinkled water, and the site of the TOWER was made cheerful and very seemly. 96:8 The shepherd saith unto me, `All,' saith he, `hath now been cleaned. 96:9 If the lord come to inspect the TOWER, he hath nothing for which to blame us.' 96:10 Saying this, he desired to go away. [Hiatus] 97:15 for we love thee dearly.' 97:16 But I was ashamed to abide with them. 97:17 And she that seemed to be the chief of them began to kiss and to embrace me; 97:18 and the others seeing her embrace me, they too began to kiss me, and to lead me round the TOWER, and to sport with me. 97:19 And I had become as it were a younger man, and I commenced myself likewise to sport with them. 97:20 For some of them began to dance, [others to skip,] others to sing. 97:21 But I kept silence and walked with them round the TOWER, and was glad with them. 97:22 But when evening came I wished to go away home; 97:23 but they would not let me go, but detained me. 97:24 And I stayed the nigh with them, and I slept by the side of the TOWER. 97:25 For the virgins spread their linen tunics on the ground, and made me lie down in the midst of them, and they did nothing else but pray; 97:26 and I prayed with them without ceasing, and not less than they. 97:27 And the virgins rejoiced that I so prayed. [Hiatus] 98:9 Didst thou see,' saith he, 98:10 `that the stones which came through the gate have gone to the building of the TOWER, but those which came not through it were cast away again to their own place?' 98:11 `I saw, Sir,' say I. 98:12 "Thus,' saith he, `no one shall enter into the kingdom of God, except he receive the name of His Son. 98:13 For if thou wishest to enter into any city, and that city is walled all round and has one gate only, canst thou enter into that city except through the gate which it hath?' 98:14 `Why, how, Sir,' say I, `is it possible otherwise?' 98:15 `If then thou canst not enter into the city except through the gate itself, even so, saith he, `a man cannot enter into the kingdom of God except by the name of His Son that is beloved by Him. 98:16 Didst thou see,' saith he, `the multitude that is building the TOWER?' 98:17 `I saw it, Sir,' say I. 98:18 `They,' saith he, are all glorious angels. 98:19 With these then the Lord is walled around. 98:20 But the gate is the Son of God; 98:21 there is this one entrance only to the Lord. 98:22 No one then shall enter in unto Him otherwise than through His Son. 98:23 Didst thou see,' saith he, `the six men, and the glorious and mighty man in the midst of them, him that walked about the TOWER and rejected the stones from the building?' 99:1 `But the TOWER,' say I, what is it? 99:2 "The TOWER,' saith he, why, this is the Church. 99:3 `And these virgins, who are they?' 99:4 `They,' saith he, `are unless these shall clothe him with their garment; 99:5 for if thou receive only the name, but receive not the garment from them, thou profitest nothing. 99:6 For these virgins are powers of the Son of God. 99:7 If [therefore] thou bear the Name, and bear not His power, thou shalt bear His Name to none effect. 99:8 And the stones,' saith he, which thou didst see cast away, these bare the Name, but clothed not themselves with the raiment of the virgins.' 99:9 `Of what sort, Sir,' say I, `is their raiment? 99:10 "The names themselves,' saith he, `are their raiment. 99:11 `Whosoever beareth the Name of the Son of God, ought to bear the names of these also; 99:12 for even the Son Himself beareth the names of these virgins. 99:13 As many stones,' saith he, `as thou sawest enter into the building of the TOWER, being given in by their hands and waiting for the building, they have been clothed in the power of these virgins. 99:14 For this cause thou seest the TOWER made a single stone with the rock. 99:15 So also they that have believed in the Lord through His Son and clothe themselves in these spirits, shall become one spirit and one body, and their garments all of one colour. 99:16 But such persons as bear the names of the virgins have their dwelling in the TOWER.' 99:17 `The stones then, Sir,' say I, which are cast aside, wherefore were they cast aside? 99:18 For they passed through the gate and were placed in the building of the TOWER by the hands of the virgins.' 99:19 `Since all these things interest thee,' saith he, `and thou enquirest diligently, listen as touching the stones that have been cast aside. [Hiatus] 100:4 For this is the reason why there was also a cessation in the building, that, if these repent, they may go into the building of the TOWER; 100:5 but if they repent not, then others will go, and these shall be cast away finally.' 100:6 For all these things I gave thanks unto the Lord, because He had compassion on all that called upon His name, 100:7 and sent forth the angel of repentance to us that had sinned against Him, and refreshed our spirit, and, when we were already ruined and had no hope of life, restored our life. 100:8 `Now, Sir,' say I, show me why the TOWER is not built upon the ground, but upon the rock and upon the gate.' 100:9 `Because thou art senseless,' saith he, `and without understanding [thou askest the question].' [Hiatus] 101:18 `Wherefore then, Sir,' say I, `did the virgins give in these stones also for the building of the TOWER and carry them through the gate? 101:19 " Because these first, 'saith he, 101:20 `bore these spirits, and they never separated the one from the other, neither the spirits from the men nor the men from the spirits, but the spirits abode with them till they fell asleep; [Hiatus] 102:18 For this cause also they came up with them, and were fitted with them into the building of the TOWER and were builded with them, without being shaped; 102:19 for they fell asleep in righteousness and in great purity' 102:22 I have, Sir,' say I. 117:1 Hear,' saith he, `likewise concerning all these things. 117:2 The stones which were taken from the plain and placed in the building of the TOWER in the room of those that were rejected, are the roots of this white mountain. 117:3 When then they that believed from this mountain were all found guileless, the lord of the TOWER ordered these from the roots of this mountain to be put into the building of the TOWER. 117:4 For He knew that if these stones should go to the building [of the TOWER], they would remain bright and not one of then would turn black. 117:5 But if he had added (stones) from the other mountains, he would have been obliged to visit that TOWER again, and to purify it. 117:6 Now all these have been found white, who have believed and who shall believe; 117:7 for they are of the same kind. [Hiatus] 117:14 So therefore they have been cut away a little, and placed in the building of this TOWER. CONCLUSION: What we see in the above three texts is a common usage of the word TOWER that is associated with the meaning of TEMPLE (with the word "Temple" in the Shepherd of Hermas denoting the Ekklesia of God). For all of you who wish to view the whole texts of these three books, you can click into the ASK Home Page on the Internet and we have LINKS to various educational institutions in the United States and Europe who have downloaded these texts for all people to read – and they are FREE to view. The object of this study is simply to show the TEMPLE/TOWER connection was a normal one because the actual Temple of Herod in Jerusalem was a TOWER (as square building) 45 stories high. Go to ASK Home Page •  Print Page © 1976-2012 Associates for Scriptural Knowledge - ASK is supported by freewill contributions Biography of David Sielaff Director, Associates for Scriptural Knowledge Born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in October 1949, Mr. Sielaff attended grade and high school in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin and in 1972 he graduated from the University of Wisconsin, Madison, with a Bachelor of Arts degree as a dual major in History and Political Science. His personal studies in theology, biblical studies and history have always held a fascination for him. He attended Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, California and received a Masters of Arts in Theology degree in June 1987. He is married to Dr. Robin (Wichern) Sielaff, since 1976. She has a master of science in biomedical sciences and a doctorate in naturopathic medicine. She is licensed to practice medicine in the State of Oregon. They have two grown daughters, Heather, a pediatrician, and Carole, a licensed school psychologist. For nine years between 1985 and 1994 Mr. Sielaff worked for and later supervised Fuller Seminary’s Word Processing Department, supporting the faculty in the Schools of Theology and World Mission in the typesetting and editing of books, manuscripts, monographs, academic papers, class materials and other professional materials for the professors and their international publishers. As a student, and on the job, he learned what was good (and mediocre) scholarship. He is a typesetter by vocation and continues to study biblical matters. Until becoming Director of ASK he had written only privately published articles. Raised Lutheran, he became a member of the Worldwide Church of God from approximately 1969 to 1973. He has had no denominational associations since that time. He discovered the work of Ernest Martin in 1974. Dr. Martin's theological and historical work has been seminal to Mr. Sielaff's understanding of the Bible and the world, which was later supplemented by his seminary experience. It was since that time he learned the truths of God regarding the Universal Reconciliation of all to God and the deification of man through the redemptive work of Christ Jesus. In 1983 Mr. Sielaff went to Israel on a tour conducted by Dr. Martin, after which a slowly increasing regular contact began between the two men. Mr. Sielaff began typesetting books for ASK on a contract basis in 1993 with the latest edition of Restoring the Original Bible, later adding some editing functions to that task. It was during the final edits on The Temples That Jerusalem Forgot in early 2000, that Dr. Martin first discussed the continuation of his work, should that be necessary. While continuing his deep research into the Jerusalem Temples, Dr. Martin soon involved himself with a revision of The Essentials of New Testament Doctrine, his final and greatest book. Mr. Sielaff helped edit and typeset this final work, editing for clarity, not content. This is his philosophy in putting out the mass of work that Dr. Martin produced independently over 40 years of work — the purpose of which has been to have the Holy Scriptures plainly and simply speak the Word of God into your mind. Biography of Dr. Ernest L. Martin Founder, Associates For Scriptural Knowledge A.S.K.'s Founder, Dr. Ernest L. Martin (died January 2002), was born in Meeker, Oklahoma on April 20, 1932. He attended grade and high school in Exeter, California and graduated from the College of the Sequoias in Visalia, California (specializing in Meteorology). He was a member of United States Air Force from 1950 to 54, and was sent by the Air Force to the University of New Mexico for advanced Meteorological training. He forecasted the weather in Greenland for a year, another year at Research and Development in High Altitude studies at Lowry AFB, Denver, Colorado. He changed careers in 1955 from science to social science (Theology and History). He attended Ambassador College (now University and accredited) for B.A. (1958), M.A. in Theology (1962), and Ph.D. in Education (1966). He was Secretary of the Board at Ambassador campus in England from 1960 to 72 and Senior Professor of History and Theology and Elementary Meteorology. He was Dean of Faculty at Ambassador campus in England from 1966 to 72. He secured the alliance of Ambassador with Hebrew University in the largest archaeological excavation in Israel near the Western (Wailing) Wall from 1969 through 1973. He supervised 450 college students for those five years at the archaeological site in Jerusalem for the summer months and Time magazine featured his program for providing academic credits for archaeological work during that period. Dr. Martin became Chairman of the Department of Theology at Ambassador in Pasadena, California in 1973. He left Ambassador in 1974 (and gave up his tenured professorship) and started FBR (the Foundation for Biblical Research) in Pasadena. He was Chairman of the Board of FBR from 1974 to 85. He left FBR to found the Associates for Scriptural Knowledge (A.S.K.) in 1985 and was Chairman of the Board. He was a Member of the Society of Biblical Literature and the Planetarium Society, and was listed in the (1997,'98,'99) editions of Who's Who in America, also Who's Who in Religion, Who's Who in Education, and Who's Who in Biblical Studies and Archaeology. Author of five editions of The Tithing Dilemma (over 100,000 copies sold) (1974 to 1995); two editions of The Birth of Christ Recalculated (1978, 1980); two editions of Restoring the Original Bible (1984, 1996); two editions of Secrets of Golgotha (1987, 1996); 101 Bible Secrets (1991); The People that History Forgot (1994); The New Third Temple (out of print, 1994); The Biblical Manual (out of print, 1995); The Star that Astonished the World (1996); two editions of The Temples that Jerusalem Forgot (1999, 2000); and two editions of The Essentials of New Testament Doctrine (1999, 2001). He authored over 200 special theological and historical studies in printed form, and over 400 cassette taped lectures on similar subjects, and appeared numerous times on Television and Radio programs in which he was interviewed. He was married to Ramona Jean Martin and had two daughters Kathryn and Phyllis and one son Samuel, and several grandchildren. His primary profession was that of advanced studies as a Research Theologian and Historian with a deep interest in the relationship between the subjects of Science and Biblical matters. He was an ordained Christian minister in the A.S.K. ekklesia (translated as "church" in the King James Version). Dr. Martin was first ordained in London, England in January 2, 1959 by the Worldwide Church of God; then FBR in January 1974; and finally ASK in January 1985. His ecclesiastical persuasion was non-denominational in beliefs. His main interest was to restore biblical truth to this End-Time generation (before the Second Advent of Christ) and to make all people to have the opportunity of knowing the truth of the Gospel of Christ Jesus, no matter who they are — whatever their status of race, sex, social or political beliefs, and of whatever religious persuasion they have. Since the Holy Scriptures dogmatically teach the Universal Reconciliation of all humans throughout all periods of human history, he was an ardent advocate of this Scriptural truth. He hoped that all people on earth can experience their freedoms that they all have in Christ. All his writings attest to this fundamental truth that motivated his academic and religious endeavors and activities. © 1976-2012 Associates for Scriptural Knowledge ~ ASK is supported by freewill contributions