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Simply Stories Podcast


Feb 1, 2022

Today we’re jumping back into my conversation with Dr. Christian Widener. So in part 1 of our conversation, Dr. Widener shared about the history of the Temple Mount in Jerusalem throughout the old and new testament scripture coupled with historic accounts and what he has learned in his research with renowned scholars, historians and archeologists. In this part two, he’ll walk us through the history of what happened to the Temple Mount after its destruction in 70 A.D. and why what remains in the remnants that we can see support his research from some historical, archeological, engineering perspectives, and why any of this matters to us today and for the future. 

Ultimately, Dr. Widener has a heart for God’s people to turn their hearts to Him. He wants to lay a foundation of hope that what we can see about the Temple Mount is a sign that God is still keeping His promises in regards to restoring Israel and that Jesus is coming back to make all things right for all of creation. Prophecy and eschatology are complicated, but when we see in history and in the present that God keeps His promises it fuels our faith. It helps us to live in expectation of His activity in our own lives and in the big story of His kingdom on Earth as it is in Heaven, and we are reminded and hopeful that He will never stop being faithful now and forevermore. It also calls us to evaluate what we do with our time and how we serve others and the Lord in this season of waiting with hope. What are we investing in? Whose kingdom are we building? There is always more to learn, and deeper places to discover in our walk with God. We have to be courageous enough to do the work. 

The preservation of God’s people is just unbelievable. The fact that God continues to show human beings mercy, and has incredible patience so that no one may be lost to Him is astonishing. That goes for His set apart people through Abraham, and for those He has grafted in through His Son Jesus Christ. The Jewish people have always been special to God. They are His chosen nation.There is so much to learn from their history, their present, and their hope. I am actually learning a lot about this very thing currently and we may be unpacking it in other episodes, but that’s just a teaser note. 

This story isn’t over, friends. And you’re a part of it. You matter, and your story matters. 

Connecting with Dr. Widener:

Book

Facebook

His youtube video The Temple Revealed (which in many ways just summarizes his book)

Twitter

Website

 

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References:

Hear part one of this conversation AND access all the detailed show notes here. 

Super fascinating article from Chabad.org about the Jewish history of the Temple

-The Temple Mount

-FULL LAYOUT OF THE SECOND/HEROD’S TEMPLE: // a verbal description of the path walked through the Temple // from the outside in:: court of gentiles, court of women, court of Israel, court of priests and the small temple itself (Dr. Widener’s focus)

-The arches that exist on the southern side of the Temple Mount

-Ancient threshing floor 

-First thing built there after temple’s destruction is a temple to Jupiter 

--Super interesting articles about the current tension of the situation even in archeological pursuits from Smithsonian, and NBC that share the history and current conversation

-Early Christians made the temple mount a trash heap 

-Pre-Tribulation, Post- Tribulation, etc (what do these things mean?!)

-The Siege of Jerusalem 636-637 AD by the Muslims (this is a super fascinating read as it is from an Islamic history site. )

-The dome of the spirits 

-The East Gate (or the Golden Gate/Mercy Gate)— all walled up in stone (picture of it currently)

-Muslims believe that Jesus will return (this article is suuuuper interesting) and they want to keep him out 

Graveyard near the western wall, Mamila Cemetery (a super interesting Palestinian perspective about this site)

Jewish graves on the mount of olives so that they’re there for the resurrection of the last day

The Sabbath practice of looking for Elijah
Emperor Heraclius went through the gate (I can’t really find about a “shortly there after” article to verify that part BUT it is interesting that the story says an angel walled up the gate) (an art piece depicting it)

The Road to Emmaus painting by Robert Zund

Foxes on the Wailing Wall in 2019 (and the scripture that goes with it/Lamentations 5:18) 

Finding Solomon: Rediscovering the Works of Israel’s Greatest Builder (scroll all the way to the bottom of page!)

Scripture References:

Acts 15 – how much do we continue to honor Judaism and grow Christianity  

2 Samuel 24:18-25-David made a sacrifice on the threshing floor

2 Chronicles 3:1-The Temple being built on the threshing floor

Genesis 22 -Issac was not sacrificed, but offered as one and then a goat was provided by God 

Matthew 27:51-The area opened because the curtain ripped in two 

Deuteronomy 11-12- this is the place where He will place the souls of His feet 

Ezekiel 43 

1 Kings 12-17 -Building the false temple in Israel after the Kingdom is divided in two, built in Bethel (and also Dan) so that they could have their own place of worship instead of where God declared where it should be 

Judges 19-21 -Towards the end of the book of Judges with a false temple set up by a Levite for a family (ugh this story is gross. People are crazy)

Daniel 9 -The abomination that causes desolation 

Zechariah 14:4-11; Revelation 19:11-16; 20:1-6-Revelation where Jesus comes back on the Mount of Olives 

Zechariah 8-I’m going to bring them back into their own land

John 11:24, -Resurrection of the last day (more scriptures!) 

Ezekiel 47, Revelation 3:7-13, Revelation 22:1-5- There will be a spring of living water, a mighty river that will turn the dead sea into fresh water

Hebrews 13:14-this is not our home

John 19:28-Jesus says “I thirst” on the cross, but the context of it in the Psalm 22:15

Daniel 5- the hand writing on the wall 

Acts 1:11- -Men of Galilee why do you stand and look at the sky?

Lamentations 3:22-25, Joshua 23:14 -He is faithful and He will keep His promises 

Jeremiah 30,Isaiah 61:7 -He will restore His people (a big list of scriptures on this!)

Acts 12- Herod Agrippa’s funky claims about his voicing being one with God’s and his death

Luke 24:13-35-The road to Emmaus

Isaiah 43:19-The Lord is doing a new thing, now it springs up do you not perceive it?

Matthew 25- The Ten Bridesmaids

Matthew 6:10-His will be done on earth as it is in heaven

Psalm 130:6-More than watchmen wait for the morning do we long for the Lord 

John 11-weeping at  Lazarus’ tomb 

Isaiah 22:13; Proverbs 23:35; Luke 12:19; 1 Corinthians 15:32-Eat, drink, and be merry for tomorrow we die 

Hebrews 10:23-We hold unswervingly for He who promised is faithful 

Revelation 21:4-He will wipe every tear from our eyes

2 Corinthians 4:17-This is a light and momentary trouble and there is coming an eternal glory 

1 Kings 4:30-Solomon was the wisest person in the world 

1 Kings 10- When the Queen of Sheba came and was blown away by what she saw 

2 Corinthians 12:9-His grace is sufficient 

Zechariah 8:3-22- the passage I read at the end about God’s restoration

Connecting with Emily and Simply Stories Podcast:
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*Intro and Outro music is from audionautix.com