Posted on 02/17/2005 2:25:35 PM PST by missyme
Two remarkable developments took place recently that are extremely relevant to students of Bible prophecy.
For the first time in 1,600 years, the Israeli Sanhedrin was re-established. It occurred in Tiberius, the site of the Sanhedrin's last meeting in AD 425.
On Jan. 20, IsraelNN.com reported:
A unique ceremony – probably only the second of its kind in the past 1,600 years – is taking place in Tiberius today: The launching of a Sanhedrin, the highest Jewish-legal tribunal in the land of Israel.
The Sanhedrin, a religious assembly that convened in one of the Holy Temple chambers in Jerusalem [before AD 70], comprised 71 sages and existed during the Tannaitic period, from several decades before the Common Era until roughly 425 C.E.
Details of today's ceremony are still sketchy, but the organizers' announced their intention to convene 71 rabbis who have received special rabbinic ordination as specified by Maimonides.
These religious authorities believe it was necessary to re-establish the Sanhedrin because only this properly ordained body of sages can authenticate a Messiah when he comes. There is a growing expectation of the long-awaited Messiah to appear among devout Jews. The rebirth of the Jewish state and recapture of Jerusalem has increasingly influenced this conviction.
On Feb. 9, just a few weeks after the Sanhedrin's re-establishment, another enormously important development took place. The religious sages began to consider the rebuilding of the Temple and reinstitution of ancient animal sacrifices as prescribed in the Law of Moses.
The first step toward facilitating this monumental endeavor was to seek to determine the exact location of the Temple's foundation. Sanhedrin spokesman Rabbi Chaim Richman told Arutz-7:
It is appropriate that the Sanhedrin convened to discuss this lofty matter of the Temple's location this week ... the Sanhedrin continues to move toward strengthening the nation of Israel.
As all these things happen all around us, the Sanhedrin is researching ways to renew the deepest roots of our faith – to renew Temple service, reunite Jewish legal tradition and inspire the Jewish people to aspire to greatness. Our people have one path before us, and we will continue to march toward our destiny.
Sanhedrin member Rabbi Yisrael Ariel is the most ardent believer that the Temple is to be rebuilt in this generation. He is the former Yeshiva head, founder of the Temple Institute, and one of the paratroopers who took part in the 1967 liberation of the Temple Mount. He said:
People today ask, "Who are we in this generation to even consider building the Temple?" But in this week's Torah portion we see that the commandment to build a Temple was given to Jews who had just sinned and committed idolatry in the Sin of the Golden Calf. The fact is that what God requires in this world is for regular people to do their best. That is what we are trying to do.
The most difficult problem is to determine with certainty exactly where the previous Temple's foundations are. Muslims have not allowed Israeli archeologists to do archeological research on the Temple grounds. As a matter of fact, the Muslim custodians of this area, which they believe is their Third Holiest site, have systematically sought to destroy and remove any archeological evidence of Israel ever having a Temple there.
The Sanhedrin determined that there are only two viable theories as to where the Temple stood. One teaches that the Temple stood on the same basic site on which the Muslim mosque known as the Dome of the Rock was built.
The second theory (which I am convinced is the most accurate) is that the Temple was built north of the Dome of the Rock. Dr. Asher Kaufman developed this theory, using certain archeological evidences that he found before the Muslim's destroyed them. However, the most important archeological sign is the position of the Eastern Gate. According to ancient accounts of the Temple, its east-west centerline passed through the center of the Eastern Gate.
We have absolute evidence as to where the ancient Eastern Gate stood. I have viewed personally the remains of the ancient Eastern Gate, which is located under the modern Gate that was built on top of its ruins.
While photographing the area in 1983 for my book, "A Prophetical Walk Through The Holy Land," I sought to verify Dr. Kaufman's theory. I established the east-west centerline from the Eastern Gate. Then I received one of the most supernatural visitations of my life. My mind was suddenly flooded with a couple of verses that had been a mystery to me.
This is what I was shown. "I was given a reed like a measuring rod and was told, 'Go and measure the temple of God and the altar, and count the worshipers there. But exclude the outer court; do not measure it, because it has been given to the Gentiles. They will trample on the holy city for 42 months.'" (Revelation 11:1-2 NIV) So I measured off the distance from the centerline to the point where the wall of the inner court would stand. There was at least 6 meters clearance from the nearest points of the Dome of the Rock and the Temple inner-court wall. The Apostle John clearly predicts that "the outer court was not to be included in the rebuilt Temple, because it was given to the Gentiles."
So what does all this mean? The Temple can be rebuilt and stand alongside the Dome of the Rock without disturbing it. And since the outer court, also known as the Court of the Gentiles, is given to the Gentiles in this period just before the Messiah comes, it infers that there would be a Gentile building there, i.e., the Dome of the Rock.
The fact that a re-established Sanhedrin is now considering the rebuilding of the Temple after 2,000 years is extremely important to students of Bible prophecy. I believe that we are very near the final climactic events that end with the Second Coming of Christ.
The family of the Cohanim exist to this day but since the Temple no longer exists, their service consists of special synagogue rituals, including the Birkat Kohanim and Pidyon Haben (redemption of the first-born son).
Any Jew, whether he is a Cohen, Israelite or convert, may be ordained as a Rabbi provided that he has passed the qualifying examination for semicha.
I think Mr. or Ms. "Lewite" has invented his/her own religion which has little to do with ancient or traditional Judaism.
What is this "OLD Testament" of which you speak?
The Tanakh supports what I said about the tribes of the northern kingdom.
From all the tribes of Israel, those intent on seeking the LORD God of Israel followed them [the Levites] to Jerusalem, to sacrifice to the LORD God of their fathers. (2 Chronicles 11:16)
[Asa] assembled all the people of Judah and Benjamin and those people of Ephraim, Manasseh, and Simeon who sojourned among them, for many in Israel had thrown in their lot with them when they saw that the LORD his God was with him. (2 Chronicles 15:9)
2 Chronicles 30 describes remnants of the 10 northern tribes being invited to celebrate Passover in Jerusalem during the reign of Hezekiah. in 2 Chronicles 34, during the reign of Josiah,
They came to the high priest Hilkiah and delivered to him the silver brought to the House of God, which the Levites, the guards of the threshold, had collected from Manasseh and Ephraim and from all the remnant of Israel and from all Judah and Benjamin and the inhabitants of Jerusalem (2 Chronicles 34:9)
Lastly, from the Christian scriptures, it is worth noting that the prophetess Anna is reported to have been from the tribe of Asher, and Paul claims to be of the tribe of Benjamin.
Oh but Alouette, when Ezra and Nehemiah came to Jerusalem from Babylon to rebuild that temple they had no one of the tribe of Levi with them. They had to send back for a member of the tribe of Levi.
The 'priest' became lazy and allowed servants to do what was required of them to do. It is written.
Deuteronomy 16:18 ***Judges and officers*** shalt thou make thee in all thy gates, which the LORD thy God giveth thee, ***throughout thy tribes***: and they shall judge the people with just judgment.
and
Deuteronomy 17:8 If there arise a matter too hard for thee in judgment, between blood and blood, between plea and plea, and between stroke and stroke, being matters of controversy within thy gates: then shalt thou arise, and get thee up into the place which the LORD thy God shall choose;
17:9 And thou shalt come unto the priests the Levites, ***and unto the judge*** that shall be in those days, and enquire; and they shall shew thee the sentence of judgment:
17:10 And thou shalt do according to the sentence, which they of that place which the LORD shall choose shall shew thee; and thou shalt observe to do according to all that they inform thee:
17:11 According to the sentence of the law which they shall teach thee, and according to the judgment which they shall tell thee, thou shalt do: thou shalt not decline from the sentence which they shall shew thee, to the right hand, nor to the left.
17:12 And the man that will do presumptuously, and will not hearken unto the priest that standeth to minister there before the LORD thy God, ***or unto the judge***, even that man shall die: and thou shalt put away the evil from Israel.
bump for further discussion
Yes. As I said, "there were members of the 10 northern tribes who fled into Judah as well. So present-day Jews are really descended from all the original tribes, not just the tribe of Judah."
It is most likely that, after all these generations, they are all gentiles. Sure, there is the possibility that some could be halakhically Jewish (or 'Israelite', if you prefer) and not know it, but there is no way to know for certain. Which is why, when these cases have arisen, formal conversion has been the usual option.
Thanks for the info. I obviously have more reading to do!
The New Jerusalem/El-HEJERA Pilot Project - Summary
The Proposed Pilot Project will:
1. 1. Present the New Jerusalem Vision as feasible solution to the Jerusalem deadlock, beneficial to all parties. It will also introduce this Vision as the one practical means for peaceful realization of the future Temple.
2. 2. Promote the Plan as to elicit respectable interfaith endorsements.
3. 3. Prepare a respectable mass-appeal, probably over the Internet (e.g.: 144 million letters), with administration and website tools to launch and handle its responses.
4. 4. Draw a complete technical proposal for realizing the full virtual-Heavenly Jerusalem model for presentation to potential funding agencies.
5. 5. Make a Demo in Cyberspace, most likely as a multi-user game, of the (staged) operation of the Old City as "New Jerusalem"/Temple, with two key foci operative at this stage. (See section 5.4 below, more foci will be added gradually).
6. 6. Draw a concept for organization plan of the volunteer welfare work and the development agency – (e.g. "The HEJERA").
Costs: A budget of $22,000 will serve for investigating the application of "The New Jerusalem" concept for the Old City of Jerusalem and checking its viability (items 1-3 above). Another $40,000 will allow a minimal working WWW facility for administering the process of building the New Jerusalem constituency, for forming "cyber-pilgrimage" to Jerusalem as a universal Temple and for drawing a complete plan for the virtual New Jerusalem, with assessed costs and feasibility (items 4-6 above).
(Note: The submitted proposal included detailed specification of these tasks, which is not given here.)
Go to the overall New Jerusalem/El-HEJERA Project Summary
Go to the New Jerusalem/El-HEJERA Project Index
Back to TheHOPE Home Page
"It is most likely that, after all these generations, they are all gentiles. Sure, there is the possibility that some could be halakhically Jewish (or 'Israelite', if you prefer) and not know it, but there is no way to know for certain. Which is why, when these cases have arisen, formal conversion has been the usual option."
You see this is what your religion teaches you but it is contrary to what is Written. The Heavenly Father knows exactly where those children are and the blessing bestowed as promised to Abraham gives veracity to that promise.
Now we are told that Rebekah was told by the LORD "Two nations are in thy womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels; and the one people shall be stronger than the other people; and the elder shall serve the younger.
Esau was the older and he was destined to serve the younger Jacob/Israel.
Now I never ever hear those that claim the promise of Abraham or that land ever discuss their brother Esau, who he is of today. As a matter of fact the blessings and promises given to Abraham, Issac, Jacob/Israel, through those 12 will not fit in what is now called Israel.
I have heard the sacrificial implements are complete and awaiting Temple.
There are Orthodox Jews who would state otherwise.
Interesting, follow the blessings and protection!
P I N G!
Aside from that the title can come from the name of the country as Paul was a Roman citizen but was not a Roman.
And how would you know precisely what is Written? Can you read the original Scriptures in Hebrew and Aramaic or only some translation of another translation?
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