The Fortress Antonia

The platform we see today is the remaining foundation of the fortress Antonia. This is not just a tower - it is a very large Roman fortress looming over the temple.

There was one of the [high] priests, named Hyrcanus; and as there were many of that name, he was the first of them; this man built a tower near the temple, and when he had so done, he generally dwelt in it, and had these vestments with him, because it was lawful for him alone to put them on, and he had them there reposited when he went down into the city, and took his ordinary garments; the same things were continued to be done by his sons, and by their sons after them. But when Herod came to be king, he rebuilt this tower, which was very conveniently situated, in a magnificent manner; and because he was a friend to Antonius, he called it by the name of Antonia. Josephus (Antiquities 18.4.3)

Antonia, which was a fortress, as we have said already, which overlooked the temple. Josephus (Antiquities 20.5.3)

Antonia, which was a fortress that joined to the north part of the temple. It was, as I have already said, of old called the Citadel; but afterwards got the name of Antonia. Josephus (Wars 1.5.4)

The temple was a fortress that guarded the city, as was the tower of Antonia a guard to the temple; and in that tower [of Antonia] were the guards over all three [the city, the temple and the tower]. Josephus (Wars 5.5.8)

Not One Stone Upon Another

The platform that we call 'the Temple Mount' today is the foundation of the 'camp of the Romans', that is Fort Antonia. The Temple and the foundation of the Temple were both demolished completely:

And at His going out of the temple, on of His disciples said to Him “Teacher! Behold what manner of stones and what manner of buildings!” And answering, Yeshua said to him “Do you see these great buildings? There shall not be left one stone upon another that shall not be thrown down." Mark 13:2

"Where is this city that was believed to have God himself inhabiting therein? It is now demolished to the very foundations and has nothing left, except that monument preserved, I mean the camp of those that have destroyed it". Josephus (Wars 7.8.6) http://www.ccel.org/j/josephus/works/war-7.htm

Rivers of Living Waters

The True site of the Temple required a spring:

‘Then He brought me back to the door of the Temple and behold, water was issuing from below the threshold of the Temple toward the east (for the Temple faced east). The water was flowing down from below the south end of the threshold of the Temple, south of the altar.” Ezekiel 47:1

"The Temple resembled a citadel and had its own walls... it contained an inexhaustible spring." Publius Cornelius Tacitus 5.12

http://mcadams.posc.mu.edu/txt/ah/tacitus/TacitusHistory05.html

“Now the House looks towards the east and the back part to the west. The whole site is paved with stone and has slopes towards the proper places for the influx of the waters for the purpose of washing away the blood from the sacrifices - for many myriads of cattle were offered on the several feast-days. And there is an inexhaustible supply of water as would be expected from an abundant spring, gushing up naturally from within [the House].” Preparation for the Gospel, Eusebius pg 482
https://books.google.com/books?id=yNRKAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA482

The City of David

The ‘Temple Mount’ platform (Fort Antonia) has only cisterns and no natural springs, nor evidence of one ever existing there. The ‘abundant spring’ is the Gihon, in the city of David, south of the platform.

And David made him houses in the city of David and prepared a place for the Ark of God and pitched a tent for it. 1 Chronicles 15:1

So they brought the ark of God and set it in the midst of the tent that David had pitched for it and they offered burnt sacrifices and peace offerings before God. 1 Chronicles 16:1

And the king [David] said to them ‘Take with you the servants of your lord and cause my son Solomon to ride on my own mule and cause him to go down unto Gihon and let Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint him there king over Israel and blow with a trumpet and say ‘Live King Solomon!’ 1 Kings 1:33-34

“And they cause Solomon to ride on the mule of king David and cause him to go unto Gihon and Zadok the priest took the horn of oil out of the tent and anoints Solomon and they blow with a trumpet and all the people say ‘Live King Solomon!’ 1 Kings 1:38-39

The Temple of Solomon

The Temple was built higher up the mountain from the Gihon outlet, and the Temple continued to receive living water from the source of the Gihon.

Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel and all the heads of the tribes, princes of the fathers of the sons of Israel, unto king Solomon, to Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of the covenant of Yahweh from the city of David - Zion. And all the elders of Israel came and the priests lift up the Ark and bring up the Ark of YHVH and the tent of meeting and all the holy vessels that are in the tent, these the priests and Levites bring up. And the priests bring in the Ark of the covenant of YHVH unto his place, unto the oracle of the house, unto the Holy of Holies. 1 Kings 8:1,3-4,6

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Benjamin Turner: God fearer. Rooted in Messiah. Husband of @lturner. Father of FIVE wonderful children. The guy behind the camera. Steemit enthusiast.

Bless the Most High!

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