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Temple: Amazing New Discoveries that Change Everything About the Location of Solomom's Temple
In a book that is being heralded as "an investigative maserpiece" with "astounding archaeological and prophetic implications," TEMPLE: Amazing New Discoveries That Change Everything About the Location of Solomon's Temple, by Robert Cornuke, is sending shockwaves through the Jewish, Muslim, and Christian worlds.
Can you imagine the upheaval in political and religious thinking if the Temple Mount in Jerusalem is not the site of Solomon's and Herod's temples? And what if the stones of the Wailing Wall are not what tradition says? In this highly-researched, exciting book, the author proposes from current archaeological excavations and Scriptural corroboration that the true temple location is not where tradition teaches. This is must reading for anyone who wants to fit together the pieces of biblical records, current geo-polotics, and prophecy.
Says the author, "Let the adventure begin as we now take the Bible in one hand and a shovel in the other and dig up some long-lost buried bones of biblical history. Along the way we will walk unknown passageways, known only to the prophets of old, as we search for the true location of the lost temples of Solomon and Herod. We will also lift a candle into the dim recesses of history and uncover secrets about the Ark of the Covenant and the gold Mercy Seat's prophetic obligation as it relates to the future Millennial temple."
Can you imagine the upheaval in political and religious thinking if the Temple Mount in Jerusalem is not the site of Solomon's and Herod's temples? And what if the stones of the Wailing Wall are not what tradition says? In this highly-researched, exciting book, the author proposes from current archaeological excavations and Scriptural corroboration that the true temple location is not where tradition teaches. This is must reading for anyone who wants to fit together the pieces of biblical records, current geo-polotics, and prophecy.
Says the author, "Let the adventure begin as we now take the Bible in one hand and a shovel in the other and dig up some long-lost buried bones of biblical history. Along the way we will walk unknown passageways, known only to the prophets of old, as we search for the true location of the lost temples of Solomon and Herod. We will also lift a candle into the dim recesses of history and uncover secrets about the Ark of the Covenant and the gold Mercy Seat's prophetic obligation as it relates to the future Millennial temple."
261 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 30, 2014
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September 21, 2016
I have a lot of strong feelings about this book, both positive and negative.
First, the positive. TEMPLE is the closest thing to a scholarly work that Bob Cornuke has yet produced. In his previous books, Cornuke spent as much time detailing his exotic adventures as he did explaining his theories. The books always ended up being highly entertaining and broadly appealing, but Cornuke's breezy writing style and haphazard way of presenting evidence made these books easy for critics to dismiss.
TEMPLE mostly does away with the adventure element (whether as a stylistic choice, or because nothing particularly adventurous happened during its preparation, I have no idea) and instead puts a greater focus on mustering a well-reasoned argument: in this case, that the traditionally recognized site of the holy temple in Jerusalem is, in all actuality, the ruins of an old Roman fort. It is an idea that initially sounds patently absurd, but Cornuke makes a compelling case. Am I thoroughly convinced he's right? No, not by a long shot, but it's a very interesting theory, and I wouldn't be too surprised if he ends up totally validated someday. For now, though, I'm on the fence--mostly because the arguments for and against Cornuke's theory get extremely technical, and you'd have to be an expert in both Biblical history and Hebrew semantics to properly weigh the evidence. Personally-speaking, such things are way out of my league.
Still, it's all pretty fascinating, and I'd recommend you check out the book and judge for yourself. Even if you don't buy into its premise, TEMPLE still has a lot to offer in terms of analyzing Israel's prior history and role in Bible prophecy.
OK, now for the negatives. One thing that bugs me about Cornuke is his inconsistency in giving credit where credit is due. For the most part, TEMPLE is a re-packaging of ideas previously presented in Ernest L. Martin's book THE TEMPLES THAT JERUSALEM FORGOT. (And the chapters relating to the Ark of the Covenant are heavily indebted to Graham Hancock's SIGN AND THE SEAL.) I wasn't able to pick up a copy of Martin's book (it's long out of print and sells for about $50 bucks on Amazon), but, judging from what others have written about it, Cornuke's main arguments, as well as the vast majority of quotes he uses from Scripture and various historians, were all lifted directly from this book. That wouldn't be such a big deal, except the impression Cornuke gives in TEMPLE is that he came up with most of this stuff on his own, thanks to his acute skills as a former police investigator. (Want to play a Christian drinking game? Get a hold of any of Cornuke's books or documentaries and then take a shot every time he refers to his police investigator past.)
In all fairness, Cornuke does mention Martin both in the Introduction and in the Acknowledgements sections (which few people read), saying vaguely that the book "would not have been possible" without him. And, of course, Martin's name is scattered throughout the footnotes (which absolutely no one reads). Hancock gets a single mention in the Acknowledgements. So, technically, Cornuke has his bases covered. But he leaves it completely up to the reader to determine where Martin and Hancock's research ends and his own begins. Most people mistakenly attribute the lion's share of the work to Cornuke, then write reviews praising him for his brilliance and original thinking, when all he really did was piggyback on other people's efforts.
I don't mean to sound overly harsh. In many of his documentaries and interviews, Cornuke is quick to mention the people whose work laid the foundation for his research. But, for whatever reason, they are mostly ignored in his books. Also ignored in TEMPLE is any evidence that doesn't support his theory. Cornuke acts like the only way anyone could disagree with him is because they are shackled to tradition. In actuality, there are some well-reasoned arguments in favor of the Temple Mount location--arguments that Cornuke doesn't bother to address.
Another minor irritation is that Cornuke always takes sole credit for the writing of his books, including the ones that have his co-author's name clearly embossed on the cover beneath his own (And, in the literary world, the less well-known "co-author" is usually the one who did the majority of the writing). In an interview where Chuck Missler complimented him on his wonderful writing skill, Cornuke simply replied that it was probably all thanks to his former career as a police investigator and the mountains of reports he had to write.
It all just seems a bit self-serving to me.
I have no evidence TEMPLE was ghost written, but, if it wasn't, that would surprise me more than learning the Jewish holy temple wasn't located on the Temple Mount.
However, I'm not saying Cornuke didn't contribute any new ideas to this book. There is one recent archaeological find that he's probably the first one to document, and plenty of other little details that seem the result of his own original research. But, in my humble opinion, you would probably be better off just getting THE TEMPLES THAT JERUSALEM FORGOT (if you can afford it), because Cornuke's contributions don't seemingly add all that much to the original argument. Furthermore, I admire the way that Ernest L. Martin was able to fire back at his critics, whereas Cornuke seems gun-shy about responding to criticism or engaging in any sort of public debate. Every interview I can find with Cornuke is conducted by people who whole-heartedly agree with him.
Still, Cornuke serves a valuable purpose by popularizing interesting ideas that might otherwise be overlooked by the public-at-large. His work encourages and excites people to study their Bibles more closely and reflect more deeply on the things of God. Unfortunately, his ultra-casual writing style and tendency to preach to the choir does little to further the reputation of Biblical archaeology as a legitimate field of study outside the church.
In many ways, TEMPLE is better-written than Cornuke's previous books. But the editing is worse. The book is poorly organized, resulting in tons of repetition--which is surprising, because the book is pretty short to begin with. In addition to the occasional typo, certain words are misused, like "incredulously" instead of "incredibly," as well as several other examples. (Also, he uses "legend" in multiple locations as a past-tense verb similar in meaning to "rumored." Is that a real thing, and somehow I just never heard about it?). Again, this sort of stuff may sound nit-picky, but TEMPLE is touted as the sort of book that can potentially send shock waves throughout the world. If so, it ought to be as well-produced as possible.
Update: Here's a link to an interesting article written in response to Cornuke's detractors. It's good to see someone finally mounting an able defense, seeing as how Cornuke seems strangely disinterested in doing the defending himself.
http://williamwelty.com/docs/Welty--I...
First, the positive. TEMPLE is the closest thing to a scholarly work that Bob Cornuke has yet produced. In his previous books, Cornuke spent as much time detailing his exotic adventures as he did explaining his theories. The books always ended up being highly entertaining and broadly appealing, but Cornuke's breezy writing style and haphazard way of presenting evidence made these books easy for critics to dismiss.
TEMPLE mostly does away with the adventure element (whether as a stylistic choice, or because nothing particularly adventurous happened during its preparation, I have no idea) and instead puts a greater focus on mustering a well-reasoned argument: in this case, that the traditionally recognized site of the holy temple in Jerusalem is, in all actuality, the ruins of an old Roman fort. It is an idea that initially sounds patently absurd, but Cornuke makes a compelling case. Am I thoroughly convinced he's right? No, not by a long shot, but it's a very interesting theory, and I wouldn't be too surprised if he ends up totally validated someday. For now, though, I'm on the fence--mostly because the arguments for and against Cornuke's theory get extremely technical, and you'd have to be an expert in both Biblical history and Hebrew semantics to properly weigh the evidence. Personally-speaking, such things are way out of my league.
Still, it's all pretty fascinating, and I'd recommend you check out the book and judge for yourself. Even if you don't buy into its premise, TEMPLE still has a lot to offer in terms of analyzing Israel's prior history and role in Bible prophecy.
OK, now for the negatives. One thing that bugs me about Cornuke is his inconsistency in giving credit where credit is due. For the most part, TEMPLE is a re-packaging of ideas previously presented in Ernest L. Martin's book THE TEMPLES THAT JERUSALEM FORGOT. (And the chapters relating to the Ark of the Covenant are heavily indebted to Graham Hancock's SIGN AND THE SEAL.) I wasn't able to pick up a copy of Martin's book (it's long out of print and sells for about $50 bucks on Amazon), but, judging from what others have written about it, Cornuke's main arguments, as well as the vast majority of quotes he uses from Scripture and various historians, were all lifted directly from this book. That wouldn't be such a big deal, except the impression Cornuke gives in TEMPLE is that he came up with most of this stuff on his own, thanks to his acute skills as a former police investigator. (Want to play a Christian drinking game? Get a hold of any of Cornuke's books or documentaries and then take a shot every time he refers to his police investigator past.)
In all fairness, Cornuke does mention Martin both in the Introduction and in the Acknowledgements sections (which few people read), saying vaguely that the book "would not have been possible" without him. And, of course, Martin's name is scattered throughout the footnotes (which absolutely no one reads). Hancock gets a single mention in the Acknowledgements. So, technically, Cornuke has his bases covered. But he leaves it completely up to the reader to determine where Martin and Hancock's research ends and his own begins. Most people mistakenly attribute the lion's share of the work to Cornuke, then write reviews praising him for his brilliance and original thinking, when all he really did was piggyback on other people's efforts.
I don't mean to sound overly harsh. In many of his documentaries and interviews, Cornuke is quick to mention the people whose work laid the foundation for his research. But, for whatever reason, they are mostly ignored in his books. Also ignored in TEMPLE is any evidence that doesn't support his theory. Cornuke acts like the only way anyone could disagree with him is because they are shackled to tradition. In actuality, there are some well-reasoned arguments in favor of the Temple Mount location--arguments that Cornuke doesn't bother to address.
Another minor irritation is that Cornuke always takes sole credit for the writing of his books, including the ones that have his co-author's name clearly embossed on the cover beneath his own (And, in the literary world, the less well-known "co-author" is usually the one who did the majority of the writing). In an interview where Chuck Missler complimented him on his wonderful writing skill, Cornuke simply replied that it was probably all thanks to his former career as a police investigator and the mountains of reports he had to write.
It all just seems a bit self-serving to me.
I have no evidence TEMPLE was ghost written, but, if it wasn't, that would surprise me more than learning the Jewish holy temple wasn't located on the Temple Mount.
However, I'm not saying Cornuke didn't contribute any new ideas to this book. There is one recent archaeological find that he's probably the first one to document, and plenty of other little details that seem the result of his own original research. But, in my humble opinion, you would probably be better off just getting THE TEMPLES THAT JERUSALEM FORGOT (if you can afford it), because Cornuke's contributions don't seemingly add all that much to the original argument. Furthermore, I admire the way that Ernest L. Martin was able to fire back at his critics, whereas Cornuke seems gun-shy about responding to criticism or engaging in any sort of public debate. Every interview I can find with Cornuke is conducted by people who whole-heartedly agree with him.
Still, Cornuke serves a valuable purpose by popularizing interesting ideas that might otherwise be overlooked by the public-at-large. His work encourages and excites people to study their Bibles more closely and reflect more deeply on the things of God. Unfortunately, his ultra-casual writing style and tendency to preach to the choir does little to further the reputation of Biblical archaeology as a legitimate field of study outside the church.
In many ways, TEMPLE is better-written than Cornuke's previous books. But the editing is worse. The book is poorly organized, resulting in tons of repetition--which is surprising, because the book is pretty short to begin with. In addition to the occasional typo, certain words are misused, like "incredulously" instead of "incredibly," as well as several other examples. (Also, he uses "legend" in multiple locations as a past-tense verb similar in meaning to "rumored." Is that a real thing, and somehow I just never heard about it?). Again, this sort of stuff may sound nit-picky, but TEMPLE is touted as the sort of book that can potentially send shock waves throughout the world. If so, it ought to be as well-produced as possible.
Update: Here's a link to an interesting article written in response to Cornuke's detractors. It's good to see someone finally mounting an able defense, seeing as how Cornuke seems strangely disinterested in doing the defending himself.
http://williamwelty.com/docs/Welty--I...
March 19, 2015
I took my time with this book because I wanted to be able to evaluate it accurately. The thesis is, after all, that Solomon's (and Herod's) temple weren't where we think they were, that what is traditionally called "Temple Mount" is really the historical location of a Roman Fort called Antonia, home to the tenth legion. One can understand why I wouldn't consider this light reading, despite the easy manner in which it is written.
As a (very) minor Bible scholar, I was enthused with the thesis of the book. As with most books I read openly, I desire the thesis to be true and try to examine the data from as many different angles as I can. Hence my several copies of Josephus' works (and others which are perhaps more arcane,)were getting close examination because they were often used as references. What is that old line my father used to say when he took me to ball games? "You can't tell the players without a program!" He said it in this funny voice which still makes me laugh. Anyway....
Upon consideration, I think the best part of this book is that it isn't written by a Bible scholar per se... and in saying that I mean no disrespect. The author admits in interviews that what allowed him the ability to follow the trail was his experience in investigation of criminal activities. Indeed, Cornuke puts together a string of evidence which, while perhaps not absolute as TV forensics would have it, seems to me to be an extremely strong argument for his thesis. I give this book 5 stars because it impresses me with its considerable care to detail. I must have followed a dozen maps of Jerusalem including topographical, to check and recheck the data which he presented. Insofar as the conversations with experts in the field are concerned and the existence of several tunnels, (although he includes some remarkable pictures of rooms apparently beneath the original temples,) I have to take his word for it: I haven't seen them myself, but I have little doubt that this fits into the data which I have gleaned in my studies of the archaeological digs in the area.
All is not perfect, however. Cornuke adds, near the end of the book several different synopses of different subject matters, issues which he has written about and studied at length. One of them pertains to the Ark of the Covenant. Cornuke maintains that it exists now in Ethiopia, something which has been claimed now for years. However, I find his argument lacking on this point where he claims that Neco, Pharaoh of Egypt, was instrumental in moving it to Ethiopia for safekeeping. While I am aware of what appears to be the Ark of the Covenant in Ethiopia, I am not convinced of the possibility of the path it would have taken at that particular time. I also believe that, even during the reign of bad kings, there would have been faithful priests who would have fought to protect it and keep it in Israel. I place more faith in Jeremiah and 2 Maccabees 2:4-10. In addition several priests have secretly claimed to have seen it and I suspect that it is hidden in the caves of Jerusalem. Admittedly, I have no real evidence for the latter statement.
One can read this book in various ways as it is an easy read, at least insofar as one is not stopping to check the data which the author cites. I don't think there is any value in reading this kind of book without understanding the value of the quotes, but that's my opinion. In summary, the most important outcome of Cornuke's thesis is that the area which he maintains contains the old temples' ruins is completely under Jewish control. That means that there would be no discussion of knocking down the Dome of the Rock to build it. I am not suggesting that it would be the easiest thing to accomplish, (and overcoming the traditional view of the temple mount will be considerable,) being able to build the third temple has just had a very difficult hurdle removed. God seems to have a wicked sense of humor about all of this.
As a (very) minor Bible scholar, I was enthused with the thesis of the book. As with most books I read openly, I desire the thesis to be true and try to examine the data from as many different angles as I can. Hence my several copies of Josephus' works (and others which are perhaps more arcane,)were getting close examination because they were often used as references. What is that old line my father used to say when he took me to ball games? "You can't tell the players without a program!" He said it in this funny voice which still makes me laugh. Anyway....
Upon consideration, I think the best part of this book is that it isn't written by a Bible scholar per se... and in saying that I mean no disrespect. The author admits in interviews that what allowed him the ability to follow the trail was his experience in investigation of criminal activities. Indeed, Cornuke puts together a string of evidence which, while perhaps not absolute as TV forensics would have it, seems to me to be an extremely strong argument for his thesis. I give this book 5 stars because it impresses me with its considerable care to detail. I must have followed a dozen maps of Jerusalem including topographical, to check and recheck the data which he presented. Insofar as the conversations with experts in the field are concerned and the existence of several tunnels, (although he includes some remarkable pictures of rooms apparently beneath the original temples,) I have to take his word for it: I haven't seen them myself, but I have little doubt that this fits into the data which I have gleaned in my studies of the archaeological digs in the area.
All is not perfect, however. Cornuke adds, near the end of the book several different synopses of different subject matters, issues which he has written about and studied at length. One of them pertains to the Ark of the Covenant. Cornuke maintains that it exists now in Ethiopia, something which has been claimed now for years. However, I find his argument lacking on this point where he claims that Neco, Pharaoh of Egypt, was instrumental in moving it to Ethiopia for safekeeping. While I am aware of what appears to be the Ark of the Covenant in Ethiopia, I am not convinced of the possibility of the path it would have taken at that particular time. I also believe that, even during the reign of bad kings, there would have been faithful priests who would have fought to protect it and keep it in Israel. I place more faith in Jeremiah and 2 Maccabees 2:4-10. In addition several priests have secretly claimed to have seen it and I suspect that it is hidden in the caves of Jerusalem. Admittedly, I have no real evidence for the latter statement.
One can read this book in various ways as it is an easy read, at least insofar as one is not stopping to check the data which the author cites. I don't think there is any value in reading this kind of book without understanding the value of the quotes, but that's my opinion. In summary, the most important outcome of Cornuke's thesis is that the area which he maintains contains the old temples' ruins is completely under Jewish control. That means that there would be no discussion of knocking down the Dome of the Rock to build it. I am not suggesting that it would be the easiest thing to accomplish, (and overcoming the traditional view of the temple mount will be considerable,) being able to build the third temple has just had a very difficult hurdle removed. God seems to have a wicked sense of humor about all of this.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 13, 2015
An Amazingly Plausible Temple Alternative
I am not Jewish, and don't know how that would affect my opinion here. I am so enthusiastic about an option that would allow Jews to rebuild their temple without the total destruction of the mosque sitting on the temple mount, and Mr. Cornuke has certainly presented that possibility here. I took time to find and read some of the scriptures he quotes and he has certainly presented a strong case for an alternative temple location. It's not the first case for an alternate temple location I've read, but certainly the strongest. There was perhaps just a little too much defensive information presented toward the end but I was most certainly able to overlook that,considering the entrenched traditions he was challenging. From a non- scholarly and novice archaeological point of view I give it the highest rating.
I am not Jewish, and don't know how that would affect my opinion here. I am so enthusiastic about an option that would allow Jews to rebuild their temple without the total destruction of the mosque sitting on the temple mount, and Mr. Cornuke has certainly presented that possibility here. I took time to find and read some of the scriptures he quotes and he has certainly presented a strong case for an alternative temple location. It's not the first case for an alternate temple location I've read, but certainly the strongest. There was perhaps just a little too much defensive information presented toward the end but I was most certainly able to overlook that,considering the entrenched traditions he was challenging. From a non- scholarly and novice archaeological point of view I give it the highest rating.
April 6, 2024
IS TEMPLE MOUNT NOT THE LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE? IS THE ARK IN ETHIOPIA?
Author Robert Cornuke wrote in the Introduction to this 2014 book, “The Temple Mount is considered to be the most holy site of the Jews… Even though the Temple Mount is in the middle of Israel it is also solely in the administrative control of Muslims due to some complex political posturing. This is the awkward quandary for the Jews who desperately want to take control, as well as rebuild their temple there… It may be surprising to some, but in the fourth century, people were trying to find the lost sites of the former temples of Solomon and Herod. They simply did not know where the temple sites were placed. In 70 AD the temple was completely and utterly uprooted by the Romans… so much so that no one could even tell that the building had ever existed. So, in the next 300 years… people were not sure where the correct location of the temple was… I have always thought that the location of the temple of Solomon had been proven… But, I began to become doubtful of the traditional view after Dr. Paul Feinberg alerted me to the revolutionary work of the late archaeologist … Dr. Ernest L. Martin.” (Pg. 9-10)
He states, “in the fourth century people did not even know for sure where the temples were located. Today… we THINK we know with absolute surety… But do we really know for sure?... I have come to believe that the greatest archaeological blunder of all time has occurred in Jerusalem, and that this error is the mistaken placement of the temple location on the Temple Mount.” (Pg. 35)
He notes “In the case of the famed Jewish historian Flavius Josephus… he has been accused of being … a poor historian concerning his writings as to where the temple is located… I believe the reason he is criticized concerning the temple location is because he goes against the traditional placement of the Dome of the Rock/Temple Mount… So, is Josephus wrong, or are we… Are we being guided by tradition as opposed to an actual eyewitness (Josephus) who was there at the time of the temple destruction?... I believe Josephus was speaking of a completely different area than the Haram/Temple Mount platform…” (Pg. 46)
He asks, “Today, Jews face strict opposition by the Muslims to rebuild the temple on their sacred place of the Dome of the Rock. But what if the Jews were free to build their temple at another location?” (Pg. 63)
He reports, “The idea of the Temple Mount (traditional site that we have today) was not unanimously accepted as the final designation of the temple placement until around 1169. It was then that Benjamin Tudela proclaimed emphatically that … the traditional Temple Mount platform was to be forevermore the proper placement of Solomon’s temple.” (Pg. 71)
He argues, “The question has been raised over and over again: how was it possible to forget the location of the temple? Well, we did. And here are the reasons. The Jews were removed from the land of Israel for very long periods of time… For 725 long years there were no scholars to speak of and no religious authorities having open access to the temple area. Any serious investigation was abandoned and, in time, anything that stagnates dies and is eventually erases from memory. In addition, far too many eyewitnesses worthy of notation were slaughtered by the \Romans leaving untold messages from the past precariously forgotten.” (Pg. 103)
He notes, “This is no blemish on Jews who bow and pray daily at the Western Wailing Wall… And since I am an imperfect man trying to find truth in an imperfect world, maybe it is I who has erred in my opinions. But, when I use the perfect source of the Bible, and it is telling me over and over again that the temple has to be in the City of David, and that it has to be in the stronghold of Zion, then astute and committed attention needs to be adhered to and the distracting pull of traditions inherently ignored.” (Pg. 138)
He recounts, “What I am about to share is a synopsis of my many years of research in Ethiopia searching for the ark. If it has somehow survived to this day, I feel the Ark of the Covenant is of incalculable importance for what lies ahead. I believe that beyond all counterintuitive reasoning that the ark/mercy seat may be intact, and that it could be a cornerstone of prophetic relevancy including how it fits into the new temple location. The research on the theory presented here is that the Ark of the Covenant has possibly survived and is in Ethiopia…” (Pg. 157)
He continues, “Ethiopians maintain that no one will ever see what they insist is the Ark of the Covenant. They say that what is in their care is so holy that only one man---the Guardian of the Ark---0is worthy of even seeing it. The guardian is… assigned to spend his entire like in worshipful solitude, worshiping and protecting the ark.” (Pg. 177)
He concludes, “So, is the ark in Ethiopia, do we have the real proof? The end of the matter is simply this: if what lies in Axum is the true ark, then God’s protective hand is upon it. It will not be moved, seen, or touched before its time. God will do what God will do, directing events for His own pleasure, at His own discretion, to His own ends---sometimes in cooperation with, but usually in spite of, what humans think or do.” (Pg. 179)
This book will interest Christians studying such speculative topics.
Author Robert Cornuke wrote in the Introduction to this 2014 book, “The Temple Mount is considered to be the most holy site of the Jews… Even though the Temple Mount is in the middle of Israel it is also solely in the administrative control of Muslims due to some complex political posturing. This is the awkward quandary for the Jews who desperately want to take control, as well as rebuild their temple there… It may be surprising to some, but in the fourth century, people were trying to find the lost sites of the former temples of Solomon and Herod. They simply did not know where the temple sites were placed. In 70 AD the temple was completely and utterly uprooted by the Romans… so much so that no one could even tell that the building had ever existed. So, in the next 300 years… people were not sure where the correct location of the temple was… I have always thought that the location of the temple of Solomon had been proven… But, I began to become doubtful of the traditional view after Dr. Paul Feinberg alerted me to the revolutionary work of the late archaeologist … Dr. Ernest L. Martin.” (Pg. 9-10)
He states, “in the fourth century people did not even know for sure where the temples were located. Today… we THINK we know with absolute surety… But do we really know for sure?... I have come to believe that the greatest archaeological blunder of all time has occurred in Jerusalem, and that this error is the mistaken placement of the temple location on the Temple Mount.” (Pg. 35)
He notes “In the case of the famed Jewish historian Flavius Josephus… he has been accused of being … a poor historian concerning his writings as to where the temple is located… I believe the reason he is criticized concerning the temple location is because he goes against the traditional placement of the Dome of the Rock/Temple Mount… So, is Josephus wrong, or are we… Are we being guided by tradition as opposed to an actual eyewitness (Josephus) who was there at the time of the temple destruction?... I believe Josephus was speaking of a completely different area than the Haram/Temple Mount platform…” (Pg. 46)
He asks, “Today, Jews face strict opposition by the Muslims to rebuild the temple on their sacred place of the Dome of the Rock. But what if the Jews were free to build their temple at another location?” (Pg. 63)
He reports, “The idea of the Temple Mount (traditional site that we have today) was not unanimously accepted as the final designation of the temple placement until around 1169. It was then that Benjamin Tudela proclaimed emphatically that … the traditional Temple Mount platform was to be forevermore the proper placement of Solomon’s temple.” (Pg. 71)
He argues, “The question has been raised over and over again: how was it possible to forget the location of the temple? Well, we did. And here are the reasons. The Jews were removed from the land of Israel for very long periods of time… For 725 long years there were no scholars to speak of and no religious authorities having open access to the temple area. Any serious investigation was abandoned and, in time, anything that stagnates dies and is eventually erases from memory. In addition, far too many eyewitnesses worthy of notation were slaughtered by the \Romans leaving untold messages from the past precariously forgotten.” (Pg. 103)
He notes, “This is no blemish on Jews who bow and pray daily at the Western Wailing Wall… And since I am an imperfect man trying to find truth in an imperfect world, maybe it is I who has erred in my opinions. But, when I use the perfect source of the Bible, and it is telling me over and over again that the temple has to be in the City of David, and that it has to be in the stronghold of Zion, then astute and committed attention needs to be adhered to and the distracting pull of traditions inherently ignored.” (Pg. 138)
He recounts, “What I am about to share is a synopsis of my many years of research in Ethiopia searching for the ark. If it has somehow survived to this day, I feel the Ark of the Covenant is of incalculable importance for what lies ahead. I believe that beyond all counterintuitive reasoning that the ark/mercy seat may be intact, and that it could be a cornerstone of prophetic relevancy including how it fits into the new temple location. The research on the theory presented here is that the Ark of the Covenant has possibly survived and is in Ethiopia…” (Pg. 157)
He continues, “Ethiopians maintain that no one will ever see what they insist is the Ark of the Covenant. They say that what is in their care is so holy that only one man---the Guardian of the Ark---0is worthy of even seeing it. The guardian is… assigned to spend his entire like in worshipful solitude, worshiping and protecting the ark.” (Pg. 177)
He concludes, “So, is the ark in Ethiopia, do we have the real proof? The end of the matter is simply this: if what lies in Axum is the true ark, then God’s protective hand is upon it. It will not be moved, seen, or touched before its time. God will do what God will do, directing events for His own pleasure, at His own discretion, to His own ends---sometimes in cooperation with, but usually in spite of, what humans think or do.” (Pg. 179)
This book will interest Christians studying such speculative topics.
October 27, 2025
It was slow to get into, but once he started talking about his experiences and the evidence he saw and read from the Bible it got really interesting for me and was well worth it. I suppose we will never really know anything, until we meet God, but he backs up his claims with a lot of good evidence. Either way it’s fascinating to think about!
September 19, 2017
A fresh look and a new point of view for those with open minds. It challenges the conventional thinking about location of the temple of Solomon and how, if we correct our orientation, we can resolve the conflict in the middle east.
November 4, 2017
I am glad that I read this book
This is one book that makes complete sense. I feel that Mr Cornuke has presented a strong evidence as to the location of the true temple of G-d. Well done.
This is one book that makes complete sense. I feel that Mr Cornuke has presented a strong evidence as to the location of the true temple of G-d. Well done.
November 1, 2017
This was a book club pick. I found it very interesting and believable.
July 16, 2023
Very interesting!
September 29, 2024
Good read
August 29, 2016
This has been one of the best books I’ve ever read. I don’t want to even qualify that statement. Rarely have I ever read anything which had so many new insights waiting for me on every leaf. Robert Cornuke has written books of similar nature in the past, but the edge-of-your-seat narrative element is scaled back enough to be a good icing for his reams of facts, theories and quotations of scripture and ancient documents. And that’s because the case he makes is that strong. It doesn’t contradict itself. To support the massive ‘Temple Mount’ location where the decrepit Wailing Wall stands stands and atop which the profane Dome of the Rock now stands is to support tradition rather than the plain words of the Bible, the prophecy of Yeshua (that the Miqdash would be so completely demolished, no visible sign of it having been there will remain; of course Judaism didn’t think much of that) and a very consistent and persuasive set of arguments all pointing in the same direction, drawn from many archeological, eye-witness and historical documented sources. To support the long-held traditional location, located just north of the correct location and larger than the entire ancient City of David, we literally have only tradition, whereas we have overwhelming evidence to side with Cornuke. You’ll be amazed how ardently Jews and even Christians, and yes, also scholars with careers on the line, continue to keep only the ‘Temple Mount’ location in view, even though the whole idea of it having been the actual temple location is flawed and encourages fuzzy thought. That the Jewish population of Jerusalem (minuscule as it has been in some periods) has been praying toward the military fort of occupation of their ancient Roman oppressors, not to mention the al-Aqsa mosque of those who want to suicide-bomb them and wipe them from memory, for well over 1000 years, is not without an enormous one-two punch of irony.
But the irony gets worse when you understand that, in current events, a segment of Orthodox Judaism in Israel associated with the Temple Institute and Sanhedrin revivalist effort, wants to see the Temple rebuilt in their lifetimes and is making many advances, including recent displays and rehearsals of ritual and supposed ‘prophecy’ from Qabalists. They’ve drastically deformed the traditional expectations of the divine Mashiakh, not actually caring anymore if he fulfills the Biblical prophecies or is even proven a descendant of King David, as long as he can negotiate peace treaties with the Muslims enough to miraculously get the Temple Mount site leveled, and get the rebuilding of the Temple under way. Of course this endeavour is rather impious, even if it wears a long beard and bekishe. In essence, they are willing to support “AntiChrist” as long as they get the temporal peace and stability, and Temple worship, that they want.
The book also convinced me that the Ark of the Covenant survives today and is being held under the utmost guardianship in the venerable village of Axum in Ethiopia, watched over by a single holy monastic man consecrated to that purpose who literally does not have any other dealings or locations to live. If there is any chance that the Ark survives after all these millennia, this has to be where it is, not for the world to see until the appointed time. The Bible even prophesies that the gift (singular) will come from Cush (modern Ethiopia) to Zion, to Jerusalem. Zion is not the so-called temple mount, Zion is in the City of David as the Bible says. This is all prophetic, and it cuts through nation and denomination.
This book is as exciting and inspirational and informational as it is frightening. You realize that it’s really going on, and that your Netflix queue has no supernal value. Though Robert Cornuke never says it in this book, the restoration of good things is certainly everything to do with Torah.
But the irony gets worse when you understand that, in current events, a segment of Orthodox Judaism in Israel associated with the Temple Institute and Sanhedrin revivalist effort, wants to see the Temple rebuilt in their lifetimes and is making many advances, including recent displays and rehearsals of ritual and supposed ‘prophecy’ from Qabalists. They’ve drastically deformed the traditional expectations of the divine Mashiakh, not actually caring anymore if he fulfills the Biblical prophecies or is even proven a descendant of King David, as long as he can negotiate peace treaties with the Muslims enough to miraculously get the Temple Mount site leveled, and get the rebuilding of the Temple under way. Of course this endeavour is rather impious, even if it wears a long beard and bekishe. In essence, they are willing to support “AntiChrist” as long as they get the temporal peace and stability, and Temple worship, that they want.
The book also convinced me that the Ark of the Covenant survives today and is being held under the utmost guardianship in the venerable village of Axum in Ethiopia, watched over by a single holy monastic man consecrated to that purpose who literally does not have any other dealings or locations to live. If there is any chance that the Ark survives after all these millennia, this has to be where it is, not for the world to see until the appointed time. The Bible even prophesies that the gift (singular) will come from Cush (modern Ethiopia) to Zion, to Jerusalem. Zion is not the so-called temple mount, Zion is in the City of David as the Bible says. This is all prophetic, and it cuts through nation and denomination.
This book is as exciting and inspirational and informational as it is frightening. You realize that it’s really going on, and that your Netflix queue has no supernal value. Though Robert Cornuke never says it in this book, the restoration of good things is certainly everything to do with Torah.
April 25, 2015
An Excellent Book!
I have a love for Biblical truth and knowledge.
In my search for truth, I have discovered along the way that a great deal that we have been told is indeed nothing more than layers of deception that are blessed and embraced by our man-made traditions. However, for those who seek for truth, I believe the living God provides us with glorious revelation! It is imperative that we prayerfully read and study the Bible, because it is our source of truth. We must look to the whole council of the Word of God for understanding.
I must say, I believe Mr. Cornuke has done just that. From cover to cover, this book is a treasure! It literally brought me joy to read it! I feel like a major piece of Biblical truth has been revealed! And I hope both Jew and Christian will read this, with eyes wide opened, while there is still time.
I have a love for Biblical truth and knowledge.
In my search for truth, I have discovered along the way that a great deal that we have been told is indeed nothing more than layers of deception that are blessed and embraced by our man-made traditions. However, for those who seek for truth, I believe the living God provides us with glorious revelation! It is imperative that we prayerfully read and study the Bible, because it is our source of truth. We must look to the whole council of the Word of God for understanding.
I must say, I believe Mr. Cornuke has done just that. From cover to cover, this book is a treasure! It literally brought me joy to read it! I feel like a major piece of Biblical truth has been revealed! And I hope both Jew and Christian will read this, with eyes wide opened, while there is still time.
September 29, 2016
A book of astounding geopolitical importance. Proof again that archeology proves the Bible deadly accurate, correct even to the tense, spaces, punctuation and whether or not a word is singular or plural. Supported by dozens of scriptural verses. Proof that the Bible was written by God through the hand of man from beyond our time and space domain, as so eloquently described by Dr. Chuck Missler, 'one of the brightest men on the planet', a man whose brain is run by 'atomic energy' . Approximately 180 verses in the Bible predicted, in detail, Christ's first coming and about 1,500 verses predict the end times, sometimes in great detail.
September 23, 2014
Answering questions to find the truth?
Cornuke's book attacks long held beliefs on where the Jewish temples were built and used. His method of offering proof for his findings are hard to contradict. His use of Bible stories and going to the sites he feels are the real location of the Jewish temples will leave it up to your beliefs of what establishes the truth that you wish to believe. What is more important is if you are able to defend his research to others. I found the book logical and easy to read. it will be for others to see if it is a true account of his research.
Cornuke's book attacks long held beliefs on where the Jewish temples were built and used. His method of offering proof for his findings are hard to contradict. His use of Bible stories and going to the sites he feels are the real location of the Jewish temples will leave it up to your beliefs of what establishes the truth that you wish to believe. What is more important is if you are able to defend his research to others. I found the book logical and easy to read. it will be for others to see if it is a true account of his research.
November 21, 2015
A very interesting book from a man who has an investigative background in law enforcement turned Biblical scholar and explorer. Could the site of the Jerusalem temple be somewhere other than the Dome of the Rock? Robert Cornuke takes his readers on a fascinating journey through archeological digs in Jerusalem to Ethiopia. His discoveries are surprising and carefully biblically researched. Another question explored is where is the Ark of the Covenant, and what role may it play in future prophetic events.
November 28, 2014
I like to read Cornuke's books. He always comes at an archaeological discover from a direction others have not taken. Such is the case here. Cornuke is convinced the actual location of Solomon's and Herod's temples is not the Temple Mount but a location some quarter mile to the south. He combines his own experiences of visiting current digs, Scripture, and the writings of others to prove his case. I think he has done a good job too.
See my complete review at http://bit.ly/12bkSsT.
See my complete review at http://bit.ly/12bkSsT.
July 5, 2015
The biggest barrier to truth is our own presuppositions. Like so many things with the Bible, it challenges us to go against the grain of worldly tradition and seek Truth from the most accurate source. The pieces fall together leaving me with a "duh...why didn't I see this before?" moment. The traditional Temple is really a Roman fortress.....it makes too much sense! It is a must read!
March 1, 2016
Well written - deserving of everyone's attention
After reading the book, the author has convinced me and proven his theory. The Temple Mount is NOT where either of God's temples stood. However , I will add that the current shrine to Satan is there - the Dome of the Rock Muslim mosque.
This book is certainly worth your time to read and explore.
After reading the book, the author has convinced me and proven his theory. The Temple Mount is NOT where either of God's temples stood. However , I will add that the current shrine to Satan is there - the Dome of the Rock Muslim mosque.
This book is certainly worth your time to read and explore.
March 23, 2016
I found this book really fascinating. Cornuke backs up his contention that the currently believed Temple mount is not the place of the original Temple with facts and scripture. It is exciting and obviously very controversial but also very believable,and if really true what a difference it could have for the Jews to finally be able to rebuild their temple.
September 10, 2016
Chris Nelson suggested this author come speak at a Golden Eagles night.
He had met the author and had a signed copy of his book, which he lent to me.
My favorite lines in the book....
Just think of the implications for the temple being rebuilt off of the Muslim controlled Temple Mount.
What will it mean for the events in the Middle east? Bible prophecy?
He had met the author and had a signed copy of his book, which he lent to me.
My favorite lines in the book....
Just think of the implications for the temple being rebuilt off of the Muslim controlled Temple Mount.
What will it mean for the events in the Middle east? Bible prophecy?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 10, 2015
The Temple Mount and Tradition
The books logic is sound and very persuasive that the Temple of Solomon is located not on the traditional Temple Mount location but in the city of David. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who is a seeker of truth.
The books logic is sound and very persuasive that the Temple of Solomon is located not on the traditional Temple Mount location but in the city of David. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who is a seeker of truth.
June 17, 2014
well written,logical and fantastic. this is a great read. strongly suggest obtaining this book.
December 26, 2015
He persuades me that the Temple Mount complex in Jerusalem is not the location of Solomon's temple.
May 20, 2016
Those are pretty solid arguments!
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