I have something, most of you will appreciate. It comes from my study: Third Temple News, which is about what the Sanhedrin and Israel, is saying about building the Third Temple, Not about Prophecy in the Bible. Israel does not like
Josephus, first Century Historian, because somewhere in middle of his life, he became a genuine Christian. Here is something that Josephus said in one of his history books, written after his conversion to Christianity:
QUOTE:
DID YOU NOTICE THAT ON THIS FACT SHEET FROM JOSEPHUS:
But if we go the other way westward, it began at the same place; and extended through a place called Bethso, to the gate of the Essenes: and after that it went southward: having its bending above the fountain Siloam; where it also bends again towards the east at Solomon’s pool, and reaches as far as a certain place which they called Ophlas [what they called the OPHEL at that point in time], where it was joined to the eastern cloister of the temple. The second wall took its beginning from that gate which they called Gennath, which belonged to the first wall. It only encompassed the northern quarter of the city, and reached as far as the tower Antonia. - Josephus The Jewish War Book V chapter 4
Josephus placed the TEMPLE on the OPHEL, not on top of the so-called Temple Mount.
END QUOTE:
There Jews must have thought he had a mid-life crisis, and turned to become a Christian. They discount almost everything he said in his history Books.
The Gate of the Essenes was near to the Northeast corner along the EAST side of the TEMPLE complex.
This is a stitched together from several artist, and my comments, striving to keep it accurate to the way it was in Christ's Day. After learning as much as I could from the BIBLE, Columnists on Websites, Historians, etc. I always strive to use the Biblical Rule, of "With two or three Witnesses, affirm everything." As much as I could, I also strived to check out articles by evangelicals to hopefully eliminate bad sources of information from contaminating any of the info here. Where I only found ONE SOURCE of info, I followed it by marked it with
?, like the 5th Tower could be TOWER OF ANTONIA above. Most info was in a article about what all Sir Charles Warren, about 1880, found a fallen down Tower destroyed by an earthquake, that he labeled "A Very Tall Tower". I added,
it could be what they called the Tower of Antonia, because I learned in another site, that tower, the TOWER OF ANTONIA was the one that was the tallest. I am totally convinced that the location of the TEMPLE was on the Southwest Corner of the OPHEL, and I am equally convinced in that Mt. ZION is the
OPHEL. The Sanhedrin, the first year of their return from exile, they Chose by a VOTE that was 4 different locations, in the year 1212, after returning to Jerusalem from over a 1000 years of exile,
where they think the TEMPLE belonged, and
where they think Mt. ZION was located. Both VOTES were in error.
I thank you for your interest, and the those who influenced me to come this conclusion, I thank you too.
I found a map, that needs some editing, to be accurate, showing the Palace of King David, and where I think is logical, due to inheritance, that King Solomon is too. I will make it my next Project to complete, and will post it here too.