The question of the location of the Temple built by Solomon continues on. Those wishing to prove the traditional Temple Mount was the site of the Temple of God use this Scripture describing the dedication of the Temple:
“Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel, and all the heads of the tribes, the chief of the fathers of the children of Israel, unto king Solomon in Jerusalem, that they might bring up the Ark of the Covenant of the LORD out of the City of David, which is Zion.” – First Kings 8:1 (KJV)In the verse above, traditionalists surmise that Solomon brought the Ark of the Covenant up from the City of David to the Temple Mount. The “traditional” Temple Mount does indeed stand much higher than the City of David. Flavius Josephus identifies the Temple Mount as a fort made stronger by King Herod and named Fort Antonia for his friend Mark Anthony. It was a Roman fort.
But explaining the misapplication of this passage as a proof text is much more simple than explaining why the Romans, who leveled the city of Jerusalem and destroyed everything Jewish, would leave intact the foundations of the hated Jewish Temple.
Let’s look at the passage. The Ark may not have been actually brought “out of the City of David.” In the First Kings passage, the phrase “out of the City of David” is the single Hebrew word iyr, preceded by the Hebrew letter mem. Iyr means “city,” and the mem prefix means “from.” This would read “from city” in the terse Hebrew syntax. It is very possible that in expanded syntax the passage says, “from its location in the City of David.”
So you see it is easier to explain the possible misinterpretation of the passage than to explain why the Romans would leave the hated Jewish Temple foundation still standing (contrary to what the Lord Jesus prophesied). But it is easy to believe the Romans would not destroy their very own Fort Antonia.
When Solomon was crowned King of Israel, he was taken down to the Gihon Spring (at the foot of the hill on which the City of David rests), was anointed with oil from the Tabernacle erected by King David for the Ark of the Covenant, and was crowned probably at the recently discovered Holy Worship Site located thirty feet from the spring. (First Kings 1:38-39) Solomon later brought the Ark of the Covenant up to the newly constructed Temple because it was waiting in David’s Tabernacle at the foot of the hill where the City of David is located.
Over and over in Scripture, the Lord tells us how very important Zion and the City of David is to Him. I am of the opinion that when the Millennial Temple is built, it will be in the City of David, which is south of the traditional Temple Mount. I look forward to seeing that edifice, whether from on earth or in Heaven. Come quickly, Lord Jesus!