The headwinds of tradition have resulted for many years in most Christians and Jews believing the Temple Mount in Jerusalem was the site of the Temple of God. Fighting tradition is a long, and sometimes, arduous task. I am of the strong opinion that the Temple of God, first built by Solomon, was not located at the current traditional Temple Mount location; but, in fact, was just south of there within the boundaries of the original City of David. For more information on this, please click HERE.

Per the Bible, we know that the Temple was in the City of David. The historian Flavius Josephus confirms that the Roman fort (Fort Antonia) stood on the highest point in Jerusalem, a quarter of mile north of the Temple. The fort’s foundation is still there today, but is mistakenly referred to as the Temple Mount.

The Prophet Micah said, “Therefore shall Zion for your sake be plowed as a field, and Jerusalem shall become heaps ... .” (Micah 3:12) Less than one hundred years ago, the City of David (Zion) was indeed a plowed field. Aerial photos from the 1930s show terraced fields that were being farmed. The traditional Temple Mount has never been a plowed field, and has never been located in Zion, the City of David.

Scripture tells us that the Temple was in the City of David, and history tells us that it was located above the Gihon Spring. Scripture also tells us that the eastern retaining wall of the Temple was adjacent to the Kidron valley. This retaining wall, so high that Josephus said you would get dizzy looking down, resulted in the Gihon Spring and the adjacent Holy Worship Site to be buried with the fill for the construction of the Temple plaza. The Gihon Spring was discovered, buried, in 1995. The Holy Worship Site was discovered, buried, in 2011.

The Gihon Spring and the Holy Worship Site were covered with fill, but David’s Tabernacle, which was portable, was moved to another location during the construction of the Temple and its large plaza. Because of the need for flowing (living) water for worship practices, it was possibly moved to the Pool of Siloam at the foot of the City of David. This pool is fed by the Gihon Spring via Hezekiah’s Tunnel. With the Holy Worship Site covered, the Tabernacle, with the Ark of the Covenant, was where the Lord would have been worshipped.

Upon completion of the construction of the Temple, Solomon brought the Ark of the Covenant up to the Temple because it was located in the Tabernacle at the foot of the hill where the City of David is located.

It is frustrating that the truth of the Bible, the Word of God, is ignored and tradition is accepted. However, at a time pre-determined by the Lord, the truth will become known and His Temple will be built in Zion, the City of David. I look forward to the day. Come quickly, Lord Jesus!