It's the stuff legends are made of, not to mention a way for Hollywood producers to make millions. What is it? No, it's not the Harry Potter series. Rather, it's something that goes back centuries to Biblical times, a relic so holy that it was the place where the presence of God dwelt, none other than the ever elusive Ark of the Covenant. To be sure, many treasure seekers and religious devotees have spent centuries seeking out this mysterious artifact since the time of its disappearance from the Jewish Temple during the Babylonian invasion of Judah in the 6th century B.C.
The Ark has managed to make its way to front-page headlines in the past few weeks. On June 24, the Patriarch of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, Abune Paulos, while meeting with Pope Benedict XVI in Rome, announced that "...June 26, marks the right time to reveal the Biblical Ark of the Covenant ," according to a report from Israel National News.com (if only Indiana Jones would have waited 70 years or so, he would have saved himself a a whole lot of trouble).
However, as Friday, June 26 approached, Ark enthusiasts watched and waited with no luck. Alas, the Ark was a no show. There was not even an announcement as to why it was not revealed. That is, until Tuesday when Paulos, claimed that the Italian newspaper misquoted him and reported false information. He made it clear that the Ark would not be revealed. And so the Ark will stay hidden for now.
There is and has been much speculation as to where the Ark of the Covenant has been residing over the centuries. Some believe it is located in the Ethiopian Orthodox Church. Some believe it to be located underneath the ruins of the old Jewish Temple in Jerusalem. Some believe it is hidden somewhere in Southern Africa or Europe. In fact, it wouldn't be surprising if some people even believed it was housed in an underground cavern full of "National Treasure" below an old New York City church just waiting to be found by Benjamin Franklin Gates. But all kidding aside, a number of passages in the Bible - Daniel 9:27, Matthew 24:15, 2 Thessalonians 2:4, and Revelation 11:1-2 - allude to the fact that there will be a rebuilt Jewish Temple in the Last Days. And with the rebuilding of the Temple will come the unveiling of one of the most important pieces of the Temple - the Ark of the Covenant. So with the construction of the Third Temple becoming more of a reality every day, it will only be a matter of time before the Ark of the Covenant is revealed and placed in the new Temple. And once the Temple is rebuilt it will become the place that the Anti-Christ sets up himself to be God, thus ushering in the last three and a half years of the Tribulation. Are you ready?
Check out the Official Jewish Temple website here.
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