Bible Footprint

Matthew Chapter 24 The Olivet Discourse: Future for the Jews, Jerusalem, World and the Future Coming of Jesus Christ. If we look at the map of the world, Israel is located in a strategic position at the crossroads of three continents: Europe, Asia, and Africa. When Israel was a United Kingdom during the time of King David and Solomon (1047–930 BCE), “the whole world sought the presence of Solomon to hear his wisdom, which God has put into his mind” (1 Kings 10:24, ESV). The prophet Ezekiel says: “Thus says the LORD God: This is Jerusalem. I have set her in the centre of the nations, with countries all around her.” (Eze. 5:5, ESV). In order to understand Matthew chapter 24, we need to read it within the context and interpret it with Jewish lens. In doing so, we observe the following about the city of Jerusalem: 1.       On this map we can confidently agree that Jerusalem is the geographic centre of the earth. 2.       Secondly...

  History of Herod’s Temple History tells us that in 20BC, King Herod started restoring the Temple that started in the time of Nehemiah, and it took about 80 years with 18,000 men to build the temple and finished around 64BC. And six years later the whole temple compound was totally destroyed. Solomon’s temple and Zerubbabel’s temple, including the Hasmonean additions, were confined to the top of the hill called Mount Moriah, bounded on the east and south by the Kidron Valley and to the west by the Tyropoean Valley. The temple faced east toward the Mount of Olives. To the north of the mount was the Roman Antonia Fortress, and to the west and south was the city of Jerusalem. In order to enlarge the sacred platform, Herod expanded the area of the Temple Mount to the south and west by fill and erecting a series of arched vaults. He thus doubled the size of Solomon’s temple mount. According to the Mishnah, Solomon’s temple mount was a square of 500 cubits on each side (861 feet/262...