Solomon builds the Temple

The readings since we concluded Psalms have focused on Solomon and his building of the Temple. Reading about what a massive and opulent structure it was, caused me to wonder what archaeological evidence remains of the Temple. There is lots of very interesting information about this on sites as basic as Wikipedia. We all know that the Temple Mount is a highly contested piece of property between the Jews and Muslims. Both groups consider it to be sacred. After Israel became a recognized state in 1948, it was given authority over the Temple Mount but left control of the area to the Muslim group known as the Islamic Trust, or Waqf. Excavations have never been permitted on the Temple Mount due to the political and religious climate. However, in 2004, the Waqf began some reconstruction on the mosque that currently stands on the Temple Mount, which involved underground work and subsequent excavation. The dirt that was dug out from under the mosque, was discarded in a city dump after the Waqf expressed no interest in it. An Israeli group petitioned for permission to sift through the rubble, which they have since been doing. They have found scores of artifacts covering a span of several thousand years, including an artifact that represents the first thing found from the 1st Temple period. It is a small seal bearing the name of a priest who was mentioned in Jeremiah 20:1. It will take many more years to go through all of the dirt, but historical evidence does exist for the Temple Solomon built. The Western Wall, or Wailing Wall, is the only remnant of the Second Temple, which is why it is so important to the Jews. Solomon's Temple was destroyed by the Babylonians in 586 BC and rebuilt about 400 years later, only to be destroyed again by the Romans in 70 AD.

Now we move into Proverbs, which is one of my favorite books!

Tomorrow's reading: Proverbs 8,9,10