THE ARK OF THE COVENANT—WHERE IS IT?

Mughrabi gate = The Mughrabi gate is the only gate to the Temple Mount that the Waqf allows non-Muslims to use for visiting the Temple Mount complex. The Mughrabi Gate is atop the Western Wall of the Temple Mount at a point between the prayer plaza to the north and the archaeological park. Other gates to the mount names: Gate of the Tribes, Moors Gate, Golden Gate. Until February 2004 the Mughrabi gate was accessed by an earthen ramp.

Jerusalem Islamic Waqf = an Islamic religious trust (sometimes called an “Islamic Religious Endowments” organization) best known for controlling and managing the current Islamic edifices on and around the Temple Mount in the Old City of Jerusalem, including the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock.
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“There is a tradition that the Ark of the Covenant was taken to a Jewish settlement with a temple located at Elephantine Egypt, but those traditions are somewhat dubious. [There are] lots of claims, including that it is housed today in Ethiopia, but that one has proven to be false and no one has been able to substantiate any [other] rumors.  It is likely that, if it fell into non-Jewish possession, it would be melted down for the gold. If so, the[n the] original no longer exists.

I think it will have to be reconstructed, if it is to be around again.”
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One other tradition that still holds to this day is that the Ark was buried in a chamber under the Court of the Women, just prior to the Babylonian capture of Jerusalem in 587 BC.

This brings us to an incident which occurred in February of 2004.  After a period of torrential rain and heavy snow, an earthquake hit with its epicenter almost exactly under the earthen ramp access to the Mughrabi gate, giving it the coup de gras, causing it to collapse. 

Since the Six Day War that ramp was the only access for Jews and all other non-Muslems to the temple mount. If anyone was up for an entangled, convoluted, yet interesting legal exercise, it would be to unravel the right of access of the Jews to the Temple Mount.  It makes my head spin to try to get a grip on all the rules and regulations, both Muslim and Jewish, that has piled up over that one topic. Their are claims from the big three, Muslim, Jewish, and Christianity, plus a cabal of intrigues and a whole gamut of other combinations, secret and otherwise.

Interestingly enough when the ramp collapsed it was discovered (exposed, pun intended) that there had been excavation going on over a proceeding 10 year period attempting to expose the whole underground length of the Western (Wailing Wall, Ha Kotel Ha Ma’aravee, etc.) Wall.  At one point during this “archeological dig,” earth and stone had been removed away from the wall, and it exposed an ancient, filled in gate. In the vicinity of the gate it was found that water was leaking through the wall from the inside.  At that point, Religious Affairs Minister Aharon Abuhatzeira gave permission to breach the wall through the sealed gate.  A large cistern was discovered on the other side.  At this point Chief Rabbi Schlomo Goren came to inspect and after his tour, immediately gave orders to seal up the breech again “because of the sensitive nature of the area.”  “The cistern was a tunnel from the Second Temple period that; (it was speculated, but never confirmed, because those who could confirm stayed silent); it was speculated, could lead to the treasures of the temple, INCLUDING THE HOLY ARK.” (Almost a quote from “Jerusalem, The Eternal City.”  Galbraith, Ogden, Skinner. Page 483.)  

This caused a real stink when it was discovered the Israeli’s had breeched the wall. (and perhaps had entered the tunnel?)  Consequently, the Jerusalem Muslamic Waqf sealed the temple mount side of the wall also at the “underground cistern” to prevent continued or further “Jewish penetration.”  This all took a massive police intervention and a lot of political manuerving to quell the uprising it caused. In fact if my mind doesn’t fail me there were calls for holy Jihad throughout the Muslim world.

This stuff is better than either Dan Brown: The Da Vinvi Code, or Joel Rosenberg: The Copper Scroll. This stuff is a “real” thriller.  

I remember thinking at the time, how can I get over there to be in on this.  Well when I finally got there it was January 2007 and a temporary wooden ramp was in place up to the Mughrabi gate, but I never even got to go up onto the mount because there was a Palestinian uprising going on and the Jewish authorities had closed the whole Temple Mount even to Muslims who couldn’t prove they were older than 50, Even the wooden ramp was closed.  Shucks!!  This uprising was over the still ongoing archeological excavations where the old ramp had stood.  This one issue alone has put muslims all over the world on alert and ready to perpetrate Armageddon on the Jews.  Makes one wonder how a temple can ever be built there.  Or even if it will be built there.  Or……?

Well, we know a temple will be built at least someplace “in” (or is that the Book of Mormon “at”) Jerusalem before our Lord comes, and for me it’s exciting to speculate that some way or another, the ancient treasures, including the Ark will be made available.  It seems to me that perhaps a better place to build the temple would be on Mt. Gerizim or enclosing Jacob’s well where Jesus first publicly announced His Messiahship – to a woman, no less.  

Maybe the Two Prophets could with the spirit of prophesy, declare Samaria a suburb of Jerusalem. After all they are only about 40 miles apart, as the crow flies.

Keith

for further study of the issues with the Mughrabi gate I have attached the following link:

https://jcpa.org/article/the-mughrabi-gate-to-the-temple-mount-in-jerusalem-the-urgent-need-for-a-permanent-access-bridge-2/