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Barely A Hundred Feet Away From The Western Wall In Jerusalem, Biblical Archaeologists Discover Vast Preserved Complex From Time Of Jesus

Biblical Archaeologists in Israel discover 2000-year old unique complex by the Western Wall from Second Temple period dating back to time of Jesus Christ

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Biblical Archaeologists discover 2000-year-old unique complex by the Western Wall in Jerusalem Israel.
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Two thousand years ago, Jerusalem residents in Israel were storing food and water, cooking, maybe even living in a unique subterranean multiple-room structure barely 100 feet away from the holy Temple found by biblical archaeologists.

As Israel prepares to celebrate Jerusalem Day, a commemoration of the day in which Jerusalem was reunified under Israeli sovereignty in 1967, biblical archaeologists are unveiling an utterly amazing historical find. A subterranean complex, preserved in near pristine condition and dating back to the time of Jesus of Nazareth, is being put on display. The purpose of this structure, however, remains shrouded in mystery as ongoing excavations continue to dig for more clues and answers.

“And they said unto me, The remnant that are left of the captivity there in the province are in great affliction and reproach: the wall of Jerusalem also is broken down, and the gates thereof are burned with fire.” Nehemiah 1:3 (KJB)

2019 was an amazing year for biblical archaeology, and that trend seems to be continuing here in 2020. Pray for the nation of Israel, and pray for the Jewish people who are preparing to enter into the time of Jacob’s trouble. Don’t worry about the disparaging comments your Jewish contacts on Facebook make when you post about the salvation of Jesus, their eyes are closed and they don’t know any better. Witness to them anyway, and pray for their souls in spite of how they might treat you. Time is short, make a difference for the Lord.

Biblical Archaeologists discover 2000-year-old unique complex by the Western Wall

FROM THE JERUSALEM POST: The new discovery was unveiled by the Israel Antiquities Authority and the Western Wall Heritage Foundation on Tuesday ahead of Jerusalem Day. Descending into the underground chambers from the Western Wall Plaza, glaring with light and unusually still under the coronavirus regulations and the unprecedented heatwave, is nothing less than a journey back in time before Jerusalem was destroyed by the Romans, when the city was still bustling with Jewish life and rituals.

“At the time of the Second Temple, 2,000 years ago, this was a public area, the civic center of ancient Jerusalem” Dr. Barak Monnickendam-Givon co-director of the excavation on behalf of the IAA together with Tehila Sadiel told The Jerusalem Post. “We think that the public street passed just a few meters from here and we are standing next to what we archaeologists call the ‘big bridge’ which connected the upper city to the Temple itself.”

The complex features two rooms connected by a staircase and an open courtyard. The entrance presents clear signs of the presence of door hinges and bots, while the walls offered several niches for oil lamps as well as carved in shelves.  The structure was discovered under the white mosaic floor of a monumental Byzantine building dating back to about 1,400 years ago.

Biblical Archaeologists discover 2000-year-old unique complex by the Western Wall

The large hollow space where both the building and the more ancient chambers stand presents walls erected in the typical Jerusalem stones of different sizes blackened by centuries, pieces of Roman columns, floors built in a variety of materials and at different levels. The excavations are ongoing. In a corner, an IAA conservator was working on preserving the Byzantine mosaic, while a few meters away two archaeologists were sifting through some dirt to make sure it did not contain other artifacts or sherds.

Clay cooking vessels, oil lamps and stone containers, useful to store water minimizing the risk of giving it ritual impurity according to Jewish laws were among the objects retrieved by the researchers so far, allowing them to assess that the carved structure was in use in the first century CE. How much time earlier it was actually built for now remains a mystery, one of the many that will be addressed as the studies proceed.

Several features make the discovery unique, Monnickendam-Givon pointed out. Very few structures from that period survive in the city.

“After the Roman siege and destruction of the year 70 CE, Jerusalem was burned and devastated, and all the Jewish people were exiled. A few decades later, the Romans started rebuilding it from scratch,” he said.

Moreover, usually structures in that period were built in stone, while those who hewed the rooms underground chose to carve them out of the hard bedrock, which required a considerable effort.

“Besides from burials, we have rarely found any complete rock-cut rooms from that era. Most people in ancient Jerusalem lived in stone-built houses. What was the function of this hewn system just under the street level? Was it a house, a storage unit? Something else?” the archaeologist added.

According to Monnickendam-Givon, penetrating the secrets of the site will require another twenty or thirty years of excavations. Among others, a goal is to connect it with the area where the main street passed.

Even the purpose of the Byzantine building whose floor protected the ancient rooms for so many centuries is still shrouded in mystery.

“We do not know whether it was a religious or a civil building,” IAA archaeologist Michael Chernin told the Post. “We do know it collapsed during an earthquake at the beginning of the 11th century.”

Chernin pointed out that in the Crusader period the area was abandoned and it was settled again in the Mameluke period (13th-16th century). Artifacts from these different times were also uncovered by the researchers including worked bone tools, clay vessels, a strainer and a candle holder.

“We want to understand the function of these structures, as well as their connection with the topography of the Roman and Byzantine Jerusalem,” he concluded. “It is possible that more subterranean rooms will also emerge.”

“I am excited, on the eve of Jerusalem Day, to reveal to the Jewish nation a new treasure trove of impressive and fascinating findings that shed light on life in Jerusalem throughout the generations in general, and on the eve of the destruction in particular,” commented Mordechai Suli Eliav, Director of the Western Wall Heritage Foundation, according to a release. “This finding epitomizes the deep connection of Jews with Jerusalem, their capital.  Even when there were physical limitations, prayer at the foot of the remnant of our Temple never ceased, and this is tangible evidence of this.” READ MORE

Biblical Archaeologists Discover 2000 Year Old Complex Under Western Wall In Jerusalem Israel

Biblical Archaeologists have begun to ponder about a new mystery near the Western Wall: Why did people invest such huge efforts and resources in hewing such an impressive subterranean system 2,000 years ago, while life was going on in the homes above ground?

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Biblical Archaeology

Biblical Archaeologists Uncover The Astonishing Remains Of The Roman VIth Iron Legion Military Base At The Bottom Of Tel Megiddo

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The VIth Legion Roman legionary base at Tel Megiddo is a 2,000-year old Roman military base that was created where Revelation says Armageddon will take place

In recent years, we have brought you some amazing stories about the discoveries of biblical archaeology in the land of Israel. The past seems intent on bubbling up to the surface almost like it knows that things are getting ready to repeat. The discovery we bring you today takes place in Tel Megiddo, a location that you just may recognize as Armageddon in your King James Bible.

“And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon.” Revelation 16:16 (KJB)

Armageddon is one of those things that the majority of the Greek and Hebrew scholars consign to the realm of fantasy, and not seen as the location for the last battle of Antichrist at the Second Advent. So the fact that as construction is being done in Israel for Road 66, they find remains of the Roman VIth Legion at Megiddo, and Revelation 16:16 the only place in the Bible that mentions Armageddon, what does that make you think of? To me, that’s a lot of 6’s! Even the reference for Armageddon in the Strong’s Concordance is G717 which adds up to 6. Do you think the Lord is telling us something? I sure do.

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1,800-year-old Roman Legionary Base discovered at Tel Megiddo

FROM THE JERUSALEM POST: Architectural remains of the 1,800-year-old Roman VIth ‘Ferrata’ Iron Legion military base have been uncovered in a recent excavation carried out by the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) at the foot of Tel Megiddo, near the ancient Kfar Othnay village (Capercotnai in Greek).

The excavation was funded by the Netivei Israel National Infrastructure Company, said the IAA, which called it “a unique opportunity to uncover part of the full-scale Roman legionary base.”

Directed by Dr. Yotam Tepper and Barak Tzin, the dig is part of the major infrastructure project to expand and upgrade Road 66 from the Megiddo Junction to the Hatishbi Junction at Yokneam. In the course of the excavation, extensive and impressive architectural remains of the Via Pretoria (the main road of the camp) were uncovered, as well as a semicircular-shaped podium and stone-paved areas that were part of a large, monumental public building.

“The Roman Legion camp at Legio was the permanent military base for over 5,000 Roman soldiers for more than 180 years, from 117-120 BCE to about 300 CE,” said Tepper. “Two main roads intersected at the center of the 550-meter- long and 350-m-wide camp, and its headquarters were erected here. It was from this base point that all the distances along the Roman Imperial roads to the main cities in the north of the country were measured and marked with milestones. The ancient building remains were not preserved to a height, as most of the building stones were removed over the years for reuse in building projects carried out during the Byzantine and Early Islamic periods.”

“In the course of the excavation seasons, the upper part of the commanders’ courtyard (principia) was exposed southwest of Road No. 66, and in the present excavation, carried out on behalf of the IAA. We are uncovering the northeastern part of the camp that extends alongside Road No. 66.”

Coins, parts of weapons, pottery sherds, and glass fragments were uncovered, but the most predominant finds are the roof tiles that were found in extremely large quantities. “The roof tiles, some of which were stamped with the VIth Legion stamps, were used for various purposes, for roofing buildings, paving floors, and even coating walls. The technology and know-how, the building techniques, and the weapons that the Legion brought with it from the home country, are unique to the Roman army, reflecting specific Roman Imperial military footprints,” the IAA said.

Engineer Dima Pritsker, director of the northern branch of the Engineering and Development Unit in the Netivei Israel Company: “We are talking about an extremely important road project 15 kilometers long for reducing traffic congestion along the road and to improve the safety of drivers and passengers. The project incorporates the construction of the Megiddo Interchange at the junction of Roads 65 and 66. The Transport Ministry is investing 1.5 billion shekels in the project carried out by Netivei Israel. READ MORE

Now The End Begins is your front line defense against the rising tide of darkness in the last Days before the Rapture of the Church

When you contribute to this fundraising effort, you are helping us to do what the Lord called us to do. The money you send in goes primarily to the overall daily operations of this site. When people ask for Bibles, we send them out at no charge. When people write in and say how much they would like gospel tracts but cannot afford them, we send them a box at no cost to them for either the tracts or the shipping, no matter where they are in the world. We have a Gospel Billboard program. We are now broadcasting Bible studies, Podcasts and a Sunday Service 5 times a week, thanks to your generous donations. All this is possible because YOU pray for us, YOU support us, and YOU give so we can continue growing.

But whatever you do, don’t do nothing. Time is short and we need your help right now. The Lord has given us an open door with a tremendous ‘course’ for us to fulfill that will create an excellent experience at the Judgement Seat of Christ. Please pray for our efforts, and if the Lord leads you to donate, be as generous as possible. The war is REAL, the battle HOT and the time is SHORTTO THE FIGHT!!!

“Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;” Titus 2:13 (KJB)

“Thank you very much!” – Geoffrey, editor-in-chief, NTEB

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Biblical Archaeology

In The Megiddo Prison In Northern Israel Where The Battle Of Armageddon Will Be Fought, Lies A 2,000-Year Old ‘Jesus Fish’ Mosaic On The Floor

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Located in the literal valley where the Battle of Armageddon will be fought lies a 2,000-year old ‘Jesus fish’ mosaic on the floor of the Megiddo Prison

The term ‘Armageddon’ is used to often in our pop culture that we might tend to forget that it’s an actual place, the valley of Megiddo in northern Israel. We might also tend to forget that the Battle of Armageddon, to be fought in the valley of Megiddo, is a war that will be just as real as WWI, WWII and WWIII. Hope you like horses ’cause you’ll be riding one soon.

“And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon.” Revelation 16:16 (KJB)

Today, we have this tantalizing and fascinating story of a mosaic that was uncovered on the floor of the Megiddo Prison, nearly 2,000-years old and showing what looks like a direct First Century reference to the followers of Jesus Christ. When you look at many of the discoveries found in biblical archaeology over the past 5 years, one can’t help but think the Lord is pointing our attention directly to the pages of Bible prophecy as it begins to come alive. The Battle of Armageddon is when King Jesus returns with us, His redeemed soldier Bride army, to fight the hordes of Antichrist at the Second Advent. TO THE FIGHT!!!

Israel may uproot ancient Christian mosaic near Armageddon. Where it could go next sparks outcry

FROM THE AP: An ancient Christian mosaic bearing an early reference to Jesus as God is at the center of a controversy that has riled archaeologists: Should the centuries-old decorated floor, which is near what’s believed to be the site of the prophesied Armageddon, be uprooted and loaned to a U.S. museum that has been criticized for past acquisition practices?

Israeli officials are considering just that. The proposed loan to the Museum of the Bible in Washington also underscores the deepening ties between Israel and evangelical Christians in the U.S, whom Israel has come to count on for political support, tourism dollars and other benefits.

The Megiddo Mosaic is from what is believed to be the world’s earliest Christian prayer hall that was located in a Roman-era village in northern Israel. It was discovered by Israeli archaeologists in 2005 during a salvage excavation conducted as part of the planned expansion of an Israeli prison.

The prison sits at a historic crossroads a mile south of Tel Megiddo on the cusp of the wide, flat Jezreel Valley. The compound is ringed by a white steel fence topped with barbed wire and is used for the detention of Palestinian security inmates. READ MORE

‘Jesus Fish’ Mosaic on the floor of the Megiddo Prison in Israel

Now The End Begins is your front line defense against the rising tide of darkness in the last Days before the Rapture of the Church

Please continue to pray for us, and for wisdom for me especially, as we continue taking steps to print the NTEB branded King James Bible for our free Bible and Bibles Behind Bars program. It is exciting and intimidating at the same time. If the Lord has prospered your financially, we ask you to donate to help us continue to send out free Bibles at this level, and even higher than we are at the moment. It takes a lot of prayer, and a lot of resources to do all this. Praise the Lord we are doing it, all of us together, labouring in the Lord’s harvest field. TO THE FIGHT!!!

When you contribute to this fundraising effort, you are helping us to do what the Lord called us to do. The money you send in goes primarily to the overall daily operations of this site. When people ask for Bibles, we send them out at no charge. When people write in and say how much they would like gospel tracts but cannot afford them, we send them a box at no cost to them for either the tracts or the shipping, no matter where they are in the world. We have a Gospel Billboard program. We are now broadcasting Bible studies, Podcasts and a Sunday Service 5 times a week, thanks to your generous donations. All this is possible because YOU pray for us, YOU support us, and YOU give so we can continue growing.

But whatever you do, don’t do nothing. Time is short and we need your help right now. The Lord has given us an open door with a tremendous ‘course’ for us to fulfill that will create an excellent experience at the Judgement Seat of Christ. Please pray for our efforts, and if the Lord leads you to donate, be as generous as possible. The war is REAL, the battle HOT and the time is SHORTTO THE FIGHT!!!

“Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;” Titus 2:13 (KJB)

“Thank you very much!” – Geoffrey, editor-in-chief, NTEB

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Biblical Archaeology

Israeli Archaeologists Discover Evidence Of A Building Destroyed By Fire During The Babylonian Siege Of Jerusalem Mentioned In 2 Kings 25

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Israeli archaeologists have uncovered a building that was decimated by fire during the Babylonian siege of Jerusalem in 586 BC, according to a report published on July 22.

It’s been a few months since we had a compelling update in the field of biblical archaeology, but this one is well worth waiting for to say the least. Turns out they uncovered proof positive of a building that was burned down during the siege of Jerusalem by the Babylonian army around the year 586 BC.

“And in the fifth month, on the seventh day of the month, which is the nineteenth year of king Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, came Nebuzaradan, captain of the guard, a servant of the king of Babylon, unto Jerusalem: And he burnt the house of the LORD, and the king’s house, and all the houses of Jerusalem, and every great man’s house burnt he with fire. And all the army of the Chaldees, that were with the captain of the guard, brake down the walls of Jerusalem round about.” 2 Kings 25:8-10 (KJB)

An interesting element to the destruction of Israel and Jerusalem by the Babylonian army is that it is a type picture of what will happen to the Jews during to soon-coming time of Jacob’s trouble. Nebuchadnezzar is an excellent type of Antichrist, the Jews were held there for a 70 year period, and it was during that time that the prophet Daniel was visited by the angel Gabriel with the prophecy of the 70 Weeks. All of that has been fulfilled with the exception of the 7-year period we call the Last Week.

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Israeli archaeologists unearth building destroyed during Babylonian siege of Jerusalem

FROM THE JERUSALEM POST: The findings were published in the peer-reviewed Journal of Archaeological Science. The charred building’s remains, dubbed ‘Building 100’ by the researchers, underwent a variety of analyses to understand how the fire had started and how it had progressed through the structure. While researchers can only make an educated guess that the building was burned during the siege of Jerusalem, the intense damage caused to the massive structure supports their hypothesis.

Building 100 was once a large two-story home belonging to a member of Jerusalem’s elite, however, it was lost to time until it was discovered under a parking lot in the southeastern part of the ancient city.

“Evidence in the debris of the building left no doubt regarding the presence of fire,” the archaeologists wrote. “There was no visible indication as to whether it was intentional or accidental, and if intentional, where the fire started and how it spread.”

To try to decipher whether the fire had been deliberate, the researchers employed FITR spectrometry tests and archaeomagnetic analysis.

“The goal is to identify the intensity, direction, and origin of the fire that destroyed Building 100 in order to reconstruct the destruction process in detail, to determine whether the fire was intentional as part of the events of the Babylonian destruction, and to learn about the measures taken by the agents of this destruction in their treatment of this elite building,” the researchers explained.

The researchers searched the building for an ignition point, which would allow them to trace the spread of the fire through the building. They did this by measuring the magnetic signatures of pottery shards and broken floor panels. Through this line of study, the researchers uncovered that the fire had started on the top floor of the building, as the bottom floor had rooms that the fire had not reached. This meant the fire was likely intense but burnt out quickly.

“The widespread presence of charred remains suggests a deliberate destruction by fire, which was ignited at several locations in the top and bottom floors, with heat rising to burn the ceiling of the bottom floor,” the archaeologists explained. “The spread of the fire and the rapid collapse of the building indicate that the destroyers invested great efforts to completely demolish the building and take it out of use.”

As previously mentioned, the size of the building suggests it once belonged to an elite member of society.  The researchers suggest it was highly likely that this building was targeted in an arson as a punitive measure for disobedience, which was common in the 30-month siege of the city. The Kingdom of Judea had attempted a rebellion against the Babylonian invaders, and so the king of Neo-Babylon Nebuchadnezzar II had ordered that Jerusalem be destroyed as a result. READ MORE

Now The End Begins is your front line defense against the rising tide of darkness in the last Days before the Rapture of the Church

Please continue to pray for us, and for wisdom for me especially, as we continue taking steps to print the NTEB branded King James Bible for our free Bible and Bibles Behind Bars program. It is exciting and intimidating at the same time. If the Lord has prospered your financially, we ask you to donate to help us continue to send out free Bibles at this level, and even higher than we are at the moment. It takes a lot of prayer, and a lot of resources to do all this. Praise the Lord we are doing it, all of us together, labouring in the Lord’s harvest field. TO THE FIGHT!!!

When you contribute to this fundraising effort, you are helping us to do what the Lord called us to do. The money you send in goes primarily to the overall daily operations of this site. When people ask for Bibles, we send them out at no charge. When people write in and say how much they would like gospel tracts but cannot afford them, we send them a box at no cost to them for either the tracts or the shipping, no matter where they are in the world. We have a Gospel Billboard program. We are now broadcasting Bible studies, Podcasts and a Sunday Service 5 times a week, thanks to your generous donations. All this is possible because YOU pray for us, YOU support us, and YOU give so we can continue growing.

But whatever you do, don’t do nothing. Time is short and we need your help right now. The Lord has given us an open door with a tremendous ‘course’ for us to fulfill that will create an excellent experience at the Judgement Seat of Christ. Please pray for our efforts, and if the Lord leads you to donate, be as generous as possible. The war is REAL, the battle HOT and the time is SHORTTO THE FIGHT!!!

“Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;” Titus 2:13 (KJB)

“Thank you very much!” – Geoffrey, editor-in-chief, NTEB

Continue Reading

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