NT Model of Jerusalem

Today we went to a model of Jerusalem as described by Josephus, we were first pointed out that there was a third wall, which wasn’t originally there during the time of Christ, so must have been added on afterward. On the North side of the Temple Mount there were the Antonia watch towers which served as a place to guard and also for the Romans to keep an eye on the people down on the mount. Herod built the temple, which was built to rival other pagan temples. On the outer edge of the Temple Mount there are the porticos of Solomon where Jesus would have taught His disciples. Gentiles were only allowed on the outer area of the Temple Mount, but not in the temple. In this outer area there would have been people selling animals and other things. In the Bible Jesus cleans out this area twice. Within the outer area of the temple the Jews could only go a few steps before handing the sacrifice to a priest who did the sacrifice outside the temple. One interesting thing is that the Ark of the Covenant was not in put in the second temple because it could have been taken by the Babylonians, or Jeremiah might have taken it to Mount Nebo. Thus, during the time of Hezekiah and Herod there was no Ark of the Covenant in the temple. In Hebrews 6:19-20 we are reminded that we need to come into the presence of God with reverence. We have access to God. The priest could only go into the Holy of Holies once a year but, because of what Christ did on the cross we always have access into the Holy of Holies. The book of Acts gives an account of Paul accused of bringing Gentiles into the temple, which started a riot. Paul was taken up into the Antonio fortress where the rest of the account can be found in Acts 21-22.
Inside the museum there were parts of the Dead Sea Scrolls dating between 250BC-70AD. These scrolls were probably hidden intentionally by the Jews from the Romans. Every book of the Old Testament, but most of Esther, is found in the Dead Sea Scrolls. Josephus tells us that it was probably a group of Ascenes who hid these scrolls. A copy of the scroll of Isaiah was in a round glass display. The oldest copies of the Scriptures before the Qumran Scrolls date to only 1000AD.