Temple Mount & Pentecost

 

Location

 

1. The Temple Mount is located on the eastern side of Old City Jerusalem

 

2. It occupies 1/6 of the current city.

 

3. It is 35 acres (14 hectares) in size, the equivalent of 35 football fields.

 

Historical Background

 

1. The Temple Mount has played a “center stage” role for much of Israel’s history and has functioned as the center of God’s dwelling place and ministry on this earth.

 

2. It will play a key part during the Millennial Reign of Christ on the earth as well.

 

3. God has chosen to focus His presence and attention there like a laser beam from heaven like no other place.

 

4. First temple: the temple Solomon built.

 

5. Second temple: the temple Zerubbabel oversaw after the deportation and return of the Jews.

 

6. King Herod’s temple: it would seem like this would be called the third temple, but because the second temple wasn’t destroyed by enemies, but that Herod built over it a new temple and then removed the old one inside, it is still referred to as the second temple. 

 

Places of Interest

 

1. Temple Mount
2. Royal Stoa 
3. Dome of the Rock.
4. Solomon's Portico
5. Western Wall
6. Eastern Gate
7. Southern Stairs
8. Antonia Fortress
9. Upper Room
10. Pools of Bethesda
11. Pool of Siloam
12. Pilgrim's Road
13. Mikvahs by the Southern Stairs
14. Original Altar Location
15. City of David

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The Temple Mount and Pentecost in the Bible 

 

1. Pentecost means 50. 

 

2. Fifty days after Passover, the Jewish feast of Pentecost (Shavuot) was celebrated, which was primarily a thanksgiving for the firstfruits of the wheat harvest, but it was later associated with a remembrance of the Law given by God to Moses on Mount Sinai. At this feast, the Jews were to give God the firstfruits of their wheat harvest. 

 

3. Pentecost also marks 50 days from the time the Israelites left Egypt and arrived at Mount Sinai, where God gave them the 10 Commandments and the Law.

 

4. Pentecost happened 50 days after Passover. There were 40 days from the resurrection of Christ to His ascension, and then 10 days from Christ’s ascension to Pentecost, for a total of 50 days.

 

5. Interestingly, the Jewish nation was born at Mount Sinai 50 days after leaving Egypt, and the Church was born at Pentecost 50 days after Christ’s resurrection.

 

Why Pentecost Most Likely Happened on the Temple Mount

 

Many believe Pentecost occurred in or around the Upper Room. However, the best evidence shows it most likely happened on the Temple Mount. 

 

1. What does the Bible say?

 

Acts 2:1–6: When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. 2 And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house [structure] where they were sitting. 3 And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. 5Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. 6 And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language. 

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2. Scripture says the coming of the Holy Spirit filled a house. It doesn’t say or mention anything about the Upper Room.

 

3. What does "house" mean in Hebrew?

 

• In many places in the Bible, the Temple is called the House of the Lord or just house.

John 2:17: The Zeal for your house will consume me.

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Matthew 21:12-13: And Jesus entered the temple area and drove out all those who were selling and buying on the temple grounds, and He overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who were selling doves. 13 And He said to them, “It is written: ‘My house will be called a house of prayer’; but you are making it a den of robbers.”

 

• House can also refer to just a covered area. The Royal Stoa fits this description.

On the southern end of the Temple Mount, just above the Southern Stairs, was the Royal Stoa. It was a massive public meeting place with a large roof. It would fit what the Bible says about where Pentecost happened.  

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• The Hebrew word for "house" in Acts 2:2 is "Har Ha Bait," which means "the mountain of THE HOUSE," or simply put, "the dwelling place of God." This meaning would support the idea that Pentecost most likely took place on the Temple Mount. 

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4. Three thousand were baptized after hearing Peter's message. 

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• Acts 2:41: So then, those who had received his word were baptized; and that day there were added about three thousand souls.

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• For 3,000 to be saved, a crowd of at least 30,000, up to 100,000 would likely have assembled.

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• The Jewish historian Josephus and others estimate that hundreds of thousands gathered in Jerusalem during the holy feasts.

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• This large multitude could not fit in or around the Upper Room.

 

5. The Upper Room could only accommodate about 150 people. The massive crowd that gathered and the 3,000 baptized could not have fit in the Upper Room or the area around it.

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• Peter addressed "All who dwelt in Jerusalem." Acts 2:14: But Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice and addressed them: “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and give ear to my words. 

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• Peter addressed a multitude of people. Acts 2:6: And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language.

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• The Upper Room was in a densely populated residential area of Jerusalem. It had narrow streets and many buildings. A multitude of people couldn't gather in this area as the narrow streets and buildings would have made this virtually impossible. 

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• Due to the narrow streets and buildings around the Upper Room, Peter could have only preached to several hundred people at best.

 

6. There was no reason for a multitude of people to be in the residential area by the Upper Room.

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• The Upper Room is a long way from the central part of Jerusalem.

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• It was not in an area of public interest.

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• The Temple Mount was the center of public activity, especially during the holy feasts.

 

7. There were many Mikvehs (baptismal pools) around the Temple Mount.

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• There are around 75 mikvehs by the Temple Mount, along with the Pools of Bethesda and the Pool of Israel, where those who were saved could be baptized.

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• There were no public mikvehs around the Upper Room area.

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• The Upper Room is located in the southwest corner of Jerusalem, over one-half mile (.83 km.) from the Temple Mount, a long distance away. Most likely, too far away for a large crowd to go to for baptisms, etc.

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8. The coming of the Holy Spirit happened at nine in the morning, which was the time of morning prayers at the Temple.

 

• The disciples regularly went to the Temple during times of prayer. Acts 2:15: For these people are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour [9:00 am] of the day.

 

Acts 3:1: Now Peter and John were going up to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour.

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• Therefore, the apostles and disciples were most likely on the Temple Mount when Pentecost happened.

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9. The southern part of the Temple Mount would have been a natural place for Pentecost to occur, as it was the center of public activities in Jerusalem.

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• The Southern Stairs and Robinson's Arch entrance were massive and the main entrances to the Temple Mount. 

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• These entrances would be natural places for people to be gathered.

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10. The Temple Mount and Royal Stoa area could easily have handled the large crowd of 30,000 to 100,000 gathered at Pentecost.

 

11. The Temple Mount platform was the only place in Jerusalem during the time of Pentecost that could have accommodated a multitude of 30,000 to 100,000 people.

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• It was the size of 35 professional football fields, big enough to handle over 150,000 people.

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Therefore, the Temple Mount platform is the best candidate for where Pentecost happened, and most specifically, around the southern part of it by the Royal Stoa.

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The Message of Pentecost

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1. Peter spoke boldly as the Holy Spirit enabled him.
Acts 2:14-21: But Peter, taking his stand with the other eleven, raised his voice and declared to them: “Men of Judea and all you who live in Jerusalem, [n]know this, and pay attention to my words. 15 For these people are not drunk, as you assume, since it is only the third hour of the day; 16 but this is what has been spoken through the prophet Joel: 17 ‘And it shall be in the last days,’ God says, ‘That I will pour out My Spirit on all mankind; and your sons and your daughters will prophesy, and your young men will see visions, and your old men will have dreams; 18 and even on My male and female servants, and they will prophesy. 19 And I will display wonders in the sky above and signs on the earth below, blood, fire, and vapor of smoke. 20 The sun will be turned into darkness and the moon into blood, before the great and glorious day of the Lord comes. 21 And it shall be that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’

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2. Peter's message was based on Old Testament prophecy.

Acts 2:22-28: “Men of Israel, listen to these words: Jesus the Nazarene, a Man attested to you by God with miracles and wonders and signs which God performed through Him in your midst, just as you yourselves know— 23 this Man, delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death. 24 But God raised Him from the dead, putting an end to the agony of death, since it was impossible for Him to be held in its power. 25 For David says of Him, ‘I saw the Lord continually before me, because He is at my right hand, so that I will not be shaken. 26 Therefore my heart was glad and my tongue was overjoyed; moreover my flesh also will live in hope; 27 For You will not abandon my soul to Hades, nor will You allow Your Holy One to undergo decay. 28 You have made known to me the ways of life; You will make me full of gladness with Your presence.’

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3. Jesus fulfilled the Old Testament prophecies concerning the promised Messiah.

Acts 2:29-36:  “Brothers, I may confidently say to you regarding the patriarch David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. 30 So because he was a prophet and knew that God had sworn to him with an oath to seat one of his descendants on his throne, 31 he looked ahead and spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, that He was neither abandoned to Hades, nor did His flesh suffer decay. 32 It is this Jesus whom God raised up, a fact to which we are all witnesses. 33 Therefore, since He has been exalted at the right hand of God, and has received the promise of the Holy Spirit from the Father, He has poured out this which you both see and hear. 34 For it was not David who ascended into heaven, but he himself says: ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at My right hand, 35 Until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet.”’ 36 Therefore let all the house of Israel know for certain that God has made Him both Lord and Christ—this Jesus whom you crucified.”

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4. The response of many who heard this message.

Acts 2:37-42: Now when they heard this, they were pierced to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what are we to do?” 38 Peter said to them, “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is for you and your children and for all who are far away, as many as the Lord our God will call to Himself.” 40 And with many other words he solemnly testified and kept on urging them, saying, “Be saved from this perverse generation!” 41 So then, those who had received his word were baptized; and that day there were added about three thousand souls. 42 They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.

 

Faith Lesson from Pentecost

 

1. Pentecost is a fulfillment of many Old Testament prophecies.

 

2. It’s amazing to see the many pictures in the Old Testament that are fulfilled in the New Testament. 

 

• The Old Testament Passover lamb is fulfilled by Christ the New Testament Passover Lamb.

• The Jewish nation was formally born at Mount Sinai on Pentecost. The Christian Church was born at Pentecost as well.

• The Passover lamb was sacrificed on Passover afternoon at 3:00 pm. Christ died on the Cross as our sacrifice at 3:00 pm on Passover as well.

 

3. Do we understand how prophecy fits into validating God’s Word?

 

4. Do we understand the meta-narrative (God’s large master plan) of God’s story?

 

5. Do I see how God gave examples and pieces to His meta-narrative in the Old Testament and then fulfilled and amplified these examples in the New Testament?

 

6. Have I received the Holy Spirit as a result of trusting Christ as my Lord and Savior?

 

7. Have I been baptized?

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