Through the Key Hole - RoseCroix.org.au

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KING SOLOMON’S TEMPLE—DID IT
REALLY EXIST?
By Keith Stockley
There has never been any doubt as to the existence of Herod’s
temple, but evidence of the existence of King Solomon’s temple
has never been found. There are remains of many buildings
throughout the Holy Land which clearly bear the signature of
King Solomon, but nowhere can be found any physical proof
that his temple that features so prominently in Masonic tradition
did in fact exist at all.
The Holy Bible contains a great deal of detailed information
concerning the building itself such as, for example, the number
of employees used in its construction, the dimensions of the
building, the source of the raw materials, who carried out the
construction and so on, BUT the exact location of the temple is
not given in the same careful detail.
Historically there is some external evidence but archeologically
there is no evidence that the temple did in fact exist.
Theodore Roosevelt - 26th President of the USA
“ I violate no secret when I say that one of the greatest virtues in
Masonry is that it affords an opportunity for men in all walks of life
to meet on common ground, where all men are equal and have
one common interest. For example, when I was President, the
Master of my lodge was Bro. Doughty, who was the gardener for
the estate of one of my neighbours and a most public spirited citizen
with whom I like to come in contact. Clearly I could not call
upon him when I came home - it would have embarrassed him.
Neither could he without embarrassment call on me. In the lodge it
was different. He was over me, although I was President, and it
was good for him and good for me.”
The Hebrews were not expert builders so any structure on the
scale described in the bible would have been built by someone
else and the closest experts builders were the Phoenicians. In
fact many of the temples built by the Phoenicians throughout
Syria appear to fit the description of King Solomon’s temple
and a small temple excavated at Tell Ta’Yinat in Northern Syria
is a KST look-alike.
It is probably safe to assume that a building that was given
such prominence in the bible and other sources such as the
writings of the Jewish historian Josephus, was in fact built.
The offer by Hiram the King of Tyre to help with the building of
the temple is not only mentioned in the bible, but the epistle
containing his letter to King Solomon is quoted by Josephus
who states that copies of the epistle were preserved in Jewish
books and also in the public records of the Tyrians.