Page 102 - Eschatology - Masters revised

requirements. However, the cow must be at least two years old before it can be used. Until then, the
cow will be carefully watched to ensure that nothing occurs to invalidate its status. According to Biblical
law, the cow's ashes are used for purification from certain forms of impurity and are therefore a
prerequisite for the renewal of Holy Temple service.

Check out this website for more information about the red heifer:
http://www.templeinstitute.org/red_heifer/tenth_red_heifer.htm

It is interesting that the Temple Institute has prepared more than 100 of the sacred worship vessels and
hundreds of priestly garments to be work by Levites in future Temple services. Orthodox Jewish Bible
colleges in Jerusalem have trained more than 500 young Jewish men who are descended from the tribe
of Levi to fulfill the duties of Temple worship and sacrifice.

The Ark of the Covenant.

John, in Revelation 11:19 says that the Ark of the Covenant will
reside in the future Temple. The Ark of the Covenant was the
item in the Temple located in the Holy of Holies where the high
priest sprinkled the blood of a sacrifice once per year for the
sins of the people. It was the thrown of God on earth – the
place where God’s Divine Presence would dwell continually. It
was 45 x 27 X 27 inches, composed of acacia wood and covered inside and out with pure gold. Inside
the Ark was placed the Ten Commandments, some manna, and Aaron’s rod.

The Ark disappeared more than 3000 years ago, during the reign of Solomon. A number of prophecies
indicate that the ark will be returned to Israel and will play a key role in the Third Temple in the last days
(see Isaiah 18, Jeremiah 3:15-16, Zephaniah 3:9-10).

Do we know what happened to the Ark of the Covenant?

Not positively. But we have two good guesses:

1. When the Queen of Sheba (who was Queen of Ethiopia) came to visit, Solomon fell in love with her
and married her. They had a child named Prince Menelik I and he was raised in the Temple by the
priests. He loved the Lord and was an ardent follower of the law. At age 19 his mother died, so he had
to return to Ethiopia. Solomon, knowing his son would never return to Israel, constructed a replica Ark
so that Menelik could worship in his country, but the night before he was to leave, Menelik switched
Arks. The real Ark was transported to Aksum, a city in northern Ethiopia. Eventually it was placed in the
basement of the Church of St. Mary of Zion. Since then, the descendants of Menelik I and his Jewish
priests, advisors, and servants from the various tribes of Israel called themselves House of Israel. Today
they are known as Falasha Jews.

For the centuries, the royal line of Menelik has ruled Ethiopia until 950 AD., when a Muslim invasion
brought them power. In 1558 the Solomonic dynasty was reestablished by a Jewish king and continued
until 1974 until a communist coup brought the death of Emperor Haile Selassie (“Lion of Judah”) in
1975.

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