Ark of the Covenant Ark of thge Jonathan Gray http://www.beforeus.com 2 Illustration Credits If I failed to credit any illustrations reproduced in this book, I offer my apologies. Any sources omitted will be appropriately acknowledged in all future editions of this book. About the author Jonathan Gray has traveled the world to gather data on ancient mysteries. A serious student of pre-history, he has investigated numerous archaeological sites, and has also penetrated some largely un-explored areas, including parts of the Amazon headwaters. Between lecturing worldwide, the author has hosted newspaper columns and contributed to various magazines. 3 Other books by Jonathan Gray Dead Men’s Secrets Dead Men’s Secrets Update Sting of the Scorpion The Ark Conspiracy Curse of the Hatana Gods 64 Secrets Ahead of Us Bizarre Origin of Egypt’s Ancient Gods The Lost World of Giants Discoveries: Questions Answered Sinai’s Exciting Secrets The Killing of Paradise Planet Surprise Witness The Corpse Came Back The Discovery That’s Toppling Evolution UFO Aliens: The Deadly Secret Stolen Identity: Jesus Christ – History or Hoax? The Da Vinci Code Hoax Was This a Miracle? The Sorcerers’ Secret Who’s Playing Jesus Games? Back Issues Vols. 1 to 6 4 First printing 1997 Various printings since Copyright © Jonathan Gray 2008 All rights reserved Limited portions of this work may be copied For study or review purposes without written permission, provided that the source is duly credited. 5 Under the noses of the professionals, an amateur finds the most prized artifact on earth. Who is this man? How did it happen? 6 CONTENTS Chapter PROLOGUE…………………………………………….. 9 1 TOO HOT TO HANDLE The Ark: most precious artifact on earth………………… 15 2 LOST… BUT WHERE? The lost Ark’s whereabouts: claims –1………………… 24 3 INTO DARK TUNNELS The lost Ark’s whereabouts: claims - 2………………… 38 4 DARING RESCUE PLAN The Ark symbolises life and death issues…………… 49 5 FIRE GOD OF THE AMAZON Why human sacrifice and cannibalism……………… 62 6 “SACRIFICE YOUR SON” The Abraham incident………………………………….. 69 7 ESCAPE AT MIDNIGHT The Red Sea crossing……………………………………. 74 8 COVENANT OF BLOOD Why the Ark was built………………………………….. 86 9 WHY WERE THE CANAANITES EVICTED? The Ark enters Palestine……………………………….. 97 10 SOLOMON’S FLEET MYSTERY Forgotten global voyages – 1 ………………………… 108 11 INTO THE UNKNOWN Forgotten global voyages – 2………………………….. 124 12 JEZEBEL, SEDUCTRESS The Ark vanishes …………………………………………. 141 13 THE PROPHECY AND THE RABBIS’ CURSE Daniel’s amazing prophecy – 1……………………….. 151 14 MESSIAH’S APPEARANCE FORETOLD Daniel’s amazing prophecy -2………………………….. 161 15 BORN INTO DANGER The rejection – 1………………………………………….. 178 16 “HIS BLOOD BE ON US” The rejection – 2………………………………………….. 198 17 A PLANNED TIME TO DIE Daniel’s amazing prophecy -3…………………………. 201 18 THE WOMAN WHO ATE HER SON Daniel’s amazing prophecy -4………………………… 210 7 19 THE END APPROACHES Jerusalem destroyed: the hidden Ark waits ……………… 228 20 HOLOCAUST The Jewish dispersion ……………………………………… 246 21 THE SEARCH Search for the Ark – 1……………………………………… 256 22 GRUESOME FIND Search for the Ark –2…………………………………………272 23 THE LINK Search for the Ark – 3……………………………………… 284 24 “THE DEAD MAN’S ALIVE!” The empty tomb – 1 ………………………………………… 299 25 WHO STOLE THE BODY? The empty tomb – 2 ………………………………………… 306 26 DID HIS FRIENDS STEAL THE BODY? The empty tomb – 3 ………………………………………… 316 27 THE WITNESSES The empty tomb – 4 ……………………………………… .. 322 28 LEGAL OPINION The empty tomb – 5 ……………………………………… 328 29 JOSEPH – A MARKED MAN The tomb’s owner punished ……………………………… 334 30 THE OBSTRUCTIVE BISHOP Search for the Ark – 4……………………………………… 348 31 SECRET CHAMBER Search for the Ark – 5…………………………………………355 32 “THERE’S NOTHING DOWN THERE” Search for the Ark – 6…………………………………………368 33 THE “MAN” WHO KNEW Search for the Ark – 7……………………………………… 379 34 NO TURNING BACK The sacrifice – 1 ………………………………………………385 35 THE EXECUTION BEGINS The sacrifice – 2 ………………………………………………392 36 TWO THIEVES The sacrifice – 3 ………………………………………………402 37 ACT OF LOVE The sacrifice – 4 ………………………………………………408 38 BLACK NOON The sacrifice – 5 ………………………………………………416 39 STARTLIONG PREDICTIONS The sacrifice – 6 …………………………………………… 423 8 40 SURPRISE UNDER SKULL HILL The sacrifice and the Ark …………………………………… 432 41 QUESTIONS Concerning the blood – 1 ………………………………… 448 42 VICIOUS MEN The attackers – 1 …………………………………………460 43 THE AMBUSH The attackers – 2 …………………………………………… 472 44 ON A KNIFE EDGE Official reaction …………………………………………… 491 45 BLOOD BATTLE Concerning the blood – 2 ………………………………… 505 46 WHAT NOW? The Ark and coming events – 1 ………………………… 522 47 THE FINAL SHOWDOWN The Ark and coming events – 2 …………………………… 530 EPILOGUE……..……………………………..……... 549 APPENDIX……………….…………………………... 554 9 PROLOGUE Eskin glanced at his wrist watch. Just twenty-three minutes and Alitalia Flight 801 would be touching down. Baggage and immigration clearance should, hopefully, be quick. He could be in Jerusalem by five. Rabbi Avigdor Eskin looked down at the photograph of the Prime Minister. Then he closed his eyes and reclined in his seat, rehearsing the plan. For this curse to work, he would need ten men. They would stand outside the house of Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and pronounce the words of the death sentence. Eskin fumbled in his jacket. Fine, the letter was still there. A copy would be sent to several synagogues. Rabin had to die. The man was a rodef, endangering the lives of others. Not only that, he was a moser, the worst form of traitor. The ancient curse Eskin would invoke was the pulsa denura, the "lashes of fire". Powerful, effective and deadly. So deadly, it could never be written down. Eskin rehearsed it again. This curse had been handed down by word of mouth. It was the worst curse that could ever be issued. Ten learned rabbis must agree that its use was justified. Of course, Eskin knew it must be done correctly. His helpers would need to fast for three days. They would cast the spell at midnight, in a ceremony lit by black candies. "Sir, would you please pull up your seat? We shall soon be landing." The voice of the stewardess jolted him. For an instant, Eskin glared at her, annoyed at the sudden intrusion. He pressed the seat button. 10 Was it Eskin I bumped into that morning at the bus station? As the surly, bearded man brushed past me, I was struck with something sinister in his look. My crew and I departed Jerusalem the next morning. But a few days later, when I picked up a Cairo newspaper, my blood froze! Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin had just died violently! It would later be revealed that Eskin had pronounced in triumph, "Our prayer has worked." He had then promptly returned to his native Russia, fearing arrest. Almost any astute observer could see that the secular Israeli government was treading a tightrope. On the one hand it sought a delicate peace process with the potentially hostile Arabs. And on the other hand, it had to contend with Jewish "religious extremists" who wanted to build on the sacred Temple Mount held by those Arabs. There were Jewish extremists who felt themselves "betrayed" by their government. The government was now blaming "religious extremists" for Rabin’s assassination. As if that were not enough, the authorities would soon have to deal with a third VERY EXPLOSIVE factor: THE ARK OF THE COVENANT discovery. And that’s where this story begins. In a nutshell, this is how we shall tell it... Chapters 1 to 3 will touch on the Ark’s alleged "special" powers and recount the stories of some modern attempts to locate this lost treasure. Chapters 4 to 20 trace the background story of the people who built the Ark. The Ark itself will be seen surfacing from time to time during this story, until vanishing for millennia. Chapters 21 to 45 recount the search by Ronald Wyatt and his team for the lost Ark, interspersed with flash-backs to some earth-shaking events which only now can be seen as linked to the Ark EVEN WHILE IT REMAINED HIDDEN FROM SIGHT. The connection will be mind boggling.