Miracles at the Temple

[WhiteWings]

1) The Miracle of the ''Lot''
The first of these miracles concerns a random choosing of the ''lot'' which was cast on the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur). The lot chosen determined which of two goats would be "for the Lord" and which goat would be the ''Azazel'' or ''scapegoat.'' During the two hundred years before 30 CE, when the High Priest picked one of two stones, again this selection was governed by chance, and each year the priest would select a black stone as often as a white stone. But for forty years in a row, beginning in 30 CE, the High Priest always picked the black stone! The odds against this happening are astronomical (2 to the 40th power). In other words, the chances of this occurring are 1 in approximately 5,479,548,800 — or about 5.5 billion to one! By comparison, your chances of winning your local state or municipal-run cash Lottery would be much more favorable!
The lot for Azazel, the black stone, contrary to all the laws of chance, came up 40 times in a row from 30 to 70 AD! This was considered a dire event and signified something had fundamentally changed in this Yom Kippur ritual. This casting of lots is also accompanied by yet another miracle which is described next.
[We have been reminded several times by readers that our calculation of the odds as given above falls short of the ture figure. We'll admit to being caught off guard by this and without changing the original text we will provide one of the explanations given to us by e-mail:
"To my estimation, the chance that the High Priest took the black stone is not approximately 5,479,548,800, but since [1/2 * 1/2 * 1/2 ***1/2** ***1/2*****1/2*****1/2*****1/2*****1/2*****1/2*** ....= 1/1024) the chance is ***1/1024*** 1/1024** ***1/1024** * **1/1024 **= 1/ 1,099,511,627,776 Yours sincerely, C. J. S." Any way you look at it, the odds of this happening are far removed from chance.]

2) The Miracle of the Red Strip
The second miracle concerns the crimson strip or cloth tied to the Azazel goat. A portion of this red cloth was also removed from the goat and tied to the Temple door. Each year the red cloth on the Temple door turned white as if to signify the atonement of another Yom Kippur was acceptable to the Lord. This annual event happened until 30 CE when the cloth then remained crimson each year to the time of the Temple's destruction. This undoubtedly caused much stir and consternation among the Jews. This traditional practice is linked to Israel confessing its sins and ceremonially placing this nation's sin upon the Azazel goat. The sin was then removed by this goat's death. Sin was represented by the red color of the cloth (the color of blood). But the cloth remained crimson — that is, Israel's sins were not being pardoned and ''made white.''
As God told Israel through Isaiah the prophet:
''Come, let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet [crimson], they shall be white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as [white ] wool'' (Isaiah 1:18).
The clear indication is that the whole community had lost the Lord's attention in relation to something that occurred in 30 CE The yearly atonement achieved through the typical Yom Kippur observance was not being realized as expected. Atonement apparently was to be gained in some other way. Who or what would provide the atonement for another year?
Concerning the crimson strip—though not mentioned in the Scriptures and long before 30 C.E.—during the 40 years Simon the Righteous was High Priest, a crimson thread which was associated with his person always turned white when he entered the Temple's innermost Holy of Holies. The people noticed this. Also, they noted that ''the lot of the LORD'' (the white lot) came up for 40 straight years during Simon's priesthood. They noticed that the ''lot'' picked by the priests after Simon would sometimes be black, and sometimes white, and that the crimson thread would sometimes turn white, and sometimes not. The Jews came to believe that if the crimson thread turned white, that God approved of the Day of Atonement rituals and that Israel could be assured that God forgave their sins. But after 30 CE, the crimson thread never turned white again for 40 years, till the destruction of the Temple and the cessation of all Temple rituals!
What did the Jewish nation do in 30 CE to merit such a change at Yom Kippur? By some accounts, on April 5, 30 CE (i.e., on the 14th of Nisan, the day of the Passover sacrifice) the Messiah, Yeshua, was cut off from Israel, himself put to death as a sacrifice for sin. To this event there is a transference of the atonement now no longer achieved through the two goats as offered at Yom Kippur. Like an innocent Passover lamb, the Messiah was put to death though no fault was found in Him! But unlike Temple sacrifices or the Yom Kippur events (as detailed above) where sin is only covered over for a time, the Messianic sacrifice comes with the promise of forgiveness of sins through grace given by God to those who accept a personal relationship with Messiah. This is essentially a one time event for each person's lifetime and not a continual series of annual observances and animal sacrifices. The mechanism providing forgiveness of sin changed in 30 CE

3) The Miracle of the Temple Doors
The next miracle, which the Jewish authorities acknowledged, was that the Temple doors swung open every night of their own accord. This too occurred for forty years, beginning in 30/31 CE The leading Jewish authority of that time, Yohanan ben Zakkai, declared that this was a sign of impending doom, that the Temple itself would be destroyed.
The Jerusalem Talmud states:
''Said Rabban Yohanan Ben Zakkai to the Temple, 'O Temple, why do you frighten us? We know that you will end up destroyed. For it has been said, 'Open your doors, O Lebanon, that the fire may devour your cedars' '' (Zechariah 11:1)' (Sota 6:3).
Yohanan Ben Zakkai was the leader of the Jewish community during the time following the destruction of the Temple in 70 CE, when the Jewish government was transferred to Jamnia, some thirty miles west of Jerusalem.
Might the doors have opened to also signify that all may now enter the Temple, even to its innermost holy sections. The evidence supported by the miracles described above suggests the Lord's presence had departed from the Temple. This was no longer just a place for High Priests alone, but the doors swung open for all to enter the Lord's house of worship.

4) The Miracle of the Temple Menorah
The fourth miracle was that the most important lamp of the seven candle-stick Menorah in the Temple went out, and would not shine. Every night for 40 years (over 12,500 nights in a row) the main lamp of the Temple lampstand (menorah) went out of its own accord — no matter what attempts and precautions the priests took to safeguard against this event!
Earnest Martin states:
''In fact, we are told in the Talmud that at dusk the lamps that were unlit in the daytime (the middle four lamps remained unlit, while the two eastern lamps normally stayed lit during the day) were to be re-lit from the flames of the western lamp (which was a lamp that was supposed to stay lit all the time — it was like the 'eternal' flame that we see today in some national monuments) . . .
''This 'western lamp' was to be kept lit at all times. For that reason, the priests kept extra reservoirs of olive oil and other implements in ready supply to make sure that the 'western lamp' (under all circumstances) would stay lit. But what happened in the forty years from the very year Messiah said the physical Temple would be destroyed? Every night for forty years the western lamp went out, and this in spite of the priests each evening preparing in a special way the western lamp so that it would remain constantly burning all night!'' (The Significance of the Year CE 30, Ernest Martin, Research Update, April 1994, p.4).
Again, the odds against the lamp continually going out are astronomical. Something out of the ordinary was going on. The ''light'' of the Menorah—representing contact with God, His Spirit, and His Presence—was now removed. This special demonstration occurred starting with the crucifixion of the Messiah!
It should be clear to any reasonable mind that there is no natural way to explain all these four signs connected with the year 30 CE The only possible explanation has to be supernatural.


One text could be added: "and it has further been taught: 'For forty years before the destruction of the Temple the thread of scarlet never turned white but it remained red.'" (Bavli Rosh Hashanah 31b).

And according to my searching the text: "Said Rabban Yohanan Ben Zakkai to the Temple, 'O Temple, why do you frighten us? We know that you will end up destroyed. For it has been said, 'Open your doors, O Lebanon, that the fire may devour your cedars' " (Zechariah 11:1)" comes not from Talmud Yerushalmi tract Sotah, but from Yoma 6:3 [33b], directly after "Forty years before the destruction of the Temple, the western light went out, the crimson thread remained crimson, and the lot for the Lord always came up in the left hand. They would close the gates of the Temple by night and get up in the morning and find them wide open" (also from Yoma 6:3 [33b]).

From memory....
- The priest "regulary" heard a voice from within the Holy of Holies. Shortly before the Romans destroyed the Temple the voice said "Hence do we depart."
- There was "something" hoovering over the crucifixion spot of Jesus for 3 years

[Cardinal]

 :thumbsup:

[WhiteWings]

And for my reference where can I find that Judas was a priest? Thank you again.

Few month later a reply. I overlooked your post back then. Sorry...

Proof #1: Temple scrolls schow Judas was a priest. His whole family was.
Proof #2: The Bible writes He was IN the Temple. Only priests are allowed inside.
Proof #3: Jesus was the sacrificial Lamb. The sacrifice in not accepted if the blood is not sprinkled in the Temple by a priest. Judas Priest :winkgrin: threw(sprinkled) 30 pieces of silver on the Temple floor. It was bloodmoney.

Just my 2 pieces of silver  :2c:

[WhiteWings]

Not a real miracle but close.
After Jesus resurrection half of the city became believers. That included half of the priests.

Very well hidden in a in the "Woman section" of the Temple scrolls there is a parable about Jesus.

"What was the incident with R. Joshua ben Perahiah? When King
Jannaeus [Alexander Jannaeus. king of Israel from 104 to 78 B.C.] put the
Rabbis [certain famous Pharisees] to death. Simeon ben Shetah was hid
by his sister, whilst R. Joshua ben Perahiah fled to Alexandria in
Egypt. When there was peace [on his death bed the King advised the
Queen to put her confidence in the Pharisees], Sinieon ben Shetah sent
this message to him: 'From me, Jerusalem, the Holy city, to thee in
Alexandria in Egypt. O my sister, my husband [i.e. his teacher] dwelleth
in thy midst and I abide desolate.' R. Joshua arose and came back
[from Egypt] and found himself in a certain inn where they paid him
great respect. He said: 'How beautiful is this aksania [the word means
"inn" or a "female innkeeper," often like Rahab]. One of his [Joshua's]
disciples named Jesus said to him, 'My master, her eyes are too
narrow!' He replied to him, 'Wicked person! Is it with such thoughts
that thou occupiest thyself' He sent forth four hundred horns
[trumpets] and excommunicated him [Jesus]. [Later], the disciple
[Jesus] came before him on many occasions, saying, 'Receive me.' but
he [the Pharisaic Rabbi] refused to notice him. One day while Rabbi
Joshua was reciting the Shema, he [Jesus] came before him. His
intention [R. Joshua's intention] was to receive him [finally to accept him]
and he made a sign to him with his hand [he put forth his right hand with
the palm out], but the disciple [Jesus] thought he was repelling him. So
he [Jesus] went and set up a brick [a tile for idolatrous purposes like
Jeroboam did when he came out of Egypt] and worshipped it. R. Joshua
said to him [Jesus], 'Repent;' but he [Jesus] answered him, 'Thus have
I received from thee that whoever sinned and cause others to sin is
deprived of the power of doing penitence.' A Master has said: The
disciple [Jesus] practices

The Interpretation of the Parable
The parable is not too difficult to understand. The subject is that of a prominent Rabbi
who flourished about 120 years before our Lord. First of all, why do we see this early date
for the parable, long before Jesus was born? That is not a problem. This period was the
time when the Pharisees and the Scribes first came to power in Israel. In the parable, the
later Rabbis placed Jesus as being against the ones who initiated Pharisaicism. It is just
like we today might say that George Washington learned his principles of government in
going against the monarchy and establishing republicanism at the feet of Oliver Cromwell
who was also against the monarchy and heeded republicanism (note that Cromwell lived
120 years before Washington). Since Jesus was indeed critical of the Scribes and
Pharisees (Matthew 23), the parable simply places Jesus as being contemporaneous with
the start of (and an enemy of) Pharisaicism.
But why is the parable placed within a context of Gehazi obtaining the leprosy of Naaman
and then being healed of it? Christians were teaching that Jesus was the Suffering
Servant of Isaiah 52:13 and on through all of Isaiah 53. This was a reference to the
Messiahship of Jesus. Jewish interpretation of the Suffering Servant was also Messianic. It
was common to think that the person of the prophecy would be a leper. He was called
"the Leprous One." References in the Talmud are specific. Mentioning the verse: "Surely
he hath borne our sicknesses," the Talmud states that this verse refers to their
prophesied Messianic redeemer. They said: "The Messiah, what is his name? The
Rabbis say, The Leprous One [or] The Sick One" (Sanhedrin 98b). Also: "The Lord
was pleased to bruise him, he made him to be sick" (Berekoth 5a). And though
Christians normally taught that Jesus was not sick a day in his life (and many Jews
accepted this as the teaching of the New Testament, which it was not), they were prone
to connect the sickness of leprosy with the Suffering Servant of Isaiah (their Messiah).
And so, we find that in the parable. Jesus is given a sickness like Gehazi obtained. This
gave Jesus Messianic claims.
Now, the parable begins to mention Jesus when Rabbi Joshua returns from Egypt. It was
also thought that Jesus had returned with Joshua. Joshua described the "inn" or the
"female innkeeper" as beautiful, but Jesus said she was "narrow of eyes." Female
innkeepers were notorious for being harlots, like the house that Rahab the harlot had kept
(Joshua 2:1). The prominent Rabbi thought the innkeeper beautiful, but Jesus did not. A
little later in Sotah we find the Rabbis saying that even "the council-chamber [of the
Rabbis] shall be given to fornication." Jesus was criticizing this prominent Rabbi of the
Sanhedrin for perpetuating and abetting fornication. So, the Rabbi excommunicated
Jesus. But if any Elder (as Jesus was) would dispute with the decisions of the Sanhedrin,
the disputing Elder was tried at Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, excommunicated from
Israel and then killed. See Sotah 45a in the Talmud (in our book Sotah) where this
sentence is explained in detail.
The Stange Ending to Sotah Page 8 of 10
http://www.askelm.com/prophecy/p950801.htm 22-12-2010
Then an extraordinary thing happens. After Rabbi Joshua excommunicated Jesus, the
parable says Jesus makes constant appeals to receive him back. And though Rabbi Joshua
resists for awhile, he then relents and decides to accept Jesus. The parable states that the
Rabbi finally put up his hand to accept Jesus. This was a reference to the fact that the
majority of the Pharisees (and the general population of the Jews in Palestine) did in fact
accept Jesus after his resurrection. We have the plain statement of James, the legal
brother of Jesus, who was head of the Christian community in Jerusalem, that there were
tens of thousands of Jews who believed Christ and the Christian teachings in A.D.56 (Acts
2 1:20 where the KJV "thousands" actually means "tens of thousands"). It could be
reasonably believed that half of the Jewish people at Jerusalem were Christian oriented.
Even Joshua, the Rabbi of the parable, accepted Jesus and he put up his hands to receive
him like Elishah did Gehazi. Recall that Gehazi became a leper at first, but he was healed
of his leprosy and allowed back in the court of Naaman and then restored to being "the
servant of the man of God [Elishah]" (II Kings 8:4). And whereas Jesus had been sickly
(though not with leprosy) like the Suffering Servant of Isaiah, and bearing sickness like
Gehazi bore Naaman's sickness, after his resurrection Jesus was sick no more. He was
then glorified and full of health.
The parable is showing that though the Pharisees were at first willing to accept Jesus (as
the parable said the Pharisaic Rabbi did), the Jesus of the parable now took a brick [a tile
with an idolatrous image on it] and began to practice idolatry. There is a reference in this
context of Sotah where it says that this was like Jeroboam who came out of Egypt who set
up the idolatrous worship at Bethel and Dan. The parable thus has Jesus coming out of
Egypt with the Rabbi, but then going into idolatry. Of course, Jesus did not do this
literally, but by the time the parable was written it was common for what were called the
followers of Jesus to be engaged in idolatrous worship like that which developed from
Jeroboam. The later disciples of Jesus were then reckoned to have a form of Judaism but
it was a false worship like Jeroboam established. And, by the fourth century, there were
indeed many Christians establishing image worship in their services. The Jews saw this as
idolatry (which, of course, it was). Indeed, the Jews did not stay long within Christianity.

==> In 63 AD they deconverted because the expected 70 weeks of Daniel didn't happen.
http://www.askelm.com/prophecy/p950801.htm

[WhiteWings]

The westernmost (= closest to the Holies of Holies)  lamp of the 7-branched Menorah that was located in the Hekhal, the Temple building which also contained the Holy of Holies. All 7 of the lamp bowls were of the exact same size and received the same amount of oil yet the westernmost light would burn much longer than the others.

The Talmud1 records ten Miracles that occurred at the Holy Temple in Jerusalem on a regular basis:
1. No woman ever miscarried because of the smell of the holy meat.
2. The holy meat never spoiled.
3. Never was a fly seen in the slaughterhouse.
4. Never did the High Priest have an accidental seminal discharge on Yom Kippur.
5. The rains did not extinguish the wood-fire burning upon the altar.
6. The wind did not prevail over the column of smoke [rising from the altar].
7. No disqualifying problem was ever discovered in the Omer offering, the Two Loaves or the Showbread.
8. The people stood crowded but had ample space in which to prostate themselves.
9. Never did a snake or scorpion cause injury in Jerusalem.
10. [Despite the hundreds of thousands of pilgrims and the small geographical nature of Jerusalem] No man ever said to his fellow "My lodging in Jerusalem is too cramped for me."

[WhiteWings]

First of all, the scarlet ribbon turning white strikes me as a cheap parlor trick, and he does, in fact, say that it stopped happening so consistently after one certain rabbi died.  Maybe the others were not so adept at making it happen?

Or that rabbi wasn't as corrupt as the others.

He also admits that it failed to turn white in the last 40 years after Christ's death, but gives a different reason for why this happened--the spiritual decay of the Jewish people during that time and the increase in murder of their own people. [but it's ok to murder others?]

The Talmud bears record to this spiritual decay, and declares that this national tragedy reached its height exactly 40 years prior to the destruction of the second Temple.

My guess is that that decay was Messanic Jews (and Roman) visiting the synagoges and sharing their thoughts. Also during and before Jesus time there were many teachers (not being official Temple rabbis) in the country. I have no idea what they thaught.

It was during this turbulent time that murders became so widespread that the Sanhedrin9 ceased to judge capital crimes such as homicide.10

I'm not sure that's the complete truth. When the Temple curtian was torn the 30 ton lintel it hung on also fell down.
It destroyed, or at least made unsaf to enter, the Sanhedrin courtroom. IIRC they only were allowed to give death penalties in that court room. The Sanhedrin moved to another Temple room. Later the Romans moved them out of the Temple. Again later their authority was taken away.

Although the termination of miraculous events in the Temple was unrelated to Christian theology, it bore testimony to a time in history when Jewish people in great numbers turned against each other.

My guess: Jews vs Messanic Jews.

[WhiteWings]

Miracles continued....

The Alter of Sacrifice.
Only two logs were needed to keep the fire burning on the Altar throughout the whole day of Atonement. Starting the year Jesus died they needed many more logs.

Eating bread
Priests ate a olive sized piece of bread from the Table of Shewbread and were satified. Starting the year of Jesus' death they were still hungry after eating the same amount of bread.

[WhiteWings]

God leaving the Temple

Nisan 8 66AD 3am an extremely brilliant light hovered around the Altar and the Inner Temple.
Ps 78:14 In the daytime also he led them with a cloud, and all the night with a light of fire.

Num 9:15-23 (AKJV)
15 And on the day that the tabernacle was reared up the cloud covered the tabernacle, namely, the tent of the testimony: and at even there was on the tabernacle as it were the appearance of fire, until the morning.
16 So it was always: the cloud covered it by day, and the appearance of fire by night.
17 And when the cloud was taken up from the tabernacle, then after that the children of Israel journeyed: and in the place where the cloud stayed, there the children of Israel pitched their tents.
18 At the commandment of the LORD the children of Israel journeyed, and at the commandment of the LORD they pitched: as long as the cloud stayed on the tabernacle they rested in their tents.
19 And when the cloud tarried long on the tabernacle many days, then the children of Israel kept the charge of the LORD, and journeyed not.
20 And so it was, when the cloud was a few days on the tabernacle; according to the commandment of the LORD they stayed in their tents, and according to the commandment of the LORD they journeyed.
21 And so it was, when the cloud stayed from even to the morning, and that the cloud was taken up in the morning, then they journeyed: whether it was by day or by night that the cloud was taken up, they journeyed.
22 Or whether it were two days, or a month, or a year, that the cloud tarried on the tabernacle, remaining thereon, the children of Israel stayed in their tents, and journeyed not: but when it was taken up, they journeyed.
23 At the commandment of the LORD they rested in the tents, and at the commandment of the LORD they journeyed: they kept the charge of the LORD, at the commandment of the LORD by the hand of Moses.

So when God decided to move camp a light started float above the Tabernacle.

Nisan 14 66AD (Passover) at midnight the Temple gate opened. (note that those hours align with Jesus crucifixion but shifted 12 hours). It was understood as a gift to the enemy.

Pentecost 66AD.
24 priests witnessed a roar coming from the the Holies and then heard a voice saying "Hence we depart"

Amos 3:7-8
7 Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but he reveals his secret to his servants the prophets.
8 The lion has roared, who will not fear? the Lord GOD has spoken, who can but prophesy?


The glory/light/voice left and hovered over Mount of Olives where Jesus died. Meaning God's Temple was there.

The voice keep warning the Jews to repent for 3.5 years and then goes up to heaven.
Shortly after the Temple was burned to the ground.

Luke 21:20 And when you shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is near.

[Cardinal]

 :cloud9: Wow that was amazing. Another one of the threads I've got to catch up on. Thanks.... :HeartThrob: