Ancient Worship Site in the City of David

“Jerusalem, the city where I have chosen to put my name.”

(1 Kings 11:36, ESV)

Melchizedek: City of David, Temple Zero
by Jennifer Bartlett

Salem. Jerusalem. Zion. This holy, royal city, chosen by God (1 Kgs 11:32,36), is mentioned over 900 times in the Bible; about 800 of those are found in the Hebrew Scriptures.

In its first mention it is called Salem, and it is the place where Melchizedek met Abram (later called Abraham), who was returning from a raid to rescue his nephew Lot.  Along with others, Lot had been captured in Sodom by King Chedarlaomer during the quashing of a Canaanite rebellion (Gen. 14:1-12). As Abram was returning from his successful mission, the king of Sodom and the king of Salem came out to meet him. The king of Sodom offered him a reward, but Abram declined. Instead of receiving the gift, he offered a tenth to Melchizedek – both “King of Salem” and “priest of God Most High,” according to Genesis 14:18, who brought a blessing, bread, and wine to Abram.

Who was Melchizedek? How could there have been a high priest who worshiped the God of Abraham in the land of Canaan, several generations before the Levitical priesthood was implemented through Aaron? Further details about Melchizedek from the Dead Sea Scrolls and from the New Testament only serve to make this figure even more mysterious, since he is ascribed qualities that suggest he is immortal (DSS 11Q13; Heb. 5,6). In writings from the Second Temple period he is equated with Michael the Archangel (DSS 1QM), whereas in the first century, the author of the Book of Hebrews developed the role of the Messiah as both king and priest, illustrated in Melchizedek, who, “resembling the Son of God he continues a priest forever” (Hebrews 7:3, ESV). We’ll look more closely at Melchizedek and his association with this holy city, momentarily.

The next time this city is mentioned in Scripture, it is called Jerusalem. Its king, Adoni-Zedek, had led his allies against Gibeon and the Israelites with whom its inhabitants had cunningly made a treaty (Josh. 9:5). The king of Jerusalem is listed among the 31 kings who were defeated by Joshua and his men in this decisive battle (Josh. 12:10, 24).

A few chapters later, Jerusalem is associated with “the Jebusite” (Josh. 15:8) and “Jebus” (Josh. 18:28. Jebus was one of the sons of Canaan, the grandson of Noah through Ham (Gen. 10:15). The city was captured and set ablaze by the men of Judah “after the death of Joshua” (Jdg. 1:8), but it was not until David captured “the stronghold of Zion” (2 Sam. 5:7) – a Jebusite fortress near the Gihon Spring – that the Jebusites were finally defeated and King David made this important site his capital.

Decades earlier at Shiloh, about twenty miles to the north, the wicked sons of Eli the priest had foolishly taken the Ark of the Covenant into battle against the Philistines. Once captured, it was shuffled around and wreaked quite a bit of havoc in the cities of the Philistines before the miserable idolaters sent it back into Israel on a cart pulled by a cow.  After an attempt to move the Ark to Jerusalem failed because it had been carried improperly (2 Sam. 6:7; 1 Chron. 13:10), King David adjusted his methods and set it up with much rejoicing in a tabernacle that then existed in the City of David (1 Chr. 15:16). There the ark remained until Solomon assembled the leaders of Israel “to bring up the ark of the covenant of the Lord out of the city of David, which is Zion” (2 Chronicles 5:2, ESV) and into the temple Solomon had built on the mountaintop. 

Why did King David choose Zion for the site of his tabernacle? Could he have known that this was the very place Melchizedek had received Abram’s offering hundreds of years earlier? 

While methodically excavating the City of David, Jerusalem archeologist Eli Shukron made a significant discovery: pottery spanning from the time of Abraham to the reign of Hezekiah, stacked in what seems to have served as a closet that had been closed up since the time of Hezekiah. Shukron calls this site “Temple Zero,” because he believes this is where Abraham may have paid the tithe to Melchizedek.

In addition to the pottery found by Shukron, several walls define rooms where there is evidence of an olive press, a drainage trench, and what was likely a hearth tripod used to heat the contents of a pot. However, what struck Shukron as the most significant discovery in these rooms was the stone that had been deliberately left standing upright with the help of other stones placed around it. This attention seems to indicate that it was a memorial stone marking an important biblical site. In like manner Jacob had anointed the stone he had used as a pillow at Bethel after dreaming about a ladder on which angels were ascending and descending. Could this stone of Zion have been placed here to commemorate the appearance of another who was acting on God’s behalf to bless Abraham? Might Abraham have placed it there himself?

Many early visitors to this new site, including key individuals such as Bible scholar Chuck Missler, were impressed. Since then, year after year, we have witnessed the Israeli Antiquities Authority prepare this site for the world to see it in its proper context.  However, not many have yet had the opportunity to see it.

Archeologist, Dr. Scott Stripling created an amazing episode on the site, Digging for the Truth, we highly recommend we watch their video for further documentation:  https://frenz64.wordpress.com/2021/12/20/king-davids-tabernacle-digging-for-truth-episode-155/

We know from Scripture that Melchizedek did exist and that he showed himself at the City of OUR King – Salem, Jerusalem, Zion. God called Abraham here to Salem to acknowledge that Melchizedek was worthy of the tithe. Joshua prevailed against God’s enemies who lived in and around Jerusalem; David established Zion as his capital and brought the Ark of the Covenant here to the tabernacle. Come see this special worship site in the City of David for yourself while you’re in Jerusalem with Living Passages!