The Ark of the Covenant

Present Location and Importance

Background:

Ron Wyatt is an archeologist who has been led by the Lord to discover the location of the Ark of the Covenant. Henry Gruver met Ron Wyatt in Jerusalem when he was walking and praying over the streets of Jerusalem. That is what Henry Gruver does. Henry is a Godly man from Iowa who is directed by the Lord to go to various cities of the world and walk the streets of the city and pray. The Lord told Ron Wyatt that he could share the discovery of the Ark of the Covenant with Henry Gruver. The L-rd has allowed Henry Gruver to speak regarding what the L-rd had done with the Ark. The following are notes from one of Henry Gruver's talks.

Introduction:

The last record of the location of the Ark of the Covenant in the Tanakh, (Old Testament), is Jeremiah 3:16. "And it shall come to pass, when ye be multiplied and increased in the land, in those days, saith the L-RD, they shall say no more, The ark of the covenant of the L-RD: neither shall it come to mind: neither shall they remember it; neither shall they visit it; neither shall that be done any more." You will recall that Jeremiah knew that Babylon would soon conquer Judah and was preaching repentance to the people of Judah. You may also recall that the L-rd instructed Jeremiah to purchase a specific field. Jeremiah knew the first temple, built by Solomon, was going to be looted and destroyed by Nebuchadnezer. At the L-rd's instruction, with the help of the remnant of faithful priests, Jeremiah had the Ark of the Covenant and the furnishings which were in the Holy of Holies moved to the location which the L-rd directed. Before hearing Henry Gruver, I had always thought that G-d had taken the Ark of the Covenant to heaven, according to the b'rit chadasha, Revelation 11:19. "And the temple of G-d was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament: and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail." Now I can see that this is the temple of G-d in heaven. The Ark of the Covenant, which the L-rd had Moses construct, was a model of that which was in heaven. The Ark of the Covenant was placed in a certain specific location by Jeremiah at the L-rd's direction. The Ark of the Covenant is hard physical evidence which proves the absolute truth of the Bible and that Mohammed is a false prophet. If the Muslim leaders knew of the whereabouts of the Ark they would have an all out jihad to destroy the Ark. That is why discretion should be exercised in the publication of this information.

Notes on Henry Gruver's Talk:

In a dream, before Henry was sent to walk and pray over the streets of Jerusalem, the L-rd took Henry to a high place where on his right was a blue body of water way off down in the desert, and on his left he saw Jerusalem. He then heard a voice in the dream which said "loose the shoes off your feet for the ground where you stand is holy ground." Henry did not understand the dream and kept asking people is there such a place above Jerusalem where you can look down and see a body of water on the right and the city of Jerusalem on your left. Everyone would say, "yes, I think there is but I don't know just where."

Henry has prayed over the streets of 110 cities in Europe. He had never met or even heard of Ron Wyatt before he went to pray over the streets of Jerusalem. Ron Wyatt was told that he could share the discovery of the Ark of the Covenant with Henry Gover and was instructed by the L-rd to go to the hotel where Henry was staying. Ron Wyatt had flown in from Turkey that morning specifically to share with Henry Gruver regarding the discovery of the Ark of the Covenant. Ron Wyatt was going to drive Henry from Jerusalem to Galilee. While driving up toward the Mount of Olives, Ron stopped the car and told Henry that he had never seen the Sea of Galilee and the Dead Sea this clear from up here. They got out and were standing looking down at the Sea of Galilee and you could see just a part of the Dead Sea. Ron told Henry that normally you would never see this because there is a chalky dust which is always blowing through the valley so that you would never see the water. The moment Ron said "look at those blue waters," Henry turned and saw Jerusalem at his left hand. Henry recalled the dream which was part of the L-rd's instructions that Henry go and pray over the streets of Jerusalem. When the tears welled up in Henry's eyes, Ron told Henry, "go and take as much time as you like and I will wait in the car." Henry took the shoes off of his feet and stood there with floods of tears flowing from his eyes. Henry was absolutely certain, at that moment, that he was in the L-rd's perfect will.

When Henry went back to the car with Ron Wyatt, Ron began to explain to Henry that he was an archeologist who only works on biblical things. The L-rd had instructed him to leave the Noah's ark site in Turkey and go to Jerusalem to share with Henry the greatest archeology discovery in history. This discovery is not Noah's ark, but the Ark of the Covenant. Ron promised to show Henry a large envelope of pictures documenting everything which Ron would share with Henry that day about the Ark of the Covenant.

Jeremiah purchased the potter's field with 30 pieces of silver. The L-rd had instructed Jeremiah to have the remnant of faithful priests remove the furnishings of the temple and put them in a special chamber. The chamber was in Jeremiah's grotto or the potters field which he had been instructed to purchase and to seal the deed in an earthen vessel. In Ron Wyatt's discovery of the Ark of the Covenant in a cave beneath this potter's field he also found this earthen vessel with the deed regarding Jeremiah's purchase of the field and the writings of Jeremiah regarding why these furnishings were put in this chamber. This chamber or cave is a natural, non man made, chamber. The chamber in which the Ark of the Covenant was found was a chamber which was not made with hands.

We may now see some scriptures from the b'rit chadashah come alive and soon become irrefutable. Specifically the writings are of Rabbi Shaul, who studied under Gamliel, when he wrote to Messianic Jews in Hebrews chapters 8 and 9. Moses gives us the account of the beginning of the Ark of the Covenant. Rabbi Shaul gave the account of the destiny of the Ark of the Covenant. In Exodus 25:22 the L-rd said, "And there I will meet with thee, and I will commune with thee from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubims which are upon the ark of the testimony, of all things which I will give thee in commandment unto the children of Israel." Now look at Hebrews 8:1-2 . "Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens; A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the L-rd pitched, and not man." Concerning the Melchizedek priesthood, this is the essential meaning. The 7th chapter of Hebrews lays the foundation of who Messiah is. Rabbi Shaul summarizes the understanding of the Melchizedek priesthood and who Messiah is. He finishes it off in Chapter 9. This man, this priesthood, spoken of in Chapter 7 verse 24 continues forever. "But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood." Yeshua is of the same Melchizedek priesthood. Again we see in Hebrews 8:1-2 "Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens; A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the L-rd pitched, and not man."

Can we begin to see it was the hand of G-d which carved out the cave underneath the potter's field which Jeremiah purchased to store the Ark of the Covenant for Messiah's first coming and to be revealed just before His second coming. "The true tabernacle, which the L-rd pitched, and not man." The question for the Messianic Jews then and for all Jews especially the Jews who will be on earth at His second coming, remains - will we seek the true tabernacle, which the L-rd pitched, and not man? Or will we continue to follow the traditions of men?

Hebrews 8:3 says, "For every high priest is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices: wherefore it is of necessity that this man (Yeshua haMashiach) have somewhat also to offer. He is talking about a high priest here. He is still talking Torah, Mosaic Law, here, not Rabbinical Judaism. He is not talking grace yet here.

Hebrews 8:4-5 says, "For if he were on earth, he should not be a priest, seeing that there are priests that offer gifts according to the law: Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of G-d when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern showed to thee in the mount." This is where I had always missed it when I thought that G-d had taken the Ark of the Covenant to heaven as I had interpreted Revelation 11:19. Now it has become clear that the Ark which the L-rd instructed Moses to construct was a pattern of what was in heaven. See that thou make all things according to the PATTERN showed thee in the mount. A pattern is made from the original. The original had always been in heaven and the PATTERN had been faithfully hid by Jeremiah. Moses was instructed to make a PATTERN and Yochanan (John) was shown the original in Revelation 11:19.

Hebrews 8:6-7 says - "But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator (Yeshua haMashiach) of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises. For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second." The first covenant was in the tabernacle in the wilderness. It went into Solomon's temple until the Babylonian siege. It was then taken by Jermiah to this true tabernacle, which the L-rd pitched, and not man. Was this not the place G-d had chosen for the ratification of the new and better covenant about which the L-rd had spoken to Jeremiah in chapter 31 verse 31 - "Behold, the days come, saith the L-RD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah:" ??? This remains the great question soon to be answered for all Jews and all men.

Hebrews 8:8-11 says - "For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the L-rd, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah: Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the L-rd. For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the L-rd; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a G-d, and they shall be to me a people: And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the L-rd: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest." This is all future tense. It has not happened yet. It has started. There is every reason to believe it will happen soon.

Hebrews 8:12-13 says - "For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more. In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away." What was that? The Ark of the Covenant with the tables of stone. It is ready to vanish away. Now look at chapter 9. He goes back again into some very important information.

Hebrews 9:1 says - "Then verily the first covenant had also ordinances of divine service, and a worldly sanctuary." Why did he call it worldly? Because it was down on the earth. It was also made with human hands. He is talking past tense. Now look at verse 2 - "For there was a tabernacle made; the first, wherein was the candlestick, and the table, and the showbread; which is called the sanctuary." What? Why? Why is the sanctuary defined as the Candlestick, and the table of showbread? Because wherever these are, constitutes the sanctuary. It is not where the priests do the daily sacrifices. That is not the sanctuary. Where the furnishings are is where the sanctuary is. The holiest of all is found in the next verses. Behind the second veil the layers of animal skins we read in verses 3 through 5 - "And after the second veil, the tabernacle which is called the Holiest of all; Which had the golden censer, and the ark of the covenant overlaid round about with gold, wherein was the golden pot that had manna, and Aaron's rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant; And over it the cherubims of glory shadowing the mercyseat; of which we cannot now speak particularly." Everyone has thought that the Ark of the Covenant was in Herod's temple, the Second Temple. Who can say positively that it was? No one can say, in truth that it was. This is part of the reason why G-d himself used an earthquake to rip this veil from top to bottom. With that earthquake everyone could look directly into the place of the holy of holies in the Second temple and see that it did not contain the Ark. That is why the writer to the Messianic Jews, who was taught by Gamliel, said "of which we cannot now speak particularly."

Hebrews 9:6-7 says - "Now when these things were thus ordained, the priests went always into the first tabernacle, accomplishing the service of G-d. But into the second went the high priest alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the errors of the people:" What happened to Yeshua when He went up and was dumped into that middle cross hole having been nailed to that cross? Did He not cry out Father forgive them, lay not their sins to their charge, forgive them for they know not what they do? Was He not like a high priest hanging there? He sure was. Verses 8 and 9 go on to say - "The Holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing: Which was a figure for the time then present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices, that could not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience;" Why is he going back talking bout Old Testament Law? He is building again, and building again to show us that Yeshua haMashiach is the only one who could ratify this Covenant as pertaining to the conscience. Verse 10 says - "Which stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordinances, imposed on them until the time of reformation." Now the language gets real serious. Verses 11-12 say - "But Messiah being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us." Yeshua being come an high priest of good things to come (future tense). The candlestick and the table of showbread constitute the sanctuary. In the holiest of all is the golden censor and the Ark of the Covenant. Where was the center cross hole upon which Messiah was crucified? If you were to drop a plumb line from the crack just to the left of the cross hole, you would hit the center of the Mercy Seat.

Some of Mattityahu's account of the Messiah's death in chapter 27 verses 45-54 should help give perspective: "Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour. And about the ninth hour Yeshua cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My G-d, my G-d, why hast thou forsaken me? Some of them that stood there, when they heard that, said, This man calleth for Elias. And straightway one of them ran, and took a sponge, and filled it with vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave him to drink. The rest said, Let be, let us see whether Elias will come to save him. Yeshua, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost. And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent; And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many. Now when the centurion, and they that were with him, watching Yeshua, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of G-d." When He died the Roman soldier came and pierced His side and lanced the cavity containing His heart. Corruption does not set in for 3 days. The scriptures say that when He was pierced that blood and water flowed out. It flowed right down that crack. And to this day, the stain is in that crack. The stain is in the top of the chamber right above the Mercy Seat. There is a thin stone covering over the top of the Ark. There is a crack in the ceiling right over the top of the Ark of the Covenant. The earthquake that ripped the temple veil showing that there was no Ark behind it also prepared the way for the blood and water of the Perfect Lamb of G-d to be brought to the Mercy Seat.

The high priest was required to use hyssop to sprinkle the blood on all of the furniture of the sanctuary and then to also enter the holy of holies and sprinkle it upon the Mercy Seat. That blood if it were not for the thin stone covering would have just hit the Mercy Seat between the two Cherubims. But because of the thin stone covering with the crack above the Mercy Seat caused all of the seven tiered candlestick, table of showbread, and other temple furniture to also be sprinkled with the blood. It even hit some of the high priests garments which were also found there. By the way, the book of Mormon says these garments are hidden in a cave in America. This discovery not only proves Mohammed to be a false prophet, but Joseph Smith as well.

Look now at Hebrews 9 verses 11-14. But Messiah being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; (Herod's temple or the second temple) Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: How much more shall the blood of Messiah, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to G-d, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living G-d? Now if the blood of Messiah was not required to be put on the Mercy Seat and in the true sanctuary, why is he even talking like this?

This is powerful but now look at what verses 15 & 16 say - And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance. For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator. What was down under Messiah as He hung on the cross? The first testament, the tablets of stone which G-d had given to Moses in the Ark which Jeremiah had placed exactly where G-d knew it must be placed. For where a testament is there must also of necessity be the death of the testator. It can't be anywhere else. That is the only biblical way that the crucifixion and the Ark of the Covenant could ever be.

That one verse is strong proof of the location of the Ark but look at verse 17 - For a testament is of force after men are dead: otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth. He cried with a loud voice, gave up the ghost, and the centurion marveled that He was so soon dead. The crucifixion process normally would last 7 to 9 days, as a reminder to all not to violate Roman law. Remember that Yeshua said no man takes my life, I lay it down. That is why the scripture says He gave up the ghost. A testament is of force after men are dead. The soldier pierced his side and the blood and water flowed out. It is crucial that we remember that it was blood and water that flowed out down the cross and down through the crack into the true tabernacle not made with hands. Dr. Sam Dreed, in the book None of These Diseases, gives much good factual medical information about this important point. The chamber of the heart holds about 3.5 pints of blood. When a person dies of a broken heart, the heart explodes in this chamber. This chamber is filled with decoagulated blood or blood and water. When the heart breaks something happens to the chemistry of the blood in the chamber which causes it to separate into blood and water. For a testament is of force after men are dead: otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth. In verses 18 & 19 - Whereupon neither the first testament was dedicated without blood. For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and of goats, with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book, and all the people, We are still talking about the ten commandments. We can't get away from it. Notice he took BLOOD and WATER.

Look at what it says in I Yochanan (1 John) chapter 5 verses 6 - 8. This is he that came by water and blood, even Yeshua Messiah; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth. For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one. And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one.

Now also think about what robe Yeshua wore in the judgment hall? It was a scarlet robe as it had to be For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and of goats, with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book, and all the people,. Yeshua wore the scarlet wool robe when He was mocked with the crown of the thorns and covered with blood from the wounds in His head. Yeshua is the book, the living Torah, the Logos of G-d. John 1:1 says - In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with G-d, and the Word was G-d. The book was thoroughly covered with blood from the scourging and the wounds in His head. Where does the hyssop come in? When He cried out in a loud voice and they said He was calling for Elijah. They took hyssop, which when you beat on it forms many little strands like a sponge and gave him vinegar to drink.

Today all the people who will beleive are covered by the blood of the Perfect Lamb of G-d. Hebrews chapter 9 verses 19 - 22 say - For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and of goats, with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book, and all the people, Saying, This is the blood of the testament which G-d hath enjoined unto you. Moreover he sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle, and all the vessels of the ministry. And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission. This is why the Ark of the Covenant and all of the temple vessels including the high priest garments had to have been placed by G-d's direction to Jeremiah right under the cross where Yeshua haMashiach was crucified. He sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle, and all the vessels of the ministry. And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.

Now look at verse 23 and 24. It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. For Messiah is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of G-d for us: They have tested the blood found on the Mercy Seat. It has human blood on it. The blood is the same as on the top of the chamber and on all of the temple vessels. It has peculiar properties but it is human blood and not animal blood. If the security in the area were to be released, today, you could look down the crack next to the cross hole. You could walk right down in that chamber and see the Ark of the Covenant and all of the temple vessels.

Henry has shared this with a group of about 250 Orthodox Jews. He was allowed to share everything from the b'rit Chadashah. They were spellbound for 45 minutes and you could have heard a pin drop. They never even looked at each other. They were in shock when they saw 600 Polaroid pictures Ron Wyatt had taken from the site. As these men stood looking at the pictures they began to weep. It is quite likely this will soon play a major roll in bringing the Jews to know their Messiah when the documentary of this discovery is released. Zechariah 12:9-10 says - And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem. And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn. What will Israel do with the Ark and the temple vessels? Let us hope they will come to their Messiah. When Messiah's Blood fell on the Mercy Seat, we were all bought and paid for. We are on the threshold of eternity. What will Israel do with the Ark of the Covenant?

New claim over discovery of the lost Ark of the Covenant
By David M. Bresnahan
© 1999 WorldNetDaily.com

An archeologist who claims to have found the Ark of the Covenant directly below the crucifixion site of Jesus Christ has died after giving a deathbed interview to WorldNetDaily.

Noah's Ark, Sodom and Gomorrah, the Ark of the Covenant, the crucifixion site of Jesus Christ, and more have been the subject of controversial claims made by an archeologist who spent much of his life documenting sites and events from the Bible.

Ron Wyatt died after a lengthy battle with cancer last Wednesday, but his quest to provide information that would lead to more people accepting the teachings of the Bible continues at Wyatt Archeological Research, a non-profit, non-denominational organization in Tennessee.

Reached just before his death, the telephone interview with Wyatt was to last only a few minutes because of his very weak condition. He actually spoke for nearly an hour. A few days later, Wyatt succumbed to the disease.

The evidence of the various finds Wyatt claimed to have made has been debated by religious leaders, scholars and lay people, for at least a decade. There are many who believe his findings are genuine, and there are a few who are not so willing to accept his claims.

According to Wyatt, he was able to physically locate the Ark of the Covenant, the container for the original tablets of the Ten Commandments, with the Mercy Seat intact on the top. It was found in a chamber just outside the walls of ancient Jerusalem about 20 feet below what Wyatt also claimed was the actual site of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ.

Wyatt said he found an earthquake crack directly below where the cross would have been. It extends down through the rock to the resting place of the Mercy Seat atop the Ark of the Covenant, he told WorldNetDaily. The blood of Christ would have
flowed through that crack after his death and after his side was pierced by a soldier's spear.

The site of the crucifixion appears to have evidence that it was once enclosed in a first century building, apparently a church. The site includes a large round stone which perfectly fits the Garden Tomb -- accepted by many as the place from which the body of Christ rose from the dead.

The Bible teaches the concept of sacrifice of animals, symbolic of the actual blood sacrifice Christ would make. The act of Christ, regarded by some as the great High Priest, permitting himself to be sacrificed and placing his own blood upon the Mercy Seat was the great and final act in the process of blood sacrifice, according to the writings of Wyatt.

Wyatt believed that the Ark of the Covenant, along with other sacred objects from the first Temple in Jerusalem, were all secreted away just prior to the entrance of the Babylonians into the city about 600 years before the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. There are many tunnels beneath Jerusalem even to this day. These most sacred objects were protected in a chamber and the entrance was sealed and hidden.

"When Christ died, the earth quaked. The rock was split right below His cross and this crevice extended right down into the hidden chamber which contained the undefiled 'earthly' Throne of God -- the Ark with its Mercy Seat," explained Wyatt in one of his research letters. "After He was dead, when the centurion stuck his spear into Christ's side and pierced His spleen, the blood and water came out, falling down through that crack and was sprinkled on the Mercy Seat."

Wyatt explained that in the former Temple service, the high priest sprinkled the blood of the sacrifice on the Mercy Seat. Wyatt said Christ, as the great High Priest, was the only one who could physically sprinkle the blood on the Mercy Seat. It was an act of God that everything was in the right place, and that there was an earthquake which enabled Christ to spill his own blood onto the Mercy Seat in fulfillment of this ancient rite, he explained.

Wyatt did not make any claims of grandeur, nor did he claim to be a prophet. He said his only role was to be a willing servant.

"God has a way of communicating his wishes to people, and I'm not the only one able to do that so I don't flatter myself to think that I'm something special. I was there, I was willing, so therefore God allowed me this privilege. There are others who are in communication with him. There are others who are familiar with this material who will see that it is presented," Wyatt told WorldNetDaily by phone just before his death, indicating that more of his evidence and findings will soon be made public.

It was back on Jan. 6, 1982 when Ron Wyatt realized what he had found during the excavation of the Ark of the Covenant.

"I just went from stunned to more stunned I guess," he described . "When I started making the excavation I wasn't looking for the Ark of the Covenant. I had no idea or intent to be looking for the crucifixion site, so as I proceeded with the excavation and found this crucifixion site, it was a thrill and a happy set of circumstances, and I didn't make the connection with the blood on the mercy seat until I actually saw it."

He said the significance of the find took on a new meaning when he actually found the crack which extended from the Mercy Seat all the way up through solid rock to the location he had found above where the crucifixion took place.

Wyatt claimed that he was authorized to make his excavations by the Antiquities Department, but that bureaucrats within that agency insisted that his findings must be kept secret. He was told that Jewish extremists might view the discovery as a sign that it was time to rebuild the ancient Temple in Jerusalem. The Muslim Dome of the Rock now sits on the site that Jewish fundamentalists believe must one day be destroyed and a new Jewish temple built.

Wyatt has made public a significant amount of his research and findings, but he has withheld certain documents and photographs to comply with the agreement he made with Israeli officials. His refusal to provide everything resulted in criticism from some.

The day after the death of Wyatt, one detractor sent an and even claimed that Wyatt is not with God now because he must account for his lies.

"There's nothing can be done to prevent ridicule that I'm aware of. I don't think it would be appropriate to deny people the opportunity of using ridicule because I think that's part of showing their true character," Wyatt told WorldNetDaily of those who have attacked his claims.

This discovery of the Ark of the Covenant and the crucifixion site are more important to the non-Christians than to the believing Christians, according to Wyatt. He believes the discovery will help to bring people of other faiths to Christ.

"They've been taught something else all their life. So God is doing this show-and-tell through these revelations and these discoveries to prove to them real quick that the Bible is historically accurate and divinely inspired," Wyatt explained. He quoted from Jeremiah 16:19-22 predicting unbelievers will come from all parts of the earth to learn of the discoveries.

"Surely our fathers have inherited lies, vanity, and things wherein there is no profit. Shall a man make gods unto himself, and they are no gods," quoted Wyatt.

"This last revelation is for the inhabitants of the earth who don't have a clue, as well as for those of us who do have a clue and have been commissioned by Christ to reach out to help bring these people who don't have a clue into the fold. So these are tools that God has given the believers to strengthen their faith and to reach out with. They are tools that will be extremely effective in these the last pouring out to the entire population, all inhabitants of the earth," he explained.

Wyatt has been involved in a number of significant archeological studies of biblical sites and artifacts. These have included Noah's Ark, the crossing of the Red Sea by Moses, Mount Sinai, Sodom and Gomorrah, and others. Nothing else has the significance of the Ark of the Covenant and its tie to the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, he explained.

"My personal assessment is that this is the culmination of the whole plan of salvation. I believe it's the finishing off and the final proof and evidence for what has happened here on this planet. And I think that it's being presented at a time just before probation's closed while people can still decide to go along with God," Wyatt stated.

WorldNetDaily made contact with sources within the U.S. intelligence community that have been reliable in past investigations. Experts on both Israeli and Muslim politics and beliefs were contacted to determine their assessment on the impact of Wyatt's discoveries.

Both sources expressed disbelief that the Israeli government wanted to hide the discovery for the reason they gave Wyatt. Instead both agreed that it was likely the Israelis are concerned that when Jews learn of the connection of the crucifixion site with the Ark of the Covenant there could be large conversions which would threaten Jewish control of the government, assuming that the discoveries are true. Neither source was aware of the discoveries previously.

WorldNetDaily was not able to convey that assessment to Wyatt prior to his death for his reaction.

Wyatt did say that he did not expect the Ark of the Covenant would ever be removed from its current resting placed. The access tunnel used by Wyatt's archeological team has been sealed. The pictures and videos of the find are what he said would soon be shown worldwide.

"The blood and all of that part will be shown, all of that, on video. The only thing that will be shown typically that people will be able to have a look at and maybe touch, you know I don't know what the restrictions will be on that, and that's the tables of stone," said Wyatt, referring to the tablets containing the Ten Commandments found inside the Ark of the Covenant itself.

Wyatt said he did not believe the Jews will ever successfully rebuild the Temple because they would want to resume the practice of blood sacrifice within the Temple, something that he says God would not permit to happen.

"I believe that if they do set about to do a Temple thing, it will be part of Satan's deception," he added.

He said that when the Ark of the Covenant and the Temple furnishings were moved to the hidden chamber, that location became the Temple of the Lord, or the Holy of Holies. It remained untouched and undefiled so that Christ could complete his ultimate sacrifice.

He is confident they remain where he found them. He does not believe they have been secreted away.

"Let me say this, and this is a touchy point and I try to avoid it. There's some 14 to 16 individuals that have died because they have tried to in some way to manipulate this," he explained without providing the details.

"Some have had to do with withdrawing a permit and others have had to do with, shall we say, trying to actually get in there and move the furnishings. So I believe that God has adequately demonstrated, at least to me, that He is not going to allow this to be moved. I do know this, and that is that nothing will happen to this that is not in God's plan because this is the most important part of the plan of salvation that has been carried out. This is it, the heart and soul of it. There's no way he's going to allow people, demons, or any other forces to interfere with it being done exactly as he wants it done," he stated.

The crucifixion site was found on the side of the Golgotha hill, or Place of the Skull just outside the old north wall of Jerusalem, not far from the Garden Tomb. It was discovered under many feet of soil with actual holes in the rock where crosses were placed, and niches in the rock wall behind where three signs were placed. The large circular stone used to cover the garden tomb was also located there, and it was all surrounded by the foundation of a first century building. The central, main cross hole has an earthquake crack beside it.

Photographic evidence was obtained, and then the site was covered back over with 12 feet of dirt and a garden established. Wyatt says it was landscaped to avoid controversy. The entrance to the system of caves and tunnels, found by the Wyatt team in the cliff wall was also sealed over.

In conclusion, Wyatt was asked to describe his spiritual growth since his discoveries. What is the difference in his gospel understanding before the discoveries and since?

"Basically, getting to know God and complying with his required character changes and all of that. I was experiencing those things, and of course I had a hunger and a thirst. I had a big curiosity. To be perfectly honest that may have outweighed the other consideration and then the difference between what I felt then and now is I believed what the Bible said. I believed what it says to be true, that's the Authorized King James by the way. However, now I know that what it says is true," he concluded.

Wyatt added that it has been his role to do more than just dig up interesting artifacts. He accepted the added responsibility to explain the religious significance of the items he found.

The Wyatt Archeological Research group maintains a small museum in Tennessee where the evidence and work of Ron Wyatt can be examined and studied. The death of Mr. Wyatt is not expected to stop the effort of telling the world about the findings, according to a spokesman.

WorldNetDaily has examined extensive evidence regarding the various claims and discoveries made by Wyatt for several weeks. Several critics have been found who have voiced their opinion that the work of Wyatt Archaeological Research is fraudulent, but evidence to support those charges cannot be found.

The evidence is sufficient to conclude that Wyatt's team conducted the claimed archeological digs and investigations. WorldNetDaily is not qualified to determine the value of the evidence.

Wyatt was given a deathbed opportunity to either reaffirm or recant his claims. He chose to reaffirm all that he has claimed without hesitation.

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