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 e-mail to
WorldNetDaily saying, "The world has lost one of the most colorful
charlatans of all time." He predicted that nothing will ever come of
the discoveries 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.
