Reasons to be a York Rite Mason: Blue Lodge Masons are Already York Rite Masons

This is a brief introductory article for a short series looking at the York Rite and its relationship to the Temple at Jerusalem. This is not intended to be academic work, but is rather researched conversation for your investigation.

Reasons to be a York Rite Mason

Blue Lodge Masons are already York Rite Masons

A first reason is that the blue lodge Mason is already a member of the York Rite.  The first three degrees in Masonry teach character lessons that are associated with stonemasonry during the building of King Solomon's Temple, the FIRST Hebrew Temple at Jerusalem.   

 

But the "first temple OF Jerusalem" might go to “Melchizedek King of Salem.” Very briefly, the significance of Melchizedek was that he was described as both a priest of God most high, AND as the King of Salem that we now know as Jerusalem. Psalms 76:3 indicates “Salem” is just another name for – Jerusalem (“His tent is in Salem, his dwelling place in Zion.“).  

 

See original here 

The Bible provides a hint to this priest/king’s importance. In Genesis (14:18), the Bible describes a meeting between Abraham and a Canaanite King – “Melchizedek King of Salem.” Abraham recognized him as a person worthy of sharing 10% of the spoils of war with as he passed through his territory.  And Melchizedek considered Abraham a person worthy of leaving his city and bringing bread and wine to Abram (how many kings do that?!).   

Melchizedek, a contemporary of Abram, lived around 1875 BCE The dates of Solomon's reign are thought to be from 970 to 931 BCE.  Solomon wouldn't be King of Jerusalem for some 900+ years after Melchizedek. What does Melchizedek have to do with any temple in Jerusalem? 

 

In 2010 Archaeologist Eli Shukrun unearthed a very unusual ancient structure in the City of David above the Gihon spring. You may see a representation of it in the linked YouTube video above and in other videos as well.  It comprised four parallel rooms along the eastern slopes of Salem, with foundations carved in the bedrock. The northernmost room had a square hole in one of its walls and a vat carved into its floor. Such features are typical of ancient olive presses. 

 

This room also contained a storage space where many pottery shards were uncovered. Most date to the 18^thcentury BCE, and some to the 8^thcentury BCE. Shukrun concluded that this structure functioned in the Middle Bronze Age (18^th-17^thcenturies BCE, during the time of Abraham and Melchizedek) but was also known, perhaps even used, up to the 8^thcentury BCE (The “Israelite period” while David was king, and even after the reign of Solomon and the building of the Jerusalem Temple). 

 

The room behind it had a rectangular raised platform in its NW corner, from which a drainage ditch was carved to its eastern end. Shukrun suggested this was the place of an altar, whose ditch drained the blood of sacrifices. The southernmost room had “V” shaped carvings in its floor and another carved round vat.

But the most significant discovery was made in the adjacent room, where a standing stone was found in its NW corner. Having a seemingly cultic function, and set between a room with an altar and a room with “V” shaped carvings (tripods base for animal slaughter?), What was its purpose? 

 

Shukrun suggested that the complex was designed for worshiping a deity and was in use, or at least known, from the time of Solomon up to the 8^thcentury BCE. Is this the place of worship of Melchizedek, King of Salem? Was this site so sacred that even centuries later, in the days of the Israelites, it was still revered?  

 

Interestingly, the latest pottery found in the structure dates to the 8^thcentury BCE, the time of King Hezekiah who led a religious reform and abolished former cultic centers smashing the sacred stones and cutting down the Asherah poles. 

 

Was this a place of worship of the God Most High in the city known as peace and wholeness.  Was this a temple used by Melchizededk overlooking a city with no walls?  It was in use for a thousand years.  Was it revered as the special king who honored and was honored by Abraham?  Was this copper age complex the precursor to Solomon's Temple?  Was this a very early example of monotheistic worship?

As this installation was built into the bedrock, one wonders what part Copper/Bronze Age “masons” may have played in its construction.

More to come on the York Rite and the Temple in the next installment. 

Read more here:  https://dannythedigger.com/9-2019-impressions-of-a-mysterious-cultic-center-found-in-the-city-of-david/