In these last days, there are certain rare and hard-fought data points (puzzle pieces, you might say) which the masses remain blissfully unaware of. Finding and arranging these pieces is a most worthy quest.
Godspeed.
In ancient Israel, the half shekel was the temple coin. At the time of Christ, the annual temple tax was a half shekel, though the coins themselves were struck in Tyre. This was the tax famously spoken of by Christ in Matthew 17. The tradition was based upon Exodus 38:26, which speaks of a half shekel per head for all adult males.
When they came to Capernaum, the collectors of the two-drachma tax went up to Peter and said, “Does your teacher not pay the tax?” He said, “Yes.” And when he came into the house, Jesus spoke to him first, saying, “What do you think, Simon? From whom do kings of the earth take toll or tax? From their sons or from others?” And when he said, “From others,” Jesus said to him, “Then the sons are free. However, not to give offense to them, go to the sea and cast a hook and take the first fish that comes up, and when you open its mouth you will find a shekel. Take that and give it to them for me and for yourself.”
— Matthew 17:24-27
In modern times, Israel’s Temple organizations have minted a new temple coin. This one commemorates Israel’s 70th anniversary of being a nation (in 2018) and contains images of Cyrus the Great and of Donald Trump. In fact, two versions of this coin have been minted, but one had an extremely small mintage since it was made of gold. But both coins show the same key elements: namely, Cyrus the Great and Donald Trump side by side.
Clearly, we are meant to see both men in the same light. Despite the different cultures and thousands of years between them, there is something about them which is strikingly similar. But what is it?
Let me put it quite simply. Both men are temple builders.
Donald Trump is the modern-day Cyrus the Great. Which, when rightly understood, means we are living through the Great Tribulation and on the very doorstep of Christ’s return.
Maranatha.
Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God.
— 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4
Seek ye where the broken twig lies and the dead stick molds away, where the clouds float together and the stones rest by the hillside, for all these mark the grave of Hiram who has carried my Will with him to the tomb. This eternal quest is yours until ye have found your Builder, until the cup giveth up its secret, until the grave giveth up its ghosts. No more shall I speak until ye have found and raised my beloved Son, and have listened to the words of my Messenger and with Him as your guide have finished the temple which I shall then inhabit. Amen.
— Manly P. Hall (The Lost Keys of Freemasonry)
Now the last age by Cumae's Sibyl sung
Has come and gone, and the majestic roll
Of circling centuries begins anew:
Justice returns, returns old Saturn's reign,
With a new breed of men sent down from heaven.
Only do thou, at the boy's birth in whom
The iron shall cease, the golden race arise,
Befriend him, chaste Lucina; 'tis thine own
Apollo reigns …He shall receive the life of gods, and see
Heroes with gods commingling, and himself
Be seen of them, and with his father's worth
Reign o'er a world at peace.— Virgil (Eclogue IV)
I give these out to people who have a calling to spread the gospel or provide support to those that do. Great post Brother. (Tried to share a picture and it didn’t upload of a out of circulation 1980 1/2 shekel Lion of Megiddo coin).