Israel365 News posted the following:
July 19, 2026
A Jerusalem-area synagogue lecture hall filled this week for a talk billed on YouTube as “The 2026 Jewish DaVinci Code — Locating our Divine Heritage Today,” delivered by Rabbi Harry Moskoff, author of The Ark Report and founder of a Jewish heritage research project that has spent two decades tracing the fate of the vessels removed from the Second Temple. …
Moskoff, who moved to Israel from Toronto twenty years ago, framed his research as investigative rather than purely academic. “I really have — it’s not just a theoretical academic approach, I have that too — but I’m coming in from a very Jewish, Bible perspective,” he said. “This is something that’s really hands-on. I’ve seen for myself. I’ve been there myself. Gotten into trouble a couple of times.” He added, with a laugh in his voice, “Every investigative archaeologist worth their salt gets close to, not arrested, but takes some chances. You have to be able to do that.” …
Where the Ark itself is, in his view
On the Ark of the Covenant, Moskoff said his research holds that it never left the Temple Mount. “The Ark itself never moved, for two thousand seven hundred years,” he said. “It’s actually in a chamber — a real room, with the same sanctity as the Holy of Holies — directly underneath.” He placed the site southwest of the Dome of the Rock rather than beneath it, a position he said is shared by other researchers he works with, though he acknowledged it isn’t universal. “There are different theories,” he said, “but my theory holds up through the Mishnah, other writings — biblical, historical, archaeological, topographical.” https://israel365news.com/419754/the-vessels-of-the-second-temple-never-disappeared-this-rabbi-knows-where-they-are/
As far as what some other Jews believe, Michael Snyder posted the following:
May 7, 2024
There is a lot of speculation that historic events that people have been anticipating for more than 2,000 years are about to happen in our time. …
When the discovery of the Ark of the Covenant is finally announced, it will be the biggest archaeological bombshell in all of human history.
On the official website of the Temple Institute, they publicly acknowledge that they know exactly where it is located…
While some claim to have evidence that the ark is in Ethiopia, and of course, moviegoers were treated to a fanciful version of the story in “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” in reality, the expression “lost” ark is not an accurate description for the Jewish people’s point of view – because we have always known exactly where it is. So the Ark is “Hidden,” and hidden quite well, but it is not lost.
Tradition records that even as King Solomon built the First Temple, he already knew, through Divine inspiration, that eventually it would be destroyed. Thus Solomon, the wisest of all men, oversaw the construction of a vast system of labyrinths, mazes, chambers and corridors underneath the Temple Mount complex. He commanded that a special place be built in the bowels of the earth, where the sacred vessels of the Temple could be hidden in case of approaching danger. Midrashic tradition teaches that King Josiah of Israel, who lived about forty years before the destruction of the First Temple, commanded the Levites to hide the Ark, together with the original menorah and several other items*, in this secret hiding place which Solomon had prepared.
This location is recorded in our sources, and today, there are those who know exactly where this chamber is. And we know that the ark is still there, undisturbed, and waiting for the day when it will be revealed. An attempt was made some few years ago to excavate towards the direction of this chamber. This resulted in widespread Moslem unrest and rioting. They stand a great deal to lose if the Ark is revealed – for it will prove to the whole world that there really was a Holy Temple, and thus, that the Jews really do have a claim to the Temple Mount. (The official position of the Islamic Wakf, the body that governs over the Temple Mount, is that there never was a Holy Temple, and that the Jews have no rights whatsoever to the place).
When the Ark is revealed to the whole world, it will completely shock the entire planet. … And when it is finally revealed to the world, everything will change. http://endoftheamericandream.com/a-red-heifer-sacrifice-is-coming-but-the-discovery-of-the-ark-of-the-covenant-will-be-even-more-important/
Notice also the following:
May 4, 2024
An unbelievable rumor says treasures from [Roman Emperor] Titus’ attack on Jerusalem are now hidden in secret vaults at the Vatican.
There are stories about Israeli officials being told secrets from Catholic leaders.
It’s hard to believe without proof.
Yet, the papal palace shields very old, buried secrets. https://allisrael.com/watchthe-ark-of-the-covenant-at-the-vatican
While it is not impossible to think that the Vatican could have the Ark of the Covenant, that is doubtful for many reasons, including a Roman Catholic private prophecy:
Bl. Dionysus of Luetzenberg…prophecies:
“After the discovery of the Ark of the Covenant, Enoch and Elias will restore the Holy Sacrament of the Altar; Because of the fact that the Ark of the Covenant will be in the possession of the two holy prophets and not in Antichrist’s hands, the Jews will recognize that Jesus is the true Messias …”
( Luetzenberg, Antichristus Chapter 29 as cited in Birch D.A. Trial, Tribulation & Triumph. Queenship Publishing, Goleta (CA), 1996, p. 509)
If the above is claiming that Enoch and Elijah are the ones in possession of the Ark, then the Vatican would not have it. On the other hand, this could possibly be interpreted that the Vatican will give it to Enoch and Elijah. Yet, since Enoch and Elijah will not come to the earth until after the first resurrection, despite many claiming they will be the two witnesses (see also Who Are The Two Witnesses?), they will not possess the Ark and restore the Roman Catholic “Sacrament of the Altar.”
One concern that I have had is that if the Ark of the Covenant is found, this could possibly get more of the Jews to support the ecumenical end-time religion that will call itself ‘Catholic.’ This would be consistent with biblical (Revelation 13:4,8; 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12) and Greco-Roman Catholic prophecies.
That said, Harry Moskoff believes that there are other Jewish items at the Vatican. The Israel365 News post also had the following:
July 19, 2026
The Vatican’s basements
Moskoff described decades of contact with Vatican officials over what he believes is a much larger collection held underground. “For centuries and centuries, the Vatican has always said, ‘We don’t have anything.’ But very recently — since I’ve been there — they neither confirm nor deny that they have it. They’re much more careful,” he said. He argued Israeli intelligence likely already has a clear picture of the Vatican’s holdings. “We have technology. Israel has a satellite, the Mossad, for God’s sake. We could find out if we want to. But the government of Israel actually already knows what’s there.”
To illustrate that claim, he recounted the story of a French-born Jewish physician who, decades ago, was reportedly offered a look at Temple relics inside the Vatican by a friend whose father was a senior Vatican official, on condition of conversion to Christianity. Moskoff said the man ultimately declined to convert or to view the items on his rabbi’s advice, but was told what awaited him: “The golden headplate of the High Priest — they have at least one, pretty much for sure, maybe two — they have the parochet, standing in a glass, vacuum-sealed case, with a tear in it. You have part of a Torah scroll.” Moskoff said the man later briefed senior Israeli officials, including then-president Shimon Peres, on what he had been told. “Everything I quote, my wife was there — everything is there. That’s what he said. Large items, small items.”
Asked directly whether the menorah is more likely to be in the Vatican or in the Jerusalem-area cave, Moskoff didn’t hedge. “I can say the menorah in the Vatican is almost a hundred percent,” he said. “The one in the cave, I would imagine, also — unless it got lost on the way. If I were to say pick one or the other, I would say it’s in the Vatican and not in the cave.” https://israel365news.com/419754/the-vessels-of-the-second-temple-never-disappeared-this-rabbi-knows-where-they-are/
Since the Menorah is shown on the Arch of Titus (which I have personally seen numerous times) in Rome, it certainly would seem possible that the Vatican could have it. Let me add that some Jews believe that the menorah signifies God’s presence is always with us, some Jews believe the 7 lampstands symbolize the whole world, while some believe it is to symbolize that Israel is to be a light in the world per Isaiah 42:6. However that verse in Isaiah points to the Messiah.
As far as the Ark of the Covenant possibly being in Jerusalem, in its newsletter of Elul 5, 5781/August 13, 2021, the Temple Institute had the following photo and a link to the following:
(Photo in Temple Mount newsletter)
DOES THIS MARK THE SPOT OF THE ARK OF THE COVENANT?
The square structure seen in the middle of the photo from the Temple Mount is a cap closing off an open passage which leads to a large underground chamber, which was excavated in Temple times. It was forty years today (Elul 4) that Rabbi Yehudah Getz, who for 27 years was the Rabbi of the Western Wall, attempted with the assistance of a number of his students and others, to break through an underground wall which sealed off the chamber in the hope of finding there the Ark of the Covenant. Ancient Jewish tradition maintains that the Ark was hidden away in a specially prepared subterranean chamber by King Josiah in order to keep it safe from the approaching Babylonian army.08/12/21 https://www.facebook.com/templeinstitute/photos/a.86889944968/10151591160214969
Now the Bible is clear that the Ark of the Covenant will be in heaven:
19 Then the temple of God was opened in heaven, and the ark of His covenant was seen in His temple. And there were lightnings, noises, thunderings, an earthquake, and great hail. (Revelation 11:19)
It has been suggested that the physical ark of the covenant that the children of Israel had was patterned on one in heaven, thus it could still be on earth.
As mentioned in my free e-book Islamic and Biblical Prophecies for the 21st Century, some believe Muslims believe that the Imam Mahdi (a figure that resembles the prophesied King of the South of Daniel 11) will find the Ark of the Covenant (in Antioch) and that will be a sign he is the Imam Mahdi (The Secret History of the Ark of the Covenant: Hemes, Hagar and the Bloodline of Muhammadﷺ. Presentation by Sayyid Ahmed Amiruddin at the 2013 Symposium put on by the McMaster Association of Religious Studies, February 7, 2013. This belief was referenced at the symposium to come from al-Hawi li’l Fatawa, II, 82).
Since both Islamic and Roman Catholic prophecies suggest that it will be found, it is possible that some of them will point to the Ark in Ethiopia (some believe Ethiopia has the original Ark, while others believe that it has an early copy) or one in Jerusalem (or elsewhere) as proof that their prophecies are to be fulfilled. Or perhaps to a different location in the future, like Ireland or outside of Jerusalem in Israel.
Or Roman Catholics may claim that if the Ark of the Covenant has not been found, that some will claim that this is additional proof that the real two witnesses are not God’s two witnesses. Notice that the Roman Catholics want to place their practices on it (by Holy Sacrament, they seem to mean their Eucharistic practices; here is an article about their origins: Marcus, the Marcosians, & Mithraism: Developers of the Eucharist?). These are the same Roman Catholics that also keep trying to gain control of the Church of God on Jerusalem’s Western Hill.
Others say that Zion was really on the eastern side of Jerusalem, and thus, that may be where the Ark could be or end up.
Related to Zion, a psalmist wrote:
8 Arise, O Lord, to Your resting place, You and the ark of Your strength. 9 Let Your priests be clothed with righteousness, And let Your saints shout for joy. 10 For Your servant David’s sake, Do not turn away the face of Your Anointed. 11 The Lord has sworn in truth to David; He will not turn from it: “I will set upon your throne the fruit of your body. 12 If your sons will keep My covenant And My testimony which I shall teach them, Their sons also shall sit upon your throne forevermore.” 13 For the Lord has chosen Zion; He has desired it for His dwelling place: 14 “This is My resting place forever; Here I will dwell, for I have desired it. 15 I will abundantly bless her provision; I will satisfy her poor with bread. 16 I will also clothe her priests with salvation, And her saints shall shout aloud for joy. 17 There I will make the horn of David grow;I will prepare a lamp for My Anointed. 18 His enemies I will clothe with shame, But upon Himself His crown shall flourish.” (Psalm 132:8-18)
While Solomon wanted it to be in the temple he built to house the ark forever, God had David write that Zion was the chosen location.
Anyway, it remains my view that there is a chance that we will see the Ark or we will see a strong claim that someone has located the Ark within the next decade or so.
Related to reporting about the Ark, we in the Continuing Church of God put out the following video:
Where is the Ark of the Covenant?
Protestant writer Michael Snyder says that the Ark of the Covenant from the Bible is about to be find and that he knows exactly where it is. The Temple Institute believes it will be found soon and that it knows where it is. Why, supposedly, has no one uncovered it? Is Daniel 9:27 proof that the Ark of the Covenant is about to be found? What about Vendyl Jones? Is this Ark in Jerusalem in a cave or passage under what is called the Temple Mount? Does the Bible state that Jeremiah the prophet hid it just before the Babylonians took over? What about the Hill of Tara or Cairn T in Ireland? Does a comparison of a 1710 document and scriptures in 2 Chronicles 35:1-3 related to King Josiah eliminate the common view about a possible Ethiopia location? Do Muslim and Roman Catholic prophecies point to it being found? Are there any scriptures that support rabbi Avraham Goldstein’s contention that it is under or in Mt. Zion? How might the Continuing Church of God be involved? Any connection to a dream from someone in New Zealand? Does the Book of Revelation show the Ark of the Covenant being in heaven? Could there be an actual physical Ark that can be found? Dr. Thiel and Steve Dupuie discuss these matters.
Here is a link to our video: Where is the Ark of the Covenant?
Whether or not the CIA or the Temple Institute know the location of the the Ark, developments related to the Ark of the Covenant may well have prophetic ramifications.
Some items of possibly related interest may include:
Ark of the Covenant: Prophetic Ramifications Could there be any prophetic ramifications of the Ark of the Covenant? Could it be in Ethiopia? What about Ireland? What about Mount Zion? What does the Bible teach? Here are links to a short message and a related sermon: Where is the Ark of the Covenant? and Exodus 25: Ark of the Covenant and the Mercy Seat.
Church of God on Jerusalem’s Western Hill Could this building, often referred to as the Cenacle, which is located on a Mount Zion, possibly have been the oldest actual Christian church building? There is also a video titled Might the oldest church building have prophetic ramifications?
Why is a Jewish Temple in Jerusalem Not Required? Although people like Timothy LaHaye teach a third Jewish temple is required, who is ‘the temple of God” in the New Testament? Does the Bible require a rebuilt Jewish Temple? Here is a related item in the Spanish language ¿Por qué no se requiere un templo judío en Jerusalén? Here is a link to a sermon titled The Temple, Prophecy, and the Work.
Nascent Sanhedrin and Prophecy The reconstituted Sanhedrin wants the reimplementation of animal sacrifices. A related video is titled Sanhedrin pushing animal sacrifices. And a newer one is: Sanhedrin makes burnt offering to dedicate altar!
Greco-Roman Catholic Prophecies: Do They Mirror, Highlight, or Contradict Biblical Prophecies? People of all faiths may be surprised to see what various Roman and Orthodox Catholic prophets have been predicting as many of their predictions will be looked to in the 21st century.
Who Are The Two Witnesses? What is their job? What does the Bible reveal? What has the Church of God taught on this subject? Might even Roman Catholic prophecies give some clues here? A related sermon is available: Prophecy and the Two Witnesses. Here is a related link in Spanish/español:¿Quiénes son los dos testigos? Here is a sermon in Spanish: ¿Quienes son los Dos Testigos?