Introduction

The resplendent sun glistened bright on a midsummer-morning on the ancient, narrow, stone streets of Jerusalem and the City of David. In the distance, the smell of anticipation was in the air. It was about 970 B.C. and the unimaginable was under way. An ominous expectation loomed as the First Temple of God was being erected along with King Solomon’s Palace. Crowds began to converge along the thoroughfare as a very great train of camels paraded through the city gates inspiring awe and wonder into the hearts of the Israelites. The spectators peered at what appeared to be an extreme abundance of spices including frankincense, myrrh and cinnamon of such considerable store, the land of the tabernacle of God had never seen such prosperity before. This was followed by a large troop of exotic golden-skinned peoples draped in blue and purple luxury linens and silks and decked with fine gold and precious stones. The women displayed Egyptian-style shebyu collars of gold and earrings and bracelets of pure gold bedazzled with baguettes. The men radiated with pride boasting their ancestral Sacred Thread, a heavy cord of finely woven solid gold swathed across their shoulders, breasts and adjoining in a knot at their waists, with belts intricately meshed of very fine gold, earrings, necklaces, gold and jewel embellished dagger handle, arm and leg bands all of authentic gold of Ophir. The yellow Gold of Sheba followed in the next progression as the dromedaries conveyed 4.5 tons of unblemished gold in wedges succeeded by a colorful rainbow of precious gemstones. For this was an oblation to the Temple project commenced at the time of the enigmatic Queen of Sheba, one of the world’s very first female billionaires and likely one of the wealthiest, if not the wealthiest

matron in all of history. Trailing behind, The Queen of Sheba was chauffeured upon a regal, illustrious carriage bejeweled with gemstones and gilded golden posts bestride atop 4 camels. The empress is obscured by opulent cobalt and indigo textiles adorned in fringes of gold and silver from her native archipelago but the thronging congregation could only distinguish her arms of flawless golden skin and her sleeves of silk garment encrusted with gold. The elegant entourage sashays to King Solomon’s new Palace being erected back-dropped by an unadorned Temple which lay incomplete. The concentration of the crowd was suddenly frenzied by the triumphal sounding of an orchestra of ram’s horns as an even weightier caravan entered the city corridor. It was Hiram, King of Tyre, who was delegated Admiral of King Solomon’s recent navy to go to Ophir from the Red Sea port newly fabricated 344 km South of Jerusalem. Hiram, a blended Hebrew, part Phoenician man of stature, led the next divisions of even-toed ungulates from his return trek from Ophir. He and his navy of diverse, tall, bearded and white-skinned Phoenician sailors and darkskinned Israelites arrived to a hero’s ovation as they escorted a royal fortune of the gold of Ophir valued at $588 million today weighing over 13,000 kilograms (15 tons). They conducted a plenitude of metals as silver, lead, iron and tin as the troupes of camel-powered wagons ensued. Coaches of ivory from Ophir supplanted in bulk along with a massive volume of the exotic, foreign red sandalwood never seen in Israel until that day. These prized, foreign timbers spanned 100-feet long boasting a rich red hue. The parade ended with a horde of friendly long-tailed monkeys performing to admirers as they run, vault and scale their Phoenician handlers culminating in a fireworks display of color as alluring peacocks thrill all in assembly with their exquisite glamour. It was greater than a Barnum and Bailey Circus act as the crowd palpably acknowledge each stage of bounty as they had never experienced an event like this nor would they ever again. These were the gifts from the very first journey from Ophir and they fully identify only one land on all of Earth as this ancient land of Gold, we will authenticate as the modern Philippines. Why is the Queen of Sheba in the middle of this narrative? Most scholars fail to look at the

Table of Nations in Genesis 10 to notice that not only are there two Shebas listed, one is the very brother of Ophir to which her story cannot be separated. The Queen of Sheba descended from the Brother of Ophir not the wrong Sheba in Ethiopia which we will substantiate does not fit any of these anecdotes. In this book, we will thoroughly test the origin of these elements, dig deeply into practically every scripture on the topic and offer a history that is little known about the only land which qualifies as Ophir and was recorded as such as fact not speculatively. We will explore ancient maps and geographical markers, offer observable science and dissect the language of this very land of antiquity to uncover Hebrew roots in many words which linguists agree. We do not offer a claim but we will demonstrate indisputably that this ancient land of gold is none other than the Philippines and just to make sure, we will test the other claims around the world as well. You will likely find as we have, in comparison to the abundant, overwhelming evidence in the Philippines, there is no other narrative one could remotely consider as the ancient isles, and they must be islands, of gold in any sense. As the history of the Philippines is restored in Ophir, this will bear out that Sheba and Tarshish are also found in this same region within the modern Philippine archipelago. Once we have accomplished this task, we will tackle one of the largest enigmas known to man – locating the region of the Garden of Eden, the Land of Creation and the Rivers from Eden. That sounds like an impossible challenge yet review the results for yourself. We include this not because we chose to head in such direction but as a perk, this deposition just so happens to lead there and again, there is no other coherent defense anywhere else on earth once one objectively reviews this substantiation. Once again, we will prove and we will not stake a petition nor does this truth require any scholarly consensus which is an impertinent paradigm of control already guilty of losing the isles of gold. It stands as truth or it does not. Test it for yourself and forego the many agendas that have obscured what was known for thousands of years and then, somehow lost. How exactly did the rabbis and church lose the land of gold? Peter calls it “willing ignorance” in 2 Peter 3. We find these lands in the Philippines as well, as this gold region

transcends all of history as it is first recorded in Genesis 2 and leads to the Philippines in definition even in that passage as you will find. Along this journey, we will locate all of these elusive traditions even positing and testing our strong theory locating the Rivers from Eden – all 5 of them. This theory is actually the first to fit the Biblical descriptions of these rivers and we challenge anyone to find another that does. Though we do not require one’s belief in that theory to prove our case, however, it becomes further entrenched as a result of this entire position and very difficult to dismiss nor disprove. We are The God Culture, a group of independent researchers who set out in search of the sector of King Solomon’s resources – Ophir. Over the past three years, we have been able to produce over fifty YouTube videos which document our journey through these facets which lead to the Philippines. Many have asked why a group of Americans would take interest in this topic. We do not care about gold except it is the resource which defines the ancient realm in which prophecy tells us much of it’s role in the last days. Every scholar should be seeking this but few even know what Ophir represents. Even King Solomon realized later in his life as he wrote Ecclesiastes, that all the gold was meaningless without a relationship with Yahuah God. The true value of these areas of antiquity has nothing to do with it’s gold but it’s people who are called by His name. Though our leader who is of mixed Native American and European descent, is married to a Filipina, our aim all along has been to find these true locations regardless of where they may abide as reconstructing this archaic geography, restores prophecy which is where this writing will ultimately lead and that will astound indeed. This is one of the greatest revelations of our age and we encourage everyone to do as we have, just as 1 Thessalonians 5:21 admonishes us, “Prove all things, hold fast that which is good.” If you have arrived on this page a skeptic, you are a welcomed guest as we began there too. As you prove all things, we believe you will find this is not a theory nor a journey of speculation but one which follows the facts and they are abundant – far more than we have been taught. If you are Muslim, Catholic, Christian, Atheist or seeking, we encourage you to review these evidences because even if you do not believe the Bible, no rational human could possibly deny there are pieces of history

within. Since it is the origin of this entire historical narrative of Ophir, you will never be able to prove this out without it. Even Indiana Jones does so. We make no apologies that we build our foundation on the Bible. We challenge academics, scholars, government officials and all regular folk, to execute a trial of this data even in attempt to disprove. This expedition will change your perspective and life. Selah.

King Solomon’s Temple, Jerusalem.