How can the Temple menorah be found in the cave with the Ark, if it was taken and brought to Rome by Titus army when the Romans destroyed the Temple in 70 c.e. ?

Menorah and other temple furniture carried away to Rome after the temple in Jerusalem was destroyed.

Question posted on ark files on Facebook

The temple furniture from the second temple is not the same as the ones that were built at Mount Sinai. The items found in the cave are the ones built for the very first Sanctuary and which the israelites carried with them during the forty years wandering in the wilderness. They were later moved to the temple in Shiloh. The items found in the cave are the ones described built in Exodus 25 and onward.

When Solomon built the first temple the Bible tells us he made new furniture for it. 

“And Solomon made all the vessels that pertained unto the house of the LORD: the altar of gold, and the table of gold, whereupon the showbread was.. And the candlesticks of pure gold, five on the right side, and five on the left, before the oracle, with the flowers, and the lamps, and the tongs of gold” (1Ki 7:48-49) As we can see Solomon even made multiple candlesticks and not just one.

No one knew what happened to the original furniture and the Ark as the Bible are silent about their whereabouts. The Bible explains that although cups and pots from the temple were restored to it, the original items were neither taken by the Babylonians and therefore not on the list of things returned. (See Ezra 1: 7-11) 

Historical records tell us that there was additional new furniture built for the second temple restored by King Herod. 

It is the items from this temple that was taken to Rome and that are depicted on the Arch of Titus in Rome.

 You can easily learn about the objects from the second temple by reading Jewish history. 

The table shown on the Arch of Titus is mostly likely not the table of showbread as the dimensions are wrong, however it could be the table of the Lord they made for the Most Holy Place to replace the Ark as mentioned in Ezekiel 41:22 

When they didn’t have the Ark during the second temple period they used another alter for the service during the Day of Atonement. 

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