In our previous
lesson on the 1st
temple we noted that
it was built by King
Solomon and the
Children of Israel.
It was started in
967 BC and finished
in 960 BC.
It took 7 yrs.
to build.
King Solomon ruled
for 40 years
over Israel.
His father King
David also ruled
before Solomon for
40 yrs. After
Solomon's death
Israel backslid.
God used the prophet
Jeremiah to warn
Israel that, because
of the sins of
adultery and
idolatry, Jerusalem
would be destroyed
and they would go
into captivity in
Babylon. They
refused to repent.
1.On
the 9th of Av, in
the year 586 B.C.,
the First Temple,
built by Solomon,
was destroyed by
Nebuchadnezzar, and
the Babylonian
captivity began.
The Jews had to
serve the
Babylonians for 70
yrs. God also
prophesied that
after the 70 yrs. he
would return the
Jews back to their
own land.
Later, the
Meads and the
Persians
conquered Babylon
and began to rule
over the land and
the Jews who were
there.
God prophesied about
a man named Cyrus
before he was even
born. He anointed
Cyrus to be king; and
said of my servant
Cyrus, he will
accomplish my will
and command that the
Jews would return to
their land and
rebuild the gates
and the city.
Jeremiah 2910For
thus saith the LORD,
That after seventy
years be
accomplished at
Babylon I will visit
you, and perform my
good word toward
you, in causing you
to return to this
place.
Isiah 4426That
confirmeth the word
of his servant, and
performeth the
counsel of his
messengers; that
saith to Jerusalem,
Thou shalt be
inhabited; and to
the cities of Judah,
Ye shall be built,
and I will raise up
the decayed places
thereof: 27That
saith to the deep,
Be dry, and I will
dry up thy rivers: 28That
saith of Cyrus, He
is my shepherd, and
shall perform all my
pleasure: even
saying to Jerusalem,
Thou shalt be built;
and to the temple,
Thy foundation shall
be laid.
Ezra 1
1Now
in the first year of
Cyrus king of
Persia, that the
word of the LORD by
the mouth of
Jeremiah might be
fulfilled, the LORD
stirred up the
spirit of Cyrus king
of Persia, that he
made a proclamation
throughout all his
kingdom, and put it
also in writing,
saying, 2Thus
saith Cyrus king of
Persia, The LORD God
of heaven hath given
me all the kingdoms
of the earth; and he
hath charged me to
build him an house
at Jerusalem,
which is in Judah. 3
Who is
there among you of
all his people? his
God be with him, and
let him go up to
Jerusalem, which is
in Judah, and build
the house of the
LORD God of Israel,
(he is the God,)
which is in
Jerusalem. 4And
whosoever remaineth
in any place where
he sojourneth, let
the men of his place
help him with
silver, and with
gold, and with
goods, and with
beasts, beside the
freewill offering
for the house of God
that is in
Jerusalem.
5Then
rose up the chief of
the fathers of Judah
and Benjamin, and
the priests, and the
Levites, with
all them whose
spirit God had
raised, to go up to
build the house of
the LORD which is in
Jerusalem. 6And
all they that were
about them
strengthened their
hands with vessels
of silver, with
gold, with goods,
and with beasts, and
with precious
things, beside
all that was
willingly offered. 7Also
Cyrus the king
brought forth the
vessels of the house
of the LORD, which
Nebuchadnezzar had
brought forth out of
Jerusalem, and had
put them in the
house of his gods; 8
Even
those did Cyrus king
of Persia bring
forth by the hand of
Mithredath the
treasurer, and
numbered them unto
Sheshbazzar, the
prince of Judah. 9And
this is the number
of them: thirty
chargers of gold, a
thousand chargers of
silver, nine and
twenty knives, 10Thirty
basins of gold,
silver basins of a
second sort four
hundred and ten, and
other vessels a
thousand. 11All
the vessels of gold
and of silver were
five thousand and
four hundred.
All these did
Sheshbazzar bring up
with them of the
captivity that were
brought up from
Babylon unto
Jerusalem.
Ezra 3536
BC
1And
when the seventh
month was come, and
the children of
Israel were in the
cities, the people
gathered themselves
together as one man
to Jerusalem. 2Then
stood up Jeshua the
son of Jozadak, and
his brethren the
priests, and
Zerubbabel the son
of Shealtiel, and
his brethren, and
builded the altar of
the God of Israel,
to offer burnt
offerings thereon,
as it is written in
the law of Moses the
man of God. 3And
they set the altar
upon his bases; for
fear was upon them
because of the
people of those
countries: and they
offered burnt
offerings thereon
unto the LORD, even
burnt offerings
morning and
evening. 4
They
kept also the feast
of tabernacles,
as it is written,
and offered the
daily burnt
offerings by number,
according to the
custom, as the duty
of every day
required; 5And
afterward offered
the continual burnt
offering, both of
the new moons, and
of all the set
feasts of the LORD
that were
consecrated, and of
every one that
willingly offered a
freewill offering
unto the LORD. 6
From
the first day of the
seventh month began
they to offer burnt
offerings unto the
LORD. But the
foundation of the
temple of the LORD
was not yet laid. 7They
gave money also unto
the masons, and to
the carpenters; and
meat, and drink, and
oil, unto them of
Zidon, and to them
of Tyre, to bring
cedar trees from
Lebanon to the sea
of Joppa, according
to the grant that
they had of Cyrus
king of Persia.
Commentary: The
children of Israel
began to return to
their land and
rebuild the temple
and the city
8Now
in the second year
of their coming unto
the house of God at
Jerusalem, in the
second month, began
Zerubbabel the son
of Shealtiel, and
Jeshua the son of
Jozadak, and the
remnant of their
brethren the priests
and the Levites, and
all they that were
come out of the
captivity unto
Jerusalem; and
appointed the
Levites, from twenty
years old and
upward, to set
forward the work of
the house of the
LORD. 9
Then
stood Jeshua with
his sons and his
brethren, Kadmiel
and his sons, the
sons of Judah,
together, to set
forward the workmen
in the house of God:
the sons of Henadad, with
their sons and their
brethren the
Levites. 10And
when the builders
laid the foundation
of the temple of the
LORD, they set the
priests in their
apparel with
trumpets, and the
Levites the sons of
Asaph with cymbals,
to praise the LORD,
after the ordinance
of David king of
Israel.
11And
they sang together
by course in
praising and giving
thanks unto the
LORD; because he is
good, for his mercy endureth
for ever toward
Israel. And all the
people shouted with
a great shout, when
they praised the
LORD, because the
foundation of the
house of the LORD
was laid. 12But
many of the priests
and Levites and
chief of the
fathers, who were
ancient men, that
had seen the first
house, when the
foundation of this
house was laid
before their eyes,
wept with a loud
voice; and many
shouted aloud for
joy: 13So
that the people
could not discern
the noise of the
shout of joy from
the noise of the
weeping of the
people: for the
people shouted with
a loud shout, and
the noise was heard
afar off.
Ezra 6
1Then
Darius the king made
a decree, and search
was made in the
house of the rolls,
where the treasures
were laid up in
Babylon. 2And
there was found at
Achmetha, in the
palace that is in
the province of the
Medes, a roll, and
therein was a record
thus written: 3In
the first year of
Cyrus the king the
same Cyrus the king
made a
decree concerning
the house of God at
Jerusalem, Let the
house be builded,
the place where they
offered sacrifices,
and let the
foundations thereof
be strongly laid;
the height thereof
threescore
cubits, and the
breadth thereof
threescore cubits; 4With
three rows of great
stones, and a row of
new timber: and let
the expenses be
given out of the
king’s house: 5
And
also let the golden
and silver vessels
of the house of God,
which Nebuchadnezzar
took forth out of
the temple which is
at Jerusalem, and
brought unto
Babylon, be
restored, and
brought again unto
the temple which is
at Jerusalem, every
one to his place,
and place them in
the house of God. 6Now therefore,
Tatnai, governor
beyond the river,
Shetharboznai, and
your companions the
Apharsachites,
which are beyond the
river, be ye far
from thence: 7
Let
the work of this
house of God alone;
let the governor of
the Jews and the
elders of the Jews
build this house of
God in his place. 8Moreover
I make a decree what
ye shall do to the
elders of these Jews
for the building of
this house of God:
that of the king’s
goods, even of the
tribute beyond the
river, forthwith
expenses be given
unto these men, that
they be not
hindered. 9
And
that which they have
need of, both young
bullocks, and rams,
and lambs, for the
burnt offerings of
the God of heaven,
wheat, salt, wine,
and oil, according
to the appointment
of the priests
which are at
Jerusalem, let it be
given them day by
day without fail: 10That
they may offer
sacrifices of sweet
savours unto the God
of heaven, and pray
for the life of the
king, and of his
sons.
11Also
I have made a
decree, that
whosoever shall
alter this word, let
timber be pulled
down from his house,
and being set up,
let him be hanged
thereon; and let his
house be made a
dunghill for this. 12And
the God that hath
caused his name to
dwell there destroy
all kings and
people, that shall
put to their hand to
alter and to destroy
this house of God
which is at
Jerusalem. I Darius
have made a decree;
let it be done with
speed.
The 2nd Temple
was finished
in
515 BC
13Then
Tatnai, governor on
this side the river,
Shetharboznai, and
their companions,
according to that
which Darius the
king had sent, so
they did speedily. 14And
the elders of the
Jews builded, and
they prospered
through the
prophesying of
Haggai the prophet
and Zechariah the
son of Iddo. And
they builded, and
finished it,
according to the
commandment of the
God of Israel, and
according to the
commandment of
Cyrus, and Darius,
and Artaxerxes king
of Persia. 15And
this house was
finished on the
third day of the
month Adar, which
was in the sixth
year of the reign of
Darius the king.
16And
the children of
Israel, the priests,
and the Levites, and
the rest of the
children of the
captivity, kept the
dedication of this
house of God with
joy, 17And
offered at the
dedication of this
house of God an
hundred bullocks,
two hundred rams,
four hundred lambs;
and for a sin
offering for all
Israel, twelve he
goats, according to
the number of the
tribes of Israel. 18
And
they set the priests
in their divisions,
and the Levites in
their courses, for
the service of God,
which is at
Jerusalem; as it is
written in the book
of Moses. 19And
the children of the
captivity kept the
passover upon the
fourteenth day of
the first month. 20For
the priests and the
Levites were
purified together,
all of them were
pure, and killed the
passover for all the
children of the
captivity, and for
their brethren the
priests, and for
themselves.
21And
the children of
Israel, which were
come again out of
captivity, and all
such as had
separated themselves
unto them from the
filthiness of the
heathen of the land,
to seek the LORD God
of Israel, did eat, 22And
kept the feast of
unleavened bread
seven days with joy:
for the LORD had
made them joyful,
and turned the heart
of the king of
Assyria unto them,
to strengthen their
hands in the work of
the house of God,
the God of Israel.
King Herod, during his
reign in Israel, added
some features and size
to the temple.
Basically this is
probably what the temple
would have looked like
upon its completion in 515 BC. The
older people who saw the
1st temple of Solomon
wept and cried when they
saw the finished temple
in 515 BC
Commentary: God, through
the prophet Isaiah, spoke
about the disappointment
by the older Jews who
saw the beauty of the
1st temple and wept
because the 2nd wasn't
to be compared to the
former.
God said the glory of
the 2nd temple was
greater than that of the
former. The reason, of
course, is that Jesus
himself (God manifested
in the flesh ) entered
the 2nd temple while he
was here on earth and
taught there. Jesus said
I am the light of the
world, and he that
believes in me shall not
walk in darkness. In
Ezekiel
43 chp. said
that his glory lit up
the earth.
Although the next book (
Nehemiah ) doesn't
directly apply to the
subject of the different
temples in the different
dispensations, it is
important in
understanding the
related events of that
day. The city of
Jerusalem was basically
destroyed as well as the
walls and gates of the
city. Under
Nehemiah the walls and
gates were restored.
Hundreds of years later
they were still standing
when Jesus came through
the Golden gate on
his entry into Jerusalem
on Palm Sunday, just
before he was crucified. We will take time to look
at the rebuilding of the
city, the walls and the
gates in the next
lesson.
click here re: Golden
Gate to review that
lesson. The
2nd temple itself was
finished 515BC and was
still standing at the
time Jesus came to
earth. That temple never
had the presence of
God's Shikina glory or
the golden glow of his
presence like the first
temple. More important,
however, was the
presence of Jesus the
Messiah and Son of God
in the the 2nd temple. Neither was the
ark of the covenant
present in the 2nd
temple. We have a lot of
important information about the ark
of the covenant here on
this site.
The Jews did, however,
have the restoration of
the sacrifice again in
the 2nd temple. The 2nd
temple was enlarged and
improved by King Herod
before the birth of
Jesus Christ.
Years before Jesus was
born to the virgin Mary,
God said in Isaiah the Glory of the 2nd
temple would be greater
than the 1st. As we
mentioned before, that
was because the Messiah
of Israel and the Savior
of the world would
glorify it through his
presence.
Jesus, as a baby, was
circumcised there and
later as a small boy,
first preached in the
temple. Later as a grown
man, he entered the
city through the Golden
gate. The 1st thing he
did after entering the
city that final week was
to cleanse the temple.
Click here to see the
scripture and hear the
audio re:
the cleansing of the
temple
Jesus taught in the
temple his last week
before his crucifixion
and angered the priest
and leaders by his
teaching. He
prophesied the
destruction of the
2nd temple. 37 years later
that was fulfilled. To
this day 2010, the Jews
have no temple, but they
are planning to rebuild
it soon and will be
allowed, by God, to do so after
the
Christians have been
taken to heaven.
Now, at this point in
our study, it is very
important to understand
the 3rd temple which is
now on the earth. This
blue link will take you
there and explain that
3rd temple. Apparently
God will not allow 2
temples on earth in the
same dispensation or
time period. Israel's
next temple will not be
built until the
Christian age is
completed at the rapture
of the church to heaven. Be
sure to finish the study
on all of the temples in
this series.
Je
:
Jesus prophecies that
the 2nd temple would be
destroyed Luke 21:
23 & 24 verse's also 23
&24
6 As for these things
which ye behold, the days will come, in the
which there shall not be left one stone upon
another, that shall not be thrown down.
22 For these be the days
of vengeance, that all things which are
written may be fulfilled.
23 But woe unto them
that are with child, and to them that give
suck, in those days! for there shall be
great distress in the land, and wrath upon
this people.
24 And they shall fall
by the edge of the sword, and shall be led
away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem
shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until
the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.
Commentary: After
Jesus was crucified and
ascended back to heaven, in the year 70 AD,
which was approximently
37 yrs. after he made
this prophecy, the Roman general Titus
and his armies captured
Jerusalem. They then destroyed and burned the
temple. They tore down
the stones of the temple
to get the molten gold
that ran between the
stones. This is
why Jesus said, not one
stone will be left on
another. The 2nd temple
stood for approximately
585 yrs, or until 70AD
At that time the Jews
were scattered into
different nations of the
world. That was the
beginning of the
Diaspora which lasted
approximately 2000 yrs.,
or until 1948, when they
became a nation again in
their own land. God also
prophesied that he would
set his hand a 2nd time
to gather the nation of
Israel, and we have been
eye witness to these
current
events. In 1948, after
world war 2, God began to
regather the Jews and
Israel was reborn as a
nation. In 1967 the Jews
captured east Jerusalem
and the temple mount.
They should have kept
the temple mount at that
point, but because of
unbelief and to pacify
the Muslim nations
around them, they gave
the temple mount back to
them. That was like the
time that God led them
up to the border of the
land of Canaan which was
the promised land.
Moses sent 12 spies, one
from each of the 12
tribes of Israel, to spy
out the land. They
returned after 40 days
to report on the land
and its inhabitants.
They told Moses and the
children of Israel that
the people of that land
were like giants and
Israelites wouldn't be able to
conquer them. Ten
of the Israeli spies
gave this negative
report, but Joshua
and Caleb said with God's
help they could defeat
the inhabitants.
God had told the
Israelites that because
of the terrible sins of
the people of that land,
that he would drive
those sinners out give
it to his people Israel.
But because of their
weak faith they wouldn't
be allowed to enter the
land at that point. They
had to wander in the
desert for 40 yrs.
before they would be
allowed another chance
to enter into the
promise of God. They
spied the land for 40
days and God made them
wander 1 year for each 40
days they were
spying the land. They
could have avoided the
40 yrs. of desert
wandering if they had
entered at the promised
time. God took care of
the
nation of Israel
in the desert, but
allowed all of the
generation of
unbelievers to die off
before their decendents
could enter and conquer
the land of Israel. God
gave the land of Israel
to his people and it
still belongs to them.
The Bible said without
faith it is impossible
to please God. If we
believe and obey him, he
will take care of all
our needs. He will
do the same for Israel.
God told Israel not to make
treaties or covenants
with other nations but
to trust him.
Again in 2005, Israel
gave up Gaza and it
turned into a giant
launching pad for Hammas
and their enemies.
Former prime minister
Rabin was trying to give
away land and an
assassin killed him.
Later Ariel Sharon, who
was prime minister,
gave away Gaza. He
was also involved in
illegal business
activities.
Shortly after the Gaza
giveaway he had a
massive stroke and was
hospitalized and was
replaced by Olmert.
Because of criminal
business activities, and
a desire to give land to
their enemies, he has
been replaced. Bi
Bi is now prime
minister but under
great pressure to divide
Jerusalem and give up
land to their enemies to
pacific them, and to
please the antichrist
new world leaders.
Why was the 2nd temple
destroyed on
the 9th of Av, the
same day as the 1st temple?? Again
it was because of
unbelief. It was because
Israel didn't recognize
that Jesus was
fulfilling the ancient
prophecies in the old
testament about the
coming of the Messiah.
"Such as he would be born
in Bethlehem.
Behold a virgin shall
conceive and bear a
child."
Behold I will send my
messenger, and he shall
prepare the way before
me: and the Lord whom
you seek, shall suddenly
come to his temple even
the messenger of the
covenant, whom ye
delight in: behold he
shall come saith the
Lord of hosts, and also
the scriptures in
Isaiah 53 which
describes the suffering
of the Messiah
Jesus
and
also the 22 Psalm
The 1st temple was
destroyed on the 9th of
AV 587 BC Then
657 yrs. later the 2nd
temple
An artist depiction of
the destruction of the
2nd temple on the 9th of AV
in 70AD
We will finish at this
point with this study of
the 2nd Jewish temple .
We hope you will return
and read all of these
lessons in the Temple
Series Thank you
for visiting our web
site.
Bill Hicks
