Temples In The Holy ScripturesSample

THE TEMPLE OF HEROD

The rebuilding of the temple at the end of the 70-year Babylonian exile was in fact begun by Zerubbabel (Ezra 1:3; 3:12, 13; 4:1-24; Hag. 2:15-19; Zech. 6:12-15; Mal. 3:1).

This rebuilt temple was plundered continually by the kings of the north (Syria) and the kings of the south (Egypt) over the following nearly 400 years. King Herod rebuilt the temple in the last century before Christ to win the favour of the Jews. He took 46 years to build and adorn it. (John 2:20).

It is also this temple that stood in the time of Jesus Christ when He walked on earth. This temple is also known as the "the second temple".

In His ministry of three and a half years, Jesus Christ also spoke of the temple as My Father's house (John 2:16-20; Matt. 21:12-15). Jesus therefore still acknowledged the Old Covenant despite the hypocritical state of the temple service in his day.

This temple was destroyed in 70 AD by the Roman soldiers under Titus. It was the fulfilment of the prophecy by Jesus Christ nearly 40 years earlier (Matt. 23:38; 24:1, 2; Luke 19:41-46).