The Babylonian Empire destroyed the temple that Solomon built because of the Israelites' rebellion against God in 586 BC. However, God told the Israelites through the prophet Jeremiah that after 70 years of captivity in Babylon, God would lead them back to Jerusalem (Jeremiah 25:11). When the Medo-Persian Empire defeated the Babylonian Empire, God moved the heart of the Medo-Persian King, Cyrus, to allow the Israelites to return to Jerusalem. Under the leadership of Zerubbabel, the temple was rebuilt in 516 BC (Ezra 1-6). (see Zerubbabel's temple). The rebuilding of the temple was not as glorious as the temple that Solomon built. The Israelites who survived the captivity in Babylon wept when they saw the rebuilding of the temple. The Israelites realized the devastation of the result of their rebellion against God that many of them abandoned their false gods and rededicated themselves back to the true living God (Ezra 7-10; Nehemiah 8-13). The rebuilding of the temple was known as the second temple period. When the Greek Empire defeated the Medo-Persian Empire under the leadership of Alexander the Great, the temple was once again desecrated but not destroyed. It was only when the Roman Empire became the most powerful empire in the world that the temple was rebuilt by Herod the Great. (See Herod's temple). Jesus went and taught at this temple on several occasions. The veil that separated the Holy Place from the Holy of Holies was torn into two when our Lord Jesus died on the cross, signifying that we can now enter the presence of God through our Lord Jesus. In 70 AD, the temple once again was destroyed by the Roman Empire, which was predicted by our Lord Jesus (Luke 21:5-6).
When we go to Jerusalem today, the only thing that remains in the temple is the western wall, where the Jews pray today. There is no longer a temple in Jerusalem, and the Jews are yearning to rebuild it once again. Looking back on what God told Moses, if the Israelites would only worship Him and walk in His ways, He would prosper their land and remain in the temple; however, the Israelites rebelled against God and reaped the consequences. Let us not forget that any sin destroys what is good in us. Sin is very appealing, but the consequences of it are devastating. The Israelites lost everything because of their sins. However, through the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus on the cross, we do not need a temple any longer because we now have direct access to God through our Lord Jesus.
Praise be to our God, who made a way for us to establish a permanent relationship with Him without needing a temple. We now have direct access to our Heavenly Father through faith in our Lord Jesus and not through a temple.
Questions for application: (Think through these questions carefully, meditate on them while answering them, and let the Spirit of God speak to you.) Why did the Israelites lose the temple and their land? Is there any sin in my life that I need to confess to God and repent from? What happens if I do not want to give up a sin in my life?
Take a moment to write down all your worries today. Then, lift them up to God in prayer, surrendering them to His will and trusting in His guidance.
Prayer:
Dear Father in Heaven, I confess all my sins to you, and please forgive me. Thank you, Lord Jesus, for what you did on the cross. Because of what you did, I have access to my Father in Heaven. Please help me not to harbor any sin in my heart and always walk in your ways. In the name of Jesus, I pray. Amen.
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