Jerusalem- The Second Temple Series

Series: Biblical Cities- Jerusalem [#13]

JERUSALEM- THE SECOND TEMPLE

Matthew 23:37

Introduction:

We are continuing in our Series about some of the most mentioned Cities in the Bible. Tonight, we are going to study the city that is 1st on the list- Jerusalem. Jerusalem is mentioned 811 times in the Bible. Currently, there are 3 different Religions that consider Jerusalem to be a holy site- Judaism, Islam, and Christianity.

Matthew 23:37

1. Zerubbabel.

In 538 BC, Zerubbabel, the leader of the Tribe of Judah, was part of the 1st wave of Jewish captives to return to Jerusalem (Ezra 1:1–2). The Persian King appointed Zerubbabel as governor of Judah (Haggai 1:1), and right away Zerubbabel began rebuilding the Temple with the help of Joshua, the high priest (Ezra 3:2–3, 8). The 1st Temple, built by King Solomon, had been destroyed by the Babylonians (2 Kings 25:8–10).

It took Zerubbabel 2 years to rebuild the foundation of the Temple. Then, construction was delayed by the Samaritans who were inwardly hostile (Ezra 4:1–5). As a result of the opposition to the Temple construction, Persia withdrew support for the project, and for 17 years the Temple sat unfinished (Ezra 4:21).

Finally, God sent the prophets Haggai and Zechariah to encourage and support Zerubbabel (Ezra 5:1–2), and the work on the 2nd Temple resumed. 4 years later, in 516 BC, the Temple was completed and dedicated with great fanfare (Ezra 6:16). The Jews also observed the Passover (Ezra 6:19). It’s interesting that Zerubbabel is never mentioned in connection with the dedication ceremonies, nor is his name mentioned again after Ezra 5:1. For this reason, Zerubbabel’s temple is often referred to simply as the “2nd Temple.”

It is obvious that the Lord God was pleased with Zerubbabel’s efforts in returning the captives to Jerusalem, in building the 2nd Temple, and in reestablishing the Temple worship (Ezra 3:10). With God’s prompting, Haggai gave Zerubbabel a special blessing: “‘On that day,’ declares the LORD Almighty, ‘I will take you, my servant Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel,’ declares the LORD, ‘and I will make you like my signet ring, for I have chosen you,’ declares the LORD Almighty’” (Haggai 2:23).

2. Haggai.

As the 2nd Temple was being built, there was a group of Jews in Jerusalem who were rather disappointed. Older Jews who recalled the size and grandeur of the 1st Temple regarded Zerubbabel’s Temple as a poor substitute for the original. To their minds, it did not even begin to compare with the splendor of Solomon’s Temple. It was true that Zerubbabel’s Temple was built on a smaller scale and with much fewer resources. Also, Solomon’s Temple had housed the Ark of the Covenant, which was no longer in Israel’s possession; and at the 1st Temple’s dedication, the altar had been lit by fire from Heaven, and the Temple had been filled with the Shekinah; attendees at the 2nd Temple’s dedication witnessed no such miracles. Even so, Haggai prophesied that the 2nd Temple would 1 day have a magnificence to outshine the glory of the 1st (Haggai 2:3-9). Haggai’s word was fulfilled 500 years later when Jesus Christ arrived on the scene (Luke 2:22, 46; 19:45). Zerubbabel’s Temple was not as outwardly impressive as Solomon’s, but it had a greater glory: the Messiah Himself walked the courts of the Temple that Zerubbabel built.