The Rebuilding of the TempleLesson 40

October 3, 2010

2

We’ll cover readings for September 25-October 2

Haggai, Zechariah, Portions of Psalms and Ezra Return of the Exiles Foundation of the Temple Laid Work on the Temple Stops Haggai and Zechariah Speak to the

People Work Resumes God’s Future Promises

This Week

3

Solomon’s Temple

4

Solomon’s Temple

5

It was the place God chose to place His Name

It was a symbol of His Presence among the people

It was a symbol of national pride for Israel It was the center of identity for all of

Jacob’s descendants In short, it was EVERYTHING to the Nation

of Israel And maybe a little too much?

What would it have been like to see it destroyed? And know that it was your fault ...

Solomon’s Temple

6

What in our nation might be equivalent to the Temple?

Let’s Put Ourselves in Their Shoes

7

Is immediately recognizable as a symbol of the United States of America Not just by Americans

It is the center of our system of government

For many it is the very representation of liberty and freedom

In short it means EVERYTHING (or at least a lot) to us as Americans

Haw many of us have been there?

The US Capitol

8

How would we feel if we saw it destroyed?

The US Capitol (cont.)

9

And then when it was being rebuilt, if work just stopped ...

The US Capitol (cont)

10

Ezra 3:11b-13 And all the people gave a great shout of

praise to the LORD, because the foundation of the house of the LORD was laid. 12But many of the older priests and Levites and family heads, who had seen the former temple, wept aloud when they saw the foundation of this temple being laid, while many others shouted for joy. 13No one could distinguish the sound of the shouts of joy from the sound of weeping, because the people made so much noise. And the sound was heard far away.

Mixed Emotions

11

Year Event605 BC First Deportation of Exiles to

Babylon586 BC Destruction of Solomon’s Temple;

Second Deportation538 BC First Exiles Return to Jerusalem536 BC Foundation of Temple Laid522 BC Work on the Temple Ceases520 BC Haggai’s Prophecies;

Work on the Temple Resumes516 BC Completion of Zerubbabel’s

Temple

Timeline

12

Haggai 1:1-2 1In the second year of King Darius, on the

first day of the sixth month, the word of the LORD came through the prophet Haggai to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest: 2This is what the LORD Almighty says: “These people say, ‘The time has not yet come for the LORD’S house to be built.’”

The Word of the Lord to Haggai

13

What is the purpose of God’s words through Haggai?

What were the people doing ... or not doing?

Why had the “time not yet come” to build the Lord’s house?

What was theproblem?

What we theywaiting for?

For Discussion

14

Haggai is a prophet of God He is never referred to as a priest

Is it thought that he may have been one of the exiles who returned from Babylon Or even one of those who stayed behind And that he possibly saw Solomon’s Temple

as a child If so, he is at least 75 years old Conceivable, given the brevity of his

message and the fact that he’s never heard from after these brief words

At any rate, his initial message is focused at Zerubbabel and Joshua, the High Priest

About Haggai

15

Haggai 1:3-4 3Then the word of the LORD came through

the prophet Haggai: 4“Is it a time for you yourselves to be living in your paneled houses, while this house remains a ruin?”

What were the people doing instead of rebuilding the Temple?

Why might this have been their focus?

The Word of the Lord

16

The land was desolate when they returned from exile No Temple No city wall No infrastructure

The inhabitants of the land might not have been excited to see these returnees Those who remained probably staked out

claims on the land, farms and vineyards The exiles were looking for some

consolation to help them deal with the realities of their situation

Some Possible Reasons

17

Haggai 1:5-6 5Now this is what the LORD Almighty says:

“Give careful thought to your ways. 6You have planted much, but have harvested little. You eat, but never have enough. You drink, but never have your fill. You put on clothes, but are not warm. You earn wages, only to put them in a purse with holes in it.”

What was happening to the people? Why?

The Word of the Lord

18

Haggai 1:7-11 7This is what the LORD Almighty says: “Give careful

thought to your ways. 8Go up into the mountains and bring down timber and build the house, so that I may take pleasure in it and be honored,” says the LORD. 9“You expected much, but see, it turned out to be little. What you brought home, I blew away. Why?” declares the LORD Almighty. “Because of my house, which remains a ruin, while each of you is busy with his own house. 10Therefore, because of you the heavens have withheld their dew and the earth its crops. 11I called for a drought on the fields and the mountains, on the grain, the new wine, the oil and whatever the ground produces, on men and cattle, and on the labor of your hands.”

The Word of the Lord

19

Why would the Lord treat His people in this manner? After all, these exiles have been through the

wringer What does He expect these people to do? What is the message for us?

Matthew 6:33 33But seek first his kingdom and his

righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

For Discussion

20

Haggai 1:12 12Then Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, Joshua son

of Jehozadak, the high priest, and the whole remnant of the people obeyed the voice of the LORD their God and the message of the prophet Haggai, because the LORD their God had sent him. And the people feared the LORD.

Finally ... a Prophet that the people listen to! Haggai 1:13

13Then Haggai, the LORD’S messenger, gave this message of the LORD to the people: “I am with you,” declares the LORD.

The People’s Response

21

Zechariah 1:1-3 1In the eighth month of the second year of

Darius, the word of the LORD came to the prophet Zechariah son of Berekiah, the son of Iddo: 2“The LORD was very angry with your forefathers. 3Therefore tell the people: This is what the LORD Almighty says: ‘Return to me,’ declares the LORD Almighty, ‘and I will return to you,’ says the LORD Almighty. 

Zechariah Enters the Scene

22

Zechariah 1:16-17 16“Therefore, this is what the LORD says: ‘I

will return to Jerusalem with mercy, and there my house will be rebuilt. And the measuring line will be stretched out over Jerusalem,’ declares the LORD Almighty. 17“Proclaim further: This is what the LORD Almighty says: ‘My towns will again overflow with prosperity, and the LORD will again comfort Zion and choose Jerusalem.’”

More from Zechariah

23

Haggai 1:14-15 14So the LORD stirred up the spirit of

Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and the spirit of the whole remnant of the people. They came and began to work on the house of the LORD Almighty, their God, 15on the twenty-fourth day of the sixth month in the second year of King Darius.

Works Resumes!

24

Zechariah 8:9-13 9This is what the LORD Almighty says: “You who now hear

these words spoken by the prophets who were there when the foundation was laid for the house of the LORD Almighty, let your hands be strong so that the temple may be built. 10Before that time there were no wages for man or beast. No one could go about his business safely because of his enemy, for I had turned every man against his neighbor. 11But now I will not deal with the remnant of this people as I did in the past,” declares the LORD Almighty. 12“The seed will grow well, the vine will yield its fruit, the ground will produce its crops, and the heavens will drop their dew. I will give all these things as an inheritance to the remnant of this people. 13As you have been an object of cursing among the nations, O Judah and Israel, so will I save you, and you will be a blessing. Do not be afraid, but let your hands be strong.”

The Lord’s Promise

25

Haggai 2:1-5 1On the twenty-first day of the seventh month, the

word of the LORD came through the prophet Haggai: 2“Speak to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, to Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and to the remnant of the people. Ask them, 3‘Who of you is left who saw this house in its former glory? How does it look to you now? Does it not seem to you like nothing? 4But now be strong, O Zerubbabel,’ declares the LORD. ‘Be strong, O Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest. Be strong, all you people of the land,’ declares the LORD, ‘and work. For I am with you,’ declares the LORD Almighty. 5‘This is what I covenanted with you when you came out of Egypt. And my Spirit remains among you. Do not fear.’

The Appearance of the Temple

26

How did this Temple compare with Solomon’s? We know from the reading that it paled in

comparison What did it look like?

What is missing in this Temple? THERE IS NO ARK OF THE COVENANT!

However, God has plans for this structure He directed its construction He has promises related to it

This is the Temple that Herod willrebuild and expand

For Discussion

27

Haggai 2:6-9 6“This is what the LORD Almighty says: ‘In a

little while I will once more shake the heavens and the earth, the sea and the dry land. 7I will shake all nations, and the desired of all nations will come, and I will fill this house with glory,’ says the LORD Almighty. 8‘The silver is mine and the gold is mine,’ declares the LORD Almighty. 9‘The glory of this present house will be greater than the glory of the former house,’ says the LORD Almighty. ‘And in this place I will grant peace,’ declares the LORD Almighty.”

The Future Glory of the Temple

28

Luke 2:25-32 25Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon,

who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. 26It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. 27Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, 28Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying: 29 “Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you now dismiss your servant in peace. 30 For my eyes have seen your salvation, 31 which you have prepared in the sight of all people, 32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel.”

The Coming Glory

29

We are moving toward a period in the history of Israel that might be viewed as a “black hole” We have a few more years of recorded

history in our Bibles and then the record goes silent until John the Baptist (~400 years)

But leading into it, God has rebuilt His Temple and reestablished the system of sacrifices However, there is no Ark of the Testimony This implies a different sort of relationship

The leadership of the people will again focus on the High Priest

The Coming Years

30

What insights have you gained from this week’s study?

What did you find in these passages that you have never seen before?

How did the Lord speak to your heart through the Word this week?

How will your walk with Him be different as a result?

Your Turn ...

31

Readings for October 3-9 Esther and Nehemiah

Next Week

Questions?