Destruction of Jerusalem
19
A thousand years before, the psalmist had magnified God’s favor
to Israel in making her holy house His dwelling place: “In Salem also
is His tabernacle, and His dwelling place in Zion.” He “chose the tribe
of Judah, the Mount Zion which He loved. And He built His sanctuary
like high palaces.”
Psalm 76:2
;
78:68, 69
. The first temple had been
erected during the most prosperous period of Israel’s history. Vast
stores of treasure for this purpose had been collected by King David,
and the plans for its construction were made by divine inspiration.
1
Chronicles 28:12, 19
. Solomon, the wisest of Israel’s monarchs, had
completed the work. This temple was the most magnificent building
which the world ever saw. Yet the Lord had declared by the prophet
Haggai, concerning the second temple: “The glory of this latter house
shall be greater than of the former.” “I will shake all nations, and the
Desire of all nations shall come: and I will fill this house with glory,
saith the Lord of hosts.”
Haggai 2:9, 7
.
After the destruction of the temple by Nebuchadnezzar it was
rebuilt about five hundred years before the birth of Christ by a people
who from a lifelong captivity had returned to a wasted and almost
deserted country. There were then among them aged men who had
seen the glory of Solomon’s temple, and who wept at the foundation of
the new building, that it must be so inferior to the former. The feeling
that prevailed is forcibly described by the prophet: “Who is left among
[24]
you that saw this house in her first glory? and how do ye see it now?
is it not in your eyes in comparison of it as nothing?”
Haggai 2:3
;
Ezra
3:12
. Then was given the promise that the glory of this latter house
should be greater than that of the former.
But the second temple had not equaled the first in magnificence;
nor was it hallowed by those visible tokens of the divine presence
which pertained to the first temple. There was no manifestation of
supernatural power to mark its dedication. No cloud of glory was seen
to fill the newly erected sanctuary. No fire from heaven descended to
consume the sacrifice upon its altar. The Shekinah no longer abode
between the cherubim in the most holy place; the ark, the mercy seat,
and the tables of the testimony were not to be found therein. No voice
sounded from heaven to make known to the inquiring priest the will
of Jehovah.
For centuries the Jews had vainly endeavored to show wherein
the promise of God given by Haggai had been fulfilled; yet pride and