1. The Rebuilding of the Temple Lesson 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 2

3. Solomon’s Temple 3

4. 4

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 5

6.  What in our nation might be equivalent to the Temple? Let’s Put Ourselves in Their Shoes 6

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 7

8.  How would we feel if we saw it destroyed? The US Capitol (cont.) 8

9.  And then when it was being rebuilt, if work just stopped... The US Capitol (cont) 9

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. 12 But 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. 13 No 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 10

11. YearEvent 605 BCFirst Deportation of Exiles to Babylon 586 BCDestruction of Solomon’s Temple; Second Deportation 538 BCFirst Exiles Return to Jerusalem 536 BCFoundation of Temple Laid 522 BCWork on the Temple Ceases 520 BCHaggai’s Prophecies; Work on the Temple Resumes 516 BCCompletion of Zerubbabel’s Temple Timeline 11

12.  Haggai 1:1-2  1 In 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: 2 This 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 12

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 the problem?  What we they waiting for? For Discussion 13

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 14

15.  Haggai 1:3-4  3 Then 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 15

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 16

17.  Haggai 1:5-6  5 Now this is what the LORD Almighty says: “Give careful thought to your ways. 6 You 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 17

18.  Haggai 1:7-11  7 This is what the LORD Almighty says: “Give careful thought to your ways. 8 Go 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. 10 Therefore, because of you the heavens have withheld their dew and the earth its crops. 11 I 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 18

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  33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. For Discussion 19

20.  Haggai 1:12  12 Then 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  13 Then 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 20

21.  Zechariah 1:1-3  1 In 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. 3 Therefore 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 21

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 22

23.  Haggai 1:14-15  14 So 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, 15 on the twenty-fourth day of the sixth month in the second year of King Darius. Works Resumes! 23

24.  Zechariah 8:9-13  9 This 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. 10 Before 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. 11 But 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. 13 As 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 24

25.  Haggai 2:1-5  1 On 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? 4 But 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 25

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 will rebuild and expand For Discussion 26

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. 7 I 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 27

28.  Luke 2:25-32  25 Now 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. 26 It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. 27 Moved 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, 28 Simeon 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 28

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 29

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... 30

31.  Readings for October 3-9  Esther and Nehemiah Next Week 31