We know the 1st Temple was greater in many ways than the 2nd. This is confirmed by Haggai 2:3, which reads: "'Who is left among you who saw this temple in its former glory? And how do you see it now? In comparison with it, is this not in your eyes as nothing?"
Yet, Haggai 2:6-9 reads: 6 "For thus says the Lord of hosts: 'Once more (it is a little while) I will shake heaven and earth, the sea and dry land; 7 'and I will shake all nations, and they shall come to the Desire of All Nations, and I will fill this temple with glory,' says the Lord of hosts. 8 'The silver is Mine, and the gold is Mine,' says the Lord of hosts. 9 "THE GLORY OF THIS LATTER TEMPLE SHALL BE GREATER THAN THE FORMER,' says the Lord of hosts. 'And in this place I will give peace,' says the Lord of hosts."
According to the Babylonian Talmud (Yoma 22b), the 2nd Temple lacked 5 things which had been in Solomon's Temple: the Ark, the sacred fire, the Shekinah, the Holy Spirit, and the Urim & Thummim.
(cont.)
2007-03-10 11:26:07 · 10 answers · asked by Suzanne: YPA 7 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
This would have had to occur by A.D. 70, when the Romans destroyed the 2nd Temple. So when did the glory of the 2nd Temple, exceed the 1st? Malachi also prophesies a significant event in the 2nd Temple:
1 "Behold, I send My messenger, And he will prepare the way before Me. And the Lord, whom you seek, Will suddenly come to His temple, Even the Messenger of the covenant, In whom you delight. Behold, He is coming," Says the Lord of hosts. 2 "But who can endure the day of His coming? And who can stand when He appears? For He is like a refiner's fire And like launderer's soap."
2007-03-10 11:28:14 · update #1
From the Christian perspective, Jesus answers this question at Matthew 12:6 "Yet I say to you that in this place there is One greater than the temple. 7 "But if you had known what this means, 'I desire mercy and not sacrifice,' you would not have condemned the guiltless. "For the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath."
So again I ask you, HOW was the 2nd Temple greater than the first?
2007-03-10 11:30:14 · update #2
Quantrill: Thank you for answering. Haggai 2:7 tells us "**I** will fill this temple with glory," which suggests it's something GOD does to glorify the Temple. So what did He do?
2007-03-12 04:10:35 · update #3
Gratvol, there's a "Countermissionary Handbook?" Interesting. Are you aware that Messianic Jew Dr. Michael L. Brown debated Rabbi Tovia Singer (among others) and won? You can listen to the debates here: http://www.realmessiah.com/debates.htm
2007-03-13 06:35:12 · update #4
ok about the 2 temples and the 3rd temple-the second ones glory though smaller is that the Messiah Yeshua entered it -in the Gospels it tells how he was tranfigured with Moses and Elijah in glory state shinning. He will take over from the antichrist who will be in the 3rd temple.
the point is -Moses had been given the commandment to offer blood sacrifices for the soul in the temple-and when no temple was available in Jerusalem even in a tabernacle. When Messiah fulfilled Isaiah 52:14 -53rd chapter He is ready to return to fulfill verse 13 of Isaiah 52 to be exaulted and made very high.
there is a time table in Daniel about when Messiah will come -Daniel 9:24-26 before the temple would be destroyed.
also check out Daniel 12: 2 about hell abhorance forever
Micah 5:1&2 its 1 in the Hebrew 2 in the other-about Messiah would come to Bethlehem from Eternity
2007-03-14 03:56:23 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
well quantrill37 gave a good answer, but one other possibility I would like to add is that it is talking about the Final (third) temple.
The reason I say that is verse 9
9. The glory of this last House shall be greater than the first one, said the Lord of Hosts. And in this place I will grant peace, says the Lord of Hosts.
if it is talking about G-d granting peace then it strongly indicates a permeate peace like the type that is only spoken about in the Messianic era.
"They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore."
nowhere dose it say that the Messiah had to come before the destruction of the second templ.
Also after a bit of searching I found this
http://www.jewsforjudaism.org/web/handbook/s_faq.html
apparently this question has been asked many times.
2007-03-12 12:39:25 · answer #2 · answered by Gamla Joe 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The temple always signified the place where one, God placed His Name, and two, where God met with His people. This was the Glory of the Tabernacle and the Temple. Now it was in the 2nd temple, later modified yet still the one form Nehemiah's day where God place His Name and met with His people in a way never before experienced. The Son of God Himself, (God with us) entered the Temple in the person of Jesus Christ. This was the true meeting of God with men as Jesus assumed our very nature and dwelt (Tabernacled) among us. This also is the most intimate Name given us so that now as God has come in the flesh and made atonement for His people we are so united with Him that we are now the Temple of God and God dwells in us by His Spirit. So the glory is all Christ of the second temple as He entered it and now the last Temple, the living stones He is using to build with.
2007-03-13 17:44:15 · answer #3 · answered by beek 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
There are two opinions I know of on this:
1)the building, The second Temple dwarfed the first in size and it was far more awe inspiring from an architectural perspective.
2) Years of existence;the First Temple 410, Second Temple 420.
2007-03-12 08:53:36 · answer #4 · answered by Quantrill 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
First this is not a history lesson. The first temple is spirit. I have seen it. It is the first cause. Yes the ego is as nothing compared to it...........Yes the spirit has put forth the physical and material from the spirit. The glory is that the spirit appears in flesh, peace is knowing this.......It is not that the second temple lacked this things, it's that they were not known by most. I am not a Jew though.
2007-03-12 18:23:12 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
I'm kind of confused by the question.. What is the actual question here? Are you asking which Temple was "greater"? Are you trying to show a contradiction? I don't get it..
2007-03-10 19:39:13 · answer #6 · answered by XX 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
From a Christian perspective he is speaking of a third and final temple.
2007-03-10 19:34:11 · answer #7 · answered by nancy jo 5 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Wow, what an awesome well researched question. I would not know HOW to argue this, but thats OK, because I believe in Yeshua.
Baruch,
David
2007-03-10 19:36:16 · answer #8 · answered by David T 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
You need to read the New Testament (in the Bible)
Don't worry about those temples.
You are getting distracted from the real message of the Bible.
2007-03-10 19:33:24 · answer #9 · answered by Gabo 2 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Jesus has spoken his word and therefore should look into the bible and search for an answer.
2007-03-10 19:29:16 · answer #10 · answered by lightangellion 3 · 0⤊ 3⤋