The Exalted Emperor
40BC- 70AD
Bible Reference: Luke 2:1
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- Herod the Great sought to win the favor of the Jewish people and leaders so he used his skills as one of the greatest builders in antiquity to renovate and to reconstruct the temple.
- The temple had previously been completed upon the Jewish return from Exile in 516 BC, however, it was a sad sight when Herod came to power after being desecrated by Antiochus Epiphanes, conquered by Pompey, then sieged by Herod himself.
- Herod collected heavy taxes to rebuild the temple and used dressed stones cut and numbered from a quarry that was north of Mt. Moriah.
- The Temple Mount (still in existence today) was completed in three years and served to level the surface and establish Jerusalem with a monument that could be seen from all directions.
- While construction took place, worship and sacrifices continued to happen unobstructed as agreed between Herod and the religious leaders.
- The original construction was planned to have a temple that was nine stories high surrounded by outer walls that were sixteen feet thick with courts for Jewish pilgrims, women, and Gentiles.
- The temple was adorned with gold and finely dressed stones with pinnacles at the very top to gain the awe and attention of those arriving in Jerusalem.
- While this temple was beautiful and elaborate, it never had God’s actual presence or shekinah glory like the first temple did.
- Jesus was presented as a baby by Mary and Joseph in this temple.
- The court of the Gentiles was where vendors would change their currency to a temple coin as other monies were regarded as unclean. It was here that Jesus turned the tables.
- When Jesus prophesied that the temple would be destroyed, the people had been building and working on its construction for over forty-six years.
- Solomon’s Porch and the temple courts became a place where the early church followers would meet for corporate worship.
- In 70 AD the temple was completely destroyed fulfilling the prophecy of Jesus Christ that every brick would be thrown down.
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