Temple

 •  1 min. read  •  grade level: 12
 
This was first built by Solomon on Mount Moriah on the site of the threshing floor of Ornan (1 Chron. 21:28-3028At that time when David saw that the Lord had answered him in the threshingfloor of Ornan the Jebusite, then he sacrificed there. 29For the tabernacle of the Lord, which Moses made in the wilderness, and the altar of the burnt offering, were at that season in the high place at Gibeon. 30But David could not go before it to inquire of God: for he was afraid because of the sword of the angel of the Lord. (1 Chronicles 21:28‑30)). It was divided like the tabernacle into Holy and most Holy. The wood, however, was generally cedar instead of shittim wood. It was several years in building and after a varied career was finally burnt and pillaged by the Babylonians (2 Kings 25:9, 13-179And he burnt the house of the Lord, and the king's house, and all the houses of Jerusalem, and every great man's house burnt he with fire. (2 Kings 25:9)
13And the pillars of brass that were in the house of the Lord, and the bases, and the brazen sea that was in the house of the Lord, did the Chaldees break in pieces, and carried the brass of them to Babylon. 14And the pots, and the shovels, and the snuffers, and the spoons, and all the vessels of brass wherewith they ministered, took they away. 15And the firepans, and the bowls, and such things as were of gold, in gold, and of silver, in silver, the captain of the guard took away. 16The two pillars, one sea, and the bases which Solomon had made for the house of the Lord; the brass of all these vessels was without weight. 17The height of the one pillar was eighteen cubits, and the chapiter upon it was brass: and the height of the chapiter three cubits; and the wreathen work, and pomegranates upon the chapiter round about, all of brass: and like unto these had the second pillar with wreathen work. (2 Kings 25:13‑17)). Another temple was built by Ezra and Nehemiah under Cyrus, &c, (Ezra). This was repaired and greatly enlarged by Herod the Great, thus forming the third and last temple. Another will occupy the same site in the millennium, and will be constructed from the plan and descriptions given in Ezekiel, which are so exact that several models have been made by the Jews from the description, some in solid gold, there being a tradition that whoever has the most perfect modal will be selected by the Messiah as the architect of the building. Spiritually our bodies are temples of the Holy Ghost; believers corporately are builded together as an holy temple (Eph. 2). There will be no temple in the heavenly Jerusalem, which will be one distinguishing feature between it and the earthly, where we have seen there will be a glorious temple built.