FROM YOUR PASTOR’S DESK:
September 15
THE SANCTUARY DOCTRINE EXPLAINS THE WAY OF SALVATION OF THE GOSPEL (Part 4)
There were only four earthly temples/sanctuaries/tabernacles as follows:
- The first mobile tabernacle (or “tent of the congregation”
built by Moses and accompanied Israel throughout their 40 year wilderness journeys and rigid into earthly promised land. - Solomon’s grand Temple was ransacked in 539 B. C. during Nebuchadnezzar’s Babylonian conquest.
- Zerubbabel’s Temple. After Babylon was conquered by Medo-Persia, Cyrus, king of Persia began allowing the Jews to return to Jerusalem to start rebuilding their desolated temple.
This prophesied rebuilding and restoration was completed under three successive Persian kings, Cyrus, Darius, and finished under Artaxerxes, It began with Zerubbabel, grandson of Jehoiachin king of Judah and Joshua the high priest who lead about 50,000 Jews who returned to Jerusalem to begin the work.
The second and third phases were led by Ezra the scribe, and Nehemiah the king’s cup-bearer, respectively. Since this Temple, inferior to that of Solomon’s Temple, i.e., only in terms of size and physical grandeur, was built under the leadership of Zerubbabel, it is frequently called ‘Zerubbabel’s Temple.’
NOTE: “Zerubbabel was the first governor of postexilic Judah. He was appointed c. 537 B.C. and was still in office by 515 B.C. at the time of the Temple dedication (Zech. 4: 9, 10; cf. Ezra 6: 15).
Thus he held office for more than 20 years. It was fitting that the first postexilic leader of the country and the rebuilder of the Temple should be a representative of the Davidic line, and one who also was in the direct line of the ancestry of Jesus Christ (Matt. 1: 6, 12, 13; Luke 3: 27, 31).” (From the SDA Bible Dictionary).
- Herod’s Temple. This was the Temple existing in Christ’s time toward which He told His disciples would be desolated so that “not one stone would be left upon another.” Forty years later Christ’s prophecy was fulfilled when the Roman armies led by Titus returned and desolated Jerusalem, slaughtered over a millions Jews and took the rest as slaves and spoils war to Rome.
The Temple desolated was the last ever existing on earth. At Christ’s death at Calvary the veil separating the holy from the most holy in the Temple was rent from top to bottom.
The eyes and faith of Christ’s disciples and followers hence were directed to the antitypical Temple in heaven where Christ would ascend to and become our merciful High Priest, Mediator, Intercessor, and Advocate.
(To be continued) Bless all, NMF.