38

CHAPTER 3 THE TEMPLE: OLD TESTAMENT CONCEPT AND THEOLOGY Introduction

In the Biblical history of the temple we find an evolving scenario of the concept of temple. During the patriarchal period the Hebrews did not have a temple, although they had sacred sanctuaries where they called upon the name of Yahweh. In the period after the Sinai covenant Israel had a portable sanctuary by means of which God visibly and permanently resided in the midst of the people and led them across the wilderness. During the monarchic period David placed this sanctuary of the confederation in Jerusalem and it functioned as a means of centralization of both the kingdom and the cult. The temple of Jerusalem thus becomes the centre of Yahwehs worship. During the templeless age, the Israelites were longing for the restoration of the Jerusalem temple and for the spiritual temple in the time of the Prophets1.

3.1. The Ancient Sanctuaries

The Israelites attributed the foundation of certain sanctuaries to the patriarchs2. Sanctuaries were erected where nature manifested the presence of God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob- near a tree, for example, or on a natural height, or by a water source: but they were erected principally in places were God has shown himself in a theophany. They are found all along the route the patriarchs traveled. According to Gen. 12:6-7 Abrahams first sanctuary in cannon was at Shechem, Yahweh appeared there to Abraham and he built Him an altar there. Abraham erected a second altar in Canaan, at his second camping station, between Bethel and Ai (Gen. 12:8). Gen. 13:18 says that Abraham erected an altar under the Oak of Mambre. In Beersheba Yahweh appeared to Isaac one night and confirmed the promise made to Abraham: there Isaac had set up an altar and had called on the name of Yahweh

Cfr.George Keerankeri, The Temple, in: Vidyajyoti Journal of theological Reflection, LXXI/6 (2007) 439. 2 Cfr. Roland de Vaux, Ancient Israel: Its Life and Institutions, London, 1978, 289.

39

3.2. Tent of Meeting

The Bible tells us that in the desert, the Israelites had a tent as a sanctuary. A sacred tent, a portable sanctuary, said to have been erected by Moses. It was the place at which the God of Israel revealed himself to and dwelt among his people. It also housed the ark and accompanied Israel during the wilderness period. It is stated that it is located in several places in Cannon after Israels settlement in that land and finally was replaced by Solomons temple. It was thus Israels portable sanctuary from Sinai to Solomons temple3. The Lord instructed Moses to erect the tent on the first day of the first month of the second year of the Exodus, nine months after the arrival at the sacred mountain (Ex. 19:1). When Moses completed the erection, then the dwelling was ready for the divine inhabitant, whose cloud now covered the tent of meeting and whose glory fills the dwelling. The behavior of the cloud on or above the dwelling is the signal for Israel to advance or to remain encamped in the exodus. This tent, with its ark, at least, if no other pieces of furniture, was the dwelling of Yahweh and gave visible expression to the new doctrine and faith of Yahwehs presence among his people4.

3.2.1. Ark of the Covenant

In Ex 25:10 proceeds with the construction of the ark, ark of the testimony, destined for the holy of holies. It contained the testimony- possibly the Decalogue or possibly some other document of the covenant requirements (II Kings 11:12; Ps 132:12). Before it were to be placed a pot of manna (Ex 16:33ff) and Aarons rod that budded (Num 17:10). Resting on the ark and on a gold molding around the rim of the ark, in the form of a solid slab of gold, was the mercy seat. At the end of the golden slab and one piece with it were the little figures of refined gold known as the cherubim. With their faces toward the slab and their wings arching overhead, they surrounded the sacred center of the holy of holies. For between the cherubim and the mercy seat was the dwelling of the God of Israel (Ex 25:22; 30:6; Num 7:89)5.

3.3. The Temple of Jerusalem Historical Aspect

3

Cfr. Henton Davies, Tabernacle, in: Keith Crim (Ed.), The Interpreters Dictionary of the Bible, IV, Nashville, 1976, 498. 4 Cfr. Ibid., 505. 5 Cfr. Ibid., 499.

40 There were in the Biblical period three successive temples in Jerusalem: Solomons temple, Zerubbabels temple, and Herods temple. The story of the Jerusalem temple begins with the monarchy in the tenth century BCE, when it was constructed by King Solomon, until the capture of Jerusalem by the Romans in 70 CE. However, this millennium- long period did not entail the continuous existence of the original structure.there were major rebuilding efforts took place in 520 BCE and 37 BCE. Consequently, the term Jerusalem temple can designate one or all of these three distinct yet related buildings6.

3.3.1. The Temple of Solomon

Davids purpose in transferring the ark to his new capital was to make Jerusalem the religious centre of Israel, but the ark had to be kept in a tent, for there was no building to house it. David thought of building a house for Yahweh, but was dissuaded by a divine command which Nathan brought him (2Sam.7:1-13). David did not build the temple because he was a man of war and had shed blood, whereas Solomon was predestined for the task by his name, which means the peaceful king (1Chr. 22:8-10; 28:3). David, however, was responsible for the plans of the temple and he collected materials and workmen for the building (1Chr. 22-28)7. Although he was not authorized by God to build the temple, David did acquire the site on which Solomons temple was later built. During a time of pestilence, David brought a threshing floor from Araunah the Jebusite and there built an altar for the Lord8. Understanding it to be Gods will, Solomon willingly accepted the task of building the house of God in the place of his father David. We are told in 1 Kings 6:1 that the work on the temple began in the fourth year of Solomons reign, 966 BCE; apparently Solomon inherited substantial architectural studies, specifications of materials, and probably the establishment of negotiations with King Hiram, Davids good friend9. The structure of Solomons temple consisted of four areas: the main chamber of the house, the vestibule or entrance hall, the three- storied side chambers serving as sleeping quarters, and a large courtyard surrounding the entire structure. There was no room inside the temple for worshippers because it was the house of God,
6

Cfr. Carol Meyers, Temple Jerusalem, in: David Noel Freedman, The Anchor Bible Dictionary, VI, New York, 1992, 351. 7 Cfr. Roland de Vaux, Op. Cit., 313. 8 Cfr. John W. Schmitt & J. Carl Laney (Eds.), Messiahs Coming Temple: Ezekiels Prophetic Vision of the Future Temple, Grand Rapids, 1997, 36. 9 Cfr. Russell Dilday, 1, 2 Kings, in: Lloyd J. Ogilvie, Mastering the Old Testament, IX, Dallus, 1988, 79.

41 not the house of His people10. The temple was a palace chapel; it stood side by side with the palace. But the temple was not a private chapel, it was a temple of the kingdom, a national sanctuary where both king and people offered public worship to the national God11.

3.3.1.1. Biblical Data

Although temple references are to be found in some twenty- three OT and eleven NT books, the chief sources of information about Solomons temple are the descriptions in I Kings, mainly chs. 5-8, with parallels in II Chr. 2-7, and those in Ezek. 40- 4312. In the I Kings 5-8, who built the temple, the structure of the temple and its measurement are explained. In II Chr. 2, the parallel passage is very similar, leaving out some items mentioned here and adding a few others. One addition to the record tells how Solomon enlisted Tyrian craftsmen who could work with gold, silver, bronze and iron and who knew how to engrave and use purple, crimson, and blue. This is the only source of knowledge we have about the colors of the temple. These two separate accounts of one of the most important events in Israels history may both be condensations of a common, more elaborate record13.

3.3.1.2. Archaeological Data

The older literature sought parallels and origins from Egypt and Mesopotamia. From these areas there were, no doubt, indirect influences. However, the Biblical account makes it clear that Solomons temple was built by Phoenician architects and artisans, with mainly unskilled help from Israel. Therefore in the final analysis Phoenician (more properly Canaanite) and, in a larger sense, Syrian models must be sought14.

3.3.1.3. The Destruction of the First Temple and the Rise of the Second
During the reign of the wicked King Rehoboam, the temple was raided by Pharaoh Shishak I (945-924 BCE) who took the temple treasure, including the
10 11

Cfr. Ibid., 89-90. Cfr. Roland de Vaux, Op. Cit., 320. 12 Cfr. J. Quellette, Temple of Solomon, in: Keith Crim (Ed.), The Interpreters Dictionary of the Bible, IV, Nashville, 1976, 534. 13 Cfr. Russell Dilday, Op. Cit., 80. 14 Cfr. J. Quellette, Op. Cit., 540.

42 shields of gold that Solomon had made (I Kings 14:25-26). After years of neglect due to spiritual decline during the reign of Athaliah, Joash initiated restoration and repairs on the temple (II Kings 12:4-16). This return to the Lord brought with it a succession of four good kings and one hundred years of the so-called golden age of Judah. King Ahaz, after visiting a pagan temple in Damascus, built a new altar in the court of the temple and made modifications to the temple furniture (II Kings 16:10-18). Hezekiah restored the temple to its proper order and brought spiritual reform to the land (II Kings 18:1-7). Although Hezekiah had been forced to hand over the temple treasure to the Assyrians when Sennacherib demanded tribute (II Kings 18:13-17), God sent a plague into the Assyrian camp and delivered Jerusalem. God was keeping the promise he made in II Chr. 7:14. Manasseh, Hezekiahs son, became one of the most immoral kings in the history of the Judah. His distance of God was overwhelming- even to the point of his endorsing child sacrifice. As a result God announced coming judgment on the nation. As a last chance plea, God sent a message by the word of Jeremiah to King Jehoiakim, descendant of Manasseh and one of Judahs last kings. Jehoiakim demonstrated his defense of Gods warning by burning the scroll containing Jeremiahs message. In December of 588 BCE, Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, laid siege to Jerusalem. The Babylonians breached the city walls in the summer of 586 BCE after one and half years of siege and suffering. The city of Jerusalem, including the temple, was looted and burned (II Kings 25: 4-10). After 373 years of levitical ministry, the sacrifices in the Jerusalem temple ceased. Jeremiah, who witnessed these events, reports that the bronze temple furniture was broken up and carried back to Babylon along with the gold and silver vessels and lamp stands (Jer. 52:17-23). Thousands of Judeans were forced to leave their homes and settle in Babylon. This marked beginning of the seventy- year captivity prophesied by Jeremiah (Jer. 25:11; 29:10). During this period of Judgment, the temple lay in ruins and Jerusalem became a byword among the nations, exactly what II Chr. 7:19-20 states would happen15.

3.3.2. The Temple of Zerubbabel

In 539 BCE, Cyrus II, the great king of Persia captured Babylon, overthrowing the Chaldean Empire, and incorporating Mesopotamia, Syria, and
15

Cfr. John W. Schmitt & J. Carl Laney (Eds.), Op. Cit., 39-40.

43 Palestine into the new Persian Empire. Reversing the deportation policy of the

preceding Assyrian and Chaldean Empires, he issued his famous decree of amnesty, whereby the deported peoples were allowed to return to their own lands and to practice their own religious observations, so long as they did not engage in political rebellion against Persia. Judah seems to have been incorporated into the Persian province of Syria (Ezra 4:11-23). As a result of these developments, a number of Jews return to Judah and Jerusalem under Shesh- Bazzar and Zerubbabel. With the help of those who had never left, a temple was started on the old site, and finished probably the year 516/15 BCE16.

3.3.2.1. Biblical References

The earliest source of information about the Zerubbabels temple were Haggai (520 BCE) and Zechariah (520-518 BCE), but they were very meager. The former complains that people were prosperous enough to live in paneled houses, but were procrastinating in building the house of the Lord (Hag. 1:1-4). He suggested that their economic difficulties, drought, inflation and the like were due to the ruined state of the temple (Hag. 1:8-11). Zechariah spoke of the temple very little. In Zech.1:16 the rebuilding of the temple was predicted. The coming of the Lord to dwell in the midst of His people was mentioned in Zech. 2:10-11. Zech. 6:15 mentioned the help of those who are far off in building the temple; this might be the reference to the returned exiles. The I Chr.23-26 setting forth the organization of the temple staff and Ezra, usually regarded with Nehemiah as the continuation of the work of the Chronicler yielded valuable historical information Ezra 1 told about the decree of Cyrus. Ezra 4:15 told of the offer of the Samaritans and its rejection by Zerubbabel and Jeshua17.

3.3.2.2. Josephus References

The temple itself was not described except as a large building. Inside were an altar and a lamp stand, both of heavy gold (two talents!); and upon them was a light that was never extinguished. There was nothing unreasonable here except perhaps the amount of gold. Josephus regarded the second temple as markedly inferior to the

16 17

Cfr. J. Quellette, Op. Cit., 547. Cfr. Ibid., 547-548.

44 first. Herod began to dismantle the second temple in order to build a new and greater one18.

3.3.2.3. Rabbinic References

T. B. Yom. 21b has sometimes been interpreted as presenting a list of five things in Solomons temple that were lacking in Zerubbabels: the ark and its equipment, the sacred fire, the Shekinah, the Holy Spirit, and Urim and Thummim19.

3.3.2.4. Post Exilic and Post Zerubbabel Alterations

Virtually no information about the fortunes of Zerubbabels temple in the centuries immediately after its dedication is available. Occasional passages in Nehemiah refer to ritual acts associated with the temple (Neh.10:32-39; Cfr. 12:44-47). The use of fortress, apparently in relation to the temple, is one of several references in Nehemiah to features of the temple precinct that are unknown from earlier sources. The security of the temple mount and of the Jewish community under the Oniads was in jeopardy, and internal strife among Jewish factions made the temple vulnerable to the advancing Seleucid forces. In 168 BCE Antiochus IV deplores the desecration of the temple by placing the statue of Zeus Olympius in it. This outrageous religio-political act triggered a successful revolt, the Maccabean war; and the purification of the temple marked the restoration of Jewish autonomy in Judea. The relatively brief span of the Hasmonean rule in Jerusalem was marked by internal strife. The expanding interests of Rome troubled Hasmonean state. By 63 BCE, Roman domination of Jerusalem was established, marked by Pompeys three months siege and then capture of the temple mount. But Hasmonean resistance continued and finally Herod laid siege to Jerusalem and captured the temple mount in 37 BCE20.

3.3.3. The Temple of Herod

18 19

Cfr. Ibid., 549-550. Cfr. Ibid., 550. 20 Cfr. Carol Meyers, Op. Cit., 364.

45 Herod saw himself as king of the Jews, not only the local traditional Palestine Jews, but also the patrician Jews living both in Judea and in the Hellenistic Diaspora. He hoped to serve the concerns of the former group by upholding traditional Jewish religious practices and especially by restoring the temple. He was also careful not to have the existing temple building demolished until every thing was ready for its successors to be erected21.

3.3.3.1. Biblical References

Although the Bible contains more than a hundred references to Herods temple, few of these are of such nature as to yield any detailed information about the dimensions or appearance of the structure itself. Most of these references are also found only in the NT and have to do with attitudes on the part of the Jews or the early Christians toward the temple as an institution22.

3.3.3.2. Josephus References

According to Josephus, Herods work in the temple began in 20-19 BCE (Antiquities 20.219). The sanctuary itself was completed in 18-17 BCE after one and half years of work (Antiquities 15.421). However, the work on the temple precincts continued on for many years. Although Herod died in 4 BCE, the remodeling and refinements on the temple area were not completed until around AD 62(Antiquities 20.219)- eight years before it was destroyed by the Romans23.

3.3.3.3. Archaeological Data

There is no exact description about the Herodian temple and have only approximated conception. For this reason, archeological research has been helpful, especially since the Muslim structures covering the enclosed site (the HarameshSharif) retain some traces and features of the Herodian area, whereas it is hardily

21 22

Cfr. Ibid., 365. Cfr. J. Quellette, Op. Cit., 551. 22 Cfr. John W. Schmitt & J. Carl Laney (Eds.), Op. Cit., 39-40. 23 Cfr. J. Quellette, Op. Cit., 554.
23

46 conceivable that any vestiges of the Solomonic or Zerubbabel buildingscould have survived24.

3.3.3.4. Summary
By way of summary of the historical part of the temple, it seems necessary only to point out again that Solomon and his architects determined the ground plan of the sacred building itself from the prevailing temple styles of his day, and that this plan was maintained by Zerubbabel and Herod with little change. Herod greatly enlarged the temple and surrounded it with the impressive system of porticoes or stoas in the Greek manner.

3.4. Yearning for the Spiritual Temple

Despite the Jews attachment to the temple a new current of thinking begins to develop in the Prophetic period. Toward the end of the templeless age- when dreams of returning to the homeland are more realistic or have even come about- the message shifts toward recognizing Yahwehs restorative purposes and speaking of the response of the vanquished community. A Future outlook is expressed both in the positive, even jubilant message of Deutero- Isaiah (40- 55) and in Ezekiel 40-48, which perceives a new action by Yahweh and turns to regulating behavior to encourage covenantal renewal. They concentrate on how ancient Israel is to respond to Yahwehs faithful activity25.

3.4.1. The Threats of Jeremiah against the Temple

Jeremiah was instructed by God to stand at the gate of the temple, a oneman resistance movement against the culture26. He had two things to say on that fateful day in the temple: First of all their ways must be amended! If they wished to remain in the land, their cheating, lying lifestyle would have to change. Secondly how God can be offended. He looks down upon the temple and sees it for what it is a den of thieves. God is not going to be patient forever. Not only goodness and generosity part of His ways but judgment is also. Jeremiah is so determined that God Himself has to authorize him to quit praying. Then they would get a little taste of what it felt like to be
24 25 26

Cfr. Jill Middlemas, Templeless Age, London, 2007, 93. John Guest, Jeremiah, in: Lloyd J. Ogilvie, Mastering the Old Testament, XVII, Dallus, 1988, 75-76.

47 provoked. Enemies would come upon them because even the ordinary things of life had been contaminated by idolatry. The treats of Jeremiah against the temple and the destruction of the first temple, above all the experience of the exile- all these pointed to he necessity of a more spiritual worship, one corresponding to the demands of the religion of the heart preached by the Deuteronomist and Jeremiah (Deut. 6:4f; Jer. 31:31).

3.4.2. The Re- founding of Temple in Isaiah

The foundation premise of Deutero- Isaiah is that Yahweh is on the verge of entering human history to restore His people 27. Deutero- Isaiahs observation of the discussion in the heavenly court reveals that punishment is a thing of the past, Yahweh is about to enter human history, divine intervention reveals Yahwehs sovereignty to the whole earth, the divine word accomplishes world- shaking and world changing events. The prophecies concentrate on moving past the condemnation of Jerusalem toward the recognition that Yahweh is about to do a new thing by intervening in the world with plans of restoration. The prophet speaks words of comfort to Jerusalem. He speak of the rebuilding of the city and the re-founding of the temple: (The Lord) says to Jerusalem, it shall be inhabited, and of the cities of Judah, they shall be rebuilt, and I will raise up their ruins and who says to Jerusalem, it shall be rebuilt, and of the temple, your foundation shall be laid (Isa. 44:26b, 28b). Another facet of Gods character becomes the touchstone for the final chapter of Isaiah (Isa. 66: 1-6). As Creator of the heaven and the earth, both old and new, the entire physical universe is Gods throne and footstool. Likewise, the temple, which is built and rebuilt with human hands, comes under His domain as a physical symbol of His glory and a place of His presence. If the spiritual purpose of the universe is subjugated to glorifying the creation and not the Creator, or if the spiritual purpose of the temple is lost in the worship of the artifacts and architecture, the physical world has become an idol in itself. In Gods new age, therefore, the place of Gods presence and the center of worship will not be in a physical temple but in the spirit of the human heart. The thought of a new temple is as revolutionary as the creation of a new heaven and a new earth. Jesus fulfilled this prophecy when he dared to challenge the Pharisees
27

Cfr. Jill Middlemas, Op. Cit., 103.

48 who used the symbol of temple to protect their own spiritual corruption and he boldly declared to the Samaritan woman about the true worshippers. Without a humble heart and a contrite spirit, and without trembling at the word of God, our worship cannot be pleasing to God. But the Israelites performed illegal sacrifices as a substitute for spiritual worship in the temple. Presumably, the same pattern of worship can bring joy and glory to some, but judgment and shame to others.28

3.4.3. Ezekiels Vision on the Restoration of the Temple

The final chapters (40- 48) of Ezekiel contain a vision of restoration that centers on the temple at the heart of the community that would set the stage for the final years of the templeless age. Ezekiel provides a practical message relating how the community should recognize itself with a focus on Yahweh and how it must carefully regulate worship in order to honor the Lord. The visions are not designed to encourage the Israelites to expect a restoration of the life they had enjoyed before their conquest and exile, but to anticipate a much better order of things, brought about supernaturally by the Lord and not capable of being spoiled by the selfish unfaithfulness that had wrecked Israels relationship to the Lord again and again in the past29. Ezekiel was transported by a divine hand to a very high mountain overlooking the city of Jerusalem. In the vision, a heavenly being guides him around the newly constructed site from the east gate. The vision includes its measurements, the return of the divine glory of Yahweh to dwell in its midst, and the resumption of burnt offerings. Life giving waters flow from the rebuilt temple, which provides the central point of the restored community30. Certain things about this temple building are worth noting carefully. The dimensions of the doors, for example, are interesting. Entrance to the different levels of holiness is made possible through a series of doors that control access to the inner and outer courts. The closer one gets to the place where Gods presence is especially symbolized, the narrower are the entrances. This illustrates the principle of controlled access to God. Another noteworthy feature is the storage Chambers. As the palace of God, the temple was the place where the Lords treasures were kept and was stored in
28

Cfr. David Mckenna, Isaiah 40-66, in: Lloyd J. Ogilvie, Mastering the Old Testament, XVI, Dallus, 1988, 654-655. 29 Cfr. Stuart Douglas, Ezekiel, in: Lloyd J. Ogilvie, Mastering the Old Testament, XVI, Dallus, 1988, 367. 30 Cfr. Jill Middlemas, Op. Cit., 112.

49 His house. As the place of ritual worship, storage chambers were needed to keep the precious implements of worship. This building was decorated in a manner befitting its role as the symbolic earthly house of the one who is altogether lovely. The temple itself, as a piece of construction, was nothing without Gods presence. Ezekiel had witnessed the departure of the glory of the Lord from the old, 592 BCE destroyed, Jerusalem temple. It was almost two decades later, 573 BCE; Gods glory could return to the temple and settle within ancient Israel (43:1-10) only if the sanctuary was protected from all impurity. So even in the detailed descriptions and measurements of Ezekiels vision we can be reminded of the glories to come for all who belong to Goda temple not made with hands, eternal in the heavens, which we shall not merely visit in a vision, but shall dwell in forever31.

3.4.4. Divine Restoration of the Temple in the Book of Haggai

Haggai prophesied during a four month period in 520 BCE. He represented the perspective of the Judaists that remained in the land following the downfall of Jerusalem. The two main themes run through the book are the importance of the construction of the sanctuary and following its foundation, Yahweh promises renewal and restoration. The prophet focused attention on divine restoration that accompanies the rebuilding (Hag. 2:1-9). Yahweh shows favor by blessing the efforts with the divine presence. The prophet appealed to the priests to provide a ruling on purity and impurity as a means to symbolize that a cursed and defiled people will be blessed when the temple had been restored (Hag. 2:10-19). In sum, the prophecies of Haggai serve a practical function in fostering the recognition of Yahwehs turn toward restoration and encouraging temple construction32.

3.4.5. Judgment and Restoration in Zechariah 1-8

Inextricably linked with the prophecies of Haggai are those of Zechariah, who likewise regarded the reconstruction of the temple as a vital element of a restored Jerusalem. In contrast to Haggai, who never spoke explicitly of the return of the exiles, Zechariah maintains a consistent focus on the divine call for their repatriation. Zechariah rehearses the past unfaithfulness of Israel and serves as warning
31 32

Cfr. Stuart Douglas, Op. Cit., 379-380. Cfr. Jill Middlemas, Op. Cit., 117. 32 Cfr. Ibid., 118-119.

50 to the present generation that just as Yahweh punished their fore parents, the Lord will judge their iniquity. Their hope rested on contrition and repentance. The series of eight visions that the prophet received in one night (1:7- 6:15) clarify the important role ascribed to the temple and the city of Jerusalem. In spite of the fact that the people have failed to keep the covenant with Yahweh in the past, which resulted in their being subject to divine Judgment and scattered to the nations, the lord will return to Jerusalem. As a result of the return and the dwelling of the divine presence in Jerusalem, there will be peace in the city, the exiles will return and be included among the covenant people, the temple will be rebuilt, the land will be made fruitful, the community becomes righteous, and all nations will be blessed through the people of Yahweh33.

3.4.6. Summary of the Prophetic Contribution to the Temple Theology

Deuteron- Isaiah provided the impetus to conceive of a return to Jerusalem from exile in Babylon. He supported his declaration of restoration by highlighting the features of Yahwehs character that enabled trust and by explaining how the suffering of deportation and loss had redemptive value. However his vision remain abstract. Haggai and Zechariah pick up were his message left off by indicating the dawning of Yahwehs favor and the necessary human response to divine salvation. In the period of salvation, they urgr the community to embrace the restorative purposes of Yahweh and live as a covenant people fit for the presence of the Lord in their midst: Haggai urges priority of the temple and Zechariah turns to societal relations. Theirs mark anew kind of hopeful vision that remains consistent with that of Ezekiel 40-48 in that they account for the fitness of the community to exist in relationship with Yahweh34.

3.5. The Temple: Hymnal Prayers

The hymnal prayers about the temple point toward a very special theology of the Jerusalem temple and its worship. They demonstrate the quality and style of authentic temple spirituality. The early temple traditions include a priestly story in which the ark was settled in the holy place and Solomon uttered a brief song of
33 34

Cfr. Ibid., 124-125.

51 praise (I Kings 8: 12-13). The Deuteronomic spirituality emerges from this are the following. The life of worship focuses on the temple, but not as a place of sacrifice, although sacrificial system is presumed. It calls upon Israel as a community to focus on this place, the temple, as its place of prayer and supplication. It also calls upon peoples specific needs35.

3.5.1. Solomons Prayer at the Dedication of the Temple

Solomons proclamation also manifests a clear spirituality of divine presence. He has incorporated the thick darkness of the priestly tradition in the tent and introduced it into the inner room of the exalted house he constructed for the Lord. God has set the sun in the heavens, in this phrase we hear echoes of the priestly hymn celebrating Gods creation (Gen. 1:1-2:4). Dwelling here in the temple is a divinity that creates and blesses the entire universe, saves and redeems them36. In Solomons prayer at the dedication of the temple (1 Kings 8; 2 Chr. 6), the king states that even heaven cannot contain God, how much less this house which I have built (1 Kings 8:27). And yet this house is called Yahwehs dwelling place (8:13), and king asks Yahweh to open his eyes toward this house where his name is and to hear the prayers that are uttered there (8:29). This house is called by Yahwehs name (8:43); here a person acknowledges his name and prays and makes supplication to him (8:33). Thus Yahweh is present in his house in a special way37.

3.5.2. The Temple: House of Prayer

In Isa. 56:7, the temple is called a house of prayer. A special promise is also given to foreigners who serve the lord, who love his name, worship Him, keep the Sabbath, and hold the covenant. They will be gathered with all the faithful to mount Zion, given joy in Gods house of prayer, and blessed with the forgiveness of sins by the acceptance of their sacrifices. Then, the Lord sees far into the future to say, for my house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations. No one can mistake Gods intension when he announces that he will fill His house with those who are gathered

35 36

Cfr. John Endres, Temple, Monarchy and Word of God, Delaware, 1988, 140-144. Cfr. Ibid., 124. 37 Cfr. Hoffner, Bayith, in: Theological Dictionary of the Old Testament, II, Michigan, 1975,112.

52 out of exile and will bring them together with others those who are gathered. (Isa. 56:6-8)38.

3.5.3. The Temple: House of the Lord

The Psalms reflect a high reward for the temple. It is holy because God is there (Ps. 93:5). Holiness (moral and ritual purity) adorns Gods house, that is, Jerusalem temple (1 Kings 8:13) forever. A person invited into Gods house to be satisfied by its fullness (Ps. 36:8). Fullness, here is literally fat. The word denotes oil and rich food and can be a metaphor for full spiritual blessings. There is also drink from the river of your pleasures. Moreover, there the light of God dwells, along with the light of His word, His law. The light of Gods presence is revealing. In your light we see light. Thus the Lord welcomes us into His house where His goodness overflows in rich food and thirst quenching drink. Here are fullness and pleasures, indeed, the very fountain of life welcome home39. The entrance into Gods temple is Yahwehs steadfast love (Ps. 5:7). The psalmist prays, I will come into your house in the multitude of your mercy. At the same time, Gods mercy is no grounds for presumption: in fear of you I will worship toward your holy temple. This fear is reverence before the holiness of God and wonder before his luminous power and awesome work. The verb translated worship literally means to bow down in reverence and submission. It is an act of surrender. Thus mercy, then, results in worship40. People go to the house of Yahweh in processions (Ps. 42:5; 55:15). The psalmist remembers his procession with the multitude to Gods house. He hears echoing in his mind the voice of joy and praise of the pilgrimage 41. In Ps. 122:1 the psalmist is delighted when he hears the call: Let us go into the house of the Lord. For, the psalmist admires the city, the focus of Israels life, which unites the tribes of the Lord, where they assemble and renew the covenant and finally they came to worship Yahweh and to experience His presence and power42.

38 39

Cfr. David Mckenna, Op. Cit., 570. Cfr. Donald Williams, Psalms 1-74, in: Lloyd J. Ogilvie, Mastering the Old Testament, XIII, Dallus, 1988, 274. 40 Cfr. Ibid., 56. 41 Cfr. Ibid., 312-313. 42 Cfr. Donald Williams, Psalms 73-150, in: Lloyd J. Ogilvie, Mastering the Old Testament, XIV, Dallus, 1988, 408-409.

53 Psalmist expresses the desire to dwell in Yahwehs house (Ps. 23:6; 27:4). David describes the passion of his heart in three ways. He wants to dwell in the Lords house, he wants to behold the Lords beauty and he wants to inquire of the Lord. So he wants to live where God lives, to spent his life in His presence43. Those who dwell in Gods house, ever sings His praise (Ps. 84:5). The psalmist meditates upon the birds who have found their security in the temple. And God blesses those who dwell in the temple including the birds. This blessing then leads to praise, namely, making their public, confessional witnesses of Yahweh44. To be in Gods court for a day is better than a thousand. Thus it is the quality of life before God, rather than the quantity of life, that fulfills us. It is not the beauty of the place that attracts the psalmist but beauty of the Lord. Thus the psalmist now reflects on the joy of being in Gods house45. The righteous are like green olive trees in the house of Yahweh (Ps. 52:10; 92:14)- probably referring to their growth and permanence. The metaphor olive tree suggests that David is both evergreen and fruitful. Also, he dwells in Gods house and he trusts Gods eternal mercy and this lead to worship46.

3.6. The Religious Significance of the Temple

Like the other ancient temples of the near east on which it was modeled the Jerusalem temple was not a place of congregational worship and it was meant to be the dwelling place of the Lord. In Hebrew the temple is called Gods house or Gods palace. Thus the temple was the house of the Lord in a concrete way47. Since the temple of Jerusalem was the national sanctuary in the capital city, and the religious centre of the nation, its destiny was of course closely bound up with the political and religious history of the nation48.

3.61. The House of the Lord: The Sedenterization of Yahweh

The temple was the seat of the divine presence. When the ark was taken there, God took procession of his house, and the temple was filled by a cloud (I Kings
43 44

Cfr. Donald Williams, Psalms 1-74, Op. Cit., 210-211. Cfr. Donald Williams, Psalms 73-150, Op. Cit., 110-111. 45 Cfr. Ibid., 113. 46 Cfr. Donald Williams, Psalms 1-74, Op. Cit., 375. 47 Cfr. George M. Soares- Prabu, The Temple of Jerusalem, in: Jeevadhara, XXIII (1993) 136. 48 Cfr. Roland de Vaux, Op. Cit., 321.

54 8:10), that cloud which, in the stories of the desert, was the sign of Yahwehs presence in the tent of reunion (Ex 33:9; 40:34-35). The belief in the Yahwehs presence in his temple was the whole reason for the worship celebrated there and for the pious customs of the faithful. The connection of the psalms with worship and the temple is evident: they often speak of devotion to the house of Yahweh or to the courts of Yahweh and they do so because of the writers confidence that God lived in the temple (Ps27:4; 42:5; 76:3; 84; 122:1-4; 132: 13-14; 134). The prophets share the same belief, in spite of their reservations about the worship practiced there. They saw an evolution in the notion of the divine presence in the temple (Am 1:2; Isa 2:3; Mic 4:2)49.

3.6.2. The Temple of God: Yahweh is God and there is No Other

For the Israelites, Yahweh is the only true God, the creator of heaven and earth, the lord over all the kingdoms of the world (II Kings 19:15). This unambiguous but rather nave monotheism is expressed positively in the frequently recurring formula Yahweh is God and there is no other (Dt 4:35; I Kings 8:60; Isa 45:5, 22; 46:9). It is expressed negatively by the facile charge that all the gods of the nations are idols (Ps 96:5; Isa 41:29; Jer 2:11)50.

3.6.3. A Most Holy Place: Yahweh is the Lord of Cult

A system of purities centered round the temple and its cult (the holiness of places and peoples was measured in terms of their proximity to the sanctuary of the temple, the most holy place) began to supersede a system of ethical demands in which persons are judged righteous because of their right relationship of justice towards each other. Care for the widow, the orphan and the refugee as an indispensable condition for winning Yahwehs favours. It is a common theme of the prophetic preaching (Jer7:4-7; Hos6:6; Mic6:6-8; Isa58:1-12)51.

3.7. The Political Role of the Temple

The Jerusalem temple, in dimensions alone if not also in decoration, was apparently one of the largest and most beautiful structures of that period. The
4949 50

Cfr. Ibid., 325-326. Cfr. George M. Soares- Prabu, Op. Cit., 141. 51 Cfr. Ibid., 143-144.

55 construction of the temple has typically been seen as a by-product of Davidic and Solomonic political might. It was essential part of the state formation52.

3.7.1. The Significance of the Temple: Historical not Cosmic

De Vaux points out that the key to the symbolism of the temple is to be sought not in myths, nor in cosmology, but in Israels history, for the religion of Israel is not the religion of myths nor a nature e religion, but an historical one. Next to its religious meaning and closely connected to it is the political role that temple played in Israels history53. Just as the great liturgical feasts recalled the different events of the Exodus, and the Ark of the Covenant recalled Gods pact with his chosen people, so the temple recalled and signified Yahwehs choice of Jerusalem and of Davids dynasty, and then the subsequent protection afford to this city and this dynasty54.

3.7.2. The Role of the Temple: the Legitimating of Monarchy

The political significance of the temple is shown by the fact that its beginning coincides with that of the monarchy. The history of the temple begins with David. It is with David that the monarchy as an organized political institution on the Canaanite model, begins. And it is David who set afoot the construction of the temple. David himself of course does not build the temple but he brought the ark to the Jerusalem and placed in the tent. Solomon, his son and successor is able to build a magnificent temple in which he solemnly installs the ark. And this temple became the temple of the state55.

3.7.3. The Function of the Restored Temple: The Center for a Holy Community
As the sole shrine of Jerusalem, the one unifying centre of the people, the temple acquired enormous significance. It was holy; indeed the most holy place in the world, so that the holiness of the place would be determined by its proximity to or
52 53

Cfr. Carol Meyers, Op. Cit., 360. Cfr. George M. Soares- Prabu, Op. Cit., 145. 54 Cfr. Roland de Vaux, Op. Cit., 329. 55 Cfr. George M. Soares- Prabu, Op. Cit., 145-146.
53 54 55

56 distance from the centre of the temple. Such holiness demands ritual purity on the part of all those who are approach the temple56.

Conclusion
No temple probably exercised as great an influence on the lives of its Jewish people as the temple of Jerusalem. It was the shrine of the people and the only place of worship. It had political and religious influence among the people of Israel. As the great interrogative institution of its religion the temple offered the Jews a symbol of identity which helped them to survive the catastrophe of the Exile. But precisely because of its interrogative role it was powerless to prevent the inflation of the cult and the hardening of purity rules which always indicate a decline in religion. It is against this decline Jesus protested when he reminded his hearers of Israels prophetic tradition that mercy is preferable to sacrifice (Mt. 9:13); and when, putting this into practice, he freely violated purity regulations by eating with tax collectors and sinners (Lk. 5:1-2)57. In the next chapter let us try to understand the meaning of temple for Jesus and early church and how Jesus purified the temple spirituality.

56 57

Cfr. Ibid., 149-150. Cfr. George M. Soares- Prabu, Op. Cit., 152.