Topical Encyclopedia
The First Temple, also known as Solomon's Temple, was a central place of worship for the Israelites and a symbol of God's presence among His people. Its destruction was a significant event in biblical history, and its prediction is a recurring theme in the prophetic literature of the Old Testament.
Prophetic WarningsThe prophets of Israel, under divine inspiration, frequently warned of the impending destruction of the Temple due to the nation's persistent idolatry and disobedience to God's commandments. These warnings served as a call to repentance and a reminder of the covenantal relationship between God and Israel.
Isaiah's ProphecyThe prophet Isaiah, ministering during the 8th century BC, was among the first to foretell the destruction of the Temple. In
Isaiah 39:6-7 , he warns King Hezekiah: "Behold, the days are coming when everything in your palace, and all that your fathers have stored up until this day, will be carried off to Babylon. Nothing will be left, says the LORD. And some of your descendants, your own flesh and blood who will be born to you, will be taken away, and they will become eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon."
Jeremiah's LamentJeremiah, known as the "weeping prophet," delivered a poignant message regarding the Temple's fate. In
Jeremiah 7:14 , he declares: "Therefore, what I did to Shiloh I will now do to the house that bears My Name, the temple in which you trust, the place that I gave to you and your fathers." Jeremiah's ministry was marked by his relentless call for repentance, emphasizing that the Temple's destruction was a consequence of Judah's unfaithfulness.
Ezekiel's VisionEzekiel, a prophet during the Babylonian exile, also received visions concerning the Temple's destruction. In
Ezekiel 24:21 , God speaks through Ezekiel: "Tell the house of Israel that this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘I am about to desecrate My sanctuary, the pride of your power, the delight of your eyes, and the desire of your soul. The sons and daughters you left behind will fall by the sword.’" Ezekiel's prophecies highlight the severity of God's judgment and the loss of the Temple as a profound spiritual and national tragedy.
Fulfillment of ProphecyThe prophecies concerning the destruction of the First Temple were fulfilled in 586 BC when the Babylonians, under King Nebuchadnezzar, besieged Jerusalem. The city was captured, the Temple was destroyed, and the people were taken into exile. This event marked a pivotal moment in Israel's history, serving as a testament to the accuracy of prophetic warnings and the seriousness of covenantal disobedience.
Theological SignificanceThe predicted destruction of the First Temple underscores the holiness of God and His intolerance of idolatry and sin. It serves as a sobering reminder of the consequences of turning away from God's statutes and the importance of faithfulness to His covenant. The loss of the Temple also foreshadows the need for a new covenant, ultimately fulfilled in the person and work of Jesus Christ, who offers a restored relationship with God through His atoning sacrifice.
Torrey's Topical Textbook
Jeremiah 26:18Micah the Morasthite prophesied in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah, and spoke to all the people of Judah, saying, Thus said the LORD of hosts; Zion shall be plowed like a field, and Jerusalem shall become heaps, and the mountain of the house as the high places of a forest.
Torrey's Topical TextbookMicah 3:12
Therefore shall Zion for your sake be plowed as a field, and Jerusalem shall become heaps, and the mountain of the house as the high places of the forest.
Torrey's Topical Textbook
Library
The Jewish War and the Destruction of Jerusalem. AD 70
... himself from beginning to end, at first as governor of ... in the Jewish sense), without
a temple, without a ... only to a still more complete destruction of Jerusalem ...
/.../schaff/history of the christian church volume i/section 38 the jewish war.htm
From Antioch to the Destruction of Jerusalem.
... At Antioch he made a complete break with the Jews and at Lystra they stoned ... It was
written some time before AD70, as the temple and its ... 2) The First Epistle of ...
/.../tidwell/the bible period by period/chapter xx from antioch to.htm
Palestine under Pagan Kings.
... reason and his throne, and one of his first acts was ... The temple of Karnak, on the
east bank of the ... We cannot well imagine a more complete destruction than has ...
/.../headley/half hours in bible lands volume 2/palestine under pagan kings.htm
The Restoration.
... (1) The first colony to ... was encountered in the matter of rebuilding the temple and
the ... the people to renew their building operations and complete the temple (BC ...
/.../tidwell/the bible period by period/chapter xvi the restoration.htm
The First Ministry of the Baptist.
... garb, he had brought his body under complete mastery ... of the metropolis, familiar
with the Temple services, and ... At first Christ drew all men to Himself; but, as ...
//christianbookshelf.org/meyer/john the baptist/v the first ministry of.htm
The Evening of the Third Day in Passion-Week - on the Mount of ...
... to two Messiahs, of whom the first should fall ... be repelled - at the last with complete
destruction of the enemy. ... in Jerusalem would be the new Temple which the ...
/.../edersheim/the life and times of jesus the messiah/chapter vi the evening of.htm
The Apocalypse.
... serpent-bruiser, which was given to our first parents immediately ... vision is the last
and most complete form of ... seer was directed to measure the Temple and the ...
/.../schaff/history of the christian church volume i/section 101 the apocalypse.htm
Jesus Before Caiphas.
... These latter were at first alarmed at seeing strangers ... in the neighbourhood of the
Temple many other ... excitement; they appeared to have complete possession not ...
/.../chapter viii jesus before caiphas.htm
Second visit to Nazareth - the Mission of the Twelve.
... into Egypt and His non-return to Bethlehem formed a complete break in ... to the claims
which Jesus had made on His first purification of the Temple. ...
/.../the life and times of jesus the messiah/chapter xxvii second visit to.htm
On the Passion, iii. ; Delivered on the Sunday Before Easter.
... complete, in the humility the majesty is complete: and the ... had not the Vanquisher
of Death first feared ... This morning overthrew for you the temple and its altars ...
/.../leo/writings of leo the great/sermon liv on the passion.htm
Resources
What is the temple tax? | GotQuestions.orgHow many times did Jesus cleanse the temple? Why did He cleanse the temple? | GotQuestions.orgWhat was the significance of the temple veil being torn in two when Jesus died? | GotQuestions.orgTemple: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.comBible Concordance •
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Bible Thesuarus
