The Three Jewish Temples

King David wanted to build a temple to replace the Tabernacle of Moses. He drew up extensive plans, gathered materials, and arranged for the conduct of temple services, but the Lord refused to let David build it because he had “too much blood on his hands.”  After David’s death, the task of building the temple was assumed by King Solomon, David’s fourth son by Bathsheba, who was the eighth wife of King David. For the temple’s interior, 

Solomon purchased beautiful cedar and cypress trees from King Harem of Tyre, in Lebanon. Their logs were tied to rafts and floated down the seacoast to a port city in Israel. From there the logs were dragged overland to Jerusalem. The cedars were cut into attractive wooden wall panels and the cypress used for the temple’s floor.  The outer structure of the temple was made of stone acquired from large quarries north of Jerusalem. Stonecutters and stonemasons toiled for years, cutting and shaping the white stones for the temple. Skilled craftsmen squared the stones so perfectly that mortar was seldom used.  Construction of the temple required 7 years and was completed in 957 B.C.  The temple measured 90 feet long, 30 feet wide and 45 feet high. At its rear temple stood the Holy of Holies room, 15 feet by 15 feet, where the arch of covenant resided and God’s presence dwelt.  

The first temple was destroyed by King Nebuchadnezzar and his invading Babylonian armies in 587 B.C. The Jewish people were taken away into Babylonian captivity. The Book of Ezra describes the rebuilding of the temple which was authorized by Cyprus the Great of Persia, who conquered the Babylonian Empire and released the Hebrews in captivity so they could return to Israel to worship their God.  Work began on the temple in 537 B.C., and after a hiatus, resumed in 520 B.C.  It was completed in 516 B.C. Five centuries later, circa 20 B.C., Herod the Great renovated the temple.  It was destroyed by General Titus and his Roman army in 70 A.D. Jesus had predicted its destruction 40 years earlier (ref Luke 21: 5-6).  The temple was leveled to the ground; the western wall surrounding it being the only structure left standing. Today the wall serves as a holy place where Jews assemble to pray.

In A.D. 691, the Muslims built a mosque called the “Dome of the Rock” over the remains of the former Jewish temple. From this sacred rock, Islam’s prophet, Mohammed, reputedly ascended into heaven. Jewish tradition has it that Abraham prepared to sacrifice Isaac from this same rock. And on this same location, Solomon built his temple. 

Orthodox Jews believe a third temple will be built on the site now occupied by the Dome of the Rock to prepare the way for the Jewish Messiah, who is yet to come. Ezekiel 40:1-48:35 contains detailed specifications for rebuilding the third temple.  Zealous Jewish factions want to remove the Dome of the Rock and relocate it to Mecca. Muslims throughout the world would fight to their deaths to prevent this from happening; consequently, any attempt to rebuild the temple might precipitate the Battle of Armageddon and presage the second coming of Christ.