WHY SECOND TEMPLE JUDAISM?

 Why do we refer to this period of Judaism as Second Temple Judaism?
 

Why The Second Temple?

  1. We might ask why do we speak of Second Temple Judaism?

  2. What do we mean by this term?

  3. If there is a Second Temple Judaism, what is First Temple Judaism?

What is First Temple Judaism?

  1. The First Temple refers to the Temple built by King Solomon in Jerusalem ca 950 BC (1 Chron 28:9, 10; 1 Kings 5).
  2. This Temple was destroyed by the Babylonians in 586 BC when Israel was taken into Babylonian captivity (Jer 52:28-30).
  3. 70 years later, after Babylon had been defeated by the Persians, Israel was permitted under Cyrus the King of Persia, to return to Jerusalem, rebuild the walls of the city and the Temple, ca. 537, 520-515 BC (The books of Haggai, Zechariah). 

This temple is referred to as The Second Temple.

  1. As indicated above The Second Temple was built on the site of the First Temple ca. 520-515 BC. ( Haggai, Zechariah).
  2. King Herod of Israel enlarged and expanded the Second Temple ca. 1 BC, which Temple we read about in the Four Gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, and the remainder of the New Testament.
  3. In AD 70 the Second Temple was destroyed by the Romans when they put down the great Jewish Rebellion of AD 66-73.  Jerusalem was destroyed in AD 70.
  4. For good information and web pages describing the Great Revolt and The Second Temple click on the following web URLs http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Judaism/revolt.html http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Judaism/The_Temple.html.
  5. The Temple Mount today, the site of the First and Second Temples, is occupied by a Muslim sanctuaries which house the magnificent Muslim Dome of the Rock Mosque (built ca 691 AD) on the site where Muslims believe their great prophet Muhammad ascended into heaven, and the “holy” Moriah rock where it is believed Abraham built an altar and was prepared to sacrifice his son Isaac.
  6. Jews today pray daily for the restoration of the Temple as a sign of the full restoration of Israel.

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