THE SANCTUARY REBUILT

Cyrus, the king of Persia, in the first year of his reign, put forth a decree for the restoration of God’s sanctuary which had so long been in ruins. Ezra 1:1-4. And in this decree he not only gave permission to the whole house of Israel to go up to the city of their fathers, where God had chosen to place his name, but he actually provided help for those who needed aid to go up. And yet, ten of the twelve tribes chose to remain in their iniquity, and dwell with the heathen. But we learn in verse 5, that the chief of the fathers of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests, and the Levites, and a few others, went up. The vessels of God’s house, which had been in Satan’s sanctuary at Babylon (Ezra 1:7, 8; 5:14; 2 Chronicles 36:7; Daniel 1:2), were delivered to them to carry up to the temple of God which they were to rebuild at Jerusalem.S23D 66.1

And in the second year of their coming unto the house of God at Jerusalem, with Zerubbabel for their governor, and Joshua for their high priest, they laid the foundation of the temple of the Lord. Ezra 8:8, 10. After many serious hindrances, it was completed in the sixth year of Darius, its building having occupied a period of twenty years. Ezra 6:15. The decree from which the 2300 days are dated did not go forth until the seventh year of the grandson of Darius. So that the sanctuary was in existence when that period commenced. Ezra 7. This temple of Zerubbabel was but the temple of Solomon rebuilt, as we may learn from Ezra 5:11, though it seems to have been larger than that building. Ezra 6:3, 4; 1 Kings 6:2. Hence it was but a continuance of the pattern of the true, which Solomon had erected. And thus we understand Paul’s language in Hebrews 9 as referring to these buildings, which, as a whole, make up the sanctuary of the first covenant, when he pronounces that sanctuary a figure or pattern of the true.S23D 66.2

While Zerubbabel was building the Lord’s house, the prophets Haggai and Zechariah encouraged the builders. Ezra 5:1; 6:14. Haggai promised that though it were not as rich in silver and gold as was the first house, yet the glory of this latter house should be greater than of the former, as the Desire of all nations would come to it. Haggai 2.S23D 67.1

GOD DWELT IN THIS SANCTUARY.—“Therefore, thus saith the Lord; I am returned to Jerusalem with mercies: mine house shall be built in it, saith the Lord of hosts.” Zechariah 1:16. “Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion; for lo, I come, and I will dwell in the midst of thee, saith the Lord.” Zechariah 2:10. “And whose shall swear by the temple, sweareth by it, and by him that dwelleth therein.” Matthew 23:21.S23D 67.2

Nehemiah calls this building the sanctuary, and declares that “we will not forsake the house of our God.” Chap. 10:39. While God’s house lay in ruins, Daniel prayed that God would cause his face to shine upon his sanctuary that was desolate. In answer to his prayer, the angel Gabriel is sent to inform him that at the end of 69 weeks from the going forth of the decree to restore and to build Jerusalem, the Messiah would come, and would finally be cut off. After this, the city and the sanctuary, which we have now seen rebuilt, would be destroyed, and never again be rebuilt, but left in ruins till the consummation. Daniel 9. At the end of the 69 weeks, A.D. 27, the Messiah the Prince came, and began to preach. Mark 1:15. Israel proceeded to “finish the transgression,” for which God would cut them off from being his people, by rejecting the Messiah. Daniel 9:24; John 1:11; Matthew 23:32; 1 Thessalonians 2:15, 16.S23D 67.3

GOD FORSAKES THE SANCTUARY.—“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not! Behold your house is left unto you desolate”. Matthew 23:37, 38; Luke 13:34, 35. After uttering these words, Jesus departed from the temple, which was no longer God’s habitation. And as he went out, he declared that it should be thrown down, and not one stone left upon another. Matthew 24:1, 2. And what Gabriel and Jesus had thus predicted, the Romans in a few years fulfilled, and the “worldly sanctuary” ceased to exist.S23D 68.1

DATES.-Moses erected the sanctuary (according to the chronology in the margin), B.C. 1490. It was forsaken at Shiloh, B.C. 1141. Solomon erected the sanctuary, B.C. 1005. It was forsaken of God, B.C. 588. Rebuilt by Zerubbabel, B.C. 515. Forsaken and left desolate, A.D. 31. We have now followed the typical sanctuary to its end. And here let us pause for reflection and inquiry. Why did God ordain this extraordinary arrangement? The sacrifices offered in this building could never take away sins. Why then were they instituted? The priests which here ministered were so imperfect that they had to offer for themselves. Why then was such a priesthood ordained? The building itself was but an imperfect, temporary structure, though finished to the perfection of human art. Why then was such a structure erected? Surely, God does nothing in vain, and all this is full of meaning. Nor will the student of the Bible be at a loss to answer these questions. The building itself was but a “figure of the true,” a “pattern of things in the heavens.” The priests which there ministered, served “unto the example and shadow of heavenly things,” and the sacrifices there offered, continually pointed forward to the great sacrifice that should be made for the sin of man. These great truths are plainly stated in Hebrews 8-10. We shall now pass from the shadow to the substance.S23D 68.2