The Bible In A Year
I Chronicles through Nehemiah – week 2 of 5
November 19-24, 2018
Readings for the Week
Theme of the week: Continuing through Chronicles.
- Monday 2 Chronicles chapters 9, 10, 11 & 12
- Tuesday 2 Chronicles chapters 13, 14, 15, 16 & 17
- Wednesday 2 Chronicles chapters 18, 19 & 20, Psalm 81
- Thursday 2 Chronicles chapters 21, 22, 23 & 24, Psalm 10
- Friday 2 Chronicles chapters 25, 26, 27 & 28
- Saturday Leviticus chapter 17,2 Chronicles chapters 29, 30 & 31, Psalms 117, 100 & 20
The Bible In A Year
I Chronicles through Nehemiah – week 2 of 5
A Framework for Understanding
Temple
The English translations of the Bible state that Solomon built the first Jewish temple. The word “temple” actually did not exist at the time of David and Solomon! However, it is understood that the edifice constructed was to be home to God and house the ark of the covenant.
The Bible also records that David had intended to build the temple, but that God told David not to do so. David proceeded to gather supplies and make provision for the construction, but left the actual work to Solomon. The first temple was completed in 960BCE. It was always intended to be the center of the practice of the Jewish religion. It became a place of pilgrimage, the appropriate place to offer sacrifices to God.
The first temple was leveled in 586BCE, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem either taken into exile, or fleeing to Egypt. Upon the return of the exiles 50 years later, one of the very first projects begun was the reconstruction of the temple. After a period in which work was suspended, the temple was finally completed and dedicated 20 years later. The “second temple period” began in 516BCE and continued until the temple was leveled by the Romans in 70 AD.
In 19BCE Herod the Great actually built a “third temple”, also know as “Herod’s temple”. Desiring to upgrade and expand the temple in use at the time (the second temple) Herod actually tore down the second temple and built a new on the same site. HOWEVER, because the offering of sacrifices continued without interruption, the third temple is included in the second temple period. The Romans actually leveled Herod’s temple. Herod’s temple was the shortest lived, being in use not even 100 years at its destruction.