and the plans for its construction were made by divine inspiration . 1 Chronicles 28:12 , 19 . Solomon , the wisest of Israel ' s monarchs , had completed the work . This temple was the most magnificent building which the world ever saw . Yet the Lord had declared by the prophet Haggai , concerning the second temple : " The glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the former ." " I will shake all nations , and the Desire of all nations shall come : and I will fill this house with glory , saith the Lord of hosts ." Haggai 2:9 , 7 .
After the destruction of the temple by Nebuchadnezzar it was rebuilt about five hundred years before the birth of Christ by a people who from a lifelong captivity had returned to a wasted and almost deserted country . There were then among them aged men who had seen the glory of Solomon ' s temple , and who wept at the foundation of the new building , that it must be so inferior to the former . The feeling that prevailed is forcibly described by the prophet : " Who is left among you that saw this house in her first glory ? and how do ye see it now ? is it not in your eyes in comparison of it as nothing ?" Haggai 2:3 ; Ezra 3:12 . Then was given the promise that the glory of this latter house should be greater than that of the former .
But the second temple had not equalled the first in magnificence ; nor was it hallowed by those visible tokens of the divine presence which pertained to the first temple . There was no manifestation of supernatural power to mark its dedication . No cloud of glory was seen to fill the newly erected sanctuary . No fire from heaven descended to consume the sacrifice upon its altar . The Shekinah no longer abode between the cherubim in the most holy place ; the ark , the mercy seat , and the tables of the testimony were not to be found therein . No voice sounded from heaven to make known to the inquiring priest the will of Jehovah .
For centuries the Jews had vainly endeavoured to show wherein the promise of God given by Haggai had been fulfilled ; yet pride and unbelief blinded their minds to the true meaning of the prophet ' s words . The second temple was not honoured with the cloud of Jehovah ' s glory , but with the living presence of One in whom dwelt the fullness of the Godhead bodily--who was God Himself manifest in the flesh . The " Desire of all nations " had indeed come to His temple when the Man of Nazareth taught and healed in the sacred courts . In the presence of Christ , and in this only , did the second temple exceed the first in glory . But Israel had put from her the proffered Gift of heaven . With the humble Teacher who had that day passed out from its golden gate , the glory had forever departed from the temple . Already were the Saviour ' s words fulfilled : " Your house is left unto you desolate ." Matthew 23:38 .
The disciples had been filled with awe and wonder at Christ ' s prediction of the overthrow of the temple , and they desired to understand more fully the meaning of His words . Wealth , labour , and architectural skill had for more than forty years been freely expended to enhance its splendours . Herod the Great had lavished upon it both Roman wealth and Jewish treasure , and even the emperor
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