In this issue our pilgrim steps will take us through the Temple which, in Jesus' time, was the crowning glory of Jerusalem and the pride and joy of the whole Israelite people. The object of our visit will be the structure of the Temple, the infrastructure within and the Ark of the Covenant kept with sacred care within the Holy of Holies. Later we shall try and understand the various kinds of sacrifices offered in the Temple.

When we speak of the Temple, we need to consider the two temples built at two different times. The first was the one planned by king David and constructed by Solomon. The second was the one built after 50 years of exile occasioned by the attack of Babylon in 586 BC when the Temple was destroyed completely. Built by those who returned to Jerusalem after the exile, it was demolished and rebuilt by King Herod who ruled Palestine from 37 BC to 4 A D. It was a Temple situated in the midst of a spacious 43-acre plot, built with all sorts of architectural expertise. This was the temple that Jesus looked at and whose eventual destruction he predicted. That destruction took place in 70 AD. Today, when we cannot see a stone upon a stone, we realise how Jesus' prophecy has been fulfilled to the letter.
 
 

Solomon became the king of Israel in 960 B C. In the fourth year of his reign the work on the temple began (cf 1 Kings 6:1).It was finished by the seventh year (cf 1 King 6:38). We read the account of its destruction in the 5th chapter of 1 Kings. During the moments of dedication, standing in the presence of the Lord and raising his hands towards heaven, Solomon said a most beautiful prayer. This is recorded in 1 Kings 8:22-53. After installing the Ark of the Covenant in the Holy of Holies, the priests came out of the Temple, and then a cloud came and filled the house of God (cf 1 Kings 8:11).

During the seven days of celebration of the dedication of the Temple, according to the account given in the Bible, twenty six thousand oxen and more than a lakh sheep were offered to the Lord as peace offering (cf 1 Kings 8:63). Let us enter this temple. In the beginning the temple was considered a place to dedicate and preserve the Ark of the Covenant. It was, therefore, called "The house of God" and "The house that King Solomon built for the Lord" (cf 1 Kings 6:2). Just as the house wherein dwells the king is known a Rajbhavan, the temple came to be known as the house of the Lord. Later it became the venue for all the people to pray and offer sacrifice. The Temple Solomon built for the Lord was 60 cubits long, 20 cubits wide and 30 cubits high. Since a cubit was approximately one and a half ft, the rectangular temple was 90 ft long, 30 ft wide and 45 ft high. It had three sections. At the entrance was the portico, next the verandh and then the most important part-the holy place. Behind the holy place was the Holy of Holies or the inner sanctuary. A wall separated the holy place and the Holy of Holies. Inside the Holy and Holies which had no windows, was placed the Ark of the Covenant. Scholars say this temple had similarities with the temples of the Phoenicians and the Canaanites. But in those temples what was placed within the inner sanctuary was only an idol of their god.

The porticoes separated the courtyard and the sacred place of the temple. It rose high like a monument in front of the holy place. The important part of the Temple was the holy place. We can enter the holy place from the verandah through a curtained door. In the holy place was an altar made of cedar overlaid with gold. It was on this altar that the priest offered incense. There were also the golden table for the bread of the Presence, the lighted lamps on the lamp-stands of pure gold. The three above-mentioned things were kept in the holy place. Behind the holy place was the Holy of Holies or the inner sanctuary. It was about 30 ft long, 30 ft wide and 30 ft high and fully inlaid with gold. It was inside this that the Ark of the Temple was placed.
 
 

The Ark was made of acacia and covered and inlaid with gold. It was 4ft long, 2 1/2ft wide and 2 1/2ft high. and the border all round was inlaid with gold. At the 4 corners were attached 4 gold rings in the middle of the Ark. 2 poles of acacia inlaid with gold were slipped into the rings. These were the poles to carry the Ark.

This Ark was made according to the directions given by God to Moses, when God made a Covenant with the Israelite people. Within the Ark were the tablets of stone placed there by Moses at Horeb. On the tablets were inscribed the ten commandments. In the inner sanctuary were two cherubim with human faces and birds' bodies.
 
 

On top of the Ark was the seat of mercy made of gold and on either side of it were two cherubim made of gold facing each other. Over the seat of mercy were the cherubuim with wings spread out and touching each other thus forming a covering.

This Ark was the sign of God's presence, the guide of the people during the 40 years of sojourn through the desert, and the centre of their life of worship. It was here that God spoke through Moses to the chosen people: "You shall put the mercy seat on the top of the Ark; and in the Ark you shall put the covenant that I shall give you. There I will meet with you, and from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim that are on the Ark of the Covenant, I will deliver to you all my commands for the Israelites" (Ex 25:21-22) (see the picture of the Ark of the Covenant)

This Ark was placed in the Holy of Holies in the Temple built by King Solomon. No one, not even the priests could enter here. There was one day in the year that the Israelites observed as a day of reparation. On that day, the whole nation observed a total fast, assembled in the presence of God and under the leadership of the High Priest, who alone had access to the inner sanctuary, prayed and offered sacrifices of reparation and became reconciled to God. It was only on this day that the High Priest would enter the Holy of Holies with the blood of the slain calf and goat.

This Temple built by Solomon was destroyed by the Babylonians in 586 BC. Those who returned from exile rebuilt the temple in 515 BC and revived the rite of peace offerings and worship. This temple lasted till the time of Herod who became king in BC 37. King Herod demolished it and in its place built a huge, beautiful one making use of every architectural artifice. The reign of Herod the Great can be considered the golden age of the Temple of Jerusalem; the site of the Temple was extended; a spacious courtyard was provided with the temple in its midst. Around the temple on all four sides were domes inlaid with gold, fixed on marble pillars.

The temple standing in the midst of the vast, spacious grounds, was magnificent with the ornamental work of marble, gold and silver. There was a wall surrounding the Temple. The Temple facing east, had its main entrance on its eastern side. This entrance was called the 'beautiful gate'. As we enter by this gate, we reach the section meant for women. It was roofless but there were rooms in every corner meant for special uses. One was for those who had taken the Nazarene vow; the second for those who were healed of leprosy; the third to store fuel for the altar of sacrifice and the fourth for storing oil and other necessities. There were treasuries installed in the section for women. If we walk along this side and go forward facing the Temple, and climb the 15 circular steps, we shall reach the "Nikhnor" gate. Standing on these steps, the Levites, who were the Temple singers, conducted the choir during the Temple worship and offering of sacrifices. As we climb these steps and pass through the "Nikhnor" gate, we reach the place set aside for the men. Beyond that was the 11/2 ft high parapet. Further on was the place for the priests. Here, in front of the temple, was the big altar where the animal sacrifices were offered. This altar was 45ft in length, 45ft in width and 15ft in height. The way for the priests to climb up to the altar with the offering for the scarifies, was provided. To one side of the altar were the table to butcher the animals, and conveniences for suspending the carcasses for the blood to drain off and then to skin them and cut them to pieces. All this was in roofless, open spaces. In front of the big altar meant for animal sacrifices, rose the main temple structure. Climbing the steps, we first reach the portico and then the holy place. In this holy place, as in Solomon's Temple, there was the table of gold meant for the offering of incense, the seven-pronged lamp stand with lights perpetually lit, and the golden table for 12 loaves arranged in two rows. In this holy place, priests took turns to enter, trimmed the lamps, offered incense, prayed for the people and changed the bread of the Presence every Sabbath. After the holy place came the Holy of Holies. The holy place and the Holy of Holies were separated by a double curtain. It was this curtain that split into two when Jesus died on the cross as recorded by the gospel writers. (cf. Mt 27:51; Mk 15:38).

In the Holy of Holies constructed by Herod there was no object whatever. In Solomon's temple the Ark of the covenant was installed. The Ark disappeared with the destruction of the Temple in 586 BC. But with the idea that the Ark was still there, the High Priest once a year entered the Holy of Holies in the Temple built by Herod, on the Day of Atonement and sprinkled the blood of sacrificial animals. It was with fervour and a sacred sense of awe of the Presence of God that the High Priest entered behind the curtain in the Holy of Holies.

Jesus taught the people seated on the porticoes around the splendid temple built by Herod, It was from this courtyard that he drove away the vendors and money changers. Jesus prophesied the utter destruction of this beautiful temple. It happened exactly as he had foretold. The Jews have not been able to rebuild it to this day. With the demolition of the Temple the sacrificial offerings also ceased. The priestly ministry came to an end. This state of affairs still continues.